Crucify the Bunnies?

Posted Sunday, April 5, 2009, at 1:58 AM

Recently I made a trip to Wal-mart with my family. As we rounded the first corner and headed down the long straightaway behind the register area, I noticed the hundreds of packages of chocolate bunnies and Easter eggs. So, being a preacher I asked my seven year old daughter, "Do you see Jesus in there anywhere?" Of course she giggled and we went on, but it got me to wondering, why doesn't anyone have a huge push on Jesus T-shirts and things that pertain to His death and Resurrection. So this year in order to fight against the secular market stealing the meaning of Easter I've decided to take a trip over to New Covenant Christian bookstore and buy something that has to do with the real meaning of the Resurrection holy day (Easter). I challenge all you Jesus loving Christians to do the same. And maybe one day the isles of all stores will be packed with Jesus stuff instead of stuffed bunnies and chocolate crosses.

UPDATE-I just wanted to included this photo of the shirt I bought and have been sporting for the season.

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I agree totally Kelly!

-- Posted by michaelbell on Sun, Apr 5, 2009, at 7:14 AM

Interesting post Kelly.

We certainly commercialize Christmas and as you pointed out Easter. It made me wonder if the US is responsible for commercializing our Christian Holidays or how did it start?

What other religions do this?

-- Posted by stevemills on Sun, Apr 5, 2009, at 8:08 AM

none that I know of , because it is against their;s to have a image or likeness of God.

-- Posted by michaelbell on Sun, Apr 5, 2009, at 8:44 AM

Easter was not originally a Christian holiday. Before the spread of Christianity, Easter was a three-day holiday called Oestara celebrated by Northern European agrarian peoples to encourage fertile and bountiful production of crops and livestock. Bunnies and eggs were two of the most prominent symbols of reproduction. When the Christians invaded their lands and conquered their peoples, this holiday was changed to the more somber Easter honoring the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Since it is nearly impossible to eradicate the beliefs of an entire people, the Northern Europeans meshed Oestara and the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus together into something they could understand. As Northern Europeans colonized the New World (America), the bunnies and eggs came right along with them. Hence, death/rebirth and eggs/bunnies will forever be entwined in our culture though a majority of people do not understand the origins.

-- Posted by spiritfolk on Sun, Apr 5, 2009, at 12:04 PM

"Well its got to be a chocolate jesus

Good enough for me

Got to be a chocolate jesus

Good enough for me

Well its got to be a chocolate jesus

Make me feel good inside

Got to be a chocolate jesus

Keep me satisfied"

With apologies to Tom Waits,I just can't imagine nibbling parts of the body of a Cadbury Christ.

(I even feel sorry for the chicks and rabbits.)

I think a similar sentiment caused the cancellation of an exhibit by Cosimo Cavallo called "My Sweet Lord" that was to have been shown in New York during Holy Week in 2007.

http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/msnbc/Compo...

But,if people do decide to put the Lord ahead of Ishtar,we might see more confections like these:

http://www.chocolatefantasies.com/mary_j...

http://www.chocolatefantasies.com/Cross....

http://www.chocolatefantasies.com/largeA...

http://web.me.com/rimabg/OSJ/Seasonal_Sp...

or even these:

http://www.chocolatefantasies.com/Jewish...

http://www.chocolatefantasies.com/HappyP...

But,there is a certain precedent for combining spirituality with confection.

It begins with students licking honey spread on the letters of the Torah.

Where might it take us next?

-- Posted by quantumcat on Sun, Apr 5, 2009, at 1:53 PM

spiritfolk you are correct,we have intergrated the old folk holidaies with the Christian holy days.

I just taught my son when he was little about rebirth and the celebration of new life, through nature and the death and resurrection of christ. Anything can be used as a example of

Christ.

-- Posted by 4fabfelines on Mon, Apr 6, 2009, at 8:22 AM

It is truly disappointing that when folks learn the truth of any situation,they will then just keep right on joining in with it , rather than staying away from pagan beliefs and practices .

As was mentioned earlier ,Easter was not originally a Christian holiday.and it still isn't ------what do Bunnies and eggs , the two most prominent symbols of reproduction, have to do with honoring the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? When the beliefs ( Oestara and the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus together) were meshed that's where our problems begin for as GOD says in his own word ----what good does light have with darkness?

Instead of saying ---all of this is false and we need to support what is true . Folks in general just accept it and go on as if it's nothing .

After he learns the facts, what person who sincerely loves Jehovah would continue to accept beliefs and practices based on a compromise with pagan worship? To some persons these teachings or practices may seem like little things. But the Bible clearly says: "A little leaven ferments the whole lump."--Galatians 5:9.

This is in effect the same as parents telling their children NOT to do a certain thing and the child says yeah ok , it's wrong to do that BUT >>and goes right ahead doing it . How would we as parents feel? Isn't Jehovah Our Father ? wouldn't he be hurt that we in effect are doing just that ?

-- Posted by blueanjell on Thu, Apr 9, 2009, at 12:38 PM

Mission 4 Life

Kelly Fernandez

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Originally from Rutherford County, Fernandez moved to Shelbyville to pastor "The Crossing" church and has lived here for two years.

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