I do hope we could progress the conversation, but you still have not addressed the most central of my propositions. I hope you will take the opportunity now.
1) My meaning earlier was that I would not post anymore quotes connecting Easter to paganism as the few I did post were basically called not reliable. Vines is a solid bible dictionary done by a renowned scholar Merrill F. Unger and others, if that will be discarded then what can I post that will matter to you?
2) You said: "The sole use of the OT to make the point that 'pagan practices' (whatever you take that to mean) are bad, ignoring the NT perspective on the Gentile church and the observance of religion outside the temple structure. Clear breaks in what is permissible practice can be seen in eating food sacrificed to idols"
So pagan worship is perfectly ok now?
And " permissible practice can be seen in eating food sacrificed to idols"
WHAT????
Acts 15:29 ASV
American Standard Version
that ye abstain from things sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication; from which if ye keep yourselves, it shall be well with you. Fare ye well.
Also:
Rev 2:
12“And to the angel of the church in Pergamum write: ‘The words of him who has the sharp two-edged sword.
13“‘I know where you dwell, where Satan’s throne is. Yet you hold fast my name, and you did not deny my faithb even in the days of Antipas my faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells. 14But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. 15So also you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth. 17He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’
3) You are oversimplifying this in a way that was not my intent, I didnt say ohh because muslims say there is a "god" we cant believe there is a "god".
No what I amm talking about is worshiping in ways prescribed by another religion that is not prescribed in Scripture or even condemned in Scripture.
What ever happend to "you cant sit at the table of Yahweh and the table of demons?"
Im done here, I will leave it at this, if you study the queen of heaven, Ishtar, Astoreth, Astarte, Eostre, etc you will see it is all the same fertility cult, eggs and bunnies during the "easter" time, study what went on in their ancient temples, at their altars, if they died eggs etc etc etc.
It not raining because the road is wet, the road is wet because its raining.
and until the so called believers take a firm stance against satans deceptions, the faith once delievered to the saints will not be commonplace in the minds of the people.