Well, I was informed a little earlier by a teller at a home improvement center I had gone to to pick up some drywall for a job that it’s Easter . I didn’t have a clue.
The black robes will be working the congregation with an eye to the collection plate, some “serving” in humble surroundings and others in the midst of opulence.
Televangelists will be ramping it up and undoubtedly receive a “word from God” they are compelled to share, maybe even lay on hands and “heal” a person or two…also with an eye to the collection plate – perhaps even be “slain in the spirit” and speak in tongues.
Easter, an observance, or celebration if you prefer, of a man said to be divine who rose from the grave _ an observance shamelessly exploited and commercialized much the same as our beliefs by our own version of black robes and youtube televangelists.
The global impact of this man, Jesus of Nazareth, cannot be denied, but nothing I have seen in the message he taught would condone such an exploitation – in fact I’m inclined to believe those engaging in such would be viewed as false prophets and money changers in the Temple – a generation of vipers.
Of the few pastors or priests I have know only one struck me as believing and being committed to what he preached – a man who established a small non denomenational country church who had a family and worked two jobs to support them in addition to his position in the church, for which he refused any compensation.
When the collection plate was passed he did so admonishing the congregation to give only what a person could or to take what they needed.
In expressing my amazement at such an approach he said his was to serve not to be served, and it was only fitting that a man earned his livelihood by the sweat of his brow.
A good man, perhaps even a “rogue” or heretic by the standard of others, but nonetheless a man I respected who never attempted to proselytize me once he knew which way the wind of my personal beliefs blew.
Whatever a persons religious beliefs are they should have the same level of commitment, of integrity, they should be an example.