04/03/2026
TW: Good Friday, Easter, Religious Abuse & Deconstruction, World Events
Today is Good Friday, the beginning of one of the hardest weekends of the year for me - Easter. So many triggers, memories and emotions come up surrounding the Christian side of this celebration. I've lived through so much argument, fear, abandonment, contradiction, threats and severe control, just surrounding this one springtime holiday, and I've had some pretty damning viewpoints of the main character shoved down my throat throughout my life. In years past, I've avoided it, distracted myself, stuck my fingers in my ears and sang loudly, "LA LA LA," just to try to get out of my own head, but I'm seeing things from a slightly different angle on this trip around the sun. I'm starting to see that I can look at the character, Jesus, from a distance. I don't have to believe all the things I was forced to believe before. I don't have to agree with anyone on any statements of doctrine, swear to uphold any lists of "fundamental truths," or prescribe to any one viewpoint of Divinity. I can just simply take a look at the story, and when I look, I see compassion. I see compassion towards people, ALL people. What I know about the story of Jesus is that he was a poor, brown, homeless immigrant who loved and accepted everyone without qualification. He called children to himself when the adults who "knew better" tried to send them away. He hung out with the outcasts of society, and didn't consider himself "unclean" by association. He fed the hungry and healed the sick, peacefully challenged unjust religious and political leaders, and was murdered by a corrupt government for standing up for social justice. When they arrested him and took him away to kill him, it seemed like it would be the end of the story. All the light and hope was suddenly gone for those who followed him, and a lot of survivors of religious abuse and disillusionment can relate to that kind of darkness. But, as tradition tells, Jesus rose back to life again. Just looking at this story from a distance, after a lot of years and without the tangled religious mess of my history, I can once again find hope. It is a wonderful example of how, no matter what darkness we've been through or are currently in, we can make it. Jesus faced an extremely unjust world. He faced abuse, hopelessness, doubt, betrayal, even death, and still came out on the other side to find light and life. I believe that we can do that, too, both on a personal level and a national one. On a personal level, I refuse to pass my trauma on to my kiddo. I'm not perfect, but I'm doing everything I can to prevent that transfer from happening, including therapy and compete separation from abusers. On a national level, we fight for the rights of our neighbors and we do everything we can to spread light to each other in this dark time. There is a lot to fight for - light, life, freedom, compassion, recovery, justice - but we, our children, and our neighbors are worth it. YOU, my dear are SO worth it!
Love,
Ginger
