The Holy Spirit is powerless before the H1N1 Flu, it seems

Sacred traditions (ie. silly rituals) are the hallmark of the Christian faith (and all other faiths, really), such as anointing yourself with “holy water” that everyone dunks their dirty fingers in, eating a cracker which somehow contains the flesh and blood of Jesus himself (I still don’t understand how even Christian fundies can twist their minds into believing such a thing), and so on. However, it would seem that these sacred rituals are being threatened … no, not by legal action, but by the Swine H1N1 Flu.

Catholics in Utah saw some changes at services over the weekend.

The first difference is that there is no longer Holy Water when parishoners walk through the church’s doors. Catholics traditionally dip their fingers in the Holy Water as a reminder of Baptism and to live a Christian life.

There will also no longer be drinking from a common cup for communion, and the host will go in the parishoner’s hands, instead of on the tongue.

Also, as they offer neighbors a sign of peace, church goers are asked not to shake hands but rather smile and say hello.

[…]

The church plans to keep these changes in place until the H1N1 flu dies down.

Looks like even God isn’t immune to the latest “epidemic”, if holy water, or the flesh and blood of his own son, could spread the disease.

It’s interesting to wonder why the church is doing this, though. Two reasons come to mind: either they realize that their God and his spirit, which supposedly imbibes the magic water and crackers, aren’t as powerful as they want him/it/whatever to be … or they just wanna cover their asses from potential public fallout should their rituals be found to propagate the disease. Now, which sounds more likely to you?

(via @godlesswoman)