Atheists find Easter a good time to meet

By SHARON TUBBS

© St. Petersburg Times, published April 12, 2001

The American Atheists are hosting their 27th annual national convention in Orlando this weekend.

Easter weekend.

Coincidence?

Atheist president Ellen Johnson says yes -- kind of.

The atheists have held their national convention during the Easter season for years, but only because hotel rates are cheaper during the religious holiday, Johnson said. Indeed, she said, hotels often seek out the group to offer prime rates and attract the convention. About 200 people are expected to be at the Orlando Airport Marriott.

This year's speakers include William B. Davis, best known for his role as the "cigarette smoking man" on The X-Files. Davis will speak on the topic "A Skeptic in an Alien World."

Other workshops are titled "My God Can Beat Up Your God," "Good Clean Folks' Dirty Little Secret" and "Holy Paraphernalia Mania."

"We're not doing it to annoy Christians," Johnson said. "People think that, but that's not it."

Christians have routinely sent the atheist group angry e-mail messages. "They think it's insulting to them and we should not hold our convention then," Johnson said.

But, Johnson said, how would Christians like it if atheists asked that Easter be moved to accommodate the convention?

EASTER SATURDAY? Speaking of Easter, is that Easter Sunday or Easter Saturday, as the Rev. Hank Lindstrom argues?

Lindstrom, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, says his congregation will celebrate Easter at 6 p.m. Saturday.

If Christians were true to Scripture, Lindstrom contends, they would don their pastel dresses and suits at sundown Saturday, the day he believes Jesus Christ really rose from the dead. Lindstrom has said as much on his question-and-answer radio show, Bibleline, which is broadcast on WBRD-AM 1420 and WLVU-AM 1470 weekdays at 1 p.m. He has debated the issue with listeners and other ministers. People often see his point, Lindstrom said, but fear letting go.

"There's a lot of traditions that people hold that have been a little backwards, I guess," he said.

Key to the debate is Matthew 12:40: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Lindstrom points out that it's only two days from Friday to Sunday, so the way Christians traditionally observe the resurrection can't be right.

The Bible says Jesus was crucified before sundown when the holy day would begin. Most people assume the holy day was the Jewish sabbath, which begins at sundown Friday. But Lindstrom argues that the holy day was more likely Thursday, a feast day, meaning that Christ was crucified on Wednesday.

The other side of the argument: The Friday crucifixion makes sense because the word "day" could be interpreted to mean only 12 hours.

The Saturday vs. Sunday debate has appeared on Web sites and been the subject of theological articles. Scholars have questioned the day that Jesus rose from the dead, as well as the day he was crucified, and Lindstrom joins a cadre of others around the nation who buck the Good Friday tradition. He refers to Wednesday of Holy Week as "Good Wednesday." As in other biblical debates, there may never be one answer acceptable to all.

"Jesus was crucified on Friday. However, some have denied this based on a simplistic reading of the Gospels," says one Web site sponsored by the California group Catholic Answers.

KEEPING THE FAITH -- WITHOUT GOVERNMENT MONEY: With debate continuing over President Bush's plans to fund faith-based services, church organizations -- often stretched for dollars -- are wrestling with whether they should apply for cash from Uncle Sam.

That explains the popularity of a 15-page guide created and distributed by the Baptist Joint Committee and the Interfaith Alliance Foundation, both based in Washington. In March, the organizations mailed more than 20,000 "Keeping the Faith" pamphlets to religious groups nationwide.

If church groups adhere to the pamphlet's take on the issue, many won't be applying for government money.

"Religion thrives in America because it is funded by voluntary gifts, rather than by compulsory tax funds, and because it remains largely free from governmental regulation," the guide reads.

"There's a bent against partnering with government money," said Brent Walker, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee.

The partnership between government and religion in many cases is "unconstitutional," Walker said. Also, he said, "It will result in the regulation and entanglement of the church. It will blunt the church's prophetic ministries." The Baptist committee was making the booklet before Bush took office, Walker said. A previous government initiative to fund religious groups, called "charitable choice," already had the faithful seeking guidance on the issue, he said.

The guide recommends that religious groups that choose to apply for tax money get a lawyer to evaluate their government contracts before signing on the dotted line.

To view the booklet online, see http://www.interfaithalliance.org/Initiatives/ktf.pdf (you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader to see the document; it can be downloaded for free at http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html). Or call the Interfaith Alliance Foundation at (202) 639-6370 or the Baptist Joint Committee at (202) 544-4226.

REMEMBERING THE HOLOCAUST: Congregation Ohr Chadash, a Messianic synagogue in Clearwater, will host Holocaust Remembrance Day at 8 p.m. April 20 as part of its Sabbath services. Visitors will be able to view Arbeit Macht Frei, the original sculpture done by David Barlow to reflect on his experience of visiting the Dachau concentration camp. Call the synagogue at (727) 726-1472 for information.

COMING TOGETHER: Church Women United of Central Pinellas, a group concerned about racism, will gather for worship and a program titled "For Such a Time As This: A Call to End Racism." The program is at 5:30 p.m. May 4 at Mount Zion United Methodist Church, 825 Howard St., Clearwater. Participants of different ethnicities will worship and pray together. Also, a dinner will be served for $6 per person, so reservations are required. Mail checks to Audrey Lyttle, 1143 Barbara Court, Largo, FL 33770. The deadline for reservations is April 30.

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