If you do NOT celebrate Easter, consider not being a putz and crapping all over those of us who do...

[PeaceWave]

I woke up this morning to the following text from a cousin...

For anyone wondering, I will not be doing the whole Easter thing this year. Just another over-commercialized nonsensical BS Jesus day. For real, was Easter celebrated by indigenous peoples? I think not. So do whatever ya gonna do, eat roast rabbit or whatevs. I'll be in Palm Springs, sipping mimosas poolside, resurrecting nothin' but good vibes.

Was this really necessary? Did I prompt this with some text accusing this person of being a pagan Devil worshipper? No on both accounts. Maybe you don't celebrate Easter. No need to try to spoil it for anyone else who does.

[moniss]

1. Thank you for posting this and

Happy Easter to you.

[efhmc]

2. That was not just thoughtless but downright nasty. Was definitely not something someone who believes in Jesus would do.

[Phoenix61]

3. Hmmm... that wasn't very nice.

Wishing you a happy Easter.

[Goonch]

4. How did you respond to your cousin?

[Jilly_in_VA]

5. I don't celebrate Easter this week because I'm Orthodox

This week is our Palm Sunday and the entrance to our holiest week of the year, or as the church I used to attend put it, Great and Holy Week. Next week is Pascha, or Easter, for us. But far be it from me to complain at anyone celebrating this week, whether they celebrate the risen Christ or Ostara. I am not trashing anybody's religion just to be nasty.

[tavernier]

6. Thank you.

Happy Easter to you.

[Scott Alan Swaggerty]

7. Certainly doesn't help the most "crapping all over" people who celebrate Easter is done by conservative Christians

They have done much in defaming Christianity and making it look like a Trump cult, their repulsive behaviors and egos are bad, almost as bad as the job market even.

[whathehell]

62. ..Not on this board

I'd guess there are few if any Conservative Christians on DU, and I believe the poster is addressing those here who are crapping all over the rest of us.

[Scott Alan Swaggerty]

70. In the form of this over-the-top "cousin" though?

[whathehell]

71. I wasn't addressing that particular post.

[Scott Alan Swaggerty]

85. ... sure

[Iggo]

8. Well, now I have to be.

[True Dough]

77. Good to see Jesus has hired help!

Would be hard to complete chores with those holey hands.

[Sogo]

9. I hope you took the time to text your post headline back to your cousin.

nt.

[Hope22]

10. Don't take it personally!

Probably the mimosas talking. Or send a note on Monday saying sorry, you just got this note. You were in the cave with Jesus!

Have a wonderful Easter. I wish you blue skies and peace. 💗🙏🏼

[niyad]

11. Even though my friends and I are pagans, and celebrate Oestara,

(with which your cousin is obviously unfamiliar), we will also have a gathering tomorrow with other friends who are not pagan.

May your cousin receive everything he deserves.


A small note: Pagans do not worship the devil.

[Ilikepurple]

24. I'm not sure most pagans think it's "a small note" after centuries of being persecuted as such? nt

[niyad]

26. That is true. Also considerably toned down from the original

comment I was considering.

[SheltieLover]

128. Happy Oestara!

[niyad]

129. Thank you!

[SheltieLover]

130. Yw! I hope you have a lovely celebration of Spring!

[niyad]

131. And you as well. We are having a beautiful day here.

[SheltieLover]

133. Thx!

[FascismIsDeath]

12. Indigenous people celebrated the beginning of Spring too. Every culture pretty much has done that.

Eostre/Ostara is a pagan goddess of fertility and spring. Thats where we get the name from to begin with. Christians integrated it into their practices like they did every other pagan holiday in order to make transitioning pagans into Christianity easier to deal with.

But yea, I don't care what people celebrate. I'm an atheist but I'm not out to lecture or convert others. Folks should mind their own business about things like that.

[niyad]

13. Thank you!

[Ilikepurple]

22. Yes, many indigenous people had those traditions forcibly displaced by Christian holidays and teachings.

I am generally in favor of leaving people to their own celebrations, religious or otherwise, which is why I object to OP’s proscriptive rule that most non-celebrators here were not going to violate anyways.

[muriel_volestrangler]

117. Ironically, the use of "Easter" in England stems from an invasion by non-indigengous people

ie by the Anglo-Saxons. Before they arrived, what is now England was speaking a Celtic language roughly like Welsh, and the Welsh term for Easter is "Pasg" - ie like the Romance languages which derive "Pâques" etc. from the Hebrew "Pesach".

[betsuni]

14. Cousin forgot "late stage capitalism" and "forever wars of Western imperialism."

[Ilikepurple]

42. I'm guessing by this reply the issue with the cousin goes beyond their rudeness about Easter?

It seems the ideological debates within the Democratic Party are best decided by proscription or derision rather than debate.

[HAB911]

15. Sounds to me like someone that does celebrate

has or was giving him or her some shit about not celebrating, maybe over a long period of time and he or she has just had enough. That in fact has been my personal experience, your mileage may vary. I would never say what they said without it being spurred by something.

[lindysalsagal]

16. How can true beliefs be ruined by non-believers?

Why is public validation of stone-age religion so desperately needed and so very fragile? How could an alcoholic fruit drink ruin something that is truly believed?

[ShazzieB]

63. I don't think PeaceWave was asking for anyone to "validate" anything.

They were just pointing out that it's rude to deliberately rain on someone else's parade, and I agree. In the case they described, someone went out of their way to do that, which imo is rather childish and petty.

I love holidays in general, with all their silly trappings, even some that I don't celebrate myself. Getting through this life is a hard enough slog, especially in the time of Orange Hellbeast 2.0, and we need all the help we can get to survive it. Holidays, religious or otherwise, can provide a welcome pick me up. I see no reason to mock something that provides such a bright spot for someone else, whether it does that for me or not. I don't expect anyone to celebrate everything I celebrate, and I am more than happy to respect other people's celebrations in turn.

Along with the religious significance, Easter means spring to me, new life and new hope as living things come alive again after the cold, gloomy winter. It lifts my spirits. I don't expect everyone to feel the same, but as hopefully mature adults, I think we should all be able to be respectful about things that are meaningful to others.

[ck4829]

18. Certainly making my allergy to straw act up

[GenThePerservering]

19. Dear Cousin,

Fuck off.

Love, ______

[Skittles]

45. I have that same message for someone else

yes indeed

[True Dough]

80. I'm here to collect on that message, Skittles!

[senseandsensibility]

20. Not sure I'm getting the connection between this rude person

and DU and why you felt the need to warn DUers not to do this. I have seen no such messages here in my 20 plus years posting, so........

[617Blue]

25. There isn't any. Alleged cousin, sends alleged text

so the poster takes to DU to scold this community?

[niyad]

30. And then is silent.

[617Blue]

31. Troll. There's a bunch of em here...

You can go and read previous posts where they're always arguing in the contrary. There's another here called melon.

[Scott Alan Swaggerty]

35. Just be careful

They don't like being called out.

[fujiyamasan]

81. Don't forget the gaming dude

[Skittles]

41. think really hard

its very apparent

[LisaM]

55. Maybe it just bugged the OP.

I haven't received anything particular to Easter but a couple of people in chat groups I am in always feel the need to say that they hate football when I am looking forward to the Super Bowl. Like clockwork. (If they really want to be irritating, they say sportsball). DU can - thankfully - be an anonymous place to vent.

[Skittles]

94. I think what bugs non-sports folk

is sports is everywhere, you cannot get away from it and that IS irritating

[LisaM]

95. So is sci-fi, which I dislike.

But many of my friends are sci-fi fans, and I don't gratuitously send them texts when the next Dune movie or whatever comes out!!

I think if you do like something, you don't notice how ubiquitous it is to people who don't like it.

I also don't like the horror genre and the ads come on everywhere!!!

[Skittles]

96. I don't see chronic news articles about sci-fi

sports is ESPECIALLY egregious for people who just don't give a fuck WHO is playing or WHO WON WHAT, it is fucking endless

[LisaM]

100. But the ads are everywhere, and in bookstores.....

I walk into bookstores and the front is always taken up with sci-fi and anime while I have to practically go on a scavenger hunt for the books I like. And actually, the actors from those movies are on a lot - they make the talk show circuits.

All this just to say that we do tend to notice the things we dislike. Funny thing - I have to steel myself for Pi Day and
all the pies and once that's over, May the Fourth is straight ahead! I have to laugh, it's all annoying to me but at least I can laugh at myself.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

21. was this supposed to go to your cousin

[Ilikepurple]

23. I wasn't even thinking about saying anything about Easter.

It seems hard to consider not doing something before you’ve even considered doing it.

[niyad]

29. I always liike to know when people celebrate easter. . the chocolate goes

on sale the next day!

[Skittles]

48. right?!

mmmmm peeps and coffee for breakfast

[Ilikepurple]

51. I'm jealous of Chocolate Easter candy.

I can’t even tolerate dark chocolate with whey of milk fat in it anymore. I have fond memories of eating bunny ears, chocolate ones of course. Cadbury min eggs might be what I miss most.

[Skittles]

46. nope

it's supposed to go to us "godless libs", dontcha know

[Walleye]

27. I have fond memories of Easter, bringing home potted pansies from Sunday school

Don’t let any assholes spoil it for you

[50 Shades Of Blue]

28. That is shitty!

I'm the biggest heathen in the world. And I just watched Godspell on TCM and took my stash of See's Easter candy out of the freezer for tomorrow.

You can do both!

[Buckeyeblue]

32. There is no god and Mary is his mother

[RockRaven]

33. Happy Harrowing of Hell Day!

(well, depending on one's sect; if not applicable to you, never mind)

[CTyankee]

34. I don't understand people who would do that.

I was brought up in a non-religious home and I have nothing against people who celebrate religious holidays.

[Bettie]

138. My guess is that they got one too many

"So, what are you doing for Easter....going to church....etc." emails or calls and were just done.

I had my DH read the text and he said the same thing.

At some point, if you have very religious family members who don't get that you aren't....it gets pretty old.

[Skittles]

36. uh huh

yeah OK

[betsuni]

37. For those who think it can't happen, imagine posting an amusing Easter story and in reply

a comment about pregnant American teenagers wishing they could blame it on the Holy Ghost; Christianity a 2050-year-old lie -- the most enduring lie.

Well, that just happened. Bummer. They seemed pretty cross about Easter.

[Botany]

38. And on the third day God sent the world lagomorphs. and chocolate eggs.

[MLAA]

39. They might have been in Palm Springs and sipping mimosas but they fell short of the good vibes.

[pfitz59]

40. 'Easter' as a time of rebirth and renewal. OK.

Easter as the incredibly violent 'passion play'? Not so much. As a Catholic child I was taught about the Easter bunny and candy. Until.... the candy coating came off and tada! torture and agony. WTF? Was the start of disbelief. So, yeah, celebrate 'Easter', and all its blood and gore. I'll take the pagan view and watch the flowers bloom.

[buzzycrumbhunger]

139. Everyone's a victim these days

... and if we don't notice, they make sure we know about it. 🙄

As for me? This is Chocolate Sinday. Who says we can't celebrate together? Slàinte!

[Maru Kitteh]

43. This Atheist had a blast handing our Easter baskets at work. I love spring.

I put candy and silly stuff in them like little Rubix cube puzzles and bubble wands. Everybody loved them.

[generalbetrayus]

44. I grew up in the Methodist church but haven't been a practicing Christian since my sophomore year in college.

I still try to live by the teachings in the Gospel of the New Testament (letters of Paul and pseudo-Paul, not so much), but I forgot until late last night that it was Good Friday. If your cousin really sent this text, he/she/whaever is an asshole (and an alcoholic?) and should be ignored. Period. Peace.

[GenThePerservering]

123. Not sure sipping mimosas qualifies

as having an alcoholic disorder. Some people are just assholes.

[Trueblue1968]

47. He is Risen.

[BeneteauBum]

49. How each person chooses to enjoy their day

is entirely up to them. As long as each one of you don’t infringe on your neighbor’s peace, I wish the best.

Peace ☮️

[Betty Boom]

50. One Day of Pushback vs. 365 Days of Assumption

You’re reacting to one text like it’s some major offense. Meanwhile, Christianity gets broadcast into everyone else’s space all year long, with the assumption that we’ll just accept it.
The minute someone doesn’t—now it’s a problem.
If you’d prefer people keep their beliefs to themselves, that’s a standard a lot of us would welcome—consistently applied.

[ProfessorGAC]

60. Best Post On This Thread

And, there are several good posts.
Tomorrow is another day that ends in Y for us.
I'm not telling anybody how to hold the day, and I haven't seen anybody else here doing it.
I certainly didn't need the lecture in the OP.

[niyad]

118. Thank you.

[IronLionZion]

52. Easter bunny is a pagan fertility symbol

so some indigenous cultures probably did celebrate in their own ways

[Wifes husband]

53. Mind your own damn business

Most of the world's problems are caused by people who will not mind their own damned business. If your beliefs or actions are not affecting me or my family, in general I try to keep my mouth shut.

There are exceptions. You are not going to hurt a woman or child or animal around me without me getting involved,

Everything thing else is normally none of my business. In general, you can believe or say what ever you want. Just leave me and mine alone

[MustLoveBeagles]

54. I'm sorry your cousin did that to you

Don't let him/her get to you.

[R0ckyRac00n]

56. Cool story, bro.

[yaesu]

57. I have nothing against a good science fiction story, hell, I even have a signed copy of Cujo in my collection. nt

[blue-wave]

58. Geez, that was uncalled for

There is too much hostility today. What's with the indigenous comment? Because they didn't celebrate Easter means no one else can? Seems more than a little intolerant. Especially when you consider all the Christian settlers that were slaughtered by indigenous people through the centuries. I've done research on this and yes, the slaughter was on BOTH sides of the settler/native Indian conflicts.

Have a happy and blessed Easter.

[Marcuse]

59. Nails and stones may break my bones but words will not crucify me. He was hung up for our hangups.

[JI7]

61. I didn't grow up in a Christian home but we did things like Easter baskets

and egg hunts.

[walkingman]

64. When it comes to religion my preference is to mind my own business.

Everyone has the freedom to believe or not believe anything they like and as long as it doesn't affect me then more power to them.

I think the issue with religion these days that is different that it was when I grew up (born 1950) is that it has become more political. I think that one thing is not only destroying religion but also politics.

[Wifes husband]

97. It was pretty political then too

Not as bad as now, certainly, but religion did affect politics

[walkingman]

106. It was but when Jerry Falwell/teamed up with Reagan in the 80's it all changed.

I personally think it was a significant as the Southern Strategy (Civil Rights Bill) in political terms. The GOP has claimed ownership of religion especially for white evangelicals and in terms of abortion the Catholic Church.

Most people don't realize that abortion was not a big issue for Protestants until it was legalized in 1973, in fact some denominations welcomed the liberalization of it.

[aeromanKC]

65. To be fair, Mimosas sound pretty good.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[JMCKUSICK]

66. What a profoundly important message, not just religious

But for many things which some may not understand but which is critically important to others.

Judge not.

Not because God said so, but because what gives you the right to place your beliefs above others?

[Torchlight]

67. Was this from the same fella who texted you

'they'll only attend our Thanksgiving if we're serving an "indigenously sourced turkey." '?

[demmiblue]

75. Lol... I remember that!

I’m surprised that it wasn’t deleted.

[Scrivener7]

84. That one seemed fishy to me. Too.

[Scott Alan Swaggerty]

83. Oh? Interesting.

[Skittles]

86. LOL

[fujiyamasan]

116. I vaguely remember that

Anyone have a link?

[sboatcar]

68. I get it, Christians have done a lot of bad things over the years

Maybe just shrug and move on.

[Bettie]

140. Many years ago, a comedian...I don't even remember who anymore

was talking about being angry or offended and said that his solution was 'acknowledge and move on'. It's turned out to be among the best pieces of advice I've ever received.

[AverageOldGuy]

69. Whenever he encountered someone who did something he did not or something with which he was not familiar . . .

. . . my old granddaddy would say: "Why, that's a fine thing you are doing. If it makes you happy, it just tickles me to death."

[Tree Lady]

72. Send text "thanks for raining on my parade"

With an unhappy face.

I don't celebrate it but if I am around people or family that do I join in. No reason to be mean. As long as someone is not trying to cram their religion in my face I respect that they hold different beliefs than I do.

[demmiblue]

73. ...

[Farmer-Rick]

74. I got 5 religious Easter celebration comments in my email

I am not a believer of a god. Yet I get this crap stuffed into my email from friends and family every year. Evangelicals are the worst at pushing their nonsense on me.

So it works both ways. In fact the religious are more aggressive than the atheists. But two wrongs don't make a right.

[Bluetus]

76. If you celebrate Jesus, please be patient with those of us who don't really appreciate

Last edited Sat Apr 4, 2026, 05:35 PM - Edit history (1)

having our country cast into war with our soldiers being told to "Win one for Jesus" or whatever.

I hope you can have patience with non-Christians who have to listen to the media interviewing people all the time who falsely assert "this is a Christian nation".

I am sorry that your cousin seems to have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed today, or maybe he was hitting the mimosas pretty hard before he emailed you. That wasn't polite or diplomatic. But neither is treating non-Christians as if they are not every bit as entitled to be here as are Christians. We all need to chill.

Personally, this atheist will be playing music Easter morning with a Lutheran congregation full of people I believe to be decent, caring folks. And while I don't share the beliefs in Jesus, the character with superpowers, I am happy to support others for whom Easter is a notable day. I have no problem with people who try to live according to the legendary values of Jesus, most of which I share. I have a huge problem with a great many people calling themselves Christians while acting opposite the supposed values of Jesus every day.

So there we are. We need to get along with our neighbors, even love them. Even your cousin.

[OC375]

78. Jesus was pretty chill.

Shake the dust from your sandals and just keep on trucking’. Everyone is welcome, but not everyone makes it.

[Americanme]

79. I am an atheist who is always up for a big family dinner.

Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving, any occasion for a feast with family is great by me.

[Scrivener7]

82. Is there a door buzzard in this story?

If you don't want nastiness about Easter spread around, why bring this here?

Seems like there was no nastiness about Easter till you posted this.

And it does seem to be generally the same story as your Thanksgiving offering about a cousin demanding an indigenously sourced turkey.

[Ilikepurple]

114. Just the words "indigenous" and "whatevs" are enough to muster the troops.

Either flippantly drinking mimosas is a weapon against Christianity that is stronger than the multitude of Christian values and cultural dominance or this thread was just another shot across the bough in the culture wars within the Democratic Party. I’m not sure what generation still says “whatevs”, but if any do, they are probably still younger and more idealistic and blameworthy than those of us that have a sagacity that can only come from sitting at home refreshing the DU latest discussion page like I often do. Sometimes, I feel like I’m sitting on the Archie side of the table when I’m more comfortable sitting with the Meatheads.

[Blues Heron]

87. Sounds serious

[fujiyamasan]

88. I've also heard there's a war on Christmas

[Ocelot II]

89. But there's something we should know about the Easter Bunny.

The Easter Bunny has an ovipositor. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “It’s a mammal! Even if it lays eggs, it would do so through a cloaca!” And that’s a totally reasonable argument if you believe the Easter Bunny is a literal bunny. But this is just a lookalike situation, kind of like how the hummingbird moth isn’t actually a bird. “But it has four limbs and it’s covered in fur!” I assume you just shouted, but here’s where you’ve been led astray. Those stalks atop its head aren’t actually ears. They’re a pair of specialized limbs used to distract prey. The “hairs” covering its body are sensory structures known as setae. The Easter Bunny is actually a six-limbed insect that lays its eggs via oviposition once it has found a suitable nest.

I’m sorry, but it’s time you learned the truth.

[Bongo Prophet]

98. "That sneaky bastard!"

[MineralMan]

124. LOL!

I always thought there was something fishy about bunnies.

[Ferrets are Cool]

134. Great post.

[Drum]

90. Sorry you don't feel like revisiting your confrontational post!

I was really looking forward to hearing you engage with the others. But ah well…

[fujiyamasan]

93. Not the first time they've done this

[Bluetus]

103. If they came back, they might want to explain why they didn't turn the other cheek.

I have trouble conjuring much sympathy for "oppressed Christians" in the USA.

[Susan Calvin]

91. My gosh.

I'm a fairly militant atheist, and I would never ever do something like that unprovoked. Total lack of class.

[WarGamer]

92. Awww they're just flexing their inclusiveness, tolerance and compassion.

[TommyT139]

99. Thank you.

Many of the responses to this thread -- along with too many others to count over the years -- prove the need for your advice.

[niyad]

119. Seriously?

[TommyT139]

141. Yep

You don't have to agree.
Have a good one.

[ck4829]

142. Good lord

[ck4829]

120. He's not going to see this, just so you know

You might also want to google "site:democraticunderground.com indigenously sourced turkey" by the way.

[RB77]

102. I Like Jesus !!

At least everything I’ve heard about him. However from what I’ve read in the Old Testament, - I don’t like his father, he is a self centered, perverted, murdering prick!

[JoseBalow]

137. Gandhi (may or may not have) said...

"I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ."

[luv2fly]

104. Maybe you could teach him/her how to self-delete

Then the mean messages wouldn't give you the sads.

[dpibel]

105. 100+ replies!

From one short story. And no further effort required!

I believe there are those who would count that a rollicking success.

[mcar]

107. K&R

[chowmama]

108. How can anybody expect freedom of religion, including freedom from religion

If they're not willing to let other people have it too?

If the above is this guy's attitude throughout the weekend, I suspect the good vibes have either left the building or never shown up at all. It must suck to be that miserable.

But for his sake, I hope the mimosas are good enough to calm him down a little.

[msongs]

110. Every day the jesus crowd tells me I am hell bound scum not worthy of eequal rights. this guy can

just get over his religious privilege and hit the delete button

[Swede]

111. Live and let live, I say.

[Ilikepurple]

113. The worst, and thankfully forgotten, James Bond movie and Wings tune.

[riversedge]

112. Have a Hoppy Day all.

I always think of Easter as Spring is Coming..........it's chilly again right now but suspose to be in low 50's tomorrow

[BWdem4life]

115. I'm in it for the jelly beans. nt

[Conjuay]

121. " I'll be in Palm Springs, sipping mimosas poolside"

Doesn't sound like the kind of person I would want around any sort of celebration.

[ck4829]

122. Well... that's because it's not a real person

You should google "site:democraticunderground.com indigenously sourced turkey" to see another totally real story about another member of a certain forum user's family.

[John1956PA]

127. Ahh, yes, I remember that thread. Thanks for providing the connection.

[MineralMan]

125. Is your cousin on DU?

If not, why not just text him/her back with your message.

Even though I'm an atheist of long standing, I don't bother people about their religious holidays. I think most people on DU wouldn't, either.

So, forgive us if we don't understand your reason for bringing your little family store here.

[RedWhiteBlueIsRacist]

126. Esther, Easter, Ishtar look like some sort of word puzzles to me. Swapping the syllables looks like Horus & Set.

But hey, if people want to believe in that stuff...

[BH liberal]

132. I agree...

that your cousin was out of line. We should all be free to believe in the mythology of our choice, or the lack thereof, as long as we don't try to foist or force those beliefs on others. You know, in certain ways, the creation of national holidays based on Christian or other sects' religious celebrations is a kind of foisting...

[Sibelius Fan]

135. The victimization never ends.

[JoseBalow]

136. He was temporarily inconvenienced for your sins