What kind of message is this? - Apparently, the new way to illustrate the love that Jesus showed for us humans and the incredible sacrifice he made to redeem us is to flog the Easter Bunny?

It may not have been as gruesome as Mel Gibson's movie, but many parents and children got upset when a church trying to teach about Jesus' crucifixion performed an Easter show with actors whipping the Easter bunny and breaking eggs.

People who attended Saturday's show at Glassport's memorial stadium quoted performers as saying, "There is no Easter bunny," and described the show as being a demonstration of how Jesus was crucified.

Melissa Salzmann, who brought her 4-year-old son J.T., said the program was inappropriate for young children. "He was crying and asking me why the bunny was being whipped," Salzmann said.

What was this church body and its leadership thinking? Not trying to sound to dramatic, but that kid will probably be scarred for life and will never want to become part of the church, who was responsible for whipping the Easter Bunny.The sole reason I observe Easter is to remember the incredible sacrifice of Christ for me and to celebrate his resurrection. But the boneheaded actions like those of the people at this church will continue to turn people off to the amazing experience of knowing Jesus. Stories like this always find their way to the mass media for all the world to see, and continue to give Christianity a bad name. Christians are not all radical, Easter Bunny flogging freaks. Unfortunately, this is just another case of the few defining the reputation for all.