When Easter Eggs Become "Spring Spheres"

[Sarahkka]

A recent news story claimed that an elementary school in the States was changing the term Easter Egg to "Spring Spheres" in order to take the religious overtones out of the holiday and to make it more inclusive.

The story may or may not have actually happened - it sounds like another act of journalistic integrity from Fox News - but it did get me thinking about how things are changing in our western culture.
We used to be predominantly Judeo-Christian and our everyday work and business hours still reflect that. As we become more and more multi-cultural, and less and less of us are practising religion, is it time to change our holidays (and the language around them) to reflect this?
Or is this the politically correct movement gone way overboard?

 

[marley2580]

You know what bugs me most about this story - an egg is not a sphere! it's egg shaped or oval

 

[Sarahkka]

I know!
That was the first thing I said, too!

But what about saying "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas"?
Or elementary schools celebrating "Black and Orange" day instead of letting kids dress up for Hallowe'en?

Does that bother anyone or is just how times are changing?

 

[summer rain]

Hmm well the whole concept of Easter Eggs actually comes from the Anglo-Saxon pre-Christian goddess Eastre; one of her incarnations being a rabbit or hare and the whole egg thing is very much a pre-Christian spring festival thing as well. So its a bit silly of them to change them to 'spring spheres' so as not to offend non-Christians when one, the whole concept of Easter Eggs is pre-Christian and two, non-Christians don't really care anyway. x

 

[Sarahkka]

Ah. Very good point.
Christmas trees originated with Saturnalia, mistletoe was a fertility rite, mummers were the origin of caroling, etc
Christmas does have "christ" in it, though, and is associated pretty strongly with Christianity despite historical evidence that Dec.25 was very unlikely to be Christ's birthday.

Does this mean the pagans are the dominant culture after all?

 

[Sarahkka]

What about the fact that our "christian" holidays are the statutory ones that everyone gets off?

 

[tallybee]

Personally I think stories like this are a lot of crap. It sounds like the sort of complete rubbish that the Daily Mail (Fail) prints over here. There've been loads of similar stories. I really have never heard of any of these ridiculous things actually happening.

Also as an atheist I regard all religious matter as fiction and really don't get offended by the name given to chocolate treats for children or a dress-up party. I do see the merit in having festivals throughout the year, I don't see the merit in getting all steamed up about who does which ones, and what they call them. I'm happy for my children to take part in nativity plays etc, they're aware of what it is and don't take it literally.

Much as I think the story this thread is about (And many other similar ones) are nonsense, i do know that many people will believe it in a world where intolerance is actually growing, some people will get 'offended' at the drop of a hat and where some things are taken out of context and blown up out of all proportion.

It makes me sad

 

[annawrigley]

Black and orange day

 

[Sarahkka]

Black and orange day

I kid you not.

Definitely not as fun as dressing up and celebrating all the witches and goblins!

 

[annawrigley]

Black and orange day

I kid you not.

Definitely not as fun as dressing up and celebrating all the witches and goblins!

Its just ridiculous, the world's gone mad! I'm not religious in the slightest but I am not "offended" by Christmas Or Easter. Or black and orange day It's just a bit of fun?

 

[marley2580]

But Halloween's not a christian festival anyway, it's pagan, so why change that?

 

[Midnight_Fairy]

I hate it when they contemplate changing things.

 

[Nibblenic]

Its bloody stupid! lol

Pretty much all religions have some sort of celebration at spring/autum/winter. Which is all baised on bringing families communities together for a purpose such as feasting or even fasting

Arrr I could go on for a long while but im not going to because its just so frigging daft. Spring spheres!

 

[KaceysMummy]

Religious holidays are celebrated by mostly everyone - mostly by people who aren't followers of that religion...I don't even think it about religions anymore its just more of a commercialised event, a tradition.
I think its ridiculous really when people are getting offended by traditions which have been around longer than they've been alive, and what's worse is that people are getting their way. If easter eggs offend you then don't buy them, same with Christmas or Halloween if the offend you don't celebrate it but others do!
A few years ago a charity shop in my town stopped selling Christmas cards as someone complaint it offended them, the decorations, Christmas tree and anything to do with Christmas were taken down! x

 

[moomin_troll]

easter is about jesus...not that i believe in him so to change the name and make it all about the eggs is rediculas to me.

i hate it when u hear stories about this country changing things because of other cultures moving here and they dont like it. like there is a area of birmningham where they arent allowed any christmas decorations on show as its now highly populated with indians.

 

[lesleyann]

Dont try to fix it, if it anit broken.. I dont go to church or anything, we do i guess more the fun side of these holidays.. We dont try to stop people fasting or anything else so why should we change the names of holidays which have been around for years and years just incase it offends If we banned/changed everything which may offend we would have nothing left, some clothes offend me but i would rather them wear that than nothing at all haha

 

[Sarahkka]

easter is about jesus...not that i believe in him so to change the name and make it all about the eggs is rediculas to me.

i hate it when u hear stories about this country changing things because of other cultures moving here and they dont like it. like there is a area of birmningham where they arent allowed any christmas decorations on show as its now highly populated with indians.

As another poster said, if you do a little research you'll see that Easter was a big pagan celebration long before Christianity was established. One of the ways that Christianity won converts was to graft their beliefs onto existing rituals, to make them sort of easier to adopt.
So even though I agree that modern western culture was predominantly Christian, a huge percentage of us aren't anymore. We're either non-religious (but still celebrate the "Christian" holidays) or we are another religion entirely, in which case the Christian holidays are sort of meaningless days off, I guess?

I agree that "spring spheres" is silly, but what about the fact that most of our holidays are based around "Christian" events? Should we change that to reflect the society we live in now? Do we
a) include other major religious days, say, Ramadan or Chinese New Year or something like that as statutory days off for everyone?
or b) abolish any holiday that is based on any one religion and instead just go to some sort of individualized days off system?
or c) carry on as usual even if it doesn't reflect the dominant culture and/or actually offends people?



This may not be the most pressing issue the modern world is facing, but I find it interesting. Change happens really quickly in our era, as compared to other times. Western culture isn't as dominant as it thinks it is and I think there will be some very interesting challenges to this, many happening in our own backyards, not just on the global stage.

 

[moomin_troll]

and then u can go on to say jesus wasnt born in december but more then likely august, and it was changed to line up with a already pagan holiday.

but it still shouldnt mean we go changing our holiday names just to suit others. they dont have to celebrate it but to come out and say its offensive in my mind is just childish.
im sick to the back teeth of things that we have celebrated in this country for many yrs are now under pressure because others decide to move here and dont like it

 

[marley2580]

The vast majority of people from other/no religions are not offended in the slightest by the 'christian holidays. For the last 2000 years this has been a christian country and, speaking as an atheist, christian holidays are fine for celebrating. If I lived in a muslim country I would expect to have time off around Ramadan etc and to celebrate christmas in my own time.

 

[OmiOmen]

I was going to point out that holidays such as Easter, Halloween and Christmas were changed to bring in the old pagan believers but it has being pointed out already. So thinking of that it does beg the question as to if things should be adapted now. The thing is though, that they are not entirely religious holidays in this country as much and cultural traditions. I know when my husband starts making big Christmas plans I ask why he is as we are atheists and he says (as do many people I know) "It's tradition". I used to have a Muslim friend and she bought and received Christmas gifts from our group of friends as she also said it had nothing to do with religion for her, it was a cultural tradition. This said I personally know people who work at places that used to play Christmas music but no longer do because of complaints from people from different religions/cultures, even though they did not mind the holidays and bonus.

I do not think you should try to change 'Christian' names for holidays though as it would be considered offensive to try and change any other religion so just because it is the major religion in this country it does not really make it fair to change only that one and no other. But there is something to the fact that some religions do not get time off for their holidays. Also that even if people could get time off for their own religious holidays that it would still be unfair to people who have no religion and would have to do more days at work. It is a tough one to answer.