April 6, 2025

Is Easter Still a Religious Event?

Is Easter Still a Religious Event?
The player is loading ...
Is Easter Still a Religious Event?

In this episode, Vince and I take a journey into the evolving significance of Easter in a contemporary society. We discuss how Easter has shifted from its religious roots to a holiday often viewed merely as a long weekend. The conversation highlights the erosion of traditional practices, like the significance of Good Friday, and the rise of non-traditional activities, such as sporting events during this time.

We also reflect on how the Easter holidays are perceived by the average Australian today and ponder the diminishing focus on religious aspects in favour of leisure and commercial interests. This episode is an introspective look at how societal values impact traditional religious celebrations, exploring themes of cultural change, modernity, and the importance of preserving traditional values in an ever-evolving world.

00:11 - Introduction to Easter Reflections

01:42 - Public Holidays and Their Significance

02:25 - The Changing Nature of Good Friday

05:59 - The Royal Children’s Hospital Appeal

08:28 - Fundraising for Children’s Healthcare

13:03 - The Role of Easter Monday

16:36 - Understanding Easter’s Significance

19:45 - Erosion of Religious Education

24:00 - The Impact of Modern Society on Tradition

26:19 - Political Correctness and Easter

27:52 - Closing Thoughts on Easter Celebrations

WEBVTT

00:00:02.217 --> 00:00:07.957
Welcome to Why Is It So? Your last defence for common sense with your co-hosts

00:00:07.957 --> 00:00:10.277
Paul Zammett and Vince Locizzano.

00:00:11.057 --> 00:00:17.497
Hello and welcome to Why Is It So? Today Vince and I are going to reminisce

00:00:17.497 --> 00:00:20.317
about what things have changed with Easter.

00:00:20.597 --> 00:00:26.597
And do people actually take into account the religious aspect of Easter?

00:00:26.597 --> 00:00:30.857
Or do they just sort of say, okay, we've got a long weekend here, four days.

00:00:31.057 --> 00:00:36.357
We'll go away and have a bit of a rest and come back invigorated again, ready for work.

00:00:36.597 --> 00:00:43.617
Let's bring Vince in and get his point of view on Easter and what people think. Good morning, Vince.

00:00:44.157 --> 00:00:48.897
It's time again. What, is it Christmas already for? Not far away.

00:00:49.637 --> 00:00:54.377
It's Easter. Or it will be Easter in the next two weeks. Yes, indeed.

00:00:54.677 --> 00:00:57.777
I'm looking forward to it. It's a happy time of the year again.

00:00:57.937 --> 00:01:03.817
Well, yes, it is a celebration, and it's a very important religious festival,

00:01:03.817 --> 00:01:06.357
if you like, or a celebration for Christianity.

00:01:06.617 --> 00:01:12.817
Although I do wonder the significance of that in the minds of the average Australian these days.

00:01:13.097 --> 00:01:18.837
It seems to have been eroded, can I say, in recent decades.

00:01:18.837 --> 00:01:24.177
But it's amazing how people still are more than happy to take the day off work

00:01:24.177 --> 00:01:28.537
and use the public holiday to their advantage, even though they may not even

00:01:28.537 --> 00:01:31.317
believe in it. There's a lot of non-believers here, right?

00:01:31.477 --> 00:01:35.897
Look, you certainly wouldn't expect the union movement to be giving up any public

00:01:35.897 --> 00:01:39.457
holidays for reasons such as we don't believe in it.

00:01:39.657 --> 00:01:42.297
Yeah, that's right. We'll take the public holiday, thank you.

00:01:42.477 --> 00:01:46.597
Exactly. But yeah, I mean, look, there are two public holidays technically on

00:01:46.597 --> 00:01:48.737
Good Friday and Easter Monday.

00:01:49.097 --> 00:01:54.717
I believe the Saturday and the Sunday, not sure how they treat that in terms

00:01:54.717 --> 00:01:56.097
of public holiday status.

00:01:56.757 --> 00:01:59.397
What, the Monday or Tuesday you're talking about? No, no, no,

00:01:59.457 --> 00:02:02.237
no, no. It's the Saturday and Easter, Saturday and Easter Sunday.

00:02:02.437 --> 00:02:04.217
I'm not sure if they're treated as public holidays.

00:02:04.537 --> 00:02:07.637
Easter Saturday is not, it was, it's not really a public holiday.

00:02:07.917 --> 00:02:11.117
No. It being a Saturday, obviously all the shops are open. is open,

00:02:11.497 --> 00:02:17.177
Easter on Sunday, it's limited, I think, as to the people that are actually,

00:02:17.337 --> 00:02:19.657
the people that are open are your hotels.

00:02:20.537 --> 00:02:25.277
And nowadays, of course, you've got sport all around Australia.

00:02:25.437 --> 00:02:27.457
In fact, all around the world, let's face it. We're not alone,

00:02:27.557 --> 00:02:33.377
are we? Well, what we have actually seen in recent years is the introduction

00:02:33.377 --> 00:02:39.657
of sporting events on what used to be classified and widely recognized as a

00:02:39.657 --> 00:02:44.877
day that you do not set anything down at all, which is Good Friday.

00:02:45.257 --> 00:02:50.337
Good Friday in the Easter period is the day of mourning. That's the day that

00:02:50.337 --> 00:02:55.737
we recognize the passing of Jesus Christ on the cross and...

00:02:56.069 --> 00:03:01.309
And, you know, up until maybe five or 10 years ago at the most,

00:03:01.589 --> 00:03:06.289
sporting events were just not held by anyone. Well, the shops weren't open either.

00:03:06.629 --> 00:03:11.089
Well, literally it was a day that you'd spend at home, normally with your family.

00:03:11.669 --> 00:03:14.769
You know, one of the good things that I remember growing up as a kid,

00:03:14.889 --> 00:03:20.249
and it's still going strong today, is the Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday appeal.

00:03:20.389 --> 00:03:23.829
So it was a day to raise money and I guess, yeah.

00:03:24.269 --> 00:03:28.869
Contribute. They contribute to good causes such as that, mind you.

00:03:29.129 --> 00:03:33.449
You do wonder why the state government needs any more money from the public

00:03:33.449 --> 00:03:38.029
than it already takes office to fund hospitals like the Royal Children's.

00:03:38.049 --> 00:03:39.229
They should be funded anyway.

00:03:39.789 --> 00:03:44.309
They shouldn't need to rely on another so many millions of dollars from the public.

00:03:44.489 --> 00:03:49.449
But anyway, it's a good cause, and I think people get value out of watching

00:03:49.449 --> 00:03:53.429
that telecast and also seeing just how sick a lot of kids are.

00:03:53.429 --> 00:03:59.429
But look, I mean, I just am saddened by the recent trend.

00:04:00.147 --> 00:04:06.307
To all of a sudden schedule football games, race meetings, you know, in horse racing.

00:04:06.567 --> 00:04:09.307
There's all sorts of things now taking place on Good Friday.

00:04:09.307 --> 00:04:12.067
It's no longer the day of mourning than it used to be.

00:04:12.307 --> 00:04:15.927
Just one thing, we called it Good Friday. Yeah.

00:04:16.287 --> 00:04:19.667
Why is it actually called Good Friday?

00:04:20.227 --> 00:04:22.727
Salvation and eternal life.

00:04:23.427 --> 00:04:28.607
Now, Christians believe that Jesus' death on the cross was a necessary sacrifice

00:04:28.607 --> 00:04:35.187
to atone for the sins of humanity, enabling people to be good enough for heaven,

00:04:35.627 --> 00:04:37.907
hence the word good. Right. Okay? Right.

00:04:38.307 --> 00:04:44.327
It is a somber day, but it also leads to the celebration of Easter Sunday,

00:04:44.327 --> 00:04:52.087
where Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead, offering us hope and eternal life.

00:04:52.087 --> 00:04:57.747
So I guess, you know, the simplistic thing that a lot of people would be questioning

00:04:57.747 --> 00:05:03.147
is why do they call it good when it's actually the day that Jesus was crucified on a cross?

00:05:03.287 --> 00:05:05.787
Nothing good about that. That is my question. Yeah.

00:05:06.467 --> 00:05:11.607
So as I said, that's a simplistic conclusion that a lot of people would come to.

00:05:11.847 --> 00:05:16.307
So once you understand the context in which it's labeled good,

00:05:16.527 --> 00:05:18.987
then it's a lot more easy to understand.

00:05:19.607 --> 00:05:25.667
It's only good because it makes, I guess, eternal life possible because of the

00:05:25.667 --> 00:05:27.767
sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross.

00:05:28.267 --> 00:05:32.207
It comes in two parts, doesn't it? Yeah. So you've got good on the Friday,

00:05:32.567 --> 00:05:34.867
which is a day of mourning.

00:05:35.067 --> 00:05:40.927
Yes. And then you get the Sunday where we have the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

00:05:41.407 --> 00:05:47.407
Yeah, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And one thing I find baffling and quite

00:05:47.407 --> 00:05:55.127
saddening really is how, I guess, we're now seeing the erosion of the morning part of Good Friday.

00:05:55.567 --> 00:05:59.047
It was a day of reflection. It was a day to be somber.

00:05:59.147 --> 00:06:05.487
It was a day to get together, I guess, with family and maybe close friends.

00:06:05.487 --> 00:06:09.787
But it wasn't a day to be going out and having sporting events and all that

00:06:09.787 --> 00:06:12.287
sort of thing. We've seen that happen a lot more in recent years.

00:06:12.367 --> 00:06:18.167
Yeah. I grew up, you know, really spending most Good Fridays at home with the

00:06:18.167 --> 00:06:24.107
family, probably put on Channel 7 and watched the Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday appeal.

00:06:24.247 --> 00:06:27.827
That was always a highlight of Good Friday. You'd be, you know.

00:06:28.507 --> 00:06:32.327
Enlightened by what goes on in hospitals and the various kids that are suffering

00:06:32.327 --> 00:06:34.447
with different diseases or different illnesses.

00:06:34.787 --> 00:06:37.147
Some of the inspirational stories.

00:06:37.939 --> 00:06:42.559
Come from that, you know, whether it be the development of certain technologies

00:06:42.559 --> 00:06:48.739
or certain life-saving equipment that all the money that was raised went towards saving more lives.

00:06:48.919 --> 00:06:53.759
So I think while that is still going today and still seems to be going strong,

00:06:53.779 --> 00:06:57.599
what we've now seen is a lot of other things, I guess,

00:06:57.939 --> 00:07:04.039
interfering with that now and taking a lot of oxygen away from it because,

00:07:04.039 --> 00:07:07.959
You know, they've scheduled football matches and all sorts of other sporting

00:07:07.959 --> 00:07:09.339
events on Good Friday now.

00:07:09.479 --> 00:07:12.799
And I think personally that that's a sad development.

00:07:12.999 --> 00:07:19.219
Do you think that Australia, and Victoria in particular, Royal Children's Hospital

00:07:19.219 --> 00:07:22.539
here, and I know they have one in Sydney for the Sydney Hospital.

00:07:22.839 --> 00:07:27.199
But do you think that in Australia, we're the only country in the world that

00:07:27.199 --> 00:07:32.019
raises this sort of money as donations to run the children's hospital?

00:07:32.019 --> 00:07:34.759
I mean, it's one of the best hospitals in the world to cause, right?

00:07:35.039 --> 00:07:42.419
And we get a lot of people from overseas who come here to be looked at as a child.

00:07:43.319 --> 00:07:47.859
You mean a lot of children come from overseas needing life-saving treatment?

00:07:48.279 --> 00:07:51.459
Yeah, and that's happened a couple of times. They've separated,

00:07:51.779 --> 00:07:53.499
cleansed, so all these things.

00:07:53.639 --> 00:07:58.079
But do you think that we in Australia would be, or would other countries in

00:07:58.079 --> 00:08:03.979
the world go looking for donations to run their hospitals or are we sort of unique?

00:08:04.499 --> 00:08:08.199
I'm not sure. I mean, the answer to that question is I don't know.

00:08:08.419 --> 00:08:12.439
They may very well do that overseas. I'm not aware of any that do, but...

00:08:13.102 --> 00:08:18.742
What I do know is that Australians have a pretty big heart when it comes to,

00:08:18.742 --> 00:08:24.342
you know, digging deep and finding some money to support worthy causes.

00:08:24.762 --> 00:08:28.562
Especially children. Well, especially when it comes to kids, we're very generous.

00:08:28.842 --> 00:08:33.342
And, I mean, look, some people, and I think they have a very good point,

00:08:33.382 --> 00:08:38.642
by the way, would say that why are we, you know, asking Victorians,

00:08:38.742 --> 00:08:40.442
especially on Good Friday,

00:08:40.662 --> 00:08:44.762
to fork out even more money to support our hospital when that's what the state

00:08:44.762 --> 00:08:47.322
government's got more than enough funds to do.

00:08:47.662 --> 00:08:53.762
But I think that we actually do enjoy the whole concept of, you know,

00:08:54.102 --> 00:08:58.102
forking out our own money on Good Friday to support, you know,

00:08:58.182 --> 00:09:02.342
the Royal Children's Hospital, especially when we see how many lives are affected

00:09:02.342 --> 00:09:08.822
and in a positive way through money that's been generated through this particular, uh, appeal.

00:09:09.722 --> 00:09:14.422
The hospitals here in Victoria, are they, or in Australia, are they a state

00:09:14.422 --> 00:09:18.922
thing or are they, are they controlled by, not by federal?

00:09:19.202 --> 00:09:26.442
No, there are federal departments for health and education and all these other,

00:09:27.242 --> 00:09:33.322
areas that traditionally are looked after by the states, but they have still

00:09:33.322 --> 00:09:40.422
seen fit to have an overarching federal department that looks over all of this sort of thing.

00:09:40.662 --> 00:09:46.262
But by the constitution, state governments are actually responsible for education

00:09:46.262 --> 00:09:50.282
and health and public transport and that sort of thing. Oh, right. Okay.

00:09:50.542 --> 00:09:54.682
Yeah. So there's a lot of duplication there. But anyway, the fact of the matter

00:09:54.682 --> 00:09:57.522
is that's why this is only televised in Victoria.

00:09:57.862 --> 00:10:01.402
Oh, right. Okay. Okay. So other states have similar...

00:10:02.065 --> 00:10:06.345
What would you call them, telethons, where they raise money for their local hospitals.

00:10:06.845 --> 00:10:10.345
We don't get to see those in Melbourne. I thought they did the Sydney one here

00:10:10.345 --> 00:10:12.605
in Melbourne as well. No, no. Didn't they? No, no.

00:10:13.065 --> 00:10:16.785
You're fine. I think, where was I? I think I was in Perth once,

00:10:16.785 --> 00:10:21.045
and they happened to be doing their telethon for the local hospital there.

00:10:21.185 --> 00:10:23.145
So I wasn't aware of it in Melbourne.

00:10:23.365 --> 00:10:25.525
So I think it's very much a state-based thing.

00:10:26.025 --> 00:10:32.185
But anyway, getting back to Easter, it does make you wonder what direction it's heading in.

00:10:32.425 --> 00:10:39.265
It seems to be now that the people who are after the opportunities to make money,

00:10:39.645 --> 00:10:43.645
especially sporting organisations like the AFL, for example,

00:10:43.965 --> 00:10:51.225
have seen the opportunity to schedule matches on Good Friday because they have a captive audience.

00:10:51.365 --> 00:10:55.645
A lot of people are literally, as they see it,

00:10:56.185 --> 00:11:00.965
sitting at home with nothing to do, especially as there's been so many people

00:11:00.965 --> 00:11:05.385
now in the country, a bigger and growing percentage of people who don't follow

00:11:05.385 --> 00:11:08.985
Christianity or they don't have any Christian beliefs,

00:11:09.245 --> 00:11:13.245
they find that Good Friday is just a day off. It's a holiday.

00:11:13.365 --> 00:11:14.605
They can do whatever they like. Yeah.

00:11:15.185 --> 00:11:20.205
So they've seen the opportunity to schedule football matches on these days and

00:11:20.205 --> 00:11:26.105
get big record crowds at whether they hold these matches in Melbourne or even interstate.

00:11:26.585 --> 00:11:30.745
Unfortunately, the world moves on, doesn't it? Yes, you wouldn't get this sort

00:11:30.745 --> 00:11:34.545
of thing happening 10, 15, 20 years ago. No.

00:11:34.825 --> 00:11:40.025
Basically, it was no sport. There was no horse racing and football and all that sort of stuff.

00:11:40.485 --> 00:11:42.585
In fact, a lot of the shops weren't open either.

00:11:43.285 --> 00:11:48.345
And still, on Friday, you still got shops open. But they're usually the local

00:11:48.345 --> 00:11:50.565
milk bar and that sort of thing.

00:11:50.685 --> 00:11:54.925
And after 3 o'clock, the majors open up, I think, after 3.

00:11:55.085 --> 00:11:58.865
I stand corrected, but I think that's right. Yeah, well, years ago they weren't open at all.

00:11:59.145 --> 00:12:01.365
Exactly. Whether it be Good Friday, Easter Sunday.

00:12:02.155 --> 00:12:05.575
You just wouldn't see it. But, yeah, I guess everything evolves.

00:12:06.255 --> 00:12:10.755
Easter Monday is another interesting one. Well, that is purely a holiday, isn't it? Well.

00:12:11.115 --> 00:12:14.815
Because it comes on a Sunday. The union said, well, hang on,

00:12:14.935 --> 00:12:18.935
we didn't celebrate a holiday on the Sunday because we've got the day off anyway.

00:12:19.155 --> 00:12:22.555
So give us another day. So hang on again.

00:12:23.255 --> 00:12:26.395
Then they gave them Monday, and the bank said, hang on a minute,

00:12:26.615 --> 00:12:28.955
we're not usually open on Sunday either.

00:12:29.195 --> 00:12:36.395
We wanted that first. Funnily enough, we used to have Easter Tuesday years ago.

00:12:36.535 --> 00:12:43.235
I think it may still exist in Tasmania as a public holiday.

00:12:43.555 --> 00:12:46.615
I could be wrong. Well, it is in the banking industry, I believe.

00:12:46.955 --> 00:12:50.915
Well, that's what I mean, Easter Tuesday. But I don't think that the banking

00:12:50.915 --> 00:12:54.875
industry takes that day off anymore other than in Tasmania, I think.

00:12:55.055 --> 00:13:02.435
I think it's still a public holiday in Tassie. Anyway, Easter Monday is a public

00:13:02.435 --> 00:13:03.755
holiday in many countries.

00:13:03.975 --> 00:13:06.055
Is it really? Including Australia, yes.

00:13:06.395 --> 00:13:11.175
Because it actually marks the second day, when I say the Easter period,

00:13:11.395 --> 00:13:15.655
when I say the Easter period, the Easter period starts the week before,

00:13:15.815 --> 00:13:19.915
but the period from Easter Sunday onwards.

00:13:20.315 --> 00:13:27.635
So it's a time for Christians to reflect on the resurrection of Jesus Christ and to also,

00:13:28.055 --> 00:13:33.915
I guess, they traditionally have a day of rest and recuperation from celebration

00:13:33.915 --> 00:13:35.635
of that day. Hang on a minute.

00:13:36.015 --> 00:13:39.995
I celebrate my birthday. I don't have the day after as a holiday.

00:13:40.175 --> 00:13:43.295
Yeah, I know that. But we're going back centuries, right? Yeah.

00:13:43.755 --> 00:13:47.355
Yeah, look, it's a time for reflection and celebration, I guess.

00:13:47.935 --> 00:13:54.435
It allows people to rest after the day that they all go bananas because of the

00:13:54.435 --> 00:13:57.915
resurrection of Jesus the day before. I guess that's how you'd look at it.

00:13:58.195 --> 00:14:01.035
And, of course, you know, the unions have jumped onto that and said,

00:14:01.115 --> 00:14:02.735
yeah, we'll have the public holiday on the Monday.

00:14:03.235 --> 00:14:07.195
Look, no, I can't blame the unions for it. It is a religious thing.

00:14:07.195 --> 00:14:16.215
So what it's turned into is a four-day period where there's no necessity to go to work.

00:14:16.315 --> 00:14:19.395
So whether it's the Friday, which is meant to be a day of mourning.

00:14:19.535 --> 00:14:25.235
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. The Saturday, again, is almost a day of... Stocking up.

00:14:25.455 --> 00:14:29.755
Well, it's a day of... No one even knows what at least the Saturday is meant to be.

00:14:30.375 --> 00:14:35.075
Saturday, Monday. I imagine it's, you know... That's when you go to the supermarket

00:14:35.075 --> 00:14:38.235
and get everything stocked up for the party.

00:14:39.715 --> 00:14:40.955
Well, it's also...

00:14:41.793 --> 00:14:48.673
Known as, sorry? Spin it out for you. It ends the season of Lent, okay?

00:14:48.873 --> 00:14:51.613
Yeah. It falls on the day before Easter Sunday.

00:14:51.933 --> 00:14:57.373
It commemorates the final day of Christ's death. Do you understand?

00:14:57.693 --> 00:15:02.233
Yeah. Hang on. So you just said that. He died on the Friday. That's good Friday.

00:15:02.573 --> 00:15:07.153
But then he is still technically dead on the Saturday.

00:15:07.353 --> 00:15:12.873
But then he comes to life and rises again on Easter Sunday. Yeah. Okay? Yeah.

00:15:13.353 --> 00:15:18.413
So I guess... You said Lent. Lent doesn't happen. That's happened before.

00:15:18.813 --> 00:15:22.593
Yeah. Look, it is technically a public holiday, by the way.

00:15:23.013 --> 00:15:28.053
In ACT, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Northern Territory,

00:15:28.613 --> 00:15:33.013
Easter Saturday, or what's often called Holy Saturday, and the Easter Sunday

00:15:33.013 --> 00:15:37.093
are also public holidays in these states, which extends the holiday period to

00:15:37.093 --> 00:15:38.773
include a four-day long weekend.

00:15:38.773 --> 00:15:45.013
So I think for a lot of reasons, they use certain interpretations in order to

00:15:45.013 --> 00:15:48.093
justify the public holiday. So they don't have to see Zephyr's seat?

00:15:48.453 --> 00:15:52.493
I think it's really a little bit contrived to try and make it a big four-day

00:15:52.493 --> 00:15:53.813
break. Yeah, but hang on.

00:15:53.993 --> 00:15:59.253
Earlier you just said that they have a holiday too on Monday.

00:16:00.233 --> 00:16:03.593
And it only says Australia. No, not only Australia.

00:16:04.453 --> 00:16:07.253
Not only Australia. Yes, yes, yes, absolutely, yeah.

00:16:07.853 --> 00:16:14.413
And yeah, I mean, look, a lot of these things I think promoted in a certain

00:16:14.413 --> 00:16:16.693
way in order to justify the four-day break.

00:16:16.913 --> 00:16:21.273
So really the only two days of major significance are Good Friday,

00:16:21.473 --> 00:16:26.073
which is the day he's crucified, and Easter Sunday, which is the day he's meant

00:16:26.073 --> 00:16:27.173
to have risen from the death.

00:16:27.373 --> 00:16:30.693
The Saturday in between and the Monday after are a little bit like,

00:16:30.813 --> 00:16:35.873
well, let's attach these two days so that we can have a four-day break.

00:16:36.373 --> 00:16:40.933
That's how I see it. But I reckon if you went and did a survey down the road of 100 people,

00:16:41.604 --> 00:16:46.484
You'd be lucky to find five of them that actually understand the significance

00:16:46.484 --> 00:16:51.244
of Easter, what each day of the Easter period traditionally means,

00:16:51.244 --> 00:16:54.444
and how we're meant to commemorate it.

00:16:54.584 --> 00:16:59.064
Yeah, well, the thing is that no one ever explains it to the kids.

00:17:00.264 --> 00:17:04.944
I've always known it as Good Friday. Well, I think they do in certain Catholic

00:17:04.944 --> 00:17:07.164
and certain Christian schools.

00:17:07.864 --> 00:17:12.564
I went into that. I wasn't thinking that day when they told them about it.

00:17:12.664 --> 00:17:17.064
But I went to a Catholic school in my junior school.

00:17:17.604 --> 00:17:21.744
And I can't remember. I mean, I probably can't remember yesterday,

00:17:21.744 --> 00:17:28.684
but I can't remember when they told us that Monday was for this or Good Friday

00:17:28.684 --> 00:17:30.464
was called Good for that.

00:17:30.844 --> 00:17:35.624
I don't think they necessarily went into long explanations about why we have

00:17:35.624 --> 00:17:39.324
a holiday on Good Friday or why we have a holiday on Easter Monday or anything like that.

00:17:39.444 --> 00:17:43.504
But Easter was certainly celebrated. It was certainly explained.

00:17:43.604 --> 00:17:46.704
It was certainly a major part of the Christian calendar.

00:17:47.044 --> 00:17:51.984
In fact, to some extent, it's a more major part of the calendar than even Christmas,

00:17:52.624 --> 00:17:54.964
because there is more significance,

00:17:55.624 --> 00:18:01.564
about the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ than just commemorating

00:18:01.564 --> 00:18:03.764
the day he was born, which is Christmas.

00:18:04.124 --> 00:18:09.484
So it certainly was a big deal when I went to a Catholic primary school.

00:18:09.784 --> 00:18:14.684
But don't forget, with the primary schools and the clergy in those days.

00:18:15.424 --> 00:18:20.364
We're God juniors, if you like, in the fact that we're telling you this is what

00:18:20.364 --> 00:18:22.964
it's like, and don't argue and don't tell.

00:18:23.664 --> 00:18:27.124
Well, I think young minds can easily be...

00:18:27.812 --> 00:18:34.852
Educated and manipulated. But they did it without telling you what it was. Yeah, yeah.

00:18:34.992 --> 00:18:38.792
What I'm trying to say is I think the more you, I guess,

00:18:39.112 --> 00:18:44.212
the more adults instruct and, I guess,

00:18:44.352 --> 00:18:48.932
tell young kids that this is what it is and this is the way it is and this is

00:18:48.932 --> 00:18:52.652
what you will do and this is what you will honour and this is what you will

00:18:52.652 --> 00:18:55.052
commemorate, they don't question it as much.

00:18:55.152 --> 00:18:58.332
Not so much now. No, no, no. I'm talking about back when I was a kid,

00:18:58.572 --> 00:19:01.852
you were told about these things and there was no questioning it.

00:19:02.012 --> 00:19:07.112
You accept it, understand it. They did explain it and that's it.

00:19:07.352 --> 00:19:13.872
And you're meant to accept it, I guess, and not question the validity of it.

00:19:14.112 --> 00:19:20.012
These days, parents are nowhere near as instructing or as dictatorial,

00:19:20.072 --> 00:19:24.092
if you like, to their children. They sort of don't seem to have much care for

00:19:24.092 --> 00:19:25.432
religious celebration.

00:19:25.772 --> 00:19:28.512
So a lot of these kids have missed out on that.

00:19:28.612 --> 00:19:32.992
And I think that's sad in itself because I think it's a wonderful celebration,

00:19:32.992 --> 00:19:35.172
whether it's Christmas or whether it's Easter.

00:19:35.352 --> 00:19:39.352
And if you're celebrating for all the right reasons and understand the significance

00:19:39.352 --> 00:19:45.892
of why we celebrate these things, then you will have a far more wholesome view of life.

00:19:45.892 --> 00:19:52.712
And I just find that young people today are lost in this regard.

00:19:52.872 --> 00:20:01.352
Well, in Australia, 50, 60 years ago, we would have only been aware half a dozen religious.

00:20:02.152 --> 00:20:05.892
Well, types of religion. Yeah. You mean, for example, apart from the Christian,

00:20:06.052 --> 00:20:08.412
you had the Greek Orthodox, you might have had Church of England,

00:20:08.412 --> 00:20:13.692
and you might have heard about Buddhism and Hinduism and Islam, and that's it.

00:20:14.012 --> 00:20:17.592
Basically. Yeah. So you saw the main ones. But they were very minor.

00:20:18.212 --> 00:20:22.772
Yeah, and we didn't really know a lot about them. No, no. You knew that the

00:20:22.772 --> 00:20:27.132
Church of England is a take-off from Christianity, or they're all Christians.

00:20:27.392 --> 00:20:31.052
Or Presbyterians is another one. There is another one off the Catholic Church.

00:20:31.692 --> 00:20:37.192
In those days, A, we didn't have that many different religious groups.

00:20:38.289 --> 00:20:43.389
Yep. If you like. Now, I mean, every second person is opening a church of some kind.

00:20:43.909 --> 00:20:47.429
That's all for the tax breaks, Paul. Yeah, it probably is. But you know what

00:20:47.429 --> 00:20:50.869
I'm saying? You know, like Hillsong and those sorts of. Oh, those offshoots. Yeah.

00:20:51.069 --> 00:20:56.069
They're offshoots, which, you know, some guy says, oh, I know better than everyone

00:20:56.069 --> 00:20:57.149
else. This is what's happening.

00:20:57.349 --> 00:21:01.469
So they're more a cult than they are. Yeah, I think that's right.

00:21:01.529 --> 00:21:03.009
You used the right word there.

00:21:03.089 --> 00:21:06.589
A lot of them have become cults. look yeah i

00:21:06.589 --> 00:21:10.909
do i do wonder about whether

00:21:10.909 --> 00:21:13.909
young people today are getting the education they

00:21:13.909 --> 00:21:18.369
need in relation to simple morals and

00:21:18.369 --> 00:21:21.789
values that we had drummed

00:21:21.789 --> 00:21:24.629
into us as young people i don't think they get that so much

00:21:24.629 --> 00:21:27.289
now whether you believe in christianity or i'm not

00:21:27.289 --> 00:21:30.289
saying that all of this only comes from christianity or only comes

00:21:30.289 --> 00:21:34.509
from catholic schools and things like that but what i am saying is unless you

00:21:34.509 --> 00:21:40.989
are getting some sort of religious education at a young age and being taught

00:21:40.989 --> 00:21:48.069
the differences between right and wrong and are facing consequences for doing the wrong thing,

00:21:48.649 --> 00:21:52.929
then you're effectively encouraging a somewhat lawless society.

00:21:53.109 --> 00:21:57.449
And I think that's the direction that we've sadly been going in is that young

00:21:57.449 --> 00:22:01.389
people are not experiencing the sorts.

00:22:02.309 --> 00:22:07.769
Of consequences and repercussions and penalties and punishments that we used

00:22:07.769 --> 00:22:12.289
to go through if we did the wrong thing, whether it be at home or at school or anywhere else.

00:22:13.649 --> 00:22:17.229
I mean, I think back to when I was a kid, I was petrified of the police.

00:22:18.189 --> 00:22:20.729
Oh, God, to be in trouble with the police was like, oh, my God,

00:22:20.829 --> 00:22:22.209
you'd never want to go down that path.

00:22:22.649 --> 00:22:25.569
These days, they look at it as a badge of honor. Yeah, that's right.

00:22:25.809 --> 00:22:28.449
You know, and even if they get caught doing the wrong thing,

00:22:28.449 --> 00:22:31.749
The judges are letting them out again on bail time and time and time and time

00:22:31.749 --> 00:22:33.569
again. That's another subject for another day.

00:22:34.655 --> 00:22:41.015
I just do believe that there's a relationship between getting young people to

00:22:41.015 --> 00:22:46.115
be given the right sort of education at school, at a young age,

00:22:46.135 --> 00:22:48.515
and through your teenage years as well.

00:22:48.955 --> 00:22:53.895
To reinforce a lot of that through the teenage years at secondary school is

00:22:53.895 --> 00:22:56.175
also very important in my personal view.

00:22:56.355 --> 00:23:01.355
I think the thing is that there are some, there are few and far between,

00:23:01.535 --> 00:23:06.015
but there are some schools who do still teach Catholicism.

00:23:06.915 --> 00:23:10.595
Catholicism, yeah. Catholicism. Try saying that with a mouthful of marbles.

00:23:10.615 --> 00:23:13.135
Exactly. And after about five beers.

00:23:14.215 --> 00:23:20.575
Yeah, it's rare. Some of them struggle to sort of get the message of Christ.

00:23:20.735 --> 00:23:25.635
Yeah. But there are some strict schools that say, if you want your child to

00:23:25.635 --> 00:23:29.415
come here, be prepared. This is what we do and this is how we do it.

00:23:29.515 --> 00:23:33.115
Yes. Now, you accept that, fine. If you don't accept it, go somewhere else. Yep.

00:23:33.535 --> 00:23:39.015
And so there is a core, if you like, that are taught these things.

00:23:39.415 --> 00:23:45.475
And it's a pity because all the other religions seem to really get into the

00:23:45.475 --> 00:23:50.095
religion and they have religious schools and they have the days where they pray

00:23:50.095 --> 00:23:53.815
and they observe what has been happening. Yeah.

00:23:54.095 --> 00:23:57.995
Whereas with the Catholics, they're sort of… They've relaxed it.

00:23:58.055 --> 00:23:59.795
They've relaxed it a lot. hell of a lot.

00:24:00.055 --> 00:24:04.895
Yeah, and I think that's sad. And I think a lot of the reason for this is the,

00:24:04.895 --> 00:24:11.595
I guess, the discovery of certain pedophile priests and all of that have eroded

00:24:11.595 --> 00:24:14.335
the credibility of the Catholic Church. Yeah, it does.

00:24:14.475 --> 00:24:20.715
And I think in their paranoia to protect their reputation,

00:24:21.495 --> 00:24:25.415
they've decided to go easy on everything and go easy on people and let's not

00:24:25.415 --> 00:24:30.555
come down hard because we're being attacked. so we'd better back off.

00:24:30.655 --> 00:24:34.035
Yeah, but Vince, it's not only the Catholics.

00:24:34.275 --> 00:24:39.375
No. There are friars and whatever they are. Of course, there's corrupt priests

00:24:39.375 --> 00:24:41.915
and whatever in all sorts of religious denominations.

00:24:43.189 --> 00:24:49.509
But anyway. We get the most, what do you call it, newspaper space.

00:24:49.689 --> 00:24:53.709
Well, again, I mean, that's another, you know, if I was to tell you my thoughts

00:24:53.709 --> 00:24:55.649
on that, you'd call me a conspiracy theorist.

00:24:56.069 --> 00:25:00.209
But I just think that the Catholic Church has been targeted somewhat by the

00:25:00.209 --> 00:25:02.529
mainstream media more than other religions.

00:25:02.929 --> 00:25:06.309
Let's just leave it at that. One of the other things I just noticed, by the way, in Easter,

00:25:06.709 --> 00:25:10.169
is that we used to have, you know, a little bit of fun for the kids,

00:25:10.169 --> 00:25:16.229
It's Easter eggs, little hunting eggs that you'd plant around the gardens and

00:25:16.229 --> 00:25:18.909
tell the kids to go and find them and they can eat them.

00:25:19.209 --> 00:25:22.269
And put them on the middle of the road. Or see who can get the most.

00:25:22.829 --> 00:25:26.269
Give them all a basket each or a little bucket and see who could get the most

00:25:26.269 --> 00:25:29.589
eggs. And that's all a bit of fun. And I think that's fantastic.

00:25:29.809 --> 00:25:32.389
That's all a bit of innocent fun for the kids.

00:25:32.709 --> 00:25:37.229
One thing that I think is sad, though, is I've noticed in recent years,

00:25:37.509 --> 00:25:42.809
again, all of this so-called political correctness, that a lot of the manufacturers

00:25:42.809 --> 00:25:46.649
of these Easter eggs are not using the word Easter on their packaging.

00:25:46.849 --> 00:25:52.349
It's now hunting eggs or some other label that they give it.

00:25:52.449 --> 00:25:54.949
But, oh, God, God almighty, don't use the word Easter.

00:25:55.149 --> 00:25:59.489
That would be, you know, some sort of criminal offence. That's the same with

00:25:59.489 --> 00:26:01.349
most large organisations.

00:26:02.049 --> 00:26:07.989
But why are they doing this? Because they think that this is what the public want.

00:26:08.109 --> 00:26:11.009
And by the public, I mean all the different nationalities. No,

00:26:11.249 --> 00:26:15.989
they're appeasing a very small minority of people who are offended.

00:26:16.329 --> 00:26:18.889
Right? The offense, I call them the offended brigade.

00:26:19.249 --> 00:26:24.389
It's not the people. The outrage brigade. Yeah, it's not the actual people of

00:26:24.389 --> 00:26:26.749
other religions. No, that is it.

00:26:27.525 --> 00:26:30.985
These people and they say, but we haven't asked for that. We haven't asked them

00:26:30.985 --> 00:26:33.885
not to sort of sing Christmas carols and all.

00:26:34.005 --> 00:26:36.925
In fact, the kids would probably jump in and sing them with them.

00:26:37.085 --> 00:26:43.565
I can't understand. This is why, you know, it's almost like these nutters,

00:26:44.305 --> 00:26:51.045
if I can call them that, they are assuming that anyone that's not Catholic or

00:26:51.045 --> 00:26:55.425
anyone that's not Christian is going to be offended by using the word Easter. Yeah.

00:26:55.925 --> 00:26:58.605
Well, it's not the case. It's the same with Christmas.

00:26:59.205 --> 00:27:02.525
It's the same thing again. Easter's not the only thing that happens. No.

00:27:04.045 --> 00:27:07.625
If they've got nothing to do, they're sitting in their house with nothing to

00:27:07.625 --> 00:27:11.345
do, they think, hey, what topic are we going to go up with today and how are

00:27:11.345 --> 00:27:12.205
we going to advertise it?

00:27:12.365 --> 00:27:14.965
And you know what's so hypocritical about these morons?

00:27:15.185 --> 00:27:18.965
I bet you they're all taking a day off on Good Friday and Easter Sunday and

00:27:18.965 --> 00:27:22.065
Easter Monday. Yeah, because they can't get into the factories. Yeah, of course.

00:27:22.785 --> 00:27:25.725
Yeah, but they wouldn't turn up even if their bosses said, if you don't believe

00:27:25.725 --> 00:27:30.185
in Easter, if you're not a Christian, well, then you're required to come to work. Yeah.

00:27:30.785 --> 00:27:34.905
Oh, no, they won't do that. Or they'll do it, as long as they get paid double

00:27:34.905 --> 00:27:37.545
time or triple time or whatever. That's when they'll do it. Yeah.

00:27:38.445 --> 00:27:42.265
Unfortunately. A bunch of hypocrites, they are. Actually, we started off with a happy Easter.

00:27:42.385 --> 00:27:48.045
Yes. And now we're getting into a damn... Okay, let's finish off with a happy message, shall we? Yes.

00:27:48.705 --> 00:27:52.405
How do you say... Is there a hippie, hoppy song or something?

00:27:52.565 --> 00:27:57.125
No, I don't know anyone. But look, for all of our listeners out there,

00:27:57.325 --> 00:28:00.045
we wish you all a very happy Easter. Absolutely.

00:28:00.305 --> 00:28:03.085
And celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

00:28:03.805 --> 00:28:09.325
And hopefully it's a peaceful, safe time for you and your family and your loved ones.

00:28:09.465 --> 00:28:12.805
And whether you're going away, a lot of people use the time to go away on a

00:28:12.805 --> 00:28:14.465
little break or a holiday, which is fine.

00:28:14.725 --> 00:28:19.545
But again, you celebrate it for all the right reasons and make the most of it.

00:28:19.545 --> 00:28:24.685
Because the minute we lose the significance of these celebrations,

00:28:25.085 --> 00:28:29.745
these traditional religious celebrations and festivals, I think we lose something

00:28:29.745 --> 00:28:32.705
in society that really binds us together.

00:28:32.825 --> 00:28:39.705
Unfortunately, it's bit by bit eroding, and it's not only the Catholics that are being eroded.

00:28:39.945 --> 00:28:43.765
It's happening to other religions as well. Yeah, yeah. And because you've got

00:28:43.765 --> 00:28:45.825
the atheists and whatever have you.

00:28:45.965 --> 00:28:51.145
Yeah. and I'm not an atheist because I like to have a 50-cent bed each way just

00:28:51.145 --> 00:28:52.705
in case there is or there isn't.

00:28:53.405 --> 00:28:56.145
If there's a God, I want to say, well, I've had a bit of an urea.

00:28:56.385 --> 00:29:00.905
Or if they say there wasn't a God, well, at least I haven't lost my money, I think. But yes.

00:29:01.385 --> 00:29:06.805
Anyway, hopefully it's a safe time for everyone and let's celebrate it for all

00:29:06.805 --> 00:29:08.165
the right reasons, shall we? Terrific.

00:29:08.525 --> 00:29:10.905
Okay. Thank you, Vince. Pleasure. Good to have you on again.

00:29:11.185 --> 00:29:13.165
Thanks, Paul. See you next time.

00:29:15.425 --> 00:29:20.365
Thank you for listening to why is it so make sure you tune into our next episode

00:29:20.365 --> 00:29:23.825
remember it's your last defense for common sense.