An Atheist's Easter Day

[MineralMan]

As an atheist, I don't celebrate Easter, or any other religious holiday. However, I recognize that many people do, including many who are friends, family, co-workers, and political allies. I don't celebrate Easter, but I do participate in it in a non-religious way.

Today, I'll participate in it by preparing a traditional Easter dinner for my wife's family. Ham, potatoes au gratin, some nice vegetables. We'll all sit down and share that meal, like we do on other major holidays. Someone will offer a graceful blessing on the food, which I will listen to with respect for their belief. My thanks are silent, and more material in nature, going to the people who raised this food and to the creature I'll be eating. Then, we'll eat and have various conversations.

So, I do participate in Easter, even though I don't celebrate it. It's just another opportunity to share time and a meal with people who are close to me. I can see no harm in it. I don't believe the story, but that's pretty irrelevant. Others do, and that causes me no harm.

If you're visiting with family or friends today, I wish you a good Easter gathering.

[blondeatlast]

1. My philosophy on this day of Spring, when the days are longer, the weather is warmingr,

the crops are producing and the flowers in bloom (and people seem strangely optimistic again) is just find something to enjoy about it.

My sis is coming back from a setback in her cancer treatments--I just can't get in a bad mood now no matter how I try.

A little hope is a marvelous, marvelous thing. Happy Whatever, dammit! We're all here again--if that isn't a good enough reason to celebrate, I don't know what is.

[MineralMan]

2. Yes. It's Spring, and this time has always been a time

of celebration. Renewal is a good thing, whatever form it takes. I'm glad for your good news!

[CountAllVotes]

14. you sound like a good cook

:thumbsup:

Being raised Catholic, Easter will always mean something to me. Lots and lots of memories this day brings to me, memories of the past and of relatives that are no longer with me. :(

I had a godmother that lived to be 101 years old. She was a fantastic cook and she used to cook on on four cylinders for Easter and Christmas.

Those times are long past but I have the memories still luckily; memories of my father and mother (Dad was not very religious so he'd play Easter bunny while we were at Mass and we'd come home and see a 1/2 of a carrot lying in the driveway as a "sign" that the Easter bunny had been there). Kind of bittersweet memories for me, ah it makes me want to cry really as I miss them all so very much and feel horribly a lone too much of the time.

I have a special spot inside of me for Easter I must admit. :)

Thanks for your thoughts today and wow, your cooking sounds fantastic to me! :)

:dem:

[MineralMan]

19. This is a pretty plain meal, really.

If the ingredients are good, it's awfully hard to mess it up. I do enjoy cooking, though.

[kimi]

58. Ah, glad to hear about your sister!

And yes, hope is a wonderful thing.

[Cornus]

3. Thanks

I share your sentiments and wish all a happy day with family/friends.

[MineralMan]

4. Thank you for joining the thread.

Enjoy your day!

[pipi_k]

5. Happy Oyster...

Fellow Atheist/Agnostic who doesn't celebrate Easter either, at least not in the way that Christians celebrate it.

For me, it symbolizes the return of Spring.

Oh, and a salute to the Oyster. I think they're rather disgusting looking, but that doesn't mean they can't have their own special day.

:7

[MineralMan]

8. Sadly, I'm the only one in that group who likes oysters.

Best of everything to you.

[Heidi]

6. Recommended.

I can think of almost no instance where it's anything but condescending and mean spirited for DUers to be insensitive to the religious beliefs or lack of religious beliefs of other people in this community.

[MineralMan]

9. I'm with you on that.

[Heidi]

16. DUers should be safe from mean spiritedness in their community, in my opinion.

That doesn't mean one's beliefs won't or shouldn't be questioned or that debates on these issues won't be vigorous. For me, though, it does mean that the debates won't be insensitive, mean spirited or condescending.

At any rate, none of it should be happening in GD or The Lounge. Within the framework of the DU Rules, Religion/Theology is the place for even the most respectful debates on these matters.

[PotatoChip]

56. Thank you. nt

[PBS Poll-435]

7. I wish you peace and good weather

Things have been a little scary around these parts lately!

And enjoy just a little bit of time to relax and enjoy your family.

[MineralMan]

11. Indeed. Good weather would be very welcome right now.

[FLPanhandle]

10. Recommend

As a fellow atheist, we do the Easter egg thing with the kids and lunch with family. Nothing religious about that and any excuse to have fun and get together is good enough for me.

I also see no harm in it.

[MineralMan]

12. Thanks.

I believe that most non-religious people have tolerance for the beliefs of others. Why wouldn't we?

[OKNancy]

13. Lovely. I don't like to read ridicule of others. It's not what I think a true liberal

is. There is no harm in sharing a meal and time with family and friends. No need to make a fuss.

[MineralMan]

17. Ridicule is generally tinged with something ugly.

Not my favorite color at all.

[Arugula Latte]

15. I like to celebrate the true, original reason for the season -- spring and rebirth in nature.

So, I find eggs fit right in with that, and who doesn't like candy?

:hi:

[MineralMan]

21. Very true.

Spring is worth a celebration any time, especially here in the northern climes.

[riderinthestorm]

18. It's a perfect IL spring day here on the farm. As an atheist, I give all staff the day off

and I do all the chores myself.

My clients are usually pretty congenial on holidays and it's peaceful. We'll make a regular dinner tonight when I get finished and Mad Max just arrived via Netflix so it should be a good night.

The sun feels like a blessing today and I'll bask in it as I work.

Thanks for the thread Mineral Man. Enjoy your day and Happy Easter to those who are believers.

[MineralMan]

22. Mad Max. Excellent choice!

Any time.

[PassingFair]

20. A PassingFair Eostre.

-Arise (because the Corgis won't stop WHINING)
-Shower (because of funk from nature walk yesterday)
-Fertility Rite with Mr. PassingFair (because the kids sleep in on Sundays)
-Dig Out Eostre Basket Junk, hastily purchased yesterday before the nature walk
-Fill
-Tell kids (now awake and on-line) that their Eostre Baskets are on the dining room table
-Read posts from some DUers who think that DU is their CHURCH on this day and only positive religious messages should be allowed.
-Figure out which stores are open, because we are out of milk.
-Break elderly aunt out of nursing home for chocolates and dinner
-Final Fertility Rites
-Sleep

[RagAss]

23. A hearty rec....Enjoy the Spring !

[MineralMan]

27. I can't help enjoying Spring.

Fishing season starts in just a couple of weeks. What's not to enjoy!

[Peacetrain]

24. From a devout Christian to my Atheist friend MineralMan

Good Easter my friend.. Enjoy your family, enjoy your meal, enjoy this beautiful day in your way as I celebrate in mine.

[MineralMan]

25. Thanks very much!

:hug:

[Smarmie Doofus]

26. To me it's all about the Easter Bunny and Peter Cottontail.

The holiday predates the spread of Christianity ( as does Dec. 25th).

People can bring any sort of meaning to it that they wish. Fine by me. ( It might be nice if the relatives spared the nonbelievers the sharing of "Saying Grace"; but it's not the hill I want to die on so I'll just keep quiet if they go into that.)

Nice weather in NYC area. Deliteful, really.

[MineralMan]

35. Just don't put those two together, or you'll learn the true

meaning of the spring fertility celebration in a few weeks. Not for nothing is the bunny the symbol of the celebration. :rofl:

[eridani]

72. What's wrong with grace? Even if you don't believe in a supreme being--

--you still owe thanks to the animals and plants that are your food, and to the people who grew and prepared them.

[hlthe2b]

28. It is good to see the majority of DUers being respectful....

of those who do find the day to be extremely meaningful, even if they don't share those views. Kudos.

[MineralMan]

34. The majority of DUers ARE respectful of others.

That's what make this such a great place. The exceptions are few and irrelevant.

[hlthe2b]

37. True...

Unfortunately, the first "Easter" post I saw was from one of the not-so-sensitive, highly disrespectful members. Rather than lock it, it got a free pass to the Lounge. I think that is really wrong.... and sad.

[MineralMan]

38. Well, there are plenty of positive posts to balance that, I think.

I basically just shrug off the ugly stuff most of the time.

[liberalmuse]

29. Excellent.

Thank you for sharing. :)

[Fridays Child]

30. I'm going to celebrate by going outside, facing east, and waving to all of the easters.

If any DUers who are east of Tucson, Arizona want to wave back, I'll be out there in about 60 seconds. :hi:

[MineralMan]

32. I just came back in from waving at you and the other Westers.

:rofl:

[Fridays Child]

36. I thought that was you.

;)

[blondeatlast]

43. Do you see me waving from Carefree? Little to the west; I'm near I-17--there ya go! I see you!

Happy weather if nothing else; it's GORGEOUS so far!

[Fridays Child]

49. Oh, hi. Yes, it's lovely here, too.

:hi:

[JNelson6563]

54. lolz Good one!

[seabeyond]

31. we did the same last night. was lovely having a gathering, sending 4 teenagers out to hunt eggs

in the evening, in all the silliness... nothing more than a family and friend gathering together, enjoying each other.

i just cannot see the good in creating ugly, for no reason.

[MineralMan]

33. Well, a couple of weeks ago, I saw some pretty ugly

stuff in our local Modern Art Museum. There must have been some good in it, but I'm too uncultured to see it, I guess. :rofl:

[Control-Z]

39. I received my expected

mocking (of my non belief) last night. My future ex criticizes me for doing anything on Easter since I don't believe. After all the years of being criticized for doing Easter eggs and baskets for the kids I've stopped doing anything at all but he still has to call and ask what I'm doing to celebrate the gawd I don't believe in. Some people just want to fight.

Thanks for the good wishes. I wish the same for you.

[krabigirl]

40. I am a non believer in religion, but i celebrate Easter because I love pagan holidays.

[MineralMan]

41. As good a reason as any to celebrate.

[Arugula Latte]

42. There has been a centuries-long War on Eoster ... Why isn't Fox News covering that, huh?

:)
:hi:

[JoePhilly]

44. Fox is covering it ...

A few examples ...

http://thinkprogress.org/2011/04/22/donoue-fox-war-on-easter/
http://nation.foxnews.com/topics/war-on-easter/

[Arugula Latte]

47. No, I'm talking about the pagan origin of Easter called "Eoster" or "Eostre"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C4%92ostre

My point is that a holiday was stolen and co-opted; shouldn't Fox be up in arms about that? (Yeah, I'm not holding my breath.) :)

[REP]

53. ...which may not have existed, but the Pace (vernal equinox) was always celebrated

Christians appropriated by moving it - Easter is a lunar holiday (40 days after the first full moon after the vernal equinox) whereas the old holiday was just the vernal equinox. Easter eggs are still called Pace eggs in parts of the UK, and paschal, etc derive from Pace.

[ReggieVeggie]

45. Happy Sunday!

[Zhade]

46. I understand and support respecting someone's right to believe, but why respect the belief?

That just lends legitimacy to nonsense.

[MineralMan]

48. You misunderstand. I respect their belief.

That means exactly what you said, I respect the fact that they believe. I don't have to believe the same thing as they do, however.

Had I meant what you think I meant, I'd have said that I respected their beliefs. The plural is the difference.

Their belief refers to the act of believing.
Their beliefs refers to the things they believe.

I'm sorry you misunderstood. I hope I've clarified it for you.

[LWolf]

50. If you hadn't reminded me, I wouldn't have known it was Easter.

Today I am burning brush and running the harrow; just in for a break and a drink right now.

It's spring, and my 6 acre crop of weeds, including mustard, cheat grass, mallow, and the horrific perennial peppergrass, have got a head start. It's cloudy and the breeze is coming up; I'll be manning the burn piles with a rake in between bouts with the harrow. It's so damp it's hard to keep them going.

I spent yesterday with my grandson and my mother, but we were stacking hay and fixing fence. :)

I celebrated the equinox last month, truly grateful for the lengthening days.

[MineralMan]

51. Working is good.

And the lengthening days are a wonderful thing, indeed.

[Warren DeMontague]

52. I'm an atheist, too, but that doesn't prevent me from celebrating Easter in the traditional way.

I mean, the REAL traditional way.

[RebelOne]

55. As an atheist, I celebrate Easter as Happy Chocolate Bunny Eating Day. n/t

[Curmudgeoness]

57. That is such a Christian attitude to have. Your show of respect

to others is admirable. Thanks for posting for all us atheists who are not the assholes that some would make us out to be.

[kimi]

59. I'm religious but I appreciate all views

Thank you for respecting your family's beliefs. And it sounds like a great meal, really.

For me, it's all about sharing. It doesn't matter to me, in the end, what people believe so much as that they can gather and share - food, drink, conversation, experiences.

Have a great day! :hi:

[Obamanaut]

60. What a very pleasant post. Thanks for doing it. 'rec' nt

[blueamy66]

61. Sounds perfect to me

Hope you enjoy your day.

[Raine]

62. THANK YOU ... such an enjoyable post to read

whether you are Christian or Atheist, so pleasant and upbeat. :hi:

[Odin2005]

63. This atheist pigged out with family.

My 12yo niece is growing like a weed!!!

[Martin Eden]

64. My sentiments exactly.

I didn't prepare the meal, but I washed the dishes. And ate until I was quite full :thumbsup:

K&R

[SteveG]

65. I celebrate the winter ans spring solstice.

as secular holidays. My wife and I celebrate a secular Christmas and Easter. We have a tree (we collect antique ornaments and want to show them off) and today, we had a cookout. I grilled a (well marinated) London Broils and (well marinated) veggies. We also had steamed Asparagus and green beans (with Old Bay seasoning). It was in the 80's, and a perfect spring day. I walked around the neighborhood, and the red Azaleas were in full bloom and the lilac's and Camila's. Just about a perfect day, and tomorrow is supposed to be a repeat, and I am off.

[sarcasmo]

66. This Atheist spent my day on the beach.

[alfredo]

67. I'm an Atheist and I spent the day sending this video around

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etU_wtP5Pck&feature=player_embedded

[Hissyspit]

68. I for one welcome our large-mouthed cyborg overlords nt

[alfredo]

69. I'm scarred for life by seeing that.

[Baclava]

70. I'm just re-financing my house - - I welcome all god and goddesses to attend my closing

Yes, we can do sacrifices.

[Habibi]

71. Man. Wish there was a "share" button. I'd love to cross-post

this to FB.

[RB TexLa]

73. Thank you, and I hope you enjoyed your day with your family and friends!