Easter Parade

Easter always brings out the bitch in me….

It’s a strange holiday for me…

Part of me resents that the whole world- at least in the USA and at my gym- stops for a purely Christian holiday when we should be living in a multi-cultural world. I mean, it’s not a federal holiday, but you still can’t escape the secular recognition of a Christian holiday. Or go to the gym or get a decent chinese meal.

Even though Passover starts the same day as Good Friday this year, it’s all about Easter.

To me, Easter was always about shopping and new outfits. As far as I knew, Jesus died so you could shop at Belk-Leggetts.

Part of my problem may be the fact that I was raised a Social Christian. When I watch “GCB”, aka “Good Christian Bitches”, on television, it reminds me of the church where I grew up. Admittedly, our Church was not in Dallas and not as wealthy, but there seem to be two kinds of Southern Baptist Churches: Crazy Right Wing Christian Almost Snake Handlers and Social.

Ours was Social Christian. At our Church, most of the Easter Sunday Service was spent looking over your shoulder to see who was wearing what and hearing things like “She wore that hat last year.” or “Poor thing, I bet she made that…”

We were not well trained in liturgy or theology, but then, neither were our ministers….

That’s why I spent most of my time in the Church balcony reading the collective works of Jacqueline Susann.

I realized the depth of my ignorance this year when we went to Maundy Thursday services.

We went to services at a “modern” church where it was a totally musical service. Admittedly, I was concerned before we went.

I live in fear of “Praise Bands”. I think one day God or the Goddess will strike them all down for creating boring, pedestrian, self-indulgent music.

I was pleasantly surprised. The music at this Church used old English hymns with new lyrics. It was actually very nice. I love anything Olde English and it also had a kind of American mountain feel that made me appreciate it in a sociological/anthropological way.

I was also very much aware of how much my Baptist Christian upbringing was lacking. I didn’t have any idea what Maundy Thursday meant and the music was about the Stations of the Cross. For all I knew, the Stations of the Cross meant Jesus took the train to Calvary….

This type of service was a revelation for me. Usually, if I go to a Church it’s to hear a classical music program and wear nice clothes….

If I’m going to subject myself to Christianity, I generally want it to be High Church…

But that may be baggage I carry…

I’m convinced Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell ruined Christianity for several generations. Thanks to them, I can’t escape the feeling that when I go to Church, I’m going undercover in the enemy camp.

But when I do go to a new church, I am amazed at my ignorance…

I figure the Baptist didn’t want us to know too much or think about it all too much. That’s why they are generally Republicans.

That makes me think I need to look into this a little more…

I know more about Passover than I know about Easter…

And I don’t think that’s a bad thing….

I think we all need to stop, think and study what others are celebrating and thinking about on these holidays….

And I think we also need to recognize the pagan holidays they usurped….

I want us to be able to comfortably settle on the acceptance that all these holidays have values and that we chose what to take from each of them…

I can’t accept closing doors and minds to celebrate only one way of life….

I want to try to appreciate all at the views, beliefs and seasons we are celebrating….

And still go shopping….