Billy,
Since it doesn't deal with dead people and people dying, I really don't get too upset with it. I pretty much assume that it's just another dumb joke passed on by people who actually have little or no knowledge of the true meaning of the "red dot" so they make jokes about it. After all....it's different to them.
Actually I thought it was pretty funny too.
Unfortunately what does bother me is that if I were to ask just about ANY person from ANY country in the world (except of course some deep dark tribesmen in a 4th world village) what that red dot means, they would be able to tell me......well, the tribesmen and MOST Americans would not be able to tell me. Why is this? Probably because while most of the world studies other cultures and actually takes an interest in them, particularily the diffences they find from their own culture, Americans tend to not want to know or learn ANYTHING about any other culture besides their own. This is why the majority of Americans haven't seen or can't even name a foreign film or know anything about foreign music, authors, or even foreign lands. That would'nt be so bad if they would just keep to themselves, but instead we tout our ignorance by making fun of everyone else and we are the only ones laughing, while others laugh and then shake their heads and pity our stupidity.
So, while I like the joke, and find it funny, I certainly find the history of the "red dot" as we in America call it (the rest of the world refers to it as a "tilaka") even more fascinating. One sixth of the world is Hindu, so it's good to know I suppose. So, for those that DON'T know, I'll give a short history:
The dot is a Hindu, not Indian, tradition. It is a common error to confuse the terms Hindu and Indian, though. The vast majority of Indian people are Hindu, but there are also Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, and people of other faiths.
You'll hear the "dot" referred to as a "tilaka," a "bottu," or a "bindi."
Traditionally, the dot carries no gender limitation: men as well as women wear it. The tradition of men's wearing the tilaka has faded in recent times, though, so nowadays you see a lot more women than men sporting one.
Red is the traditional color, but that's also changing — people now go with different colours depending upon their preferences. Traditionally, some unmarried women wore black dots, while married women sported red ones. Today, women often wear dots that match the color of their saris.
The position of the tilaka is standard: centre of the forehead. It represents a third, inner eye. Hindu tradition holds that all people have three eyes, the two outer ones used for seeing the outside world, the third one focusing inward toward God. As such, the red dot signifies piety as well as serving as a constant reminder to keep God in the front of a believer's thoughts.
Now.....isn't learning fun? It makes us better people.
