Easter has been hijacked

Or want to convert a Christian to atheism

The pagan festival has got nothing to do with Easter. It is celebrated on 21 March, the Spring solstice, while the religious festival called Easter in this country is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon occurring on or after the vernal equinox. So several weeks later.

The fact that the early English preferred to use the local name for the pagan spring festival for the Christian religious festival as well is purely incidental and a matter of local custom and practice. Other countries use a version of the name of the Jewish festival of Passover, that also happens at this time. Pasque, in French or Paschal,(an adjective) in English.

Yes I think you may be correct there Annibach. Interesting, perhaps they have a small doubt that they may have backed the wrong team!

Atheists seem to have a problem with Christians yet Christians don't have a problem with atheists, wonder why atheists speak out so, no one is forced or even asked to share the Christian faith

It is sad & true that Christmas & Easter have been hijacked by commercialism.
Also unless children go to faith schools or church on a Sunday or have parents who explain the biblical reasons many will not know the story of Jesus Christ.
Thankfully this country maintains the traditional celebration of both, it is up to all of us to inform ,educate & maintain these traditions & beliefs to every generation, so that as adults they can at least make informed choices decisions etc about the country & world they live in.

historyforatheists.com/2017/04/easter-ishtar-eostre-and-eggs/

Try reading this for serious and properly researched history.

It's reassuring to know that so many of us, pagan, Christian, atheist or whatever, are comfortable in our own skin and happy for others to celebrate our mutual high days and holidays however they wish. It must be very wearing to be forever looking out for faults and slights. Your post is spot on, Eglantine.

Cherry , how lovely

Same with me Iam, why do some think those all who attend church are Tory. Could be because they think of Marx ?, I have several priest friends who share my political views

Oddly enough Annie, Henry 8 never troubles me when I’m in Church either. I ponder on the critical comments, like ‘conservative party at prayer’ because Church has never felt like that to me. Also, maybe it’s the old issue of mixing with people like ourselves, but my clergy friends are all left leaning. Something I’m sure they share with Jesus, given his teachings.

During the school Easter concert my little
4 yr old grandson was wearing ear defenders and sadly found it difficult to hear the music and sing along with the other children.

Yesterday as he was sitting on the mat playing cars with his cars,
A little voice was singing Hosanna king of kings!
It made my Easter!

Strange but I don't Henry 8 a thought when I am in Church

Exactly anniebach

I've never got the rellevance of the Church of England ,founded by a man who was an adulterer and murderer ..even if he didn't do the deed himself.Simply so he could marry and dispose of wives as he chose .If it works for you though?

And if queenie had always tied ribbons to a tree the news would have reported - the queen observed the pagan tradition of decorating a tree with ribbons.

Sounds a great day Petra ?

Sorryyggdrasil whitsun / Pentecost is then because of one of the Jewish harvest festivals this one 50 days after Passover. The television news has mentioned that the Queen observed the tradition of attending church.......she just happens to be head of the Church of England and attends church every week! We even had Radio 2 presenters wishing us a Happy Good Friday. Perhaps I’m lin a time weary or it is April 1st?

Annie exactly
My grandchildren are very aware of the 'Christian' meaning of Easter but we all had a great day at Adventure Island on Southend sea front and then onto the arcades to throw my money away, again!!!

Atheists spend it as wished . Pagens spend it as wished. Christians spend it as wished. Quite simple isn't it

Pagan and Christian fit together perfectly at Easter, as they do at Christmas.

I am not at all a religious person, but I have always loved Easter and see it as a symbolic progression from death to life, as in nature. I have enough Christian tradition in me to be quite shocked when Good Friday is treated as a jolly holiday, as it usually is unless you’re a churchgoer.

I was awake early this morning and idly watching BBC Breakfast from 6a.m. The fact that it was Easter Day was not even mentioned (except in the weather forecast) until a very long way in to the programme. I thought that was odd. It shows that Easter has much less significance in people’s consciousness than Christmas does.

“An it harm no one, do as you will”

Thanks Eglantine 21, a joyous and positive way to celebrate the coming of new life, spring and whatever faith you hold in your heart.

Eglantine I especially love the ‘An it harm no one’ - I wish more people lived their lives with this in mind.

I would not like anyone to think that Gracesgrans aggressive reply to Floradora represents Pagan belief in any way whatsoever.

"An it harm no one, do as you will."

The emphasis is on do no harm.

I’m with ginny everyone can celebrate Easter as they want to. Like other ‘christian’ feasts it was a celebration in earlier, older religions.