Question about Easter

[KEPLER]

YIHN,

Do you understand these simple statements? --

Alexander Hislop was a fraud.
He was 100% wrong.
He was a liar through and through.
His book The Two Bablyons is nothing but unsubstantiated BS.

It belongs in the same rubbish heap as all other conspiracy books, like The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and all pamphlets written about a flat earth.

What is it about these that is unclear?

 

[Rdr Iakovos]

Great. There is no doubt that Easter is a pagan holiday. The mountains of evidence don't seem to matter for most "followers", however.
Yahweh used words to reveal Himself. The words He choose to use are" My meetings" and "these are the feasts of Yahweh", so we know they are His and not Jews. He also choose "owlam" when telling how long He wanted them observed. It means perpetuity, or forever.
So yes, we are to keep these 7 annual meetings that the Boss said were mow'ed miqra- “designated period which relates to others for a specific purpose authorized by an authority”, “wondrous signs that convey an important message” A mow’ed is “a set-apart feast and festival.”

Failing to understand the Miqra Mow’ed, these appointed signs, clerics and laity alike fail to appreciate the connections between the covenants, and the prophetic nature of each Miqra. We have become lost and blind, stumbling in the dark without a map. The means provided to understand and date every significant event—past, present, and future, have been replaced with man's holidays. Arguing that Easter is Pagan is like arguing that the grass is green. The evidence is overwhelming, and unavoidable, yet we just don't care to open the blinds and look. We have gone over the fact that Passover was replaced by man with the word "easter" in acts 12. We know it was the church who gave the order to relate Istar, err, I mean Easter with Christianity, and it has ZERO scriptural basis. We know that every ritual of Easter goes back to Babylon and predates "christ"- right down to the bunny and dyed eggs. People can do as they wish. I just wish the lies about Him would stop. That's where the salvation issue is. The third commandment promises to hold the liars accountable.

I was not agitated BTW. I was saddened.
Over two hundred posts to go over something extremly obvious, and fact rich, is sad. And indeed this IS why the totality of scripture is anti religious. It has nothing to do with me. That is what the book is. Religions are man made. All of them. They serve cleric. They enrich cleric. They lead men astray. Yahweh isn't fond of that.

We will, of course, be supplied no evidence that the origins of Great and Holy Pascha are pagan, for we all know that they are not.

Let's now deal with this absurd and demonstrably false concept that Jewish feasts are for Gentile believers.

1. Jewish feasts require animal sacrifices.
2. Only Jews were allowed to go up to the feasts.

According to the Aposteles in Acts 15, and Paul the Apostle in Colossians 2:16, we are NOT compelled to keep such feasts, even if we could. In order to keep these feasts, without Jerusalem or a Temple, the Jews were forced to innovate, substituting eggs for lamb, and other forms of sacrifice for the animal sacrifice.

Yes, eggs in the Seder. Pagan? What would that charlatan Hislop say?

Yet the pseudo-Jews would have us strictly adhere to their innovative readings which even the Rabbinic Jews would reject.

The scriptural basis for Great and Holy Pascha is found in the four gospels, writ large. One would indeed need to be "blind, stumbling in the dark" to miss the scriptural origins of our resurrectional worship.

 

[Child_of_Yahweh]

The Bible is the source for all things Christian. Does it mention Easter? Yes. (But some may not like what it says)

Notice Acts 12:1.
Acts 12 (New International Reader's Version)

1About this time, King Herod arrested some people who belonged to the church. He planned to make them suffer greatly. 2He had James killed with a sword. James was John's brother. 3Herod saw that the death of James pleased the Jews. So he arrested Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 4After Herod arrested Peter, he put him in prison. Peter was placed under guard. He was watched by four groups of four soldiers each. Herod planned to put Peter on public trial. It would take place after the Passover Feast.


King Herod began to persecute the Church, culminating in the brutal death of the apostle James by sword. This pleased the Jews so much that the apostle Peter was also taken prisoner by Herod. The plan was to later deliver him to the Jews. Verse 3 says, “Then were the days of unleavened bread.” The New Testament Church was observing these feast days described in Leviticus 23. Now read verse 4: “And when he [Herod] had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions [sixteen] of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.”

Is this Bible authority for Easter?
This passage is not talking about Easter. How do we know? The word translated Easter is the Greek word pascha (derived from the Hebrew word pesach; there is no original Greek word for Passover), and it has only one meaning. It always means Passover—it can never mean Easter! For this reason, we find a Hebrew word used in the Greek New Testament. Once again, this Hebrew word can only refer to Passover. And other translations, including the Revised Standard Version, correctly render this word Passover.
Instead of endorsing Easter, this verse really proves that the Church was still observing the supposedly Jewish Passover ten years after the death of Christ!
Now let’s go to the other scriptures authorizing Easter. This presents a problem. There are none! There are absolutely no verses, anywhere in the Bible, that authorize or endorse the keeping of Easter celebration! The Bible says nothing about Lent, eggs and egg hunts, baskets of candy, etc., although it does mention hot cross buns and sunrise services as abominations, which God condemns. We will examine them and learn why.
The mistranslation of Acts 12:4 is a not-so-subtle attempt to insert a pagan festival into scripture for the purpose of authorizing it.

 

[Oblio]

The Bible is the source for all things Christian ...

Incorrect premise.

JCL ERROR

ABEND

 

[Rdr Iakovos]

The Bible is the source for all things Christian. Does it mention Easter? Yes. (But some may not like what it says)

The KJV mentions Easter simply because this is the English word used in the West. We Eastern Christians celebrate Pascha- yet we know with certainty that our Western brothers are celebrating the Resurrection also. We have no advantage over them based upon naming convention.

Notice Acts 12:1.
Acts 12 (New International Reader's Version)

1About this time, King Herod arrested some people who belonged to the church. He planned to make them suffer greatly. 2He had James killed with a sword. James was John's brother. 3Herod saw that the death of James pleased the Jews. So he arrested Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 4After Herod arrested Peter, he put him in prison. Peter was placed under guard. He was watched by four groups of four soldiers each. Herod planned to put Peter on public trial. It would take place after the Passover Feast.


King Herod began to persecute the Church, culminating in the brutal death of the apostle James by sword. This pleased the Jews so much that the apostle Peter was also taken prisoner by Herod. The plan was to later deliver him to the Jews. Verse 3 says, “Then were the days of unleavened bread.” The New Testament Church was observing these feast days described in Leviticus 23. Now read verse 4: “And when he [Herod] had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions [sixteen] of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.”

All of that to say "the feast of unleavened bread was not abolished in 34 AD." We know very well that the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem continued to obey the Torah in all manner, still attended Temple and synagogue, still observed the feasts. This is why the Acts 15 and Colossians addressed these things for the Gentiles, for it was not clear how Gentiles should live out their New Covenant.

Self-same Gentiles attended synagogue, also, until banned by the Rabbinic mob.

Is this Bible authority for Easter?
This passage is not talking about Easter. How do we know? The word translated Easter is the Greek word pascha (derived from the Hebrew word pesach; there is no original Greek word for Passover), and it has only one meaning. It always means Passover—it can never mean Easter! For this reason, we find a Hebrew word used in the Greek New Testament. Once again, this Hebrew word can only refer to Passover. And other translations, including the Revised Standard Version, correctly render this word Passover.
Instead of endorsing Easter, this verse really proves that the Church was still observing the supposedly Jewish Passover ten years after the death of Christ!

I've addressed these points above. Let's review:
What people call the resurrectional celebration is important to you. Call it what you will. We call it Pascha, but if some wish to call it Easter, whatever. The power is in the person, not the letters.

Now let’s go to the other scriptures authorizing Easter. This presents a problem. There are none! There are absolutely no verses, anywhere in the Bible, that authorize or endorse the keeping of Easter celebration!

Reading the gospels, the things that stand out, aside from the teachings of Christ, unlike any in the world, far superior to the teachings even of the Torah, is the death and resurrection of Christ. Do in what we do "in rememberance" is indeed authorized scripturally.

The Bible says nothing about Lent, eggs and egg hunts, baskets of candy, etc., although it does mention hot cross buns and sunrise services as abominations, which God condemns. We will examine them and learn why.
The mistranslation of Acts 12:4 is a not-so-subtle attempt to insert a pagan festival into scripture for the purpose of authorizing it.

Great Lent, the forty days of preparation for Pascha, is a type of the forty days of fasting by Elijah, Moses, and Christ.

Jesus did not say "if you fast." He said "when you fast."

I don't care about hot cross buns and eggs and candy, they're just food.

Keep bringing your novel interpretations of the NT scriptures, I'll be happy to set the record straight as we go.

James

 

[Rdr Iakovos]

Incorrect premise.

JCL ERROR

ABEND

ROFL

As one geek working a mainframe application to another, I understand that.

 

[YahwehisHisname]

Yeah, I'm sure Hislop made the whole thing up. I guess the 1.9 million sites saying the same thing is just imagination. I guess it is a coincidence that Easter falls at the same time as the pagan festival. It must also be coincidental that dyed eggs and bunnies are used in easter as they were used in the pagan practice. It is also fascinating that the name easter is so close to the names of the pagan deities being celebrated- Istar/ eostre. It must also be only conspiracy that every lexicon, dictionary and honest scholar will tell you easter is not what Pasach means. For clarification lets forget about Hislop as I have NEVER even read the book, and listen to what Barnes' notes on the New Testament has to say

Intending after Easter—There never was a more absurd or unhappy translation than this. The original is simply after the Passover (μετὰ τὸ πάσχαmeta to pascha. The word “Easter” now denotes the festival observed by many Christian churches in honor of the resurrection of the Saviour. But the original has no reference to that, nor is there the slightest evidence that any such festival was observed at the time when this book was written. The translation is not only unhappy, as it does not convey at all the meaning of the original, but because it may contribute to foster an opinion that such a festival was observed in the time of the apostles. The word “Easter” is of Saxon origin, and is supposed to be derived from “Eostre,” the goddess of Love, or the Venus of the North, in honor of whom a festival was celebrated by our pagan ancestors in the month of April (Webster). Since this festival coincided with the Passover of the Jews, and with the feast observed by Christians in honor of the resurrection of Christ, the name came to be used to denote the latter. In the old Anglo-Saxon service-books the term “Easter” is used frequently to translate the word “Passover.” In the translation by Wycliffe, the word “paske,” that is, “Passover,” is used. But Tyndale and Coverdale used the word “Easter,” and hence, it has very improperly crept into our King James Version.​

Another scholar, Adam Clark's commentary, reads​

The term Easter, inserted here by our translators, they borrowed from the ancient Anglo-Saxon service-books, or from the version of the Gospels, which always translates the το πασχα of the Greek by this term; e.g. Matthew 26:2: Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover. Wite ye that aefter twam dagum beoth Eastro. Matthew 16:19: And they made ready the passover. And hig gegearwodon hym Easter thenunga (i.e. the paschal supper.) Prefixed to Matthew 28:1, are these words: This part to be read on Easter even. And, before Matthew 28:8, these words: Mark 14:12: And the first day of unleavened bread when they killed the passover. And tham forman daegeazimorum, tha hi Eastron offrodon. Other examples occur in this version. Wiclif used the word paske, i.e. passover; but Tindal, Coverdale, Becke, and Cardmarden, following the old Saxon mode of translation, insert Easter: the Geneva Bible very properly renders it the passover. The Saxon Earten, Eartne, Eartno, Eartna, and Eartnon are different modes of spelling the name of the goddess Easter, whose festival was celebrated by our pagan forefathers on the month of April; hence that month, in the Saxon calendar, is called Easter month. Every view we can take of this subject shows the gross impropriety of retaining a name every way exceptionable, and palpably absurd.​

Jamieson-Faussett-Brown commentary says​

intending after Easter—rather, “after the Passover”; that is, after the whole festival was over. (The word in our King James Version is an ecclesiastical term of later date, and ought not to have been employed here).​

Do I need to continue? I've got between 25 and 30 other sources that report the same thing. Every dictionary and lexicon concur. I have zero sources that say otherwise. Are they all wrong and you are right? We changed His word. Period!​

The passover lamb was to be killed because Yahweh said this was "a sign for YOU". He was telling us that this was prophetic of something to come. Fullfiling Daniel's timeline to the day, Yahshua, the perfect Lamb, was sacrificed on Passover. We should celebrate this symbolically, by roasting a lamb over an open fire, and reading His word. Specifically, Psalm 22, Isaiah 53 and their loving fulfillments in Matthew. If you want to see a better understanding of this, read this.​

“These are the appointments, fixed times, signals, and feasts of Yahweh, set apart, sacred, sanctified, consecrated, dedicated, hallowed, and holy meetings, and rehearsals, which you shall call out, address by name, proclaim, pronounce, preach, and publish at their appointed times. On the fourteenth day of the first new moon or month at dusk is Yahweh’s Passover.” (Leviticus 23:4-5)

…. It is Yahuweh’s Passover.” (Exodus 12:7-8)

Seems to me that He is saying that they are HIS- not Jews.

This day will exist (hayah) as a memorial (zikrown – a reminder, a means to recall and understand). And you shall hold a feast (chagag – celebrate, throwing a party), a festival feast (chag) with Yahuweh throughout your life and generations (dowr), celebrating the festival feast (chagag – reveling in the party) as a prescribed ordinance (chuqqah – a clearly communicated prescription of what you should do) forever (‘owlam – into perpetuity).” (Exodus 12:14)

Pretty clear to me.


Now, if I can get millions of sites that confirm that Easter is Pagan, why can't you? Google Eostre, Ishtar, roots of Easter, origins of easter, etc. Leave Hislop out of it, since he doesn't matter and I didn't get my info from him to begin with. Millions of sites to choose from. They must all be wrong, and the rhetoric from the pulpit correct.
Here are a few since I doubt anyone will make the effort on their own.

http://www.keyway.ca/htm2002/easter.htm

http://www.religioustolerance.org/easter1.htm

http://www.factmonster.com/spot/easterintro1.html

http://www.gotquestions.org/easter-origins.html

http://www.zenzibar.com/Articles/easter.asp

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/easterintro1.html

http://www.aphrodite-chocolates.co.uk/easter-eggs-history.htm

http://www.didyouknow.cd/easter.htm

http://trefry.net/blogs/michael/archive/2005/03/27/110.aspx

http://www.holidays.net/easter/story.htm

http://easter.newarchaeology.com/origins_of_easter_festival.php

I hope this is enough. There are thousands more that confirm what I have been telling you. Sorry the truth is a hurdle.

 

[Oblio]

I guess it is a coincidence that Easter falls at the same time as the pagan festival.

So you are calling the Jewish Passover pagan ?

 

[Oblio]

Now, if I can get millions of sites that confirm that Easter is Pagan, why can't you?

And I can do the same with sites that confim the mythology of Christianity, the Holocaust and numerous other things we know to be true.

How about some facts ?

 

[Rdr Iakovos]

Yeah, I'm sure Hislop made the whole thing up. I guess the 1.9 million sites saying the same thing is just imagination. I guess it is a coincidence that Easter falls at the same time as the pagan festival. It must also be coincidental that dyed eggs and bunnies are used in easter as they were used in the pagan practice. It is also fascinating that the name easter is so close to the names of the pagan deities being celebrated- Istar/ eostre. It must also be only conspiracy that every lexicon, dictionary and honest scholar will tell you easter is not what Pasach means. For clarification lets forget about Hislop as I have NEVER even read the book, and listen to what Barnes' notes on the New Testament has to say

Intending after Easter—There never was a more absurd or unhappy translation than this. The original is simply after the Passover (μετὰ τὸ πάσχαmeta to pascha. The word “Easter” now denotes the festival observed by many Christian churches in honor of the resurrection of the Saviour. But the original has no reference to that, nor is there the slightest evidence that any such festival was observed at the time when this book was written. The translation is not only unhappy, as it does not convey at all the meaning of the original, but because it may contribute to foster an opinion that such a festival was observed in the time of the apostles. The word “Easter” is of Saxon origin, and is supposed to be derived from “Eostre,” the goddess of Love, or the Venus of the North, in honor of whom a festival was celebrated by our pagan ancestors in the month of April (Webster). Since this festival coincided with the Passover of the Jews, and with the feast observed by Christians in honor of the resurrection of Christ, the name came to be used to denote the latter. In the old Anglo-Saxon service-books the term “Easter” is used frequently to translate the word “Passover.” In the translation by Wycliffe, the word “paske,” that is, “Passover,” is used. But Tyndale and Coverdale used the word “Easter,” and hence, it has very improperly crept into our King James Version.​

Another scholar, Adam Clark's commentary, reads​

The term Easter, inserted here by our translators, they borrowed from the ancient Anglo-Saxon service-books, or from the version of the Gospels, which always translates the το πασχα of the Greek by this term; e.g. Matthew 26:2: Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover. Wite ye that aefter twam dagum beoth Eastro. Matthew 16:19: And they made ready the passover. And hig gegearwodon hym Easter thenunga (i.e. the paschal supper.) Prefixed to Matthew 28:1, are these words: This part to be read on Easter even. And, before Matthew 28:8, these words: Mark 14:12: And the first day of unleavened bread when they killed the passover. And tham forman daegeazimorum, tha hi Eastron offrodon. Other examples occur in this version. Wiclif used the word paske, i.e. passover; but Tindal, Coverdale, Becke, and Cardmarden, following the old Saxon mode of translation, insert Easter: the Geneva Bible very properly renders it the passover. The Saxon Earten, Eartne, Eartno, Eartna, and Eartnon are different modes of spelling the name of the goddess Easter, whose festival was celebrated by our pagan forefathers on the month of April; hence that month, in the Saxon calendar, is called Easter month. Every view we can take of this subject shows the gross impropriety of retaining a name every way exceptionable, and palpably absurd.​

Jamieson-Faussett-Brown commentary says

intending after Easter—rather, “after the Passover”; that is, after the whole festival was over. (The word in our King James Version is an ecclesiastical term of later date, and ought not to have been employed here).
Do I need to continue? I've got between 25 and 30 other sources that report the same thing. Every dictionary and lexicon concur. I have zero sources that say otherwise. Are they all wrong and you are right? We changed His word! Period!!!!​

The passover lamb was to be killed because Yahweh said this was "a sign for YOU". He was telling us that this was prophetic of something to come. Fullfiling Daniel's timeline to the day, Yahshua, the perfect Lamb, was sacrificed on Passover. We should celebrate this symbolically, by roasting a lamb over an open fire, and rewading His word. Specifically, Psalm 22, Isaiah 53 and their loving fulfillments in Matthew. If you want to see a better understanding of this, read this.​

​

“These are the appointments, fixed times, signals, and feasts of Yahweh, set apart, sacred, sanctified, consecrated, dedicated, hallowed, and holy meetings, and rehearsals, which you shall call out, address by name, proclaim, pronounce, preach, and publish at their appointed times. On the fourteenth day of the first new moon or month at dusk is Yahweh’s Passover.” (Leviticus 23:4-5)

…. It is Yahuweh’s Passover.” (Exodus 12:7-8)

Seems to me that He is saying that they are HIS- not Jews.

This day will exist (hayah) as a memorial (zikrown – a reminder, a means to recall and understand). And you shall hold a feast (chagag – celebrate, throwing a party), a festival feast (chag) with Yahuweh throughout your life and generations (dowr), celebrating the festival feast (chagag – reveling in the party) as a prescribed ordinance (chuqqah – a clearly communicated prescription of what you should do) forever (‘owlam – into perpetuity).” (Exodus 12:14)

Pretty clear to me.


Now, if I can get millions of sites that confirm that Easter is Pagan, why can't you? Google Eostre, Ishtar, rots of Easter, origins of easter, etc. Leave Hislop out of it, since he doesn't matter and I didn't get my indfo from him to begin with. Millions of sites to choose from. They must all be wrong, and the rhetoric from the pulpit correct.
Here are a few since I doubt anone will make the effort on their own.

http://www.keyway.ca/htm2002/easter.htm

http://www.religioustolerance.org/easter1.htm

http://www.factmonster.com/spot/easterintro1.html

http://www.gotquestions.org/easter-origins.html

http://www.zenzibar.com/Articles/easter.asp

http://www.infoplease.com/spot/easterintro1.html

http://www.aphrodite-chocolates.co.uk/easter-eggs-history.htm

http://www.didyouknow.cd/easter.htm

http://trefry.net/blogs/michael/archive/2005/03/27/110.aspx

http://www.holidays.net/easter/story.htm

http://easter.newarchaeology.com/origins_of_easter_festival.php

I hope this is enough. There are thousands more that confirm what I have been telling you. Sorry the truth is a hurdle.

Each of those sites are essentially quoting other sites. No offense, but you obviously have not quite understood what qualifies as evidence.

Taking one of the sources you listed, here is what they say about Easter, the name:
Ancient Spring Goddess

According to the Venerable Bede, Easter derives its name from Eostre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring. A month corresponding to April had been named "Eostremonat," or Eostre's month, leading to "Easter" becoming applied to the Christian holiday that usually took place within it. Prior to that, the holiday had been called Pasch (Passover), which remains its name in most non-English languages.
(Based on the similarity of their names, some connect Eostre with Ishtar, the Babylonian and Assyrian goddess of love and fertility, but there is no solid evidence for this.)

That pretty much captures the arguments we have made here:
1. The only source connecting Easter to Eostre is the venerable Bede.
2. All other conjectures have no solid evidence.

Regarding the timinig of 'Easter' (again, we call it Pascha)- the dating of Easter is established relative to the Jewish Passover.

In short, the sum of your argument is over a questionable name.
Hardly worth even logging on to post such minutia.

Irrespective, thanks anyway.
James

 

[YahwehisHisname]

All I can do is make an effort. It makes me want to cry. Nothing more can be said.

 

[Rdr Iakovos]

All I can do is make an effort. It makes me want to cry. Nothing more can be said.

Your effort to correct what you see as error is being answered by those who believe that your view is in error.

What exactly is a name? Is it the letters, or the sounds your mouth makes? Is correctly pronouncing the name Yahveh or yeessrai-el of paramount importance? Is this what passes as holiness?

Believe me, you are being rebutted by people with a deep sense of reverence toward God. Your argument is not only intuitively flawed, it also seems to completely miss the weightier aspects of the Law, like justice and mercy, things which are worthy to weep over.
Iakovos

 

[Melethiel]

Your effort to correct what you see as error is being answered by those who believe that your view is in error.

What exactly is a name? Is it the letters, or the sounds your mouth makes? Is correctly pronouncing the name Yahveh or yeessrai-el of paramount importance? Is this what passes as holiness?

Believe me, you are being rebutted by people with a deep sense of reverence toward God. Your argument is not only intuitively flawed, it also seems to completely miss the weightier aspects of the Law, like justice and mercy, things which are worthy to weep over.
Iakovos

In addition, what's the big deal with calling God "Yahveh" or whatever it is? If I called my earthly father by his first name, I'd get smacked...

 

[Rdr Iakovos]

In addition, what's the big deal with calling God "Yahveh" or whatever it is? If I called my earthly father by his first name, I'd get smacked...

If your posts are any indication of your person, which I would assume to be the case, I'd venture that you have a sense of respect and dignity which would preclude you intentionally disrespecting your father.

Jesus called Him Father, works for me.

 

[KEPLER]

Yeah, I'm sure Hislop made the whole thing up. I guess the 1.9 million sites saying the same thing is just imagination.

A LIE told 1.9 million times is still a LIE.

 

[Strong in Him]

I still don't really get the turn this thread has taken .

It was stated that Easter has nothing to do with God. Well Good Friday is when we remember Jesus' crucifixion, the fact that he died on the cross for our sins and that this was God's plan of salvation to bring mankind back to himself. And Easter Sunday is when we celebrate God raising Jesus from the dead. Easter is the name that we now use for this time of year. If you would prefer to call them Pasach and Resurrection Sunday, or something else, go ahead. What we call something doesn't alter what happened at the end of Jesus' life 2000 years ago. I think the Lord would rather that we sincerely celebrated Easter, even if one day we find out we've been calling it the wrong thing, than didn't celebrate anything at all for fear of getting the wrong name.

He knows our hearts. He knows if what we do is all about his Son, or all about chocolate eggs. And like I said before, if Easter was an abomination to him, he wouldn't bless, encourage, or speak to anyone. I love Easter, it's a very special time. If the church changed the name to 'Pasach' tomorrow, it wouldn't make the slightest bit of difference to my faith. And surely that's what's important?

 

[Little_Angel_of_Yahweh]

I BELIEVE gods name is YAHWEH too,
yahwehishisname

 

[Carey]

I know this is the wrong forum but I did not know where else to post this. Was Easter the day the Christ rose from the dead and decended into Heaven and was Good Friday the day He was killed? My sister asked me that just now, and I sadly, cannot remember.

Origins of Easter
Easter is perhaps nowadays seen as a mostly Christian festival but in fact its origins lie in three religious faiths - Pagan, Hebrew and Christian.
Pagan tradition suggests that the name Easter is derived from Ostara or Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Spring to whom the month of April was dedicated.
Another Pagan tradition that can coincide with Easter is the vernal equinox or the Festival of Spring in March, which symbolises the rebirth of nature following the cold days of winter.
Even today Pagan symbols live on in the celebration of Easter with the hare, a symbol of fertility, becoming the Easter Bunny and brightly decorated eggs which were originally used to represent the colours of the new spring. Eggs were also an important fertility symbol.
Easter is also connected to the Hebrew "pesach" (Passover) festival that is an important date in the Jewish calendar commemorating the flight and freedom of the Israelites from Egypt and slavery when the angel of death "passed over" their dwellings offering them protection.
Passover is celebrated over eight days and many of the early Christians, who were of Jewish origin, regarded Easter as a new feature of the Passover festival.
According to Christian tradition Easter is a major celebration marking the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He was crucified on what is known to Christians as Good Friday and was resurrected three days later on Easter Sunday. Rolling decorated Easter Eggs is seen to represent the rolling away of the rock from the tomb of Jesus.
Easter marks the end of the period of Lent that begins on Ash Wednesday and is a time of penitence in preparation for the highest festival of the church. Although there are 46 days from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday Lent itself only lasts 40 days as Sundays are excluded.
The last week of Lent is celebrated as Holy Week and begins with Palm Sunday that marks the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem as the crowds laid palms at his feet. Holy Thursday marks the Last Supper before the anniversary of the crucifixion on Good Friday.
Easter is a moveable feast as churches in the west celebrate it on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs on or following the spring equinox on 21st March. That means Easter Sunday can be as early as the third week in March or as late as the fourth week in April.
Easter Eggs
Eggs have been associated with Easter for many centuries and are the most identifiable symbol of Easter.
In the very early days eggs were decorated with bright colours to represent the coming of spring and the growth of new plants and animals and used in egg rolling or given away as gifts, sometimes between lovers and romantic admirers much in the same way as Valentine gifts.
Different countries have different traditions for their egg decoration with gold and silver favoured by Slavic people, crimson red to represent the blood of Christ in Greece, green eggs for Holy Thursday in parts of Germany and Austria and also in Austria plants are sometimes wrapped around eggs before they are boiled.
It is also quite common in some countries for eggs to have their insides blown out to leave the empty shell, which is then decorated and hung from shrubs and trees during Easter week.
Eggs were also used in Easter sports with the Romans giving out eggs as prizes in their celebratory Easter races and nowadays there are two common games the Easter Egg Hunt and the Easter Egg Roll.
The rules of the Easter Egg Roll are simple - whoever can roll their egg the furthest distance down a hill without it breaking is the winner. Although many participants use the rolling as an excuse to crack the shell and eat the inside!
The Easter Egg Hunt involves lots of eggs being hidden around the house or garden by the Easter Bunny before the children of the house get up for the day. They are then invited to try and find all the eggs often with a chocolate egg as the reward

 

[eoe]

Tripe. You are quoting a quote of a quote of a quote of a quote of the Venerable Bede. This is garbage. We can all clearly see that you did not write this Carey. Why not make up your own version of this tired lie?

 

[Momzilla]

Do you not celebrate the Resurrection, Carey?

And what does the Council of Nicea have to do with this, other than it being an opportunity to bash Catholics (and I guess the EOs, since Nicea was pre-schism).