Any other Christians annoyed at what society has turned Easter into?

[Opol]

I’m resigned that the same has been done to Christmas. But for me that is “only” the birth of Christ.

As a Roman Catholic, Easter is of far more importance to me. For me, God’s love for humanity meant he sacrificed his only son. Jesus’ resurrection is literally the embodiment of the victory of light over darkness, good over evil etc.

I don’t wish to gate keep but seeing it reduced to Easter baskets and chocolate rabbits is unpleasant to witness. I’m more annoyed at society making everything hollow and superficial via consumerism and over consumption.

“Modern day Wiccans or pagans might go outside to meditate and perform a simple ritual to welcome the spring. Another common way to celebrate the coming spring is to plant seeds”.

This is beautiful to me. What does our society push? Things more things.

I'm more annoyed about the millions of people killed over the centuries in the name of Christianity.

Chocolate eggs seem pretty benign in comparison.

Yeah I wish everyone would focus on some guy being horrifically murdered 2000 years ago, that would be much more festive.

Never a truer word said

YABVU, you are free to practice religion anyway you choose to or not. Religion to many people is irrelevant. Just concentrate on yourself and stop judging others.

I'll stick with the pagan Eastre before Christianity claimed it.

This.

Well Christians hijacked and manipulated it from its original holiday. And now its progressed again.

Just what happens through time.

At least the modern way doesn't enforce the belief and culture through murder, torture and rape.

I'm not remotely religious but I can totally see why it would bother you.

Someone on SM earlier today said they were "embarrassed" because they "only" bought their kids a few eggs and a personalised bunny teddy bear

I mean, what else do you buy? When did it turn into a show or like Christmas???

I'm pretty sure Christians stole this date from the pagans and that is was traditionally pagan festival of spring.....

So bring on the chocolate bunnies 🐰

Well you ARE gatekeeping (to use your own term). And given that Christianity has been forced on people for so long, this is an inevitable consequence of that. There is nothing stopping you or anyone else from ignoring Easter eggs etc and celebrating Easter in your own traditional way. Absolutely nothing whatsoever.

Yeah, it niggles at me.

Same as Christmas. Dh family are all atheists but nothing will come between them and Christmas and Easter. Both just an excuse to buy stuff, eat crap and get drunk.

I am Christian and dh has become very interested in Christianity over the years. They take the piss that we go to church for Christmas and Easter services (our local Church does lovely family services).

We also don’t see them for Christmas or Easter as they would laugh when they children spoke about Jesus and I won’t have my children belittled for believing and talking about something that interests them.

Simply put, because Easter - or Eastre (or see other names for it) pre-dates Christianity and is a celebration of Spring - which is where the eggs and bunnies come in. Christmas and Easter are both hijacked festivals that long pre-date Jesus and all that stuff.

I find the existence of the RC church more offensive to be honest with it’s child sexual abuse cover ups, treatment of women as 2nd class citizens and the brainwashing of children by confirming them so early they have no idea what they’re promising to do.

However - I was raised Catholic and I knew many, many families who celebrated Easter with presents just like Christmas. I’m in my 40s so this was a long while ago.

I only ever got one egg. I was pretty cheesed off as a kid.

I'd rather religious zealots hadn't weaponised so called teachings from the bible to present as facts that having sex outside marriage is wrong, being gay is wrong, extreme right wing views (see USA) are right, enormous grifting mega-churches collecting billions a year are acceptable. The Catholic church ran the Magdalena laundries and were responsible via their teachings on birth control for 100s of years of impoverished families, miserable young mums and shed loads of sexual abuse. Religious people don't have a right to pontificate how and why others celebrate through the year.

As a Humanist with pagan tendencies I have no problem with celebrating the arrival of spring. As others have said, Easter is something the Christians adopted, it has never been their own.

I don't like overconsumption of tat for anything though. Even when the DC were small it was a couple of chocolate eggs and some homemade decorations.

This !!

I thought Easter was when Jesus was hatched from an egg after dying on the cross? That's why we have Easter eggs...?!

I agree. I was raised Catholic and I won’t have anything to do with them.

I believe in God, Jesus, the whole shebang. But I don’t believe in one religion.

I go to family services at a local Presbyterian church and my children go to a weekly group there. I’m a Christian as I believe in Christ, but I am not part of any particular religion.

How many kids now know about the Easter story and what the egg symbolises?

Doubt very few. As for kids now it’s chocolate eggs

How sanctimonious. Just do you.

For the vast majority of people in the UK, Easter is about bank holidays and chocolate. And I was raised a Catholic 😂

The egg symbolises different things to different people.
The fact that consumerism has gone mad is a slightly separate issue imho.

It seems odd to be fine about harking back to original celebrations of Spring but to be all pursed-lipped about over-consumption. Feasting at festival times is nothing new. Unlike Christmas, the 'over-consumptiom' doesn't even go on for very long. A big Easter meal and a load of chocolate for a couple of days? Hardly an orgy of gluttony.

@Chunkycookie I’m almost exactly the same. I find it unforgivable that I was confirmed at 10 before I even knew what contraception was and having no idea what I was promising to do. I like broad Christian teachings and messaging but cannot subscribe to any particular church.

I think that is a but rich given that Christians misappropriated the pagan festival? It has been a celebration of spring from before there were any stories about Jesus. You believe what you like, but others have every right to celebrate their own way.