Mardi Gras is a big festival here in south Louisiana. From the city of Beaumont Texas to the city of Mobile, Alabama along the I-10 corridor, one would be hard pressed today, Fat Tuesday, to miss all of the "celebrating" taking place. It is a deeply entrenched tradition here in Louisiana. As it is celebrated, it ought to be the shame of the south.
Masks are a big part of the shindig. People wear masks for "anonymity". This anonymity allows them to do things in public that they ordinarily would not do. In fact, masks are even said to be the great levelers of society. Once the mask is donned, all other masked individuals instantly become your friends no matter what life is like, without the mask. Maybe it is appropriate that masks are worn. They do, in some respects, indicate the shame in the activities that take place.
Fat Tuesday is the biggest day of the period. It is a day to feast before the fast. It is a day to indulge before one restrains. It is a day steeped in drunkenness and debauchery. It is a day of parades and floats and millions of plastic throws of which the most popular is bead necklaces. It is a day when one plans to sin and indulge BEFORE one repents and prays(Ash Wednesday). The Bible, under the New Covenant clearly states that we are not to sin because we are under grace(Romans 6). But neither under the Old Covenant was such allowed because no sacrifice was made for presumptuous sins(Numbers 15:30-31). Planning to sin is different than falling into temptation. It reveals a twisted heart and calls into question the genuineness of one's relationship to Jesus, if such is claimed.
Mardi Gras is also linked to the past. One of the most infamous krewes is the Krewe of Bacchus. Bacchus was the greek god of wine and revelry. A short GOOGLE search will give you much information about him. This parade was recently held in New Orleans and Drew Brees, of the 2010 Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints, reigned as King of Bacchus. Surely one cannot miss the imagery that the quarterback(now a god) brought revelry to the streets once again. He, Drew Brees, was even quoted as saying, "We love you New Orleans. Hail Bacchus." For a man who professes Christianity to offer praise to a god other than Jesus Christ ought to be a moment of shame for true professors of Christ, not joy.
This is why I do not celebrate Mardi Gras. It is a time when man celebrates man, and man honors gods, but man does not honor God. It is a time when sin is celebrated rather than resisted. It is a time of drunkenness. It is a time of presumption on the grace of God.
"Come out of her my people" is as relevant today as it was over 2000 years ago.
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