secular/religious holidays

In the Western world, these days there is a tendency to make almost everything Christian by history and tradition secular -and presumably "inclusive". Remembering a half-hearted coverage of this matter on TVNZ Breakfast a few days ago, it may be timely for this topic given Easter is this weekend.

Around Christmas and Easter, it is quite customary for the media to sandwich/pepper a few religious-themed articles and present the commercial side of those holidays from advertisements of specials to Santa Clause/Easter bunny decorations in colourful, attractive styles, while fuelling a low-level argument over whether the original religious baggage of the holiday should be dropped altogether or not.  Consciously or otherwise, many people also very unsurprisingly try to secularise the greetings such as "Happy Easter/Christmas" by replacing with ubiquitous "Holiday". In reference to this , a blogger who identifies himself as a Buddhist monk said, "...if you can't join others in their celebrations, even if the theology behind it does not correspond with yours, then I think you lack mudita." (Mudita is a Buddhist (Pali and Sanskrit: मुदित) word meaning rejoicing in others' joy.)

Although the author said it to make a point on a Christmas greeting, everyone, who opposes state observance of any religious holiday - be it Christmas, Easter, Ramadan, Wesak or some other - on the grounds that s/he does not share the faith, should ponder on the above quote.

Happy Easter to my readers!

Acknowledgment:
http://sdhammika.blogspot.com/2008/12/happy-christmas.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mudita