'This Religious Holiday Weekend...'

I was reading another blog this morning about the commercialization of our religious holidays... Primarily Christmas and Easter. I remember being a kid and being SO excited about the approach of Christmas... I would think of all the things I would want Santa to bring, and to a lesser extent, Easter, and hunting for Easter eggs and what other goodies the Easter Bunny might leave.

I did pass these traditions on to my kids...


Buried in those times of receiving, was the story of the birth of Jesus, and of His crucifixion and His rising from the Dead... but being a kid, I was more interested in the toys and candies...  I learned to put those things into perspective... my perspective, over my Life time.

I remember trying to figure out just why every year that one could find 'The Ten Commandments' on Television every Easter season... there isn't an Easter Story in there...


As I grew up, and learned more... I was able to understand and place everything in its proper perspective...

I understood the story of Passover... I didn't at the time, as well as the significance of other important Jewish holidays... I understood better the stories of the birth of Jesus and possibly, from a Christian standpoint, the greater story of His Death and Resurrection...


My Mom and Dad selected a local Methodist church for my 'litter' of kids to attend as we were growing up. My oldest litter mate eventually married a Baptist and changed churches... I remained a Reprobate Methodist...


I recall my brother inviting me to come and listen to a speaker that they were having this one Wednesday night... I asked him to tell me about the speaker, and he told me...


"He used to be Catholic, but he's saved now..."


... and my mind just reeled...


I don't understand why one group of people are so offended or put off by another group's religious beliefs...  I don't understand why, over the time of recorded history, so many people have been killed in the name of God... or a god or group of gods...


My best friend at work is Hindu, and over the time I have known him, we have had many interesting conversations about religion and spirituality... He is very accepting of others' religious beliefs, and doesn't put anyone down for what they believe.  Maybe this is where I have developed my idea of being more spiritual than religious.


I think for one to have a religious belief system is good... even being agnostic or atheistic doesn't offend me.  My personal belief system has become very much of a 'cut-and-paste' belief... and I am ok with that...


I'm not sure where I am going with this post... other than to say that I wish people of one belief weren't so hard on people with other beliefs... Obviously, I have problems with those belief systems that allow the injury/death/mayhem of others...


Anyhoo... Happy Easter to those who celebrate Easter... and Happy Passover to my Jewish friends... and if there are any other religious holidays at are occurring at this time, I've omitted them entirely due to ignorance on my part, and no intended religious snub.

~shoes~