Easter is Pagan. There, someone said it.
- Thread starter KohenMatt
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K
Hey Matt, I didn't have anything to say really but just want to complain about your thread and say how boring it is and that somehow or other I felt you were holding a gun to my head to make me post something. Although it is boring and I am bored and I hate these kinds of threads, but what do ya do? I mean there you were holding a gun to my head, well you weren't but I felt that you were and really that is all i got to say.
I agree that Easter is not from the bible and was established a pagan holiday. Having said that, it is a good chance to get together with family and friends. Not a big fan of the commercialism and greed of these "religious" holidays, but for some it is the only chance we get to put God on their hearts.
After all, just because something or someone has a pagan background doesn't mean it or they cannot become glory to God. Again, the commercialism takes a lot of that away, but I will count it a blessing that people come to church twice a year so that, hopefully they will become a permanent member. Maybe that is just foolish optimism.
After all, just because something or someone has a pagan background doesn't mean it or they cannot become glory to God. Again, the commercialism takes a lot of that away, but I will count it a blessing that people come to church twice a year so that, hopefully they will become a permanent member. Maybe that is just foolish optimism.
You do realize that Easter is on the 14th of Nisan (speaking?) after the vernal equinox...which is when Passover was celebrated. There is no fertility goddess for this celebration and the day it was celebrated has no other pagan traditions around it. There is nothing pagan about the holiday. The eggs and rabbit were added in the United States because it is a spring time holiday and secular and non-Christian people wanted something to do.
1 Corinthians 8
New International Version (NIV)
Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols
8 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. [SUP]2 [/SUP]Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. [SUP]3 [/SUP]But whoever loves God is known by God.[SUP][a][/SUP]
[SUP]4 [/SUP]So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” [SUP]5 [/SUP]For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), [SUP]6 [/SUP]yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
[SUP]7 [/SUP]But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. [SUP]8 [/SUP]But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
[SUP]9 [/SUP]Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. [SUP]10 [/SUP]For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? [SUP]11 [/SUP]So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. [SUP]12 [/SUP]When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. [SUP]13 [/SUP]Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.
*
So, in my heart, I'm not worshiping pagan idols by eating chocolate eggs. I understand the confusion and agree that it's a slippery slope; but I am glad that at least once a year the story of Jesus' crucifixion is highlighted, even if it is obscured in humanly crap. So, while I personally think of it as only chocolate, I guess for Matt's sake and 1 Cor 8 we all here at CC need to give it up 'cause it makes him stumble.
Or, maybe Matt could move on from the milk and into the meat of discernment.
Jus' sayin.
New International Version (NIV)
Concerning Food Sacrificed to Idols
8 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up. [SUP]2 [/SUP]Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know. [SUP]3 [/SUP]But whoever loves God is known by God.[SUP][a][/SUP]
[SUP]4 [/SUP]So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that “An idol is nothing at all in the world” and that “There is no God but one.” [SUP]5 [/SUP]For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), [SUP]6 [/SUP]yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.
[SUP]7 [/SUP]But not everyone possesses this knowledge. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat sacrificial food they think of it as having been sacrificed to a god, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. [SUP]8 [/SUP]But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.
[SUP]9 [/SUP]Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. [SUP]10 [/SUP]For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? [SUP]11 [/SUP]So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. [SUP]12 [/SUP]When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. [SUP]13 [/SUP]Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.
*
So, in my heart, I'm not worshiping pagan idols by eating chocolate eggs. I understand the confusion and agree that it's a slippery slope; but I am glad that at least once a year the story of Jesus' crucifixion is highlighted, even if it is obscured in humanly crap. So, while I personally think of it as only chocolate, I guess for Matt's sake and 1 Cor 8 we all here at CC need to give it up 'cause it makes him stumble.
Or, maybe Matt could move on from the milk and into the meat of discernment.
Jus' sayin.
R
i made a thread two years ago debunking the 'pagan easter' myths and others...
http://christianchat.com/bible-discussion-forum/39430-myths-realities-about-easter.html
executive summary...
jesus actually did die on a friday and actually did rise on a sunday and this was three days under ancient hebrew day counting conventions
jesus did not die at the same time the passover lambs were slaughtered
easter is not named after the babylonian goddess ishtar
easter is not named after a germanic goddess called eostre
easter eggs have nothing to do with ishtar
the easter bunny has nothing to do with ishtar or tammuz
there is literally zero historical evidence that nimrod ever had a wife called semiramis or a son named tammuz or that nimrod had anything to do with the origin of paganism
http://christianchat.com/bible-discussion-forum/39430-myths-realities-about-easter.html
executive summary...
jesus actually did die on a friday and actually did rise on a sunday and this was three days under ancient hebrew day counting conventions
jesus did not die at the same time the passover lambs were slaughtered
easter is not named after the babylonian goddess ishtar
easter is not named after a germanic goddess called eostre
easter eggs have nothing to do with ishtar
the easter bunny has nothing to do with ishtar or tammuz
there is literally zero historical evidence that nimrod ever had a wife called semiramis or a son named tammuz or that nimrod had anything to do with the origin of paganism
That is just how I saw it, except I added that God looked at our hearts, and if we were using this holiday to celebrate the resurrection in our hearts, that is what God saw.
Then I studied Exodus 32. That is how the people saw the golden calf. In Egypt and by every other people, there was something they could see to use as a God. They were tired of waiting so long for Moses to come back, they just needed something they could see to represent this invisible God Moses spoke of.
When people invented Easter to celebrate the resurrection, Passover seemed very wrong because people who believed in Judaism did that, and people who denied Christ. Besides, they needed a certain date they could plan for. It seemed good to them to use the spring celebration of new beginnings. Just as the golden calf was used to express worship of God, the spring celebration was used to celebrate the resurrection. If the golden calves were not accepted by God, I don't think God accepts the spring celebration.
Then I studied Exodus 32. That is how the people saw the golden calf. In Egypt and by every other people, there was something they could see to use as a God. They were tired of waiting so long for Moses to come back, they just needed something they could see to represent this invisible God Moses spoke of.
When people invented Easter to celebrate the resurrection, Passover seemed very wrong because people who believed in Judaism did that, and people who denied Christ. Besides, they needed a certain date they could plan for. It seemed good to them to use the spring celebration of new beginnings. Just as the golden calf was used to express worship of God, the spring celebration was used to celebrate the resurrection. If the golden calves were not accepted by God, I don't think God accepts the spring celebration.
Hey Matt, I didn't have anything to say really but just want to complain about your thread and say how boring it is and that somehow or other I felt you were holding a gun to my head to make me post something. Although it is boring and I am bored and I hate these kinds of threads, but what do ya do? I mean there you were holding a gun to my head, well you weren't but I felt that you were and really that is all i got to say.
Actually, Easter doesn't make me stumble at all. Like I said, I recognize that a lot people celebrate Jesus' death and resurrection on this day, and it is an even worth celebrating it. I just don't care for the origin of Easter and the syncretism that comes from it.
And thank you for you concern, but I've got plenty of "discern-meat" going on in my life right now.
Matt
And thank you for you concern, but I've got plenty of "discern-meat"
going on in my life right now.Matt
I'm surprised no one has said it yet, so I guess I'll go ahead and be the bad guy.
While Jesus' resurrection is certainly vital, monumental and pivotal......
It's not Biblical.
It's not commanded anywhere in Scripture to anyone.
If it wasn't for pagan/"christian" syncretism, no one would be celebrating it today.
I know of plenty of awesome, spirit-filled Believers who celebrate it with good intentions, so that's between them and God.
Just know that it's not a Biblical holiday.
(Let the hostile debate begin!)
While Jesus' resurrection is certainly vital, monumental and pivotal......
It's not Biblical.
It's not commanded anywhere in Scripture to anyone.
If it wasn't for pagan/"christian" syncretism, no one would be celebrating it today.
I know of plenty of awesome, spirit-filled Believers who celebrate it with good intentions, so that's between them and God.
Just know that it's not a Biblical holiday.
(Let the hostile debate begin!)
YES..............It is between me and GOD.................I celebrate Easter/Resurrection Sunday.............and I don't need folks condemning me/accusing me of Paganism because of that Brother.................goodness........
Given the "grief" you get here for celebrating the Sabbath (Saturday worship) I WOULD THINK you would be a wee bit more grace-filled with those of us who choose to HONOR AND WORSHIP God by recognizing the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.
Honestly, I'm a wee bit surprised you Authored this thread..............sigh........
Anyway, God bless