LIVING IN A COUNTRY where people are happy to wish one a “Good Easter” and to walk through the towns in imitatio of Christ without feeling foolish, brings me to think of how sad it is that in Britain, and specifically in England, shows of religious feeling or belief are now considered as absurd as wearing plus fours and as politically incorrect as using words like “gollywog”, as was used by Margaret Thatcher’s daughter recently.
THERE ARE THUS AT LEAST TWO generations of possibly baptized British citizens who basically have no idea what Easter is about. These people confuse Santa Claus with Jesus, have never worn a tie and think that Adidas training shoes are the height of respectable fashion.
THESE COMMENTS ARE NOT APPLICABLE to those people who live in Britain and profess other faiths, of course, and we are past being used to hearing about local councils made up of scruffy, anorak-clad politicians banning demonstrations of Christianity in public in order not to offend other religions, but the specific problem of Easter has to do with the Church itself and its dumbing down of belief.
THE RIGHT REV DR TOM WRIGHT, Bishop of Durham, may be on the button when he says that the world wants to hush up the real meaning of Easter so as not to run the risk of removing the threat of anarchy and tyranny by instilling belief in resurrection among people, and he bemoans the fact that the Church does not stand up to society’s, probably legitimate, desire.
HOWEVER WHAT I DISLIKE is the fact that Easter as a deeply religious occasion now is on an equal footing with the noxious Easter Bunny and its sickening Easter Eggs. Anyone who doubts this can look at today’s Times and see, side-by-side, an article on the deeper meaning of Easter and one about how to make your own chocolate. What evil might good Christians have committed to find themselves removed from peaceful practice of their religion and be sent out to live in a sweet shop?
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