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 Here Comes Peter Cottontail, again!


This year Easter and Passover fall just one day appart. Passover is April 7th - Easter is April 8th. These two 'holidays' don't always fall that near in dates.
A long time ago, this whole concept of "eggs and rabbits" bothered me, so I researched "Easter", back in the mid-80s and was really angered by all that I found.

This is not to say that we need to observe the whole Seder/Passover - but just to get a closer look at what 'truth' is and how even the KJV has been corrupted by those of Constantine's era.


G3957Act 12:4 And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after *Easter - G3957* to bring him forth to the people.

G3957 πάσχα pascha = Passover. "Pascha [Passover]" used 29 times in the KJV and only once translated as "Easter".

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Origin of Easter - Its Pagan Roots

"The origin of Easter dates back to ancient times, not long after the global Flood recorded in Genesis 6-9 of the Bible. Nimrod, a grandson of Noah, had turned from following his grandfather's God and had become a tyrannical ruler. According to the biblical record, as king, Nimrod created Babel, Ninevah, Asshur, Calla and other cities, all known for lifestyles that promoted unspeakable evil and perversion. When Nimrod died, his wife, Queen Semiramis, deified him as the Sun-god, or Life Giver. Later he would become known as Baal, and those who followed the religion Semiramis created in his name would be called Baal worshippers. They became associated with idolatry, demon worship, human sacrifice and other practices regarded as evil.

The origin of Easter involves the birth of Semiramis' illegitimate son, Tammuz. Somehow, Semiramis convinced the people that Tammuz was actually Nimrod reborn. Since people had been looking for the promised savior since the beginning of mankind (see Genesis 3:15), they were persuaded by Semiramis to believe that Tammuz was that savior, even that he had been supernaturally conceived. Before long, in addition to worshipping Tammuz (or Nimrod reborn), the people also worshipped Semiramis herself as the goddess of fertility. In other cultures, she has been called *Ishtar, Ashtur and yes, Easter.

The origin of Easter goes back to the *springtime* ritual instituted by Semiramis following the death of Tammuz, who, according to tradition, was killed by a wild boar. Legend has it that through the power of his mother's tears, Tammuz was "resurrected" in the form of the new vegetation that appeared on the earth.

According to the Bible, it was in the city of Babel that the people created a tower in order to defy God. Up until that time, all the people on the earth spoke one language. The building of the tower led God, as recorded in Genesis 11:7, to confuse their tongues to keep them from being further unified in their false beliefs. As the people moved into other lands, many of them took their pagan practices with them.

Contemporary traditions such as the *Easter Bunny and the Easter egg* can also be traced back to the practices established by Semiramis. Because of their prolific nature, *rabbits have long been associated with fertility and its goddess, Ishtar*. Ancient Babylonians believed in a fable about an egg that fell into the Euphrates River from heaven and from which Queen Astarte (another name for Ishtar or Semiramis) was "hatched." "

http://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/origin-of-easter.htm [astericks added]

The Spring Equinox is a time when Pagan's celebrate "a new birth" and the "gods of fertility".

Which Sunday will Easter fall on?
The first Sunday after the first full moon that comes After the first day of Spring.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter

Nothing whatsoever to do with what day that Passover falls on - when Jesus was foreordained to be crucified as our Passover Lamb.
Why didn't they just make it the first Sunday after Passover?
Because the whole "Easter" concept has it's origins as stated above, though that's merely the nutshell origin of "Easter".



As with "Christ-mas" - [though Jesus was born in the Fall for the Feast of Tabernacles] ---- for the sake of our unsaved loved ones -- we use these two "holidays" as a time when we can freely bring up "JESUS'" Name and tell the reason and purpose of why He came, died and resurrected.

My opinion of these two times of year is that - though both of these pagan 'holidays' bother me much - I still believe that those that force this issue on their unsaved family or friends, do more harm than good. Better to find ways to witness about Him on these occasions than to give family or friends more reasons to think you're in a cult. THEY think it's His Birthday and When He Rose - so what good does it do to try to show them that HE was fulfilling the Feast Days that were set in place as a foreshadow and prophetic foretelling of His coming in the first place.
From the people that I know that have tried to convince their family or friends that these days originate from Pagan Festivals - they've lost the ability to now 'witness' to their loved ones.

We call it "Resurrection Day" [the day that we remember His resurrection] and find cards that don't have the name "Easter" on them. It's just twice a year that we should make this effort to find the best witnessing type Greeting cards that are sold and some good tracts as well - Amen!!

 2012/3/25 11:50
MrBillPro
Member



Joined: 2005/2/24
Posts: 3422
Texas

 Re: Here Comes Peter Cottontail, again!

Quote:
Jesus-is-GOD...A long time ago, this whole concept of "eggs and rabbits" bothered me, so I researched "Easter", back in the mid-80s and was really angered by all that I found.



I wished this was a real priority in America today, but it's almost impossible to break traditions. I respect and appreciate your opinion, but I can think of at least a couple more issues that might need to be addressed before this issue is addressed in America today. You know what the hardest thing I had to personally overcome when I gave my life to Christ was? it was me that was changed today, not everyone else. Not everyone thinks like I do, there are a lot of Christians and I mean a lot, that think the world changed the day they accepted Christ in their life, but your world was the only world that changed. Remember God made us all to look different and think different, we don't have to personally accept these traditions, but if we are to ever earn respect in life we have give respect, falls under "You Will Reap What You Sow". Just because we respect someone for their ways or opinions in life, don't mean we have to agree with them, respecting and agreeing is completely different. Example,"I respect your opinion, but I disagree with it". :)


_________________
Bill

 2012/3/25 13:41Profile









 Re:

We have an Easter Egg hunt and we pass out chocolates. To us, it's the sign of spring and colour. I've read up on it's origins came to the conclusion to blend in with the mixed multitude. No sense in angering people over my discoveries, and besides it's not a truth that they need to hear anyway. Real truth is Christ, my do's, don'ts and taboos are not.

It all boils down to conscience. If your conscience bothers you in participating or "blending in" as I put it, then don't, to you it's a sin.

Everything is lawful Paul says, but not everything is profitable. Paul would have joined in with the bunny fest and as his manner would have spoken of the resurrection while gnawing on a chocolate bunny. To Paul, he was not subject to the touch not, taste not, handle not mentality. He was truly free from the law of sin and death, to which this generation of believers (including myself) lacks in understanding and experience.

 2012/3/25 14:30









 Re:

I didn't want to make that post too lengthy but I'd like to share what angered me. We grew up in a supposed Catholic environment. We had to go get ashes smeared on our foreheads for reasons unknown to us as kids and then go get strips of palms before Easter - but come Easter Sunday - we had no idea what we were celebrating. We only thought it was about Easter "baskets". Nothing mentioned about Him Resurrecting.

The same with Christmas. It was Santa Claus day, although in between all of the other decorations, 'somewhere' there was a wee manger scene.

As we speak, my brother and his wife are not eating meat for 40 days of 'lent' but come Easter, as is the custom of my family, the yard and house will not show one sign of it being Resurrection Day - but will be totally loaded with eggs and bunnies galore. Go figure!

Years after I got saved - I heard a Preacher answering questions on TV and one of the questions was, "Should we continue with Santa Claus with our kids?"
The preacher said, "If you lie to them about Santa Claus for Christmas - what will make them believe you some day about JESUS and what Christmas truly means?"
Well, that truly got me going - because I had a new born niece of my closest Brother that was being fed this stuff as 'truth' and yet they made certain that she was baptised as a baby, etc. etc. etc. but not one mention of Jesus at Easter or on Christmas day.

I tried many yrs ago to explain to my Sister-in-law that Santa and the egg-stuff 'takes away from' JESUS or robs 'Him' - the One Whom these days are 'supposed to' be About - but to no avail.


Pretty much every year on SI this topic of these two 'holidays' come up and I posted my solution to this debate above.
Rather than get angry anymore 'at' my family - [eta] I've written how I feel about these two days and how we use those two occasions to point back to Him - within the whole of my OP.

 2012/3/25 15:16
roadsign
Member



Joined: 2005/5/2
Posts: 3777


 Re:

Quote:
not one mention of Jesus at Easter or on Christmas day.


This troubles me too, JIG; and also the use of Jesus’ name on these occasions in such a way that his true identity– as God’s Son, our redeemer is grossly caricatured. I don’t know which troubles me more – no mention of his name or a distorted use of his name. I think it is the later.

….. Meanwhile – I’ll enjoy the chocolate eggs – should some mysteriously find their way to my house.

PS: It's good to be reminded of how infiltrating paganism has been - and still is.

Diane


_________________
Diane

 2012/3/25 16:06Profile









 Re:

Not to make my story any longer, but since I've come to grips with my own view of these days - I'm able to enjoy these two gatherings with my unsaved family.
Diane, I usually bring tulips with a lamb decorating the pot to their home for Easter dinner, as in my own heart, I know what that represents, though they don't - yet.

I'm a snow-freak that has snowmen everywhere right after Thanksgiving because of my love for GOD's creation, snow, that reminds of the 'white' of Heaven, and they see snowmen as something you only put out at Christmas [but I leave them up until the end of February - I love winter]
I told them December is my favorite month but didn't tell them why.

I eat the Easter candy at the table with them and do the gift exchange at Christmas and they haven't any idea by my behavior when with them, of what I feel about the missing Jesus in their homes/hearts. I just pray - "Maybe next year they'll know You, LORD." ... and that was the point of my starting this thread. I truly have seen folks lose the witness for Christ by trying to convince their family or others that these holidays are pagan - even though we know that they are - it's not worth ever losing the witness. The main thing is that they feel and see the love of Jesus coming from us and He's Great enough to supply plenty.

Shalom!




 2012/3/25 16:59
staff
Member



Joined: 2007/2/8
Posts: 2227


 Re:

Hi JIG,good article thank you,
Staff

 2012/3/25 17:33Profile
roadsign
Member



Joined: 2005/5/2
Posts: 3777


 Re:

Quote:
Diane, I usually bring tulips with a lamb decorating the pot to their home for Easter dinner, as in my own heart, I know what that represents, though they don't - yet.



What a lovely gesture, JIG! It shows that you are free to be creative, and there is no need to be in “bondage” to the cultural expectations. And who knows - you might just stir up a little curiosity.

Diane


_________________
Diane

 2012/3/25 21:45Profile









 Re: Here Comes Peter Cottontail, again!

Praise Yahweh, it's very encouraging to see Sermon Index reject these pagan practices. These man made holy days are unholy, idolatary, godworship.

You can't reverence Yahweh and Baal. Sooner or later you'll need to pick one. No you can't participate at all! even if you think it's just for fun. It's godworship period.

Do you not know that to whom you
yield yourselves as servants to obey, his
servants you are whom you obey—whether
of sin, which leads to death, or of
obedience, which leads to Righteousness?
Romans 6:16—

great post

 2012/3/25 23:14









 Re:

Thank you guys. Where I'm from - "you guys" includes the ladies. :)

Hey, SNOWMEN in March (:
Just found a really neat website and so far, she still has her snowmen up.

http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/index.htm


Good home recipes, etc.




 2012/3/26 2:03





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