Today is Easter Sunday. Everyone loves the Easter story with its theme of Resurrection. Other holidays are opposed by some grumbling faction or another. Thanksgiving gets criticism for ignoring the genocide of Native Americans, and Christmas for being overly commercialized. Halloween has its detractors for promoting Satanism, and New Year’s gets slammed for its Bacchanalian excesses.

No one quarrels with the celebration of Easter. No one, not even most cynical and skeptical among us, gets upset by the idea of dodging death and transporting into eternal life.

There’s a reason why, which is that everyone loves life. To be sure, not everyone loves living. For some, it becomes unbearable. Nevertheless, everyone loves life. And the cool thing about eternal life is that when you reach it, all the big and little things you hate about living simply disappear. No more having to shave in the morning, no more stupid bosses, no more wrinkles, no more common colds. You’re able to enjoy life, pure and simple life, forever and ever, with no downside. It’s a fantasy that’s hard to resist, even for hard-bitten realists.

Let’s raise a toast to Jesus, who died not to redeem our sins, but to give us a holiday we could all appreciate.