The Pagan Easter

[Free]

Actually, this is what Paul had to say about their altar.

Acts 17
23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription,To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
<snip>
29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:


.

This doesn't actually address my point, which is that Paul takes something pagan and redeems it for God. Verse 23 is very clear that Paul takes their altar to an unknown god and then says that this unknown god is God. Simply saying "this is what Paul actually says," doesn't change that.

And the cross is the same, unless you think the cross has its origins from God. God took the very instrument used in the most excruciating and humiliating form of death, and redeemed it, now being a symbol of life and hope.

 

[Gary]

Gary, what are you trying to save us from? What do think will happen to us if we do an easter egg hunt?

In your opinion, what are our consequences for participating in a easter egg hunt?

I'm not trying to save anyone from anything. I don't know what will happen to those who celebrate Easter. Maybe nothing. All I'm doing here is giving people something to think about.

If you want to celebrate Easter, do it. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that you're going to hell for doing so. That's not my place and it's not my reason for contributing to this thread.

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[Gary]

Verse 23 is very clear that Paul takes their altar to an unknown god and then says that this unknown god is God.

Acts 17
23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription,To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

Paul didn't christianize that idol. He was pointing out their ignorant practices of praying to a slab of stone. The verses following verse 23 attest to that.

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[Free]

Acts 17
23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription,To The Unknown God. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

Paul didn't christianize that idol. He was pointing out their ignorant practices of praying to a slab of stone. The verses following verse 23 attest to that.

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Paul was pointing out that in their ignorance, they were actually worshipping God, by means of their pagan altar.

Act 17:23 For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, 'To the unknown god.' What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. (ESV)

 

[gr8grace3]

I'm not trying to save anyone from anything. I don't know what will happen to those who celebrate Easter. Maybe nothing. All I'm doing here is giving people something to think about.

If you want to celebrate Easter, do it. I'm not going to sit here and tell you that you're going to hell for doing so. That's not my place and it's not my reason for contributing to this thread.

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Thanks Gary. This is how I look at it.......
1 Cor 10:23~~New American Standard Bible
All things are lawful(Grace), but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.

We can go hunt easter eggs and It may not be profitable. But it sure is fun with the family and the time spent with family may just end up profitable.

We can watch a football game, have some hot wings and a beer. It may not be profitable, but it is lawful for us to do it.

 

[Gary]

Paul was pointing out that in their ignorance, they were actually worshipping God, by means of their pagan altar.

And then he informed them that their idol was not of God.

.

 

[Gary]

Thanks Gary. This is how I look at it.......
1 Cor 10:23~~New American Standard Bible
All things are lawful(Grace), but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful, but not all things edify.

We can go hunt easter eggs and It may not be profitable. But it sure is fun with the family and the time spent with family may just end up profitable.

We can watch a football game, have some hot wings and a beer. It may not be profitable, but it is lawful for us to do it.

I agree.

This is a conviction issue. How God will handle this in the end is anybody's guess.

.

 

[Free]

And then he informed them that their idol was not of God.

.

Where?

 

[dianegcook]

God doesn't like graven images.
As a child, we had Easter egg hunts,
Now think, when a child is given a chocolate rabbit, candy, coloring eggs, that is what they love about Easter. I know I did.
Taking away the true meaning of the holiday, the resurrection.
Follow your heart, spirit.
Not condemning any of them that do it, just as Gary said, trying to educate.

Now, Hope Everyone a Happy Resurrection Day, Passover, how every you celebrate it.
Off to take care of my 82 year mother, that broke her femur bone, a few months ago.

Love to all

 

[reba]

Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Here is the dilemma. Most all of us , including my self have avatars.... most all of the avatars are a graven image that fits into the above scripture .....

In Hinduism, an avatar (/ˈævəˌtɑr, ˌævəˈtɑr/;[1] Hindustani: [əʋˈt̪aːr] from Sanskrit अवतार avatāra "descent") is a deliberate descent of a deity to Earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being (e.g., Vishnu for Vaishnavites), and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation", but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation".[2][3]

The phenomenon of an avatar is observed in Hinduism,[4] Ayyavazhi, and Sikhism. Avatar is regarded as one of the core principles of Hinduism.[5]

Do we all draw the line the same?

 

[Abigail123]

My kids absolutely know what Easter is all about AND they are getting chocolate bunnies on Sunday!

It's going to be a wonderful celebration!

 

[jasonc]

Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Here is the dilemma. Most all of us , including my self have avatars.... most all of the avatars are a graven image that fits into the above scripture .....

In Hinduism, an avatar (/ˈævəˌtɑr, ˌævəˈtɑr/;[1] Hindustani: [əʋˈt̪aːr] from Sanskrit अवतार avatāra "descent") is a deliberate descent of a deity to Earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being (e.g., Vishnu for Vaishnavites), and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation", but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation".[2][3]

The phenomenon of an avatar is observed in Hinduism,[4] Ayyavazhi, and Sikhism. Avatar is regarded as one of the core principles of Hinduism.[5]

Do we all draw the line the same?

nope, which is why I brought the point with the cross on this forum.

 

[Deborah13]

Yes.

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Actually it does. I won't argue the point, but the information is out there for everyone to see. Check out some of the videos on youtube relating to archaeological digs.

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I have watched and read everything I can find because it is just plain exciting when archeology proves things from the Bible. However, I haven't seen anything that has been found that tells us how and what Noah did or knew in worship.

 

[dianegcook]

Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Here is the dilemma. Most all of us , including my self have avatars.... most all of the avatars are a graven image that fits into the above scripture .....

In Hinduism, an avatar (/ˈævəˌtɑr, ˌævəˈtɑr/;[1] Hindustani: [əʋˈt̪aːr] from Sanskrit अवतार avatāra "descent") is a deliberate descent of a deity to Earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being (e.g., Vishnu for Vaishnavites), and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation", but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation".[2][3]

The phenomenon of an avatar is observed in Hinduism,[4] Ayyavazhi, and Sikhism. Avatar is regarded as one of the core principles of Hinduism.[5]

Do we all draw the line the same?

Reba
I believe that is considered a photo, graven image, I believe is different,
Got to go, ....

 

[reba]

Reba
I believe that is considered a photo, graven image, I believe is different,
Got to go, ....

Exactly my point

 

[jasonc]

God doesn't like graven images.
As a child, we had Easter egg hunts,
Now think, when a child is given a chocolate rabbit, candy, coloring eggs, that is what they love about Easter. I know I did.
Taking away the true meaning of the holiday, the resurrection.
Follow your heart, spirit.
Not condemning any of them that do it, just as Gary said, trying to educate.

Now, Hope Everyone a Happy Resurrection Day, Passover, how every you celebrate it.
Off to take care of my 82 year mother, that broke her femur bone, a few months ago.

Love to all

oddly, pashac for me would be an idol. I have to remind myself im not a jew like unto my kin. but a follower of god whenever I read or get heavy into my ancestral lineage. its not all the time but its different when the faith is a family thing on a bigger level. jews unlike most Christians do things as a group.

 

[Gary]

Where?

Right here.

Acts 17
24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
<snip>
29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:


.

 

[jasonc]

Exactly my point

icon(ikon) :image
photo: an IMAGE TAKEN via use of a camera that is either stored via digital means or photo chemically on a film.

I don't worship an image of jaci.

 

[Gary]

I have watched and read everything I can find because it is just plain exciting when archeology proves things from the Bible. However, I haven't seen anything that has been found that tells us how and what Noah did or knew in worship.

I haven't found anything like that either.

.

 

[Gary]

Exo 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Here is the dilemma. Most all of us , including my self have avatars.... most all of the avatars are a graven image that fits into the above scripture .....

In Hinduism, an avatar (/ˈævəˌtɑr, ˌævəˈtɑr/;[1] Hindustani: [əʋˈt̪aːr] from Sanskrit अवतार avatāra "descent") is a deliberate descent of a deity to Earth, or a descent of the Supreme Being (e.g., Vishnu for Vaishnavites), and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation", but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation".[2][3]

The phenomenon of an avatar is observed in Hinduism,[4] Ayyavazhi, and Sikhism. Avatar is regarded as one of the core principles of Hinduism.[5]

Do we all draw the line the same?

.