Jamie_L

I meant to post something on Easter, but never got the chance. Then my wife got sick, and I lost two more days.

So, happy Back-from-the-dead-after-being-nailed-to-a-cross-day!

You know, even before I became an atheist, I was never big into Easter. Sure, I liked candy and colored eggs, but all the gory details of nailing a guy to a cross and then waiting for the morning of the living dead never held much interest for me.

Now, the whole holiday just seems sureal. Guy nailed to cross + Furry bunnies and candy. Seems to me that all the stuff that got stolen from the Pagans makes for a much better family-day than all that blood-and-guts, rising from the dead stuff. We won't even go into the theological gymnastics required to explain that mess.

This was the first year that I spent Easter "out" of the atheist closet. Well, I'm only out with couple of close friends, but that's more than last year. And I got more "digs" from them than I had expected. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

Anyway, I just wanted to come here and ramble about the stuff that was jumbled in my head this weekend. Responses are welcome but not required.

P.S. - I need to get that old copy of Hustler magazine that has the Easter Bunny nailed to a cross on the front cover. That would sum up so much of the stuff in my head relating to this bizarre holiday.

Jamie

Ennazus

That about covers the day, doesn't it?


We are an atheist family, yet we've celebrated Easter and Christmas. (eggs, decorated tree, presents.. the commercial way!) We attach no religious meaning to the days, they're just for family and fun.

I've always found Good Friday and Easter ghoulish. Our local paper usually carries a picture of some crucifixion re-enactment and it's in color! I'm all for bunnies and eggs, but spare my kid the tortured and bloody man-on-a-stick on the front page! When I was a kid, I had nightmares after the Good Friday Mass. On Easter, I'd be terrified of corpses and zombies roaming the streets. That MUST be why they added bunnies and eggs, the kids were traumatized by Jesus!

This is our first "Spring Holiday". My 15-year-old daughter professed her atheism two days before Easter and announced we are hypocrites, if we continue to celebrate Christian holidays. She then wanted to know if this declaration cost her her annual basket of goodies. (I made the basket and a "Happy Spring" card)

Godless Dave

Actually the bunnies and eggs were first, and Jesus was added later. It's like the early church said "Damn, all these pagans are doing is having fun and spending time with their families. Let's work some guilt and fear in there too!"

Opus36

I don't think I can count the number of times I have been called a hypocrite for celibrating Christmas or Easter. But I have found some fun when these mindless drones call me that. They seam to get really pissed off when I point out to them that Santa has nothing to do with the birth of Christ, and by taking there kids to see santa, by puting up a tree and giving gifts they are celibrating the Pagon holday instead of the "Christian" holday. And the same things goes for Decorating eggs, and having a basket on Easter. I guess it shows who the real Hypocrites are.

Your absolutely right, "Family Fun Day" That is how I look at it.

Ennazus

What do you think a true Christian celebration would consist of, if they didn't have the Pagan traditions? I bet it would be boring!

Opus36

Your probibly right, it would be boaring. Get up, go to church to receive forgivness of your sins. Come home pray, eat lunch, pray, watch Billy Gram on TV, pray, Have dinner, pray, Change the chanel to one of those religious stations, pray, go to bed.

Hell, if that was me, all those prayers would be for some one to take my miserable life.

Amaranth

Point out that birthday celebrations are pagan in origin.

- or -

Start celebrating Beltaine, and claim you just celebrate whichever holidays are fun.

Beltaine > Any other holiday, by leaps and bounds.

jj

You mean the festival of the martyred prophet?

...

Damn Pisstians...I couldn't eat at my very favorite restauraunt last Sunday, just cos it was EASTER Sunday.

I was really looking forward to that meal, too...damn Pisstians.

DamagedGoods

When I was in a fundie group, the pastor took it upon himself to gather some rather detailed medical information about what Roman-style crucifixion did to the body and present it in grisly detail during the Easter Sunday service. The intent was to 'show people how much more thankful they should be to Jebus for enduring such a thing.' Fortunately he didn't include color pictures.

Still, there was one young guy (early 20's) that was apparently seriously traumatized by this sermon, and he was never quite the same afterwards. Of course, this being a fundie group, his only 'legitimate' counseling option was the pastor that gave the sermon. Ah, the wonders of organizaed fundamentalist religion!

I never really considered the possibility that the Easter story could give kids nightmares, but it makes sense. "Happy-back-from-the-dead-day" might have a different meaning if you've seen certain movies.