Happy Easter !

“Spring is sprung.
The grass is riz. 
I wonder where the birdies is ?”

I suspect that they are freezing their little ’nuts’ off, as there is a gale blowing from the Arctic on to the North Kent coast, snow is forecast, Sainsbury’s is stacked to the ceiling with chocolate eggs, it’s 50% off day at every retail park, ’Ben Hur’ is on TV again, and most public transport is at a stand-still … so …

It must be Easter !

Now it wouldn’t be Easter without some religious controversy would it ? … and this year is no exception with the usual heated debates about … stores being open for business … gambling … the sale of alcohol … and, of course, hot cross buns offending some religious minority.

I’ve been watching the BBC/HBO production of ‘The Passion’ and believe it to be one of the best and most realistic portrayals of the last days of Jesus ever depicted on the screen.

However it has upset religious traditionalists by portraying Judas Iscariot and Pontius Pilate in a sympathetic light, and does not show the usual ‘image’ of Christ on the cross, but instead, shows a method of crucifixion based on evidence found in the grave of a victim of this terrible form of execution.

Whenever I see the traditional ‘Catholic’ crucifix I am reminded of the two old dears visiting a shop full of tatty Christian souvenirs …

“Ooh, look at all those crosses, Ada. They’ve even got a little man on some of them”.

There has never been a more powerful symbol than the cross, although the swastika came pretty close, but I can’t help wondering what people would be wearing around their necks if the Romans had  …

…    invented the electric chair ?