Well, for those who are born again we celebrate the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ everyday so I don't really notice these Easter Xmas traditions, but I still shall read the OP to gain some info.
Do We Even Care About the TRUTH?
- Thread starter Hizikyah
- Start date
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T
Tintin
Guest
Oh, good, good. Are you sure about the golden calf though? That seems more akin to worshipping the Apis Bull from Egyptian pagan religion than anything else. The Israelites felt distant from the true God, so they made their own god who would 'respond' to their every whim.
The first golden calf was made from all the gold collected when Moses was gone so long on MT Sinai. The people were used to having something before them as a God, they couldn't relate to a God they couldn't see. I encourage you to read all about it in scripture. Also all about when Kings Josiah and Hezekiah destroyed the idols in Judah, but left the golden calves because they were to worship the true God.
T
Tintin
Guest
Thanks. Yes, I know the story. I'm almost up to that part of the Bible again (Mt. Sinai, not King Josiah and Hezekiah). I'll look into it a little more.
The Israelites grew up as slaves and were mentally weak. With all the miracles happening around they were still a battle for Moses to keep them focussed. They saw around them people worshipping idols and as weak usually do, they wanted to copy who they thought were stronger. This generation was not mentally up to going into the promised land. They needed to die out and a new generation born in freedom and under the teaching of Moses, were the generation ready to go into the promised land.
R
RachelBibleStudent
Guest
lol the israelite civil calendar only predates hillel by about 1,800 years...like i pointed out before...the israelites had a year of jubilee that began in the month of tishri...
R
RachelBibleStudent
Guest
actually this is all stuff people have just plain -made up- over the years...
ishtar worship had nothing to do with eggs or rabbits...ishtar's symbols were lions and eight pointed stars and the planet venus...
tammuz was a vegetable god who had nothing to do with ham...
there was never any such thing as 'ishtar sunday'...and in fact most christian cultures that observe easter traditions don't even call it 'easter sunday' anyway...they call it 'pascha'...the term 'easter' is unique to anglo saxon christians...
given your love for misinformation it seems you are the one who doesn't care about the truth...
R
RachelBibleStudent
Guest
considering this is all just stuff people have made up over the years...no he doesn't have any historical evidence...
but he probably has numerous links to websites full of hearsay that invariably can never cite a single ancient mesopotamian document...
K
Karraster
Guest
R
RachelBibleStudent
Guest
'easter' is named after the month when it took place...which in turn borrowed its name from the latin 'eostarum' which means 'dawn'
it certainly had nothing to do with 'ishtar'...which has a completely different etymology...being derived from the akkadian for 'she who waters'
R
RachelBibleStudent
Guest
it is also worth mentioning that while many people mistakenly believe constantine was a paganizer of christianity...constantine never referred to easter as anything other than 'pascha'...which is just greek for 'passover'...and in the ancient roman culture the fertility goddess was known as venus or aphrodite...not ishtar...
T
tarzan
Guest
I may not know everything, but there are a couple of things that I do know.
God isn't condemning His children for not diving into the Strong's Concordance. I thank my God that the Lord has revealed to babes and kept from the eyes of the wise. Even so, it is His will.
God isn't condemning those who don't worship on the seventh day of the week. The seventh day we have today is not the same seventh day which God sanctified at any rate! Good luck finding out which day that should actually fall upon. You worship God according to the Gregorian calendar. Somehow I think God's calendar is more important.
God isn't afraid of pagans. Pagans are afraid of God.
God has wrought beautiful works in me and RESTORED me since I dropped the seventh day nonsense. God certainly made it a point to me that Jesus Christ is my rest and that He would have none of that respecting the day stuff. I was thrown into God's prison on account of such distraction. And though I had recognized finally, and heard His words, that there IS NO PHYSICAL REST ON ANY DAY, He kept me in prison until I should be sure. He didn't release me until I stopped condemning all things, until I stopped being hateful, until I stopped being boastful, and arrogant, foolish, high-minded, unloving, ungraceful, and judgmental. The Lord saw fit to make sure, because He loves me and wants to keep me, that I understood that I needed to suffer all manner of people, and to love all people, and to eat with all people, regardless of whatever seemed to be wrong. The Lord is not revealed in hiding, but in the open. The Lord is revealed in our hearts, but our character reveals Him. Rather, His character is revealed through us. Therefore, what point is there in saying, "I will respect this day, and I will not respect that day, and further, I will not respect people who respect another day other than mine." What?! Do you not realize that even upon the Sabbath, which is for now unknown to us, people perform the work of dying in horrible misery? Do you not realize that even upon the Sabbath, the beavers dam the rivers, and the birds form their nests? And has God condemned them? Upon the Sabbath, the grass grows. Does it stop? And it rains. And it snows. And we pull our sheep out of the holes. Did not the Lord say, to whom you say you listen, "Therefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath day."? Don't you think we should be doing well EVERY SINGLE DAY? Is it lawful to NOT do well on any day? What day have you appointed for yourself to sin?
So therefore, we are free everyday. We must be, or either that, we should not survive.
The irony is that those who adhere to the seventh day policy of performing no physical work are those who are not only trapped from doing God's will, but the same are also sinning on that day. For many things may be done that are well to do that people refuse because of their silliness.
"I will not help you move that couch. I'm sorry, it's my sabbath day."
"I will not prepare that food for you. I'm sorry, it's my sabbath day."
"I will not bless those that work on this day, neither pray for them, for it's my sabbath day."
Will you pay their bills? Will you feed them? Will you ensure their health and safety? I know the Lord will. But is that how you think? Are we not also to perform these things? Does the Lord not work through us? Who says, "The Lord will provide." And then walks away?
For if the Spirit of the Lord is in us, then the Lord provides through us.
Now the Lord provides also not through us. But then if we are not to be conduits as well for the work of God, then what is the point in the powerful demand to love? If it is not within us, why command it?
As well, you know the command of the Lord is power. The command of the Lord IS the Holy Spirit. So then, when the Lord commands something, does it not happen? The Lord's Word is the most powerful force, the only true force. So then, will it not happen? Can you fight against it?
SO when the Lord says, "Go and sin no more." Do you think He was making a request? What? No. He commands with His Word. When He speaks, IT HAPPENS.
Now you say, "But what if I sin again?" And what is sin to you? Have you not read how ALL THINGS ARE LAWFUL, BUT NOT ALL THINGS ARE EXPEDIENT.
God does not consider sin by what is expedient, but by what is lawful. As well, the Lord has made it illegal to not love. The Lord has made it illegal to cast stumbling blocks. The Lord has made it illegal to rely upon your own understanding. And yet still, the Lord has said that all things are lawful. Therefore, are you sinning? IF you think it is sin, then to you it is sin. But if you do not, then who can convince you of it?
The Lord gave us power, by His Spirit, over our own judgment! Have you missed this?
We are judged according to OUR SELVES.
IF we go the way that we think we should not go, THAT is sin.
But if we go the way that we think we should go, is that sin?
Now the Lord has said that there is a way that seems right to a man, and yet the ways thereof are the paths to Hell.
But what seems right to you does not imply that it is what you know is right.
Have you not caught yourself thinking, "Now, I know I should do this thing. But it seems like if I do this other thing, that will be better. IT seems more right. But I think I know I should do this other thing. I will do what seems reasonable because it makes more sense. But somehow I cannot shake knowing that the other thing is right. I wonder why?"
But the conscience is seared.
I caught myself the other day cutting a piece of wood. Now I knew this piece of wood needed to be shorter. I memorized the mark I needed to cut because I was being impatient. Now it seemed to me that I got the mark right. I measured it with my fingers. It was right by all means. But God kept telling me, "Measure it. Measure it... Measure it....!" And He shut off the basement power, and caused me to plug in the wrong cord, and caused me to question myself. And yet I was SURE that I was right. I didn't understand the interference.
Guess what.
The wood was cut too short because I didn't measure it perfectly.
Usually I'm really good at seeing these things, but this time I was wrong.
And you may say to yourself, "What does God care about your piece of wood?"
Apparently He does care. He did. Would you call me a liar?
Or do you think that I have two voices in my head? Or do you think that I am instructed of myself of those things of which I am not aware? Do children instruct themselves in proper behavior? Or is it given to them?
Those who fear touching anything that is rumored to be pagan, don't do it. It'll be a stumbling block to you. But those who seek to go around and condemn over such silly things, hear me. If you belong to God, you will go into prison on account of this thing. If you do not belong to God, then you won't mind at all. I'm not saying this as a threat or out of random, but I say this from personal experience.
And would you call me a liar?
I hate chocolate bunnies. I hate easter eggs. I hate the idea of spending money on things that could otherwise be spent on helping people.
Do I really care if God has given liberty to His children to enjoy a day?
Who am I to say what God can and cannot do?!
I am me. God made me to be me. And my past experiences help to sum me up. But I am not all knowing, neither am I all powerful, neither am I the ultimate judge.
I will not harm those people whom God has given liberty.
Bless them. Enjoy the day and I hope it goes well for you.
My family does it because that's what they know. So what? I see more ignorance in today's world than I believe has probably ever existed before. I think this is a good thing, interestingly enough. For if the people were not allowed to be so ignorant today, then I believe very very few could be saved.
Praise God that He saves the ignorant. Praise God that He saves the unlearned. Praise God that He saves those hearts which cry to Him and they don't even realize it. Praise God that those who ignorantly and arrogantly tattoo themselves with, "666" are not actually Satan's children, but are merely utterly confused because of all of the garbage they have witnessed from people who claim to be Christian.
Paul is such a beautiful witness. If Saul can be turned, any one can.
Now do I say that Hell does not exist? Never. Do I say that there will not be gnashing of teeth? Never.
It's just not at all what those who consider themselves wise think. It's nothing like what you think.
God made sure to take great care through the prophets to teach us about His grace, but to ensure that people still maintained a level of fear of the Lord so that they did not trample Him and consider His grace a weakness. However, that does not mean that we should be using the fear of the Lord to crush people. That's NOT HIS INTENT. The Lord gave us the Sword so that those who thought that they could trample all over the Lord and do whatever they wished to connive into grace willfully would have no excuse. The Lord seeks to condemn only those who hate Him and manipulate Him. Of course, He doesn't seek to condemn anyone. But if any be condemned, it is for that reason.
The Lord has made us friends. And He has made Himself a friend with us. The Lord stopping being the childhood parent at Jesus and became the adult parent - the One with whom we can FELLOWSHIP!
And so then will you continue to cower in fear from the Lord? Have you ever had anyone cower in fear from you before? It doesn't make you feel powerful. IT makes you feel like a monster! And then you resent that individual even more because they consider you a monster! So then how can you hate the Lord in such a way?
And why do you make the Lord unreachable by your vain words and vain research?
Will the Lord work through you if you seek only to infect people with confusion? For if the Lord should be called anything other than Jesus in our tongue, then we should cause millions of simple and illiterate and poor to stumble. What foolishness is this?
Our work is to remember the cross. This does not mean to wear the cross as a hypocrite; not that those who wear crosses are hypocrites. But are there not those who wear the cross believing that a piece of metal will grant them grace?
We remember the cross, but we KNOW the Lord.
I have so much joy and happiness and love for the Lord right now. I am so happy that He is allowing me to do this. Earlier today I was so worried and begging the Lord over and over, "Please bring my wife home safe." And the whole time she was okay, but I was full of silly worry. And I was reminded, "Do not be angry that she did not call. Be happy that she is safe." And I was. And that is a test I have had to endure multiple times, and I did not so well. But today I endured. And I loved. And I was glad. And I am not yet perfect, but I am a work in progress. But thank God that He changed me today.
This work the Lord did not bring about in me because I respected any foolish day or holiday. He did it in me because He loves me. And He told me as I was whittling a wooden pipe made for tobacco (not illegal, by the way); "You want to know a secret? I love you." Because I was considering that I love to do this work, but it is for tobacco. But He didn't care! He sees me working these pipes as a means of carrying on the legacy of my Grandpa. It's interesting to Him. Wow!
And you want to cause people to stumble over little silly things.
Get out.
Let people be.
Show the love of the Lord in your life. Do not be afraid of the 666, do not be afraid of the pagans, do not be afraid of those things which carry no weight neither have any power. Don't be so silly. IF you are afraid of those things, how could you ever possibly think to attempt to walk on stormy water?
God's love please be upon all of you. Take no offense, if you please. Only learn. Be renewed. Be better than me. I would rather that you are able to boast that you have gained more of God than me. And what would I boast? The Lord has caught me even today while I was worrying for my family that I had built myself up some yesterday. And I was sorry for it and worried if that was the reason why I was suffering at that moment. And yet God has revealed to me that it was the Accuser which guilted me and not Him. The Lord sees the humor in all things as well. Not that I should build myself up, but how can this be considered sin on me? The Accuser wants to accuse us of sin so that we stumble and believe it, and therefore, then, it becomes sin to us.
What's the point in that?
God has saved us! Why convince ourselves?
Now does this mean that we go out and be fools? NO.
What fool would say, "God has saved me, so it's cool if I go out and find a bunch of women and have a good time."
Those words are equivalent to saying, "Let me just go jump into that lake of fire. That'll be fun."
THAT is the attitude which God condemns. He does not condemn the attitude of liberty, He does not condemn the attitude of passion, neither the attitude of enjoyment, neither the attitude of depression, neither the attitude of love, or frustration, or of anger. Are these emotions not states of the spirit? And is God not a spirit? And has God not created us in His image? Therefore, how can He condemn such things?
And what more can I possibly say. I could go on forever. But I believe I have covered the points that are necessary to cause those in error to consider their ways according to God and not according to the wisdom of men.
Praise God that it is possible that someone like me could be capable of possessing this understanding. But then it is not me that is able to possess, but the Lord, our Lord, Jesus Christ, to whom the Father has given all things.
God isn't condemning His children for not diving into the Strong's Concordance. I thank my God that the Lord has revealed to babes and kept from the eyes of the wise. Even so, it is His will.
God isn't condemning those who don't worship on the seventh day of the week. The seventh day we have today is not the same seventh day which God sanctified at any rate! Good luck finding out which day that should actually fall upon. You worship God according to the Gregorian calendar. Somehow I think God's calendar is more important.
God isn't afraid of pagans. Pagans are afraid of God.
God has wrought beautiful works in me and RESTORED me since I dropped the seventh day nonsense. God certainly made it a point to me that Jesus Christ is my rest and that He would have none of that respecting the day stuff. I was thrown into God's prison on account of such distraction. And though I had recognized finally, and heard His words, that there IS NO PHYSICAL REST ON ANY DAY, He kept me in prison until I should be sure. He didn't release me until I stopped condemning all things, until I stopped being hateful, until I stopped being boastful, and arrogant, foolish, high-minded, unloving, ungraceful, and judgmental. The Lord saw fit to make sure, because He loves me and wants to keep me, that I understood that I needed to suffer all manner of people, and to love all people, and to eat with all people, regardless of whatever seemed to be wrong. The Lord is not revealed in hiding, but in the open. The Lord is revealed in our hearts, but our character reveals Him. Rather, His character is revealed through us. Therefore, what point is there in saying, "I will respect this day, and I will not respect that day, and further, I will not respect people who respect another day other than mine." What?! Do you not realize that even upon the Sabbath, which is for now unknown to us, people perform the work of dying in horrible misery? Do you not realize that even upon the Sabbath, the beavers dam the rivers, and the birds form their nests? And has God condemned them? Upon the Sabbath, the grass grows. Does it stop? And it rains. And it snows. And we pull our sheep out of the holes. Did not the Lord say, to whom you say you listen, "Therefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath day."? Don't you think we should be doing well EVERY SINGLE DAY? Is it lawful to NOT do well on any day? What day have you appointed for yourself to sin?
So therefore, we are free everyday. We must be, or either that, we should not survive.
The irony is that those who adhere to the seventh day policy of performing no physical work are those who are not only trapped from doing God's will, but the same are also sinning on that day. For many things may be done that are well to do that people refuse because of their silliness.
"I will not help you move that couch. I'm sorry, it's my sabbath day."
"I will not prepare that food for you. I'm sorry, it's my sabbath day."
"I will not bless those that work on this day, neither pray for them, for it's my sabbath day."
Will you pay their bills? Will you feed them? Will you ensure their health and safety? I know the Lord will. But is that how you think? Are we not also to perform these things? Does the Lord not work through us? Who says, "The Lord will provide." And then walks away?
For if the Spirit of the Lord is in us, then the Lord provides through us.
Now the Lord provides also not through us. But then if we are not to be conduits as well for the work of God, then what is the point in the powerful demand to love? If it is not within us, why command it?
As well, you know the command of the Lord is power. The command of the Lord IS the Holy Spirit. So then, when the Lord commands something, does it not happen? The Lord's Word is the most powerful force, the only true force. So then, will it not happen? Can you fight against it?
SO when the Lord says, "Go and sin no more." Do you think He was making a request? What? No. He commands with His Word. When He speaks, IT HAPPENS.
Now you say, "But what if I sin again?" And what is sin to you? Have you not read how ALL THINGS ARE LAWFUL, BUT NOT ALL THINGS ARE EXPEDIENT.
God does not consider sin by what is expedient, but by what is lawful. As well, the Lord has made it illegal to not love. The Lord has made it illegal to cast stumbling blocks. The Lord has made it illegal to rely upon your own understanding. And yet still, the Lord has said that all things are lawful. Therefore, are you sinning? IF you think it is sin, then to you it is sin. But if you do not, then who can convince you of it?
The Lord gave us power, by His Spirit, over our own judgment! Have you missed this?
We are judged according to OUR SELVES.
IF we go the way that we think we should not go, THAT is sin.
But if we go the way that we think we should go, is that sin?
Now the Lord has said that there is a way that seems right to a man, and yet the ways thereof are the paths to Hell.
But what seems right to you does not imply that it is what you know is right.
Have you not caught yourself thinking, "Now, I know I should do this thing. But it seems like if I do this other thing, that will be better. IT seems more right. But I think I know I should do this other thing. I will do what seems reasonable because it makes more sense. But somehow I cannot shake knowing that the other thing is right. I wonder why?"
But the conscience is seared.
I caught myself the other day cutting a piece of wood. Now I knew this piece of wood needed to be shorter. I memorized the mark I needed to cut because I was being impatient. Now it seemed to me that I got the mark right. I measured it with my fingers. It was right by all means. But God kept telling me, "Measure it. Measure it... Measure it....!" And He shut off the basement power, and caused me to plug in the wrong cord, and caused me to question myself. And yet I was SURE that I was right. I didn't understand the interference.
Guess what.
The wood was cut too short because I didn't measure it perfectly.
Usually I'm really good at seeing these things, but this time I was wrong.
And you may say to yourself, "What does God care about your piece of wood?"
Apparently He does care. He did. Would you call me a liar?
Or do you think that I have two voices in my head? Or do you think that I am instructed of myself of those things of which I am not aware? Do children instruct themselves in proper behavior? Or is it given to them?
Those who fear touching anything that is rumored to be pagan, don't do it. It'll be a stumbling block to you. But those who seek to go around and condemn over such silly things, hear me. If you belong to God, you will go into prison on account of this thing. If you do not belong to God, then you won't mind at all. I'm not saying this as a threat or out of random, but I say this from personal experience.
And would you call me a liar?
I hate chocolate bunnies. I hate easter eggs. I hate the idea of spending money on things that could otherwise be spent on helping people.
Do I really care if God has given liberty to His children to enjoy a day?
Who am I to say what God can and cannot do?!
I am me. God made me to be me. And my past experiences help to sum me up. But I am not all knowing, neither am I all powerful, neither am I the ultimate judge.
I will not harm those people whom God has given liberty.
Bless them. Enjoy the day and I hope it goes well for you.
My family does it because that's what they know. So what? I see more ignorance in today's world than I believe has probably ever existed before. I think this is a good thing, interestingly enough. For if the people were not allowed to be so ignorant today, then I believe very very few could be saved.
Praise God that He saves the ignorant. Praise God that He saves the unlearned. Praise God that He saves those hearts which cry to Him and they don't even realize it. Praise God that those who ignorantly and arrogantly tattoo themselves with, "666" are not actually Satan's children, but are merely utterly confused because of all of the garbage they have witnessed from people who claim to be Christian.
Paul is such a beautiful witness. If Saul can be turned, any one can.
Now do I say that Hell does not exist? Never. Do I say that there will not be gnashing of teeth? Never.
It's just not at all what those who consider themselves wise think. It's nothing like what you think.
God made sure to take great care through the prophets to teach us about His grace, but to ensure that people still maintained a level of fear of the Lord so that they did not trample Him and consider His grace a weakness. However, that does not mean that we should be using the fear of the Lord to crush people. That's NOT HIS INTENT. The Lord gave us the Sword so that those who thought that they could trample all over the Lord and do whatever they wished to connive into grace willfully would have no excuse. The Lord seeks to condemn only those who hate Him and manipulate Him. Of course, He doesn't seek to condemn anyone. But if any be condemned, it is for that reason.
The Lord has made us friends. And He has made Himself a friend with us. The Lord stopping being the childhood parent at Jesus and became the adult parent - the One with whom we can FELLOWSHIP!
And so then will you continue to cower in fear from the Lord? Have you ever had anyone cower in fear from you before? It doesn't make you feel powerful. IT makes you feel like a monster! And then you resent that individual even more because they consider you a monster! So then how can you hate the Lord in such a way?
And why do you make the Lord unreachable by your vain words and vain research?
Will the Lord work through you if you seek only to infect people with confusion? For if the Lord should be called anything other than Jesus in our tongue, then we should cause millions of simple and illiterate and poor to stumble. What foolishness is this?
Our work is to remember the cross. This does not mean to wear the cross as a hypocrite; not that those who wear crosses are hypocrites. But are there not those who wear the cross believing that a piece of metal will grant them grace?
We remember the cross, but we KNOW the Lord.
I have so much joy and happiness and love for the Lord right now. I am so happy that He is allowing me to do this. Earlier today I was so worried and begging the Lord over and over, "Please bring my wife home safe." And the whole time she was okay, but I was full of silly worry. And I was reminded, "Do not be angry that she did not call. Be happy that she is safe." And I was. And that is a test I have had to endure multiple times, and I did not so well. But today I endured. And I loved. And I was glad. And I am not yet perfect, but I am a work in progress. But thank God that He changed me today.
This work the Lord did not bring about in me because I respected any foolish day or holiday. He did it in me because He loves me. And He told me as I was whittling a wooden pipe made for tobacco (not illegal, by the way); "You want to know a secret? I love you." Because I was considering that I love to do this work, but it is for tobacco. But He didn't care! He sees me working these pipes as a means of carrying on the legacy of my Grandpa. It's interesting to Him. Wow!
And you want to cause people to stumble over little silly things.
Get out.
Let people be.
Show the love of the Lord in your life. Do not be afraid of the 666, do not be afraid of the pagans, do not be afraid of those things which carry no weight neither have any power. Don't be so silly. IF you are afraid of those things, how could you ever possibly think to attempt to walk on stormy water?
God's love please be upon all of you. Take no offense, if you please. Only learn. Be renewed. Be better than me. I would rather that you are able to boast that you have gained more of God than me. And what would I boast? The Lord has caught me even today while I was worrying for my family that I had built myself up some yesterday. And I was sorry for it and worried if that was the reason why I was suffering at that moment. And yet God has revealed to me that it was the Accuser which guilted me and not Him. The Lord sees the humor in all things as well. Not that I should build myself up, but how can this be considered sin on me? The Accuser wants to accuse us of sin so that we stumble and believe it, and therefore, then, it becomes sin to us.
What's the point in that?
God has saved us! Why convince ourselves?
Now does this mean that we go out and be fools? NO.
What fool would say, "God has saved me, so it's cool if I go out and find a bunch of women and have a good time."
Those words are equivalent to saying, "Let me just go jump into that lake of fire. That'll be fun."
THAT is the attitude which God condemns. He does not condemn the attitude of liberty, He does not condemn the attitude of passion, neither the attitude of enjoyment, neither the attitude of depression, neither the attitude of love, or frustration, or of anger. Are these emotions not states of the spirit? And is God not a spirit? And has God not created us in His image? Therefore, how can He condemn such things?
And what more can I possibly say. I could go on forever. But I believe I have covered the points that are necessary to cause those in error to consider their ways according to God and not according to the wisdom of men.
Praise God that it is possible that someone like me could be capable of possessing this understanding. But then it is not me that is able to possess, but the Lord, our Lord, Jesus Christ, to whom the Father has given all things.
K
Karraster
Guest
oh, ok, thanks. looks like we agree on the first point, not so on the second. This information is too easy to find for anyone to try and hide it.
Since Bede the Venerable (De ratione temporum 1:5) the origin of the term for the feast of Christ’s Resurrection has been popularly considered to be from the Anglo-Saxon Eastre, a goddess of spring…the Old High German plural for dawn, eostarun; whence has come the German Ostern, and our English Easter” (The New Catholic Encyclopedia, 1967, Vol. 5, p. 6).
The name Easter comes to us from Ostera or Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring, for whom a spring festival was held annually, as it is from this pagan festival that some of our Easter customs have come” (Hazeltine, p. 53).
“On this greatest of Christian festivals, several survivals occur of ancient heathen ceremonies. To begin with, the name itself is not Christian but pagan. Ostara was the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring” (Ethel L. Urlin, Festival, Holy Days, and Saints Days, p. 73).
“In Babylonia…the goddess of spring was called Ishtar. She was identified with the planet Venus, which, because…[it] rises before the Sun…or sets after it…appears to love the light [this means Venus loves the sun-god]…In Phoenecia, she became Astarte; in Greece, Eostre [related to the Greek word Eos: “dawn”], and in Germany, Ostara [this comes from the German word Ost: “east,” which is the direction of dawn]” (Englehart, p. 4).
..as with many pagan gods with many different names, The goddess Easter was no different. She was one goddess with many names—the goddess of fertility, worshipped in spring when all life was being renewed.
A lot of the history is too disgusting to post about the goddess of fertility.
R
RachelBibleStudent
Guest
first of all...'easy to find' does not necessarily equal 'true'...a lot of misinformation is -very- easy to find...
basically the -only- source for the notion that there was ever a germanic goddess called 'eostre' is bede...any other source you can find just got it from bede...
now here is the issue...bede himself conceded that his account of 'eostre' was based on hearsay...he admitted that he had never actually witnessed 'eostre' worship because by his own account it was -extinct- in his time...
many scholars now believe that bede was simply -wrong-...having been misled by hearsay...
ishtar was no doubt associated with astarte and ashtoreth...but not with easter... like i said...one is derived from the greco-latin term for 'dawn'...the other has a completely unconnected etymology derived from the akkadian for 'she who waters'
to put it plainly...the connection you are trying to establish is as valid as suggesting that parakeets are divine because 'parakeet' sounds like 'paraklete'
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Donkeyfish07
Guest
Ishtar, Ashteorth, Columbia, Isis, Semiramis, Gaia, Inanna, Diana, Astarte, Oestre. All the same goddess according to the mystery school belief system. Pagans laugh at Christians who celebrate Easter by doing the whole bunny and easter egg thing because of that. She's also been called "the queen of heaven" and "the goddess of ten thousand names". You can debate word origins all day long if you like, but I don't see how that can really settle anything.......especially when we don't know what the original tongue spoken was (Or if we even have any written examples of it) as it's claimed that this type of idolatry started in the tower of babel days, before confusion of the tongues took place.
If that particular claim is true, then there's no reason to believe that you would always see a connection in etymology. Since we don't know what the original tongue was, we can't honestly claim to know the true origin of any word. We can only trace them all back so far.
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RachelBibleStudent
Guest
actually i hear that pagans are becoming increasingly -annoyed- by the 'pagan origin' misinformation being spread by some christians...because the misinformation is demeaning to their religions as well...
the 'queen of heaven' was actually anath...not ishtar...
and the point of the etymological argument is that 'easter' and 'ishtar' are not equivalent because they don't even mean the same thing in their respective languages...'dawn' and 'she who waters' are not equivalent...
Could we just say that we don't need to go into all the history of pagan Gods to know what is correct and not correct about each name and each thing they stand for? We can just know that our God is the one true God, and scripture is breathed by Him.
If we just go by that, we know that Passover is the way God told us to remember all about His birth. He gave 7 feasts to celebrate God's way of redemption for the world He created.
Scripture also points out that idols usually incorporated ideas of procreation and sex, and in our world today we use rabbits, eggs, we incorporate trees, and various symbols for all these. Scripture breathed by God doesn't. Makes it simple and precise.
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Donkeyfish07
Guest
I'd considered going into a big indepth post about some of it, as I spent a lot of hours learning about it at one point in my life. It's like you said though, it's really unnecessary to get into a big drawn out discussion on profane idols and the "occult" significance placed on them. It's a shame to speak of many of those things anyway they are so abhorrent.
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Tintin
Guest
If the mystery school belief system has been derived from the Two Babylons, it's all bollocks. Well, not all. There are undoubtedly similarities between some of the pagan gods of different cultures but that's it.