The phrase "He is Risen" inevitably shows up this time of year in the form of Christian propaganda, and it has always grated on me. Thus, I figured I might as well mock it with the title of this post. That seems like a healthy response to something I can't change, and it helps defuse my frustration.
Christians have co-opted a number of holidays, creating their own mythology around them to great effect. We atheists should be able to do the same minus all the religious nonsense, of course. And this is what we have done with Zombie Jesus Day.
The notion that Zombie Jesus returns each year on Easter Sunday and prowls the Earth, devouring the brains of the faithful, is a great story on which to base a holiday. It is fun, and it mocks the absurdity of the Easter story while containing a great metaphor (i.e., Zombie Jesus devours brains much like Christianity). What's not to like?
We all need an excuse for silly fun from time-to-time, and this applies to atheists too. The growing popularity of Zombie Jesus events suggests that this one may be here to stay. And to the Christians who get upset over all the silliness, I'll just point out that the myth of Zombie Jesus really isn't any stranger than what you claim to believe. We recognize that our holiday is based on a myth too.
I take no issue with atheists who steer clear of Zombie Jesus out of respect for Christians. That's their call to make. I also have no problem with those who aren't interested in another holiday or find this one unappealing. Just because I find it fun doesn't mean others must do so. I think it is okay to have enough holidays so there is something for everyone. We can avoid those that don't appeal to us.
Happy Zombie Jesus Day!
