The End of Christian America

[Valmy]

I do think eventually Christianity, along with all the other religions, will have to change with the times or continue to erode.

[Martinus]

Xmas is about Jesus's birth. Easter is about His martyrdom.

Which makes you wonder - would you want your followers to have their biggest party in the entire year to celebrate the fact that you have been brutally murdered?

Easter is the biggest party of the year?  Dude we don't even get presents!  Anyway it is better than the Jews celebrating the killing of all the Egyptian babies.

Well, I don't know about other Christian denominations and sects, but at least in the Catholic Church Easter is definitely considered the most important religious holiday of the year. The celebration lasts four days, you are absolutely required to participate (the Easter Mass is the "absolute minimum" Mass every Catholic must attend) etc.

[Viking]

If you think the world is going to end in 50 years, what's the point of preventing the climate change. Etc.

My Fiancee has thus far refused to invest in her retirement just in case the Mayans were right about 2012

I've got a bridge I might want to sell her....

[Martinus]

If you think the world is going to end in 50 years, what's the point of preventing the climate change. Etc.

My Fiancee has thus far refused to invest in her retirement just in case the Mayans were right about 2012

Well, she is probably better off than all those poor suckers who thought Alan Greenspan was right about 2008.

[Ed Anger]

I do think eventually Christianity, along with all the other religions, will have to change with the times or continue to erode.

As long as it doesn't change into a Joel Olsteen type of thing. Man, I want to punch him in the nuts when I watch a bit of his show.

Bring back Jimmy Swaggart.

[Valmy]

Well, I don't know about other Christian denominations and sects, but at least in the Catholic Church Easter is definitely considered the most important religious holiday of the year. The celebration lasts four days, you are absolutely required to participate (the Easter Mass is the "absolute minimum" Mass every Catholic must attend) etc.

I guess religiously it is.  Christmas is by far the most important holiday in the United States though, whether you are a Christian or not (unless you are one of those religions that gets pissed if you celebrate it like a Jew or Muslim-though the American Jews take an obscure Hellenistic era holiday and make it a big deal just so they can party with us and not be left out). 

By the way technically Easter is celebrating Jesus being raised from the dead not his brutal martydom.  That is what we celebrate on 'good friday'.  I was never really clear what was so good about your savior being killed.

[Valmy]

As long as it doesn't change into a Joel Olsteen type of thing. Man, I want to punch him in the nuts when I watch a bit of his show.

Bring back Jimmy Swaggart.

Actually I kinda think it will morph into some sort of affirmation love fest sorta thing.

[Ed Anger]

As long as it doesn't change into a Joel Olsteen type of thing. Man, I want to punch him in the nuts when I watch a bit of his show.

Bring back Jimmy Swaggart.

Actually I kinda think it will morph into some sort of affirmation love fest sorta thing.

bleh.

[Malthus]

I'm looking forward to explaining Easter to my son.

What I say: "Look, it is very simple. Today we search for brightly coloured chocolate eggs to celebrate the horrible torment and death and subsequent resurrection of a Jewish rebel who is also one-third of your mom's ancestral god 2000 years ago. Your dad's maternal folks basically worshipped the same god, but do not believe the dead Jew was him, or that he could be divided in thirds. The eggs probably originate from pre-existing pagan rituals relating to rebirth... ".

What he hears: "blah blah CHOCOLATE blah blah blah".

[Norgy]

I don't think a decrease in the number of self-identifying Christians constitutes an enormous shift away from Christianity. It would be better to look at what those identifying themselves as Christians do to really see if religion was more or less important. Evidence on the surface looks as if religion is as much a marker for a particular voting habit and set of values than it has ever been.

Does the rise of fundamentalism in other parts of the world necessarily point towards an increase in religious awareness? Quite the contrary; religious fundamentalists (and indeed fundamentalists of any hue and colour) insist that the current ills, as defined by them, are due to moving away from God and religious doctrine.

When accepted as everyday practice and uncontroversial, religion does not become a political force. When threatened, it reacts. Well, religious people react, but you get my drift. And I suppose this pattern isn't unique to religion or politics.

[Valmy]

I'm looking forward to explaining Easter to my son.

What I say: "Look, it is very simple. Today we search for brightly coloured chocolate eggs to celebrate the horrible torment and death and subsequent resurrection of a Jewish rebel who is also one-third of your mom's ancestral god 2000 years ago. Your dad's maternal folks basically worshipped the same god, but do not believe the dead Jew was him, or that he could be divided in thirds. The eggs probably originate from pre-existing pagan rituals relating to rebirth... ".

What he hears: "blah blah CHOCOLATE blah blah blah".

I remember explaining to my friend's daughter that Santa Claus is actually the God Odin riding across the sky on his eight-legged horse.

Hey it is probably easier than having to explain Passover to him, when all he has to look forward to is some bitter herbs and wine.

[Valmy]

I don't think a decrease in the number of self-identifying Christians constitutes an enormous shift away from Christianity. It would be better to look at what those identifying themselves as Christians do to really see if religion was more or less important. Evidence on the surface looks as if religion is as much a marker for a particular voting habit and set of values than it has ever been.

But that is only because not everybody is Christian like they used to be.  It would have been suicide to be the 'non-fundamentalist' party back in the day.

[Malthus]

I remember explaining to my friend's daughter that Santa Claus is actually the God Odin riding across the sky on his eight-legged horse.

Hey it is probably easier than having to explain Passover to him, when all he has to look forward to is some bitter herbs and wine.

Hey, the drugstore in my parent's area (heavily Jewish) was sellin plastic '10 plagues' toys. We got "frogs". 

Carl loved the concept.

[Viking]

What he hears: "blah blah CHOCOLATE blah blah blah".

At long last a god I can pray to. The Holy Trinity of Beer, Pizza and Chocolate.

[Norgy]

But that is only because not everybody is Christian like they used to be.  It would have been suicide to be the 'non-fundamentalist' party back in the day.

I believe that is what I wrote in the rest of the post you quoted.