how can i celebrate it, if i don't understand it???
By jennajen26
@jennajen26 (79)
Canada
April 6, 2009 1:57pm CST
i am not religious at all..i pretty much have always lived my life according to 'the secret', the law of attraction. energies n the universe etc.
when easter comes around, i get very confused, always have.
i have children now and wonder if i should start celebrating it???? they're 2 and 4.
but my problem here is WHAT AM I CELEBRATING??
i am a person who has the NEED to understand things.
and celebrating xmax, valentines day, easter etc. just confuse me coz i don't get it.
i'm not religious so i won't celebrate jesus on xmas, so instead i'll cut down a tree n put it in my house that will ultimately DIE, and spend more money then i should on presents for everyone instead? eh?? i dono..it's just wierd lol
holidays to me are for stores to make tons of money off of us, that's how i see it anyway.
imagine the money that rolls into stores around xmas time!? wow..i've decided not to be a part of it anymore starting last year.
onto easter, where did this bunny come from, and why all the chocolate? what is all this about? someone help, please lol.
xmas, in my mind, is the most stressful time of year, therefor i have stopped celebrating it in that i have stopped SHOPPING for EVERYONE i know. what a GREAT way to go broke! i'm sorry but i would rather show my love for people in other ways..i still see family on xmas, and give hugs n such, but that's about it.
and where did santa clause come from? what's he and the easter bunny have to do with jesus!! AHH
and valentines day, why take one day out of the year to show someone you love them? and again spend tons of money on chocolates n flowers to make the stores happy. why can't ya tell em ya love em all THROUGH the year lol. i don't think it's necessary to have a day devoted to spending all your money on someone you might not even LIKE, let alone love, in a months time lol
but yea i have kids now and it's getting hard..easters coming but i don't want to rot their already rotted teeth, and i'll get 'mom? why are there bunnies n chocolate everywhere?', i'll say I HAVE NO IDEA. it's just what people do? lol
anyways i'd LOVE to hear everyones thoughts on this..thanks!
5 people like this
6 responses
@freethinkingagent (2501)
•
6 Apr 09
Do as thy wilt will be the law and the whole of the law
1 person likes this
so how should a non religious person celebrate easter, if at all?@freethinkingagent (2501)
•
6 Apr 09
And love is the law, love under will. A.'.C.'.
6=5'
1 person likes this
@sunfeienglish (4)
• China
7 Apr 09
what i want to say is that :when you in roman ,do as the romaners do.As a person we can't leave our society and do as you want to do ,and in my opinion family is the most improtant things in our life,if any members have some need ,i will try my best to meet their's need.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
6 Apr 09
Of course if you don't want to celebrate something, don't. It does mean you'll have to take the time to explain why your family doesn't celebrate the holidays that others do, and they might not like it, but that's part of the decision too.
We all have family things that aren't the same as everyone else's family. It doesnt' mean it's wrong, it just means it's different.
1 person likes this
@Galena (9110)
•
6 Apr 09
you don't have to celebrate anything you don't feel.
what has the easter bunny got to do with Jesus? Nothing at all. it's much more to do with the Hare, a Sacred symbol of Spring, and fertility returning to the Earth.
just like Eggs. a sign of fertility and new life.
just as the Christian celebration of Christmas piggybacked on to existing celebrations of the birth of Light to the world, the Winter Solstice, they also chose to celebrate new life at the same time as existing religions, the time of the Vernal Equinox.
both the Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox are Solar Festivals, and Jesus is, to me, another representation of Solar Deity. born to bring light to the world, and sacrificing himself at his peak to bring new life.
these themes are explored in many many religions.
if you want to celebrate the deeper meanings, you don't need a religion if you don't have one, and you don't need to spend a thing.
instead, take the time to feel that the days are now longer than the nights, we are turning towards a time of plenty and light and warmth, and go for a walk somewhere where you can really see nature bursting into life all around you.
@jennajen26 (79)
• Canada
6 Apr 09
ok now that's something i COULD celebrate, the coming of spring n whatnot
i will have to come up with my own holidays and reasonings behind them i think lol
thank you!
@jwfarrimond (4473)
•
7 Apr 09
The practice of gift giving at Christmas comes from the Roman winter festival, the Saurnalia. The Christmas tree ultimately has it's roots in Norse paganism where the tree Yggdrasil was at the centre of the world with its roots in the underworld, the trunk in our world (Midgard) and it's branches in heaven. The tree (specifically the oak tree) is also associated with Odin, and sacrifices to Odin where made by hanging the victim from a branch and running them through with a spear. This might be the reason behind the practice of hanging presents on the Christmas tree - a very faint echo of pagan sacrifice.
The hare and eggs were sacred to Ostara or Eostre, an Anglo - Saxon goddess. Her name was taken over and became the Christian name for the spring festival - Easter. Her name is also the origin of the name given to the female hormone - oestrogen.
@barehugs (8973)
• Canada
7 Apr 09
I know how you feel! I was religious once, until I started thinking about religion. Then I quit the church and never went back. I'm sure Religion is a huge Scam. The biggest Richest in the world. And everyone just keeps throwing money on the plate to buy their way to heaven. Oh God! Why are People so stupid?
@ClassyCat (1214)
• United States
7 Apr 09
The celebration of Easter should actually be the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. Without that, mankind’s salvation would not be possible.
The term Easter, is actually the name of a pagan diety. It is the English translation of the Assyrian diety. Ishtar.
Of course religion has received a bad name for originating the name of the celebration – but it is the name of what most associate with the historical event, when Jesus rose from the grave.
Christmas, is for the celebrating of Jesus’ birth. It has different meanings and associations for different people and religions.
For the Jewish community, it is not Christmas that they celebrate, but
Chanukkah, the Jewish festival of rededication, also known as the festival of lights, is an eight day festival beginning on the 25th day of the Jewish month of Kislev.
When I celebrate Christmas, there is a lot of symbolism in it.
The giving of gifts reminds me of when the wise men brought gifts to the baby Jesus (sad to say, humanity has made it all about “us’.) For me, the Christmas tree is a symbol of reminding me to think about the holiday and its purpose, and all of the decorativeness within it.
The lights in the windows and around homes, reminds me that where the ‘light’ is – is where the joy and happiness is found – and of course when we do have any snow here (not often), it makes me think of a ‘new fresh start’ in life, as God guides me.
I love the festivity of these holidays. It is another reason to give thanks for the blessings that are mine in having enough food to eat, having a nice home, and heat in the winter, and air conditioning in the summer, and especially family and friends to enjoy the holidays with. We are all truly blessed.
Don’t dwell on the confusion, just enjoy what you can, and use these holidays to reflect on “your” blessings in life.
Have a great holiday weekend.
C. C.
@OneEyedGiant (181)
• Indonesia
7 Apr 09
Celebrating is only tradition, the most important is the essencials.
