Fundies and Easter

[picklepizzas]

i asked this in another thread but realized this is probably the more appropriate place for this question: what's the rationale behind celebrating easter on good friday (as pecan and priss seem to)? i've never heard of this before. 

[paganbaby]

I made deviled eggs as part of our Easter celebration. Where does that put me on the ebil scale?

[choralcrusader8613]

11 hours ago, paganbaby said:

I made deviled eggs as part of our Easter celebration. Where does that put me on the ebil scale?

You heathern! They're supposed to be called angeled eggs! /sarcasm

[smittykins]

Don't the Maxwells call them "picnic eggs"?

[Palimpsest]

13 hours ago, picklepizzas said:

i asked this in another thread but realized this is probably the more appropriate place for this question: what's the rationale behind celebrating easter on good friday (as pecan and priss seem to)? i've never heard of this before. 

Fundies just want to be different and suck the pagan fun out of things.

It makes no sense to me that they don't celebrate the Resurrection.  Why celebrate Jesus' death and descent into Hell?  Isn't the core of Christianity that he rose from the dead?

[choralcrusader8613]

23 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

It makes no sense to me that they don't celebrate the Resurrection.  Why celebrate Jesus' death and descent into Hell?  Isn't the core of Christianity that he rose from the dead?

That's essentially true, yes, but this gets into two theologies that are opposite each other: theology of glory, meaning your primary focus is on the resurrection and the wonders God has done, with not as much focus on the more gritty parts of the Bible story, and theology of the cross, which purports to hold in the center of the faith that Jesus loved humanity enough to die for it. The resurrection is obviously important, because no mere human could do that without some outside force, regardless of one's beliefs, but the divide comes down more in where the focus lies for each believer/denomination.

This article kinda says the same thing in a more clear way: http://www.mbird.com/2009/06/theologian-of-glory-vs-theologian-of/

[Flyinthesoup]

On 3/27/2016 at 7:16 AM, anachronistic said:

There is a woman in my graduate program who doesn't celebrate Easter because it is not in the Bible.  I understand not doing the bunny/eggs thing, but I always thought it was most definitely a Christian holiday?  They apparently only celebrate the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and New Years, which are purely American holidays.  She did grow up in Vietnam if that makes a difference?  I don't think they do birthdays, either.  I don't understand it at all.

Do you think she might actually be from a Jehovah's Witnesses group?  While there are many KJO that do not participate in various holidays, I am wondering if she might be a JW?  

Growing up in a Catholic home, we were taught that 'Good Friday' was like going to a funeral.  You dressed up, in black coloured clothing and drove to church in your car with the lights on, like you are driving in a funeral procession.  I see glimpses of this around today, but I suspect most have moved away from this tradition.  

[Shouldabeenacowboy]

2 hours ago, Flyinthesoup said:

Do you think she might actually be from a Jehovah's Witnesses group?  While there are many KJO that do not participate in various holidays, I am wondering if she might be a JW?  

Growing up in a Catholic home, we were taught that 'Good Friday' was like going to a funeral.  You dressed up, in black coloured clothing and drove to church in your car with the lights on, like you are driving in a funeral procession.  I see glimpses of this around today, but I suspect most have moved away from this tradition.  

Ebil-Catholic over here too!  

In my family we did not do "give up stuff for Lent" or similar, just no meat on Good Friday, and short prayer at 3pm to remember the exact moment when J passed (at least that's how I remember we did it back when I was a young'un). Mass on Easter Sunday then big party with dad roasting lamb, chocolate eggs, pastry bunnies OH THE JOY OF BEING A CHEF'S DAUGHTER!!! Nom. 

Basically a food feast.

[busdrivingmom]

@Flyinthesoup I was raised that you did pretty much NOTHING on Good Friday.  No TV (except news at 10pm), video games, playing outside, shopping, birthday parties, so pretty much no fun.  No meat, little dairy, small meals, no junk food all day.  We stayed home all day (reading was allowed) and remembered the day.  No black clothing though.  I now do limit what I eat that day and try not to do too much on that day (along with my kids), but not as restrictive as when I grew up.  

[bjr70]

Well technically it's derived from a Hebrew word.  Passover is the English literal translation.

The Hebrew word for Passover is Pesach פסח

I don't often get to use my Hebrew keyboard!

[Furbabies]

I never heard the term Resurrection Sunday until this year.  Nor celebrating Good Friday either.  What have I been missing?

[FundieFarmer]

I never heard the term Resurrection Sunday until this year.  Nor celebrating Good Friday either.  What have I been missing?

It seems to depend what religious circles you're in. I grew up conservative Presbyterian, and that's what we've always done- Ash Wednesday, Lent, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, & Resurrection Sunday. It seems that the more orthodox churches of other denominations do the same. Granted, when you're from an especially academic and/or liturgical denomination, you observe all of the church holidays as a whole, so they're an even bigger deal.

But, other churches don't do that. It really depends on where you go and what you're into. There's really no right, wrong, or best way to do it...despite what the Fundies would have us all believe.

[sawasdee]

Grew up Catholic in the UK here. Good Friday service pre Vatican II was about three hours, in Latin and Greek - I was in the choir, and the anthem called (I think) Agios ischyros was a nightmare to sing - and the whole service was unaccompanied voice, no instruments. Everybody also lined up to kiss the feet of Christ, on a crucifix which was held upright at the altar, then replaced behind the altar and covered in a purple cloth.
Very dark and depressing service.

But the Easter midnight Mass then! It began in the church hall, with the blessing of the Paschal Candle, then we followed the priest and the candle into a darkened church. Spills were lit from the Paschal Candle and passed through the church, to light our individual candles, and mass was by candlelight. At the Offertory, a bell was rung by the priest, and  altarboys would rush round the church removing the covers from all the statues (covered for Lent), others would ring handbells, and the priest would strip the covering from the Crucifix to once again show Christ. We usually sang Terry's Mass in C, which is a very happy Mass.*  Magnificent theatre, with a real sense of celebrating the risen Christ - post Vatican II is very dry in comparison.....

* I once set my hat on fire trying to read the music by candlelight - the choirmaster beat it out with a hymnbook......

ETA The choir was half adult, half child - I was among the latter at the time!

[clueliss]

Growing up, I vaguely remember palm Sunday due to palm fronds but not a real big deal made out of it.  And Easter Sunday (which was called Easter Sunday).  We did not go to church on Good Friday or Maundy Thursday.  Heck I didn't know about Maundy Thursday until I joined a United Methodist Church in college.  

I personally prefer Good Friday (or Maundy Thursday) to Easter Service but that's just me and an adult thing.  Since I don't have kids Easter isn't the grand event for me (and sort of reminds me of the no child thing).  And somewhere along the line, my mother stopped giving us easter baskets - which I'm going to chalk up to my Stepfather coming into the picture when my sister and I were in high school.  

[CoveredInBees]

I'm pretty sure we used to call it Resurrection Sunday, I think the only thing we really used to observe (apart from Shrove Tuesday, Lent and Chocolate) was fish on Good Friday. In fact when Grandma was still with us it was fish every Friday.

Now I'm all grown up I refer to it as Zombie Jesus day (but not within earshot of my church going friends). I blame Tim Minchin for that

[tumblr]

Growing up Italian\Lutheran it all started on Fat Tuesday, big meal and lots of talk about lent, why we lent and what we would be lenting. Ash Wednesday was the actual start of Lent, get your Ashes done, maybe attend a full service maybe not. 

Good Friday was a day to celebrate the sacrifice Christ made, a huge dinner seafood dinner as a family was a big deal with a long prayer and lots of god talk. Easter Sunday we would go to a morning service and eat lamb but we mostly just did the secular stuff on Easter day.

Once again though we were far from fundie, When I was little and I asked why we had to do something like lent or go to church it was always because 'Grandma would want us too.'

[SnazzyNazzy]

I'm so "religious", that I have to Google when Easter is every year. MrSnazzy is a lapsed Catholic, and he has to Google it every year too. 

In 2004, on Good Friday, our neighbor across the street, drove through our living room. If we were home, it would have killed us, because her car, ended up in our kitchen. The front of our house was literally GONE, the hole went floor to ceiling and was about 14ft across. It busted the water main, so our house was flooded too. Miraculously, our cats were all "fuck this" and stayed hidden, until the fire department rescued them.

Good times.

[Eternalbluepearl]

2 hours ago, SnazzyNazzy said:

I'm so "religious", that I have to Google when Easter is every year. MrSnazzy is a lapsed Catholic, and he has to Google it every year too. 

In 2004, on Good Friday, our neighbor across the street, drove through our living room. If we were home, it would have killed us, because her car, ended up in our kitchen. The front of our house was literally GONE, the hole went floor to ceiling and was about 14ft across. It busted the water main, so our house was flooded too. Miraculously, our cats were all "fuck this" and stayed hidden, until the fire department rescued them.

Good times.

 Oh my god! So glad you weren't home! Can I ask...do you still live across the street from this person?

[sawasdee]

UK  - never had an 'Easter Basket'. Just got some very nice Easter eggs! And never searched for those - they were just on the table in the morning. The chocolate was a wee bit different from normal chocolate, but that was only the outside! Inside were all the sweeties -  but I loved the outside chocolate best of all.

When I was a tour manager, I bought mini eggs and distributed to all my passengers on Easter Sunday, so they had at least one egg! I think the Easter Basket sounds like fun - as long as you do not go OTT!

[SnazzyNazzy]

1 hour ago, Eternalbluepearl said:

 Oh my god! So glad you weren't home! Can I ask...do you still live across the street from this person?

No...thank god. We moved to IL a few months after happened. Last I saw, a registered sex offender lived in our old house. We have pictures of the house somewheres. The silver lining is that we got to buy an entire house worth of new furniture, because it was either run over, water damaged, or straight up stolen.

[salex]

12 hours ago, FundieFarmer said:

It seems to depend what religious circles you're in. I grew up conservative Presbyterian, and that's what we've always done- Ash Wednesday, Lent, Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, & Resurrection Sunday. It seems that the more orthodox churches of other denominations do the same. Granted, when you're from an especially academic and/or liturgical denomination, you observe all of the church holidays as a whole, so they're an even bigger deal.

But, other churches don't do that. It really depends on where you go and what you're into. There's really no right, wrong, or best way to do it...despite what the Fundies would have us all believe.

My small town Methodist church celebrated all those days, as well. 

[elliha]

I am always in conflict with my non-religious family and in-laws about Easter celebrations. I have no problem with Easter bunnies or chickens and if I celebrate with them I am OK with not going to church if it cannot be arranged for me but it is hard when they want to have loud and joyful celebrations already on Good Friday. Fine for Saturday but feels wrong for me to start on the most solemn day of the Christian year. We sometimes celebrate Easter on our own then I tend to go both Friday and Sunday to church and sometimes Saturday and Monday too so hopefully we can have both types different years. I love spending Easter with my family up in the North of Sweden being outdoors and taking rides on snowmobiles but ideally I would like it to be a visit to church too but perhaps next time I will be able to do both. One can dream at least.

[ScreamingIzzy]

On 3/29/2016 at 7:33 AM, tumblr said:

Growing up Italian\Lutheran it all started on Fat Tuesday, big meal and lots of talk about lent, why we lent and what we would be lenting. Ash Wednesday was the actual start of Lent, get your Ashes done, maybe attend a full service 

You don't run into too many Italian Lutherans! 

[docmom]

On ‎3‎/‎28‎/‎2016 at 2:10 PM, Palimpsest said:

Fundies just want to be different and suck the pagan fun out of things.

Our (ebil-lite Episcopalian) priest talked about this on St Patrick's day.  Apparently Patrick was a big proponent of using existing holy places and traditions to introduce Christianity.  When challenged he said (paraphrasing 'cos I wasn't there), "Suggesting that God isn't already in these holy places suggests God is limited in his ability to reach all parts of the world.  God isn't limited, we are."

I like it although I still wonder why if god is already there we need to barge in and change the form he's recognized as...

[sawasdee]

32 minutes ago, docmom said:

Our (ebil-lite Episcopalian) priest talked about this on St Patrick's day.  Apparently Patrick was a big proponent of using existing holy places and traditions to introduce Christianity.  When challenged he said (paraphrasing 'cos I wasn't there), "Suggesting that God isn't already in these holy places suggests God is limited in his ability to reach all parts of the world.  God isn't limited, we are."

I like it although I still wonder why if god is already there we need to barge in and change the form he's recognized as...

Yes!!!!!

As to Patrick* using existing places - he also used existing forms. Many believe that the Celtic Cross is a marriage of the Xtian cross with the existing sacred symbol of the circle. He also gave women positions of great and equal responsibility in the early Irish church - see life of St Brigid. It was really only after the Normans arrived, c 1200, that the role of women was significantly reduced, despite the Synod of Whitby in the 7th century giving the Roman rather than the Celtic form of Xtianity precedence.

And remember that the sheela na gig** were incorporated into church architecture.....

*With the caveat that some historians dispute his historic existence......

**Very graphic pre Xtian female fertility figures carved in stone.