What Are Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence 40 Years Who Is Jesus J Not In The Bible ?

A Must Read Who Is Jesus Text And Info. They're Here, They're Queer, and Washington D.C. is getting used to the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and their "drag activism" Among the thousands of demonstrators on the steps of the Supreme Court last month in the lead-up to oral arguments over marriage equality, seven proponents stood out. They wore habits, headdresses and painted faces.Show more

Neither true nuns nor traditional drag queens, yet drawing inspiration from both, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence no doubt unsettled, even offended, at least a few fellow activists particularly on Saturday, April 25, when approximately 6,000 protesters were assembled on behalf of the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage.

Even some LGBT activists have been critical or wary of the infamous Sisters organization, a mostly gay collective started 36 years ago in San Francisco.

“The Sisters are often accused of ruining it for everyone,” says Christopher Thompson, better known as Sister Sedusa Poly Tishun. “To an extent, that’s kind of the point. We’re ruining the guilt that people try to throw upon us…. We have been made to feel guilty for so long for being gay, to feel guilty for wanting the same rights and respect that everyone else has. And sometimes, the loudest wheel is the one you take care of first, so that’s kind of what we are. We are that loud, squeaky wheel.”

In terms of shock value, it doesn’t get much louder than the Sisters and its brand of “drag activism.” Thompson cites that as a key reason D.C. has struggled for decades to establish a mission affiliated with the international Sisters organization.

“While D.C. is politically liberal, it tends to be very socially conservative and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. That’s just how it falls. I think with D.C. being the place of political power, sometimes it gets stuck in its own head. And gets stuck in the mentality I don’t mean this in a bad way of keeping up appearances and being respectable.”

But less than two years ago, Thompson, a federal contractor by day, decided to try to shake things up. He vowed “to bring a little frivolity and rebelliousness and sister magic to the District.” A native of Alabama who had recently moved to D.C. from Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, Thompson worked with a sister originally from Seattle to identify some prospective local siblings, mostly via social media. By October 2013, Thompson had become Sedusa Poly Tishun, a name partly triggered by lust for “a certain Pennsylvania Representative who broke Facebook with a college football photo” (openly gay Pennsylvania Rep. Brian Sims). Eventually, Sedusa recruited the minimum six “aspirants” needed to form a proper mission.

In mid-March of this year, the San Francisco-based United Nuns Privy Council, the rather loosely organized Sisters main governing body, granted mission status to the DC Sisters. The lofty official name, inspired by Charles Dickens’s term for early Washington, is the Abbey of Magnificent Intentions. Sedusa serves as the Abbess of the mission, leading its work in “fundraising, fun-raising and hell-raising.”

Each sister had her own reasons for joining the group, whether drawn to the style of drag clownish, very hair-friendly and androgynous or style of activism, or both. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence first gained national attention in the 1980s helping out during the AIDS crisis, and advocacy of safer sex and HIV prevention and treatment remains a key motivation for many. Most of the community outreach happens at bars. In just the past few months, the DC Sisters have become a regular presence at the DC Eagle, JR.’s, Number Nine and the Green Lantern. Anyone can become a sister straight or gay, man or woman, and anything in between as long as they believe in the organization’s queer-friendly “come as you are” outlook and dedication “to promulgate universal joy.”

“It’s all about seeing people smile and laugh and have a good time,” Sister Sedusa says. “As well as reminding people, there’s nothing wrong with being gay, there’s nothing wrong with being trans, there’s nothing wrong with being HIV positive. And helping people accept their own lives and live their reality.”

In the original 1611 version of the King James Version of the Bible, there was no "J" letter because it did not exist. James was spelled Iames, and Jesus was spelled Iesous. Gradually, the two symbols (J,l) were differentiated, the J usually acquiring consonantal force and thus becoming regarded as a consonant, and the I becoming a vowel. It was not until 1630 that the differentiation became general in England. The familiar letter J makes up the names Jesus, John, Jeremiah, Joshua, and many others found in the Bible. However, in the original languages, the letter J was not used and neither was the sound associated with it. The name Jesus is simply a combination of the Latin and Greek IESOUS, and there is no letter or "J" sound in the Greek Alphabet.

How can you call or say in the name of Jesus ? - So Iesous has invited us, urged us, and commanded us to pray in his (Real Name Or Not ?) and has real promised incredible results with God. The Risus Paschalis Custom Was Prohibited By Pope Clement X When Abuses Arose. So Words such as “let he who is without sin cast the first stone" from John 8:7 offer invaluable wisdom for all ages.

One common change is the familiar letter J. It makes up the names Jesus, John, Jeremiah, Joshua and many others found in the Bible. However, in the original languages, the letter J was not used and neither was the sound associated with it.

Shalam to all who seek truth and understanding. We must understand and know that the letter J is the newest letter added to the English alphabet. Also we must understand that in the Latin, Greek, and the Hebrew alphabet there is no J. By us knowing this we should know that the Messiah name isnt Jesus. Christ was a Jew (Yehudah,) from the tribe of Judah who spoke Hebrew. Please read this in depth study about the letter J, Shalam.

When did the letter J enter the English alphabet?
The first English-language book to make a clear distinction between I and J was published in 1634 (Ref). Its use in the English alphabet followed, the letter J was the last of the 26 letters to be added to the English Alphabet. Its emerging distinctive use dates back to Middle High German, originally being a typographical flourish or swash character on the Roman i. The Italian: Gian Giorgio Trissino (1478-1550) was the first to explicitly distinguish I and J as representing separate sounds in 1524 with his "Trissino's epistle about the letters recently added in the Italian language.

If there isn't a letter J in the Messiah name, then where did the name Jesus come from? Firstly I would like to say that the Messiah name is Jesus, that's is a different god. We must be very carefully on who we are call on if we are truly following the Messiah and his righteousness. The enemy is defaming Christ with a Pagan Name. Replacing his Hebrew name with a pagan Greek name that honors a pagan god. The name Jesus comes from Iesous which mean Hail Zeus. Zeus was a popular god in Graeco-Roman world. The Greek god Zeus who is a representation of The Sun god who is The Devil as known by ancient cultures. We must understand that the Messiah name came from The Roman god Iesous. Also what me must understand is that even in the King James Holy bible its says this: 

Acts 26:14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

In Acts 26:14 we read that Paul heard Jesus (Yashaya) speak in the Hebrew tongue. If the Messiah spoke Hebrew then his name must be Hebrew as well. The Messiah true name is YASHAYA in the Ancient Hebrew tongue.

The second series of The Hidden Treasure That Lies in Plain Sight is a captivating and thought-provoking book that talks about the letter J being the newest letter in the English alphabet. This Book also talks about King James I of England and How He Was A Black Man who was King of England, Scotland, Ireland, and much more. The Hidden Treasure That Lies in Plain Sight 2 features captivating content of a rich heritage that has been hidden from the masses.

https://rumble.com/v29ufns-king-james-1566-1625-the-black-king-who-had-the-bible-translated-into-engli.html

Is there proof that there was no letter J up until 1700s?
Yes, this is a picture from the original 1611 King James Version Bible showing the Messiah name with and I instead of a J. The name Jesus is simply a combination of the Latin and Greek IESOUS. Please note the similarity between the Greek IESOUS and pagan deity of Zeus. In fact, the pagan deity of Zeus is not pronounced in its original tongue as we read it. As I have said, there isn't even a letter or "J" sound in the Greek Alphabet. The Messiah did not speak English and neither did He speak Greek. The Messiah did not speak English and neither did He speak Greek. He spoke Hebrew and was from the Tribe of Judah (Yehudah) as stated in Hebrews 7:14.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_biblical_names_starting_with_J
This page includes a list of biblical proper names that start with J in English transcription of and in the Bible After the Year 1700sAD and Some of the names are given with a proposed etymological meaning.

Conclusion The whole conclusion of this study lesson is to invoke conscious awareness of Christ name and how Jesus isnt his name of the Messiah. Also to let people know that the letter J isn't in the Greek Latin nor the Hebrew, and that we need to examine everything and question everything. The Messiah or Savior name is YASHAYA in Hebrew. Remember the Messiah was a Jew from the tribe of Judah. For more information about the Savior name Click Here. Please be careful to not worship a different god and lease do your research because the enemy satan has deceived this whole world, Shalam.

Revelation 12:9  And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.

Risus Paschalis, meaning "the Easter laugh," is a tradition in early Christianity that originated from the idea that God played a practical joke on Satan by raising Jesus from the dead. The Monday after Easter became known as "Bright Monday," "White Monday," or "Day of Joy and Laughter." The priest would introduce a humorous story that would cause the congregation to laugh and draw a moral from the story. The custom was prohibited by Pope Clement X when abuses arose. Today, it is known as Holy Humor or Holy Hilarity Sunday. Early orthodox communities began a tradition of gathering on the Monday following Resurrection Sunday to tell jokes as a way of marking Easter as the ultimate joke God played on Satan by defeating death with life.

Martin Luther (1483-1546) On 31 October 1517, he published his '95 Theses', attacking papal abuses and the sale of indulgences. Luther had come to believe that Christians are saved through faith and not through their own efforts. This turned him against many of the major teachings of the Catholic Church. In 1519 -1520, he wrote a series of pamphlets developing his ideas - 'On Christian Liberty', 'On the Freedom of a Christian Man', 'To the Christian Nobility' and 'On the Babylonian Captivity of the Church'.

A long, long time ago, in 1976, far away in the land of Oz (Iowa), a convent of Roman Catholic nuns lent some retired habits to The Sugar Plum Fairies performing their version of The Sound of Music. One year later, one of our Founders Sister Vicious Power Hungry Bitch (Ken Bunch) moved to San Francisco (1977) and brought those habits to the streets of the Castro district... 1979
On Easter Weekend, during the time of the "Castro Clone," being extremely bored with the conformist atmosphere three men went out into the streets to challenge the world: Ken Bunch (Sister Vicious PHB), Fred Brungard (Sister Missionary Position) and Baruch Golden. They went in full, traditional habits through the streets of our city and down to the nude beach. One even carried a machine gun (for protection). They were met with shock and amazement, but captured everyone's interest. Their next appearance was at a softball game where their pompon routine all but stole the show. In the fall of 1979, Sister Hysterectoria (Edmund Garron) and Reverend Mother (Bill Graham) went to the first International Faerie gathering and encountered even more men with the calling. Our 4 Founders, Sister Vicious PHB, Reverend Mother, Missionary Position and Hysterectoria-Agnes convened their friends, chose our name (The Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence) and composed our mission statement: to promulgate universal joy and expiate stigmatic guilt.

1980
The new year brought the new Order with Sister Hysterectoria designing the first habits after a Flemish 14th century ladies-in-waiting and French cloister's wimple, and through a city grant, commissioned the first set of habits and "Ear Brassieres." Sister Succuba, a calligrapher, created the logo and the original banner under which the Sisters made their first public appearance. During the Three Mile Island Protest in March, The Sisters performed their "Rosary in Time of Nuclear Peril," including the ever-popular pompon routine. This small group hit big, making every paper and gossip channel immediately. By August they were front page in gay newspapers, chasing hate-mongering Christians out of the Castro and the Polk neighborhoods. In October the city saw its first fundraiser with Sisterly flair: a bingo/disco benefit for gay Cuban refugees at Metropolitan Community Church (MCC). The famous columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle (Herb Caen) gave us our first mainstream press coverage announcing the bingo. So many people turned out for the event that a second seating had to be thrown together to accommodate all of the bingo players. After four cards had been played, everything was moved to one side and the disco ball began to spin. This marked one of the largest fundraisers by a small community organization: over $1,500 was raised in one evening. Mother Inferior in Sydney, Australia founded the second SPI Order in the world. The Toronto Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence was founded a few weeks after the Sydney Order.

1981
The Sisters continued to raise tempers, eyebrows, and funds throughout the next year, stacking up multiple letters to the editor in protest of them. But their popularity increased. They could be found at many events, fairs and fundraisers spreading joy and cheer, postcards and t-shirts. In September we produced the first ever fundraiser for the Gay Olympics (now called The gay Games), a baseball game between the Sisters (playing in our habits) and the Gay Men's chorus. We got them drunk in the 8th inning and scored 40 runs beating them! On Christmas Eve, 1981, the Sisters were cited for "peddling without a license" on the corner of 18th and Castro. "Sisters don't peddle," insisted Sister Missionary Position, "we receive donations and give tokens of joy. It's just coincidental that it happens at the same time." The Sisters produced the world's first fundraiser benefit for an AIDS organization. It was a dog show on Castro Street with the recording artist Sylvester serving as a judge. The third SPI Order in the world in Toronto, Canada is founded.

1982
The city's health scene had hit crisis levels during this year. STD's were spreading at a pandemic rate and the "gay cancer" was contaminating everyone with fear and prejudice. Registered nurses Sister Florence Nightmare and Sister Roz Erection joined with a team of Sisters and medical professionals to create Play Fair!, the first safer sex pamphlet anywhere in the world to use plain sex-positive language, practical advice, and humor. It was so well received that it went through a second printing within just a few months. It was paid for, in part by sex party benefits and the sale of ashes from the burned down Barracks Bath House. June brought the Second Annual Dog Show in the Castro. The Sisters were joined year by Jeanne Dornacker, Shirley MacLaine and Sister Boo Boom as MC's. Pushing the political envelope, Sister Boom Boom ran under the 'Nun of the Above' ticket in the race for Supervisor of San Francisco. Her iconic campaign poster featured the dome of City Hall with Boom Boom on a witches broom flying above and her purple exhaust spelling out "Surrender Diane", meaning the Mayor Dianne Feinstein. Amidst all of the brouhaha about whether or not she should be allowed to run, she campaigned hard, spoke eloquently, and won over 23,000 votes. Frightfully close to winning. The City subsequently passed "The Boom Boom" law forcing future candidates to use their birth names.

Our hugely popular Sister basketball fundraiser "Score" at Kezar Pavilion brought 5000 screaming queens in their high school letter jackets and catholic school girl skirts to a cathartic celebration of high school spirit! A meeting with Mayor Dianne Feinstein had her screaming "When I see the Sisters I just see red!" So we planned our Red Party on May Day (International Communist holiday) at the White Russian hall which brought controversy. The woman managing the center was the daughter of the head general to the czar in the 1917 bolshevik revolution. We learned that "white" and "red" are like oil and vinegar!

1983
The first AIDS Candlelight vigil in 1983 was orchestrated by the Sisters, led by the banner "Fighting for our Lives," which was painted on her apartment floor by Sister Vicious PHB. One of the many speakers to the weeping and angry crowd was Sister Florence Nightmare. She was not only a health care professional, but advocate for PWAs and was herself HIV positive. Her article "Well and Good," in the Sentinel, combined observations of a man living with AIDS and practical insights of a medical professional. She and her "friend" (don't we mean lover?) appeared on the August 8 cover of Newsweek which earned her the moniker "AIDS poster boy". The article, about gays and AIDS, was the first time that the topics were handled in a fairly unbiased manner and that the entire nation was able to come face to face with AIDS. For their efforts the previous year, Sisters were honored with five Cable Car awards including outstanding theme event, outstanding athletic event, and "Most Outrageous" parade float: a fully functional 50 foot missile with nuns in military habits launching our "War On VD" campaign. Not bad for such a young group.

CBS national TV came to town to do their hour-long special "GayPower-Gay Politics" featuring Sister Boom Boom.

1986
Marching in the Pride parade that year inside the shaft of a 40 foot penis covered in a huge condom, Sister Mysteria was the last nun at the end of the penis with two huge flesh covered beach balls connected to unbilical chords bouncing the entire length of the parade behind her! It won the Sisters another "Most Outrageous" award and stunned silence from spectators! The Toronto, Canada Order of SPI folded under community criticism that they were "Ruining it For Everyone."

1987
The Sisters went all out to greet the Pope during his visit in 1987. We convened a press conference on the plaza in front of St. Mary's Cathedral with hundreds of members of the international press present. Sister Vicious PHB marched up to the front of the cathedral posting demands on their huge doors with Lee Press On Nails. Martin Luther would have been proud! Live TV cameras carried our full-on exorcism of the Pope in Union Square and cut away just as the Pope was landing in a helicopter at the Golden Gate Bridge. JACKPOT! That, and a few other actions and antics, landed us the prestigious honor of being placed on the Papal List of Heretics. (Way to go gals!) The Seattle Sisters are Founder by Mother Theresa Nervina, being the fourth Order of SPI in the world.

1988
The fifth exposition basketball event thrown by the Sisters, "Rally 'Round the Quilt," a fundraiser for the NAMES Quilt Project distributed over $5,400. The event was played in 1988 between the gay community's women's and men's teams at Kezar Pavilion. Many interesting things happened which are not fit to print.

1989
For their 10th anniversary, the Sisters threw a huge gala event, Sistericus, in Club Townsend which never had a queer event till then, and which subsequently became the queer dance institutions "Pleasuredome" and "Universe". We invited all of the Sisters from around the States to join in the celebration, including the Seattle Sisters, helping to raise much-needed funds for Project Open Hand and AIDS Emergency Fund. Later that year, during the insanity that this city calls Halloween, Sister Vicious PHB called her fellow nuns and took to the streets of the Castro with donation buckets. All of the money collected was donated to The Mayor's Earthquake Disaster Relief Fund. They also realized that this was an untapped market with lots of energy and potential, and began working on planning the event for the following year. This is the first time anyone had collected donations at the entrances to street fairs and festivals. Sisters traveled to Seattle to present our Exequatur officially recognizing Mother Theresa Nervina's Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence.

1990
Artist Thomasina DeMaio approached the Sisters stating that she wanted to create portraits of the nuns in paint and clay. Months and months of hard work culminated in a large art exhibit performance art piece in June, "Angels In Whiteface," that is still being talked about today. The event treated the hundreds present to performances by Doris Fish, Ambisextrous, Sister Vice N Virtue's trapeze act, Sister Psychedelia's rise from the dead, Sistah Boom (a lesbian percussion band) and Pope Dementia's Altered boys, flexing their muscles wearing only thongs and smiles. That October was the first of the Sister's four-year charge of Halloween in the Castro. The Sisters brought safety and focus to the spontaneous party that happened in the tiny neighborhood. They single-handedly produced a show that featured the city's most fabulous performance artists, Mother Theresa Nervina singing a live version of a heart rendering song, a dance stage, and a forum to show off outrageous and elaborate costumery. The small, voluntary donation requested allowed the Sisters to raise thousands of dollars each year to give out as community grants the following spring.

Sisters Vicious PHB, Psychedelia and Sister X traveled to Vancouver, Canada to minister to the athletes at the Gay Games.
This year saw a large outreach to the international communities. Sisters X, Vicious PHB, and Psychedelia went forth into Europe to spread the Word and form Missions. Our visit to Paris resulted in the formation of the first Order by Mother Rita. The Australians sent a missionary to London in August forming the first British Order. Our three Sisters travelled on to Berlin and were present in habit at the Brandenburg Gate the day Germany unified.

1991
By June, the Sisters brought the large show/performance art piece, "Dimanche D'Indulge," to Paris to celebrate the investiture of the Paris Order where we delivered our Exequitor officially recognizing them. This was also where "The Condom Saviour Consecration and Vow" first premiered and has been performed many times since. Back home in San Francisco, Sister Roma! introduced her STOP the Violence Campaign in reaction to the rise of violence in the streets, especially hate crimes. A window placard system was devised to mark safe homes to run to in the instance of an attack or the threat of an attack. The Order distributed window signs and whistles in the various neighborhoods and districts of the city as well as on college campuses.

Governor Wilson vetoed the statewide Gay rights bill. The resulting riot at the State Building in San Francisco featured a photo of the back of 2 nuns ramming a barricade thru the glass doors of the building. (Who were they? We'll never tell!)The first German Order in Heidelberg/ Mannheim, Germany was found by Erzmutter Johanna.

1992
Sister Sam came out in 92 and wanted YOU! Sisters Bufadora and Flatulina Grande lead the forming of the Queer Army and enlisted the energy of angry people for the Holy Wars against homophobia in the church and the government. Draft cards were distributed and there was no excuse not to enlist. One of the first actions of our pink-camouflaged army was to distribute condoms on USF campus on February 14. The campus had already denied permission for the distribution on the Catholic College campus. Police escorted Sisters off of the campus and held the student collaborators on charges. The next mobilization was against Rev. Coal and his gospel of hate at the Capitol Christian Center (CCC) in Sacramento, the largest fundamentalist church in the State. CCC was sending members in to The Castro to harass our community on our own turf. Sister Flatulina Grande, having escaped Sacramento just over a year earlier took great offense and organized a visit to CCC on Easter Sunday with the Queer Army in tow in addition to Sacramento activists and Queer Nation. Together we numbered 100 plus demonstrators chanting outside of the CCC’s Easter Morning services, finally drawing security and parishioners from the inner sanctum. While most of the congregation hid behind Bibles and spewed hate, one choir member, a teenager, came and joined the demonstration, outing himself in the process. Sister Lost and Found, as he was later named, came to the Sisters for help after both his church and his family rejected him. Tragically the State of Nebraska forced him back to a foster home despite his wishes to stay with his current gay fathers. He took his own life rather than live in foster care.The Sisters start one of the sexiest alliances by working at the Folsom Street Fair and Up Your Alley Fair helping the organizers by acting as door divas for two of California's largest events and probably the worlds largest fetish events. Folsom Street Fair and Up Your Alley Fair attracts ten of thousands of participants and raises thousands for charity in the process.

1993
Sisters attended the Creating Change Conference in Los Angeles demanding the inclusion of Transgender issues and speakers in the March On Washington and Stonewall 25th Anniversary in New York. This is the first time anyone had demanded Transgender inclusion. The 1993 March On Washington officially discouraged drag so we flew to DC in drag and marched in drag with pride. In contrast to the organizers, the crowds couldn’t get enough!

While demonstrating in Washington, DC, orchestrating huge events in our own city, celebrating life and spreading joy, the Sisters also struggled against the pandemic. In rapid succession, the Sisters lost five of their own, which left them in anger and despair. It empowered the order and refocused their fight, so that their 15th anniversary brought new energy and drive to the group. The Children's Halloween was started as a safe space for the kids and continues to this day as a treat for hundreds of kids for gay and not gay parents and their children.

1994
Their Halloween celebration was the largest yet, and pushed the limits of control and safety. Out of their dedication to their community, the Sisters joined a coalition of neighborhood groups and Community United Against Violence to come up with a plan to move the celebration out of the Castro. While the coalition itself moved the Halloween fete to the Civic Center area the Sisters insisted on having a proper celebration, HallowQueen, a wonderful costume-mandatory dance/cabaret which raised over $6,000 for a handful of charities. Sisters attend Stonewall 25th Anniversary in New York City and help lead the Drag March from Alphabet City to the Stonewall Inn. Favorite chants: "2-5-6-7 we're tough dykes and we don't have to rhyme" and "the Pope wears a dress and so will I ".

1995
For the first time, the Sisters bless the San Francisco Mime Troupe opening-day free performance in Dolores Park on the July 4th (US Independence Day) weekend. Showing a broader range of community service, the Sisters put on W.H.O.O.T.Y. (We'll Hold Our Own Thank-You) benefiting the Women and Cancer Walk. In support of alternatives to western-medicine the Sisters assisted in putting together La KLUBSTiTUTA alá Oasis that raised the first legal $1,000 for SF Proposition 215 legalizing medical marijuana. The event featured the Virgin Queen contest and marked the first of many collaborations with Diet Popstitute and KLUBSTiTUTE.On a darker note, the Sister Sock Show makes its debut as an alternative Sister presence at events that aren't community benefits yet still have performance value and possibilities. The Sister Sock Show quickly gains a reputation for projectiles, forced audience participation and poorly executed narrative. Sister Phyllis Stein the Fragrant braves the bicyclist world and starts the tradition of Sisters in the California AIDS Ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles raising thousands of dollars in the process. The Sisters of Perpetual indulgence, Los Angeles mission is successfully launched under Sister GladAss of the Joyous Reserectum's guidance.

1996
Now, in a time where there are more than twenty convents worldwide, the Sisters create and have brought to Washington, DC four quilt panels, 24' by 24', commemorating over thirty "Nuns of the Above" as part of the Names Project Quilt. We know that there are more Sisters whose names have escaped us as much as their lives escaped them, but their energy and love live on through us. Sisters attended, for the first time, the annual Burning Man festival in the Nevada desert and served Oh! Communion with medicinal brownies and tequila to parched and needy pagans. They also performed and passed out safer sex materials and set up a prayer shrine. The Sisters become a founding sponsor and outreach assisters for the CCP, Community Center Project in a multi-year project.

1997
Renewing a commitment to queer youth, The Sisters start several supportive activities for LYRIC's (Young Loud and Proud conferences) they put on aprons and act as lunch ladies bring smiles (and VERY LOUD DISCO MUSIC) to help start their day of activist organizing. They also helped put on PROMSTiTUTE, an alternative queer youth prom where the youth were encouraged to wear very short skirts and drink to excess. The Sisters also help at several AIDS art auctions as dotters, runners, wrappers and display models (please note: no artwork was dropped).August brought the tragic death of Princess Diana and the Sisters were called by the community to add focus to the grief that not only paralyzed London but was felt around the world. The Queen of Hearts Memorial went from the Castro to the British Embassy and, again, several thousand for the Princess' charities was raised. Several Sisters (most notably Sister Dana Van Iquity with the program) had served on the SF Pride Parade Committee, but this year the Sisters actually won "Most Outrageous Float" when Sister Kitty Catalyst was inspired to use the excess left-over trimmings from all the other floats to decorate the Sisters vehicle. In other tragi-comic news Sister Hellen Wheels, Sister Dana and Sister Kitty performed for one of the many Imperial Court functions "The Out of Town Court Show" and won, but didn't even remember they had attended and performed at the event (ahem) until reminded several weeks later. The House Of The Sheila Na Gigged (Cardiff, Wales) formed.

1998
For the first time the Sisters officially organize the annual Pink Saturday event in the Castro, the Saturday night hotspot before the San Francisco Pride Parade, ensuring monies raised stay in the community. Each year has seen more money going to local beneficiaries. Also that year Sisters organize Wig Out, a wig drive collecting from San Francisco drag queens hundreds of new and reconditioned wigs for women under-going chemotherapy. "We are not amusing" becomes internal code language for the James Hormel scandal as President Clinton moves to make history and appoint him as the first openly gay United States Ambassador (to a very Catholic Luxembourg). The Sisters pass by in the annual SF Pride Parade when he apparently chuckled at our antics. Spam on James! Make-a-Wish Make-a-Dish, a queer youth holidaze dance was held at the Eureka Valley Recreation center and featured Mr. Hanky the Christmas Poo much to the delight of all the queer youth present.

1999
The Sisters celebrate 20 years of good-spirited activism with an Easter Birthday party fundraiser in the Castro, while looking forward to another twenty years of community service. The local Archdiocese condemns the order thus granting us an estimated $1 million in free publicity. Play Fair! is re-issued and updated after 20 years to be all gender inclusive, encourage folks to use safer sex techniques, get tested for sexually transmitted diseases and lose the guilt.Later that summer the Sisters visit Reno, Nevada, for the first Reno Pride Parade and, again, are condemned. The Governor of Nevada refuses to issue a proclamation in support of Transgenders, Bisexuals, Lesbians and Gays so the Sisters write their own. The celebration receives front-page press as well as coverage from every television news channel in the city. Together with Survive AIDS, the Sisters take the lead in organizing the annual AIDS Candlelight Vigil making a big splash on SF City Hall steps. People with AIDS are honored with remembrances, AIDS Hero Awards and performances from the cast from RENT, Dear Diva, Dirty Little Showtunes as well as drummers and U.S. Representative Nanci Pelosi. The Sisters hostess several benefits at the Power Exchange sex club and Castlebar S&M space raising sex positive spirits and lots of needed money for local charities. Our 20th Anniversary was heralded with an International Conclave and related archival exhibit "A Consistory Conspiracy: Changing the Face of Activism (1979-1999)" which featured mementos and ephemera from the past twenty years complete with several fundraising receptions including, of course, Butt Plug Bingo!

2000
Reportedly the first fashion show in a sex club, Hot Cross Buns is held on Good Friday at the Power Exchange with local fetish designers including Dr. Carol Queen (from Good Vibrations) with a Dildo Fashion show which raises over $3,000 for local charities. Another fine San Francisco tradition, The Great Tricycle Race is reborn with much support from the good folks at Harvey Milk Institute. Contestants race through the Castro on regulation tricycles and ended with the annual Hunky Jesus and Easter Bonnet contests. Sister Betty Does, LNM, weaves through a maze of red tape to present Resurrection Bingo to the Castro at Metropolitan Community Church. The monthly event raises over $7,000 for local charities. The Sisters find themselves in the middle of an AIDS denialist mythology drama when members are targeted around barebacking issues. The Sisters rise to the occasion by granting money to AIDS Activist Against Violence and Lies (AAAVL) who battle the denialists on many fronts. AAAVL helps to prevent violence against PWA's from occurring and works to protect public meetings from being threatened by the denialists. The Sisters burst with Pride and take to the streets at San Francisco Pride as the Brides of Christ (of course) in support of Californians for Same-Sex Marriage. Later, at the SF Pride Festival, the Sisters perform an exorcism of radio-show hostess "Dr." Laura to free her of her hate-filled speech against gays and lesbians. The Sisters close the year with their annual Solstice benefit which raised funds for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Historical Society and the Sisters Archives. At the event $10,000 from their Community Grants Fund is presented to local non-profits and several more worthy individuals including Saint Harry Faerie Godfather (Harry Hay) and Saint N'John (his partner) are Sainted.

2001
Sisters launch World Domination Tour and are surprised that staunch conservatives like being punished for naughty behavior. The Sisters are elected Grand Marshals for the San Francisco Pride Celebration. The Russian River Missionary Order is founded by the San Francisco Order and Sister Mary Margaret of the House of Explosion. Distraught over the overwhelming loss of life during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, on all Saints Day the Sisters lead several hundred community members on a candle light vigil tour of the Castro, recalling the queer lives and contributions lost.

2003
Celebrating the 2003 PRIDE theme, the Sisters paraded the slogan "We gotta give 'em Pope" by displaying our own Pope Dementia in a cage where he could just barely reach out to fondle our young acolyte. Demonstrating a true knowledge of current events, the Sisters' float also included a masked figure looking a lot like a Texas political cowboy who was straddling a cock-rocket, showing the public that we had, indeed, finally found those nasty "Weapons of Ass Destruction". Some of the Sisters thought the giant cock rocket was kind of crude, but felt better about displaying it when pictures of the float appeared on many conservative websites and newspapers throughout the country. The Sisters celebrate a record year financially, bringing in over $100,000, with over 80% of that money going back out into the community.

2004
Under the rallying cry of "25 Years to Life — Ruining it for Everyone, " the Sisters kick off 25 weeks of Indulgence from Easter Sunday to Folsom Fair Sunday with their annual anniversary celebration in Dolores Park followed by fun evening activities in the Castro. The Order manages to complete all 25 events, and decides never to do that again!

2005
Under the watchful eye of the Mistress of Missions Sister Hellen Wheels, the Order continued its growth with the founding of Missions in San Diego, Las Vegas, Palm Springs and Eureka. In April, Sister Penny Lane became the first Sister to be crowned as Emperor of San Francisco's Imperial Court ushering in the Court of Swinging Monkeys and Roaring Tigers. Revival Bingo, which raised thousands of dollars for local organizations, ends its successful run at the Metropolitan Community Church in the Castro. The Sisters have the extreme pleasure and joy of Sainting Margaret Cho on stage at the Pride Celebration.

2006
Sisters began the year by joining the Bay Area Coalition on Reproductive Rights to greet anti-choice protesters bussed into San Francisco for an annual anti-choice march. Easter was our best year yet for donations after the Sisters were forced to move their annual birthday party to the Eureka Valley Recreation Center due to inclement weather. In June, Sisters Uma Gawd and Mary Juanita of a Higher Power, along with Fawn D'amen of the Abbey of the Big Red Wood in Eureka, bring the Sisters back to the AIDS Lifecycle. While these Sisters were on the road, well over a hundred Sisters from around the world gathered in Los Angeles on 6/6/06 for the Sisters' International Conclave. The gathered Sisters kicked off the Conclave with a ritual on Hollywood Boulevard and ended the event by walking in LA Pride. Mixed in with all of the public appearances was a great deal of Sisterly sharing and educational meetings. The United Nuns Privy Council UNPC is founded by Sister Hellen Wheels as a inter-order committee for establishing new Houses in the US and Canada. All exequatured Houses are invited to participate. Team Sister Power raised the third highest total for any team in July's AIDS Walk in Golden Gate Park. On July 19, Sister maeJoy B withU led Sisters in a public ritual at 18th and Castro which grows into a weekly action called Darshan, which means "sight" in Sanskrit. Sisters initiated a variety of weekly Darshans throughout the rest of the year using the rituals to expiate the stigmatic guilt brought by fundamental Christians and promulgating universal joy for all. Revival Bingo finds a new home at Most Holy Redeemer in September and donated its first two months' proceeds to the church. The Tour De Castro, a tricycle race and pub crawl organized by then Novice Sister Mary Juanita of a Higher Power, raised $8520 to help 14 AIDS Lifecycle riders who were short of the minimum donation to ride and is recognized as the Best New Charity Event of the year by the InterClub Fund of San Francisco. In November, the San Francisco Archdiocese bowed to right-wing pressure and kicked the Sisters out of Most Holy Redeemer Church sending Revival Bingo on the hunt for a new home and depriving the Church of much-needed funds and attendees.

2007
Sisters Uma Gawd and Fawn D'amen cycle once again, raising more than $6,000 to fight AIDS, while Sisters Mary Juanita of a Higher Power and Mona Little More of Portland, OR, serve as roadies on the AIDS Lifecycle raising spirits. This year's Pink Saturday saw a heightened safety effort by the Sisters who were recognized by local police for their efforts at throwing a fun and safe Pink Saturday.Rainbow World Fund and the Krewe de Kinque, raising over $1,500 to help with relief efforts for Peru.Sisters maeJoy B withU and Delta Goodhand attend mass at Most Holy Redeemer and receive communion from the Archbishop setting off a shit storm of rabid, right-wing, Catholic, national controversy.

2009
The 30th Anniversary art show Under A Full Moon goes on display for a full month at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, curated by Sister Mary Juanita. The show starts with the Sisters throwing a Gala opening on Easter Saturday at the YBCA including a grand entrance of nearly 100 Sisters descending the stairs in their formals. A second part of Under A Full Moon is a showing of historical documents and pictures displayed in the Hormel Center of the Main Public Library curated by Sister Mary Ralph, the Proper N(o)un.

2010
Stop The Violence was started again after a 20-year break. The Sisters react to an increase in gay bashings in the hood and responded by calling a community action to take back the streets and begin passing out safety packets with whistles to keep people safe. Sisters Roma and Flatulina Grande were invited to be Style Police at the Vienna Life Ball, the largest annual AIDS fundraiser in Europe. They judged the many hundreds of people that entered the event with Style Tickets that required the bearers to wear elaborate costumes in the theme of the event. Fines were levied if the participant was not up to snuff.

2011
The SF House set a record for the number of individuals going through the process of becoming a member; 18 in total. Sadly, in March the Order is hit with the tragic news that Postulant Irma Grassion passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. The Sisters vote to posthumously elevate him to Novice as part of memorial and fundraiser for his family. The famous Eagle Tavern is closed down. The Eagle was the first establishment designated an official Sanctuary by the Sisters for their frequent hosting of our beer busts. Sister Tuna Noodle Cocktail helps start “The Eagle In Exile” fundraisers at the El Rio. For the second year in a row, the SF Parade Committee invites the Sisters to be their official judges of the parade contestants. 15 Sisters show up for the 12 chairs. I guess it beats walking the route in high heels! Our first female Sister, Sister Mystie of the Broken Hymen passes away in July, shortly after attending Pink Saturday. Mystie had been a Sister in San Francisco for nearly 30 years and has touched many Sisters’ lives. Sister Kitty hosts the Cuir Noir (black leather) memorial at the Edge bar. Sisters served as Style Police at the largest AIDS fundraiser in Europe, Life Ball, in Vienna, Austria.

2012
The AIDS Memorial Grove bolder dedicated to the Sisters who have passed on was unveiled. The inscription reads, “IN MEMORY OF EVERY NUN OF THE ABOVE – THE SISTERS OF PERPETUAL INDULGENCE.” 2012 was one of few years that Easter got completely rained out without a backup venue in place. Sisters still had fun at Café Flore, even if there was no stage show. A sub-abbey to the SF House was stared in the East Bay by Sister Atta. Project Nunway was held in a translucent tent in Golden Gate Park on World AIDS Day. Again, it rained! Sister Roma’s 25th Anniv Roast raised $5000 for Tenderloin Tessie’s and The Sisters Stop The Violence. Sister Mary Ralph’s Furbomb also raises nearly $5000 for charity. $30,000 was given out during our Saturnalia Grant cycle. Sisters organized a South of Market event at several bars for Halloween for those that didn’t wanted to attend Halloween in the Castro. Sisters served as Style Police at the largest AIDS fundraiser in Europe, Life Ball, in Vienna, Austria.

2013
Sister Jane Do’H competed and won the 2014 SF Bare Chest Calendar, becoming MR APRIL. In April, the Sisters are invited to bless AT&T Park; Prayer for Sweeping Success. Easter is rained out again, but the celebration and show is moved to the DNA Lounge. Former Sister Boom Boom passes away. Among many other things, Boom Boom will be remembered for having nearly won an SF Supervisor seat back in the 80s as a male nun. Sisters start working with Monet Allard on the Stilettos for Shanghai documentary. June 26, the US Supreme Court strikes down DOMA and Prop 8, clearing the way for same sex marriages in all 50 States and substantially increasing attendance at Pink Saturday 2 days later. In December, the House approves the foundation of PIMP; the Perpetual Indulgence Ministry Program to perform legal weddings and other non-denominational spiritual ceremonies. The PIMP ministry is set up with no specific religious affiliation, instead catering to the spiritual needs of the individual participants. Sisters served as Style Police at the largest AIDS fundraiser in Europe, Life Ball, in Vienna, Austria.

2014
Sisters bring one of our rainbow flags sewn by Gilbert Baker to Shanghai as a gift to their Pride Celebration; participating Sisters are exhausted by all the photo requests. Sister have their first Easter in Golden Gate Park for their 35th Anniversary; it’s miraculously sunny and warm! The SF House starts discussions with the Canadian Houses to license the SPI Trademark; an expansion of the United Nuns Privy Council that has overseen the formation of US Houses. In coordination with other SPI Houses throughout the US, the Sister hold their first annual Salvation Sisters bell ringing, raising money for GLIDE Services. People toss in twenties when they realize we are not affiliated with certain bell-ringing religious organizations. Sisters served as Style Police at the largest AIDS fundraiser in Europe, Life Ball, in Vienna, Austria.

2015
Sister reluctantly give up the Pink Saturday permit, since the event had grown larger than what our all-volunteer organization could handle safely. The Sisters continue to work closely with the City and Police to help ensure there is a safe turn over. Sisters hold charity bingos at Jack London Square in Oakland; entertaining guests that might not be able to make it into SF. The Sisters give out $40,000 in our grant cycles despite the loss of Pink Saturday. Several Sisters join the My Name Is# protest at Facebook to bring attention to LGBT and Native Americans who need to identify by non-traditional names. Sisters help Margaret Chow’s #BeRobin events to aid the homeless. Sisters served as Style Police at the largest AIDS fundraiser in Europe, Life Ball, in Vienna, Austria.

2016
Sisters donated to replenish the rose quartz for the Pink Triangle Memorial Park. The Pink Triangle Park is a quite space in the Castro where people can go to contemplate the LGBT people who have died at the hands of ignorance and bigotry. More than 10,000 people participate in the Sisters’ Easter Anniversary in Golden Gate Park. Sisters Roma & Vish served as Grand Marshals in the Prague, Czech Republic, LGBT Pride parade. They produced and presented a Power Point presentation on the 37 years of Sister community service, presented the documentary film "The Sisters" , and chaired a panel on AIDS/HIV prevention. The House sponsors a contained and safe fundraiser for Pride Saturday in a closed area South of Market; “Pink Saturday Unchained” in in conjunction with the Eagle Tavern. Sisters march with the PULSE Memorial Contingent in the Pride Parade in remembrance of those who fell in the Orlando massacre. Several Nuns participate in “Save the Stud” event to keep open the landmark LGBT bar that has hosted so many of the City’s queer shows including Mother. Sadly, Sister Atta Van Haladol passes through the veil and joins the nuns of the above. She will truly be missed!

The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, who will be honored by the Los Angeles Dodgers at Friday's Pride Night, are bracing for protests but see it as "an opportunity to tell the truth."

How do Westerners feel clean simply from wiping their feces with dry toilet paper?
I may regret answering this. I am doing so anyway, because I am bothered by all the posts I've read that imply that Westerners are not very clean because they use toilet paper. I just hope I don't offend any of my Indian friends by writing this, because I love you guys.

I just want to set the record straight. Just because we don't use water sprays or have bidets, it doesn't follow that we are unhygienic. There is more than one way to be clean.

I can't speak for all Americans, much less all Westerners. I can only tell you what I do, but I am guessing I am fairly typical.

Yes, I use toilet paper. I scrub and then check the paper. I scrub some more (with a new piece or fold the paper get a clean side) and check again. I do this until the toilet paper looks totally clean after wiping.

Then, at least nine times out of ten, I get in the shower where I will use not only water, but soap as well. Maybe I'm odd, but I seem to have trained myself to go once a day, right before my shower, so that works very well.

Of course, there are always exceptions. In that case, I keep flushable wipes in my bathroom. I use them after I've finished wiping with the toilet paper. I also keep some wipes in my purse, though I avoid public toilets if at all possible and usually only need them if I'm traveling. The wipes aren't just wet with water, they also contain a mild cleanser and emollient. So to me, that seems a bit cleaner than water alone. And I don't have to touch anything nasty. I am very squeamish about the thought of actually touching poop. This way, my hands never get dirty, though I still scrub them with soap and water afterwards. After that, I may still use a washcloth with soap and hot water if it's a while until my shower. I have a stack of inexpensive white washcloths I use for this purpose. I rinse the washcloth with hot water when I'm done. These are washed separately with in hot water with extra detergent and a bit of bleach to keep them sanitary.

So I have to say that it bothers me a bit when I read posts that say Westerners are unhygienic because we use toilet paper. Maybe some are, but I am sure I'm not the only one the feels it's important to be clean.

Do I think the Indian way is wrong? No, not at all. I realize we all are most comfortable with what we are used to. But I have to admit, I am a bit leery of that method, as my imagination sees poop getting lodged under fingernails and it being difficult to get every speck out. I also would be afraid of where the poop particles that are sprayed out go. I'm assuming most of the poopy water goes into the toilet, but I can't stop thinking that some of it also lands on the floor, the sink, the tub, the walls, etc. I realize that Indian bathrooms have drains in the floor (which we don't typically have here), but if I'm the next person in the bathroom, I'm going to be walking through your poop spray.

Now I'm sure it's not really as bad as my imagination paints it to be. But that's what in the back of my mind when I think of those bathroom sprayers. I hope I'm wrong about that and it's just my overactive imagination.

As an aside, the last time I was in Las Vegas, the hotel room I was in had a bidet built into the toilet. You could choose the water temperature of the spray, and there was also a dryer that blew warm air. I have to admit, I liked the idea. But I didn't feel as clean with just plain water. And even with the dryer, I still felt the need to use toilet paper to dry completely and to make sure everything was scrubbed. So, while I wanted to like it and I would use it if it's available, I still am most comfortable with what I'm used to. And I'm sure those who prefer the water spray are most comfortable with that. We all have our comfort zone, I suppose.

I seem to have wandered off point a bit, but I guess what I'm trying to say is that just because we use toilet paper, it doesn't necessarily follow that we only use toilet paper, and it certainly doesn't mean that we are less than clean. I think we can all agree that hygiene is important and nobody wants to be unclean back there.

A Muslim's Guide to Anal Hygiene Allow me to clear a few things up about the use of the lota, the pot filled with water that Muslims traditionally use to keep themselves clean. My ass is as hygienic as an intensive care ward. Why? Because, just like millions of other Muslims, I wash my backside after every visit to the toilet using a magical chalice—a small pot filled with water called a lota. To me, using tissue paper alone to wipe clean my crack is like vacuuming an entire house with a Dustbuster—you're inevitably going to miss bits. And missing bits, as a Muslim, is not cool.

A lot of people are often—vocally—bewildered by the presence or very idea of a lota or any other anal ablution device. I've heard it all when new people come to my home for the first time, the incessant, "What, so you actually touch your poo?" line of questioning. They're frightened, perhaps, by the idea of making contact with your own bumhole after doing your business. Or, maybe, just wary of such "otherness." So I'm taking this opportunity to clear a few things up, so to speak.

Islamic And Hindu Customs Wipe Out Need For Toilet Paper As a result of pandemic panic-buying, toilet paper – not essential to sustaining human life – became one of the first commodities that many American stores couldn’t stock quickly enough to meet demand. You’d think coronavirus is a gastrointestinal disorder.

In the event of a sustained toilet paper shortage, some are flush with other plans, like resorting to the use of newspapers (for those still subscribing) or strips of old T-shirts, as some woodsmen survivalists have suggested. But there is another way to butt out of the toilet paper frenzy— by following ancient Islamic and Hindu customs.

Millions of Muslims and Hindus around the world were bowled over by this need to buy toilet paper since they typically wash their backsides with water. According to Sahih al-Bukhari, one of the six significant Hadith collections in Sunni Islam, the left hand should be used for anal ablution after defecation. The use of the right hand for cleaning genitalia is discouraged. Manusmriti, one of the oldest collected texts of Hindu laws, suggests that only water can adequately cleanse the organ from which feces and urine are ejected.

For anal cleaning, many Muslims keep a small vessel of water in their bathrooms, called a lota in South Asia. Alternatively, bidet spray nozzles and hoses are attached to the sides of the commodes.

The lota, according to Islamic rules, is held with the right hand, while the left helps pass water over the anus. The objective behind this practice, Muslims believe, is the emphasis of Islam on keeping the body adequately clean.

“Islam places great emphasis on personal hygiene,” said Maulana Imran Ahmad, an Islamic scholar in India. “Muslims are required to clean themselves well with water before offering prayers. Cleanliness is half of the faith, according to the teachings of Prophet Mohammad.”

After visiting the toilet, a person is required to clean his or her private parts thoroughly with water to keep the body clean, Ahmad added. Quoting the Holy Quran (9:108), he said, “Allah loves those who keep themselves clean and pure.” Another Hadith or saying advises that when leaving the toilet, leave with the right foot and say a prayer: "Praise be to Allah who relieved me of the filth and gave me relief."

“Islam teaches that the condition of the body affects the condition of the spirit, so it’s essential to be clean at all times — especially before offering prayers,” wrote Javaria Akbar in VICE. “To me, using tissue paper alone to wipe clean my crack is like vacuuming an entire house with a Dustbuster—you're inevitably going to miss bits. And missing bits, as a Muslim, is not cool,” she added.

According to Bukhari, when Prophet Muhammad went to the toilet he said, "In the name of Allah, O Allah! I seek refuge/protection with/in You from all offensive and wicked things.” Some alternate translations say "from evil deeds and evil spirits" and "from the male and female unclean spirits.” In some traditions, Muslims are advised to say this supplication before entering the bathroom.

In the Muslim and majority-Hindu regions of South Asia, Sikhs and Jains (offshoots of Hinduism), as well as Zoastrians, Buddhists and Christians also use water, but as a cultural custom that does not derive from their faith practice.

Beyond South and Southeast Asia, the use of water for self-cleaning is also common in the Middle East and Europe, where bidets shoot jets of water to clean your behind off instead of toilet paper. Although in recent years, some American households have included bidets, Americans have long been resistant to bidets, sometimes repulsed as a French snobbery or just plain dirty.

“Americans were introduced to bidets on a broad scale during World War II when troops were stationed in Europe,” wrote Maria Teresa Hart in The Atlantic, adding that American soldiers visiting brothels would often see bidets in the bathrooms, so they began to associate these basins with sex work.

“Given America's puritanical past, it makes sense that, once back home, service members would feel squeamish presenting these fixtures to their homeland,” she wrote. “But even before the war, bidets were linked to sex and scandal.”

The hoarding of toilet paper in reluctance to using alternatives swelled its demand to unforeseen heights in March. According to the data collected by IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm that tracks retail sales based on the barcodes on products, Americans have spent over $1.4 billion on toilet paper in the past four weeks, a 102 percent increase from the same period a year before.

The toilet paper panic has led to people flushing things like baby wipes, napkins and paper towels, resulting in blockages in drainage pipes, according to a spate of reports across the country.

Meanwhile, online Google searches for “bidet” in the U.S. reached an all-time high in March, according to Google Trends. Hello Tushy, which makes a high-market $79 bidet attachment for toilets, said its sales spiked in mid-March. These trends suggest that at least some Americans might be thinking of using water for cleaning their behind.

Islamic toilet etiquette prescribes several other rules for Muslims regarding toilet hygiene that would prevent the spread of coronavirus: eating anything while on the toilet is forbidden, for example. The rules also instruct silence while in the bathroom, so no talking on the phone. Reading and greeting others is also not to be done near the toilet. It is also frowned upon to remain inside the bathroom more than the necessary time.

Anal hygiene has evolved with the evolution of human beings. People in the stone age, as the name suggests, used rocks and stones to wipe their behind. The ancient Greeks, who were far ahead of stone agers in terms of art, philosophy and science, used shreds of clay or pottery. Romans used a wiping instrument called a tersorium, essentially a sponge on a stick. While wealthy Romans could afford a personal tersorium, peasants had to share it in their communal toilets.

While water was used for cleaning in different Islamic and South and Southeast Asian countries across religions, Americans saw a revolution in anal hygiene during the 19th century when conventional toilet paper was introduced during the Industrial Revolution.

With the shortage of tissue paper in the market amid the pandemic, there might be another stage of evolution awaiting in the anal hygiene of the U.S. – the use of water.

Rules Are for Schmucks: Islam vs. Toilet Paper It’s not the kind of headline you see every day: “Chef prepared curry after wiping bottom with his bare hands ‘for cultural reasons.’”

If you’re not a traveler, the good news is that this particular chef isn’t located in the United States but in Swindon, England. The bad news is that “cultural reasons” is a euphemism for religious reasons. And the religion involved is Islam, which is everywhere.

When health inspectors visited the kitchen of a restaurant called “Yeahya Flavour of Asia,” they found an empty bottle covered with brown crust that they later concluded was fecal matter. The bottle belonged to Chef Mahbub Chowdhury, age forty-six. He explained that he filled the empty milk bottle with water from the kitchen taps before using it to clean his backside after going to the toilet.

The chef, who no longer works at the restaurant, pleaded guilty to ten counts of breaching food hygiene regulations at Swindon Magistrates Court. Apparently this isn’t his first violation. He was fined more than £5,000 (the equivalent of over $7,000) last year for ten similar offenses relating to food hygiene.

Is this conduct really a part of Islam? Apparently it is. Just last year, in fact, the Directorate of Religious Affairs for the Republic of Turkey finally got around to publishing a decree to tell Muslims that it was “acceptable” to use toilet paper. Acceptable, but not preferred. The preferred method is to use water, as Chef Chowdhury was doing. “If water cannot be found for cleansing, other cleaning materials can be used,” reads the decree. “Even though some sources deem paper to be unsuitable as a cleaning material, as it is an apparatus for writing, there is no problem in using toilet paper.”

But that’s just Turkey. Outside of Turkey, Muslim God experts have devoted enormous energy to developing an extensive code, called the Qadaahul Haajah, governing precisely how God wants you to do your business. One English-language Muslim website, which claims to have had over 2.9 million visitors, provides a number of helpful rules for the perplexed:

One should enter the toilet with one’s left foot and exit with one’s right foot.
One should not talk or sit for a long time or read anything like a newspaper, or sing a song.
One should neither face Mecca nor turn one’s back toward it while urinating or defecating.
One should remove the feces on one’s anus with one’s finger, then wash one’s hand.

When cleaning the private parts after answering the call of nature, men should wash them from the back to the front. Women should wash them from the front to the back. Thus, the genitals will not be smeared with filth, nor will it cause one to be sexually aroused by the stimulation of fingers.
One should sprinkle some water over one’s underpants after cleaning one’s private parts. By doing so, when one notices wetness on one’s underpants, one will not feel doubt as to whether it is urine or not.
One should not look at one’s private parts or spit into the toilet.
The right hand is placed on the right cheek and the left hand is placed on the left one. When there is the need to use a hand, the right hand should remain on the right cheek and the left hand should be used.

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