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The Forum > Article Comments > Why not Compassion Day instead of Easter Monday? > Comments

Why not Compassion Day instead of Easter Monday? : Comments

By Eric Claus, published 24/3/2005

Eric Claus suggests we replace replace Easter Monday with a secular holiday.

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Nothing like a good long weekend to sharpen up the religion debate.

Like Christmas, Easter is just another festival that was co-opted by the christians in order to ease the transition from pagan traditions. Easter eggs, for example, are entirely pre-christian. The movable date of easter each year is still a compromise between various religious factions, none of whom can identify sufficiently accurately the date of the crucifixion. (In that case, I wonder how come they are so sure about Christmas?).

Boaz, typically, wonders how anyone who is not christian can possibly be compassionate anyway, since this is entirely the prerogative of those who agree with his beliefs:

"I find myself asking the question "Why" be compassionate if u don't have a personal faith in God ?"

I wonder if you realize how profoundly arrogant and condescending that sounds, Boaz?

Easter, autumn break, compassion day, broken teddy-bears day, pink carnation day, what's the difference?
Posted by Pericles, Saturday, 26 March 2005 5:44:55 PM
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Pericles, welcome back
yes, I realize that what I said is quite "In-ur-face", of COURSE one doesn't need the christian faith to have a sense of compassion. I just raise the question of why bother, for the same philosophical reasons that occupied quite a bit our our time in an earlier discussion.
As pointed out by one poster, its not whether we have a compassion day that's so much at issue, but much more that the suggested day is Easter Monday, which is an entrenched and cherished existing tradition. If people want to have any kind of day, make it separate, thats all we are saying. But I'm adding into the mix the philosophical aspect because I grow weary of people expressing wishy washy sentimentalism which is in contradiction to the reasonable implication of their life presuppositions. Sorry for the mouthful there.
The 60s were all about 'questioning' the values which had been handed down from our conservative and moralistic parents, such questions were asked, and we got the hippy movement, the counter culture and Charles Manson and a clockwork orange. They all asked WHY the hell should I be this and that 'just' because mum and dad tell us. They were really saying "What is the basis" of these things. Many went into existentialism and got lost in drugs, as it dawned on them that life IS pretty much meaningless once u have thrown the baby and the bathwater out.
Hence, I rant, woffle and mutter, about such things as 'absolute truth' which I've modified to saying "ultimate" truth, scratching for words to convey the idea of the Divine Human encounter in Salvation history and finally in Christ.

Anyway, on another topic if I may for a moment. My wife was telling me about her Granny, who became Christian from the 'old' culture, and she was yapping away about how bad it was, where they used to place corpses under the house until all the flesh had been disposed of by the bugs. It's good to hear that what one has brought to others is valued. (culture change)
Posted by BOAZ_David, Saturday, 26 March 2005 11:01:46 PM
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Hi Boaz - The reason for suggesting Easter Monday is that we are unlikely to get another public holiday added to the calendar and there are already two public holidays for Christians and zero for everybody else. Seven million Aussies frozen out.

Wouldn't it be more fair to have one of the three religous holidays for everybody? Christians could still celebrate Easter Monday as they always have. Nobody would take Easter Monday away. It would still be there for every Christian. Having it on the same day assures that.

Christians and the government would just be saying "We want everybody to join in the celebrations. We don't care what your religion or spirituality is, we want you to celebrate compassion with us."
Posted by ericc, Saturday, 26 March 2005 11:42:26 PM
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Ringtail ,I remember at school when the priests were telling us how superior all us humans were to animals and it was right that we we should have the power to use animals at our will.Well, when pets such as dogs come into families, they cease to be more than just mere animals.Dogs can sense our emotions and thus become an integral part of a family .They also become more intelligent having more time to learn and don't have to worry about survival.They develop almost human like qualities and are not judgemental and faithful to the end.This is why they become our best friends.
Pre-occupation with the power of "god"like a man pre-occupied with the power of his penis.The image may impress himself and a few peers,but in practical performance and application of love,there is a lot left to be desired.
Isn't it odd that the reverse of dog ,is god.Perhaps those consumed with the power of their god have missed the wealth of emotion and knowledge that the little things in life have to offer.
I've been on the inside and know that what religions secretly yearn is unquestioning and absolute power over their followers.Their biggest fear is that free thinkers will be able to instill a moral fabric into society,since that is their last bastion of relevance.
The religions however are organised and mobilised,but free thinkers are fragmented and unaware of their importance in the development of
morality and trust in our society.It is time for "The responsible others"to come to the fore
Posted by Arjay, Saturday, 26 March 2005 11:54:28 PM
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Boaz, it is an exasperating habit of yours to write something totally outrageous and fundamentally wrong, then to excuse yourself by saying 'I exaggerated, but only to make a point.' You quite deliberately questioned the right of non-christians to feel compassion, then equally baldly state "of COURSE one doesn't need the christian faith to have a sense of compassion." I strongly suspect you of arguing merely to hear the sound of your own voice, metaphorically speaking, rather than to present cogent and arguable points.

I also question your statement "...Easter Monday, which is an entrenched and cherished existing tradition". Amongst whom? Perhaps in Australia, home of the sacred Public Holiday, but not in the United States, where it hasn't existed in any of the States since the '80s. Face it, there is no specifically religious tie to this day.

Perhaps while you are about it you can explain to me why Easter is a movable feast, and Christmas is not? Wouldn't it be so much tidier to celebrate Christmas on a Sunday every year, like we do Easter? I suspect it's just another control thing.
Posted by Pericles, Sunday, 27 March 2005 4:37:49 PM
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And what a great Easter it was! When I read the article initially, I naturally associated Eric's call for a secular holiday with the annual call for a ban on Christmas (one which annoys me profusely).

Reflecting on my experiences this Easter however, I came to the conclusion that Christmas and Easter are already secular. I'm not a Christian: yet Christmas and Easter are my favourite times of the year. I don't attend attend Church services, but I give plenty of presents and easter eggs. My experiences of Christmas and Easter are 'pagan', secular and loads of fun!

Since Christmas and Easter are already inclusive of all minorities, we don't need a secular holiday. If we are to have a 'secular' holiday, why not just Australia day?
Posted by davo, Monday, 28 March 2005 8:28:48 PM
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