A question about Easter

[Milika]

As we know there is tradition among religious people to say "Christ has arisen!" and to answer "Truly arisen!"
I'm not against of this tradition, but I'm not a religious person and I find a little bit stupid to answer "Truly arisen!" I don't want to  lie and to play this game. But simultaneously I don't want to be rude or to hurt someone. Where is a compromise? What am I to do? What am I to answer? What do you think about it?

[MDanova]

I wonder what the correct and polite answer could be, too, as far as I'm not religious. But I can't make up anything decent. Maybe we should say something like "oh, Happy Easter!" But I guess that would sound idiotic.

[A.K.L.]

Maybe we should say something like "oh, Happy Easter!" But I guess that would sound idiotic.

+1000
No answer...

[casandra]

I don't want to  lie and to play this game. But simultaneously I don't want to be rude or to hurt someone.

There is one opportunity above. It is possible not to be a "religious person" but simultaneously to understand that the Gospel says the truth. The main word here is "to understand", not simple "to believe".

Where is a compromise? What am I to do? What am I to answer? What do you think about it?

Maybe, you can try to avoid the cases when you are to answer this salutation. And if you dear the people saying it very much (and they dear you) you may try to explain them your difficulty. If they love you, they won't get you wrong.

[Mousee]

I think if there is a tradition then we should follow it and it doesn't matter if we like it or not.

[MDanova]

So "Christ has arisen" could be considered an example of political incorrectness. That's why some Americans say "Happy Holiday!" when talking about Christmas.

[casandra]

So the question about Easter has been transformed into the problem of political correctness.
In other words - this latter problem must be our primary concern today...

  Is it really so?

[Milika]

Hi all! Thank you for your thoughts and answers. Excuse me please, I had some probs with my computer and didn't have an opportunity to answer.
So... I see that there is no the "ready answer" as we call it in Russian.

I think if there is a tradition then we should follow it and it doesn't matter if we like it or not.

This answer has really surprised me a lot. I'm not agree that we are to follow any tradition... I think that traditions exit for people, not people exist for traditions... Am I wrong?

[MDanova]

I'm not agree

Excuse me.

I think that traditions exit for people, not people exist for traditions... Am I wrong?

You're right, IMO. Actually, that's my favourite quote, and I use it not only for traditions, but also when I talk about clothes
The problem here is that breaking traditions has always been quite a challenging quest, hasn't it? I believe we live in the society which tries to be religious in the most demonstrative way, and so it would be hard not to follow that behaviour pattern. Right now disagreeing with the fact that Christ has arisen might be even worse than saying that you don't celebrate your birthday and thus you don't accept any birthday wishes.  The "Easter words" also symbolize that you're a part of this culture. So if you say "no" to them, you make an alien and a fool of yourself.  

[Milika]

Excuse me.

I think it's impossible to remember

the society which tries to be religious in the most demonstrative way, and so it would be hard not to follow that behaviour pattern

I don't agree
A lot of people do really believe that they do really believe. They are a little bit strange and "wild" when saying their "Christ has arisen!" in all sincerity.

Right now disagreeing with the fact that Christ has arisen

Well... That's not the point. The point is they dictate me my behavior and do it in an idiotic way.

[MDanova]

You know, "спасибо" was probably derived from "God save him", and "Goodbye" is believed to scome from "God be with ye". But I suppose you still use these words.
Actually, I know what you mean. I guess in a couple of decades there will be some expression for that. Even now many people try not to make us say that Christ has truly arisen, they just ask us to congratulate them on the festival. But others still talk about the Resurrection.
Right now I can't think of anything suitable because whatever we say, our interlocutor, who says that Christ has arisen, won't accept it. He won't even understand that, probably.

[Svetlana Rd]

MDanova, I think the question is not whether we understand the etymology of the words we use. You say "Спасибо", but I think you don't say "Спаси Господи".
The question is how to behave in a day which is a holiday for believers and an ordinary day for you.

[MDanova]

Svetlana Rd, the question is what to say to "Christ has arisen".
I guess we can forget about the meaning of the traditional answer and just say these words in the same way as we say "Спасибо" - we don't think about God when saying that. That's the only way out that I can think of now.

[Olea]

"Christ has arisen!"

Правильно: Christ has risen

rise (Christian Religious Writings / Theology) to return from the dead; be resurrected

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/rise

[A.K.L.]

Olea, please "speak English"!

[Olea]

Olea, please "speak English"!

I'm really sorry. I got that I used a Russian word after I posted it. Just forgot that the category is  for speaking English only. 

[A.K.L.]

OK

[Milika]

Olea, what you speak about is just a variant. Why do you think there is only one true variant?

[Olea]

Maybe you can Google it.

[Angielka]

I have never heard this phrase used outside of slavic countries. I do not think it is used (if at all) within English speaking countries, especially not in the UK. I wouldn't worry about it.
Just say ;Happy Easter' , that's what we say.
The grammatically correct answer would be 'truly he is risen'.