[T]he mere fact that a governmental practice coincides to some extent with certain religious beliefs does not render it unconstitutional. Thanksgiving Day, in my view, fits easily within this principle, for, despite its religious antecedents, the current practice of celebrating Thanksgiving is unquestionably secular and patriotic. We all may gather with our families on that day to give thanks both for personal and national good fortune, but we are free, given the secular character of the holiday, to address that gratitude either to a divine beneficence or to such mundane sources as good luck or the country's abundant natural wealth.
-- Justice Brennan
Easter has many components. This is reflected by the fact that the very word (per Random House) appears to have roots in a pagan god with connections to the word "east." Spring brought forth recognition of rebirth and life, and the Easter egg is not just some Christian entity. I am of the opinion that questions of life and death, especially the meanings and rituals growing forth from them, generally have some religious component -- such "ultimate questions" part of the mix in my broader understanding of that term.* Thus, aside from the religious nature of the character, the story of life and redemption found in A Walk to Remember (redeeming love thru the path of a dying teenage girl) is inherently religious in a fashion, plus a proper film to play as Easter began last night.
[I also picked up a bit of The Passion of the Christ as well. I can see what one means when its almost pornographic use of violence is mentioned -- Jesus is beaten mercilessly, even thrown off a bridge or something while chained, rather much even before being questioned by the Jewish leaders. Imagine what happens when he is beaten by the Romans! It also is interesting to note that both Jesus and those leaders are fully fluent in Latin, not using go betweens while talking with Romans. The use of original languages is interesting, but its attempt at authenticity cannot hide its dramatic flourishes plus the fact it was sorta boring after awhile.]
And, though millions obviously celebrate the religious aspects of the holiday -- in the Bridge to Terabitha, Easter is the only time the family goes to church -- it should be noted that it is one of those days that we honor in a "civic religion" sort of way. That is, in some fashion, we honor its deeper meaning, but not in any strongly ritualistic way. Some might find the emphasis on candy and Easter bunnies as sacrilegious or a sign of lack of respect for true religious values, but in the long way it often does honor the true meaning of the holiday. The honoring of life. Thus, it seems fitting, also in honor of poetry month, to cite a bit of Walt Whitman (quoted in the book cited in the note):
O I see flashing that this America is only you and me,
Its power, weapons, testimony, are you and me,
Its crimes, lies, thefts, defections, are you and me ...
The war, (that war so bloody and grim, the war I will henceforth
forget), was you and me ...
I am for those that have never been master'd,
For men and women whose tempers have never been master'd,
For those whom laws, theories, conventions, can never master.
I am for those who walk abreast with the whole earth,
Who inaugurate one to inaugurate all.
I will not be outfaced by irrational things,
I will penetrate what it is in them that is sarcastic upon.
But, yes, this day also has a Christian flavor. Thus, I offer this core expression of its message, an excerpt from the Sermon of the Mount, Matthew version:
Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
No matter how you say such things, a worthwhile thing to honor today and always.
---
* "We have or may have a religion of unselfish devotion to others and to our own highest ideals," he prophesied, "a religion of character, of abiding enthusiasm for humanity, and of complete intellectual honesty. Into our little human lives it will bring something of the grandeur of these infinite surroundings, a high purpose amid which and for which we live."
-- professor in 1878, summarizing the secularist freethought creed, qtd. by Susan Jacoby in Freethinkers: A History of American Secularism