Ok, who has to do the church thing with family today?

[Stuckinthebush]

Mom, dad, spouse, Aunt Violet?

How many of you will be joining them in their celebration of their risen lord today?

I have decided to smile and attend to keep the peace. They all know about my views but this is a social occasion for them. I will go and sing and listen. I will not take the journey to the alter for blood and flesh, however. They understand.

The things we do for love. Wish me luck.....

Oh....and, um, peace be with you and all that.

{sigh}

[JoeyT]

1. I don't even get invited anymore.

I made it absolutely clear that if I go, I get to ask questions about whatever I hear.

It never ceases to amaze me how people that would never in a million years allow themselves to be drug to a Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, etc religious event will gleefully demand everyone not only go to theirs, but show complete deference while they're there.

Keeping the peace goes both ways. They don't bother me and I don't bother them.

[Stuckinthebush]

4. You should have heard the woman behind me

It was fascinating!

This is an Episcopal church is an area of town with a high concentration of college and graduate school educated people. A woman in the pew behind me was explaining to her pew mate that people didn't understand that the blood red moon the other night was a sign from god about the risen lord.

Aren't we in the 21st century?

[onager]

10. You just gave me an idea...

Most churches today have big multimedia screens behind the preacher. (At least the ones I see on TV do.)

During Easter week, it would be great if somebody got ahold of the preacher's special Easter sermon (which many preachers just download from the Internet nowadays, so it might not be that hard).

Then put together your own multimedia/PPT presentation, synced to the sermon.

So that on Easter Sunday, when the preacher goes into his spiel, the congregation would see something like this on the screen behind him:

1. This contradicts another gospel.
2. That does too.
3. We know this didn't happen.
4. That either.
5. Nobody outside of Matthew mentions that Zombie Army, when "the dead came out of their tombs" and walked around Jerusalem chatting with the living. What, nobody else noticed?
6. Quick! Who was first to see Jesus come out of the tomb? And how many were they?

Etc., etc. ...

[Stuckinthebush]

15. Love it

Sort of like those pop up comments in special editions of movies. I envision a pop up that says, "The minister knows better due to her training at seminary but she doesn't have the energy it explain it to all of you simpletons this morning."

[Warren Stupidity]

2. raised without religion

but we did have fun on easter, egg hunts, candy baskets, etc. Just no Zombie God bullshit.

[Vashta Nerada]

3. I refused the invitation.

I admit I'm an atheist. My family won't admit they're hypocrites, like most church - goers on easter.

[Stuckinthebush]

5. I treat it as an ethnographic exercise

I am amazed at the number of highly educated individuals who gleefully turn off their brains

[Vashta Nerada]

6. Excellent idea.

Treat it as an ethnographic experience. I'm an anthropologist so I can appreciate the idea.

[Stuckinthebush]

14. As a social scientist myself

...it was easy to get into participant observer role. That's the only way I can make it through without laughing out loud.

[Curmudgeoness]

7. I have not been to a church service in decades,

and I am lucky that I have no one to try to drag me to a service. But I commend you for doing for your family. It isn't like it will hurt you.

[Stuckinthebush]

8. Nope. It didn't hurt

But I did get in a bit of a discussion with my wife about not going to the alter for communion. I was very subdued and didn't make a scene. I just sat back down quietly.

No one cared but my wife. So...that will hurt briefly but we will get over it.

Religion...yay

[Curmudgeoness]

9. OMG, that is pushing it too far.

Not that it would hurt to take communion either. I wouldn't do it because I think it would be disrespectful to the people who take it seriously. And I would think that your wife should have a little compassion here.

Not that I am looking to start a fight in your household.

[Stuckinthebush]

12. It was tense for a bit

But I was calm and said exactly what you said - that I felt it would be disrespectful. She didn't have anything to say after that. All is good.

[LostOne4Ever]

11. Nope!

We all slept in.

Paying homage to the Sandman rather than Zombie Jebus for the win!

[Stuckinthebush]

13. Lucky

Rub it in!

[madmom]

16. Had a nice meal with my parents, hubby, and daughter. It was

my parents (mom-78, dad-85) just recently moved closer to us. We haven't been able to have any time together before this but maybe once a year. It was nice, no religion at all, just visiting together.

[Stuckinthebush]

17. That sounds nice

Best way to spend the day!

[progressoid]

18. I used to do it occasionally.

But since my wife stopped going to church, it rarely is an issue anymore. My parents are regular church goers but they are a few hundred miles away. I'll usually do the Xmas thing with them, but that's about it.

Slept in this morning!

[Iggo]

19. Funerals only.