What Does Christianity Have To Do With The Easter Bunny

[t_polkow]

The symbols used to be Pagan.

Christians are an inclusive, love thy neighbor bunch

So wait a minute, let me get this straight.

According to you it STARTED out as Pagan, but somehow, over the passage of time, it's now Christian.

Is that it?

It isn't just the Easter eggs, bunnies and evergreens either. The virgin birth, son of God, dying and resurrecting all come from pagan beliefs too.

At Pentecost, the followers of Jesus were recorded as speaking in tongues. At Trophonius and Delos, the Pagan priestesses also spoke in tongues: They appeared to speak in such a way that each person present heard her words in the observer's own language.
An inscription to Mithras reads: "He who will not eat of my body and drink of my blood, so that he will be made on with me and I with him, the same shall not know salvation." 1 In John 6:53-54, Jesus is said to have repeated this theme: "...Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day." (KJV)
The Bible records that Jesus was crucified between two thieves. One went to heaven and the other to hell. In the Mithras mysteries, a common image showed Mithras flanked by two torchbearers, one on either side. One held a torch pointed upwards, the other downwards. This symbolized ascent to heaven or descent to hell.
In Attis, a bull was slaughtered while on a perforated platform. The animal's blood flowed down over an initiate who stood in a pit under the platform. The believer was then considered to have been "born again." Poor people could only afford a sheep, and so were literally washed in the blood of the lamb. This practice was interpreted symbolically by Christians.
There were many additional points of similarity between Mithraism and Christianity. 2 St. Augustine even declared that the priests of Mithraism worshiped the same God as he did:
Followers of both religions celebrated a ritual meal involving bread. It was called a missa in Latin or mass in English.
Both the Catholic church and Mithraism had a total of seven sacraments.
Epiphany, JAN-6, was originally the festival in which the followers of Mithra celebrated the visit of the Magi to their newborn god-man. The Christian Church took it over in the 9th century.


Parallels between the Christian gospels and Pagan mythology

 

[MarcATL]

The symbols used to be Pagan.

Christians are an inclusive, love thy neighbor bunch

So wait a minute, let me get this straight.

According to you it STARTED out as Pagan, but somehow, over the passage of time, it's now Christian.

Is that it?

It isn't just the Easter eggs, bunnies and evergreens either. The virgin birth, son of God, dying and resurrecting all come from pagan beliefs too.

These things are all found in Scripture, so I'll have to take exception to that.

The Santa Clause and The Easter Bunny are nowhere to be found in Scripture.

 

[t_polkow]

Pre-Christian Saviour Gods and men


Pagan origins of Christianity: Pre-Christian saviours and rituals

 

[Samson]

Or Santa Clause for that matter?

Is there any salvation in them?

Where are these characters found, promoted or even referenced in Scripture?

I always thought you were more of a student of Christianity than this, Marc.

Early Christians, in order to pull more Pagans into the fold, retained a lot of their symbols, icons, and seasons.



The evergreens of Christmas symbolized the conquering of the frozen Winter.
Rabbits and eggs being fertility symbols of Spring.

You can thank the Catholics for canonizing Saint Nicholas for his secret gift-giving

So in other words, it's Pagan....correct?

Yes Marc, you have discovered the horrible truth: Many Christians use Pagan symbols.

BTW: Rice, or wheat thrown at the bride and groom after a wedding is a fertility symbol.



I won't mention what could be thrown at a Queer Wedding.

 

[Derideo_Te]

So wait a minute, let me get this straight.

According to you it STARTED out as Pagan, but somehow, over the passage of time, it's now Christian.

Is that it?

It isn't just the Easter eggs, bunnies and evergreens either. The virgin birth, son of God, dying and resurrecting all come from pagan beliefs too.

These things are all found in Scripture, so I'll have to take exception to that.

The Santa Clause and The Easter Bunny are nowhere to be found in Scripture.

No offense was intended. You are not entirely correct about Santa in the bible. The concept of bringing gifts around the birth of Jesus is in the Bible and Santa is merely an incarnation of the 3 Wise Men.

 

[koshergrl]

Santa Claus originates with St. Nicholas.

"
The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in the village of Patara. At the time the area was Greek and is now on the southern coast of Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.
Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned."

St. Nicholas Center ::: Who is St. Nicholas?

 

[peach174]

Christmas trees have nothing to do with the birth of Christ, either.

It just happens that we retain the traditions and symbols of a pre-Christian era. Christ said nothing about eschewing tradition.....his first miracle was to turn water to wine at a wedding, and he admonished us not to alienate people by refusing to break bread with them.

So we celebrate Christ's resurrection with an Easter Egg hunt after church. Who cares? I don't think Christ does.

Yes, but what makes it Christian though?

Your statement doesn't seem to suggest that it's Christian, so why are some, on the RW, PRETENDING this is some establish Christian institution?

Because it was.

As Christianity took hold in western Europe, hares and rabbits, so firmly associated with the Goddess, came to be seen in a less favorable light — viewed suspiciously as the familiars of witches, or as witches themselves in animal form. Numerous folk tales tell of men led astray by hares who are really witches in disguise, or of old women revealed as witches when they are wounded in their animal shape. In one well–known story from Dartmoor, a mighty hunter named Bowerman disturbed a coven of witches practicing their rites, and so one young witch determined to take revenge upon the man. She shape–shifted into a hare, led Bowerman through a deadly bog, then turned the hunter and his hounds into piles of stones, which can still be seen today. (The stone formations are known by the names Hound Tor and Bowerman’s Nose.)

Although rabbits, in the Christian era, were still sometimes known as good luck symbols (hence the tradition of carrying a "lucky rabbit’s foot"), they also came to be seen as witch–associated portents of disaster. In Somerset, the appearance of a rabbit in a village street was said to presage a coming fire, while in Dorset, a rabbit crossing one’s path in the morning was an indication of trouble ahead. A remedy from 1875 suggests, "You can easily set matters right by spitting over your left shoulder, and saying, ‘Hare before, Trouble behind: Change ye, Cross, and free me,’ or else by the still more simple charm which consists in touching each shoulder with your forefinger, and saying, ‘Hare, hare, God send thee care.’" Some Cornish fisherman would not let hares or rabbits on their boats, or say the names of these animals aloud, or use a net contaminated by contact with one of them. Hares were also associated with madness due to the wild abandon of their mating rituals. The expression "Mad as a March hare" comes from the leaping and boxing of hares during their mating season.

Despite this suspicious view of rabbits and their association with fertility and sexuality, Renaissance painters used the symbol of a white rabbit to convey a different meaning altogether: one of chastity and purity. It was generally believed that female rabbits could conceive and give birth without contact with the male of the species, and thus virginal white rabbits appear in biblical pictures of the Madonna and Child. The gentle timidity of rabbits also represented unquestioning faith in Christ’s Holy Church in paintings such as Titian’s Madonna with Rabbit (1530).

In todays time the Easter bunny is just for our kids enjoyment.

 

[boedicca]

The symbols used to be Pagan.

Christians are an inclusive, love thy neighbor bunch

So wait a minute, let me get this straight.

According to you it STARTED out as Pagan, but somehow, over the passage of time, it's now Christian.

Is that it?

It isn't just the Easter eggs, bunnies and evergreens either. The virgin birth, son of God, dying and resurrecting all come from pagan beliefs too.

And yule logs, and Halloween and on and on.

Christianity spread by partly by assimilation of local customs.

 

[emilynghiem]

Or Santa Clause for that matter?

Is there any salvation in them?

Where are these characters found, promoted or even referenced in Scripture?

If acts of CHARITY are done with unconditional love for the sake of sharing with others,
that is within the Christian spirit of loving others as God loves us.

Some of this CAN be expressed in terms of cultural traditions
using Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny or Birthdays etc. to
give gifts in thinking of others and sharing in fellowship.

It is NOT about the symbols or rituals themselves
but the spirit of CHARITY and loving others that is an extension
or expression of being neighbors in Christ.

it depends on the spirit of how it is shared and received.

 

[MaryL]

So, a guy with a black Muslim ideologue avatar mocks American (white?) Christians. Now if that isn't the pot calling the kettle black, I will be a monkey's uncle. Metaphorically speaking.

 

[hortysir]

The symbols used to be Pagan.

Christians are an inclusive, love thy neighbor bunch

So wait a minute, let me get this straight.

According to you it STARTED out as Pagan, but somehow, over the passage of time, it's now Christian.

Is that it?

Christians wanted a way to celebrate their "Holy-Days" (holidays).
The Pagans were already celebrating and partying at these times of year.

They were celebrating the Sun conquering the cold of Winter.
"We" turned it into celebrating the arrival of The Son to conquer sin.

They were celebrating the new life of Spring.
We turned it into celebrating the resurrection of the King.



Even the specific date of Easter is decided by the first full moon of the vernal equinox.

It doesn't matter the date, or the reasons behind that date, as much as it matters what - or more importantly WHOM - you're celebrating.

I can rejoice in my Savior's birth in May or September (both months are more likely times of His birth, since the shepherds were watching over the flocks at night) and I can be thankful for His sacrifice in June or July.

Semantics, man....semantics

 

[MarcATL]

The symbols used to be Pagan.

Christians are an inclusive, love thy neighbor bunch

So wait a minute, let me get this straight.

According to you it STARTED out as Pagan, but somehow, over the passage of time, it's now Christian.

Is that it?

Christians wanted a way to celebrate their "Holy-Days" (holidays).
The Pagans were already celebrating and partying at these times of year.

They were celebrating the Sun conquering the cold of Winter.
"We" turned it into celebrating the arrival of The Son to conquer sin.

They were celebrating the new life of Spring.
We turned it into celebrating the resurrection of the King.



Even the specific date of Easter is decided by the first full moon of the vernal equinox.

It doesn't matter the date, or the reasons behind that date, as much as it matters what - or more importantly WHOM - you're celebrating.

I can rejoice in my Savior's birth in May or September (both months are more likely times of His birth, since the shepherds were watching over the flocks at night) and I can be thankful for His sacrifice in June or July.

Semantics, man....semantics

Just so you know, not all Christians celebrate these Pagans traditions.

I'll leave it as that.

 

[hortysir]

So, a guy with a black Muslim ideologue avatar mocks American (white?) Christians. Now if that isn't the pot calling the kettle black, I will be a monkey's uncle. Metaphorically speaking.

Marc is very Christian.

He's merely stimulating our brains.

He's sparking the conversation in a way that people are actually going and looking this stuff up and learning rather than attacking with no basis, like so many others around these parts are known to.

Great thread, so far, marc

 

[MarcATL]

I always thought you were more of a student of Christianity than this, Marc.

Early Christians, in order to pull more Pagans into the fold, retained a lot of their symbols, icons, and seasons.



The evergreens of Christmas symbolized the conquering of the frozen Winter.
Rabbits and eggs being fertility symbols of Spring.

You can thank the Catholics for canonizing Saint Nicholas for his secret gift-giving

So in other words, it's Pagan....correct?

Yes Marc, you have discovered the horrible truth: Many Christians use Pagan symbols.

BTW: Rice, or wheat thrown at the bride and groom after a wedding is a fertility symbol.



I won't mention what could be thrown at a Queer Wedding.

What makes you think I just discovered this?

 

[MaryL]

He is stimulating alright. "marc" wants some stimulation? Tell me, what is the difference between Islam or Christianity? Both of them believe in the cosmic Easter bunny and have done some rather vile things to further their aims. So somebody that trashes one to boost the other, that isn't my ideal of morality.

 

[koshergrl]

marc's a jackass.

 

[MarcATL]

He is stimulating alright. "marc" wants some stimulation? Tell me, what is the difference between Islam or Christianity? Both of them believe in the cosmic Easter bunny and have done some rather vile things to further their aims. So somebody that trashes one to boost the other isn’t exactly my ideal of morality.

I'm no expert on Muslims, and frankly, I don't care to become one. I have a radical RW nutjob friend who's a fellow Christian and he believes it's his personal mission to bash those people every chance he gets. I have absolutely no interest in doing that. He's actually an expert on them, but he distorts his knowledge due to his radical RW beliefs. And yes, I've told him this to his face. Our debates usually end with him saying "I don't want to talk about this anymore." That's because he's not able to back up much of his RW nutjobbery talk.

With that said, this thread is about Christianity and Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny. My humble suggestion is that if you'd like to discuss Muslims you start a thread doing so.

 

[koshergrl]

It's santa CLAUS, fool.

 

[MarcATL]

It's santa CLAUS, fool.

LOL!!!

Otay!

 

[MaryL]

He is stimulating alright. "marc" wants some stimulation? Tell me, what is the difference between Islam or Christianity? Both of them believe in the cosmic Easter bunny and have done some rather vile things to further their aims. So somebody that trashes one to boost the other isn’t exactly my ideal of morality.

I'm no expert on Muslims, and frankly, I don't care to become one. I have a radical RW nutjob friend who's a fellow Christian and he believes it's his personal mission to bash those people every chance he gets. I have absolutely no interest in doing that. He's actually an expert on them, but he distorts his knowledge due to his radical RW beliefs. And yes, I've told him this to his face. Our debates usually end with him saying "I don't want to talk about this anymore." That's because he's not able to back up much of his RW nutjobbery talk.

With that said, this thread is about Christianity and Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny. My humble suggestion is that if you'd like to discuss Muslims you start a thread doing so.

am so glad you clarified that. Let me see if I understand your post(s): you don’t like Christian fantasies, but you have NOTHING to do with Muslim fantasies. Even though you obviously identify with Malcolm X (your current avatar) a radical Black Muslim. Hmm . Who’s making ISALM an issue here? I am puzzled by your reaction.