Viewing Thread:
"This Post Means A Lot To Me..."

Easter is here. Well, in around an hour at time of writing anyway.

So, are you all excited?? Excited that the Easter Bunny is coming and giving you all lovely, chocolate eggs?? Excited about having a nice, big dinner with your family?? Yes, I would expect so. So am I, in fact.

Are you excited about going to Church tomorrow, to celebrate the real meaning of Easter?? Somehow, I don't think so. I expect a lot of ignorant families out there haven't even told their kids the real meaning.

You know what gets me?? That nearly the whole of our country will celebrate Easter tomorrow. And yet, less than half are Christians. I thought Easter was a Christian festival?? If you're a non-Christian and celebrating Easter, who not do the same for all the Jewish and Muslim festivals?? (Although with the Muslim one, you'd spent half your day nodding in front of a wall).

Ashley has just pointed out that while we're all mourning the Queen Mother's death, a significantly more important death happened around 2000 years ago, when Jesus was killed on the cross to wash away our sins. And yet, some don't even KNOW WHO JESUS IS!!

At least most of you on here know, and respect, the views of Christians. I don't know, maybe some of you will think about Jesus tomorrow. But for a lot of people, it will all be about chocolate.

It's all thanks to commercialisation (sp?) It's the same for Christmas. Most celebrate it by giving each-other presents, and eating a massive turkey. If I asked most 5-16 year olds what first came to their head when I said "Christmas", the answer would be presents. The same goes for "chocolate" and "Easter."

Bloody Argos and their stupid funning commercials. "Brighter Presents, Brighter Christmas." Shut it. It's people like you who make Christmas a time where you can get your greedy paws on as much money as possibly, by taking advantage of these festivals. It's people like you that have helped rid the words "Jesus" and "Christianity" from Easter and Christmas. Damn you.


I'd like to ask you a favour. Most newbies and regulars will ignore it, but those of you who know me well may not. Even if you're not a Christian, you can do this. Go to Church. Please. Don't go in the morning if you don't feel up to it, I'm sure there are evening services. Of course you don't have to do this, and I won't care that much if you don't. But if you want to celebrate Easter in the right way, then maybe you'll want to go. If not for that, then for me. Bring your families, if you go to the right Church then it can be a laugh.

Some of you will laugh this proposal off, and I don't mind. If you don't then fine, because I know it's tough. I know most of you won't go, because hey, you don't know me properly. I'm just a name on a chat forum. But maybe...maybe you'll feel like it. I'm hoping so.

If not though, then please just remember this post. Remember me. Remember the true meaning. I'm sorry to rant and rave at you all, about something you probably don't believe in. But it hurts. It hurts to see people ignoring the true meaning of this wonderful festival, where a man proved he was the Son Of God, by coming back from the dead. A miracle. Something that has effected your lives ever since you were born. After all, you can't just ignore the Bible, Church etc. Of course you cannot read the Bible if you don't want to, and you cannot go to Church if you don't want to, but you know they're there.

I'll stop now, I'm probably boring you. If you have taken the time to read this then I thank-you, and if you do choose to go to Church tomorrow then I thank-you profusely. Because it means you have managed to shove away the commercialism for just one hour, in favour of the true meaning. And if you just think about Jesus coming back to life tomorrow, then you have done the same.

Thanks for reading, Ant.

Ant wrote:

shley has just pointed out that while we're all mourning the Queen Mother's death, a significantly more important death happened around 2000 years ago

--

Just read this, and I'm very angry. Whatever your views on the Royal Family, someones REAL died. Jesus is just a belief. I don't believe he existed at all. You cannot judge a real person's death against a person who is possibly fictional.

No.

Because Easter isn't about religion any more. It's about children enjoying themselves on a holiday.

tictac wrote:
It's all based on
> word-of-mouth stories and numerous interpretations of what were only dubious
> claims to begin with.

I agree with tictac, with all due respect to the religios people among us (namely Ant). But then this is a very tricky situation to deal with, and there is a very tough question: can faith overpower science?

These days we keep good records of things, but - just
> as a (slightly daft) example - assume that some disaster wiped out all of our
> current records. Who's to say that in another 2000 years, people won't think
> that Sherlock Holmes really existed and was genuinely a master
> detective?

They did keep records back then, which leads me to ask why they never kept records of these incidents, unless you treat the bible as a record, which I do not.

There is far more scientific, proven evidence to suggest evolution
> than there is to support the theory of God/Jesus. I know it's called
> "faith", but I just don't have that much.

For the third time in this post, I agree with this guy. There are far more scientific reasons than religious reasons that say God/Jesus doesn't exist than to say that he does.

So, can faith overpower science? I say realistically no, but in a perfect world, yes.

Ant wrote:
> Ashley has just pointed out that while we're all
> mourning the Queen Mother's death, a significantly more important death happened
> around 2000 years ago


Ant - with the greatest respect...

The Queen Mother was a real flesh and blood person, we know she existed, we know that she died.

My view is that the same cannot be said of Jesus. It's all based on word-of-mouth stories and numerous interpretations of what were only dubious claims to begin with.

These days we keep good records of things, but - just as a (slightly daft) example - assume that some disaster wiped out all of our current records. Who's to say that in another 2000 years, people won't think that Sherlock Holmes really existed and was genuinely a master detective?

There is far more scientific, proven evidence to suggest evolution than there is to support the theory of God/Jesus. I know it's called "faith", but I just don't have that much.

Slightly off topic, but I'm sure people didn't send Easter cards a decade ago, did they?

Now the card shops seem to dedicate a few racks to them, people are buying them, and sending them....

Ant wrote:
> Bloody Argos and their stupid
> funning commercials. "Brighter Presents, Brighter Christmas." Shut it.
> It's people like you who make Christmas a time where you can get your greedy
> paws on as much money as possibly, by taking advantage of these festivals. It's
> people like you that have helped rid the words "Jesus" and
> "Christianity" from Easter and Christmas. Damn you.

Indeed this is quite true, while i was an argos temp we were taking in £65,000 per day! But i also must say I am not christian or any other religious believer, to me god just doesnt exist. But to mean that means i cant celebrate christmas would be very selfish.

VenomByte wrote:

I have a slightly different view on things. The central message of christianity, as with most religions, is simply to be good to your fellow man. As far as Christmas and Easter are concerned, I have no quibbles with whether or not they think of the origins of the festival, so long as they act in the spirit of that one rule.

Wooo Venom for President. I agree :)

Easter day wasn't a 'normal' Easter for me.

Mainly because it was my grandma's birthday. Now she lives in Portsmouth, and I live in Nottingham. I had to wake up at 6:30 !!! (note: day light savings) to get in a car and sit for 3 hours while I was driven there.

So although I didn't go to church, I still think I did the 'Christian' thing by being with her

I'm sure there's a rule or something that says 'Hnour thy family' or something in the Will Shakesphere (sp) style

Oh, I didn't get to eat any chocolate either >:(

I have a slightly different view on things. The central message of christianity, as with most religions, is simply to be good to your fellow man. As far as Christmas and Easter are concerned, I have no quibbles with whether or not they think of the origins of the festival, so long as they act in the spirit of that one rule.

unknown kernel wrote:


Ant, I
> respect your right to believe whatever you want, and I don't think you deserve
> to be mocked for it. But, if you are going to describe Islam as 'nodding
> against a wall' then you are pushing your luck a little.

LOL!! Yeah, I was a bit angry at the time I wrote it, and so I probably sounded hypocritical. But it does seem to me as though some religions are ludicrous. :D I just don't see how nodding up and down will please your God. :D

Sorry, pushing my luck again. {:)