Easter Reflections

[LA Ute]

As we enter Easter weekend, I thought it would be nice to post here some of our favorite thoughts and ideas about Easter. We'll all be edified by such an exercise, and we might even get some good talk and lesson material out of it.

My offering is from Neal Maxwell. It's full of memorable and quotable nuggets:

The gift of immortality to all is so choice a gift that our rejoicing in these two great and generous gifts should drown out any sorrow, assuage any grief, conquer any mood, dissolve any despair, and tame any tragedy.

Even those who see life as pointless will one day point with adoration to the performance of the Man of Galilee in the crowded moments of time known as Gethsemane and Calvary. Those who now say life is meaningless will yet applaud the atonement, which saved us all from meaninglessness.

Christ’s victory over death routs the rationale that there is a general and irreversible human predicament; there are only personal predicaments, but even from these we can also be rescued by following the pathway of Him who rescued us from general extinction.

A disciple’s “brightness of hope,” therefore, means that at funerals his tears are not because of termination, but because of interruption and separation. Though just as wet, his tears are not of despair, but of appreciation and anticipation. Yes, for disciples, the closing of a grave is but the closing of a door that will later be flung open.

It is the Garden Tomb, not life, that is empty!

Neal A. Maxwell, Wherefore Ye Must Press Forward, pp. 132-3.

"Those who now say life is meaningless will yet applaud the atonement, which saved us all from meaninglessness."

I love that. Happy Easter.

[SeattleUte]

"Those who now say life is meaningless will yet applaud the atonement, which saved us all from meaninglessness."

I don't agree that belief in immortality must be a prerequisite to a meaningful life, or a life well lived.

[LA Ute]

I don't agree that belief in immortality must be a prerequisite to a meaningful life, or a life well lived.

I don't disagree with you. Elder Maxwell's point is that for Christians, and especiially for Mormons, our lives would be eternally meaningless without Christ's atonement and resurrection. Both spiritual death (separation from God) and physical death (separation from our bodies) would be eternal. In that case, what would be the point of having lived? Again, this is from a believer's perspective.

[LA Ute]

Well! This has been a popular thread!

[NorthShoreCoug]

As we enter Easter weekend, I thought it would be nice to post here some of our favorite thoughts and ideas about Easter. We'll all be edified by such an exercise, and we might even get some good talk and lesson material out of it.

...

Christ’s victory over death routs the rationale that there is a general and irreversible human predicament; there are only personal predicaments, but even from these we can also be rescued by following the pathway of Him who rescued us from general extinction.

...

I love that. Happy Easter.

Thanks, LA Ute. Maxwell certainly had a way with words, didn't he?

My late father and I had many discussions on the general human condition. He tended to be more cynical, feeling that people set their course early in life, and rarely deviated much. I argued that Christ's life and message can have a more radical effect on us, but most of us just "go with the flow", and only have rare glimpses into the power of the message. We hear the words, but don't really listen. Life tends to distract us.

But at times in my life, I've paid more attention. At those times, I've felt the power of His life. I sometimes see it other people as well. In fact, every now and then I start a discussion with my wife on who in our ward has been "transformed" by the Spirit, and who is just going through the motions. Unfortunately, I spend too much time just going through the motions. "I go to church, have a TR, so all is well".

[Solon]

Easter is an interesting holiday - like many Christian observances it is a combination of pagan and newer traditions. Resurrecting a god is found elsewhere in ancient near eastern myth. For instance, the Egyptian Osiris and the Canaanite Ba'al were both killed, but brought back to life through the efforts of the Divine Mother, Isis and Anat, respectively. Maybe Easter (Ishtar) really should focus more on the divine feminine.

But, from a Christian perspective, I took this photo in 1997 in northern Israel. Many archaeologists feel that the "Garden Tomb" of Jerusalem is much too old (iron age) to be the "new tomb" of Matt. 27.60. The linked photo is a tomb from the Roman period, so it gives us a better idea of what Jesus' tomb looked like.

Anyway, happy Easter and Passover.

[FMCoug]

Well! This has been a popular thread!

The religion forum here seems to be much more about the intellectual discussion of religion than spirituality ... I've been shot down on stuff like this too.

[Jeff Lebowski]

Relax. Lack of response simply means that everyone agrees with you.

[Hallelujah]

Easter is an interesting holiday - like many Christian observances it is a combination of pagan and newer traditions. Resurrecting a god is found elsewhere in ancient near eastern myth. For instance, the Egyptian Osiris and the Canaanite Ba'al were both killed, but brought back to life through the efforts of the Divine Mother, Isis and Anat, respectively. Maybe Easter (Ishtar) really should focus more on the divine feminine.

But, from a Christian perspective, I took this photo in 1997 in northern Israel. Many archaeologists feel that the "Garden Tomb" of Jerusalem is much too old (iron age) to be the "new tomb" of Matt. 27.60. The linked photo is a tomb from the Roman period, so it gives us a better idea of what Jesus' tomb looked like.

Anyway, happy Easter and Passover.

It certainly is. Considering that this was the most signficant event in human history, many use it as a time to take a day off of church and recreate and not worship.

[Solon]

It certainly is. Considering that this was the most signficant event in human history, many use it as a time to take a day off of church and recreate and not worship.

To each his/her own. Sometimes spending time with family is the best kind of worship.

I'm pretty proud of that photo, though.