Skiergirl24 Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 I was at dinner with my Dad yesterday and he said "Today is Ash Wed." To which I replied "Oh, yeah." I know he brought it up to bring to my attention that he is Christian and that The Holidays are approaching and that he disapproves of my leaving the faith etc. I let it roll off my back. However, I am nervous about the upcoming Holidays. Easter is a pain in the ass. Ash Wed, Blessing of the Throats, Palm Sunday, and Good Fri etc. From the outside looking in I can see what a colossal waste of time and Christian "Cattle Call" the whole process is. I want NO part of it. I know that even if I refuse to go to Mass (which I will) I will be asked to come to the ceremonies (the eating of ham - which I HATE with a passion and always have) and the family socializing. I don't want to socialize with the mindless sheep that I am related to. No thanks. Truth be told - I want to be out of Christianity 100%. I don't feel like I should I conform to the schedule of a religion in which I no longer belong. I don't want to go "celebrate" the "resurrection" of a make believe deity. And I cannot go and pretend to enjoy myself either. The religious undertones of any Christian Holiday, even for non-believers, are always there. What COULD be a nice gathering of family and friends is laced throughout with memories of how badly the church mind-fucked me in my youth. I don’t want to have anything to do with it. Anyone else feel the same way? People say “Just go and think of it as a way to see your family and friends.†No…I don’t want to do that. It is a holiday…and no matter what it FEELS like I am being made to conform to the standards of a fucked up Church that I LOATHE with every fiber of my being. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
no-one Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 The only association I have had with Easter over the last 5 or 6 years has involved chocolate (eggs!! a totally pagan symbol), and that's the way I like it I know loads of people who aren't even religious but have still given up something for lent. I think most of them see it as an opportunity to diet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_raven23 Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 As no-one indicated, Easter (even down to the name of the holiday) is just another seasonal celebration tradition outright stolen and twisted by earlier christians to justify conversion to the "true faith" Essense of early christian advertizing - Become a christian, we celebrate all the same stuff you already to + we have a heavenly guarantee and a valid get out of firey pit coupon! You have nothing to lose! Fine Print: Except 10% loss of your gross income. Applicants are subject to donating time to the building and maintenence of church facilities and support of clerical salary. Product may also subject the children and possibly wives of users to sexual advances by clerical members at any time. Heavenly guarantee revoked at clerical discression at any time for any reason. Product may cause anxiety, sleepless nights, stress, and a sense of apathy for the world around you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skiergirl24 Posted February 7, 2008 Author Share Posted February 7, 2008 As no-one indicated, Easter (even down to the name of the holiday) is just another seasonal celebration tradition outright stolen and twisted by earlier christians to justify conversion to the "true faith" Essense of early christian advertizing - Become a christian, we celebrate all the same stuff you already to + we have a heavenly guarantee and a valid get out of firey pit coupon! You have nothing to lose! Fine Print: Except 10% loss of your gross income. Applicants are subject to donating time to the building and maintenence of church facilities and support of clerical salary. Product may also subject the children and possibly wives of users to sexual advances by clerical members at any time. Heavenly guarantee revoked at clerical discression at any time for any reason. Product may cause anxiety, sleepless nights, stress, and a sense of apathy for the world around you. BAHAHA I love it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted February 7, 2008 Super Moderator Share Posted February 7, 2008 My dad used to pull that same shit on me all the time. I finally told him he would see little of me if he devoted 100% of his time at gatherings playing the holier-than-thou guy at the table. Eventually he started to pray silently at the table and I let him know I appreciated that. We had many discussions along the way, always left with me saying, "I tried and can't find any reason to believe what you do, but I respect your right to your understanding of our world and I expect, no - demand, you extend the same courtesy to me." Every family dynamic is different. I understand your dilemma, and wish you well. - Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbie Posted February 7, 2008 Share Posted February 7, 2008 As an ex-Catholic, I'm still marking Lent. I had pancakes on Pancake Tuesday (maybe just a British thing). I've also decided to take up extra sins for Lent to balance things out. More drinking, more smoking, more drugs and more junk food. I'm really looking forward to Good Friday. As the holiest day in the Catholic calendae I intend to use it to eat loads of meat and junk food, drink loads, smoke, take drugs and have gay sex. Lent used to be a time when I felt guilty because I should. Now it's a time to celebrate life and spit in their faces so I'm gonna enjoy life to the full. Fuck Catholicism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluewizard Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 I'm wondering the same thing, this is my first year where I'm not forced to go to church anymore and I haven't been in 4 months, and I plan on skipping out on going to Easter services on Sunday, i just don't see the point in going considering I'm an atheist and don't want anything to do with the church. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 As an ex-Catholic, I'm still marking Lent. I had pancakes on Pancake Tuesday (maybe just a British thing). I've also decided to take up extra sins for Lent to balance things out. More drinking, more smoking, more drugs and more junk food. I'm really looking forward to Good Friday. As the holiest day in the Catholic calendae I intend to use it to eat loads of meat and junk food, drink loads, smoke, take drugs and have gay sex. Lent used to be a time when I felt guilty because I should. Now it's a time to celebrate life and spit in their faces so I'm gonna enjoy life to the full. Fuck Catholicism. That sounds dangerously close to 'I DON'T BELIEVE IN YOU!!!!!' Who are you getting at? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astreja Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 As no-one indicated, Easter (even down to the name of the holiday) is just another seasonal celebration tradition outright stolen and twisted by earlier christians to justify conversion to the "true faith" Chocolate is the reason for the season. (Oh, and bunny rabbits, too.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garrisonjj Posted February 17, 2008 Share Posted February 17, 2008 As an ex-Catholic, I'm still marking Lent. I had pancakes on Pancake Tuesday (maybe just a British thing). I've also decided to take up extra sins for Lent to balance things out. More drinking, more smoking, more drugs and more junk food. I'm really looking forward to Good Friday. As the holiest day in the Catholic calendae I intend to use it to eat loads of meat and junk food, drink loads, smoke, take drugs and have gay sex. Lent used to be a time when I felt guilty because I should. Now it's a time to celebrate life and spit in their faces so I'm gonna enjoy life to the full. Fuck Catholicism. Excuse me, but very unhealthy behavior. You won't be around for many easters at that rate. Be well, and take care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest eejay Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 I was at dinner with my Dad yesterday and he said "Today is Ash Wed." To which I replied "Oh, yeah." I know he brought it up to bring to my attention that he is Christian and that The Holidays are approaching and that he disapproves of my leaving the faith etc. I let it roll off my back. However, I am nervous about the upcoming Holidays. Easter is a pain in the ass. Ash Wed, Blessing of the Throats, Palm Sunday, and Good Fri etc. From the outside looking in I can see what a colossal waste of time and Christian "Cattle Call" the whole process is. I want NO part of it. I know that even if I refuse to go to Mass (which I will) I will be asked to come to the ceremonies (the eating of ham - which I HATE with a passion and always have) and the family socializing. I don't want to socialize with the mindless sheep that I am related to. No thanks. Truth be told - I want to be out of Christianity 100%. I don't feel like I should I conform to the schedule of a religion in which I no longer belong. I don't want to go "celebrate" the "resurrection" of a make believe deity. And I cannot go and pretend to enjoy myself either. The religious undertones of any Christian Holiday, even for non-believers, are always there. What COULD be a nice gathering of family and friends is laced throughout with memories of how badly the church mind-fucked me in my youth. I don’t want to have anything to do with it. Anyone else feel the same way? People say “Just go and think of it as a way to see your family and friends.†No…I don’t want to do that. It is a holiday…and no matter what it FEELS like I am being made to conform to the standards of a fucked up Church that I LOATHE with every fiber of my being. With Easter coming up so soon, I was kind of looking on articles dealing with how to handle religious holidays/celebrations. It's been many many years since I've attended any particular religious services, however, what little there is left of my family, still celebrates these holidays. It is often the only time, we can get together, but it is uncomfortable for me even though, none of the closer relatives actually attend church right now. Why even bother to acknowledge the day? I am grateful that my brother in laws's Dad, does not ever begin a meal with grace, but they still do the whole other charade. I am just wondering how the majority of you go about these days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gradstu09 Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Been a couple--shit, no--four years for me of no fasting, no abstinence, and no horribly long Palm Sunday mass. I have to say that it's one of the things about Catholicism that was easiest to give up. I barely even remember when Easter is anymore. I live away from my family, and while I'm sending a lily to my grandma and calling my mom and brother, the only 'real' Easter thing I'm doing is having ham for dinner. But I love ham, so any excuse to eat it is a-ok with me. Everyone's family dynamic is different, but when I am home over christmas, I go to mass just so my gram doesn't get upset. Mass over christmas tends to break out the special choirs and the traditional songs, though, and I'm okay with having a free seat to the concert, so long as I can vent about the ridiculous homilies afterwards. But christmas and easter season are so different in tone. Easter was always my least favorite liturgical season. I feel for those of you who feel trapped by family into the guilt of the 'celebration'. eejay, if your family isn't much for believing (or practicing it) anymore, maybe you could start a motion to make Easter an official family weekend instead of an official holy day with family stuff thrown in. Who knows, people might be glad to stop participating in the charade and be okay with just enjoying the time together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xandermac Posted March 14, 2008 Share Posted March 14, 2008 Easter is my birthday. 51 years old. I plan to have a hangover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4truth Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 It's my first easter out also, but so far I haven't found it nearly as bad as Christmas. From Thanksgiving to xmas everywhere I went it seemed like they were playing those stupid xmas carols. I got so sick of hearing about jesus constantly. Plus xians can be even more obnoxious that time of year, insisting on "merry xmas" instead of "happy holidays", "jesus is the reason for the season", "put christ back in xmas" ad nauseum. At least with easter there's not really a public push to agree with someone else's delusions. I'm looking forward to having my kids over for ham and our traditional bunny cake ( how spiritual) and keeping the day as secular and chocolate-oriented as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vendredie Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 This is my second Easter season as an atheist. Easter is only a religious occasion if we're going to church at the time. It hasn't been for two years now. Now it's just Easter eggs and candy and the big Easter dinner. Christmas for me is harder, since Christmas is a religious tradition. It was secular last tiem around though. My parents didn't break out the Jesus decorations (well, as many of them), didn't yell at me for not believing, didn't try to find a church for a candlelight service mostly for the sake of my soul. It didn't feel like Christmas though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ro-bear Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 I suppose I was eleven or twelve the last time I went to church on Easter. Well over thirty years ago. My kids have a totally secular perspective on Easter. They think it's about a bunny that hides eggs. Christmas is about a fat reverse-burglar who enters homes and leaves presents. The only times they have been to church have been funerals of relatives and the summer fish-fry at the liberal church of my late father-in-law. They have access to a bible, but show little interest. I provide enough information about religion to make them barely culturally literate in that regard. I want them to know the stuff, but as they are bored by it I don't want to push it. Maybe I can find a reasonably interesting documentary about "Religions of the World" or something. I'm relieved that they show no tendency toward religiosity. My kids don't know the Ressurection story that well, but they still find Easter fairly egg-citing. They are dyeing for Easter to arrive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Japedo Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 The religious undertones of any Christian Holiday, even for non-believers, are always there. What COULD be a nice gathering of family and friends is laced throughout with memories of how badly the church mind-fucked me in my youth. I don’t want to have anything to do with it. Anyone else feel the same way? People say “Just go and think of it as a way to see your family and friends.†No…I don’t want to do that. It is a holiday…and no matter what it FEELS like I am being made to conform to the standards of a fucked up Church that I LOATHE with every fiber of my being. Skier, Do what's best for you and don't apologize for it. 'Holy Holidays' used to bother me greatly, but after time in dealing with my anger and so forth I've come to find new meaning in them, it wasn't easy, but now I love them for my own reasons. Religious indoctrination takes awhile to leave on the emotional level, everyone deals with it at different paces, if it's not something you want to subject yourself to then don't do and don't allow anyone to guilt you into doing so. Regaining emotional control is a necessary step in recovery. Standing up and saying no thanks is very potent. Hook up with a friend and do something new and different you've never done before. Tell the family you have other plans and make time to have dinner with your family on a different day. Ask for them to make something you like and you'll bring the wine or what have ya. Good luck, the first of anything is always the hardest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godlessgrrl Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Easter is a co-opted pagan holiday anyway, nicked by the RCC in a PR move. Thieving bastards... But then, if the RCC could steal a holiday and make it their own, why can't anybody do the same today? I certainly plan to. On Good Friday I'm going to an initial meetup of a local freethinkers' group. On Easter itself, I will be going to a zombie movie party - appropos, since Jeebus is the ultimate zombie. Brains.... brains...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apostate called Jimmy Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 I know EXACTLY how you feel. This too will be my first easter as an ex-xian. My old man is also a bit of a fundamentalist horse's ass. I'm so sick of having to deal with this bullshit cult on a daily basis even when I no longer believe. And not only do I not believe, christianity pretty much goes against all the things I stand for. Well, I got through my first x-mas as a non-believer and I'll get through this one. Happy St. Paddy's day by the way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PandaPirate Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 I never thought of Easter as a Christian holiday. It's NOT a Christian holiday. Yes, before this Spring Holiday was mostly known as Easter, it was called Eostre, Oastre, or Ostara by Pagans, and still is today. This is a Fertility season, where in Pagan Tradition, The Goddess is in her Maiden Aspect, and is joined with The God, and they make everything fertile abloom again. The bunnies are some of the patron Spirits of the time, because they are known for their fertility. (And you know what they about bunnies, don't you?) There is an old folk tale, where a chicken laid her eggs, and instead of having chicks, out hatched little bunnies from her eggs, signifying the fertility of the land. Thus comes the tradition of Easter or Ostara eggs. The Goddess Eostre, as one name of the Holiday is Named For, is the Spring Fertile Earth Goddess, often seen as a Maiden or Mother. She is often pictured with animals, many times little chicks, eggs that have yet to be hatched, and little bunnies or deer (notice the Divine Masculine Symbolism there, since in this Holiday The Feminine and the Masculine come together to bloom), decorated eggs, or cakes and ale for offering. Interestingly enough, Eostre, is said to have a Wild Bunny/Hare as her Male Husband/Consort. (Easter bunny.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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