Page 16 | To judge parents who do not even tell their children Easter is a religious festival

Tuliptana · 2026-04-02T14:59:57+00:00

I'm shocked that 12 out of 20 children in my childs class had no religious knowledge of the meaning of Good Friday or Easter Sunday for Christians. All aged 9yrs old.

EricTheHalfASleeve · 02/04/2026 19:22

ItTook9Years · 02/04/2026 16:12

We went back further and told her it’s because the Xtians stole it from the Pagan Eostre, who celebrated the spring coming and the solstice.

See also Yule.

Show quote history

Spot on! Most seasonal festivals have a pagan origin and were co-opted by other world religions over time. I think of it as a spring festival & will enjoy cut-price chocolate eggs next week.

Parker231 · 02/04/2026 19:22

Breathejustbreathe01 · 02/04/2026 19:12

Just asked my 9 year-old (and 6 year-old) why we celebrate Easter and both said because Jesus died and came back to life. We're an atheist family (though don't particularly talk about it in front of the kids). School isn't a religious school but they have learnt about easter in school. Surprised so many didn't know!

By the ages of 6 and 9, DT’s knew that you couldn’t die and come back to life again.

Daffodildahlia · 02/04/2026 19:24

Simonjt · 02/04/2026 19:13

I think we are both confused!

I asked how many non-christian schools were in the OPs catchment, rather than answer you told me to home school, which wasn’t very helpful!

Show quote history

I finally found your question and answered it at 18.30 today,

HTH.

ObsessiveGoogler · 02/04/2026 19:24

Tigerbalmshark · 02/04/2026 16:05

Mine knows the whole story. How the Easter Bunny crucified Jesus who then rose from the dead and handed out Easter eggs, whilst lambs gambolled in the fields of Jerusalem, while being fanned by palm leaves held by little donkeys. Have I missed anything?

My dd went to a church school and drew a lovely Easter card of Jesus’ empty tomb with the Easter bunny sitting on it.

Gofaster2023 · 02/04/2026 19:24

Tigerbalmshark · 02/04/2026 16:05

Mine knows the whole story. How the Easter Bunny crucified Jesus who then rose from the dead and handed out Easter eggs, whilst lambs gambolled in the fields of Jerusalem, while being fanned by palm leaves held by little donkeys. Have I missed anything?

You forgot the plague of chicks

Pigriver · 02/04/2026 19:24

TheEponymousGrub · 02/04/2026 18:28

Ah but it isn't called Maundy Thursday in Ireland. We call it Holy Thursday, even us atheists 😉

Show quote history

Ah that makes more sense now! He was born and raised in England but both parents hadn't long moved here. Big Irish contingent here though.

SabbatWheel · 02/04/2026 19:25

The problem with many established religions is that they are all so very complicated - holy books, daily or weekly rituals, ‘faith’, proselytising, the concept of one god/many gods, priests, saints etc.

That’s why I love the simplicity of being pagan - every 6-8 weeks there is a sabbat to mark, light a candle, set your intention for the next few weeks (a simple, mindful focus), acknowledge and enjoy the change in the season and that’s it.

FrodisCapering · 02/04/2026 19:25

I'm am RE teacher. Degree is in Theology.
There's no way I want my children to dwell on this story. Easter is about chocolate eggs, traditional Spanish food, the Bunny and fun!

OchonAgusOchonOh · 02/04/2026 19:26

threescoops · 02/04/2026 18:30

the notion that Christians ripped Easter off from pagans is debunked here https://historyforatheists.com/2017/04/easter-ishtar-eostre-and-eggs/

They didn’t rip off specific pagan festivals. They did, however, insert festivals in the Christian calendar at around the same time of year as the pagan festivals so the converts wouldn’t miss out on the celebrations. Good marketing basically.

Dontlletmedownbruce · 02/04/2026 19:26

@Upsetbetty it's true it's much more cultural than religious. Which makes it even more wrong to mock someone because they identify by it. You can be proud of your culture without agreeing with every aspect of it. Some people are nit picking at theological elements of a religion as a way to support their racism.

Daffodildahlia · 02/04/2026 19:28

ChillingWithMySnowmies · 02/04/2026 19:14

What does any of that have to do with the price of fish?

Show quote history

Someone said that if religions had ridiculous beliefs they could be open to ridicule.

So I asked for their comments about some beliefs of Islam.

So far no reply.

So obviously they don't think those beliefs are ridiculous.🙂

GoldenGail · 02/04/2026 19:28

Tuliptana · 02/04/2026 16:04

If a child at 9yrs old does not know the meaning of Good Friday or why we celebrate on Easter Sumday, as Christians, it's a very sad state of affairs.

Show quote history

In the last census apparently more than half the country identified as non religious so its no longer a Xtian country. I don’t want my children being taught religion at school

BloominNora · 02/04/2026 19:28

Daffodildahlia · 02/04/2026 19:12

In that case are you going to have a pop at Islam?

In Islamic tradition, there is a creature said to have transported the prophet Muhammad to heaven. Described as “a white animal, half mule, half donkey, with wings on its sides" It was called "Buraq" and was originally introduced into the story of Muhammad’s night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and back, explaining how the journey between the cities could have been completed in a single night.

Muhammad’s third (or fifth, depending on the source) and favourite wife, Aisha, was the daughter of his friend. She was six when she married Muhammad and was nine when the marriage was consummated.

Any comments on that ?

Show quote history

Some sources put Mary at 12 when she gave birth to Jesus and was therefore already married to Joseph which means she must have been betrothed to him since the age of 11.

RawBloomers · 02/04/2026 19:29

Daffodildahlia · 02/04/2026 18:36

@RawBloomers That Christianity came up with wild ideas

What "wild ideas" ?

Err…
Trinitarian monotheism!

(Though don’t mean to suggest it’s singular in that regard. There is plenty in the history of religious belief to attach that label to.)

GoldMoon · 02/04/2026 19:29

I think as a multicultural society we are now in all religious festivals should be taught in schools and it's a bit of a shocker that they are not .

OchonAgusOchonOh · 02/04/2026 19:29

Daffodildahlia · 02/04/2026 18:04

I suppose if you look at the tendency for Catholics to try and blow up Protestants, you could have a point 🙄

Show quote history

And the protestants never harmed a hair on the head of a single catholic...

SnipSnipMrBurgess · 02/04/2026 19:29

Tuliptana · 02/04/2026 16:11

Well i'm Irish so i'd say 100% of the population.

Show quote history

Im irish and we only know it from indoctrination at birth onwards.

Thank fuck that's changing.

God isn't real.

Easter is for chocolate.

Im going to have a rasher sandwich for my breakfast in the morning.

maysayyea · 02/04/2026 19:30

Dontlletmedownbruce · 02/04/2026 19:26

@Upsetbetty it's true it's much more cultural than religious. Which makes it even more wrong to mock someone because they identify by it. You can be proud of your culture without agreeing with every aspect of it. Some people are nit picking at theological elements of a religion as a way to support their racism.

Racism really?

Please explain how being an atheist makes you racist

EwwPeople · 02/04/2026 19:30

GoldMoon · 02/04/2026 19:29

I think as a multicultural society we are now in all religious festivals should be taught in schools and it's a bit of a shocker that they are not .

They are. They really, really are. Some people just like to pretend they’re not. Have hot cross buns and easter eggs been banned yet?

beeble347 · 02/04/2026 19:31

TeenToTwenties · 02/04/2026 16:10

I think children should know because it is part of general knowledge.
Britain has historically been a Christian country and a lot of our traditions and culture have Christian influences.
So they should be taught about the basics of it.

Just as these days they should also be aware of Ramadan etc as we are now a multi religious country.

Definitely agree, surely it's important context for general knowledge/cultural references.

I am Catholic and wholly support children of all faiths and no faith taking part in Easter traditions like egg hunts and so on, but I don't think parents should hide the fact it's a religious festival from children, whatever their beliefs.

I wouldn't expect 9 year olds at a non faith school to be familiar with the whole Easter story but I would be surprised at them having no clue it's an important part of the Christian calendar at least. At my school we show videos for all major festivals - Easter, Eid, Vaisakhi etc - in tutor time.

CurlyGaelicGal · 02/04/2026 19:31

Judge away. It's totally irrelevant to me what you think, and the reasons you celebrate a Spring festival.

PersephonePomegranate · 02/04/2026 19:31

But in other news, isn't it great that Persephone is back from the underworld?

It's only a matter of time until mainstream relgion is relegated to myth.

EwwPeople · 02/04/2026 19:32

GoldenGail · 02/04/2026 19:28

In the last census apparently more than half the country identified as non religious so its no longer a Xtian country. I don’t want my children being taught religion at school

Show quote history

Why? That’s just daft when there are so many that politically and culturally influence the world, including the working world, plus festivals, celebrations etc. It’s like saying you don’t want your kids to learn about any other countries in History or Geography.

1000StrawberryLollies · 02/04/2026 19:34

Tuliptana · 02/04/2026 16:45

I know i should not say this but i wonder how many of these posters who blatantly mock christianity and Catholics, were first to try to get an Irish passport after Brexit.
Christian values are very much upheld in Ireland. So you don't want to respect snd uphold our beliefs, you just want to grab the passport!

What a weird comment. Yeah - once you discount any who were pro-Brexit or have no possible claim for an Irish passport, I'm sure tons of the few posters who expressed anti-Christian views on this thread definitely applied for one . Also, I assume there are plenty of non-Christians living in Ireland.

ItTook9Years · 02/04/2026 19:34

PistachioTiramisu · 02/04/2026 18:42

I'm not really religious, but I still think it's sad that most children don't seem to know about the Easter story, instead all they think about is chocolate and Easter 'bunnies' (what happened to the word 'rabbit'?). We are still (just) described as a Christian country and I think kids should know the story. Don't they read the Bible in school any more?

😂😂😂😂😂