Easter is one of three things: an excuse for commercialism, a pagan ritual, or the single most important thing that ever happened: a human being dying and coming back to life. It doesn't matter what religious or non-religious background one hails from, death remains one of those defining boundaries in philosophy which colors every other aspect of thought and possibility. It is a topic which many shy away from but one for which the implications can be no more profound.

Think about it? Why all the rancor over abortion? Or over religion and morality in general? Death: what it is and what it means is of what I would argue the utmost importance of philosophical study. Is death the termination of consciousness, the passing of consciousness into another plane of reality, or something else entirely? The answer to that question is so fundamental that it forms the bedrock of nearly all religions and philosophies: to answer its question is to either disprove or prove any given philosophy/religion.

I choose not to get my panties in a bind over it. I like watching kids hunt for Easter eggs. I love the weather associated with this time of year. Yipee.

When I get perspective on all religion I am amazed at the suffering and murder that's highlighted. Not my cup of tea.

Lol. That was pretty funny.

Seriously, though, I think that one of the differences is the self-actualization and intelligence, which are usually lacking in Zombies.

Faith is often maligned by those who do not understand it. I don't accept Rand's definition. Blind acceptance is an oxymoron. One can't accept what one has no knowledge of.

I define Faith as the motivation to do something which has an unsure outcome but an outcome one nevertheless desires. The entrepreneur exercises faith when he goes into business for himself: he has no surety of knowledge that his business venture will succeed, but he presses forward anyway because the payoff is worth the risk. The scientist conducts the test of a hypothesis based on faith: he has no surety of outcome until after the test is complete and he has analyzed the findings.

I think what some people want to declare as faith is the part used by some to absolve themselves of any action of verification, but this is not faith. That is risk aversion in its extreme. Are there those of a religious persuasion which promote the false concept of faith Rand alluded to which advocates no action? Absolutely! And it is hypocrisy of the highest order. Can one act on false premises? Absolutely! Which is why the confirmation is so important as it establishes the veracity of the tenet upon which one acts.

The wonders of the universe certainly start out as the supposedly unknowable. I've seen way too much in my life to render anything to that bucket. I put it in the "someday" category, but I try to studiously avoid the "never" category.

There are some here in the Gulch who can not tolerate any mention of religion. So they -1 any posts in relation.

I reserve my "thumbs downs" for people who are either intentionally antagonistic, use logical fallacies in their arguments repeatedly, or who assert others use them without specifying. I've had good discussions even with those who differ with me and as long as civility prevails, I won't downvote.

Definitely!
Also: Rare prime rib with horseradish sauce (my personal favorite).

That's why we should all vote for Gary Johnson and go viral with getting everyone else to discover that he is the only right choice. See www.garyjohnson2016.com - Libertarian candidate for president.

Thank you for your honesty and the clarification of the Gulch discussion group. It was never my intention to offend anyone in the Gulch. BTW, it wasn't so much that I lost a point as it was that I was so shocked.

Without any intent to offend or mock our Christian members I'll proceed with an observation. According to our current cultural standards, when something (generally human) dies but at some later time comes back to life, he/she/it is then referred to as a zombie. Easter therefore is a celebration of the existence of zombies.

When it becomes dominant, everything goes.

No, not a trombone -- that was a slide typewriter. Also note the devotional vocal.

But it isn't dixieland. This is from Britain during the 1950s New Orleans revival influenced by George Lewis, Bunk Johnson, et al when original N.O. players came out of hibernation and began recording the authentic N.O. ensemble improvisation in the 1940s. None of it was arranged and there were no written parts. The George Lewis band (with Jim Robinson on slide typewriter, sometimes doubling on trombone) became internationally famous, touring around the US, Britain, and Japan.

New players in the 1950s, especially in Britain, picked up on it and made a point of not playing the hackneyed "dixieland" with its stiffer rhythm (usually 2/4), strident over blowing, and formula chorus-in/set pattern of solos/chorus-out. The British N.O. revival of the 1950s gave way to the heavier and more arranged British Trad, but still not dixieland.

This recording was the Acker Bilk (clarinet) band in 1958. He also played with Ken Colyer, whose bands dominated the N.O. style in Britain for decades. Chris Barber was one of the big slide typewriter players in Britain. This music is how Acker Bilk got his start before becoming a pop star with Stranger on the Shore in 1962.

As I have said, anyone is better than Hillary, who is a felon and a traitor. I don't like Trump, but think of the alternative.

I like mine with chili, cheese, mustard and onions. Then, if anyone offends me, all I need to do is breathe on them.

Indeed.

When anything goes, anything goes.

Easter Parade in Dixieland. Great.
Also, a terrific trombone part in this arrangement, which will always resound with me.

Good point.

Yes, be yourself.
I study a subject and I take what means something to me. That includes Objectivism.
Conforming to fit in anywhere or even to be liked is self-imposed slavery. It is also hypocrisy.

Oops +1

Suzanne43:
There is a difference between being anti religion and tolerating religion. I think that some folks are offended that a religious person posts in the Gulch. While I do not care for religion for myself and my family is in agreement with me, so long as a person is someone who will not impede my forward progress, who will mind their own business and not try to convert or convince me about their religion, and doesn't take offense when I say no, then if they choose to worship Osiris or any other God, it's OK with me. I would suggest, however, that you keep your prayers and religious activities to yourself, as many Gulchers would feel personally offended. Also, Objectivism is not a political movement, even though it may seem like it at times based on some of the posts. It is a philosophy which is a way of life, just as religion is. The main difference in this case is that your philosophy (religion) is based on faith, whereas Objectivism is based on reason and holds no quarter with faith. One more point. The points really don't matter, at least to me. It is the pleasure I get from participating with others with a like viewpoint. I think that I have contributed, and I certainly have gotten much from the Gulch. I hope that clarifies things for you and I'll toss you a point for having the courage to defend yourself.

I see that someone took a point away from me. No matter how much I have disagreed with someone in the Gulch, I have never taken a point away from anyone. I have read over my above comment twice, and for the life of me, I can not understand what is so offensive about it. It's not like I was extolling the virtues of Clinton or Bernie Sanders. I don't think that Ayn Rand would have taken a point away from me. But no matter how it saddened me, I will put my big girl knickers on and deal with it. BTW, I want all the Gulchers to know that I keep you in my daily prayers.

It is supposed to be the commemoration of Passover. The Sedur is a litany of "types and shadows" ...or as we would say in Objectivism: Abstractions
...about Jesus.
Why it is bunnies, eggs and chocolate (yum...much better than horseradish) is because it was mixed with the celebration of Spring or "Ashtar" (easter) when Constantine mixed paganism with early Christianity to create Catholicism.
No big deal...I am personally celebrating the melting of the snow in my yard. 👍