Easter for non-christian family?

AMG2B

Like others, chocolate eggs have so little to do with religion that I think you can keep them up for your kids just to keep them happy!

However, what I think is interesting is the number of people who say they are not remotely religious but they spend Easter, Christmas etc. with friends and family spending quality time together, or going on walks doing special things together. This is very Christian in itself, and really gives me hope.

Thanks everyone

speranza

I grew up in house that didn't celebrate any holidays that could be considered Christian or 'pagan' in any way, for religious reasons. I'm sure my parents thought they were somehow morally superior for not being hypocrites, but as a kid it just made me feel miserable and excluded and no amount compensating with other 'treats' or compromises altered the fact that I was made to be different through no choice of my own. I don't personally feel there's anything at all 'admirable' about depriving your children of things just so that it will make you feel better. I wish my parents hadn't been so blinded by their ideology, it would have made my childhood much more pleasant!

suzywoozy_3

shelovestobuystuff wrote: »

I think thats how I should be thinking about it,keeping it simple.My OH is always getting on to me for overthinking things:o.The year would be so boring if we didnt have these breaks and fun times to look forward to and plan for anyway.The religious holidays for us basically mark the changing of the seasons and of course families at christmas time,I guess thats what I should concentrate on more in future rather than trying to analyse it.

I think it's really important to have different seasons in the year, not just the physical seasons, but also times of celebration and times of peace and quietness. I think without festivals to celebrate the year would become quite boring. I think it is easy to celebrate spring at Easter time and you need something to cheer you through the winter months and Christmas can do that, it's pretty close to mid winter so you can celebrate that then.

I am a christian so like the religious significance of these times but would want to celebrate these times of cultural significance if not anyway.

jackomdj

margaretclare wrote: »

jackomdj

Did you find the answer to your child's question about why the King wanted to kill all the babies?

Read St Matthew's Gospel chapter 2 - it's clearly explained there. It's because King Herod feared 'who' that baby was, and commanded that they should all be killed as a way of killing just one. But the family escaped into Egypt, Matthew tells us.

All the churches these days have a 'mother and toddler' group. The one at our (Methodist) church is called 'Happy Hands' and it conforms to all the modern requirements of child care, the people who run it, the premises etc, all have to be approved.

All of those old stories are part of the heritage of our nation. I sometimes think that children today are being short-changed. So many common sayings in the language go back to that heritage - the saying 'to wash your hands of' something is what Pilate said at Jesus's trial on Maundy Thursday. I myself was brought up on Bible stories, especially the Old Testament, and I can still recite chunks of it by heart - Ruth's speech to her mother-in-law for instance. As Terry Waite said, it becomes a mental resource to be used when there is nothing else, if you're ill in hospital for example, or imprisoned as he was.

We went to Choral Evensong last evening at Waltham Abbey Church. It was based on the 17th century Prayer Book with that old language that I grew up with, and a beautiful choir - amateurs, but fantastic. The anthem was the Hallelujah Chorus and I have never heard it sung better, not even by Huddersfield Choral Society. We enjoyed it so much.

Sorry for the delay in replying - just refound this thread, they sometimes drop down so fast. Although I do not consider myself a Christian in the typical sense I do know most of the better known bible stories (due to a few years of chosing to go to a great Sunday School as a child).

My reason for not thinking of myself as a true Christian is I do not believe everything I read in the bible, things like God created the world in 7 days, we are made in the image of God...I do however believe that there is something or someone out there, be it God, Budah etc whoever it is (IMO) it will be someone that will not look down on you for not following their religion but will be pleased in you following your beliefs & being faithful to whatever it is you believe in.

Now I have written that I hope I do not upset anyone (as that was not my intention) I just wanted to say why I do not consider that I fit into any faith set.

Nicky x

margaretclare

Hello Nicky

I think that you are a Christian!

The story of the Creation as found in Genesis is a lovely story, but you don't have to believe that the earth was created in 7 days exactly as it says! I doubt if you could find many Christians who believe that as fact.

Bless you!

roy_harper

My Father told me that Easter eggs were to symbolise the stone being rolled away from tomb of Jesus.

gibboelli

speranza wrote: »

I grew up in house that didn't celebrate any holidays that could be considered Christian or 'pagan' in any way, for religious reasons. I'm sure my parents thought they were somehow morally superior for not being hypocrites, but as a kid it just made me feel miserable and excluded and no amount compensating with other 'treats' or compromises altered the fact that I was made to be different through no choice of my own. I don't personally feel there's anything at all 'admirable' about depriving your children of things just so that it will make you feel better. I wish my parents hadn't been so blinded by their ideology, it would have made my childhood much more pleasant!

Totally agree, it would be your children getting the miserable life for your beliefs. And whats wrong with Santa? No religious stuff there, just a nice idea.