So today was Easter.
A friend of mine, Pat Coyle, posted a question today on Smaller Indiana, that made me desire to respond. The question was “Can Easter Eggs really walk on water?” Although asked tongue in cheek, the point of the question was, what is Easter all about? Are we celebrating a miracle that occurred 2,000 years ago? Or is today just about eggs and bunnies?
This whole idea of Jesus, or more so, “God” has made me question a lot through the years. Recently, in an effort to find the truth, I’ve been studying this topic pretty heavily the last few months. I’ve struggled with the idea of how one religion could be right and others wrong. I’ve wondered if we were all praying to the same “God,” but calling him different names.
Then something really stood out to me in my readings, and it was the life of Jesus. Jesus did indeed walk on this earth, as a man. Nearly all religions have testament to this, including, Buddhism. That said, the man, Jesus, made claim to be one and the same with God and his deity.
In looking at that, Jesus’ comments came off as blasphemy, and he was punished, and ultimately crucified for this. However, let’s consider our options here, either Jesus was a) telling the truth, and indeed was our Lord, or b) he was committing blasphemy, and thus, was a liar. Those are our only two choices.
Okay, let’s consider these choices: Lord or Liar?
In Hinduism, they consider Jesus a great guru, and some even say he is an avatar (incarnation of God on earth). Mahatma Gandhi, considered Jesus a teacher and inspiration. In Islam, Jesus is known as Isa and is one of God’s highest-ranked and most-beloved prophets. These are only a few examples, but if these two strong religions have this to say about Jesus… how could he be seen as a liar?
Jesus then said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6)
I think I’ll continue to celebrate his crucifixion and resurrection, minus the bunnies and eggs.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Julie Hunter // Mar 23, 2008 at 10:34 pm
Amen. My family thinks I’m off my rocker, but I refuse to participate in the commercialization of Easter. My daughter hasn’t had a “Easter basket” in years. Very thoughtful of you, Jim. I think everyone should have their own relationship with God, I just personally choose to not put a moniker on that relationship. It is not one religion for me, it just simply is.
2 Jonah // Mar 25, 2008 at 1:10 pm
So if one gives up the commercialization of Easter, why not do the same for Christmas?
Or..do Easter egg hunts on Saturday, and leave the celebration of Jesus resurrection for Sunday. Heck, egg hunts in general are fun. Why just limit it to Easter? Super Bowl egg hunts, Tax Day egg hunts, IU beats UK egg hunts. The possibilities are endless!
3 j.Brown // Mar 25, 2008 at 10:00 pm
@ Jonah – you crack me up… I like all of the above with the exception of the IU betas UK egg hunts… because then they would never happen.
4 Chris // May 29, 2009 at 9:18 am
I was wondering where this article would lead when I read the title. I will start by saying that I agree in the idea that the whole deal is commercialized and therefore, ridiculous to me! The same goes for most holidays associated with Christianity in general.
Religion on the other had is a subject, that much like you, I choose to ponder and research, but more for the fact that something just doesn’t add up to me. I do believe there is a divine being, some sort of creator, but Jesus, Allah, Buddha….I just don’t buy it.
Here is my biggest problem with this; we all know that throughout the years of human life, man has tried to explain the things that happen in this world. And at the earliest of times, there were not very many methods to assist with doing this, so what would be better than to just say there is a mystical and divine reason that man could not possibly understand.
Then we decided to be a little more educated and not leave faith as out only answer to some of life’s questions. Through the years science has explained to the very core what causes our universe and most things in it to be as it is. I am not a follower of scientology btw!!
My point is this, religion was started to help explain the unexplained. I think that for the most part people need to believe as human beings that there is ultimately “someone” in control. That the reason that things happen is “inshallah” as my good Iraqi friends always put it (It is God’s will).
The very idea that Christianity was controlled and corrupted by the Catholic church, and that we STILL hold true to the same teachings even as we discuss how they came about because of the cruelty of the church is so off the wall to me. As many already know, the true date of Jesus’ birthday is unknown, but to ease pagan’s into Christianity they used a holiday already celebrated for the birth of the SUN not the SON!
Religion is so tainted that no one knows its true origins anymore. I even argue that the reason that you have all these examples of Jesus in other religions is because of the same facts. You can not present someone with a new religion without giving them the comfort that it ties to what they currently believe in.
That paired with the fact that ultimately men are corrupt at heart. Despite many attempts to have good people lead this world, someone, somewhere messes that up. That being said….MEN wrote the bible. And over the years changed the bible to reflect what they wanted it to believe. So who is to say that there was a Jesus? Who is to say that this carpenter was not a cult leader that caused a great movement during a time of poverty, plague, and hopelessness? And if that is the case, how do we know that Jesus hasn’t already returned to earth, but we burnt him alive in Waco?
Man is corrupt, religion is corrupt.
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