Re: Happy Reanimation Day

Michael S. Lorrey (mike@lorrey.com)
Fri, 09 Apr 1999 20:16:31 -0400

Scott Badger wrote:
>
> On 4/4/99, Mike Lorrey wrote:
>
> > In an effort to stamp out or co-op the holidays of the old religions, I
> > want to wish all here a happy Cryogenic Reanimation Day. The official
> > animal of Reanimation Day is the teddy bear, due to the bear's
> > hybernation abilities.
>
> How about establishing and holding this holiday on Bob Ettinger's birthday
> instead of Easter? It would be a nice tribute to the father of cryonics
> before he deanimates.

Well, while the sentiment is well placed, it doesn't do what I'd like it to do:

  1. expropriate the jesus resurrection myth and the alleged date of its occurence, which is the foremost western mythical instance of resurrection.
  2. this is about reanimation, not one person being born. If you want an Ettinger holiday, call it Ettimas or some such.
  3. this is about memetic social engineering in the general populace, not within the cryo community.
  4. it makes the connection of jesus' death and resurrection with current day issues like right to die (jesus knew what was gonna happen and he let it happen, he refused to avoid it), and a theological basis for crygenic suspension.

Mike Lorrey