Why do many people who profess to be "Christian" act like pagans every spring? Putting ashes on your forehead for religious purposes is obviously pagan! Ash Wednesday is a Roman Catholic holiday rejecting Jesus Christ and the Word of God. It begins their period of fasting called Lent, when they avoid meat. And it follows their day of condoned gluttony and revelry, called Mardi gras (Fat Tuesday) or Shrove Tuesday (pancake day). These days follow Collop Monday (bacon and eggs day). On Ash Wednesday, Catholics mark their foreheads with ashes.The Scriptures warn of a great falling away from the pure doctrine and practice of Jesus Christ and the apostles, and Ash Wednesday is just one more example of this apostasy. It is one more abomination in the brothel of Roman Catholicism and her spiritual debauchery and fornication. Are we too harsh? Read the following arguments and see Rome's heresy in light of Scripture.
Ash Wednesday
Putting ashes on the forehead is not hinted at in the Bible. Jesus and the apostles never thought of such a thing: it was adopted from paganism. African and Indian pagan rites have involved ashes on the forehead. This manmade tradition of the Catholics makes the worship of God of no effect and adds to the commandments of Jesus Christ (Matt 15:7-9; 28:18-20).
God's people sat in ashes or covered themselves with ashes to show deep grief and repentance before God. They did not make a little mark on their forehead to pretend grief and repentance. The marking of a cross on the forehead merely shows pagan superstition and manmade tradition (Esther 4:1,3; Job 2:8; Is 58:5; Jer 6:26; Dan 9:3; Jonah 3:6; Luke 10:13).
Why is the forehead chosen for ashes? Why not the left elbow? Why not the right knee? Jesus condemned publicly disfiguring your face to indicate you were fasting (Matt 6:16-18). Catholics defy the teaching of Jesus Christ in their self-righteous show of religion. And their practices are as repulsive to God as were those of the Jews (Is 1:10-15; Matt 23:1-39).
Why is the forehead chosen for ashes? The only Bible reference to men marking their foreheads, other than Pharisee tradition with phylacteries, is the mark of the antichrist beast (Matt 23:5; Rev 13:6; 20:4). God-fearing persons would not want to follow Rome with a mark on their forehead!
Why is the forehead chosen for ashes? Because it has the third eye chakra of the Hindus. Surely you have seen Hindu women marked between their eyes. Tilaka is the mark of auspiciousness of Hindus, which may be done by marking the forehead with sacred ashes. Ash Wednesday did not come from the Bible, and it appears by similarity to have come from Hinduism.
Abstaining from meat, which faithful Catholics do on Fridays, Ash Wednesday, December 7, and December 24, is a doctrine of the devil and proof of their apostasy from the Christian religion (I Tim 4:1-3). Ever wonder why you had fish sticks on Friday in school? Now you know! The Holy Spirit is clear in this text, and you can easily understand its force.
What is Mardi gras? It is French for Fat Tuesday. It is the day before Ash Wednesday, when Catholics gorge and carouse before fasting for Lent. Mardi gras in the French Quarter of New Orleans is something Jesus and His apostles would totally reject (Luke 21:34; Rom 13:13; I Pet 4:3). They never gorged and partied in preparation for fasting and repentance!
What is Shrove Tuesday? It is the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, when Catholics gorge and carouse before fasting for Lent. It is commonly called pancake day, for the custom of eating pancakes filled with the local food of choice. Sometimes there are pancake tossing contests and pancake races. The purpose is to enjoy as much as possible before fasting for Lent.
What is Collop Monday? It is the Monday before Ash Wednesday, when Catholics gorge and carouse before fasting for Lent. It is commonly called collop and egg day, for the fare of choice and tradition is fried bacon and eggs. The purpose is to enjoy as much as possible before fasting for Lent. But Jesus did not gorge and carouse after His baptism and before fasting!
Why is Lent 40 days long? Because Catholics took the 40 days of fasting of Jesus Christ after His baptism and before His public ministry to create a manmade tradition. But Jesus did not gorge on Sundays, as Catholics do on the six Sundays during Lent. Their Lent is actually 46 days long!
Why does Lent involve fasting? Because Catholics took the 40 days of fasting of Jesus after His baptism and before His public ministry to create a manmade tradition. But Catholics do not fast at all like Jesus. He went without food! They give up television or chewing gum, while still eating three meals a day, gorging on fish, and drinking anything they wish.
The Bible is very plain in its condemnation of man made traditions in the worship of God (Gen 4:1-5; Lev 10:1-2; Deut 5:32; 12:32; I Chron 15:13; Prov 30:5-6; Is 29:13-14; Matt 15:7-9; 28:18-20; Rom 16:17-18; Gal 1:6-9; Col 2:16-23; II Thess 3:6). Every God-fearing Christian will take heed!
The Bible is very plain in its condemnation of any voluntary association with paganism or the world (Deut 12:1-4,29-31; Jer 10:1-4; Ezek 8:15-18; 23:30; Rom 12:1-2; I Cor 10:19-22; II Cor 6:14-18; James 4:4; I John 2:15-17; Rev 18:4). Every God-fearing Christian will take heed!
This study does not surprise Bible readers, because they know Daniel's little horn, Paul's man of sin, and John's great whore and beast are prophecies of the popes and church of Rome and their wicked rebellion against God and His word (Dan 7:1-28; II Thess 2:1-12; Rev 17:1-18).