Palm Sunday

I was raised Evangelical Christian for 18 years. I stopped following that path over 13 years ago. It wasn't for me and the ideals and tenets didn't jive with my being. I don't think I ever was Christian, it's just how I was raised. I always knew there was something else out there, something more for me, and I've found that something, but that's not what I'm going to talk about.

Although I am no longer a practicing Christian, I remember the holidays fondly. Palm Sunday was always my favorite. One would think that for someone who was never really a Christian anyway, that Christmas would be my favorite holiday. The day where we got presents just because that's what you do on Christmas, but I hate giving gifts and I don't really like receiving gifts either. If I want something, I'll buy it myself, and don't expect me to give you anything unless I get a whim up my ass and think you're deserving of something cool like chapstick.

I lived in Hawai'i for the first nine years of my life. The way I talk about it, you'd think I was there all through high school, but that's because I have an affinity to the area and spirituality (ahhh.... there's a peek into my spiritual leanings). Every Palm Sunday, our church would rent a donkey and have the oldest boy ride the donkey down the main street. There was only one street. The rest of us kids would wave palm branches, which we had a plethora of, as we proceeded down the street demonstrating what Palm Sunday was all about: The Return of the King! HA! I just spent three weeks watching LOTR in half hour increments every night. It was fun! I remember it being hot, yet cool, and we all wore sandals and robes so that we looked as though we stepped right out of a bible story. Maybe I liked this day because it represented to me a story and the retelling of that story through acting. I had always hoped that I could be the boy riding the donkey, but I never lived there long enough to find out if they'd even allow it, especially considering the fact that I.am.a.girl. Indeed.

So, although I don't celebrate any Christian holidays, not even Christmas (DUH!), I always acknowledge Palm Sunday.

I don't understand how so many Christian holidays have seeped into our secular culture. At work, I'm required to provide Easter gifts to the needy children in our area. First of all, when I donate anything, it's to the animals, not kids. Secondly, I don't celebrate the fucking holiday, so I don't believe that I should have to participate. But I did, I spent $5 on random crap. I refuse to buy candy because that can rot your teeth and since these kids are needy, the last thing I want to do is contribute to their health issues. I didn't know what I had picked up, but when I turned my items in everyone got excited because apparently I chose a few things that are from some new movie. I also don't watch kids movies. So, score one for the anti-Easter and anti-kids girl!

Recently, I was asked to participate in a flash mob of sorts. You can't really call a crew of five people a flash mob, but that's the easiest explanation I can give without saying any more. The instigator of this little troupe wants to infiltrate a Christian Easter service. While I would be a bystander with a camera (oooh! I had no idea this was going to happen, let me just whip out my camera and video tape the entire thing!) I can't in good conscience participate. While I don't celebrate Easter, and I don't agree with a lot of what goes on in the Christian church, this is still something very sacred to a lot of people. In my own beliefs I do not feel that causing strife to anyone is worthy of the repercussions. Whether those repercussions might be arrest and jail time, or simply my own conscience eating at my soul. People believe what they want to believe and I don't believe that disrupting that is my duty in life. Live and let live. So, today I remember Palm Sunday, as I finish editing our very naughty upcoming Tiger & Rose episode, which involves sex, sex, and more sexy sex.