Can anyon tell me how we got an “Easter Bunny” incorporated with Easter? What does a rabbit have to do with the resurrection of Christ?
206929
Actually, the Easter Bunny has everything to do with Easter. \n\nEaster is derived from an ancient Germanic name for the month of April, Eostremonat--or rather Eostre Month, in dedication to the goddess Eostre. Eostre, or Ostara was a German goddess of fertility and her return was marked by the coming of spring and the sun. The Ost in her name refers to the East--the rising of the sun. The rebirth of the day and the rebirth of the spring were her specialties, and her celebrations occured during the vernal equinox--the first day of spring. Of course calendar dates have gotten juggled about for quite a few different reasons over time and now April is no longer where it once was on the calendar at what is now March 21st.\n\nThe rabbit was a traditional symbol of the goddess because of its great fertility, and the fact that the coming of spring marked the time when all of the little bunnies were seen starting to be born.\n\nWhen Christianity became the predominant religion it was an easy transition to introduce the rebirth of the Christ figure into the already extant birth and rebirth tradition. Old ways die hard, and the bunny stuck around. \n\nAlthough there are several explanations for the eggs the Easter bunny brings, (other than eggs are another traditional symbol of birth/rebirth) the most likely is that eggs were forbidden during the fast of lent, and were decorated and eaten in abundance to mark the end of the fast.\n\nGerman protestants although breaking with Roman Catholocism liked the egg tradition and kept it. And when German immigrants came to America, they brought with them the traditions of the Osterhase (Easter hare) and his eggs.\n\nInasmuch as Christianity has stolen the ancient goddess' name for their own holiday, it seems only fitting that its original mascot still puts in an appearance each year.
466981
Easter celebrations were held hundreds of years before Christ was born as festivals of spring honoring Eostre, the great mother goddess of the Saxons. This name was fashioned after the ancient word for spring, Eastre. The goddess Ostara was the Norse equivalent whose symbols were the hare and the egg. From this comes our modern tradition of celebrating Easter with eggs and bunnies.\n\nIn the Mediterranean region, there was a pre-Christian spring celebration centered around the vernal equinox (March 20 or 21) that honored Cybele, the Phrygian goddess of fertility. Cybele’s consort, Attis, was considered born of a virgin and was believed to have died and been resurrected three days later. Attis derived his mythology from even earlier gods, Osiris, Dionysus, and Orpheus, who also were supposed to have been born of a virgin and suffered death and resurrection as long as 500 years before Christ was born. The death of Attis was commemorated on a Friday and the resurrection was celebrated three days later on Sunday.\n\nThere are other Easter traditions that are pagan in origin. The Easter sunrise service is derived from the ancient pagan practice of welcoming the sun on the morning of the spring equinox, marking the beginning of spring. What we now call Easter lilies were revered by the ancients as symbols of fertility and representative of the male genitalia. The ancient Babylonian religions had rituals involving dyed eggs as did the ancient Egyptians.\n\nThe Christian version of Easter is celebrated after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Modern day neo-pagans usually have their spring celebrations on the day of the equinox. Either way, these celebrations have gone on every year continuously for over 2500 years.
483473
I know.  I realize that there is some ritual in the ritual of CHRISTmas.  And just as you did in spelling it, some leave Christ out of the picture.  I believe that it is the family and the church's job to teach children that Chirstmas is not about gifts and a tree, and that Easter has nothing to do with some creepy rabbit. (Is it just me or is the Easter Bunny borderline pedophile?)  My parents always taught what the true meaning of Chirstmas was.  I never believed in Santa, the Easter Bunny, or any of that foolishness because my parents told me it was foolishness from jump street. If we do that, then children are capable of seperating the two.
583188
Good questions!\n\nBut do you know how many Christian holidays are based on Pagan holidays?   It was a transition to get people away from Paganism to Christianity.\n\nI've celebrated Halloween all my life.  Some "Christians" are now transitioning it to "Fall Festival" but it's the same thing/same night/same concept:  Dressing up in costumes and asking for Candy.\n\nIf my child threw all our eggs out into the yard on any day except Easter, I'd be mad...but it's a tradition.  If I was pinched any day except for St. Patrick's day, I'd be mad.  \n\nI have no problem with Halloween.  I know what's in my heart.
612673
Alot of people hide easter eggs. my mom and dad used to hide the baskets. My 2 brothers and I would run around looking for our baskets and if we find someone elses we couldn't tell where we found it or the Easter Bunny wouldn't come the following year! It was actually a ton of FUN!
151097
Yep. And Easter is a pagan celebration of spring.
170690
I think that when everything happened with Jesus it was the first thing they thought of and out of the world. Because a bunny doesn't lay eggs so a bunny has to put them in baskets for little kids.
272497
Christmas commemorates the birth of Christ, but He likely was born in the springtime. Dec. 25 was a date that other ancient religious groups had set for their own holiday, and Christians began commemorating Christ's birthday on that date to try to bring those cultures into a dialogue about Christ. As for Easter, it commemorates Christ's resurrection from the dead. Check the links below for more information.
88431
The only person I celebrate is Jesus at Christmas time, and show honor and respect at Easter. More than once I've had people mad at me for not celebrating pagan holidays. Sorry, don't do idols or false gods.
481661
Eggs are a symbol of fertility as is the bunny.  Spring, a time of rebirth for the Christian's and a time of birth for the rest of us.
130622
it did not happen on friday... and there was no pagan holiday of easter..\nstudy passover.. then note he was to raise on the jewish holiday of ''first fruits""...\n\nhe was jewish he did not follow the pagan holidays of the time...
158636
i heard that joke before-its funny- heres another:\nThree blondes died in a car crash trying to jump the Grand Canyon and are at the Pearly Gates of heaven. St. Peter tells them that they can enter the gates if they can answer one\nsimple question. \n\nSt. Peter asks the first blonde, "What is Easter?" The blonde replies, "Oh, that's easy! It's the holiday in November when everyone gets together, eats turkey and is thankful..." \n\n"Wrong!, You must go to HELL" replies St. Peter, and proceeds to ask the second blonde the same question, "What is Easter?" \n\nThe second blonde replies, "Easter is the holiday in December when we put up a nice tree, exchange presents and celebrate the birth of Jesus." St. Peter looks at the second blonde, bangs his head in disgust on the Pearly Gates, tells her she's wrong and to go to HELL, and then peers over his glasses at the third blonde and asks, "What is Easter?" \n\nThe third blonde smiles confidently and looks St. Peter in the eyes, "I know what Easter is." "Oh?" says St. Peter, incredulously.\n\n"Easter is the Christian holiday that coincides with the Jewish celebration of Passover. Jesus and his disciples were eating at the last supper and Jesus was later deceived and turned over to the Romans by one of his disciples. The Romans took him to be crucified and he was stabbed in the side, made to wear a crown of thorns, and was hung on a cross with nails through his hands. He was buried in a nearby cave which was sealed off by a large boulder." \n\nSt. Peter smiles broadly with delight. The third blonde continues, "Every year the boulder is moved aside so that Jesus can come out... and, if he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter."
35815
Almost all of the Christian Holidays are on top of Pagan Holidays. Easter is on top of Ostera. Bunnies and eggs are pagan symbols of spring and fertility. \n\nHallowe'en is a Pagan holiday, but most people don't know where the holiday origins are from. Pagans call the day Samhain. The old God dies on this day, and the Goddess mourns him until his rebirth at Yule (Christmas - Winter Solstice). The Catholic Church created All Saint's Day (November 1) as a holy day to recognize all the Catholic saints. But it wasn't a powerful enough idea to wipe out the traditional Hallowe'en celebrattions. Ironically, many Christians don't approve of the celebration of Halloween because of its Pagan origins, not realizing that almost all of the holidays they observe had Pagan beginnings.\n\nChristmas is on the Winter Solstice. Even non-Pagans use the term "Yule" around the Christmas holidays. Yule is celebrated on the Winter Solstice (December 22nd), on the shortest day of the year. Since the days get longer from this point in the year, Yule is a celebration of the returning sun and the rebirth of the Pagan God who died at Hallowe'en. As with Easter, the Christian story of the birth of Jesus fits nicely with the Pagan mythology of a "God" reborn. Traditions such as wreaths and Yule logs are remnants of the original beliefs. Gifts were exchanged at Yule long before the Wise Men offered their gifts to the baby Jesus.\n\nGroundhogs Day, although not specifically a Christian holiday, is on the day of the Pagan Holiday called Candlemas (or Imbolc) that is celebrated on February 2nd. Because spring is just starting to show itself at this time of year, there were various superstitions about predicting the weather, and how long it would be until the end of winter. The original idea was to watch for a hedgehog, but as people immigrated to North America, the tradition changed to a ground hog, since we didn't have hedgehogs here.\n\nThe reasons Christian holidays are celebrated on the Pagan holidays is because in the early era of the Christian Church in Europe they were having trouble getting the peasants and simple folk to accept the Christian faith, so they placed the Christian Holidays at the same time as the Pagan Celebrations for that everyone would be happy. By blending the two together it was easier to convert the people to Christianity.
164540
Traditionally, no matter the country, it is Easter Sunday.  The bunny is supposed to come on Sat night and the kids wake up to Easter Eggs and baskets on Sunday.
137956
Grace unto you, and peace,\nfrom God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.\n\nSeven last utterances:\nhttp://www.godshew.org/Easter.htm#Utterances\nhttp://www.godshew.org/Easter1.htm\n\nSuch seven are a Menorah Seven:\nhttp://www.godshew.org/Sevens3.htm\n\nMenorah sevens have two things in midst,\nsuch as "My God, my God" as saying two Gods,\nfrom plural Psalms makes one feel "forsaken".\n\nWhich things are an "allegory".\n\nThe "grace" of our Lord Jesus Christ with you all. Amen.
629559
Man, I understand where your coming from.  I've studied other religions and looked into this Jesus and I've asked the same question and many more.  Jesus is special for a number of reasons.  Yes, there were many people who crucified as saviors before and after Jesus.  We still get people popping up claiming divinity.  The real question isn't so much as is Jesus the savior because he got a few books written about him, its why were there books written about him in the first place.  The most basic point anyone can show you is this...its not that Jesus died, its that he rose after his death.  And there is more evidence that he did actually rise 3 days later and not just Biblical evidence.  First off, the fact that the Roman leaders and armies wanted him gone, because it was the time of Pass Over which is the celebration of Jews getting out of Egypt, and at this time of year, the Jewish community gets a little out of hand, for the are now under the Roman rule.  So when Jesus comes in, and he's claiming to be their savior...the crowd thinks he's going to be a king and run the Romans out.  So, if Jesus didn't rise again, why did the Romans say nothing?  Why did the Jewish Pharaseas (please excuse my spelling) who pushed to have him killed, not stand up and say..."he's still dead!"?  What was it that gave Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John the confedance to step out of their hidding, for fear they were going to be crucified, and boldly speak of a living God, Jesus...and welcome their death?  These questions may seem weak, but if you really think about them and look at the history and try to get in the minds of all these people...only one thing makes since...Jesus is not dead...he rose, becoming a savior that no one expected, but a savior from ourselves.  Thats why Jesus is special, the others were saviors...they were fanatics.  There are a lot of other reasons why Jesus is special, but I honestly have the feeling that if this thought doesn't at least make you rethink the history, then anything else I say, will truly be pointless.
116350
Hello Monkeymini24.. :)\n\nMatthew 22\n\nThe Question about the Resurrection \n\n23  ¶ The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,\n \n24  saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.  \n \n25  Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:\n \n26  likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.\n \n27  And last of all the woman died also.\n \n28  Therefore in the resurrection, whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.\n \n29  ¶ Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.\n \n30  For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.\n \n31  But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,\n \n32  I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.\n \n33  And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.\n\n============================================================\n\nAbove is your answer.. :)\n\nIn Jesus Most Precious Name..\nWith Love..In Christ..