Easter is hard on me. (Not April Fools)

[IdaBriggs]

Reason #212 why I can never run for political office.

I am not a Christian, although I respect the teachings of Jesus. With that being said, I was at church with my family yesterday (long story), and it was HARD.

In Ida-Ese, Jesus said, "BE NICE TO EACH OTHER - TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER - FEED THE HUNGRY, HEAL THE SICK, AND CARE FOR THE WIDOWS AND ORPHANS."

At which point they nailed his ass to a cross because he was "dangerous" -- !!!

The story of the "sacrificial king" goes back thousands of years, and honestly, I have a problem with it. Anytime someone says "let us kill your kid, and good things will happen" I like to think my bologna meter would be going off big time.

I am a Mom. I don't want TO sacrifice my children. I want to sacrifice FOR my children.

But here is the reality: parents have been sacrificing their children for the "good of the community" for thousands of years (and I'm not just talking the Aztecs). The big "not secret" that has killed millions involves sending our children to war. It is considered a valuable career choice, and a necessary, honorable profession.

- Napoleonic Wars: Three and a Half Million Dead.
- American Civil War: Half a Million DEAD.
- World War II: Sixty Million People DEAD.

Let me repeat that: we, the human race, willing send our children into the armed serves where they will be trained in how to KILL EACH OTHER, while other people try to KILL THEM.

To, you know, PROTECT US from the other people who are doing the same crazy thing.

We dress it up with "patriotism" and appreciate their sacrifice - their lives, their bodies and their souls for our "safety" and "protection" - and we particularly ask/demand that they put their opinions aside politically because they need to "trust" that the leaders we elect - both Democrat and Republican - will guard and value their lives, and use the coin of their blood sparingly.

And here we get to the rub of it, don't we? For whatever reason, we have children - OUR CHILDREN - sacrificing their lives. We don't know their names (be honest: name the last ten soldiers who died in Iraq or Afghanistan - can't do it, can you?) and I am *NOT* convinced the world is better off without them growing up, getting married, and eventually dying of old age after long and happy lives. I find it impossible to believe any women who risked her life to give life to a child - "walking through the valley of the shadow" - would believe that them dying of anything other than old age is a good thing.

I wonder *if* we quit thinking of "human sacrifice" as an honorable profession, or simply the price of doing business, whether or not we would be better off as a species. I wonder, if instead of arguing about the right to "keep and bear arms" we spent the same amount of ink discussing how to make sure everyone on the planet was able to to exercise their right to "eat" and "drink clean water", whether or not we could turn our "swords" into "plowshares." I wonder if we trained our armies to build instead of destroy, and spent those funds feeding, clothing, educating and creating, whether we would get closer to having "heaven on earth" instead of hell?

I think of Mary, mother of Jesus, and every mother who has grieved the death of a child, and I do not find myself willing to join their ranks.

I am a mother. I don't want to sacrifice my children's lives, or their health, or their happiness, for any reason, especially for rich old men to get richer.

And I don't think any other mother should have to, either.

I do not accept the necessity of sacrificial killing. There are better ways.

I don't want your children dying for me. I sure as hell don't want mine dying for you.

There has got to be a way to problem solve on this planet that doesn't involve killing each other.

I think we should start with that age old advice: "BE NICE TO EACH OTHER."

It seems like reasonably good advice, doesn't it?

Then again, they nailed that guy to a cross.

I hate Easter.

[southernyankeebelle]

1. Gee Ida, what a bummer. My sugguestion is stay away from the church. At least for

the sake of your health dear. You know you make a lot of good points. I find some times worrying about things we don't have any control over except what happens in our immediate families and maybe even on our own block where we live is about all I can handle some times.

[IdaBriggs]

3. Thank you for the thought, but I have made a commitment

to ensuring my children receive education about religion, including the Christian variety, until they turn eighteen and can choose their own faith. (Yes, I know it is strange - lol!) I usually get something positive out of it (which is good, since I work hard to have respect for people who don't believe the same as I do).

But Easter, with its focus on sacrifice, for some reason just really gets to me. I keep picturing my own reaction if it was my child being crucified for the good of everyone else, and my teeth just clench in outrage. Then I end up musing about all of the different ways we "sacrifice" our children, and I am reminded once again that I can never run for public office because I am "not normal" in my thought processes.

If I could start a world religion based on the concept of "Good Parenting" with the level of respect we work to inscribe in our kindergartners (yes, I know there was a book - lol!), I would do it.

My children are growing up fast - yesterday I read here on DU that someone lost their four year old when he picked up a gun at a family member's home. Someone had their "right" to a gun, and someone "sacrificed" their child.

Is it bad that I want the 'first commandment' of my imaginary faith to be "No Guns or Killing: Use Your Words Instead?"

Sigh.

[southernyankeebelle]

5. Heavens no. I wish for the same world. But we can only make sure we as parents do the right thing.

Why just yesterday I was telling my granddaughter that no one likes liars and to make sure she always tells the truth because the truth sets you free. I read a motto once and I tell her all the time she now knows it. I tell her to Dream big, Work hard, and never let someone tell you that you can't do what you know you can do. Take responsibility for yourself because when you grow up no else will but you. The other most important thing I tell her is to do your best in school and finish all the way through high school and don't get pregnant (her mother did that with her brother with another fellow). I told her she was going to go to college. After college find a good job work hard and save your money and don't depend on anyone for your happiness. Then don't marry to early. Take your time. I tell her all the time. I buy her books, a notebook (the kids use in school). All that and still I pray she'll be alright. Am 65 and all I do is pray to see her graduate from high school. If I could be that lucky I will feel like I have accomplished something.

[IdaBriggs]

6. On a lighthearted note, my daughter (age 6) has several "boyfriends" --

and was (is?) "engaged" at age 4. We almost choked ("fiance's" mom and I) when she asked if he could spend the night - "he can sleep in my bed with me!" - at which point my husband and I made up the "family rules" - "No spending the night or getting married until you are at least 21, have both graduated from college, both have jobs, and we approve" (which rules are also in place for making us grandparents). We also had to explain "no kissing!" at one of her activities with "Kyle" (not her fiance - just one of her boyfriends) or else they would be separated - "Kyle" loves her! Lol! She explained that she sees her daddy and I kiss, so what is the problem?

We did not anticipate these discussions in kindergarten! Lol!

Her twin brother rolls his eyes a lot; fortunately, he isn't "engaged" yet! Lol!

She is going to give her daddy heart failure.

[Helen Reddy]

9. I tell my daughter

no dating until at least 35.

[southernyankeebelle]

11. Your still young yet. No matter how much you tell your kids you pray to god they are listening.

I told my son. I also told him if he fooled around and got a girl pregnant by golly he wasn't going to walk away from his duty to take care of his child. He was 25 and his girlfriend was 21 when she got pregnant with his child. He did the right thing. He has turned out to be a great father. She is a little daddy's girl. Of course things went down hill with them and they did divorce but they got back together again 2 yrs ago. She is a nice girl but honestly she isn't responsible enough. They are married again but these two are like gas and a match. One strike and they blow up. The trouble is they do love each other but they just can't seem to live with each other. I worry about my granddaughter all the time. I have a twin sister and I vent at her because she loves my granddaughter just as much as my husband and I do. She is always sending her things. They have such a special relationship. I think that is why we both talk to her about things alot. I think your never to young to start learning.

[Helen Reddy]

2. {{{{IdaBriggs}}}} n/t

[IdaBriggs]

7. Thank you.

[Scuba]

4. Right-on rant. One small quibble. We don't sacrifice our children to "protect us" ...

... we do it to protect the interests of the wealthiest of the world's citizens. Much (most?) of our defense dollars go toward protecting BP, Shell, Exxon and other oil company's drilling and shipping operations.


Much (most?) of the ownership of those companies are not American. Our children are dying to protect the profits of foreigners.

[IdaBriggs]

8. I think the excuses change, but the death toll doesn't.

We have been able to find excuses to kill before the corporations existed, so while it would be nice to be able to pin the blame there, I think we have to look a little deeper. It isn't just that we "glorify" it; it is also that we *accept it as normal* to the point where we turn it into entertainment, getting vicarious thrills and little rushes of adrenaline as rewards for participating in its normalization.

I went through a period in my early twenties where I didn't have a television for several years; when I went to the movies with some friends, I had become completely "sensitized" to the imagery of anonymous death. I still am bemused that my beloved husband married me after I had to flee the theater during a Steven Seagall (sp?) movie because I just couldn't handle the "anonymous death toll" within the first ten minutes. (My beloved likes to watch movies where "other people are having a worse day than he is" so we have had several discussions about this topic.) Oddly enough, "Braveheart" didn't cause me any problems until the final death scene when I discretely just left for the bathroom.

But at the end of the day, I don't care how many imaginary light blips someone "kills" - I just don't want them spraying bullets anywhere in "real life."

Is that really too much to ask?

[Still Blue in PDX]

10. I will never go to church on Easter.

My daughter invited me to go with her and her kids, and I told her that Easter is the one day I will not go.

When my kids were young I was a churchgoer because I wanted them to know about it and make up their own minds. Easter Sunday my pastor would give the whole 5-point presentation of the gospel for the edification of the people who only go to church on Easter. It was awful.

[Cha]

12. Excellent points, IdaBriggs.

I don't do religion but respect others' who do. It just never made sense to me.

Thank you for stating so eloquently one of the important things I don't get about it.