Google chooses to ignore Easter with a doodle - picks a union socialist instead

Editor's Note: Psst! Cesar Chavez Opposed Illegal Immigrants

By Correctamundo  

When I first saw the doodle, my thought was, "Who is that?" Then when I clicked it and saw who it was, my second thought was, "What does a union socialist have to do with Easter?" Even if he was born or died or discovered the cure for cancer on 31 March, it's EASTER!! Google's explanation?

“We enjoy celebrating holidays at Google but, as you may imagine, it’s difficult for us to choose which events to highlight on our site. Sometimes for a given date we feature an historical event or influential figure that we haven’t in the past.”

Uhm, it's Easter - a holiday that is celebrated around the world. It's both secular and religious. The Easter bunny is a huge secular icon. Cadbury eggs, dyed eggs, green bean casserole, the 2nd biggest holiday for candy, the now defunct Easter Egg Roll at the White House - ever heard of them, Google?

Good grief - I can't wait to see what they do for Memorial Day. Will it be a memorial montage of socialists and communists, now passed, through history?

The creepiest Easter Bunny costume pics ever

By Correctamundo  

I gotta say, these would give me nightmares if I was a kid again.

I'm not sure what that is. But I don't blame the kid for crying.

Is this an ad for Easter Bunny Abductors Weekly? I think John Wayne Gacy got his start this way.

I'm not too convinced by that thumbs up. I'm even more scared for the kid.

Ding, ding, ding - we have the winner.

I think this is the 'Anonymous' movement's version of Occupy Easter.

Moments after this pic was taken, the guy whipped out a shotgun and killed everyone in his path.

I don't even want to know.

And although it's not creepy, it's probably the winner for originality.

The Animated Easter Story

By Correctamundo  

What is Resurrection Sunday?

By Correctamundo  


I know we get caught up in Easter bunnies and deviled eggs (a bit of irony there) on Easter Sunday, but Christians generally refer to it as Resurrection Sunday.

Whether it is called Easter or Resurrection Sunday is not as important as the event and purpose of the resurrection. However, the timing of the crucifixion and resurrection is significantly meaningful. The resurrection of Jesus is the culmination of all things meaningful, faith and fact, in establishing a relationship with God.

God used the timing, which occurred just after "Passover" and during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, to illustrate the ultimate sacrifice He made for sinners. Without this sacrifice, Christianity would be an empty religion. Every purpose of Jesus Christ, His atonement for sin, would be unfulfilled and the foundation of Christianity would fall apart.

The Passover commemorates God's "passing over" the Hebrew's homes by the angel of death (Exodus 12:29). Byaccepting Jesus, we are promised eternal life and we are saved from spiritual death. The Feast of Unleavened Bread (verse 15) begins with unleavened bread (made without yeast) and sacrificing an unblemished, sacrificial lamb. Leavening represents the escape from bondage and sin. Jesus is called the Lamb of God through whom the only escape is possible.

Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection are God's provision for the perfect and final sacrifice for man's sins. God requires no other payment for sins! With this provision, mankind is granted opportunity for new life by the forgiveness of sin and escape from its bondage. It is ours for the mere acceptance of this gift.

This is the key event in the New Testament where it is proclaimed throughout. All four Gospels report the miraculous event. In Matthew 28:6 the angel declared "He is not here: for he is risen!" Mark 16:6 reports "'Don't be alarmed,' [the angel] said. 'You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.'"

In Luke 24:46-48, the risen Jesus gave His disciples a greater understanding of the resurrection when He told them: "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things." Jesus foretells of His resurrection in John 16, then to one of the doubting witnesses, Thomas, He says the following in John 20:29: "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

While Jesus was admired and praised as a teacher, healer, and for performing miracles, He was put to death on the cross. But God raised Him from the dead. Had the witnesses not believed what they saw, Christianity would not have spread across the globe and remained a profound belief to this day.

It's a time of remembrance and a time of joy. Without the resurrection, our faith is in vain. The main difference between Christianity and other 'religions' is the fact that our Savior is no longer in the tomb.  Muhammad is buried in Madinah in Masjid an-Nabaawi.  Siddhārtha Gautama Buddha was cremated and relics from his body are in various places. And that's what sets Christianity apart. Once you're dead, you're dead. You cannot affect anything in this world. You cannot hear anyone's prayers. Christianity is a relationship with the one, true living God. 

Easter in Newfoundland: Seal Flipper Pie

The Smithsonian

In Newfoundland, having a “scoff” (the local word for “big meal”) includes some pretty interesting food items unique to the region: scrunchions (fried pork fat), cod tongues and fishcakes, for example. But perhaps the least appetizing dish, which is traditionally made during the Lenten season—specifically on Good Friday and Easter—is seal flipper pie. 

The meal, which originated in the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, tastes as strange as it sounds. The meat is dark, tough, gamey and apparently has a flavor similar to that of hare (appropriate for America’s favorite Easter mascot, no?). Most recipes suggest that the seal meat is coated in flour, pan-fried and then roasted with onions, pork fat and root vegetables like carrots, turnips, potatoes and parsnips. Once the dish has a nice, flaky crust, it is often served with a side of Worcestershire sauce. 

While it might be difficult to imagine eating a meal made from something as cute and cuddly as a seal, the dish has a history based in survival. Seals were especially important to Inuit living on the northern shores of Labrador and Newfoundland dating back to the early 18th century when seal meat, which is high in fat protein and vitamin A, was a staple in the early Arctic-dweller’s diet and often prevented explorers from starving or getting scurvy during their hunting travels. (Some Antarctic expeditions like Ernest Shackleton’s Ross Sea party suffered from scurvy for lack of vitamins found in seal meat). Seal hunters used all parts of the seal from their pelts to their fat to light lamps (at one time, London’s street lights were fueled with seal oil), but they couldn’t profit off of the flippers. To save money and to use as much of the animal as possible, they made flipper pie. As the hunting industry grew, seal meat became a major resource for oil, leather and food for locals after the long, harsh winter in these regions...  READ MORE

Pope Francis leads his first Easter Sunday Mass

By Correctamundo  


From NBCNews.com:

Pope Francis celebrated his first Easter Sunday since his election, leading a traditional open-air Mass in front of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican.

The pontiff strode onto a flower-bedecked esplanade facing St Peter’s Square, into which tens of thousands of faithful had gathered from early Sunday.

Francis bowed his head in reflection as the Gospel was sung in Latin, The Associated Press reported, recounting what Christians believe is the central mystery of their faith — the resurrection of Jesus after this death by crucifixion.

On the holiest day of the Christian calendar, he was later expected to make his "Urbi et Orbi" speech to the city of Rome and to the world.

"Let the risen Jesus enter your life,” the pope told worshippers before the service via his Twitter account. "He will receive you with open arms."

On Saturday night, he presided at a solemn Easter vigil Mass in St. Peter' Basilica to usher the Catholic Church into the most important day of its liturgical calendar, Reuters reported.

The immense basilica, the largest church in Christendom, was in the dark for the start of the service to signify the darkness in Jesus' tomb before what Christians believe was his resurrection from the dead three days after his crucifixion.

Some 10,000 faithful lit candles as Francis, the former Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina, walked up the main aisle, and then the basilica's lights were turned on, Reuters said.

The 76-year-old Francis, wearing relatively plain white vestments - as opposed to the more elaborate robes preferred by his predecessor Benedict - delivered a simple homily recounting the Bible story of the women who went to Jesus' tomb but were surprised to find it empty.

Jesus Christ Rises From The Dead in DeMille's King of Kings (1927)

Actor H.B. Warner who portrayed Christ in this movie was also Mr Gower, the pharmacist in It's a Wonderful Life.

In Your Easter Bonnet (Judy Garland and Fred Astaire)

By Correctamundo  

Italian Easter Bread

By Correctamundo  

makes 6 individual loaves

Ingredients:

• 1 package Rapid Rise yeast
• 1.25 cups scalded milk, cooled to room temperature
• pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3.5 cups flour (approximate)
• 1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water
• 6 dyed Easter eggs
• sprinkles

tip: the Easter eggs do not need to be hard boiled. They cook when the bread bakes. You can just dye the eggs right out of the fridge, without hardboiling them. Saves time. Just be careful they don't crack!

Instructions:

In a large mixer bowl, combine yeast, warm (not hot) milk, salt, butter, eggs and sugar. Add about half the flour and beat until smooth with dough hook.   Slowly add the remaining flour to form a stiff dough. Don't worry about how much flour it ends up being, just keep adding until the dough is not sticky anymore.  Knead until smooth with either dough hook attachment or turn out on floured board and knead. Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about an hour.

Punch dough down, divide into 12 pieces. Roll each piece to form a 1 inch thick rope about 14 inches long and, taking two pieces, twist to form a "braid", pinching the ends,  and loop into a circle.

Place on a greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until double, about an hour again. Brush each bread with beaten egg wash. Put on the sprinkles. In the middle of each bread ring, gently place an Easter egg, making an indentation with the egg.

Bake at 350 degrees until golden - about 20 - 25 minutes. Cool on rack.

How to make an Easter bunny cake

By Correctamundo  

Easter Bunnies as pets - NEVER, EVER get one just for Easter

By Correctamundo  

Easter: He's Alive