Home

Advertisement

Customize
Apr. 17th, 2006 @ 03:37 pm We haven't had that spirit here since 1969
I was talking to [info]yes_rhade about the Baha'i Holy Days coming up and how the kids were going to miss a day or two of school. This year, the CRCT are being held on the Holy Days, the CRTC being the standardized GA tests they give to see whether to fire the teacher. They are probably going to have a fit.

The other day, the 13 year old girl asked me what Easter was all about, and I told her that it was when Jesus rose from the dead. "So what does that have to do with eggs and bunnies?" I paused and looked at her. "Well, nothing." Yeah...I'm pretty sure there aren't any pine trees in Nazareth (although, what do I know?).

You know, if I really liked racecars, and I wanted to celebrate my undying love for racecars, would I, say, go to a pet store? Why would I do something totally unrelated?

I really have no problems with Christian holidays. I'm really more of an advocate of Christianity than people think. I have more problems with the commercial holidays that we are socially prompted to celebrate.

When I first moved here, the idea of not having to put up a tree or mail out cards sounded awesome. When clients asked me what I was doing for Xmas, I told them nothing and that I was quite happy about it. Many people were aghast. Not even a tiny tree? Um, no. What about the kids? Well, they aren't greedy nor jealous, so they don't think much about it one way or the other. We might do Xmas next year. The kids last year wanted a tree, just for fun, but I was busy having a baby.

I remember back home at the salon we had many different nationalities/religions working there. There was even a girl who was a devout atheist who celebrated Xmas. The Christians at work came down on her because she had "no business" celebrating Xmas. Thing is, all the standard Xmas traditions have nothing to do with Jesus, so why couldn't she buy gifts and get a tree? Why shouldn't she celebrate a capitalist holiday and spend six months of wages going into debt so her kids could become expectant and spoiled? What does that have to do with Jesus? Wouldn't a Christian think that those types of things are the ones to be avoided? I dunno. Maybe I'm just a purist.

Another thing that happened when I first moved here. Hold onto your hats.
I live in a neighborhood with large older homes that are filled with families. There are kids everywhere, so its a safe place for Halloween. We usually have a ball each year, going around the neighborhood doing Trick or Treat. A few years ago, Halloween fell on a Sunday, and so the City of Atlanta (perhaps even the state) decided to celebrate Halloween on Monday, November 1st, because it would be disrespectful to have it on Sunday. I mean it was on the news like it was normal.

Don't think we didn't go out on Sunday and parade around in costumes, knocking on doors. It was actually a pretty good turnout, considering.

But here's what I don't understand, possible origins aside, the normal, mainstream traditions of Halloween have nothing to do with Satan or anti-Christian sentiment. Its a costume party in the streets where kids go begging for candy. Gluttony would be its only sin.

But what boggles my mind more than anything else is that if you feel that Halloween is such an anti-Christian holiday that it is that important to not have it on a Sunday, then how does having it on Monday make it better? Oh, I'm reading Aleister Crowley, but its ok because I'm not doing it today. I'll do it tomorrow when God isn't looking. What? What kind of logic is that? If it goes against your religious beliefs, why is it ok on one day and not the other? Boy, you're lucky its Sunday, or else I would have popped a cap in your ass.
About this Entry
Jaye
Leave a comment
Permanent Link

Add to Memories
Tell a Friend
[User Picture Icon]
From:[info]yes_rhade
Date: April 18th, 2006 01:18 am (UTC)
(Permanent Link)
LOL Well, I completely agree with everything you wrote. I am not atheist but I am also not religious. We celebrate the standard holidays for the commercialism and days off, no real meaning or understanding to them for me. Now the hubby is religious and he tries to throw some religious education at the boys. Whatever...

of course the time when the oldest child said that Godzilla was bigger than God, I thought my Mother-in-law would die. Many holidays after that, the boy got children's bible and Jesus on the cross puzzles.
[User Picture Icon]
From:[info]kalin_nestar
Date: April 18th, 2006 05:34 pm (UTC)
(Permanent Link)
Getting a Bible for xmas is like giving a kid clothes. They might need it, but its never appreciated. It might even be seen with contempt. If she wants to give something like that, she should just give it unprompted.

The kids go to Baha'i school every sunday, and their father teaches them lessons and such from the faith. I think its really good for them. I can't complain.

Let your husband teach them religion if its not your thing. They say that people grow up happier if they feel they have a higher purpose.
[User Picture Icon]
From:[info]zombiefodder
Date: April 18th, 2006 07:22 pm (UTC)
(Permanent Link)
To be honest, most of their religious instruction from me comes as a crash course before visiting my mom. This is mostly to avoid such incidents as last year, when Little Bud called the chocolate cross (!) the Easter Bunny brought a "chocolate sword."

Yes, Mama ZF gives chocolate crosses instead of bunnies. Of course, that the following exchange:
ZF's 7 yr old nephew: I'm biting Jesus off the cross! Aaaaahhhh!

Big Bud: Well, I just bit off Jesus's head!

[I guess if you can't bite of bunny ears . . .]

Oh, and to clarify, the religious gifts come from Mama ZF and not me. I self-identify as a "recovering Catholic." We tried the Unitarian thing several years back, but the local congregation were a bit too yuppie and hippie-dippy at the same time. ("Today's service is 'The Dance of White Liberal Guilt'".) A coworker, who goes to a UU congregation in a neighboring town agrees about the assessment of the congregation we used to attend.
[User Picture Icon]
From:[info]kalin_nestar
Date: April 18th, 2006 08:32 pm (UTC)
(Permanent Link)
Wait, so the cross had Jesus on it? That's kinda...creepy, dontcha think? I mean what your kids did was normal. I would think any kid would do that. Did your mother find that offensive?

When we visited my sister's house, my youngest, 7, went around collecting crosses on my nephews' wall like he was playing Final Fantasy. "Mom! The key! help me get the key!" Must have key to save the world and rescue the Princess!!


LOL yuppie hippie-dippy. My ex's father was like that. I know exactly the type of people you mean. They eat a lot of pesto with pine nuts and balsamic on their romaine salads.
[User Picture Icon]
From:[info]zombiefodder
Date: April 19th, 2006 01:22 am (UTC)
(Permanent Link)
Wait, so the cross had Jesus on it? . . . Did your mother find that offensive?
No, they just had lillies on them. The kids just imagined Jesus for fun. Also, Mama ZF was more amused than offended. We were raised w/ a nice mix of the sacred and the profane. (One of her favorite movies is "Life of Brian".)

The key! help me get the key!"
LOL
[User Picture Icon]
From:[info]betra
Date: April 18th, 2006 04:13 pm (UTC)

rambly babble

 (Permanent Link)
Well the whole Halloween thing came out of a fear of demons. You would bribe the demons with something so they would leave you in peace.

As for bunnies and eggs? All about sex. Easter is about sex, apparently. Reproduction/life/rising from the dead.

Sure.

On Passover when we have an egg on the table it is to represent life. We eat them after a funeral or while sitting Shiva to remind us of life. So I just assume that Easter eggs are about life. *blink* Is that wrong?

Besides, what would Easter be like without having to sit around dyeing the silly things? I like dyeing eggs, they are pretty. Like Xmas trees. Not religious, but certainly nice to look at.

Advertisement

Customize