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Mystic, I would respectfully disagree with you. It is incumbent upon us to remember the true meaning and beginnings of the sacred days that we celebrate for whatever reason it may be. The true origins of the day's that we hold sacred are of particular importance otherwise they have no meaning. Although I try to have respect for all different types of religions and cultures, I find it particularly interesting that the day's that Christianity hold sacred and celebrate often have their origins in pagan celebrations and it is understandable as to why that was done at that particular point in time, but we're finding out that a lot of the reasons that the hierarchy of Christianity was giving for celebrating those particular days were untrue.
Ptsum, I would respectfully disagree with you. What people celebrate and how is entirely up to the celebrants. I respect all individual rights to celebrate what they wish, how they wish within the bounds of the law. It is unbelievably presumptuous to try to tell someone else what they are celebrating and why or how. The meaning of a celebration and of the symbols used is determined by the people doing the celebrating, period.
If you are going to celebrate something and attach religion to it - to try to elevate it to a "sacred" holiday, do you not find it ironic that you would not know the meaning of the symbols you use?
It is incongruent to use Easter eggs to symbolize Christ raising from the dead . . . Easter eggs symbolize fertility . . . do you realize your small children, hunting in the back yard are actually celebrating fertility?
Why do you think it is not important that congruent and relevant symbols be used in religious celebrations?
What you seem to be saying is an American claim that it is your "right" to celebrate however you wish . . . which is true, but that is not what we are talking about here.
WHAT DO CHRISTIANS ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT ON EASTER?
Do you know how to read? Easter eggs symbolize WHATEVER the ones using them as symbols believe they symbolize. Small children who do not know about or care about fertility cannot be celebrating fertility. Your grasp of logic and reason is seriously in question here. How is you feel authorized to decide what anyone else is celebrating. IF you celebrate with eggs and to you they symbolize fertility . . . that is YOU. If someone tried to tell you they symbolize abortions . . . what right would they have to tell you what YOU are celebrating? The PRESUMPTUOUSNESS of some people utterly astounds me.[/color]
Why do you think it is not important that congruent and relevant symbols be used in religious celebrations?
What you seem to be saying is an American claim that it is your "right" to celebrate however you wish . . . which is true, but that is not what we are talking about here.
WHAT DO CHRISTIANS ACTUALLY THINK ABOUT ON EASTER?
They think about whatever they want to think about and they use whatever symbols and anything else they want to do so. They determine what they are celebrating, why and how, period.[/quote]
So, in other words, all holidays (religious or secular) are absolutely meaningless. After all, it does not matter what the origin of the holiday is, it does not matter why it is celebrated on a certain day, it does not matter what props I use to celebrate it, and it does not matter what I celebrate on that particular holiday. Whatever was intended by the creators of this holiday is unrelated to the reasons for me celebrating it.
That sounds great.
Last year, I had a big celebration with fireworks on July 4. I thought I was celebrating the independence from Britain. Thanks to your encouragement, I will celebrate a mowed lawn with the fireworks and a BBQ. I am curious what others will celebrate on that day.
Next X-mas, I am going to burn an upside-down cross in my front yard - no X-mas tree and certainly no candles. That's going to be my personal interpretation of this particular holiday and of the outdated and meaningless symbols others seem to relish. Time to personalize those symbols, you know. You see, if the symbols do not symbolize anything in particular, then what is the point in using them? Why eggs on Easter? Wouldn't a Philips screwdriver work just as well?
So, in other words, all holidays (religious or secular) are absolutely meaningless. After all, it does not matter what the origin of the holiday is, it does not matter why it is celebrated on a certain day, it does not matter what props I use to celebrate it, and it does not matter what I celebrate on that particular holiday. Whatever was intended by the creators of this holiday is unrelated to the reasons for me celebrating it.
Black and white thinking. Why must ridiculous extremes be posited. The simple undeniable truth is that meaning is ENTIRELY within the mind of the person assigning the meaning and cannot be externally forced or altered. What something means to you is entirely a function of what something means to YOU. This is not rocket science. What you are worshiping is entirely a function of what YOU intend to be worshiping. What you are celebrating is entirely a function of what YOU intend to be celebrating. It is not possible for you to be worshiping something YOU do not intend to worship. That is the reality.
Now . . . there are societal meanings and external constraints that we humans have decided to enforce on members of our society regarding public displays, etc., etc. They are related to what society will permit, period. They do NOT determine what they mean to YOU nor do they determine what YOU are actually doing. That is entirely internal and under no one else's control.
Ptsum, I would respectfully disagree with you. What people celebrate and how is entirely up to the celebrants. I respect all individual rights to celebrate what they wish, how they wish within the bounds of the law. It is unbelievably presumptuous to try to tell someone else what they are celebrating and why or how. The meaning of a celebration and of the symbols used is determined by the people doing the celebrating, period.
Mystic, you do have the right to disagree and I can respect that, but if you do not know the original meaning of what ever sacred day you were celebrating, then what is the reason for celebrating it? If the original meaning is lost and forgotten then there's no reason in celebrating it, because it has no meaning. If overtime people have changed the way they celebrate a certain holiday they change the meaning and then it is no longer sacred.
You are ignoring a significant fact. What we think is a direct result of what we are informed by. We do not "think" in a vacuum. We are shaped by culture.
If the culture gives no information on a holiday, then we will make something up from our experiences and environment.
If we have access to information about the holiday's origins, then we might change our perception of the holiday based upon new information and the integration of it.
I don't see anything "mystic" about your opinions on this subject. What does the word "mystic" mean to you, I wonder. But I digress . . .
Christians do you know the origins of this "holiday"? Do you know what the practices most take part in really are? What do the bunny, colored eggs, ham dinner and rolls and egg hunts have to do with Christ's death and resurrection? Here is a little info you will find informative and revealing:
It's kind of amusing that every so often someone feels compelled to post this somehow assuming that Christians haven't heard this EVER before. I remember learning all this when I was a young teen, and that was forty years ago. Nothing new.
It's kind of amusing that every so often someone feels compelled to post this somehow assuming that Christians haven't heard this EVER before. I remember learning all this when I was a young teen, and that was forty years ago. Nothing new.
Ah...but what did you do with what you learned? Ignored it ....obviously!
Ah...but what did you do with what you learned? Ignored it ....obviously!
ok sorry.. Father Rafius.
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