Just What's A Canker Sore
9 years ago
Friday, April 06, 2007
I was reading something on a Christiany blog the other day, but it all sounded a little airy fairy spiritual to me. I like things that give people a handle on what to do, not just a bunch of nice ideas that don't leave people with direction, and tangible things to do in life. We need to be empowered to live as God wants us to in the real world where we interact with the messiness of life. Not to live a nice Christian life where we are untouched by the world and it's 'dirt'. What good is our faith if we can't live in the real world?
Also, on another 'faith' note. I was at the John Butler free gig last night (which was freaking awesome by the way!!!!!) and afterwards Myf, Jay & the Doctor were saying their wrap up things, and the Doctor wished us all a happy "non denominational, non religious specific, April long weekend". What the?! It's about Jesus! It's one thing for you not to agree with Christianty and the whole thing about Easter and Jesus. That's everyone's choice. But why cover up the fact that that's what Easter is about? Why do we need to hide the fact that it's about Jesus, whether you are a Christian or not? That's why we celebrate Easter. If we did that with Ramadan there would be an uproar! It would be so offensive and so politically incorrect. So why can we do it with Easter?
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But even if you want to claim that, the issue is that Easter is because of Jesus, that's the reason it exisits. So why do we hide that? Like I said, you don't have to agree with it, but why do we feel the need to negate it?
It also belongs to a pagan festival for the goddess eostre...hence the eggs and bunny (originally a hare) all symbols of fertility, like spring.
So why do we try to hide the meaning of Easter? Probably for a couple of reasons:
1. It's not 'cool' to be Christian or do Christan things.
2. We don't want to offend anyone. What a joke. I'm not a Muslim, but Ramadan doesn't 'offend' me. And I've heard Muslims say that Christian events (Easter, Christmas, etc) don't 'offend' them. Have we all become so sensitive that the mere mention of Jesus is offensive? I wonder if any of the people scared of offending non-believers have ever actually bothered to find out if they are offended, or is it just an assumption? I suspect the latter.
3. Christians are easy targets. People know that (for the most part) Christians will just sit and cop anything thrown their way. Try publicly ridiculing or taking the religious element out of a Muslim or Jewish festival and see what happens.
If you don't believe in Christianity, that's your decision. If you don't want to partake in Christian events/festivals, then don't - but don't try to hide their true meaning from others.
Whoever you are anon, I'm not saying that most people care about religious backgrounds of public holidays. I get that a lot of people couldn't care less and it's about time off and food for them. That's fine. You say that's what you do. However, there is still a reason that we celebrate Easter inthe first place. I wonder why it is we have become so anti-Christian that you can't even mention Jesus anymore without being weird.
I don't celebrate the queen's birthday, but I don't shy away from the fact that that's what it is. We don't call it a non-specific royalty birth celebration june weekend. So why do we do that with easter/christmas?
Easter is about Jesus
I was at the John Butler Trio gig on Friday, and afterwards the Doctor wished us a happy "non-denominational, non-religious-specific April long weekend". What the . . ? It's one thing for someone not to agree with Christianity and the whole thing about Easter and Jesus. That's everyone's choice. But why do we need to hide that Easter is about Jesus, whether you are a Christian or not?
Megan Orrin, Rosanna
I think part of the problem is that having such a publicised Christian event reminds the mostly non-Christian Australian population of the dominant place Christianity has held in the West.
The existence of Ramadan is generally not a problem for us in Aus because Islam has always been, and continues to be, a minority religion.
We do not have public holidays because of Ramadan, so nobody who is not Muslim feels that it imposes on their lives.
While people are obviously more than happy to take the holiday, giving it a Christian meaning when they are not Christian may understandably seem a little fake.
It seems to me this is all part of Christianity's "cross to bear" as a result of Christendom.
So, why cover up what it's all about? Maybe because people don't care, don't believe and aren't interested??
She spelled your name wrong :P
Megan Orris complains about being wished a "non-denominational, non-religious-specific April long weekend" (Letters, 9/4). How nice for her to be part of the cultural majority. Having put up with a "happy Easter" from every well-meaning shop assistant for the past week (um... thanks... I guess), it's nice to be included in someone's well wishes for the long weekend, no matter how sarcastically it was intended.
Rebecca Stephenson, Surrey Hills
The Age, Tuesday April 10
I personally think the problem is more with the meaningless of platitudes like "Happy Easter", "Merry Christmas", even "Have a good Weekend", I sometimes think is a waste of breath. They are phrases we have become conditioned to trot out from time to time when the occasion seems appropriate, and not when we necessarily genuinely have any real wish for the individuals we are saying this to.