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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be cross with my elderly fil about the meaning of easter

585 replies

nickschick · 04/04/2010 21:18

Bit tongue in cheek really.

FIL was today bemoaning the fact that he couldnt go to tesco for his cigar supply as they were shut for Easter.

Its only Easter he said they could have had usual Sunday hours ,its not like Christmas or anything.....

ONLY EASTER?????? i SHOUTED - JESUS DIED ON A CROSS FOR US!!!! EASTER IS MORE SPECIAL THAN CHRISTMAS - YES EASTER IS IMPORTANT.

and that sais dh is why you should never discuss religion with a catholic especially not one who sat in a cold church for an hour and a half last night at the easter vigil.

OP posts:
LetThereBeRock · 05/04/2010 00:15

And should we also go back to using outdoor loos and oil lamps or candles?

gaelicsheep · 05/04/2010 00:19

If we did it might make people appreciate their current comfortable and convenient lives a bit more.

LetThereBeRock · 05/04/2010 00:27

It means no more Mumsnet!

Clary · 05/04/2010 00:27

I think maybe part of the OP's point (sorry if I am wrong here nickschick) is that her FiL probably had no problem with shops being shut on Christmas Day.

But in fact to a Christian Easter Day is much more significant than the baby in a stable.

You might or might not believe that Jesus died to save you, but last I looked this was a Christian country (CofE anyone?) so shops are shut on a signifcant day (the most significant day) for that faith.

(Not that I can talk as we had DS2's birthday party today, prob highly secular all round )

Original poster
nickschick · 05/04/2010 00:34

Bjesus ....

OP posts:
Original poster
nickschick · 05/04/2010 00:35

over 100 replies on my AIBU [eshocked]

OP posts:
Original poster
nickschick · 05/04/2010 00:35

...

OP posts:
nighbynight · 05/04/2010 00:41

Letthereberock - closing shops is not going back, it is going forward.
I wouldnt want to go back to grotty Sunday shopping - its like a credit card, you say you'll never use it, but only the steel-willed amongst us manage to stick to that.

LetThereBeRock · 05/04/2010 00:48

I don't see what's so 'grotty' about shopping on a Sunday and why we shouldn't be allowed to shop on a Sunday simply because it's an important day for some of the population while being just another day for many others.

I've no wish to have others beliefs imposed upon me and sometimes I like to go shopping on a Sunday,horrifying as that may seem to you.

Also some people may only be able to shop at weekends as they have little time to do it during the week.

I fail to see why people panicbuy because a shop is shut for a day or two but even so if you don't want to shop on a Sunday then don't do so and allow others who wish to do so to go about their business as they please.

onagar · 05/04/2010 00:53

Some faiths count saturday as special. Is it therefore grotty to shop on saturday?

MadameDefarge · 05/04/2010 00:55

I haven't read the whole thread. But wanted to applaud Tiggyd for making me PMSL. I needed that!

gaelicsheep · 05/04/2010 00:57

Food shopping on a weekend full stop is pretty grotty IMO. The supermarket on a weekend is hell on earth and I pity anyone who ends up having to shop then. We used to, but as I say we now do it on a weekday evening. For single parents working long hours I can see that would be more difficult, but that doesn't account for everyone in there on a weekend by any means.

gaelicsheep · 05/04/2010 00:59

It won't be long before people no longer get extra pay for working Sundays, just because the majority of the population sees it as just another day. In fact, do supermarket workers get paid extra for working Sundays as it is?

LetThereBeRock · 05/04/2010 00:59

Perhaps people choose to shop then because they want to.Imagine that.
You said each to their own earlier but you don't seem to really believe that.

gaelicsheep · 05/04/2010 01:01

I just think they're mad, that's all. But then I hate shopping full stop - food, clothes, anything really.

LetThereBeRock · 05/04/2010 01:05

But you seem to think they need a good reason to shop then. I think because they want to is reason enough.

Sunday means no more to me than any other day and that's true for many people so why shouldn't be allowed to shop then?

SolidGoldBrass · 05/04/2010 02:30

Oh FFS some of the rubbish on this thread is an excellent example of why taking the piss out of superstitions is both justifiable and necessary. People have the right to believe in whatever old toss they like. THey don't have the right to expect everyone else to be inconvenienced by a myth system that is of no interest or relevance to them.
And there are many, many lines of work in which 7-day-a-week coverage of the job is necessary: as well as the emergency services there is social care work (can't expect all the OAPs in residential homes to look after themselves one day a week), plumbers, locksmiths, transport workers and anyone whose job involves looking after animals... People are at liberty to choose, to an extent, their working hours to fit round their commitments be this superstitious rituals, family commitments or a hobby (you trade shifts with co-workers or book holiday when necessary) so there is no need for whiners to get their undies in a bundle over what other people are doing which does not affect them.

confuddledDOTcom · 05/04/2010 02:50

I think we'd be the only country in the world to work 7 days a week 52 weeks of the year if people here have anything to do with things!

CwtchyMama · 05/04/2010 08:15

I have to work Sundays as it fits in with my childcare issues,i get paid minimum wage.I started working here in Oct last yr & my contracts states i have to work over a 7 day rota for flat rate.

So it has already started where Sunday workers will not get paid any extra.

I also have to work bank holidays & the only Sunday i am guaranteed to be off aside from my summer holiday is Easter Sunday & Christmas day if it falls on a Sunday.

I have no problem with people shopping on a Sunday,thats your perogative,but i do take issue with people saying shops should be open 365 days a yr.

Like i ssid earlier,i imagine that most of you have bank holidays off to spend with your family?

I dont,& i bet i am not the only one,yesterday was the first Sunday we have all had off as a family in months.

Oh & as for saying shop workers will sort it out amongst themselves who will work & who wont,dream on!

We get told when we are working,end of.

Is it really so bad that large shops are shut 2 days a yr?

tyler80 · 05/04/2010 08:16

Gaelicsheep: I used to get extra pay working in Tescos on a Sunday a couple of years ago, don't remember how much extra.

It's always puzzled me that Scotland, a country on the surface that to me seems more religious in England, has 24 hour opening 7 days a week.

I'd prefer to keep the shops shut at Easter and do away with Sunday trading laws.

faddle · 05/04/2010 08:17

can I just point out to all of you making unpleasant and insensitive comments about Christians and their beliefs,

If you want to carry on as normal while we celebrate Easter, then you can bugger off back to work today, because without us stupid credulous christians, you wouldnt be having a bloody bank holiday full stop.

Fact - a man called Jesus died on the cross.
Fact - according to the writings about him, he suffered this so that our sins may be forgiven. This is generally accepted as historical fact, whether you believe the writings about him or not is entirely your own choice.

Jesus shows me a way to live my life that is considerate and loving to all, and accepting of others' differences. I dont mind if you dont believe, and I certainly wont call you names because of that, so why do you think its OK to do it to me and other christians?

Todays society is becoming ever more self oriented, and I see this as a bad thing - just for once everyone stop thinking of yourselves, and your own wants and needs.
Some atheists on MN are complaining about the religious "twaddle" being forced on children in our schools. Children brought up as christians learn tolerance, love, patience, compassion and care for others.
AND THIS SOMEHOW SEEN AS A BAD THING?

peppapighastakenovermylife · 05/04/2010 08:29

I'm very confused as to why it bothers people who do not want to do their shopping on the weekend that other people choose to do it then?

Gaelicsheep - you say you go on a weekday evening. Great for you and having the time and energy to do that. Can I ask whether you work full time, get young children into bed, cook dinner, sort out stuff for the next day and then go out shopping because I have a lot of admiration for you if you do.

However if no one shopped on the weekends then the shops would be much busier on the weekday evenings so be careful for what you wish for there I think!

Years ago the woman often stayed home and did the shopping in the week. Now both parents work in many cases then shopping has to be done on the weekend - can you imagine the carnage if it was closed every sunday?

Personally I avoid this and do my shopping online

As another point - how many of you who are proclaiming sunday is a day for family (and certainly Easter sunday at that) and not for consumerism or doing anything else than being with your family were on mumsnet yesterday? Surely that is a contradiction?

BelleDameSansMerci · 05/04/2010 08:34

confuddled, I don't think we would be... Many (maybe even most?) do not get any time off at all.

GoldenSnitch · 05/04/2010 08:46

"People have the right to believe in whatever old toss they like. They don't have the right to expect everyone else to be inconvenienced by a myth system that is of no interest or relevance to them."

hear hear SGB.

I worked for an IT helpdesk for a bank before I had DC's and we had to be open 24/7/364. It was simple - the christians/atheists etc covered Eid, the Muslims/atheists etc covered Christmas/Easter. Don't see why this can't work the same for shops.

Easter has no significance for me. I had a free day and wanted to go shopping - I have a newborn DD as well as a toddler and prefer DH to come with me. Why should someone else's beliefs stop me doing that?

shockers · 05/04/2010 08:57

Who said Jesus isn't alive?

He is risen... that's the Easter point!

In Muslim countries, they will have religious holidays that nobody would bat an eyelid at because it's a tradtion and people respect each other's beliefs( one would hope). Like it or not, we are traditionally a Christian country and 2 days of non shopping a year aint gonna kill anyone is it?