04-05-2009, 10:31 AM
you're right, oink, people can have their say and people will respond, and that's OK.
My own comment that got some attention here, was about how Christians believe that this time of year is their sacred time. I see this as being overly centric about one's own religion. Christianity appropriated two periods of the annual cycle that were important to pre-Christian celebrations.
Easter/spring is the time when the earth begins to renew itself and is born again, in terms of agriculture. Passover was already a major Jewish holiday, prior to the Crucifixion. It is a very symbolic time of year for all people. My objection was to the attitude that Easter time is the special province of Christians ... I am not a Christian, but I celebrate Easter.
I also celebrate the winter solstice, which symbolizes the ascendancy of light over dark in the annual cycle. This too was celebrated by other cultures before Christianity came along and turned it into the time of the birth of Christ.
My comment was simply that Easter belongs to everyone. I would hope it's good for people who are locked into their beliefs to be told bluntly that other people do not necessarily buy into the same rules as to what is tasteful or appropriate, at what times. To me it is a way of forcing beliefs on other people.
The Crucifixion was not being mocked here, in any case, as has been well-explained.
My own comment that got some attention here, was about how Christians believe that this time of year is their sacred time. I see this as being overly centric about one's own religion. Christianity appropriated two periods of the annual cycle that were important to pre-Christian celebrations.
Easter/spring is the time when the earth begins to renew itself and is born again, in terms of agriculture. Passover was already a major Jewish holiday, prior to the Crucifixion. It is a very symbolic time of year for all people. My objection was to the attitude that Easter time is the special province of Christians ... I am not a Christian, but I celebrate Easter.
I also celebrate the winter solstice, which symbolizes the ascendancy of light over dark in the annual cycle. This too was celebrated by other cultures before Christianity came along and turned it into the time of the birth of Christ.
My comment was simply that Easter belongs to everyone. I would hope it's good for people who are locked into their beliefs to be told bluntly that other people do not necessarily buy into the same rules as to what is tasteful or appropriate, at what times. To me it is a way of forcing beliefs on other people.
The Crucifixion was not being mocked here, in any case, as has been well-explained.