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.

@DanielGault

"I genuinely cannot believe anyone is making an attempt to defend Magdalene laundries. Wtaf like!"

I don't think anyone is seeking to defend the Magdalene laundries. The point in question is why the nuns choose to act in the way they did - was it because the teachings of the church told them to do so or was it because they were sick disgusting individuals who used the cover of the Church in which to carry out such acts.

What is easier to determine is that the Church deliberately covered up such crimes in order to protect their own reputations which would indicate that senior church leaders acknowledged what was happening was wrong (otherwise they would have been completely open about it).

As my daughter would say, 'kk'.

That wasn't exactly the context in which the pp was trumpeting her honesty towards her children, though...

Did the Church have a view on unmarried mothers?

What words did they use to describe them?

We know why the nuns behaved as they did. They were raised in a patriarchal system that told them women were chattel. Some nuns were pure evil, some were victims of the system too.

I suppose that in my own life and in the life of recent generations of my family, I've seen sweeter fruits arising from the practice of Christianity than from turning away from Christianity.

That said, I'm pretty opposed to the way the modern church treats LGBT people. I hope the church catches up with the science of psychology and with what we know about sexuality soon. I have hope that it will. My views on when life begins, and abortion, are definitely heretical though. OTOH I remember that Catholics are called to listen to their conscience above anything else.

I tend to agree that whatever Pagan festival and religion would have been practised if Christianity had never existed would have had its problems too because that is human nature.

As I mentioned further up the thread, my religion involves a deep appreciation of nature and the seasons, just like some Pagans on this thread say theirs does, though I am sure it means different things to me than it does to them. I don't actually think we are fundamentally far apart, as humans with some kind of spiritual belief. I just know that for me, Christianity is the story that makes the most sense, is the most familiar and comforting, and helps me access philosophy and spirituality most easily and be the best I can be.

I'm sure there has been incredible art inspired by Islam and Hinduism, and I have no doubt that if JS Bach had found himself in a time and place where he had time and space to concentrate on his art, he would have produced something of comparable artistic value to the St Matthew Passion.

I am rambling but am a couple of glasses of champagne down, enjoying a quick break from bank holiday lunch with my family 😊

...time and space to concentrate on honing and practising his art in a predominantly Muslim or Hindu culture, I meant.

That said, I'm pretty opposed to the way the modern church treats LGBT people. I hope the church catches up with the science of psychology and with what we know about sexuality soon.

This is one of the obvious examples where 'the church' displays various contradictory values. Some are 'liberal' (URC, Methodists I think). Some are very anti gay rights but fine with the T. Some such as the anglicans have both extremes.

Yes, I'm a non Christian who doesn't celebrate Easter in any way, secular or religious, I'm a bit puzzled by all the posters claiming they're losing out on some sort of Pagan Festival.

You (general you) are perfectly entitled to oppose organised religions but there are better arguments than this , frankly faux, one.

I think that's true of all religions and belief systems. I'm sure you'd find a similar variety of belief on this point among Pagans and among atheists, too.

I think that's true of all religions and belief systems. I'm sure you'd find a similar variety of belief on this point among Pagans and among atheists, too.

'Pagans' encompasses many different beliefs that aren't related at all , and atheism is just not believing in any deity, it's not any sort of defined dogma or 'belief system' beyond that. So not really comparable to a religion with supposedly the same god and (give or take) the same scriptures.

There have been about a dozen people on this thread saying that they are personally upset or annoyed by the fact that Christianity replaced the Pagan festival celebrating the goddess Ostara/Eostre etc, so I'm sorry for assuming from that that they all shared some kind of unified belief system centred around her.

The fact that other Christians believe different things from me about the morality of LGBT relationships or sex doesn't detract from my Christian faith. We don't all even believe that the Bible has the last say on all matters of morality - for Catholics, tradition and conscience also come into it.

Its hilarious because everything you argue is everything wrong with religion.

So I shouldn't tell him what the church has done?
So he should just blindly walk into all the lovey Dovey nicely stuff and ignore what the church is still actively doing today?

Why shouldn't I tell him? Isn't that how individuals make an informed decision?

If you think hearing the bad things about what Christianoty has done will turn people away from it then that's the cost of its crimes!

And 10 not being old enough? Hysterical.

But younger is perfectly old enough to be threatened with eternal damnation if we don't worship and evil, masochistic maker in the right way.
It's old enough to hear that they have sinned by being born. It's old enough to hear how one father apparently was fine with his son being nailed to a cross.

Should we stop being so biased against other cults and powers?

You know the Nazis weren't all bad. We should give a much nicer view. Don't want to poison children against them..

Who knew there were so many Pagans out there?

People seem to be confusing paganism with atheism.

There is a definitive go to list for you to wade through if you want.
As has been mentioned Christianity is varied. The Church of England is different from Protestantism, which is different from Catholicism and so on and so on.

There are many arms but the list, as posted, previously is all encompassing and a good guide for someone if they have no idea what it’s all about.

If you wanted individual guides for each religion maybe you should define what you want. Someone may be able to help so you can reject that too and say they don’t know what they’re talking about either as that seems to be your basic modus operandi today.

berating posters when all they are trying to do is help answer your questions is unnecessary.

The poster has it quite right and I agree @Wingham why bother watching tv stuff from the West wing and the likes to get reliable intel on Christianity!🤪

Enjoy the rest of your Easter break.🙏

I don't think they're confusing it.

I'm an atheist - pretty hard line too. I've never believed in a god. I don't respect anyone's religion but I respect the right to hold religious beliefs as long as they aren't imposed on non - believers. I am, as I've said before, very grateful for the music in Western society which has been inspired by Christianity. And I'm not aware of other religions having the same effect.

I don't think the "Pagans" are genuinely upset because (a) nothing is preventing them celebrating Easter in whatever way they want (b) goodness only knows what the rituals might have been, given they have long since disappeared and (c ) it's a way to bash Christians.

I'm sure there are many pagans/others who feel the same way about the Christianisation of the old festivals. I've never been religious and grew up at a time when bible stories were read out in every school assembly. That annoyed me a lot. They were boring and irrelevant to me. This hasn't come from my home life, it's just how I've always been.

Saying that, I am strangely aligned with the Godly folk who hate the gore that Halloween is associated with now. I dislike that. I also hate the consumerism of all of it - Christmas, Halloween, Easter. We don't buy Easter eggs (my kid gets plenty from family but I've never bought one, ever - I never even know the date of it because it changes). We never had egg hunts when I was small. We did have egg decorating (I remember the smell of them all!) and I was once persuaded to wear an Easter bonnet... I'm of a genetic persuasion that just doesn't get all the fuss, I can't bring myself to care. My kid is the same, if it isn't real and tangible it means nothing to him. He wouldn't notice if there were no eggs! He gets plenty of treats and nice things. I don't get doing it at a set time because some outside influence declares it. I know this viewpoint has the potential to get me shot but it's genuinely where my feelings lie. I don't usually mention it because other people's activities don't perturb me at Easter, I think it's nice that they care enough to do it, if they do really want to, and hope they don't get stressed feeling like they ought to. I've often wished I could believe in witchcraft and magic but even as a child, unless there was full evidenced proof that it was real, I wasn't able to make myself believe it.

I do like the togetherness of things. Family gatherings and food and twinkling lights, the smell of chocolate on foil, the way old Christmas decorations smelled when I was little. Sensory stuff, love that. I can absolutely see the need for community celebrations. I just don't need to believe anything to engage with them.

Well said.

Because the West Wing exposed the hypocrisy of Christians who cherry pick the values - and also exposes those Christians who fail to live up to those values.

The Church of England is different from Protestantism,

Er no. The Church of England is a Protestant Church.The Church of England separated from the Catholic Church in 1534. This was part of the larger Protestant Reformation.

Tradition and conscience?
Based on Christian views of morality and conscience?

We get constantly told that Christians gave society our views on what is moral and helps form conscience and right and wrong

Why would The West Wing (very accurate depiction imo) make you feel so defensive? Why can't you acknowledge there are flaws in your religion? It's a a massive religion, there are bound to be flaws. The defensiveness just seems silly.

I am saving the "this country was built on Christian values" thread for a suitable time.

There may be links to TV shows

Aren't eggs meant to symbolise new life?
My mum always says this too op.