That Pesky Wabbit
First Baptist Dallas pastor Robert Jeffress defends the Easter Bunny
Good news for the Easter Bunny: The floppy-eared rabbit has a friend in First Baptist Dallas senior pastor Robert Jeffress.
On March 27, Jeffress appeared on Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor to discuss the war on Easter. Several communities have started using the label "spring egg hunts," omitting mention of the Christian holiday celebrating the resurrection of Jesus.
Jeffress and O'Reilly called the change "offensive" and said that while Jews and Muslims have organizations dedicated to protecting their respective religions from defamation, Christianity lacks one.
"Many Christians think it is un-Christian to stand up and fight for your rights," Jeffress said, adding that "the apostle Paul spent two years fighting against the Roman legal system to preserve his right to speak freely. We need to do the same thing as well."
Jeffress also referenced Plano-based Liberty Institute, a legal organization dedicated to "restoring religious liberty in America." O'Reilly said the the First Amendment has been "perverted" to stand for freedom from religion instead of its original intent — freedom of religious expression.
Although he admitted that the Easter bunny is "a secular symbol meant to bring joy to children" on a religious holiday, Jeffress said the inclusion of the word Easter is a matter of religious freedom.
"The First Amendment simply says Congress can't establish a state religion. It has nothing to say about Easter egg hunts," Jeffress said.