What does Easter mean for you?

Another Bank Holiday. Cars clogging the roads towing caravans at 40mph wityh huge tailbacks.
Easter eggs. Hot cross buns that are cold.
Why does Easter happen at different dates each year? If JC died on Good Friday, it happened on one day, so GF should be the same date each year.

What does Easter mean to me?........I get two days off work

Just another bank holiday like all the others.

A nice long weekend.

We're off to St. Ives, Cornwall for Easter week. As usual we go prepared for winter or summer weather, beach or mountain. Whatever the weather, there is so much to do and see. We come back invigorated and refreshed.

As for the meaning of Easter, we ignore that. Our spiritual needs are well catered for by the splendour of the coastal scenery, the movement of the sea and communion with nature at its best. We marvel at the hand of physics rather than the hand of a godhead.

A break from the futile grind.

In some place within the UK, Christmas is now called the "Winter Festival", so I'm surprised Easter has not been banned altogether for fear of offending certain minority groups.

Myth and mirth.

Easter means nothing to me and the rise in the commercialism of Easter is alarming. As for my plans, I'm an auxilary nurse and will be working.

No work, no getting up early, just a lazy few days off...LOVELY JUBBLY

Easter means for me that the Saviour of the world, Jesus Christ, died on the cross for my sins and was resurrected to give those that believe in Him eternal life. What a Saviour. Hallelujah.

I think it's so funny that Good Friday moves each year. It's like having Christmas on 20th December some years and 30th December on others. Jesus didn't get crucified on this day - the anniversary could be 2 weeks ago or 2 weeks into the future.

No wonder kids are confused and think this is more to do with the Easter bunny... how hilarious is that?

Nothing. I'm retired and hate all religions

I remember as a small child I was required to attend church because my mother thought it would reflect well on the family. I was sent to Sunday school and learnt all about a man/God called Jesus. There was no mention of the existence of other ideas of religion, I was taught about Christianity as solid fact.
Easter week was a time of Joy, Mourning and Celebration, and somehow Chocolate Eggs!
AS a Teenager I found that Easter was the time that there was Motorcycle racing on Good Friday, with Stock Car racing on the Monday. I was still required to attend Church on Easter Sunday, because it was expected of me, but my parents were always to busy to go themselves!
During my working life I looked forwards to all Bank Holidays, as an opportunity to work for overtime, which otherwise did not exist.
Now Easter means Caravan Thursday, Traffic Jam Friday followed by a long weekend during which various family members are visited.
I long since gave up on Religion, any Religion, having found by reading, research and self examination that I do not, and cannot believe in any of the various stories and books held out as proof of a Divine God or Heavenly spirit, or whatever you want to call it.
Being no longer burdened by the induced guilt of Religion I have a happier and more fulfilled life.

As the real Easter (or Oestre) is the celebration of fertility and rebirth I take it as an opportunity to get "busy" and eat some chocolate.

As for 1billion others who are going to celebrate today in parades or curch rememberance ~ it means the Death, Burial & Resurection of Our Servant-King and saviour ~ Jesus Christ !

Easter is remembering the reality that God sent a much needed saviour to the world to die for our sins, setting us free, rising from the dead and defeating death! I love Easter! No fear in life or death and forever with my Lord!
And before people start harping on about how irrelevant it all is and how nobody "believes" any more; let's stop naval gazing and look around the world....mmmm interesting South Korea, China, Africa, India-Christianity is on the rise-China is the real slap in the face for secularists!
In response to Wind Blown who said "As for the meaning of Easter, we ignore that. Our spiritual needs are well catered for by the splendour of the coastal scenery, the movement of the sea and communion with nature at its best. We marvel at the hand of physics rather than the hand of a godhead" I doubt your spiritual needs will be met as you face the reality of death by "the hand of physics" and the beauty of coastal scenery.

"17. At 10:17am on 02 Apr 2010, Christina wrote:
I doubt your spiritual needs will be met as you face the reality of death by "the hand of physics" and the beauty of coastal scenery."


Why does religion and its followers have to be so aggressive, and just downright frightening?

Another major bank holiday,London a major tourist attraction...guess what...ALL THE SHOPS ARE CLOSED,please get to grips with the stupid Sunday trading laws

It means that Jesus came into the world to teach us how to behave towards each other - we aren't very good at it on our own. And showed, in the manner of his death, how much he loved us.

@1. Easter moves because Easter Sunday is the first Sunday following the first full moon after the equinox.

The apparently paradoxical name Good Friday (paradoxical because it was the day Jesus suffered and died, and so hardly good) comes from the words "God's Friday" just as Good-bye comes from "God be with yee"

"
At 10:03am on 02 Apr 2010, HonestMP wrote:

Nothing. I'm retired and hate all religions
"
Hate's such a strong feeling, but remember that Jesus Christ loves you. Knowing that, should really upset you!

Easter is a time for many bankers to holiday with the money taken from the taxpayer.

it's also a time for many non-bankers to work an extra shift.

It's just another long bank holiday weekend for me. Friday is my day off work, otherwise I would have been working(it alternates between Thurday and Friday). I'm in work on Saturday, then off on Sunday and I had to take two days annual leave on Monday and Tuesday because I'm going to visit a friend and go to a football match.

I was brought up as a Catholic but Easter has no religious meaning to me anymore. Like Christmas it's turned into a commercial enterprise and everyone feels that they have to buy Easter eggs. Well I won't be buying any. They're a rip off and all the gullable people fall for it every year.

I see the religious people are out today. Please don't forget that the religion that you love to talk about stole this from the pagans many centuries ago. To me, spring is nature waking up from a hard winter. I love this time of year. So please feed all those hard press birds who wait in your garden for all those tidbits that people put out for them. It is they who have suffer the worst of our winter and yes they would appriecate your kind thoughts. Happy Easter !!!

When the question was asked 'Why does the date of Easter move?' the explanation was that it is due to a relationship with a full moon! The follow up question must be 'WHY'. ( I know it was due to some Pope) The answer required is why does it need to move/have to move?
IS the simple answer that there are so many schisms in even the Christian church that such a simple thing as the date of the Crucifixion cannot be agreed upon?

@19 Even if you are a complete atheist, don't you think it sad that one day of the week can't be put aside for family and rest? Every Sunday should be a time of reflection and for living! Of course, for those of us who are Christian, this Sunday is a particularly special one.

Before anyone says that we can't afford to close everything (except for those things that need to be open of necessity - like hospitals etc), why is it that we are in a financial mess now and were arguably better off in the period before the relaxation of Sunday trading? No, I'm not linking the two things but it indicates to me that Sunday closing hardly had a major effect on the economy and could be argued to have had a benefit for families. Or do people want Sunday to themselves without consideration of the others who must work for their convenience? It's just a matter of planning. Get the shopping etc at other times.

It means that, instead of working their socks off as they usually do, my son and his wife can come round to us, relax, have a chat and something nice to eat and recharge their batteries a bit.

Religion....? No thanks, we leave that for those that want it.

For the country it means the only other time of year that anyone claims they are religious. Personally it means nothing whatsoever.

As I'm retired from work and do not believe in God Easter means absolutely nothing to me.

I sit at home spending time with my family and my hobbies, looking in bafflement at those who lemming-like rush about frittering away their time travelling. Why this urge to travel on Bank Holidays?

At least I am not baffled by the moveable nature of the Christian Easter. First Sunday after the first full moon after March 21st. Based on the calculation of the Jewish Passover festival, at which time the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus took place. That's why He was taken from the cross on Friday (a ludicrously short crucifixion by Roman standards), so that there wouldn't be dead bodies hanging around on the most holy Sabbath of the year, which began that sundown.

As for praising God for sending His Son to save those who wish to accept Him, I do that every day. And praise Him for the splendour of the coastal scenery, the movement of the sea and communion with nature at its best, marvelling at the hand of physics... ordained by the design of God.

Happy Easter to all of you, god-botherers or not.

As a Christian by birth & an atheist by choice, Easter is a complex set of experiences.

Today businesses exploit commercial advantage from Easter & the religious meaning and possible learning is all but lost. Children eat chocolate eggs in great volume and have no understanding as to why they receive the eggs, the Christian symbology of rebirth and the decoration and giving of eggs, who remembers painting eggs at school? Wasn’t that fun? Though to be honest I never understood the rebirth & egg thing, but that’s part of Easter, trying to understand, you don’t have to believe.

As an atheist I do not believe in a god who walked the earth as man & gave his life for us, but I do believe in a greater connection between all things in the universe & I do believe that a man called Jesus was crucified & ever since his story has been told. Why lose that, it is story & history all rolled into one & the children can gain much by trying to understand its meaning. Try, if you can to allow the story to have some meaning, if only as a story and recognise its value not to all but to YOU!

Happy Easter…

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For me its plain and simple. Our lord and saviour Jesus christ who came to bring the good news to the poor and the downtrodden died for our sins so we can be reborn as believers in the love, mercy, compassion and forgiveness that he preached. He warned the Rich and they continue with thier policies of depravity attacking continually the poor and vulnerable in society. British finance capitalism IS part of the Anti-christ and surely you who support it will pay a million fold the suffering you inflict on the poor. So I say to the poor, be happy in your suffering for you will be saved while your tormentors will burn in hell unless they change thier ways.


Jesus was the messiah and his message brings hope to mankind a million billion trillon times what ANY poltics can do, for the latter decieves while the former will bring you real justice and happiness.

Easter for me is one of hope I hope it is for you. In ths fallen nation I love I despair for the past and coming wickedness, but in Christ you can really live again forever.

Gillian wrote:” Please don't forget that the religion that you love to talk about stole this from the pagans many centuries ago.”
I’m not aware of any serious historian who argues this, all the evidence points to Christianity being a breakaway group from Judaism rather than paganism. Whilst there are many third-rate websites asserting that dying and rising saviours were common in pagan mythology I’ve yet to see a primary source predating Christianity which shows this.

To me Easter is centred around the historical event of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Having read numerous books by Christian and non-Christian historians I’ve come to the conclusion that if it wasn’t for the supernatural element nobody would dispute that Jesus rose from the dead. In his debate with Michael Bird on the Unbelievable podcast , James Crossly acknowledged that scholars generally accept that soon after Jesus’ death numerous people were claiming to be eyewitnesses to the resurrected Jesus. These range from those originally hostile to Christianity, such as the apostle Paul, to those such as the disciples who would have known and recognised Jesus. The only question left is how to best explain all these eyewitnesses.

In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul casually refers to eyewitnesses of the resurrection as if it’s undisputed common knowledge within the early church, and then goes on to conclude: “But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?” Easter gives me the hope that our sins have been forgiven through the cross and when we die we can have eternal life with Jesus. Can genuine hope exist without Easter? If the only comfort left is the promise of cholcoate and two days off work then what hope is that?

Easter means a long weekend. Public holidays are the only good thing that ever came out of man's need to invent religion. However since we are a multicultural country I think we should take this into account and take non-Christian public holidays off work as well, it seems only fair!

Cadburys creme eggs, HOW DO YOU EAT YOURS???LOL

to me.... 2x 4 day working week, with a 4 day weekend in between.!!!!!

A whole weekend of dancing, music playing, and generally partying. In France, of course, where it is much cheaper, no worry about silly drink license laws, and NO taxes on enjoying yourself!

Absolutely nothing, now I don't have Easter eggs.

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Priests are living proof there is no god.

Easter means the Resurrection - darkness, despair and death are overcome. It means hope.

Re: 24 "Please don't forget that the religion that you love to talk about stole this from the pagans many centuries ago."

No, it DIDN'T! I get very tired of this ignorant argument being used against every Christian festival. It's an insult to Pagans who do not, and have never celebrated the birth or rebirth of Jesus. Pagans still celebrate their own festivals. Christian festivals are no more "stolen" from the Pagans than they are from Divali, Hannukah, Purim or any other religious festival. Some of the customs may be shared, but the festivals themselves remain. Fireworks are used extensively at Divali - would you say they "stole" Guy Fawkes Night?!

Just another compulsory "holiday" when I don't want a holiday (and when my partner is at work as she doesn't work in a monday to Friday, nine to five job).

Why can we not abolish statutory holidays and add the seven days to normal holiday entitlement? That way, the religious could book their holidays for the start and end of winter, and the rest of us could take ours when the weather is better (and employers would be happy because the rational would cover for the gullible in winter, and vice versa in summer).

I note a large number of anti-religion posts on this topic. Now, nobody is obliged to believe in anything and no-one should be chastised for not believing. However the vehemence of some statements in their negative stance towards religion leads me to believe that their authors are happy neither with themselves nor with their beliefs. Not believing is one thing - spouting hate indicates a far more serious psychological problem within the person concerned. These people are like lost souls. My opinion is that Easter has nothing to do with chocolate, eggs and bunnies - all that is commercial bilge - and I consider it to be the resurrection of Jesus Christ after he was crucified on Good Friday - nothing more or less. However, true Bible freaks actually say that Easter is not a Christian but rather a pagan feast and is not mentioned in the Bible - the closest thing would be the Pascha or Pass-over. Anyway, there's no way we can go back and check all this, so let each believe what he/she will and we will all be happy

It means nothing

Its too flippin cold to do much - the lawn needs mowing; hedges need trimming; etc, etc...
To quote Ricky Tomlinson: 'Global warming, my *rse...'

My taking part either in any celebration or in Religious affairs or in other similar Festivals were or are most rare; being in the Company of the Unseen fully attached round the Clock irrespective of whether or not I am awake or in sleep with continuous deriving of pleasure from serving Him with exchanging of intense intensity of Love; no matter what I do outside. Accordingly I read no Religious Books or Scriptures as well as other Books for Education purposes worth the name to acquire knowledge or to follow a particular path for offering Prayers. Hence my acquirement of any knowledge if other considers it available; is purely due to nearness to the all knowledgeable One we prefer to call Him as God. Although now I use to sit with both legs folded while offering prayers; I was mostly did that just in standing position for a couple of minutes only.

Therefore I consider a Celebration is nothing but a get-together to enjoy ourselves the beauty and strength of joining hands with each other to expand our Love towards each other. Hence the fleeing of 2 million Britons from their respective homes to escape the wrath of Nature; missing the best enjoyed festival is a painful information to others more especially to me nonetheless living in a faraway place.

Possibly by taking the blunt of iritic weather condition by the law abiding people of UK is a referendum for the others to make their shoulders light from carrying of a heavy weight of requiring reformation. Let the mass sacrifice undertaken by the 2 million Britons from the sudden adverse weather condition meet the gap of the entire others within the Country to see us transformed to become better individuals in near future to become a guiding force to us.

As far as my relationship with UK is concern; it is most intense in nature and carrying a qualification of very high degree nonetheless straying at a faraway place and may not see a chance for paying a second visit due to my deteriorated health condition which may not see me live much longer.

(Dr.M.M.HAZARIKA, PhD)

The celebration of Oestre [easter], I believe, is from the Norse, and was to welcome the spring and the fertility of nature

To the christian church it seems to be another excuse to bang the drum and try to make us all feel guilty as miserable sinners

For most of us [myself included] it has simply become a long weekend hijacked by commercialism - with eggs and buns on sale straight after Xmas

Sad really

Religion-wise: absolutely nothing. Otherwise, just a long weekend.

As I understand it easter will always be the first sunday following the first full moon, coming after 21st march, so if there is a full moon on the week of march 22nd it will be the sunday of that week.

I work as a chef and the only thing it means to me is a very busy day slaving over a hot stove!!!

All it means for me is an extra two days off from work. However, the furthest I will go is to the front door and back. That way, I will not get wet or cold; I will avoid traffic jams and hordes of families all fighting each other in the race to see how annoying/competitive they can be to each other and others.
I'll also save money as loads of places will hike up costs for this one weekend.

It means nothing I'm one of the millions who have lost bank holidays and have to work so the middle classes(who are the only people who seem to get bank holidays off ) can enjoy themselves for four days.

Our village is holding it's annual duck race on Monday. I shall be there to help in this fund raising event. Apart from that I will be chilling out after a pretty stressful first quarter of the year.

"Why does religion and its followers have to be so aggressive, and just downright frightening?"

I'm not religious myself, but I think you'll find that it's usually the non religious who are far more aggressive against religion than religious people are against others.

If you look at the posts on here you'll see what I mean, and it happens every time. Any thread like this always gets the "why do people need religion, Easter moves around so it's obviously a nonsense" type posts

I'm not religious but I'm not anti-religion as so many people on this type of forum seem to be - live and let live. Let everyone enjoy Easter in whatever way they choose without using this type of discussion to ridicule the beliefs of others.

Happy Easter everyone - whatever you believe!!

A chance to reflect on how I have been as a human being over the last year, and see what I could improve to make myself a better person over the next year

#13 "Nothing. I'm retired and hate all religions"

Christmas round your place must be a riot.

Easter means to me a chance to contemplate my religious faith and the teachings of the bible,sadly there are millions who must work through as if it were a normal working day.possibly denying them the chance to retreat from an over materialistic and financially aggressive world
It is vital those of any faith and none get a real chance for peace, quiet and reflection about more than the latest gadget or opportunity to make money, there is more to life, much of which is free
if you think I'm typing from a position from wealth you couldn't be more wrongHappy easter to you whoever and wherever you are

#25 Easter moves, not because of any splits in Christianity (although there are splits of course) but because Jesus was crucified at the time of the Jewish Passover. Passover itself depends upon the moon and occurs just when Easter does but, for convenience, Easter is shifted the the nearest Sunday. Although the Jewish religion latterly associated Passover with the 'passing over' of the Angel of Death\Spirit of the Lord (Depending upon your translation) prior to the exodus from Egypt, there had been a celebration at this time for millennia already - primarily associated with birth, renewal and fertility of agriculture. So Gillian #24, who 'stole' what from whom? Stole is the wrong word. The significance to different groups is based on similar ideas and or historical events. In the Christian case, the fact that Jesus died and was reborn on the Jewish Passover.

My son's school has not allowed the children to make pictures of Easter Eggs and Bunnies for the classroom wall, as this is deemed 'religious indoctrination'. It's funny how he gets several lessons a year explaining the joys of Ramadan, Eid, Passover and Duvali, but he can't stick a hand-made daffodil on the classroom wall. Sigh.

Traffic jams and rain.

Easter for me is like any bank hol...off for 4 days as an office worker I get 8 bank holidays off, and dont work weekends..the main reason for me coming out of retail and shifts... monday-friday 9-5..cant beat it..so Il be off to get some lovely food from supermarket tomorrow, have a roast pork lunch easter sunday, and may go cinema on monday...Bliss

"Easter, the time of year when we teach our children about the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ by telling them that a giant bunny left chocolate eggs during the night" - Bill Hicks
With that quote in mind I will be snowboarding on Easter.

PoppojoI WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREE.the constantly negative and closed minded mindset of many in our country and beyond is damaging to those who express it and to those around themI'm disabled but I KNOW THERE ARE MANY OUTHERE WORSE OFF.people should dwell more on their good fortune than what they are annoyed or cross about, treat others as we would like to be treated and Live and LET LIVE

It means more rubbish to put into the bins. And if people are right and the councils are monitoring the bins..
TROUBLE FOR US SOON.

When will this day be changed for upsetting the other faiths?.

Another fake religious event drawing potential materialists to buy chocolate eggs?? for friends and family.

I cant wait for Jesus to reappear. Isn't it time?

Free the Jews and punish the rest of civilization..isn't that what you all believe in??

Easter another opportunity for big companies to cash in on Easter Eggs etc. It has definitely lost its Christian meaning and even then the festival was stolen from pre Christian religious beliefs. On the positive side most people all get two days off and a break from work.

As an atheist Easter has no meaning for me other than a few weeks break from uni. The chocolate is nice, but otherwise quite unnecessary.

I decision to lay off the chocolate and fast food for a few weeks also just happened to coincide with lent. More of a personal challenge than anything spiritual.

Am going home to see friends and family back in the north east. Will also be attending a cathedral service tonight, and probably enjoy a drive into the countryside followed by a nice long walk (weather permitting).

So yes I should have a good time over easter.

Sadly, Easter has lost it's meaning. When I was a child nothing was open on Good Friday, these days hot cross buns are available all year, how many people know the significance of the cross?

Like Christmas. Easter has been hijacked by commercialism.

However, fair play to the supermarkets, at least they will be closed on Easter Day.

A 4 day break. Shame the weather is bad, but then in the UK the weather can be bad at anytime of the year. It also gives family and friends a chance to meet up for a reasonable length of time.
I have to say it is no longer a religious festival. I went into town this morning expecting most shops to be closed, but everything, apart from the banks were opened. Like a Saturday. It is a shame we don't have the processions that you see in Spanish Cities on the Good Friday evening. I was in Madrid two Easters back and found them to be very impressive, although I am not religious. It made the day special.

Easter means a weekend of fending off religious claptrap

I love Easter - the whole works - and hope that the appeasers of certain groups do not re-name it. Stories of the crucifixion emphasised the importance of empathy and forgiveness, which outlasted beliefs in a Divine Being. As a youngster we attended a Good Friday church service, then ate our way through some of the sweets we had been saving up during Lent, whilst gazing at the Easter Eggs, not to be touched till Sunday, said Mum. Then there were the hot cross buns and a walk to a regular Good Friday picnic area where hundreds of other youngsters would have gathered. Those days are over and I celebrate now with reflections on them with a tear in my eye.

The same sad bunch of minority atheists are, as usual, out again. Christmas and Easter seem to be the only time that they seem to have anything to make their empty lives worthwhile. I sense however that it's the emptiness that lies within them that makes them so full of vindictiveness and hatred and want to lash out at those who have a Christian faith through Jesus Christ - 2000 years and 2 billion Christians worldwide can't be wrong.Actually as a Christian I am gratified that after 2000 years He still provokes a reaction. After 2000 years, the man, the cross and the book are still the most significant symbols that have ever been. He lived, he died, He rose again. That's what Easter means to me and 2 billion others.

The reason that the date for the Easter festival is different each year is because it is celebrated at the nearest Sunday to the full moon after the Spring Equinox. In that, is the proof that this Christian festival is in fact a pagan one, just as Christmas is celebrated at the time of the Winter Solstice. Easter/ Spring Equinox is symbolic of the new life nature brings each year; the beginning of a new cycle or re-birth after the winter "sleep". The egg symbolises this and is derived from alchemy; it is the first symbol in the alchemic process. All pagans know that Christianity is in fact, a pagan religion itself and the old religion still thrives today...So mote it be!

My family, including my daughter, her husband and my three-month old (first) grandchild will be coming for Easter dinner.
I don’t get into the traditional festivities like Easter Eggs or chocolate rabbits, and I don’t attend religious services.
I was doing fine with the chocolate study until it mentioned the quantity, and then my exact thought was “if chocolate is in the house, I’m going to eat it – too much of it, and then I’d have to do hareobics to stay in shape, which will give me an eggache, which might interfere with my hippity-hop to the chocolate shop to buy some of the hare that bit me.”

Like all the Christian festivals it is a hijacked pagan festival, in this case the Spring solstice.

It means nothing to me as an atheist, other than an opportunity for a long weekend. I guess religion is all about which work of fiction you choose to believe, or have been indoctrinated into. Or you can be a free spirit and think for yourself.

All religions may just be ‘opium for the masses’.

In which case Easter et al is just another ‘shot in the arm’!

And what exactly does the dealer (For “dealer” read emissaries, chosen ones, representatives-on-earth et al) get out of it?



Deliberately contentious .... (And asked as a result of the question at 18 above, which is a fair question.)

But then let’s see if we can have a sensible debate on my opinion?

One wonders?

I don't believe in god so easter has no religious significance for me. I appreciate that is a very commercial celebration just like christmas but it doesn't bother me much, I can ignore it or embrace it, it's up to me.

My workplace is closed from Friday until the following Thursday so I've taken a couple of extra days off and will be spending it at home cleaning the house, relaxing, doing a bit of DIY etc and will also go and visit my family for a couple of days next week.

Just a pleasant, relaxing time with my loved ones, avoiding the travel chaos out there and having some fun along the way.

Time to reflect that for all the words of those that profess to care, be they religious or political, despite all the power that is in their hands, despite all the money they regularly collect from most os us ... so much is wasted and too much of the world still starves or is in conflict.
Time to reflect that those we put on a pedestal, be they religious or political, are false gods.
Time to realise that in the end we each make our own destiny, according to our capacity and those who would make it for us merely screw things up.

So many vehement anti-religious haters. As I said earlier, we need to be shown how to treat each other. We don't seem very good at it otherwise.

Gillian: "the religious are out again". The whole point of this thread is obviously to discuss the religious aspect. I don't recall a "What does August Bank Holiday weekend mean to you?" thread.

I agree with "Groovehoob". Live and let live. Enjoy your Easter whatever you believe. Just respect others right to enjoy it in the way they wish too.

Easter is such a relief after taking my socks off and climbing St. Patrick's Hill, before being chased back down with a plank.

You can see the huge attraction of religion to me...

A chance for hys to come up with more idiot questions. But don't worry, according to researchers, chocolate can be good for you, as long as you eat only small amounts. I'm not a scientist, which is why I recognise condescending pap when I see it.

Will people not read before they comment? Easter - apart from the name was not copied from anything. It is timed due to the events of the Jewish Passover that Jesus celebrated just before his death.

Secular and economic exploitation of the trappings of pre-Christian celebrations are nothing to do with the real Christian celebration of Easter.

It's the celebration of spring, and the salvation of the sun from darkness. It has nothing to do with Christianity or any other pagan myths.

Chocolate, NOT religion, pure and simply chocolate. I find the Easter bunny more believable than the dire, ridiculous bible and other religious teachings.

Not too much, really! Generally not a holiday in the US - although a lot of kids are on Spring break from school.
Never mind, going to be 80+ today and the rest of the weekend in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia so shall enjoy the Easter weekend, regardless.

Happy Easter to all - may all your eggs be filled!

I will be taking it nice and easy and seeing family on one of the Easter days, I have the Bible here and can read that to remind myself of the religious meaning. At the same time I appreciate the lie-in and rest from work in equal measure - so time for a proper Spring clean.

Easter to me is about the resurrection of our Lord which gives us mere mortals hope and confidence that death (on earth) does not mean the end.

Unfortunately, the true meaning of Easter, much like Christmas, has been abandoned by so many. Each to their own I suppose.

A person whose existence cannot be proven , was killed, buried then came back to life by unknown means . His followers and their followers gradually grew in numbers into an organised religion

Two millenia later - on a moveable date determined by a calculation worked out three centuries later ....

a) believers of the above tell non-believers that they will get their come-uppance when they die as they will not go to heaven . how they could know this us unexplained . They meet fellow believers in a building to celebrate the rebirth

b) non-believers (and some weak believers) take a day off work , get in their cars and in an attempt to drive to a nicer place spend the day in a mobile carpark called Easter traffic . They overfeed their young with chocolate made from the cocoa tree - which being native to the Americas at the time , cannot have been known by Christ or any follower of his for the next 1500 years or so

Me a cynic ? Yes

In my book I like to think of Easter as a time to celebrate the rebirth not of Christ , but of the countryside - plants,trees , animals all recovering from winter .

I'm an atheist so it has no religious meaning for me what so ever.

It is an excuse to scoff large amounts of chocolate and some excellent home cooking however.

70. At 12:43pm on 02 Apr 2010, Lynn from Sussex wrote:
"...Like Christmas. Easter has been hijacked by commercialism. However, fair play to the supermarkets, at least they will be closed on Easter Day"

I'm not religious but I do know that Good Friday is the most solemn day in the Christian Calendar, the day of the Crucifiction
It is supposedly a day for contemplation
Easter Sunday is the day of the Resurrection, a day for rejoicing and celebration
Therefore, I don't understand why the Supermarkets are open on Good Friday but closed on Easter Sunday
In terms of Christian observance, should it not be the other way around?
Only a few decades ago, most shops closed on both Good Friday and Easter Sunday
Currently, closing on Easter Sunday seems a bit pointless if we're not going to observe Good Friday?

Rest and relaxation on Friday.
Rejoining British Humanist Association on Saturday.
Giving to Non-Believers Aid on Sunday.

77. At 1:02pm on 02 Apr 2010, AV8 wrote:
"Like all the Christian festivals it is a hijacked pagan festival, in this case the Spring solstice.

It means nothing to me as an atheist, other than an opportunity for a long weekend. I guess religion is all about which work of fiction you choose to believe, or have been indoctrinated into. Or you can be a free spirit and think for yourself."

I'm not sure about the free spirit bit, but I did think for myself for a very long time before joining the Lutheran Church. I wasn't indoctrinated either. Of course, at my age, it might be said that I may be studying for my finals! Happy Easter anyway, whatever your beliefs or lack of them. Going to a performance of Mozart's Requiem tonight, which is not as fattening as chocolate.

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t 12:20pm on 02 Apr 2010, HabitualHero wrote:
#13 "Nothing. I'm retired and hate all religions"

Christmas round your place must be a riot.

LOL.................there should be a prize for a post like this.

As a Christian, I am pleased that in these times of stress, uncertainty, global chaos and often tragedy, that, apart from those who seem bound by a bitterness and vindictiveness towards the things of God ( but even those ),even those who don't share my belief in a risen Saviour, are able to take this time when I worship Him,to take time to relaz, refresh and enjoy themselves with friends and families. I regularly think however that it must take more faith to be an atheist than a believer. But then I don't believe that there is such a thing as a true atheist. Only the uninformed and misguided who are really too afraid and proud to admit they have a need that only Christ can fill. HAPPY EASTER EVERYBODY.

Easter is a holiday that makes people think about their ‘right’ deeds and ‘wrong’ deeds. I usually go to church and pray. Relief is what I feel exactly on this day. What next? I don’t know. The day after Easter everything starts over again. I’m a sinner as many other people but unfortunately I realize this fact only on big religious holidays. Surely, being a sinner I should admit that Easter holidays transformed only in days-off, I forget about the true meaning of this fest; it’s just the time to relax and have fun. However, it’s a great opportunity to visit dears and nears and to commemorate all close people who passed away…

It means a four day weekend for me, nothing else really other than having to buy my nephew and neice chocolate eggs.

I think Easter is a VERY good example, proof in fact, of how christianity is based on the beliefs that came before it and astrology.

The eggs and the rabbit symbolise fertility and rebirth and were themes in paeganism yet they persist as symbols in christianity.

In christianity easter is about the ressurection of christ. Christ symbolises the sun and his ressurection symbolises the spring and the fertility of the earth because of it.

Just how the 12 diciples represented the 12 signs of the zodiac. Its the oldest story on earth and christianity is one of the latest cover versions.

I think if religeous people actually interpreted the teachings of their religeons correctly they would see there is no 'jesus' or 'god' just life the earth and the heavans. Nature, the REALITY.

To actually think 'jesus' was an actual man is so intellectually flawed.

It's much like other holidays. Good chance to get together with friends and family. Good food (which means a lot to a broke college student) but, sadly, no time off. Why my college is the only one I know of that doesn't give time off, I don't know.