Thursday, April 13, 2006

When you think you've heard it all

Can anyone explain to me why Easter, traditionally associated with rabbits, has a traditon of hiding eggs? As far as I know, rabbits don't lay eggs!

Well, nevermind! It's not that important, but it is curious just how silly people are prepared to get in the name of religion.

And it is the silly season! From Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code, to the latest Gospel of Judas hype, the world is going crazy, falling over backwards to ensure that we believe in anything so long as it isn't remotely sane or rational! Conspiracy theories are always more entertaining than just plain vanilla Christianity.

Take Tom Cruise! Well, would somebody take him? Anywhere at all will do. But Scientology is crazy--fruit-loop crazy. The thought of reincarnations of Cruise, minus engrams, is too painful to contemplate.

Scientologists believe that the ultimate goal is to realize one's true nature as an immortal spirit, a thetan. The path to salvation, or enlightenment, includes achieving states of increasingly greater mental awareness--Pre-Clear, Clear, and ultimately Operating Thetan. An Operating Thetan is a spirit who can control matter, energy, space, time, thought, and life. Practitioners ("Auditors") are regarded as ministers and counselors who assist others to achieve self-enlightenment. Auditors help others to identify their prebirth, current, and past-life disturbances, which are obstacles to happiness and spiritual enlightenment.

There's a Boycott Mission Impossible 3 site on the web, I believe! Sign me up!

Who said that the resurrection was difficult to believe?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

THETAN is not in my Websters Collegiate Dictionary, copyright 1995 ...?
Only Theta as a part of the brain.

And my Childcraft Encyclopedia, copyright 1945, Volume on Holidays has NOTHING on Easter !! So where did the eggs come from? And I definately prefer eggs to the bunny.

However, it does say that a test of a teacher is not difficult.
"Does he teach a subject, or does he teach students?

As for seeing a resurrection, are we talking drunk or sober?

Anonymous said...

I still have not found out why eggs are hidden at Easter for children to hunt. Suppose someone's idea of a new way to occupy rambunctious tikes for awhile, and it caught on? Like the TV..LOL

But eggs (hard boiled) can be prepared ahead of time and kept unrefridgerated so are easily transported to places. Also being a staple food going way back in time. So from what I have found, long long ago in many diff countries, eggs were put in baskets with special breads and taken for a meal of celebration after Church on Easter Sunday. The Catholics would actually take their basket of breads and eggs to church on Easter Sunday to have their priest bless the food. In the mid East eggs were used as additonal decoration to a the celebration basket of this special day. Brunch anyone?

From the Clarion Ledger, which is good enough for me since my Childcraft did not have a thing.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps this will help you, Sandee.

Easter Eggs

In Medieval Europe, eggs were forbidden during Lent. Eggs laid during that time were often boiled or otherwise preserved. Eggs were thus a mainstay of Easter meals, and a prized Easter gift for children and servants.

In addition, eggs have been viewed as symbols of new life and fertility through the ages. It is believed that for this reason many ancient cultures, including the Ancient Egyptians, Persians, and Romans, used eggs during their spring festivals.

Many traditions and practices have formed around Easter eggs. The coloring of eggs is a established art, and eggs are often dyed, painted, and otherwise decorated. Eggs were also used in various holiday games: parents would hide eggs for children to find, and children would roll eggs down hills. These practices live on in Easter egg hunts and egg rolls. The most famous egg roll takes place on the White House lawn every year.
Different Traditions

Orthodox Christians in the Middle East and in Greece painted eggs bright red to symbolize the blood of Christ. Hollow eggs (created by piercing the shell with a needle and blowing out the contents) were decorated with pictures of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and other religious figures in Armenia.

Germans gave green eggs as gifts on Holy Thursday, and hung hollow eggs on trees. Austrians placed tiny plants around the egg and then boiled them. When the plants were removed, white patterns were created.
Artistic Creations

The most elaborate Easter egg traditions appear to have emerged in Eastern Europe. In Poland and Ukraine, eggs were often painted silver and gold. Pysanky (to design or write) eggs were created by carefully applying wax in patterns to an egg. The egg was then dyed, wax would be reapplied in spots to preserve that color, and the egg was boiled again in other shades. The result was a multi-color striped or patterned egg.