The importance of Easter to this atheist

[rug]

David Cameron's quip that Easter isn't just about eggs misses the point. Celebrating Christian holidays is socially responsible

Holly Baxter
theguardian.com, Tuesday 15 April 2014 09.35 EDT

Atheism, for me, came gradually. I was never raised in an overtly religious family, although the requisite Christingle decorations were made, I sang hymns at school and occasionally we attended a special service at the local church. At some point I realised I didn't believe in God, and hadn't for a while, which warranted no announcement and batted no eyelids in my family or friendship circles. It was only when I attended university and my experiences diversified that I began to realise just how controversial a lack of faith can be.

I became aware of families who disowned their children for marrying atheists – or worse, becoming them. When I went travelling I learned about spaces in which a non-believer would never be welcome; where openly declaring that one eschewed deities altogether was cause for widespread suspicion. And, for the first time, while having a conversation with two of my best friends (both religious), I came across the criticism that when I celebrated Christian holidays in the UK I was nothing more than a hypocrite.

At first I was willing to cheerily accept my perceived hypocrisy and continue on my way, living my life as I choose to, cognitive dissonance knowingly intact. But as I've got older I have come to understand exactly why my atheist family and I celebrate Easter – chocolate in abundance, no mention of resurrection necessary – and I see no hypocrisy. In fact I have come to realise that acknowledgement of the significance of these holidays is socially responsible.

What reduced trading hours on Sundays and public holidays do for society is force us to step off the treadmill – and we shouldn't underestimate that value. There are sound financial arguments for getting rid of reduced Sunday hours or bank holidays. But we hold steadfastly to the Christmas break and the Easter weekend because we collectively value that time as a positive gift from our ancestors.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/15/importance-of-easter-atheist-christian-holidays

[libodem]

1. I like these thoughts

It brings a sense of collective purpose to a community. I'm not religious so I use the holidays to think about the seasonal changes and the equinox and solstice. I'm not a very literal atheist because I espouse a set of spiritual beliefs that bring meaning into my life.

[rug]

2. She draws a neat connection here:

Instead of taking Easter back to religion and arguing that our problem lies in disassociating Christianity from its holidays, Cameron would do better to concentrate on protecting workers from exploitative systems that force them to work over every holiday. He should consider the need for social bonding and time away from the grindstone that unites us all, and therefore concentrate on the most important aspect of this upcoming weekend.

[libodem]

3. Yes

The theme of rest and restoration is redeeming. Even the idea that nature resurrects every Spring is a good thing to take notice of.

[handmade34]

4. not a bad article...

I grew up in a dysfunctional fundie home... never quite got the literal "Jesus is my Savior" model but there was 'something' I did appreciate about the church, the holidays, and I ended up going to Seminary a decade ago... It is not "Christianity"... it is community, it is ritual that is important to the human spirit...

I have said many times since... what I came to KNOW is (in the Bible) all Jesus was telling us is "Life is a bitch and we're all here to just help each other (including the environment)" ...anything other than that is mere bunk and exploitation

I read this wonderful book for one of my classes... Liberating Rites: Understanding the Transformative Power of Ritual by Tom Driver

"In Liberating Rites: Understanding the Transformative Power of Ritual, Tom F. Driver illuminates the making of ritual by removing it from its churchly wrappings and presenting it as something raw, basic, and central to all living beings. He examines the varied ways humans use ritual to give order to their lives, to deepen feelings of communal belonging, and to transform the status quo. Driver looks closely at how ritual, viewed as creative performance, is essential to religion and to the movement from bondage to freedom, whether in society or the individual. His analyses use examples drawn from a wide variety of cultures and religions -- Haiti, Korea, South Africa, Judaism, Roman Catholicism, Hinduism, and more, in addition to the author's own North American Protestantism. The result is an accessible and engaging discussion, ideal for introductions to religion, the psychology of religion, the sociology of religion, and studies in ritual and liturgy. Many general readers also will find the book fascinating because it makes explicit so many unspoken feelings about the human longing for rituals that 'work,' combining meaning with power."

Yes, (Christians)... "would do better to concentrate on protecting workers from exploitative systems that force them to work over every holiday. (They) should consider the need for social bonding and time away from the grindstone that unites us all, and therefore concentrate on the most important aspect of (Holidays).

[rug]

6. I'll have to look up that book. Thanks.

[hrmjustin]

5. I never understood why people celebrate holidays they don't believe in.

[el_bryanto]

7. Some people like ritual and marking time - it kind of makes sense to me

More to the point, in most of these holidays there are some positive messages (along with negative ones) that one can appreciate, even if one thinks the thing as a whole isn't true.

I have attended services of faiths not my own and found it very educational - both on an intellectual level, but also a spiritual one.

Bryant

[LostOne4Ever]

9. Do you celebrate Halloween?

Alot of it has to do with culture and family. If your family has celebrated Christmas every year and it has become a tradition for you, then you will tend to keep on celebrating it if for no other reason than to join in with the rest of your family.

For example, Christmas and Halloween are both Pagan in origin, and many Christians are well aware of this, but they continue to celebrate anyways. Why? Because they are traditions or as many have told me in the case of X-mas, its not the actual date that matters, but rather the thought that counts.

Personally I like to find secular reasons for the celebrations (solstice or equinox) but with that said, I have to admit that with no kids around my family celebration of Easter and Christmas has become increasingly lazy.


But I do LOVE the cadbury cream eggs we get this time of year

Yumm, yumm!

[hrmjustin]

10. No I don't celebrate Halloween anymore.

I have no issue with people celebrating these holidays but I do get upset at the commercialization of these holidays such as Easter and Christmas.


I don't want their meanings water down but unfortunately that is happening.

[cbayer]

11. That's why I think there is a problem with her argument.

If you, as a believer, don't want the religious aspects of the holiday to be "watered down", then her argument that we should embrace the secular nature of these holidays for the good of all is defeated.

[LostOne4Ever]

15. To each their own

While I get and respect your sentiments I must say I quite enjoy the family, presents, candy, and fun of the holidays and am quite appreciative of the commercialization of these holidays. If it was solely about the religious beliefs these holidays would be a rather dark time for many of us.

Though, I must say that in regards to Christmas, that alot of the comercialization and celebration of Christmas predates X-anity and harken back to pagan celebrations of Yule, saturnalia, and sol invictus. Including gift giving, christmas trees, holly, the aspects of santa claus derived from Odin, etc.

That and...cadbury creme eggs.



Either way, have a good easter my friend.

[hrmjustin]

17. I think people can find meaning outside of the religious aspects of these holidays.

I am glad people do and want them to find meaning and a happiness.

I just want the religious meaning never to be forgotten.

Happy Easter to you and enjoy the candy. I am Episcopalian so I enjoy the booze.

[AtheistCrusader]

21. I don't, insofar as I can escape them where family members do celebrate them.

Problem is, holidays turn into big family events, that sucks in everyone, even those of us who don't give a shit.

The behavior is not different than the Father In Law not going to Disneyland with the rest of the family this fall. He suffered his slings and arrows for declining to go, just as I would if I said 'you know what, I have something better to do on easter'.

[cbayer]

8. This is an interesting perspective, but I still think it's problematic to tie these

labor issues exclusively to christian based traditions.

Perhaps a better solution is to re-evaluate the entire system so that people of different faiths have some of their traditional holidays incorporated into standard labor practices.

[pinto]

13. I would support that. My former boss was Jewish. She always took time off at Passover.

Went home for Seder. Had to take the time out of her vacation time or take it as a sick day, or simply unpaid. Private, non-profit organization. Not a public entity.

[cbayer]

14. I think it's particularly problematic for both jews and muslims in the US.

Their most important holidays do not coincide in the least with those celebrated by Christians.

A non-believer or a member of a faith group with no specific holidays could work around whatever vacation periods are designated.

[pinto]

16. Yeah, agree. And the thing is that Christmas was always a paid holiday.

Don't quite get what you meant in your last line.

[cbayer]

19. What I meant is that if you have no shared major holidays, then I think the

author's argument is a good one. That is, it makes sense to make the most of the designated holidays even if you don't share the beliefs.

But if your holidays occur in September and October, the current system really makes that much more difficult.

[pinto]

20. Ah, got it. When I worked for the County they had a personal, paid day off policy.

Initially it was set for your birthday. But they scrapped that and let employees use it as they chose. Your choice. No questions or yes/no judgments.

[cbayer]

18. Oops. Wrong place.

[pinto]

12. This short piece touches on some of my take. Though set in a political framework, it brings up

the point of religious holidays or any holiday for that matter, as opportunities to step out of it for a bit. Reconnect with friends and family, cultural backgrounds, family customs, spiritual practices, ritual.

I really enjoy Thanksgiving and Easter. And the 4th of July. To some extent, all are wrapped in a kind of cultural or personal myth. For me - I value the lessons of Jesus as passed down by chroniclers, the traditional Thanksgiving story and the national symbolism of Independence Day.

Yet I don't buy it all. I'll likely go by the Mission on Easter, will probably sit down with the family on Thanksgiving for dinner and join the town for 4th of July BBQ and the local band's patriotic pieces.

As far as Easter goes, I don't think you have to be a believer to take time to mark the day for what it means to you. Or not. Whatever that means.