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.

Precisely.

As I said. If your kids are being told this in a non religious school then you need to complain.
If this happened then the teacher (s) are not following curriculum and are attempting to indoctrinate and as such your kids won’t be the only ones affected by those / that teacher. The whole class will be affected.

Talk to other parents, get together, complain.
There is no place in schools for teachers like that.

Im not undermining the affects evangelical people can have on others. As adults we can step aside, kids need to be protected from extremists of all religions.

Have you ever wondered how the pagans felt having Christians steal all of their celebrations and make them their own? Same thing.

Why exactly does it bother you so much that someone uses a shortcut? Do you get equally peeved about text speak? Surely you're secure enough in your faith that an 'x' in unimportant?

While not a Christian it does seem that Jesus was a real person, that much I thought pretty much all the scholars agreed on, along with the method of death.
The rest is much more debatable.

The Church of England was set up as a the same as a Catholic church but whose head was the King of England ie Divorcing itself from Rome. (It became more Protestant over time.)

Its very essence is a church of this country. In that way then, yes, it is unique to this country only.

I am a Christian and agree with you to an extent. I think its reasonable children are taught about the Christian celebration and the meaning behind the celebration and why many do rolling of eggs. If they would rather do egg hunts thats fine by me.

You’re missing the point.
Eggs were a special part of Easter because of Lent abstenance. @1dayatatime did say that.

This Op.
spring festivals happen all over the world, for very good reasons.

the Christian’s were no fools in co-opting it - if they’d tried to convert the natives and tried to strip away existing festivals completely, Christianity would still be a small off shoot of Judaism.

I had a full high church upbringing (df was “working” in cathedrals, 3 services on Easter Sunday😱), and still consider myself as having a faith - though don’t “do” church now . But even I know that Easter has always been an extremely hard festival for aetheists, agnostics, and uninformed to get their heads around. The whole thing of Good Friday, and cruxification and then resurrection is heavy going. Even as child in that high church, the whole religious bit was certainly NOT a “celebration” in way churches treat Easter Sunday now- as far as I can tell that has come about since rise of evangelical churches and practices became more mainstream. Easter Sunday was a rather somber and serious affair. Yes, it was “good news” that Christ was risen, but the task of saving our souls was not a happy clappy “celebration” .. I only remember getting a single chocolate egg, eaten only after service and the lamb roast. Though I preferred the hot cross buns and simnel cake anyway😉

so, I get where you coming form with all the “HAPPY Easter” - that just seems a weird thing for people to say and strikes me as pretty poorly informed greeting. Though what someone would say instead is a bit of a blank for me. I certainly never recall anyone saying “happy Easter” before 1990s! Don’t remember Easter cards either - no one in CoE cathedral lay sent them!

But, It is a happy festival if we look at it as a spring celebration - particularly after such a wet, miserable Grey winter. We all need festivals to break up year, mark passages of time, establish family rituals and draw us closer to family and friends. In that sense , yes I’m all for a bit of feasting, meeting, and jolly times.

so, embrace both- as seperate events that fall at same time. It is NOT one or the other. The two were merged over a 1000 year ago, continue to recognise that , and that in some families a different emphasis is placed on each bit.

Are you also appalled at the centuries of persecution of Catholics in this country by this country and In Ireland by this country.
Are you also appalled by the celebration of the burning of Catholics every year on fireworks night.

I’m afraid the wholesale persecution of Catholics and removal of human rights has been lost in history and rarely taught in English schools @AngkorWat

Of course but it doesn't surprise me. Religion is the root of so many atrocities but chocolate eggs are the thing that gets people frothing. Piss off please.

The Christians thought of chickens going on lay and other birds nesting in Spring being significant first?

Even if you won't accept eggs being part of the Seder as in anyway significant to a religion based upon the sayings of a Jewish man who was arrested immediately following a Seder, it's not that much of a stretch to think that actually having access to more protein in Spring has always been seen as a cause for celebration?

Would have been hard to invent -specifically - chocolate eggs before chocolate and refined sugar were commonplace as well, especially as it required international trade in materials and the enslaving of millions to do so. But decorated eggs, not hard to do.

Hence that’s why the UK wasn’t mentioned.

I actually agree with you.

I was raised Roman Catholic, currently of no denomination (a separate story).

It always amazes me how eager people are to deny they have anything to do with Christianity while embracing and celebrating everything to do with it.

Everyone wants a church wedding, a white wedding dress, fairness, equality, to tell their child their Nan is ‘up there with the angels’ while proclaiming themselves a proud atheist. These are all Christian ideas.

I know people like to say religion is the source of atrocities but the biggest atrocities have been committed by atheist totalitarianisms. This is just a fact. When God dies, people tend to replace Him with ideas that tend to be a lot worse.

Feel people in the West could at least have the decency to contemplate this issue around Easter and Christmas.

Rant over ;)

As I haven’t mentioned chocolate eggs I’m assuming your ‘p… off please’ isn’t an attack on me but the idea that people are offended by chocolate eggs.

I feel the same way about how british pagan Ostara was stolen by Christians and turned into Easter, the whole eggs and bunnies thing is pagan and I know Christians don't all like that because it takes away from the religious bit. Also that Easter is different every year because of the full moon and the spring equinox, again, because of paganism.

Upshot of it is, I don't celebrate Easter, we do Ostara/Spring equinox on the 21st March every year.

So I understand your frustration.

I don't feel annoyed at Christmas and Easter so much as I appreciate that this has become a cultural celebration, marking that period of time rather than the religious significance.
I get huffy about people who fall over themselves to get married in church or have their children christened when they openly admit that they don't believe in God and have no intention of ever returning to Church after.
I never understand why when there are so many beautiful non-religuous venues for a wedding, why would you want Church if you aren't religious?
A friend said it was because the building looked nice in the photos and her parents got married there. I kind of understand the sentiment thing but it makes me huff a bit.

A different perspective is that these customs have survived thanks to being adapted rather than forcefully eradicated.

Painting eggs, making a small food offerings are a big part of celebrating Christmas in the Roman Catholicism.

YABVU to expect everyone else to share your beliefs.

Your actual words….

The country is Church of England.
We are not a Secular country
we are a Christian country, still!

The “country” is more than just England you know…..

What atrocities have been committed by Atheists?

Because pretty much every horror known to man way created by the church, done by the church and yet they are allowed to continue. With no recourse.

@MintCocoa “Everyone wants…, fairness, equality, ….. while proclaiming themselves a proud atheist. These are all Christian ideas.”

You’re seriously claiming that fairness and equality are Christian ideas??

Communism = over 100 millions people killed
Nazism = over 17 millions

I was born and raised in a communist country where being a Christian was an act of mutiny.

Every totalitarianism eradicates religion. The only allegiance allowed is that to the state.

BooHoo, OP, it is what the Christians did to the Pagan rituals that they took over with "Christmas" and "Easter".