Rabbits, Colored Eggs and Easter

jegs2 · Post by **jegs2** » 2003-04-17 05:12pm

Many folks don't know the origins of Easter, so I did some poking around and came up with this. Then there is the story about that bunny that hops about, hiding painted eggs. If anyone else has information that either supports or refutes this information, please post it.

Ted C · Post by **Ted C** » 2003-04-17 05:34pm

"Easter" was originally the European pagan festival of "Eostre" or "Ostara", a fertility festival that marked the beginning of planting season. I assume you can see the associations with bunnies and eggs.

The Catholic church deliberately chose the time for celebrating the Resurrection to coincide with this pagan festival; it was a typical tactic in their efforts to Christianize the Germanic and Celtic tribes of Europe. All major Christian holidays just happen to coincide with major pre-existing pagan holidays (Winter Solstice, Equinoxes, etc.).

Ted C · Post by **Ted C** » 2003-04-17 05:50pm

See also...

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/o/ostara.html
http://www.angelfire.com/va/goddesses/eost.html
http://www.hranajanto.com/goddessgallery/eostre.html
http://www.biblicalrecorder.org/opinion ... 0/the.html
http://www.angelfire.com/ca6/sunnysweb/ostar.html
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05228a.htm
http://wilstar.com/holidays/easter.htm
http://www.holidays.net/easter/story.htm

Just search for "Easter History" or something similar on Google and you'll find tons more.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2003-04-17 05:54pm

Most holidays are somewhat bastardized and assimilated over time. I don't have a problem with this; it's convenient in many ways (for example, the convergence of year-end celebrations and Christmas), and it can be positive in the sense that when people of all faiths or non-faiths celebrate the same holidays, it brings us together.

It does bother me, however, when some people rant that their particular version of the holiday should be the ONLY version, and whine about others doing it wrong or even get pissed off when public institutions and businesses start doing generalized (ie- more inclusive) types of celebrations (as if the mall's way of celebrating Christmas somehow injures your ability to have your own form of Christmas).

Wicked Pilot · Post by **Wicked Pilot** » 2003-04-17 06:21pm

Holy shit, easter is this weekend! I better stock up on the choco bunnies.

Ummmmmm, chocolate bunnies.

Sokar · Post by **Sokar** » 2003-04-17 06:28pm

Ahhhh....choco-bunny season

*gnawsoffearsofsolidbunny*

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2003-04-17 08:26pm

Mmmm. Choco-bunny of doom.

kojikun · Post by **kojikun** » 2003-04-17 08:56pm

Just cause its funny and true..

Two rants on Easter, with a little surprise..

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-04-18 05:16am

Y'know fundies, who are quick to notice everything else the Catholic church 'adapted' from other religions (such as worship of Mary as a Goddess)? And who refuse to have anything in their religion that isn't in the KJ Bible?

Well, where in the Bible does it say that Jesus was a) born on 25/12 and b) died at watever convention defines Easter, and where does He command His followers to worship these events?

hmmmm?

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2003-04-18 05:18am

Goes out hunting wild diabetic safe Choco-rabbits....

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-04-18 09:44am

innerbrat wrote: Well, where in the Bible does it say that Jesus was a) born on 25/12 and b) died at watever convention defines Easter, and where does He command His followers to worship these events??

Actually, some Christians do not celebrate Christmas because they believe that Jesus was not born in December.

Jesus was crucified at Easter, since the Romans annually offered to redeem a criminal destined for crucification each easter, in the province of Palestine. (I don't remember exactly why)

The jews had the choice between sparing Jesus and a man called Barabas, and they chose Barabas. (as they saw Jesus as a heretic)

Post by **Gandalf** » 2003-04-18 09:50am

God bless those pagans. -Homer Simpson

paladin · Post by **paladin** » 2003-04-18 10:34am

innerbrat wrote:
Well, where in the Bible does it say that Jesus died at watever convention defines Easter?

The Bible does not. " In 325 A.D., the Council of Nicea declared that Christ's resurrection should be celebrated each year on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox, which can occur from mid-March to late April." http://www.biblicalrecorder.org/opinion ... 0/the.html

Jesus was cruxified during Passover not Easter. He was Jewish after all.

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2003-04-18 10:38am

paladin wrote:
innerbrat wrote:
Well, where in the Bible does it say that Jesus died at watever convention defines Easter?

The Bible does not. " In 325 A.D., the Council of Nicea declared that Christ's resurrection should be celebrated each year on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox, which can occur from mid-March to late April." http://www.biblicalrecorder.org/opinion ... 0/the.html

Jesus was cruxified during Passover not Easter. He was Jewish after all.

And Passover is held the first Full Moon after the Vernal Equinox, thus the Council of Nicea was merely stating that instead of being held *on* Passover (Which was Thursday, this year), it should be held that following Sunday.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-04-18 10:40am

paladin wrote:
Jesus was cruxified during Passover not Easter. He was Jewish after all.

Moo moo. I'm sorry, but in Denmark, Passover and Easter are called the same.

paladin · Post by **paladin** » 2003-04-18 10:56am

LadyTevar wrote:
paladin wrote:
innerbrat wrote:
Well, where in the Bible does it say that Jesus died at watever convention defines Easter?

The Bible does not. " In 325 A.D., the Council of Nicea declared that Christ's resurrection should be celebrated each year on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox, which can occur from mid-March to late April." http://www.biblicalrecorder.org/opinion ... 0/the.html

Jesus was cruxified during Passover not Easter. He was Jewish after all.
And Passover is held the first Full Moon after the Vernal Equinox, thus the Council of Nicea was merely stating that instead of being held *on* Passover (Which was Thursday, this year), it should be held that following Sunday.

Passover lasts for 8 days not 1 day.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2003-04-18 12:17pm

Easter was also another name for Fria (though the spelling and pronounciation was a little different) which was the Germanic Earth goddess.

InnerBrat · Post by **InnerBrat** » 2003-04-18 02:19pm

Simon H.Johansen wrote:
paladin wrote:
Jesus was cruxified during Passover not Easter. He was Jewish after all.
Moo moo. I'm sorry, but in Denmark, Passover and Easter are called the same.

That's odd...

They're two different religious festivals, celebrating different things.

Post by **LadyTevar** » 2003-04-18 03:52pm

paladin wrote:
LadyTevar wrote:
And Passover is held the first Full Moon after the Vernal Equinox, thus the Council of Nicea was merely stating that instead of being held *on* Passover (Which was Thursday, this year), it should be held that following Sunday.
Passover lasts for 8 days not 1 day.

I thought that was just for Hannukah (Chunnakah)

Darth Gojira · Post by **Darth Gojira** » 2003-04-18 05:00pm

LadyTevar wrote:
paladin wrote:
LadyTevar wrote:
And Passover is held the first Full Moon after the Vernal Equinox, thus the Council of Nicea was merely stating that instead of being held *on* Passover (Which was Thursday, this year), it should be held that following Sunday.
Passover lasts for 8 days not 1 day.
I thought that was just for Hannukah (Chunnakah)

It's a common occurance in Jewish holidays (A friend of mine is a Conservative Jew and knows all the customs, but I think I suceeded to well in secularizing his life.....)

Jonathan · Post by **Jonathan** » 2003-04-18 09:30pm

innerbrat wrote:Y'know fundies, who are quick to notice everything else the Catholic church 'adapted' from other religions (such as worship of Mary as a Goddess)? And who refuse to have anything in their religion that isn't in the KJ Bible?

As far as I'm aware, they don't worship her, they just get her to intervene on their behalf. That's not to say that it's the right thing to do, but I think you're exaggerating a little there. And as for the KJV, considering that most Catholics for a great deal of history were not English-speakers and the KJV was translated in an Protestant country, I don't tihnk they'd insist on it. It's some of the Protestant denominations like the so called 'Free' Prebyterians (Ian Paisley's lot) who refuse to use anything else. Interestingly, it's a relatively inaccurate translation. That's not to say that most of it isn't right, just that it has more errors of translation and poor choices of phrase that most modern translations. NIV or NRSV would be my personal choices, but neither are perfect.

Well, where in the Bible does it say that Jesus was a) born on 25/12 and b) died at watever convention defines Easter, and where does He command His followers to worship these events?

hmmmm?

We don't know when Jesus was born (and the date itself really doens't matter, but we do know when he died - just after passover. The feast was being celebrated in Jerusalem when he went there. Easter should always follow Passover. As this falls in Spring, a misapprehension has sprung up that the time was chosen because there were lots of fertiltiy festivals as this time of year and the time was chosen in order to assimilate them. While it is true that the Christian Easter did replace such festivals as cultures converted from paganism to Christianity, the time was chosen for an unrelated reason. It was a serendipitous coincidence.

As for celebrating the event, we are commanded to worship God. Worshipping him during Easter and Christmas certainly isn't wrong and it helps to make the events fresher in people's mind, raise awareness amongst non-Christians, provoke debate, etc. All useful things that can glorify God.

Ted C · Post by **Ted C** » 2003-04-19 12:30am

Simon H.Johansen wrote: Jesus was crucified at Easter, since the Romans annually offered to redeem a criminal destined for crucification each easter, in the province of Palestine. (I don't remember exactly why)

Pardon me, but how do you confirm the existence of this custom? Is it somehow documented in Roman records?

Even if it is, the existence of the custom does not confirm the existence of Jesus.

Simon H.Johansen wrote: The jews had the choice between sparing Jesus and a man called Barabas, and they chose Barabas. (as they saw Jesus as a heretic)

And you confirm that this decision occured how? I hope you're not citing the Bible...

jegs2 · Post by **jegs2** » 2003-04-19 12:37am

Ted C wrote:Even if it is, the existence of the custom does not confirm the existence of Jesus.

You seriously doubt that Jesus existed?

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2003-04-19 02:53am

Simon H.Johansen wrote:
innerbrat wrote: Well, where in the Bible does it say that Jesus was a) born on 25/12 and b) died at watever convention defines Easter, and where does He command His followers to worship these events??
Actually, some Christians do not celebrate Christmas because they believe that Jesus was not born in December.

Jesus was crucified at Easter, since the Romans annually offered to redeem a criminal destined for crucification each easter, in the province of Palestine. (I don't remember exactly why)
Passover

The jews had the choice between sparing Jesus and a man called Barabas, and they chose Barabas. (as they saw Jesus as a heretic)

now you know why it's hell growning up both Catholic and Jewish...

Post by **The Yosemite Bear** » 2003-04-19 02:57am

LadyTevar wrote:
paladin wrote: Passover lasts for 8 days not 1 day.
I thought that was just for Hannukah (Chunnakah)

weeklong Holidays are good....