If America is such a holy Xtian country

[malaise]

how come there is no public holiday on Good Friday?
Today is a major holiday (steeped in superstitution) in most country that profess to be Xtian.

[Joe Bacon]

1. America talks the Jesus talk, but it walks the Ayn Rand walk.

America's real god is Ayn Rand.
America's real Jesus is John Galt.
America's real Holy Ghost is The Invisible Hand.
America's bible is Atlas Shrugged.

Oh, Christians talk the Jesus talk, but they walk the Ayn Rand "Looking out for #1 and screw everyone else" walk!

[malaise]

3. I suspect there's an awful lot of truth

in your response. I have no gods, but I do wonder how Fundie loonies think gawd is part of their constitutional arrangements and yet the Founding Fathers failed to ensure that Good Friday is not more important than July 4th.

[zeemike]

14. I think that is exactly right.

The Randist long ago appealed to the fundies, who loved it because it meant more money for them
And religion provided a good cover for their own greed and hatred of the "common man"

[Cyrano]

16. I doubt if most of them ever heard of Ayn Rand, John Galt, or read

Atlas Shrugged. They've been indoctrinated all right. But I believe their seduction had nothing to do with reading a novel (especially one as long as Atlas Shrugged).

They've been duped by wingnut pastors who wear very expensive suits, diamond rings, and ride around in limos. And they've also been taken in by the crap peddled by the likes of Limbaugh, Palin, Beck, and Republican politicians.

Perhaps the longest book any of these people ever read was the bible. But they paid attention to the parts that they interpreted as a mandate to hate others.

[woodsprite]

48. Shouldn't that be "the longest book any of these people NEVER read was the bible."

[47of74]

2. Good question

The company I work for doesn't consider today a holiday. However a client I'm working with considers today to be a holiday. Some states do consider Good Friday to be a holiday - for example Hawaii, Connecticut, and Louisiana among others.

[malaise]

6. We love Easter and it has nothing to do with religion

Holy Thursday is no holiday here, but you can't move on the streets from 2.00pm because most businesses close at lunchtime so that their management can head for the beaches from Friday to Monday - it's our longest holiday weekend. The Brits have the same long weekend and they a gazillion times more secular than the US.
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/bankholidays.html

[muffin1]

4. Money trumps everything?

I'm not religious at all, so I'm not really looking for a holiday this week. I'm pretty sure it was the money thing with my former uber-'patriotic' boss - constantly going on about how the repukes loved and supported the troops more than the dems. BUT, he would have cut off his own nuts rather than close up shop on Veteran's Day or July 4th.

[piratefish08]

5. It's sunny and warm out finally. I have a fresh baggie of medicine. Friends are coming

to visit tonight.

It's a good Friday.

[muffin1]

7. Now that's a holiday I can get behind!

:smoke:

[Echo In Light]

15. And those holidays, thank Christ, have indeed been aptly plentiful of late

[malaise]

8. Bwaaaaaaaaaaaaaah

but you don't have hot cross buns or escovitched fish :evilgrin:

[piratefish08]

13. escovitched fish - I had to use the Google, but, mmmmmmmmmmmm!

[malaise]

19. It's just fried fish

served with a vinegar sauce full of hot pepper, pickled onions, carrots and pimento.

[piratefish08]

22. perfect!

do you live in Jamaica?

I've always wanted to visit Bob Marley's childhood home...........

[malaise]

24. Yep

Jump on a plane and head for St Ann :D

[piratefish08]

28. we're planning a trip for this September - 5th anniversary....

[malaise]

32. Sounds great but cover your tracks

that's the height of hurricane season in these parts.

[Captain Hilts]

9. I had Good Friday off in some public school systems. nt

[hobbit709]

10. If it truly was, they'd act more like one

You know, minor little things like taking care of the needy and sick

[GoCubsGo]

11. And, perhaps someone can explain to me....

Why such a HUGE deal is made of Christmas, when Easter is clearly THE MOST important christtian holiday? A guy's birthday is waaaay more important than his supposed rising from the dead? Really??? Why don't we ever hear anything regarding a "War on Easter"?

[Echo In Light]

12. A most conducive vehicle for Holy Consumerism - not all Christians are hypocrites, though

[fascisthunter]

45. true

[Cirque du So-What]

18. It boils down to merchandising

It's harder to whip up enthusiasm among consumers to go out and buy death'n'resurrection presents for one another than to build a major merchandising campaign around HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY JESUS! In a related vein, I believe the charlatans who run organized religions know better than to pick a fight with secular folks over the death'n'resurrection story, which becomes more preposterous (instead of more plausible) when critical thinking skills are applied. Although there's a fair amount of 'pagan' baggage attached to Christmas, it's not as blatant as the fertility-cult stuff - Easter Bunny & Easter eggs - intertwined with that holiday (although candy makers like it a lot).

[hobbit709]

25. there's more money in HDTV and Wiis than there is in chocolate bunnies.

[malaise]

26. That's profound

Nothing to sell here. :hi:

[bulloney]

30. The older I get, the whole thing with Easter's observance gets shaky.

It's in March one year, April the next few years, then back to March. Easter is observed on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the first day of spring (vernal equinox). This sounds like something pre-Christian civilizations would schedule their holidays around. Tell that to a fundie and watch their heads explode.

Christmas isn't much different. Scholars will tell you that shepherds would not be tending their flocks during December. But, Christmas is observed to coincide with the winter solstice.

How can we not raise questions on Christianity when dates of its biggest holidays are based on pagan-like criteria?

[malaise]

36. Excellent post

:hi:

[Cirque du So-What]

37. Those holidays incorporated 'pagan' traditions

in order to co-opt the 'old religions' into the new, shiny one. Early adherents to Christianity didn't have the luxury of being hard-line 'fundamentalists' - not until they'd consolidated power, and that took many centuries to accomplish. First the pandering to the pagans, then the Inquisition.

I got my undergrad degree from a private liberal-arts school that required two religion classes as general education requirements. I chose World Religions for one of the classes, which was taught by a RC priest. I was surprised to hear him admit that the myth of Mary & the whole virgin birth thing had already been done to death by practically every other civilization preceding the Christian era, and that these mythologies likely influenced the account of Jesus' birth. I already knew this, but it was still surprising to hear it come from a priest - an ordained defender of the faith. These facts get taught in all manner of Christian seminaries, but no minister will freely admit these inconvenient truths to their parishioners.

[malaise]

21. Great question

:hi:

[KharmaTrain]

17. But That's A Catholic Holiday

Yes, I know all Christians celebrate Good Friday, but it's especially important to Catholics and that doesn't rub well against some of the good old boys.

Most the schools here have the week off (convenient for Passover and Good Friday). My son's school, which is private (United Methodist run) is holding classes today.

:hi:

[malaise]

20. So why is it such a big holiday weekend in Britain?

:hi:

[DailyGrind51]

44. Anglicans and Episcopalians are really "Catholic lite".

[meeshrox]

23. My entire office is closed...

I had to get special permission to bill actual work today...I don't like that our office is closed when it's not a national holiday. Why not close for President's day or something?

At least they let us bank the floating holiday and use it another time.

Is today a banking holiday, too? I have some business with my student loan company. :mad:

[whyverne]

27. The debt collectors aren't taking today off.

I just got a call while I was reading this.

[piratefish08]

29. assholes.

weren't the moneychangers tossed from the temple, or something to that effect?

[malaise]

33. LOL

They never do.

[GoneOffShore]

31. And on Sunday, if zombie Jeebus sees his shadow?

Six more weeks of lent.

[malaise]

34. LOL

:evilgrin:

[donco6]

35. Good Friday is inconveniently recognized . . . on Friday.

We should move Good Friday to Saturday - then we could make it a real shindig.

[DailyGrind51]

38. America worships "Mammon", the pursuit of wealth.

[NeedleCast]

39. Bankers Holiday

I just started working in the financial industry this year and was surprised to learn that the financial industry is pretty much off today.

[skepticscott]

40. If this is such a holy Xstian country

why don't the fundies keep the Sabbath holy? Football on Saturdays and NASCAR Sundays...what ever happen to spending the Sabbath in prayerful contemplation? Those are 10 Commandments, after all, not the 10 Suggestions. Right?

[blueamy66]

41. Well,

my company gives us Good Friday as a paid holiday.

But we don't get President's Day or MLK Day off as a holiday.

ALSO, my colleagues in Hong Kong have today, the weekend and Mo and Tues off for Easter holidays. WTF?

[LibertyLover]

42. It is a legal holiday in the state of Maryland

the Maryland branches of my former bank are closed, we had no trash pick up today and my daughter doesn't have school. Of course, Maryland was originally founded as a Catholic haven, so I guess I'm not particularly surprised. Most places I've worked, it was a work day, except for one law firm here in DC - they always closed on Good Friday. I'm at work today, but we will probably be allowed to leave early.

[TheMightyFavog]

43. County offices here close at noon

If that's any help...

[malaise]

47. You can't even find a restaurant open here

The biggest heathens spend three hours in some church today,

[Orsino]

46. Maybe Good Friday is just a little too Catlick for "real" America? n/t