Origin of CarnivalOrigin of Carnival

Resources• http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=origin+of+carnival• http://www.karnaval2005.com/carnivalarticle.shtml• http://www.theafrican.com/Magazine/carnival.htm• http://www.caribseek.com/Adventure_and_Entertainment/Carnivals/caribbean-

carnival.shtml • http://www.veselo.info/english/travel/holidays-festivals/carnival/history-

carnival.html • http://karnaval.an/Origin_and_History/• http://www.afropop.org/multi/feature/ID/33/History+of+Carnival+in+Brazil • http://www.funmunch.com/events/mardi_gras/mardi_gras_history.shtml • http://picturesquelife.com/?p=271• http://jacksonsnyder.com/arc/slac/MardiGras/christian%20roots.htm • http://wiki.answers.com/Q/FAQ/2172• http://www.history.com/minisites/mardigras/viewPage?pageId=739• http://www.wwiaviation.com/mardigras/mardigras_history.html• http://www.articlecircle.com/culture-and-society/where-did-mardi-gras-come-

from.html • http://www.exposingsatanism.org/mardi_gras.htm• http://www.answers.com/topic/mardi-gras-king-cake• http://www.watchmanmag.com/0406/040623.htm• http://www.gumbopages.com/carnival-faq.html

Scripture ReadingProverbs 2

1 My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

Carne Levale / Carnival

• We know that the name carnival dates from the 13th century, but existence of the term Carne Levale is confirmed by an Italian document as early as the year 965.

• Hundreds of years ago followers of the Catholic religion in Italy started the tradition of holding a wild costume festival right before Lent. Because Catholics are not supposed to eat meat during Lent, they called their festival, 'carnevale'-which means "to put away meat." As time passed, carnivals in Italy became quite famous. The practice spread to France, Spain and Portugal. As these Catholic countries began to take control of the Americas and other parts of the world, they brought with them their tradition of celebrating Carnival.

History of Carnival Origin - Greece• In the Ancient Greece, for

instance, in honor of the Dionysus (the god of fructiferous forces of the earth, vegetation, wine-making), it was a large religious festival - the Dionysia, which included: merry dances, an execution of joking songs, competitions of poets and awards for victorious actors, and also the masquerade procession, where in front of it always had been the funny “ship” with a costume group. Authors of the Ancient Rome named it “carrus navalis”, what means “sea chariot”.

History of Carnival Origin - Rome

• In the Rome it was heathen holidays, named the Saturnalia and initiated to the Saturn, god of grain, vegetation and wine. The general idea of the feast consists to invert the ordinary motion of life in time. During two weeks all class boundaries was erased by nonpublic law of festival: the rich and poor was equalized in rights, children headed families, slaves could sit freely with theirs masters at the table and demand from them a subordination, and for reason do not spoil the merriment - everybody hid their faces behind masks. Also, a pseudo-king was chosen at the time of the holiday and in the end of Saturnalias he must be to die by any ways: to be burned, hanged and etc.

History of Carnival Origin - Rome

When the Roman Emporer Constantine embraced Christianity, early Church fathers decided to incorporate certain aspects of pagan rituals into the new faith. Carnival became a period of abandon and merriment that preceded the penance of Lent.

History of Carnival Origin - Rome

• Christianity tried in vain to put an end to these ancient religious festivities but in the end the Roman Catholic Church stopped its unsuccessful efforts to abolish them, adapting them to its own traditions instead.

In the year 1091 the Synod of Benevento declared the Wednesday following the three days of celebration of the end of winter and the onset of spring to be Ash Wednesday.

• Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the period of 40 days of fasting preceding the ritual commemoration of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Gradually people came to forget the connection of the term carnival with pre-Christian feasts. From the 17th century on, as the festivities of the countryside entered the cities, the name carnival was generally identified with these syncretized celebrations.

Carnival in the CaribbeanIn many parts of the world, where

Catholic Europeans set up colonies and entered into slave trade, carnival took root. Today Carnival celebrations are found throughout the Caribbean. Traditions of the cultures have come together and especially African dance and music traditions transformed the early European carnival traditions in the Americas. Important to the Caribbean festival arts are the ancient African traditions of parading and moving in circles through villages in costumes and masks. These traditions were believed to bring good fortune, to heal problems and chill out angry spirits.

Masquerade and ProcessionsThe custom of wearing masks can be

found in many cultures. In pre-Christian traditions the peasants used clothes, masks and other makeshifts, to impersonate their ancestors, who had an important place in their believes.As is still the case in many religions all over the world, the people tried to please the deceased in order to get them to comply with their petitions and prayers to provide in the necessities of the living. By honoring the dead through their ceremonies, offerings, rituals, music and dances, they tried to invite them to return among the living and bring fertility among men, animals and plants.

Masquerade and Processions

• Processions of the impersonated ancestors accompanied by special dances, music and rituals had to pass everywhere in the countryside to ensure the help of the deceased for good weather and good harvests.

• Although their original meaning is now forgotten, we can easily recognize these old traditions in our costumed carnival road-marches of today.

According to The Bible :THE DEAD KNOW NOTHING

• Eccl 9:5 For the living know that they shall die: but the dead know not any thing, neither have they any more a reward; for the memory of them is forgotten.Eccl 9:6 Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they any more a portion for ever in any thing that is done under the sun.

The dead know not anything, everything about them perishes, including their conscious mind. They remain this way until their resurrection.

• Psa 6:5 For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?

• Psa 146:3 Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.Psa 146:4 His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

Even the thoughts of the dead perish with them when they lose their soul (the spark of life).

WHO HAS IMMORTALITY? – 1 TIM. 6:11-16But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.I give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus, who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession;That thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ:Which in his times he shall show, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.

Wining and Dining

• After the processions there was abundant consumption of food and drink, because the people brought offerings of all kind for the deceased, and when the rituals were over the leaders of the processions were allowed to use them.

• The custom of abundant consumption can still be considered an intrinsic part of carnival. And during the road marches of today both participants and onlookers make sure that there no lack of food and drink.

Biblical Facts on the use of WINE1) The Bible does teach total abstinence from alcohol.

Both the main Hebrew word for wine and the Greek word for wine can mean either fermented grape juice or intoxicating wine. The English word wine originally had two meanings also - unfermented juice or alcoholic drink.

2) God does not lead us into evil; He delivers us from it. He does not teach us to practice evil in moderation. Jesus did not make, use, approve, commend, or tell us to use intoxicating wine.

3) God made man to have fellowship with Him. Alcohol goes directly to the brain, the communication center of the body. It interferes with God’s purpose for mankind.

Biblical Facts on the use of WINE• 1) Proverbs 20:1 - Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging.• 2) Proverbs 23:19-20 - A wise person will not be among the drinkers of alcoholic

beverages.• 3) Proverbs 23:21 - Drunkenness causes poverty.• 4) Proverbs 23:29-30 - Drinking causes woe, sorrow, fighting, babbling, wounds

without cause and red eyes.• 5) Proverbs 23:31 - God instructs not to look at intoxicating drinks.• 6) Proverbs 23:32 - Alcoholic drinks bite like a serpent, sting like an adder.• 7) Proverbs 23:33 - Alcohol causes the drinker to have strange and adulterous

thoughts, produces willfulness, and prevents reformation.• 8) Proverbs 23:34 - Alcohol makes the drinker unstable• 9) Proverbs 23:35 - Alcohol makes the drinker insensitive to pain so he does not

perceive it as a warning. Alcohol is habit forming.• 10) Proverb 31:4-5 - Kings, Princes, and others who rule and judge must not drink

alcohol. Alcohol perverts good judgment.• 11) Ecclesiastes 10:17 - A land is blessed when its leaders do not drink.• 12) Isaiah 5:11-12 - Woe to those who get up early to drink and stay up late at

night to get drunk.• 13) Isaiah 5:22 - Woe to "champion" drinkers and "experts" at mixing drinks.

Temperance• The word "temperance" literally means "self-

control" (Strong's Hebrew/Greek Lexicon). In other word studies and commentaries, we find similar definitions. J. H. Thayer says the word "temperance" means, "the virtue of one who masters his desires and passions, especially his sensual appetites" (New Greek-English Lexicon, p. 166-167). Mike Willis, in his commentary on Galatians 5:23, defines temperance as: "the dominion which one has over oneself or something.... the dominion that one has over his thoughts, words, and actions." (Truth Commentaries, The Book of Galatians, p. 271).

The Bible & Temperance• Gal. 5:22,23 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,

longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

1 Cor. 6:19,20 19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple

of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

The Bible & Temperance

• 1 Cor. 3:16,17

16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

17 If any man defile the temple of God, him

shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

Carriage of Mother Earth, Goddess of Fertility

• Carts and coaches also formed part of the processions for fertility. Those carriages went around the countryside to assure good harvests which in turn brought peace.

• The symbol of fertility and peace, Mother Earth, also formed part of the entities on which the people depended for a prosperous and happy life.

• We find a reflection of this antique deity in our lovely carnival Queens on their beautifully decorated carriages lighting up the 'Gran Marcha' (The Great March) on Carnival Sunday.

Queen of HeavenJer. 7:17-1817 Seest thou not what they do

in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem?

18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.

The Queen of Heaven, if you check in most any commentary, is none other than Ishtar, Ashtoreth, or Astarte the very pagan goddess that Israel worshipped when they fell into apostasy and paganism

Judg 2:13 And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth

Queen of Heaven

King Momo

Other characters forming part of the traditions of modern carnival are 'Rei Momo' (King Momo). Rei Momo is burned at the end of the festivities, on the evening of the third day, the day before Ash Wednesday.

Momo is a representation of all the elements that have to vanish before the period of fasting begins. This figure was also a symbol of infertility. It explains why Rei Momo is burned.

In Curaçao the burning of Rei Momo after the 'Marcha di Despedida' (Farewell March) is accompanied by fireworks, and draws a huge crowd.

King Momo = Human SacrificeThe King's Cake has its roots in pre-

Christian religions of Western Europe. It was customary to choose a man to be the "sacred king" of the tribe for a year. That man would be treated like a king for the year, then he would be sacrificed, and his blood returned to the soil to ensure that the harvest would be successful. The method of choosing who would have the honor of being the sacred king was the King's Cake. A coin or bean would be placed in the cake before baking, and whoever got the slice that had the coin was the chosen one.

The Bible & Human Sacrifice• Deuteronomy 12:31: You must not worship the

LORD your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the LORD hates. They even burn their sons and daughters in the fire as sacrifices to their gods.

• Deuteronomy 18:9-12: When you enter the land the LORD your God is giving you, do not learn to imitate the detestable ways of the nations there. Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire...Anyone who does these things is detestable to the LORD, and because of these detestable practices the LORD your God will drive out those nations before you.

The Bible & Human Sacrifice• 2 Kings 16:3: He (KING AHAZ) walked in the ways of the

kings of Israel and even sacrificed his son in the fire, following the detestable ways of the nations the LORD had driven out before the Israelites.

• Psalm 106:38: They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood.

• Jeremiah 19:4-5: For they have forsaken me and made this a place of foreign gods; they have burned sacrifices in it to gods that neither they nor their fathers nor the kings of Judah ever knew, and they have filled this place with the blood of the innocent. They have built the high places of Baal to burn their sons in the fire as offerings to Baal - something I did not command or mention, nor did it enter my mind.

King Momo & The 3 Magi

When Christianity extended its influence and began overshadowing the religions that came before it, many of the local customs were not outright abolished, but instead were incorporated into Christian tradition and given a new spin Catholic priests were not predisposed to human sacrifice, so the King's Cake was converted into a celebration of the Magi, the three Kings who came to visit the Christ Child.

Prince and Pancho

Prince and Pancho, who are the bearers of the city's key during the period of carnival, represent customs of late Medieval Europe with its important and autonomous cities, where Merry making and Craziness were supposed to reign during these festivities.

When Carnival first began it was celebrated from December 26 until Shrove Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday). The dates on which Carnival celebrations such as; music competitions, festivals, concerts, street 'jump-up's', beauty pageants, balls, parades etc. take place may vary from country to country, from island to island. For days, sometimes weeks, the people of the Caribbean express themselves socially and artistically and sheer joy with visitors from all over the world. Everyone, including the spectators, is part of the celebrations. Carnival is the way to celebrate life!

Carnival Celebrations

Mardi Gras - Carnival• Mardi Gras came to America in 1699 with the

French explorer Iberville. Mardi Gras had been celebrated in Paris since the Middle Ages, where it was a major holiday. Iberville sailed into the Gulf of Mexico, from where he launched an expedition up the Mississippi River. On March 3 of 1699, Iberville had set up a camp on the west bank of the river about 60 miles south of where New Orleans is today. This was the day Mardi Gras was being celebrated in France. In honor of this important day, Iberville named the site Point du Mardi Gras.

Origin of Mardi GrasSpring time pagan celebrations are

the roots of the modern day Mardi Gras. Ancient Greek and Roman festivals involved sacrifice, drunkenness, lewdness, immoral sex and revelry. In the parade of the pagans, false gods are worshiped by exalting an image above the assembly. Pagan priests accompanied by the idol, shower the crowds with spring flowers, herbs, grain and coins. Both good fortunes, spells, and curses were shouted, including the calls to the idol god to grant favor and blessings.

Origin of Mardi Gras

On example of the gods is Pan. He is represented by a half animal, half man incarnation. He represents wanton lust and crudeness. In The Roman celebration "lupercalia" a fertility festival, the worship of Lupercus involved cross dressing and masquerading to promote sexual orgies. Today the celebration of Centaur exalts the same spirit of revelry, drunkenness, homosexuality, nudity and brawling all still exist today.

New Orleans – Mardi Gras World Center

• New Orleanians will celebrate the Carnival season in two main ways: going to balls and dances held by Carnival krewes (the organizations that hold the parades), and by eating lots of king cakes. In fact, since balls are essentially private, invitation-only affairs, eating king cakes is the main Carnival activity between Twelfth Night and the start of parades.

Mardi Gras = CarnivalMardi Gras gained a negative reputation because of

violent behavior attributed to maskers during the 1840's and 50's. The situation became so bad that the press began calling for an end to the celebration.

In 1857 six New Orleaneans saved Mardi Gras by forming the Comus organization. The Comus organization added beauty to Mardi Gras and demonstrated that it could be a safe and festive event. Comus also started the customs of having a secret Carnival society, having a parade with a unifying theme with floats, and of having a ball after the parade.

Mardi Gras – Body Painting

Mardi Gras – NEW ORLEANS

Homosexuality

HomosexualityMardi Gras – NEW ORLEANS

Mardi Gras – NEW ORLEANS

Here is Ruben protesting Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Meaning of Mardi Gras

• In French, Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday. This is a day to gorge and over indulge oneself before the seasonal religious practice of fasting, abstinence and denial.

• It is not surprising that the symbol for Mardi Gras is the "Bouef Gras"...... The Fatten Bull

(Exodus 32)

(1 Kings 16)

Idolatry • The bull is the old testament symbol of Baal. 1st

Kings 12:28 ---- 19:18 Exodus 32. Baal the bull is symbolic of strength and fertility. God condemns the production and worship of idols. Yet many in the church do just that, worship idols.

• Exodus 23:13 " And in all things that I have said unto you be circumspect: and make no mention of the name of other gods, neither let it be heard out of thy mouth." Steeped in Egyptian, Grecian, and Roman fertility rites. Half of the parades celebrate and honor false gods. The rest promote sex and drunkenness.

Children

Carnival

Children Carnival

Children

Carnival

Carnival

Teens

Carnival

Teens

Idolatry• 1st Corinthians 10:14 Wherefore, my dearly

beloved, flee from idolatry. • 1st John 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves

from idols. Amen. • Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving,

and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

Idolatry• Corinthians II 6:16-18 And what agreement hath

the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

IdolatryRevelation 18:4• And I heard another voice from

heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

Remember ….

• Sodom and Gomorrah ?• Jericho ?• Israel in captivity by Fillistines, Babylonians ?

• Egypt ?

HurricaneKatrina

HurricaneKatrina

HurricaneKatrina

HurricaneKatrina

HurricaneKatrina

NEW ORLEANS

Carnival - Summary

• Idolatry• Wine and Unclean Foods• Human Sacrifice• Homosexuality• Intemperance• Immoral Sex• Lasciviousness• Believe in Life after Death

Works of the FleshGal. 5:19-21

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Works of the Flesh

Gal. 5:13;16;24;25• 13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto

liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

• 16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

• 24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

• 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Carnival = Abomination• Titus 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in

works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate

• John I 2:15-16 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

• Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

• Job 28:28And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.