The Pagan Origin Of Easter

[LostSoul]

Just want to make sure I am understanding some of the views here....basically in accordance to celebration of holidays there were once or ones having Pagan origins....we are sinning?

 

[Lewis]

Just want to make sure I am understanding some of the views here....basically in accordance to celebration of holidays there were once or ones having Pagan origins....we are sinning?

Even though we have discussed this a thousand times on this board in the almost 5 years that I have been here. This subject is still tricky, for instance I like putting up a Christmas tree and lights. I just love doing that, but I don't worship the tree like they were doing in the book of Ezekiel.

 

[LostSoul]

Even though we have discussed this a thousand times on this board in the almost 5 years that I have been here. This subject is still tricky, for instance I like putting up a Christmas tree and lights. I just love doing that, but I don't worship the tree like they were doing in the book of Ezekiel.

Did not realize this had been brought up that much. Then I have not been here that long. So....

Think I get what you are saying though. Love putting up the tree myself at Christmas, and seeing the pretty lights. But as you said....worship is where the line is drawn.

 

[Lewis]

Even though we have discussed this a thousand times on this board in the almost 5 years that I have been here. This subject is still tricky, for instance I like putting up a Christmas tree and lights. I just love doing that, but I don't worship the tree like they were doing in the book of Ezekiel.

Did not realize this had been brought up that much. Then I have not been here that long. So....

Think I get what you are saying though. Love putting up the tree myself at Christmas, and seeing the pretty lights. But as you said....worship is where the line is drawn.

Yeah you can find the Easter and Christmas topic to many times to count, discussed many times on this board. we have had some big arguments over these 2 topics. Type Christmas or Easter in search and you will see.

 

[Guest]

So you think that the origins of something is not important?

The individual chooses the meaning. Thus, origins, while interesting academically, are only important to the individual who's conscious will be impacted by them.

And even though a lot of people today, do not view Easter as pagan, does that make them right?

There is no "right" or "wrong" in this case. There is only meaning.

If our unchanging God viewed it as pagan then, wouldn't He view it as pagan now ? Being that He says I am the Lord I change not.

Culture changes. The meaning assigned to symbols changes, not God.

 

[francisdesales]

So you think that the origins of something is not important ?

For historical study, I suppose. But since "no one" assigns a pagan meaning to easter eggs, it is not so important, and Christianity has prevailed yet again in inculturating another society... If people "still" considered eating meat as offered to some pagan god, then naturally, we shouldn't. The CURRENT meaning of a symbol is important, not what it meant 1000 plus years ago.

And even though a lot of people today, do not view Easter as pagan, does that make them right ? If our unchanging God viewed it as pagan then, wouldn't He view it as pagan now ?

Symbols are not for God, but OUR way of relating to an invisible God or Divine Being. Religious symbols are meant to draw us to worship the God whom we worship. God views the inner person's heart.

Being that He says I am the Lord I change not.

I do not think this refers to symbolic meanings. I think you could look back into history on virtually every symbol and design and find SOME apparent pagan meaning. People view a square or a circle and can think of a pagan god...Does that mean Christians are to remove such geometric shapes from their lives???

Frankly, I do not see the need to worry about such things when Christians can barely present a united front on such things as abortion and birth control, which ARE real problems in our society, not whether an easter egg is pagan or not...

We should expend our energy on evangelizing our society on REAL issues, not on the easter egg, which "no one" makes the connection to some fertility god of the very distant past.

Regards

 

[Lewis]

So what is the final conclusion from all of you ? Is Easter and putting up Christmas trees and lights ok, as far as you all are concerned ? And that it is ok to go on Easter egg hunts with Peter Cotton Tail, hopping down the bunny trail ?

 

[francisdesales]

So what is the final conclusion from all of you ? Is Easter and putting up Christmas trees and lights ok, as far as you all are concerned ? And that it is ok to go on Easter egg hunts with Peter Cotton Tail, hopping down the bunny trail ?

I think it's OK for kids, as long as we educate them about the CURRENT symbols pointing to Christian meanings. We can teach our children the meaning of Christmas and Easter, while they can enjoy their games and fun.

Regards

 

[Lewis]

So what is the final conclusion from all of you ? Is Easter and putting up Christmas trees and lights ok, as far as you all are concerned ? And that it is ok to go on Easter egg hunts with Peter Cotton Tail, hopping down the bunny trail ?

I think it's OK for kids, as long as we educate them about the CURRENT symbols pointing to Christian meanings. We can teach our children the meaning of Christmas and Easter, while they can enjoy their games and fun.

Regards

I think I can go with that.

 

[francisdesales]

[quote="Lewis W":3lqgb57m]

So what is the final conclusion from all of you ? Is Easter and putting up Christmas trees and lights ok, as far as you all are concerned ? And that it is ok to go on Easter egg hunts with Peter Cotton Tail, hopping down the bunny trail ?

I think it's OK for kids, as long as we educate them about the CURRENT symbols pointing to Christian meanings. We can teach our children the meaning of Christmas and Easter, while they can enjoy their games and fun.

Regards

I think I can go with that.[/quote:3lqgb57m]

Good to hear. Some people major in the minors and straining the gnat while swallowing the camel! We Christians should be more worried about evangelizing our culture, rather than worrying too much about the "pagan origination" of eggs. Let's teach our children to love our neighbors and enjoy life in Christ.

Regards

 

[AnnieHere]

THE TRUTH IS THAT THE 40 DAYS OF LENT, EGGS, RABBITS, HOT CROSS BUNS AND EASTER HAM HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH CHRIST... BUT HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE ANCIENT PAGAN RELIGION OF MYSTERY BABYLON. THESE ARE ALL ANTICHRIST ACTIVITIES!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UgVZu_s4pA

 

[francisdesales]

THE TRUTH IS THAT THE 40 DAYS OF LENT, EGGS, RABBITS, HOT CROSS BUNS AND EASTER HAM HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH CHRIST... BUT HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE ANCIENT PAGAN RELIGION OF MYSTERY BABYLON. THESE ARE ALL ANTICHRIST ACTIVITIES!

Bah, humbug...

"Antichrist"? They condone hatred and disbelief of our Lord and Savior? Hardly.

I hadn't realized that an Easter ham could be so deadly to one's faith in God...

Try to put things into perspective here.

 

[Lewis]

THE TRUTH IS THAT THE 40 DAYS OF LENT, EGGS, RABBITS, HOT CROSS BUNS AND EASTER HAM HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH CHRIST... BUT HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE ANCIENT PAGAN RELIGION OF MYSTERY BABYLON. THESE ARE ALL ANTICHRIST ACTIVITIES!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UgVZu_s4pA

Ok we have come to Lent, I will have nothing to do with Lent.

 

[AnnieHere]

THE TRUTH IS THAT THE 40 DAYS OF LENT, EGGS, RABBITS, HOT CROSS BUNS AND EASTER HAM HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH CHRIST... BUT HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE ANCIENT PAGAN RELIGION OF MYSTERY BABYLON. THESE ARE ALL ANTICHRIST ACTIVITIES!

Bah, humbug...

"Antichrist"? They condone hatred and disbelief of our Lord and Savior? Hardly.

I hadn't realized that an Easter ham could be so deadly to one's faith in God...

Try to put things into perspective here.

"They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; [and] their hearts, that they cannot understand."
-Isaiah 44:18

"He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with [their] eyes, nor understand with [their] heart, and be converted, and I should heal them."
-John 12:40

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. "
2 Cor. 6:17-18

 

[francisdesales]

THE TRUTH IS THAT THE 40 DAYS OF LENT, EGGS, RABBITS, HOT CROSS BUNS AND EASTER HAM HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH CHRIST... BUT HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE ANCIENT PAGAN RELIGION OF MYSTERY BABYLON. THESE ARE ALL ANTICHRIST ACTIVITIES!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UgVZu_s4pA

Ok we have come to Lent, I will have nothing to do with Lent.

That is surprising, since of all the "evil activities" named, Lent is the one that is Biblically based. What makes the idea of sacrificing for the sake of the Lord somthing you will have "nothing to do with"?

Regards

 

[Gabe]

...BUT HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE ANCIENT PAGAN RELIGION OF MYSTERY BABYLON. THESE ARE ALL ANTICHRIST ACTIVITIES!...

I've read that Baptism also pre-dates Christianity and was practised by Eleusinian's who marched in a procession to the sea and washed away their sins by baptism. Does this mean that Christ commanded us to follow a pagan ritual?

All over the Mediterranean, mystery religions used fish, wine and bread for their sacramental meals. Does this mean that Jesus Christ asked the twelve to observe something pagan at the last supper, when He told them to eat bread and drink wine in remembrance of Him?

 

[Lewis]

Among the many errors which crept in after the Apostles died was Lent and its false connection with the sufferings and crucifuxion of Christ. It is supposed to represent the forty days of fasting of Christ in the wilderness. However, the people do not fast as Christ did, but they only give up one or several things which they like, or sometimes do not like. If they really wanted to commemorate the death and suffering of Christ, they would fast the entire forty days. Christ nowhere in the Bible tells us to commemorate the forty days of fasting as an annual church festival.

In earlier times, it was only adhered to by the Catholic Church and those churches that were closely connecte to it in religious form. However, the celebration has reached such popularity until now even some of those who claim pentecostal ties announce their holy week services.

Lent could not even begin to compate with those forty terrible days which God spent proving that He could live without yielding to temptation, because in most cases, those who keep it when tempted hard enough, will quickly get what they want. But we find Jesus when the devil came to tempt Him again and again, He would rebuke him. We find on one occasion when He had become hungered, the devil came to Him and showed Him the stones, which were in Jerusalem and closely resembled bread. The devil boldly told Him. . . If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. Matthew 4:3

Jesus answered him saying. . . It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Matthew 4:4.

The devil showed God the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, but God would not lower His testimony for material things. THe Bible does not at all endorse Lent, it is only a tradition devised out of carnal intention of men, it has no place in the Church of God.

Lent was established at the council of the Catholic Church at Nicaea, 325 A.D. but was not well instituted until the middle of the fourth centurt. It was near this time that the birth of Jesus was celeprated on December 25th, first in Rome, and before the end of the century, it was celebrated in the East also.

The actual meaning of the word Lent, comes from the Latin lengten, lencten, meaning spring. It denotes the spring period of fasting in preparation for Easter; in the Western Catholic Church, a penitential period extending from Ash Wednesday to Easter. Some writers associate it to the middle ages. http://wholetruthevangelist.com/gpage2.html

 

[AnnieHere]

THE TRUTH IS THAT THE 40 DAYS OF LENT, EGGS, RABBITS, HOT CROSS BUNS AND EASTER HAM HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH CHRIST... BUT HAVE EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE ANCIENT PAGAN RELIGION OF MYSTERY BABYLON. THESE ARE ALL ANTICHRIST ACTIVITIES!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UgVZu_s4pA

Ok we have come to Lent, I will have nothing to do with Lent.

That is surprising, since of all the "evil activities" named, Lent is the one that is Biblically based. What makes the idea of sacrificing for the sake of the Lord somthing you will have "nothing to do with"?

Regards

"Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams. "
1 Sam. 15:22

"In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. "
-Eph. 1:7-14

When one realizes the work of salvation Christ accomplished for His people, why would they want to participate in a worldly, man-made tradition and sacrifice of works?

"If ye love me, keep my commandments. "
-John 14:15

 

[francisdesales]

"They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes that they cannot see; [and] their hearts, that they cannot understand."-Isaiah 44:18

"He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with [their] eyes, nor understand with [their] heart, and be converted, and I should heal them."-John 12:40

Are you applying this to yourself??? Forgive me, but these verses can be applied to any random person, if you take them out of context like you are. I can just as easily call you "blind" and "hard of heart" for not seeing the silliness of complaining about eating an egg on Easter.

Did Jesus die on the cross only that we may wind up in hell for eating ham on Easter Sunday???

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. "2 Cor. 6:17-18[/b]

Context is important when refering to Scriptures. Apparently, this crucial fact doesn't seem to matter to you. Paul is speaking about unbelievers and idolaters. People who had CURRENTLY offered worship to false gods and applied pagan symbols to THEN-CURRENT material things. It refers specifically to Paul's call to leave the vain, wicked, and idolatrous world. Not stop eating ham...

People who enjoy Easter ham are not unbelievers because they eat ham. They are not idolaters - they are people eating a dead pig which was not sacrificed to a god, in the vast majority of cases. Ham has no current symbolism attached to pagan worship.

Thus, your stance, while dramatic, tends to be a "straining of the gnat" for the sake of being "religiously righteous" in your eyes. God views people's hearts and minds. He has told us He is not concerned about eating ham, when not previously offered to some false idol... We are free to eat anything - as long as it was not previously sacrificed to an idol and does not scandalize a brother.

If you are scandalized by my eating ham (which I LOVE to eat!), I won't invite you to my lunch tommorrow... ;)

Regards

 

[francisdesales]

"Behold, to obey [is] better than sacrifice, [and] to hearken than the fat of rams. "1 Sam. 15:22

It doesn't say NOT to sacrifice, does it? Did the Jews after 1 Sam STOP sacrificing to God Almighty in heaven???

"In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. "
-Eph. 1:7-14

What does this have to do with conforming to Christ by fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, which Christ imparts on His followers to CONTINUE? Have you read Matthew 5-7?

When one realizes the work of salvation Christ accomplished for His people, why would they want to participate in a worldly, man-made tradition and sacrifice of works?

Yea, why would anyone want to be like Christ - unless they desire to inherit the Kingdom of Heaven... ;)

For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. Mat 5:20

The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together Romans 8:16-17

I will unite my sufferings with Christ, since I have been buried with Him.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Gal 2:20

Regards