A church in Glassport, Pennsylvania, a small community about ten miles southeast of Pittsburgh, held an Easter celebration this past Saturday at Glassport Stadium that drew criticism from a number of angry and confused parents.The Glassport Assembly of God's Saturday production included actors on stage simulating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ by whipping their costumed youth minister, who was dressed as the Easter Bunny. Children reportedly ran out of the church crying, and a number of parents were left wondering what was going on.
The whipping incident, though disturbing, was not all that was in store for those in attendence.
Performers broke eggs meant for an Easter egg hunt and also portrayed a drunken man and a self-mutilating woman, said Jennifer Norelli-Burke, another parent who saw the show in Glassport, a community about 10 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.
I can understand an Evangelical Church's desire to distance Easter from secularized tradition and attempt to instill in its followers, particularly their youth, that Easter is about the death and, most importantly, the resurrection of Jesus. But I don't see, in any way, how whipping a costumed Easter Bunny accomplishes this goal. It only serves to confuse children and their parents, and reinforce the stereotype that evangelicals are just this side of lunatic. I can't even imagine how this idea got out of its larva stage. I mean, did someone, in a meeting, say: "I've got a great idea about how we can show that Easter is about Jesus and not the Easter Bunny -- let's dress someone up in an Easter Bunny costume and whip them in a way reminiscent of the scourging of Christ."? And if so, was the response to this idea really: "Whip the Easter Bunny during a church service: Brilliant!"?
That's one for the "What the Fuck?" file
Tony
