HOLIDAYS, CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS
Mardi
Gras
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the carnival. For other uses, see Mardi Gras
(disambiguation).
Contents
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3 Brazil
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5 Italy
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7 Sweden
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Traditions
Popular practices include wearing masks
and costumes, overturning social conventions, dancing, sports
competitions, parades, etc. Similar expressions to Mardi Gras appear in other
European languages sharing the Christian tradition, as it is associated with
the religious requirement for confession before Lent begins.
In many areas, the term "Mardi Gras"
has come to mean the whole period of activity related to the celebratory
events, beyond just the
single day. In some US
cities, it is now called "Mardi Gras Day" or "Fat Tuesday".[1][2][3][4][5] The
festival season varies from city to city, as some traditions consider Mardi
Gras the entire period between Epiphany or Twelfth Night and Ash Wednesday.[7] Others
treat the final three-day period before Ash Wednesday as the Mardi Gras.[8] In Mobile, Alabama, Mardi Gras-associated social events begin in November, followed by mystic society balls on Thanksgiving,[7][9] then
New Year's Eve, followed by parades and balls in January and February,
celebrating up to midnight before Ash Wednesday. In earlier times parades were
held on New Year's Day.[7] Other
cities famous for Mardi Gras celebrations include Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Barranquilla, Colombia; Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago; Quebec City, Canada; Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico; and New Orleans, Louisiana, United States.
Carnival is an important celebration in Anglican and Catholic European
nations.[6] In
the United Kingdom and Ireland, the week before Ash Wednesday is called "shrovetide", ending on Shrove Tuesday. It
has its popular celebratory aspects as well. Pancakes are a traditional food.
Pancakes and related fried breads or pastries made with sugar, fat and eggs are
also traditionally consumed at this time in many parts of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Where do Holidays, Customs and Traditions come from? What
is the ancient Origins and current advocates? What does the Bible have to say?
In
the book of Exodus 7:11and 22, we are told of the magical power of Egypt. “…the
magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.”
Don’t be deceived to think that the Devil and his agents do not have any power.
Their power is however limited by God. See Exodus 8:7 and 18, they could bring
frogs with their enchantment but not lice. This is just an example that should
teach us to fear any evolvement with the occult and evil forces. The Lord
almighty is most powerful and he limits the power of darkness, but he will not
protect us from the influence of evil if we so choose.
“The magicians of heathen times have their counterpart in the
spiritualistic mediums, the clairvoyants, and the fortune-tellers of today. The
mystic voices that spoke at Endor and at Ephesus are still by their lying words
misleading the children of men. Could the veil be lifted from before our eyes,
we should see evil angels employing all their arts to deceive and to destroy.
Wherever an influence is exerted to cause men to forget God, there Satan is
exercising his bewitching power. When men yield to his influence, ere they are
aware the mind is bewildered and the soul polluted. The apostle’s admonition to
the Ephesian church should be heeded by the people of God today: “Have no
fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” Ephesians 5:11.” Acts of the Apostles, 290.2
LESONS FROM THE PAST:
The
lesson learned from the “Golden Calf” idolatry should not have been easily
forgotten by the Israelites. In Exodus chapter 32, we have a good description
of what this kind of pagan celebrations were like. Idolatry is a better term.
This is the origin of most holidays celebrated by the world today. Just like
Aaron helping the unsanctified hearts to have an idol to worship, and
sanctioning the practice of it, so the Roman Catholic Church does today!
Having failed to learn the
lesson here, that idolatry is displeasing to God, for it is in fact a very
grievous sin(Exo.32:30). Israel again practices idolatry type of worship at
Baalpeor(Numbers 25). The result is that 24 thousand people died in the plague.
The Lord’s commands are not to be trifled with.
“Disappointed in his hopes of wealth and promotion(BALAAM),
in disfavor with the king, and conscious that he had incurred the displeasure
of God, Balaam returned from his self-chosen mission. After he had reached his
home the controlling power of the Spirit of God left him, and his covetousness,
which had been merely held in check, prevailed. He was ready to resort to any
means to gain the reward promised by Balak. Balaam knew that the prosperity of
Israel depended upon their obedience to God, and that there was no way to cause
their overthrow but by seducing them into sin. He now decided to secure Balak’s
favor by advising the Moabites of the course to be pursued to bring a curse
upon Israel.” PATRIARCS And PROPHETS, 451.4
“He immediately returned to the land of
Moab and laid his plans before the king. The Moabites themselves were convinced
that so long as Israel remained true to God, He would be their shield. The plan
proposed by Balaam was to separate them from God by enticing them into
idolatry. If they could be led to engage in the licentious worship of Baal and
Ashtaroth, their omnipotent Protector would become their enemy, and they would
soon fall a prey to the fierce, warlike nations around them. This plan was
readily accepted by the king, and Balaam himself remained to assist in carrying
it into effect.” IBID, 451.5
“Balaam witnessed the
success of his diabolical scheme. He saw the curse of God visited upon His
people, and thousands falling under His judgments; but the divine justice that
punished sin in Israel did not permit the tempters to escape. In the war of
Israel against the Midianites, Balaam was slain. He had felt a presentiment
that his own end was near when he exclaimed, “Let
me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!” But he had
not chosen to live the life of the righteous, and his destiny was fixed with
the enemies of God. IBID, 451.6
“On the eastern side of
Jordan, between the river and the high tableland which they had been
traversing, was also a plain, several miles in width and extending some
distance along the river. This sheltered valley had the climate of the tropics;
here flourished the shittim, or acacia, tree, giving to the plain the name,
“Vale of Shittim.” It was here that the Israelites encamped, and in the acacia
groves by the riverside they found an agreeable retreat.” IBID, 453.2
“But amid these
attractive surroundings they were to encounter an evil more deadly than mighty
hosts of armed men or the wild beasts of the wilderness. That country, so rich
in natural advantages, had been defiled by the inhabitants. In the public
worship of Baal, the leading deity, the most degrading and iniquitous scenes
were constantly enacted. On every side were places noted for idolatry and
licentiousness, the very names being suggestive of the vileness and corruption
of the people.” IBID, 453.3
“These surroundings
exerted a polluting influence upon the Israelites. Their minds became familiar
with the vile thoughts constantly suggested; their life of ease and inaction
produced its demoralizing effect; and almost unconsciously to themselves they were departing from God and coming
into a condition where they would fall an easy prey to temptation.”
IBID, 453.4
“During the time of
their encampment beside Jordan, Moses was preparing for the occupation of
Canaan. In this work the great leader was fully employed; but to the people
this time of suspense and expectation was most trying, and before many weeks
had elapsed their history was marred by the most frightful departures from
virtue and integrity.” IBID, 454.1
“At first there was
little intercourse between the Israelites and their heathen neighbors, but
after a time Midianitish women began to steal into the camp. Their appearance
excited no alarm, and so quietly were their plans conducted that the attention
of Moses was not called to the matter. It was the object of these women, in
their association with the Hebrews, to seduce them into transgression of the
law of God, to draw their attention to heathen rites and customs, and lead them
into idolatry. These motives were studiously concealed under the garb of
friendship, so that they were not suspected, even by the guardians of the
people.” IBID, 454.2
“At Balaam’s suggestion,
a grand festival in honor of their gods was appointed by the king of Moab, and
it was secretly arranged that Balaam should induce the Israelites to attend. He
was regarded by them as a prophet of God, and hence had little difficulty in
accomplishing his purpose. Great numbers of the people joined him in witnessing
the festivities. They ventured upon the forbidden ground, and were entangled in
the snare of Satan. Beguiled with music and dancing, and allured by the beauty
of heathen vestals, they cast off their fealty to Jehovah. As they united in
mirth and feasting, indulgence in wine beclouded their senses and broke down
the barriers of self-control. Passion had full sway; and having defiled their
consciences by lewdness, they were persuaded to bow down to idols. They offered
sacrifice upon heathen altars and participated in the most degrading rites.”
IBID, 454.3
“It was not long before
the poison had spread, like a deadly infection, through the camp of Israel. Those
who would have conquered their enemies in battle were overcome by the wiles of
heathen women. The people seemed to be infatuated. The rulers and the leading
men were among the first to transgress, and so many of the people were guilty
that the apostasy became national. “Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor.” When
Moses was aroused to perceive the
evil, the plots of their enemies had been so successful that not only were the
Israelites participating in the licentious worship at Mount Peor, but the
heathen rites were coming to be observed in the camp of Israel. The aged leader
was filled with indignation, and the wrath of God was kindled.” IBID, 454.4
“Their iniquitous
practices did that for Israel which all the enchantments of Balaam could not
do—they separated them from God. By swift-coming judgments the people were
awakened to the enormity of their sin. A terrible pestilence broke out in the
camp, to which tens of thousands speedily fell a prey. God commanded that the
leaders in this apostasy be put to death by the magistrates. This order was
promptly obeyed. The offenders were slain, then their bodies were hung up in
sight of all Israel that the congregation, seeing the leaders so severely dealt
with, might have a deep sense of God’s abhorrence of their sin and the terror
of His wrath against them.” IBID, 455.1
“All felt that the
punishment was just, and the people hastened to the tabernacle, and with tears
and deep humiliation confessed their sin. While they were thus weeping before
God, at the door of the tabernacle, while the plague was still doing its work
of death, and the magistrates were executing their terrible commission, Zimri,
one of the nobles of Israel, came boldly into the camp, accompanied by a
Midianitish harlot, a princess “of a chief house in Midian,” whom he escorted
to his tent. Never was vice bolder or more stubborn. Inflamed with wine, Zimri
declared his “sin as Sodom,” and gloried in his shame. The priests and leaders
had prostrated themselves in grief and humiliation, weeping “between the porch
and the altar,” and entreating the Lord to spare His people, and give not His
heritage to reproach, when this prince in Israel flaunted his sin in the sight
of the congregation, as if to defy the vengeance of God and mock the judges of
the nation. Phinehas, the son of Eleazar the high priest, rose up from among
the congregation, and seizing a javelin, “he went after the man of Israel into
the tent,” and slew them both. Thus the plague was stayed, while the priest who
had executed the divine judgment was honored before all Israel, and the
priesthood was confirmed to him and to his house forever.” IBID, 455.2
“The judgments visited upon Israel for their sin at Shittim,
destroyed the survivors of that vast company, who, nearly forty years before,
had incurred the sentence, “They shall surely die in the wilderness.” The
numbering of the people by divine direction, during their encampment on the
plains of Jordan, showed that “of them whom Moses and Aaron the priest
numbered, when they numbered the children of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai,
... there was not left a man of them, save Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and
Joshua the son of Nun.” Numbers 26:64, 65. “ IBID, 456.1
A Divine counsel for today: “Many devote nearly all their time to their own
temporal interests and pleasures, and grudge the few days spent and the expense
involved in going a distance from their homes to meet with a company gathered
together in the name of the Lord. The word of the Lord defines covetousness as
idolatry; then how many idolaters are there, even among those who profess to be
the followers of Christ! Testimonies Vol. 04, 107.1
It is required that we
meet together and bear testimony to the truth. The angel of God said: “Then
they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened,
and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that
feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name. And they shall be Mine, saith
the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels; and I will spare them,
as a man spareth his own son that serveth him”. IBID, 107.2
TO BE CONTINUED
Shove Tuesday / Mart Gras / Carnival -
ASH WEDNESDAY – Part 02 of 05
The Roman Church now presents a fair front to the world, covering with apologies her record of horrible cruelties. She has clothed herself in Christlike garments; but she is unchanged. Every principle of the papacy that existed in past ages exists today. The doctrines devised in the darkest ages are still held. Let none deceive themselves. The papacy that Protestants are now so ready to honor is the same that ruled the world in the days of the Reformation, when men of God stood up, at the peril of their lives, to expose her iniquity. She possesses the same pride and arrogant assumption that lorded it over kings and princes, and claimed the prerogatives of God. Her spirit is no less cruel and despotic now than when she crushed out human liberty and slew the saints of the Most High. {GC 571.1}
ReplyDeleteThe papacy is just what prophecy declared that she would be, the apostasy of the latter times. 2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4.