Easter has always confused me -

[kyburg]

We're to celebrate the occasion of the death of the greatest teacher known by the people he was sent to enlighten. In one of the most brutal fashions known to man.

Right. "Good" Friday, and "Happy" Easter. WTF?

To me, it makes no sense at all and never did. It's a solemn occasion, to be remembered and reflected on with some quiet meditation -

So. Today was a feast at Sis' house - it's a holiday, and that's what one does. You have to go along with it, I guess.

*weighs bag* Five pounds of assorted chocolate and candy to go to work with me tomorrow. Leftovers, man. Leftovers. I told you have a Nestle connections, right? ceolyn, the Baci are a go if you want them. No problem at all. They're even wrapped in your colors if I recall right - silver and dark blue.

Dinner was two joints of lamb - and I have the bones to turn into lamb stew this week.

And we took all the Japan swag with us to show family - Sis said it was like Christmas in April. I think we did well indeed.

Mom took home Jim's GameBoy. *chuckles*

Neither Jim or I have had more than four hours consecutive sleep in the last four days. He's crashed in the easy chair - me, I'm running on fumes.

People I love to read aren't posting right now and I'm bummed.

And I have traversed the 91 to Diamond Bar and back again - and I live another day!

Comments

[makeitepic.livejournal.com]

same reason why we celebrate said teacher's birthday by giving presents to other people...i never understood that either.

[lordindra.livejournal.com]

It is a happy occasion, because for someone to submit to such pain out of love for their fellow man, is an act of pure kindness that should be celebrated.

[lostboydv.livejournal.com]

You remind me of Eddie Izzard's monologue on the subject.

So the Pagan religion had very big festivals, remember, on Easter and Christmas. Christian religion came along and had very big festivals, at Easter and Christmas. Jesus died on one and was born on the other. Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm? Cause Jesus, I do think did exist. You know, and, he was a, I think, uh, a guy who had interesting ideas in the Gandhi-type area, in the, umm, Nelson Mandela-type area. You know, relaxed and groovy. And, uh, the Romans thought, "Relaxed and groovy, nooo no no no no." Umm, so they murdered him.

And kids eat chocolate eggs, because of the color of the chocolate, and the color of the…wood on the cross.

Well, you tell me! It’s got nothing to do with it, has it!

You know, people going, uhh, "Remember kids," the kids who’re eating the chocolate eggs, uhh, "Jesus died for your sins."

"Yeah, I know, it’s great!"

"No, no no, it’s bad, it’s bad!"

"No, it’s bad! It’s very bad. It’s terrible! Whatever you want, I mean – just keep giving me these eggs."

And the bunny rabbits! Where do they come into the crucifixion? There were no bunny rabbits up on the hill going, "Hey – you – what, are you going to put those crosses in our - bur – warrens? We live below this hill, all right?"

Bunny rabbits are for shagging, eggs are for fertility. It’s a festival – it’s the spring festival!

[lostboydv.livejournal.com]

The Church of England placed the dates on which we honor the birth and death of Jesus on the same dates as the Celtic pagans' winter solstice and spring festivals, to make them more willing to become one with the church. The merging of the two brought along a lot of the festivities of the pagans into what was otherwise a solemn time of prayer and thought. I think Jesus would like it very much, all this happiness and festivity happening on days that honor him.

[shirasade]

Well, 'Good Friday' (which in German is called 'Karfreitag', a word that comes from 'caring' and 'grieving') is definitely a day of contemplation and sadness - but on Easter the great man they killed came to life again. And if you believe that, then Easter is indeed a happy day.

Just my opinion, of course, but to me, it does make sense to celebrate God's greatest gift to mankind. *shrugs*

[zeni.livejournal.com]

Im not going to comment on the "Good Friday" "Happy Easter" thing as im not a believer, but 5 pound of leftover chocolate! I cant imagine how much you started out with.

[lordindra.livejournal.com]

I always took the presents at christmas to be reminiscent of the presents the magi gave to Jesus.

[ersatzinsomnia.livejournal.com]

Good Friday and Maundy Thursday services _are_ traditionally conducted in a highly solemn manner. The services are finished in semi-darkness, and the congregation leave the church in silence to better contemplate the death of Jesus and simulate the despair of his followers.

Easter, of course, is joyous for obvious reasons.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

"Caring" Friday? Now that makes more sense.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

And the two boxes of Peeps I got Jim and I remain untouched on the kitchen table. Sis' house was frightening. There wasn't a room in the house (and it's a very big house) that didn't have at least three candy dishes filled to the brim.

And my haul was after everyone else had gone home. I was the last sibling to leave.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

That one is easier to get my head around; we give gifts to remember the gifts given to us, to recall the gifts given by the wisest men to the Christ child, to remind us we are all in service to each other.

That holiday, I can understand being rowdy.

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

You don't live down the street from the corporate Christianity trio of Jehovah's Witnesses, Calvary Chapel and Orange County.

Christmas Day, total blackout. Easter holidays, you can't find a parking space - WHOOPIE.

Like Christ never taught a day in his life before he died.

I wish I could get a little of that reverence over here!

[st-crispins.livejournal.com]

We're to celebrate the occasion of the death of the greatest teacher known by the people he was sent to enlighten. In one of the most brutal fashions known to man.

Right. "Good" Friday, and "Happy" Easter. WTF?

Forgive me for dropping by and commenting but you asked:

Good Friday is sad and solemn because a great sacrifice was made, but Easter is happy because that greatest teacher also triumphed over death and rose from the dead.

I'm not saying anyone has to actually believe it, but that's what Easter is about: renewal, regeneration and the triumph of life over death. And that's why there's celebration.

[ersatzinsomnia.livejournal.com]

The ironic thing is that my church's Easter sermon started on exactly this point....the pastor remarking on the double-take he did when someone wished him a "Happy Good Friday."

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

Sounds like someone I could dig - where did you go?

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

I wish "Good" Friday was handled sad and solemn over here. Most of the people who observed it, took it off work and turned the weekend into one big party.

Happy happy! (WTF.)

I guess getting drunk and stuffed doesn't equal a celebration to me - I must internalize too much. *laughs*

[forestcats.livejournal.com]

Jesus and the diciples were celebrating Passover and that is why Easter always changes.

[ersatzinsomnia.livejournal.com]

Whoop, missed this till just now.

All Saints' Lutheran Church, Rockbridge road out in Snellville GA.

In the interests of full disclosure, he's not exactly the regular pastor. Church has been having some real problems lately, and he's an interem. Gonna be a long interem, though. He came out of retirement to fill the gap.