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.

"umans evolve. Ideas evolve over time. Ideas and beliefs are shared and expressed in different ways. Religion is a human way of expressing ideas, values, morals, philosophies, theories."

And many humans are evolving to reject religion.

Unfortunately people do make nasty remarks about the beliefs of others. Why I have no idea, guessing they get a kick out of upsetting people. There’s no personal gain

Technically in the UK you can make negative remarks on any religion whether it’s Christianity, Islam, Judaism. All religions are fare game. It’s only speech which ‘incites hatred’ that is against the law. Blasphemy is no longer against the law

Although MNHQ I’d love to know why you always leave the insults made to Christian’s but delete all those made of Judaism.

For the avoidance of doubt, I am equally dismissive of all organised religion.

"What does annoy me increasingly (and I’m an easy going person!) is the free rein society seem to have to take the piss out of, and mock Christian’s and Christianity."

Because there is a growing trend to criticise everything about the western world from history to western values including Christianity to democracy to capitalism.

There has always been a minority that think it is cool or edgy to think in this way. But the risk is when that minority becomes a majority or at least a very vocal minority because have a think on how the alternatives to democracy, capitalism and western values work would out for you?

Actually, as another Pagan on here if you read back two Christians on here have attacked Paganism.

It’s not untrue to say that Christianity took things from Paganism including festivals and religious spaces. It’s true, they did do that. There are many who believe Easter was Pagan and there’s evidence for that. Little, because of the time period, but there’s arguments for both. Passover is also around the same time so some think it developed from that. So your first statement is neither right nor wrong - we cannot say for sure what is true due to a lack of records. I’m not attacking Christianity or saying the religion is untrue. It’s just part of history. Yet two Christian posters on here have attacked Paganism. One with a very poor understanding of history.

I am not dismissive of Christianity, on another thread I detailed the things I like and admire about it. Yet apparently it’s done to be rude, dismissive and mock Paganism.

Those in glass houses.

Of course you don’t need religion to have ‘moral decency’, more often than not religion’s idea of ‘moral decency’ is completely at odds with fairness and equality for many people. Oh and I know you will say ‘but you can be religious and not a misogynist/homophobe/xenophobe’ and all the other aspects that are blatantly a huge part of religious literature, but then what is the point of saying you believe in a certain theology and not actually follow the text that is supposedly more righteous than the laws of the land or your own moral compass?

I disagree with all religions and other belief systems. This thread is about Christian appropriation of Easter in particular, if it was a discussion about any other aspect of religion I’d share a view about that. Let’s not digress into ‘you’d never say anything about x/y/z’ religions because only Christianity gets a kicking’. I think recent global events have disproved that for one. If you hold any ridiculous beliefs and openly start a conversation about it, then I’m happy to give my opinion on why belief systems as a whole are nonsensical/harmful/open to disparaging comments.

"But the risk is when that minority becomes a majority or at least a very vocal minority because have a think on how the alternatives to democracy, capitalism and western values work would out for you?"

What do you mean by that?

Christianity is here. But it's dying out as a popular religion.

I am pretty sure that we will still have values and democracy.

I am not sure what Jesus thought of capitalism.

"Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 “It is written,” he said to them, “‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’[a] but you are making it ‘a den of robbers.’"

Fair dues - I don't think he'd approve

Hmmm good luck expressing that view outside a mosque.

I can't understand why someone would argue to the contrary. It's our history in the west. We don't have culturally Buddhist values. It's simply a fact that western civilisation is founded on Christian values.

Christianity has influenced everything: our art, our politics, laws, education, charity, philosophy, medicine.

I don't know what else to say. You don't have to believe in it, I certainly don't. But I'm hardly going to move to another country and argue that their cultural foundations aren't say, Muslim or Buddhist.

It's not a shameful thing to live in a civilisation founded on Christianity.

It's literally all made up. We made up all if this. Who cares how people celebrate it. You do you.

Yes imagine talking in such away about Judaism or Islam or any other religions or their religions celebrations.
It is a disgrace the way people ‘get off’ on abusing peoples beliefs.
If that’s all they’ve got in life, leave them to it I say they are clearly just very sad individuals.

If they are inciting hate it is against the law. There’s a fine line.

But what are Christian values?

Is it no divorcing, praising God?

The full 10 Commandments?
Love thy neighbour ? Tell that to Catholics who were burnt
Do unto others as you would want doing to you?

Can you name some Christian values it was founded on?

I will be able to counter any that you give with examples where our society seems to have forgotten those values.

I LOVE this scene!!! So awkward 😬

@Yourethebeerthief

I am NOT arguing to the contrary.

I am just asking you to name some Christian values it was based on.

Surely that's not too difficult?

A great great many more people on this planet believe in some form of deity and follow a religion than do not.

You can reject religion, that's fine. I'm not religious either. It doesn't change the fact that Britain is historically and culturally Christian.

My favourite series - I love every episode! This one is brilliant 🤩

You can't name any Christian values it was based on?

Surely that's not too difficult a question

@cakeorwine

"What do you mean by that?

Christianity is here. But it's dying out as a popular religion.

I am pretty sure that we will still have values and democracy.

I am not sure what Jesus thought of capitalism."

Well the alternative to democracy is dictatorship. Given the growing intolerance of others opinions, the entrancement of views and general polarisation of society I certainly am not "pretty sure " that we will still have democracy or at least not in the current form (greater populism)

The alternative to capitalism is communism or greater socialism which you can also already see in the hate of big companies and desire for greater state control.

Lastly I think we can safely say that Jesus was a socialist.

You are being incredibly unreasonable. Easter is Easter for you, but you don't own the spring celebrations. Christians co opted a lot of pagan spring equinox symbolism into Easter because they wanted to convince indigenous people who followed pagan traditions to 'join in'. Eg eggs, Which started as a pagan symbol of new life. Have you noticed, the date of Easter changes every year? This is because it is governed by moon phases, not a specific date on which Christ was said to have risen from the dead. It falls on the Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox making it a celebration of the seasons, a concept rooted in paganism. The bunny comes from the pagan spring hare. I don't think its ever been Christian? If these things don't feel relevant to you, it's because they aren't. You don't own the celebrations at this time of year, or Christmas either. But that's another post.

And yet technically it’s not against the law to do so. Everyone is allowed to treat all religions equally, no religion is more important than another

But most people have enough common decency not to be rude about peoples beliefs
except for on MN or behind a screen it seems, because everyone can hide. I’d love to see some MNs that have been rude on here outside a mosque spouting off the same to that congregation

Me too. President Bartlet attended university in my city for a semester just after I left, I was raging!

Our country has a very long history.

More than 2000 years.

It's had wars, killings,

"Thou shalt not kill "

Land and property has been stolen

Thou shalt not steal

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor

Love thy neighbour - well I am pretty sure that hasn't been followed.

The lesson of the Good Samaritan - how did that go down over history - when the poor were poor

People have been treated appallingly by people who claim to have Christian values.

So again - what Christian values has this country been based on?

@cakeorwine

"But what are Christian values?"

Essentially "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"

Because the Christian church still has a massive impact on State life in the UK.

If it was just another religion, then fine.

But we have an Established Church. We are supposed to have an act of Daily Worship of a mainly Christian nature in our schools.

I think it would be great for the C of E if it was allowed to just be another Church.

Which is a tidy catchphrase, until you read about the mother and baby homes, sales of children to America, and the Tuam Babies. And that's just one tiny country on the edge of Europe. There were plenty of other atrocities elsewhere.