I'll tell you about my Easter. But, I will say this - if you are sensitive about organized religion you might not want to continue reading this. But, if you're like me and you don't give a shit, then continue.
I got up early Easter Sunday. It was freezing ass cold outside - actually colder than it was on Christmas if you can believe that shit. Anyway, I get up early because Easter Brunch is being given by my mother-in-law immediately after church. So, I figured I would go with my husband, his mother, his sister, and his brother to Easter church service. Of course we all know what a big mistake that is, but if you aren't shaking your head at the end of this story like I was as it unfolded in front of my eyes, then you're a much better person than I.
It began with little kids singing some nice Christian Catholic Easter songs. Which was really sweet even though none stood a one in a billion shot of making it to Hollywood. The bad part came when the Priest started his Easter sermon. Now, I have to stop and ask you here - what would you expect an Easter service to be about? Maybe it would have something to do with Jesus, right? And how he died for all our sins and all that shit? No. He started talking about forgiveness. Which, you know, is very noble and I can totally see why he would mention it. He starts talking about a woman who he's counseling. Her daughter had been in a coma for 16 years - since she was 16 years old and died. She was killed by a drunk driver and how, after 16 years, she has finally forgiven the man that swerved over in to her daughter's lane putting her in a coman. He has since died of alcoholism. The priest went on and told us how, through forgiveness, the woman was finally at peace. Great, terrific, hooray, good for her. I understand why she should just, at this point, let it finally go and begin living again. But this is where it gets really stupid.
Next, he talks at great lengths - and I mean GREAT lengths - dedicating the next 3/4 of the sermon to this story of forgiveness. He speaks of another woman he is counseling. This woman's son committed suicide. Now, if this isn't bad enough the son left behinds notes explaining how he can't go on living with the hate that he has for the Catholic priest who molested him. Ok, where is this going? I wondered the same thing. And he went on and on to say that he is trying to help the woman to forgive this priest for what he had done. And how important it is for all of us to be forgiving in our hearts for people who do things that they are tempted by the "dark side of the force" to do.
What the fuck? I'm wondering the whole time if we're about to hear this priests confession or something? Is he about to be exposed as a pedophile and is asking us all, in advance, to forgive him? And WHAT THE FUCK DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH EASTER?
This is why I don't attend church or support organized religion in general.
Though the sermon sounded kind of exteme... Easter is about forgiveness and being born again renewed. He died to save us aka give us a second chance aka let us change our lives for the better, etc, etc, etc.
Yes, it does sound weird that he would bring up the molestation/forgivenss thing on Easter and not really mention Jesus.
Alot of times churches don't want to bring up Jesus because they may offend someone. which is kind of ridiculous since you are in church so you should expect to hear a little bit about Jesus, it shouldn't be a shock or anything.
Though the sermon sounded kind of exteme... Easter is about forgiveness and being born again renewed. He died to save us aka give us a second chance aka let us change our lives for the better, etc, etc, etc.