I was talking about Easter to someone who had recently come out of Iran, and when I indicated that in fact it was the martyrdom of the Christ, she was very surprised. She commented that all she saw was about happiness -- mainly chocolate-coated, how could it be? Not quite like Ashura.
I must admit that by just uttering the word "martyrdom" -- as I thought this was the most appropriate one in Persian -- I felt awkward. Crucifixtion, sacrifice, yes, martyrdom ... not a Christian concept, it seems.
Which made me finally look into why Friday is "good" when it was in fact the day that Christ was put on the cross.
I tried to explain that I thought that the Church wanted to look more positively and focus on the resurrection of Christ on Easter Monday. But why eggs and bunnies?...
I guess we were neither in Southern Europe nor in the Phillipines, perhaps the hotter the weather, the hotter the fervour...
5 comments:
I think the official line is that 'good' (not just in English) refers to the forgiving of (our) sins through the cruxifixion. Death being the consequence of sin, the jump to the resurrection is correct I think.
As to martyrdom, whether Christians like it or not, it means 'bearing witness' in Greek also and is used as such in the Gospel of Paul (exit Shariati). Even heard that 'shahadat' stems from Armenian, but I couldn't verify this.
But why eggs and bunnies, and especially the combination of them?!
That is correct Opip. Shaahed is witness and is used today in jurisprudence. Shaheed, the martyr, is one who has given the ultimate "test-imony" - not just putting his hands on his test-icals, but by giving his life as proof for a case, or a cause. This is the first time I hear about Armenians and Shahaadat, but I am sure they have something like it, everyone does.
Should be Aramese, not Armenian (sigh)
I think you mean Aramaic, Opip, but this also brings us back to the Christians, as Aramaic was the language spoken by Jesus Christ ...
Correct. Aramees is the Dutch name of the language. (sigh again, though less deep)
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