Paganism and Easter

phipps

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Summary: Many Christians believe Easter originated as a holiday to celebrate Christ's resurrection.

Easter is known for its bunny rabbits, colored eggs, hot cross buns, and the return of springtime. But where did Easter come from?

Few people realize that Easter is not about the resurrection of Christ.

The only time the word “Easter” is found in the Bible (Acts 12:4), it is there by mistranslation. The word in the original Greek is “Passover.” Jesus died at the time of the Passover feast, but the Passover is not Easter and Jesus did not die at Easter time. Easter is an ancient spring festival. Long before the time of Christ, the pagan goddess Ishtar, or sometimes known as Astarte or Ashtoreth, was worshiped in different countries. Our modern practice of sunrise worship originates from the pagan festival honoring Ishtar. The story of Easter also helps explain how Sunday became sacred and the origin of virgin worship.

The Scheme of Imitation

Centuries before the birth of Christ, Satan encouraged people to have religious beliefs and practices that would imitate the coming Saviour’s resurrection.

This was a brilliant strategy that kept people from recognizing and appreciating the plan of salvation. Because pagans had similar beliefs of a “resurrection” before Christ, it is much easier to say that Christ’s resurrection was just another version of the same old pagan story from long ago that has nothing to do with reality or a plan of salvation of any kind. Many scoffers use this type of reasoning to explain away the Bible’s truths.

The sacrificial system was also imitated by pagans, but perverted to be all about appeasing a wrathful God instead of a loving God that became flesh and died willingly in our place. Satan has always counterfeited and perverted the truth because he knows that if he does so, many will be led to disbelieve the Bible and not choose Christ.

The early pagan practices and beliefs about Ishtar and the resurrection prepared the world for the religious apostasy which would occur after the time of Christ. The pagans believed in a god that was resurrected each spring on Easter—a day which was dedicated to Ishtar, the mother goddess. She was also called the queen of heaven and supposedly interceded with the gods on behalf of humankind. This precise belief has been applied to Mary by the Roman Catholic Church, but it is as pagan as it gets, and has no basis in the Bible whatsoever.

The mother goddess has had many names throughout the various pagan religions in history. She has been known as Astarte, Ishtar, Ashtoreth, Cybele, Rhea, Demeter, Ceres, Aphrodite, Venus, Diana, and Freya.

Easter did not originate for the purpose of celebrating Christ, but rather for the purpose of worshiping the mother goddess Ishtar. Because worshipers of Ishtar presented her with two fertility symbols—eggs and rabbits—these became part of the Christian Easter celebration. Because sunrise at the beginning of spring was the holiest day in the Mithraic calendar (next to December 25), the practice of Easter sunrise services continued on into Christianity.

Because the Ishtar celebration was held each spring on a Sunday, close to the vernal equinox, the ascension of Christ was changed from 40 days after the time of Passover (as told us in the Bible) to the annual Easter celebration. All this began in paganism, with the Ishtar and Tammuz legend.

Many Christians celebrate Easter as the day celebrating the resurrection of Christ, but the truth is that the celebration of Easter actually comes from paganism.
 
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It was/is a pagan celebration for a number of pagan religions not just one. The goddesses for those pagan religions had/have different names.
The two goddesses Ishtar ( or Inanna) and Ostara are not interchangeable deities.
 
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It’s a pagan celebration for Ostara not Ishtar.
I also want to add that other than the name, the two "holidays" have little in common. In perhaps a rare defense of Christianity its most likely that a spring celebration of Jesus existed hundreds of years prior to it being tied to the name "Eostre" or Ostara. Its not even proven that a goddess existed by that exact name but a pagan festival did occur at a time that was celebrated at around the same time to the Christian spring festival of the resurrection of Jesus. Over time as Christianity spread its independent spring festival was given an approximation of a name of an earlier independent spring festival.
 

Maes17

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Summary: Many Christians believe Easter originated as a holiday to celebrate Christ's resurrection.

Easter is known for its bunny rabbits, colored eggs, hot cross buns, and the return of springtime. But where did Easter come from?

Few people realize that Easter is not about the resurrection of Christ.

The only time the word “Easter” is found in the Bible (Acts 12:4), it is there by mistranslation. The word in the original Greek is “Passover.” Jesus died at the time of the Passover feast, but the Passover is not Easter and Jesus did not die at Easter time. Easter is an ancient spring festival. Long before the time of Christ, the pagan goddess Ishtar, or sometimes known as Astarte or Ashtoreth, was worshiped in different countries. Our modern practice of sunrise worship originates from the pagan festival honoring Ishtar. The story of Easter also helps explain how Sunday became sacred and the origin of virgin worship.

The Scheme of Imitation

Centuries before the birth of Christ, Satan encouraged people to have religious beliefs and practices that would imitate the coming Saviour’s resurrection.



This was a brilliant strategy that kept people from recognizing and appreciating the plan of salvation. Because pagans had similar beliefs of a “resurrection” before Christ, it is much easier to say that Christ’s resurrection was just another version of the same old pagan story from long ago that has nothing to do with reality or a plan of salvation of any kind. Many scoffers use this type of reasoning to explain away the Bible’s truths.

The sacrificial system was also imitated by pagans, but perverted to be all about appeasing a wrathful God instead of a loving God that became flesh and died willingly in our place. Satan has always counterfeited and perverted the truth because he knows that if he does so, many will be led to disbelieve the Bible and not choose Christ.

The early pagan practices and beliefs about Ishtar and the resurrection prepared the world for the religious apostasy which would occur after the time of Christ. The pagans believed in a god that was resurrected each spring on Easter—a day which was dedicated to Ishtar, the mother goddess. She was also called thequeen of heaven and supposedly interceded with the gods on behalf of humankind. This precise belief has been applied to Mary by the Roman Catholic Church, but it is as pagan as it gets, and has no basis in the Bible whatsoever.

The mother goddess has had many names throughout the various pagan religions in history. She has been known as Astarte, Ishtar, Ashtoreth, Cybele, Rhea, Demeter, Ceres, Aphrodite, Venus, Diana, and Freya.

Easter did not originate for the purpose of celebrating Christ, but rather for the purpose of worshiping the mother goddess Ishtar. Because worshipers of Ishtar presented her with two fertility symbols—eggs and rabbits—these became part of the Christian Easter celebration. Because sunrise at the beginning of spring was the holiest day in the Mithraic calendar (next to December 25), the practice of Easter sunrise services continued on into Christianity.

Because the Ishtar celebration was held each spring on a Sunday, close to the vernal equinox, the ascension of Christ was changed from 40 days after the time of Passover (as told us in the Bible) to the annual Easter celebration. All this began in paganism, with the Ishtar and Tammuz legend.

Many Christians celebrate Easter as the day celebrating the resurrection of Christ, but the truth is that the celebration of Easter actually comes from paganism.

https://amazingdiscoveries.org/S-deception_pagan_Catholic_Easter_Ishtar
Those pagans!
 

Allegra

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This video is very informative.

Playlist about Pagan Holidays -> Easter, Christmas, Halloween and Valentine

My family doesn't care about this. Me and my sister are like "what else to do?" We went to easter service today and when we were given egg shaped chocolate. I wonder why Church still celebrating this knowing the origin. What church doesnt celebrate easter?
 

Thunderian

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Few people realize that Easter is not about the resurrection of Christ.
The Easter my family and I celebrate is completely about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but if I see anyone worshiping the mother goddess at our church tomorrow, I'll let them know there's some cut-and-paste, holier-than-thou hogwash here for them to read.
 
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phipps

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I also want to add that other than the name, the two "holidays" have little in common. In perhaps a rare defense of Christianity its most likely that a spring celebration of Jesus existed hundreds of years prior to it being tied to the name "Eostre" or Ostara. Its not even proven that a goddess existed by that exact name but a pagan festival did occur at a time that was celebrated at around the same time to the Christian spring festival of the resurrection of Jesus. Over time as Christianity spread its independent spring festival was given an approximation of a name of an earlier independent spring festival.
I'm not going into a debate about what the name of pagan deities are or should be. Ishtar or Ostara (seems like its the same goddess but pronounced differently by different people). I don't really care about that at all. The point is the celebration is not Christian. No Christian should be celebrating it at all.
 
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phipps

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This video is very informative.

Playlist about Pagan Holidays -> Easter, Christmas, Halloween and Valentine

My family doesn't care about this. Me and my sister are like "what else to do?" We went to easter service today and when we were given egg shaped chocolate. I wonder why Church still celebrating this knowing the origin. What church doesnt celebrate easter?
My Church doesn't celebrate Easter. We are not asked to remember Jesus' Death by celebrating it on any particular day. Its not biblical at all.
 
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Allegra

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Some christian dont think it's a big deal because we are celebrating God. I mean the history itself is already clear. Like how the catholic church mixing Jesus Christ and pagan gods. A lot of Christians can shout about this loudly but when it comes to the holidays seasons suddenly quiet.

Like what is the connection between Jesus died on the cross and eggs and bunny? What is the connection between Jesus born in Bethlehem and Christmas tree and Santa Claus?

I really don't wanna be that person, but still it is giving me question mark, and I'm a chill kind of Christian person. Honestly, we can celebrate Jesus' birth and cruxification and resurrection any day and time we want, I'm pretty sure He's cool about the idea.
 

phipps

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The Easter my family and I celebrate is completely about the resurrection of Jesus Christ, but if I see anyone worshiping the mother goddess at our church tomorrow, I'll let them know there's some cut-and-paste, holier-than-thou hogwash here for them to read.
Biblically we are not required to celebrate Jesus' resurrection anually. We are supposed to remember Jesus' great sacrifice for us often. Also in the Bible the celebration that reminds us of Jesus' death is baptism.

"Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin" (Romans 6:3-6).

"There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:21).
 
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Allegra

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My Church doesn't celebrate Easter. We are not asked to remember Jesus' Death by celbrating it on any particular day. Its not biblical st all.
True I agree with you about this but still Michael the Archangel is not Jesus Christ. Hahaha.. xD

Actually all I want is just to have a relationship with Jesus without too much drama and too much influence from anything non-biblical. I don't like complicated things.
 

phipps

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]Some christian dont think it's a big deal because we are celebrating God. I mean the history itself is already clear. Like how the catholic church mixing Jesus Christ and pagan gods. A lot of Christians can shout about this loudly but when it comes to the holidays seasons suddenly quiet.

Like what is the connection between Jesus died on the cross and eggs and bunny? What is the connection between Jesus born in Bethlehem and Christmas tree and Santa Claus?

I really don't wanna be that person, but still it is giving me question mark, and I'm a chill kind of Christian person. Honestly, we can celebrate Jesus' birth and cruxification and resurrection any day and time we want, I'm pretty sure He's cool about the idea.
I see it differently. I think we should remember Jesus' death and resurrection often to remind ourselves of the great sacrifice He gave for us. Also we should try and distance ourselves from anything that is pagan. Its become a tradition to celebrate those days but we don't have to. I choose not to celebrate any man made traditions at all because its not required of me by God
 
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phipps

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True I agree with you about this but still Michael the Archangel is not Jesus Christ. Hahaha.. xD

Actually all I want is just to have a relationship with Jesus without too much drama and too much influence from anything non-biblical. I don't like complicated things.
And you are still wrong because the Archangel raises people from the dead (amongst other things) and only God can do that. So I'll believe what the Bible says about what God and His creatures can do.

We all want a relationship with Jesus but we have to do what He asks us to do. Those who will make it to heaven and eternal life will have done God's will and not man's.

The reason there is drama here, is because I've brought up subjects that either some had never heard of or they directly contradicted their doctrines on those particular subjects. Instead of reading the Bible and checking for themselves if what I posted is true they attacked me, lied about me and the religion I follow. I'm thick skinned so that won't deter me from preaching God's word here and in other places.
 
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Thunderian

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Biblically we are not required to celebrate Jesus' resurrection anually.
We are not required not to, either.

Meanwhile, tell us how you get through life without honouring pagan gods every time you refer to a day of the week by name. For instance, Friday is named for Freya/Venus/Ishtar. Friday is literally Freya's Day, and each time you say the word, you honour the very pagan goddess that has you so worked up when it comes to Christians celebrating Easter.

What terms do you use for the days of the week, so as to avoid celebrating pagan gods?
 

Allegra

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And you are still wrong because the Archangel raises people from the dead (amongst other things) and only God can do that. So I'll believe what the Bible says about what God and His creatures can do.

We all want a relationship with Jesus but we have to do what He asks us to do. Those who will make it to heaven and eternal life will have done God's will and not man's.

The reason there is drama here, is because I've brought up subjects that either some had never heard of or they directly contradicted their doctrines on those particular subjects. Instead of reading the Bible and checking for themselves if what I posted is true they attacked me, lied about me and the religion I follow. I'm thick skinned and that won't deter me from preaching God's word here and in other places.
First, your second reply to me about easter is just rewording what I just said.

second, arguments about theology is inevitable as Paul and Peter also had their own history.

third, If that's what you believe about Michael then I dont need to argue any further because if you already made up your mind then I prefer to leave the debate as when I'm debating about theology or doctrines I'm not participating to win the debate or be the last one to reply, but just to state what I believe. That is all.
2 timothy 2:14 "Remind them of these things, and charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers."
 

phipps

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We are not required not to, either.

Meanwhile, tell us how you get through life without honouring pagan gods every time you refer to a day of the week by name. For instance, Friday is named for Freya/Venus/Ishtar. Friday is literally Freya's Day, and each time you say the word, you honour the very pagan goddess that has you so worked up when it comes to Christians celebrating Easter.

What terms do you use for the days of the week, so as to avoid celebrating pagan gods?
Why don't we just do what God requires us to do? Why add man made traditions in the mix? That's my thinking.

Pagans did not create the days and time. God did. They may have names for the days but did not create them. So I'm not honouring any pagan gods.

And I'm not worked up. I'm calm actually.
 
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