Have a Blessed and Beautiful Easter, one and all!

[indianasmith]

  This is my favorite holiday of the whole year.  My Christian faith is something I hold very dear, and tomorrow we commemorate the joyous mystery that lies at the heart of it all - the Resurrection of Jesus Christ!  I know that there are not many Christians on this forum, and that's OK - I love all you guys regardless!  So please bear with me while I indulge in a little purely religious reverie.
   Jesus Christ is the most pivotal figure in human history.  Most of the world still splits their calendar in half at the year of his birth (give or take - most scholars concede that the monk who invented the Christian Calendar in the 6th century was at least a year or two off!).  Although many terrible things have been done in his name, his teachings, as contained in the four Biblical gospels, still represent one of the most remarkable philosophies of all time.
   But the Resurrection is what sets him apart from other great teachers and prophets.  Christ claimed to be the Son of God - very clearly and plainly, despite what some modern scholars have tried to claim.  But what sets His claim apart is the dramatic, final proof he provided - by appearing alive again after his death to numerous witnesses.  Christ's humanity is beyond question, and the nobility of His sacrifice on the cross is a beautiful tale.  But it is His resurrection that shows us that He was greater than any philosopher, any poet, any scholar, any king who ever lived.  He conquered death itself, and lives on that we might have life in Him.
    Believe what you will about Him - that He was a myth, a madman, or simply a misguided spiritual leader murdered by His enemies.  For me, He will always be the Son of God, and my dearest friend.

"If Christ be not raised, you are still in your sins . . .  if we have trusted in Christ in this life only, we are of all men, most to be pitied."  - St. Paul, II Corinthians, AD 54.

Have a Blessed Easter!

[retrorussell]

Going to mostly celebrate my sister's birthday tomorrow.  Bought her Hausu. :)

[claws]

Enjoy them spring spheres! *kidding*

[indianasmith]

I'd give you karma for that if I could, Claws!

[Raffine]

Have a great Easter, Indy!

I felt bad for the two sunnyside up eggs I had this morning: Here it is Easter and they didn't get to be Easter Eggs.

They just got ate. 

[Allhallowsday]

I still don't care for your "but..." and you did squeeze in there "madman..." but you are apparently toning it down.   

Have a blessed Easter, Lewis.   

[Criswell]

Hope you all have great Easters. 

[Jack]

Happy Easter everybody!  We've got a huge ham in the oven and I fully anticipate being in a food-induced coma by mid-afternoon.

[Couchtr26]

Happy Easter everyone.  Enjoy the holiday. 

[Silverlady]

Happy Easter everyone.   

[indianasmith]

I still don't care for your "but..." and you did squeeze in there "madman..." but you are apparently toning it down.   

Have a blessed Easter, Lewis.   

We've batted the ball back and forth many times, but I am still not quite able to grasp who exactly you think Jesus Christ was.  To my mind, a man who claims to be the Son of God when he demonstrably isn't would be unbalanced . . . if not actually mad.  The Resurrection proves the spectacular claims Christ made for Himself were true.  At least, it proves it to my satisfaction.

  But your respect and affection for the sacrifice of Christ are obviously real, and I commend you for them. Hope your day has been blessed.

[Trevor]

Happy Easter to my family here. 

[Allhallowsday]

I still don't care for your "but..." and you did squeeze in there "madman..." but you are apparently toning it down.  
Have a blessed Easter, Lewis.    

We've batted the ball back and forth many times, but I am still not quite able to grasp who exactly you think Jesus Christ was.  To my mind, a man who claims to be the Son of God when he demonstrably isn't would be unbalanced . . . if not actually mad.  The Resurrection proves the spectacular claims Christ made for Himself were true.  At least, it proves it to my satisfaction.
  But your respect and affection for the sacrifice of Christ are obviously real, and I commend you for them. Hope your day has been blessed.

You need something that I don't need.  You have expectations I don't have.  What that's been touched, devised, or recorded by Man is perfect?  What can we know?  It is not seriously argued that there was a man called Jesus who preached peace and love and also pointed out hypocrisy and was executed for it.  He was no king or world traveler.  History should have forgotten him.  The first miracle of Jesus was none of the miracles, but, that despite humble origin, poverty, and an ignominious death, he was well remembered.  That's what I know.  

[indianasmith]

Interesting.  I think I begin to understand you.

[Allhallowsday]

...
"If Christ be not raised, you are still in your sins . . .  if we have trusted in Christ in this life only, we are of all men, most to be pitied."  - St. Paul, II Corinthians, AD 54.

Paul, a "persecutor" of Christians before his conversion, never knew the living Jesus.  Yet, I do not think there is a more important player in the history of Christianity.  This quote you cite offers myriad insight aside from being a pointed statement. 
We're not so far apart, you and I, just bumping into one another unseen as we step backwards out of the back doors of our own houses.