"easter"

This morning at church there were probably 15 - 20 people there I either have not seen before or else have not seen since the last "important" holiday.

2 things about it.

1) good for you.

2) Why are you wasting your time?

Does showing up at church 4 times a year assuage some deeply hidden sense of guilt? Do you somehow think that 4 times a year is enough to mollify God, if He does exist* and you need spend that, and only that, effort to keep in His good graces?

Seriously, if you are only going to show up on the big holidays...save your time and effort. You fool nobody. There are approximately 8760 hours in a year, spending 4 - 6 of them in church hardly seems a just recompense to a God who created the earth, sent His only begotten Son to die and resurrect (you do realize that is what this day represents? His resurrection) to pay for your sins, and in return you will give up approximately 1/1095 of your year back to Him?


For some reason, "Easter" is the one that really, really gets under my skin. It varies who the name is accredited from, but virtually every legitimate scholar admits the name "easter" originates from a pagan fertility goddess. For those keeping track, that violates the fabled Ten Commandments in the OT and numerous commandments, examples AND principles in the New Testament.

And do not even get me started on the whole rabbit/egg paradigm.

I do not begrudge people having a little enjoyment with candy and eggs. I do not think celebrating Easter is the collapse of organized religion or the root of all evil. At the risk of sounding hypocritical, my wife has even asked that we let our kids participate, and I am somewhat inclined to accede to the request despite my antipathy towards the holiday.

What I do begrudge is the hypocrisy of people who spend 352 days a year ignoring anything to do with God but on this day the new hats and dresses and suits come out.

Either show some sort of devotion or do not, but do not think 4 days a year actually fulfills any sort of obligation.



* If you have read my stuff for any length of time, you know I firmly DO believe God exists and has left His will in readily accessible form