Fat Tuesday / Mardi Gras - What is it?

TL;DR:

Mardi Gras is traditionally a Catholic holiday marked by excess before the season of Lent. Since Scripture clearly warns against indulging sinful desires, Christians should be cautious, and if participation leads to temptation, it is best to avoid the holiday altogether.

what does the bible say?

In Proverbs 28:7, King Solomon says, “The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding, but a companion of gluttons shames his father.” Mardi Gras often glorifies overeating, getting drunk, or pursuing sexual exploits. However, these go against biblical standards of godliness. Take for example 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, in which Paul lists sins, including sexual immorality, and says that those who practice them will not inherit the kingdom of God. Verse 11 says that some Corinthians believers used to participate in such sins, but their identity is permanently changed. In verses 12-13 he condemns the idea that believers can do whatever we want; we must not be dominated by anything, but rather subject our appetites to the Lord. Second Corinthians 5:17 supports the idea that we are new creations in Christ, and Galatians 5:22-23 which lists “self-control” as a fruit of the Holy Spirit. As believers, we are not to conform to the world but let our minds be renewed by Christ (Romans 12:2). Instead of living like the sinful world, we should live like citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:19-21). During holidays like Mardi Gras, we can spread Jesus’ light to the world around us (Matthew 5:14-16).

from the old testament

Proverbs 28:7 clearly condemns gluttony, which the Mardi Gras glorifies. The Ten Commandments indicates that idolatry is a sin, and if we let gluttony rule over us, we are prioritizing our appetite.

from the new testament

In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus encourages His disciples to spread His light. Instead of engaging in worldly practices such as gluttony or sexual immorality, we should showing Jesus to those around us.
In Romans 12:2, Paul states, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Believers are set apart for God’s purposes, and we should not engage with the sinful impulses of our flesh even if the world thinks it is “normal.” Our faith in Jesus should “stand out” during such times of moral disintegration.
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul says: “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” We have been made new in Christ. As such, we must put away sin, even if it is “normal” to participate in it during Mardi Gras.
Paul then continues in 1 Corinthians 6:12-13: “’All things are lawful for me,’ but not all things are helpful. ’All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be dominated by anything. Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food" — and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” Our freedom in Christ shouldn’t be an excuse to “let lose” or “let go” of our self-control or bodily discipline. Our appetites should be subject to Christ every day.
Second Corinthians 5:17 says: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” Reverting to old sin patterns, even if only for a time during Mardi Gras, contradicts our new identity.
Galatians 5:22-23 lists the fruits of the Holy Spirit, one of which includes self-control. Mardi Gras is often used as an excuse for over-indulgence, so if we participate in Mardi Gras in innocent ways, such as eating a rich meal, we should still exercise self-control.
Philippians 3:19-21 exposes the issues of gluttony and setting our mind on worldly things in contrast to the citizenship we can look forward to in glorious paradise with our Father.

implications for today

Fat Tuesday is the colloquial name for Shrove Tuesday, the day before the beginning of Lent. In French, it is Mardi Gras. The holiday is most common in predominantly Catholic areas. The original purpose of Shrove Tuesday was to prepare spiritually for the advent of Lent. Lent is a period of forty-six days of fasting and contemplation before the arrival of Easter. The transition of the spiritual Shrove Tuesday to the more celebratory Fat Tuesday grew out of the fast from rich foods. While the devout prepared their hearts, cooks needed to prepare their pantries by using up all fresh meat, dairy, fat, and eggs. In fact, Fat Tuesday is known as Pancake Day in many areas. Over time, the day altered again. The clearing of pantries took on a festive atmosphere as people celebrated with a great feast before the great fast. Indulgence in food grew to indulgence in behavior, and Mardi Gras became a bacchanal celebration, nearly devoid of any spiritual purpose.

Carnival, also known as Carnaval (Spanish/Portuguese) or Carnivale (Italian), is related to Mardi Gras. It is thought to have been taken from the Latin for "meat: remove," and reflects the need to use up all fresh meat before Lent. Carnival is longer than a single day; in some cultures it begins in February, and in others, six days before Lent. In many areas, it has absorbed aspects of the Roman Saturnalia and Bacchanalia festivals, to include parades, street parties, and masquerades. In the United States, Carnival is called Mardi Gras, which explains why Mardi Gras in New Orleans lasts more than a single day. There is nothing biblical about Carnival, and very little remains of any Christian origin.

The Bible neither mentions nor demands the observance of Easter, Lent, or Shrove Tuesday. While there is nothing wrong with using up foodstuffs on Fat Tuesday in preparation for the Lenten fast, the indulgences of Mardi Gras and Carnival are unbiblical. Conclusively, parades and family dinners are fine, but drunkenness, sexual promiscuity, and debauchery are not.

understand

Mardi Gras is a Catholic holiday that originated as a period of indulgence before the restrictions of Lent.
Mardi Gras eventually developed into a multi-day Carnival that encourages debauched behavior.
Mardi Gras observances are not in the Bible, and modern celebrations of it are usually unbiblical.

reflect

How do you stay centered on Christ during holiday celebrations that have been secularized by the wider culture?
How do you protect yourself from being “dominated” by behaviors that aren’t inherently sinful (1 Corinthians 6:12-13)?
What are some differences between the way you celebrated before becoming a Christian versus after coming to Christ?

engage

What holidays besides the Mardi Gras have been diminished by secularization and the promotion of sinful behavior?
How can Christians be salt and light during holidays that the world celebrates unbiblically?
How does the culture view gluttony as compared to sins like drunkenness and other excesses?