27 March 2016

Is there a "war on Easter" ?


The Telegraph reports that the word "Easter" has been quietly deleted from the names of certain chocolate eggs...
Growing numbers of chocolate eggs are on sale in the UK without any mention of the word “Easter” on the front of the packaging.

Many of Britain’s best known brands have quietly dropped the name of the Christian festival from their main branding, now selling Easter products labelled simply as “chocolate egg” or even “egg”, it has been claimed.
The allegation was highlighted by the makers of the “Real Easter Egg”, a fair trade chocolate product which carries a Christian message instead of pictures of bunnies and chicks and donates its profits to charity.

The Meaningful Chocolate Company, based in Manchester, was set up six years ago in an attempt to reintroduce Easter eggs with references to the Easter story and Advent calendars featuring nativity scenes to the mainstream market.

But since then, according to the company’s founder David Marshall, the secularising trend has been gone further, with many products now seemingly dropping references to Easter from the title altogether. 
I have difficulty getting a grasp of the theological arguments of Christians who protest the non-use of "Easter" on candy.

12 comments:

  1. Especially since it seems that the word Easter come from the name of an old Germanic Goddess.

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  2. I have difficulty getting a grasp of the theological arguments of Christians who protest the non-use of "Easter" on candy.

    As a casual non-believer (not believing is really not doing anything), I have difficulty getting a grasp of the theological arguments why anybody would protest the use or non-use of the words Christmas, Easter, passover or whatever the end of Ramadan is called.

    Someone celebrating a holiday is festive, not offensive.

    It makes no sense that people are offended when someone else celebrates a Holiday. It's even funnier when you realize that people only get offended when it's about religious holidays from a religion other than their own. Have you ever heard someone being offended about Cinco the Mayo? Canadian Independence Day or Canadian Thanksgiving? Bastille Day? Of course not!

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    1. Please refrain from calling it Canadian Independence Day - Canada Day is more like Canadian interdependence day. I think at the core my sentiment on Canada Day is akin to the sentiment expressed by the Easter egg extremists. They are trying to prevent the rebranding of 'their' holiday by a dominant culture. In my case Americans achieved independence - dominion day was when modern Canada was born - not freed. In my opinion these christians should be happy like us Canadians - glad that someone noticed that we have a good thing going. Maybe they will delve into why it is a good thing. Maybe they will just enjoy the chocolate.

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  3. What's really offensive is when people at the top of the food chain (as it were, white, Christians) get offended when things are changed to be inclusive rather than exclude everyone but them. Those are the offensive folks. You're not oppressed, no one is taking your rights, we just want everyone to have them, not just you. STFU.

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  4. "Have you ever heard someone being offended about Cinco the Mayo?"

    Not to derail the conversation but... http://www.dailydot.com/opinion/cinco-de-mayo-white-people-celebrating/

    And I agree with Sybil Ann: top of the food chain getting pissy because now they have to share with the true offense.

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  5. There was also Cinco de Cuatro in the last season of Arrested Development.

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  6. Well, we certainly can't abide anyone altering the Bible's stories about the Easter Bunny or rejecting the ritual of painted eggs that Christ gave us as an example.

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  7. Cultural appropriation seems to sting no matter if you are the cultural majority or minority. Some people get upset about it, and some people are flattered.

    But just so we're clear, there is no "Christian Consensus" that taking "Easter" off of chocolate eggs is offensive and a sign of persecution. :)

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    1. Quite right.

      I only know a very small (but vocal) minority that is upset at the war over Christmas.

      I don't personally know a single person who is upset about taking Easter off of advertising. Especially as not all Christians even call the celebration of the resurrection "Easter" (as the original commentator made reference to).

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    2. I quite agree with both comments. I think that's the main point to be emphasized here.

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  8. "st. valentine's day" has had the 'st' dropped - it is now "st. valenine day".

    I-)

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  9. Combining Jesus' resurrection (which was never commanded to be observed) with a fertility goddess and introducing the use of fertility symbols (eggs) was the secularization of the Bible event.

    As opposed to Luke 22:19 where Jesus said to keep doing the memorial of his death (which superseded the Passover)

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