You might think that Easter would be an occasion for an MSM outlet like ABC to invite in a serious Christian theologian or minister to discuss issues of death and resurrection. Please. I did say "an MSM outlet." ABC's Good Morning America decided the best way to celebrate Easter today was to devote one segment to an anti-war activist who had organized a "cluster bomb hunt" to parallel the White House's Easter egg hunt, and another segment to a mocking examination of the Easter bunny.In the first segment, GMA's Kate Snow interviewed Brian Hennessey, organizer of the "cluster bomb hunt" outside the White House to protest the use of the weapons. Small children were shown constructing the mock bombs, and later would be sent out to search for them. Claimed Hennessey "we're not trying to politicize kids in any way." Right. When he later mentioned that the kids' parents would be "looking for weapons of mass destruction which of course aren't there," Snow didn't bother to suppress a laugh. Not surprising. This is the same Snow who a couple weeks ago who was moved to laughter by a painting that depicted Christ and his disciples as dogs.
Next, it was time for ABC's Marisol Castro to explore the origins of the Easter bunny. "Why is one of [Easter's] most popular symbols a bunny rabbit? We went far and wide posing that question to the masses." The masses? Ah yes, let's explore how the little people celebrate their quaint religious customs. "Do they really know anything about him?" wondered Castro. And sure enough, there she was, putting kids, adults and even a shopping mall Easter bunny on the spot: "do you know where the Easter bunny comes from?" Subtext: don't you rubes know you're propagating a pagan custom?To clear things up, Castro brought in someone from Beliefnet to explain: "The holiday started off as a fertility festival celebrating the goddess of Oestera, whose sacred animal was a bunny rabbit. Eggs have been a symbol of fertility for even longer than that."
CASTRO: The holiest date on the Christian calendar, Easter got its name around 325 A.D. Over the centuries, these pagan symbols have become synonymous with the Christian holiday.
BELIEFNET SPOKESMAN: The existence of the Easter bunny and Easter eggs has actually been a very powerful and effective way of drawing children into the Easter celebration. After all, the story of the crucifixion and resurrection is a tough story.
Too tough for ABC, at least, to treat respectfully.
Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.
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Pagan Holiday
April 8, 2007 - 08:44 ET by Mr. TerryLet's see, if ABC's Good Morning America had invited a serious Christian minister or theologian in they would have heard something like this, "That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father".
They couldn't bring themselves to say that, but they will eventually confess the Lordship of Jesus Christ, though for many it will be from hell, after it is too late to receive the benefits of salvation.
They can yuck it up all they want now, showing the Easter Bunny is from pagan origins, no dispute there among Christians. We don't celebrate the Easter Bunny anyway. Fact is, they don't want to hear that resurrection stuff.
Easter Bunny
April 8, 2007 - 09:03 ET by Emma GrumpEven better yet, Mr. Terry, I just heard that a principal in an elementary school in Rhode Island, I think, has banned the use of the words "Easter Bunny", as it was too religious a term, and replaced it with "Peter Rabbit". Of course, the ACLU is staunchly behind the principal's decision.
deleting easter at abc
April 8, 2007 - 09:30 ET by Pragmatic-ManNext year all rabbits will be eradicated from schools, and two years after they will erase one particular Sunday from April -- deleting it from the calendar. Hyperbole, of course, but since when would an anti-Christian school prinicpal go so far as to delete even the non-Christian symbols of Easter? I am baffled by the drum beat against Christians nowadays. Very alarming.
But besides this, happy Easter everyone, and may we all live by Christ's example.
Very well said Mr. Terry. Won
April 8, 2007 - 08:50 ET by tkeefeVery well said Mr. Terry. Wonder which part of the last supper they would be best suited for?
I'd like to extend my challen
April 8, 2007 - 09:37 ET by FastEdI'd like to extend my challenge to the msm (Lsw), to prove that they are NOT biased, that they balance a report like this, with a similar "search" by another religious group - Would they have the same "guts" or snicker if they were to "Find the severed heads" or "Locate the torture chambers" how about "Find the perfect rock for stoning". Let's see if they would present that story in the middle east.
There is no sense in being stupid, if you can't prove it! - my dad V
an IED search would be better
April 8, 2007 - 09:44 ET by Pragmatic-ManSeeing as how our troops perform IED hunts every single day in Baghdad, I would think this would be a better educational tool for the children. This would require the moonbat Hennessey to be patriotic, though -- a far stretch for an American, surely. (sarc)
But the part of this story that flies all over me is the construction of the weapons. Seeing a table surrounded by small children constructing ordnance (fake or not) is alarming, very unsettling.
cluster bomb class sounds illegal
April 8, 2007 - 09:37 ET by Pragmatic-ManA cluster bomb hunt. This sounds a bit illegal. Put this little workshop into a school, and watch the principle freak out and lock down, calling the FBI and ATF in for a SWAT operation. I can see it now, next week some of these duped kids will take their cluster bombs to school and trouble will be everywhere.
What a moronic idea, but leave it to ABC to promote the cause and provide complete coverage!
On bumper stickers
April 8, 2007 - 12:40 ET by UnsaneReminds me of an idiotic bumper sticker I saw the other day: "Weapons of Mass Destruction: Iraq: 0; Albuquerque: 2500"
If you can fit your political phiolsophy on a bumper sticker, it isn't very deep, or profound, or worthwhile.
"HAV3 TH3 BRIDG3S OF INSANITY B33N CROSS3D AND FOR3V3R R3TRACT3D???." - Meshuggah, "3ntrapm3nt", from Catch Thirty Thr33 (2005)
truly an idiot bumper sticker
April 8, 2007 - 12:46 ET bytruly an idiot bumper sticker as many are. Often times though some of the greatest thoughts can be distilled to a small seed.
libs
April 8, 2007 - 10:16 ET by iveseenitall"We're not trying to politicize kids in any way." These are the quotes which make one sick when they hear liberals talk. The twerps don't even have the courage to tell the truth about a relatively small thing like this. As for the big lies--fagetaboutit!
NEVER,NEVER trust a liberal
ABC
April 8, 2007 - 11:34 ET by pocomoco(Reminder: ABC is owned by Disney, the largest employer of gays in the entertainment industry.)
There is, therefore, a direct connection between Disney, ABC, and the constant drumbeat against anything religious.
Because of a single word, the entire Bible, and all it stands for, is accused of being the most evil document ever written.
They just can’t get the word ‘abomination’ out of their heads.
Easter bunny
April 8, 2007 - 16:26 ET by nkviking75The Easter Bunny draws kids into the Easter celebration? IMHO, it draws kids away from the real meaning of the holiday, Christ's triumph over death through his resurrection. I wouldn't want to ban the bunny, Easter eggs, candy, etc., but I do wish there was much more emphasis on the resurrection.
In My Easter Bias
April 8, 2007 - 23:00 ET by acumenI just don't see the bias here in the first segment. Isn't this the same kind of positive coverage the demediacrats awarded the College Republican's "find the illegal immigrant" game? (yes, this is sarcasm)