I hate the easter bunny!!!
Ahh, I feel better now. That has been on my chest for weeks. I tried to hold it in…but anyway…I know you might think that I sound like a Bible thumpin fundamentalist, known more for what I’m against that what I’m for. But you see, that’s the thing, it’s what I am for that makes me want to scream and beat my head on the wall everytime I see a cute little pink bunny promising goodies come Sunday morning. I don’t have anything against bunnies, and I have to admit I have been chowing down on a chocolate one today (a gift, thank you very much). I don’t even have anything against silly traditions that people grew up with and want to pass down to their kids, and use to make themselves feel all nostalgic and like a kid again. I personally wish I still lost teeth so that my parents would put money under my pillow.
The problem(s) I have with the easter bunny (or bunnies, unless your doctrine of the easter bunny includes him/her/it being omnipresent), is twofold:
1. For many people it’s a distraction from the real meaning of Easter. If we love Jesus so much, and if what He accomplished on the cross and through the resurrection are the greatest things to celebrate in the world, then why even take a chance on letting something overshadow that (especially something fake). Is Easter so boring that we need extra traditions to look forward to? Is the resurrection not enough to bring families together and fill the home with laughter and joy? Do the depths of the Gospel not provide so much fodder for conversation and praise that we need extra activities to take up our celebration time and activities?
The enemy wants nothing more than to completely secularize the celebration of the resurrection of the King of kings. Not suprisingly, he is doing a good job of that in our culture. The sad thing is that Christians are playing right into his hand. I realize that it’s just one day a year, so what’s the big deal, right? But where does it stop. I am afraid that for many this is symptomatic of a life lived flirting with the world. If the salt loses its saltiness…
I am not trying to be a jerk and get all legalistic about a “gray area.” I am bound to my conscience as you are to your’s in those areas. However, with the current state of our culture and the church, I see a real danger in followers of Jesus not thinking through their traditions and justifying living a “normal” lifestyle by the world’s standards. My heart, and probably your’s too, wants to see Jesus be kept central. We just need to be on guard to make sure we are doing that.
2. Parents often use it as an excuse to lie to their kids. “The Easter bunny is coming Sunday!” Lie. “The easter bunny brought you a basket!” Lie. “The Easter bunny hid some eggs for you to find!” Lie.
Since when did lying stop being a sin? “But it’s all in fun.” Sin is always ”fun” (or beneficial in our minds in some way) or we wouldn’t want to do it. “We’ll tell him when he’s older that it’s just pretend.” And at the same time teach him that lying is okay as long as it’s “harmless” and you tell the truth later? ”My parents told me the Easter bunny was real and I turned out okay.” Your parents, nor how you turned out, are your standard, God’s word is.
When you kids find out that you and all the other adults in their lives have been lying to them about the easter bunny, what is to keep them from assuming the same thing about God? How hard it must be for a little mind to understand that something they can see (like the easter bunny) is pretend while hearing that somone they can’t see (God) is real. (Already had to deal with this issue to a degree with my own kids as their teachers at school have told them everything from Santa to leprachauns are alive and active.)
Look, you may be a person who celebrates the resurrection and includes the Easter bunny in your celebration and you have somehow found a way to do it so that the focus stays on Christ, your kids know that Easter bunny isn’t real, and your conscience is clear before God that you are glorifying Him in your celebration, not compromising with the world, and not confusing your kids. Then go for it. Who am I to judge?
However, if you are a person that has been lying to your kids, the call is to repent before God and immediately tell the truth to those you have lied to. I’m not judging you, I am just telling you what God has said (Ephesians 4:15,25).
I’m not against imagination and fun and make believe. But when it comes to Easter (and Christmas for that matter, I don’t like the fat guy either) I am jealous of the glory and focus being taken from God. And when it comes to ”Christian” parents lying to their kids, I just don’t get it. If I am “against” anything it’s the sin for which Jesus suffered and died and anything that takes glory from Him.
Remember that part in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” when the little rabbit attacks the guys and kills them? It was so innocent and cuddly looking, and yet deadly…I think somebody finally killed it and all was well. I pray for the same happy ending.
Disclaimer: I do not recommend the above mentioned movie, as I have never seen all of it, and frankly just don’t find it funny.