Origins of Easter

I came across the link to this page while I was checking in on another forum this morning. It seemed a good reminder of how many different perspectives there are out there, and how important it is to be aware of other worldviews.

I'm afraid we too DT's last thread completely off track, getting caught up in a discussion that wasn't related to the valid point he was making.

Sorry about my part in that, DT

We cannot take ancient texts at face value, trying to read them with a different eye from the one they were written for originally.

Just me.

Quote :

The name "Easter" originated with the names of an ancient Goddess and God. The Venerable Bede,
(672-735 CE.) a Christian scholar, first asserted in his book De Ratione Temporum that Easter
was named after Eostre (a.k.a. Eastre). She was the Great Mother Goddess of the Saxon people in Northern Europe. Similarly,
the "Teutonic dawn goddess of fertility [was] known variously as Ostare, Ostara, Ostern, Eostra, Eostre, Eostur,
Eastra, Eastur, Austron and Ausos." ₁ Her name was derived from the ancient word for spring:
"eastre."

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

Ann

My understanding is that the followers of Jesus Christ adopted existing holiday celebration dates for their own dates to make it easier for converts to be comfortable with the new celebrations. I don't have any documentation to support that theory.

dkchristi wrote:

My understanding is that the followers of Jesus Christ adopted existing holiday celebration dates for their own dates to make it easier for converts to be comfortable with the new celebrations. I don't have any documentation to support that theory.

That's my understanding, too, DK.

Some of it goes as far back as Paul. His ministry was about taking the
story to the pagan world, so, in order to convert, he encouraged the
acceptance of many of the older traditions.

Ann

Easter is one of my favorite pagan holidays ... right after Christmas and, er ... Halloween. LOL!

Yeah, the Christians "appropriated" pagan traditions into this Christian holiday, too.

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/176858/Easter

That's one of the many reasons I take it with a grain of sand when self-proclaimed Christians who set themselves above other spiritual people proclaim they have the literal truth in their Bible etc. etc. Every spiritual faith is a part of the human thought process and shaped by the people and the times in which the beliefs become common enough for a group of followers and a religion to be born.

Don't get me wrong. I say The Lord's Prayer as loud as the next person when I am helpless and hopeless - I pray with all my being that a higher power, a Creator, a divine being who has a plan and understanding beyond my comprehension, will intervene on my behalf or give me the strength to cope. I am glad for every hour of catechism in the Catholic and Lutheran churches because they gave me words of strength and hope on which to fall back.

On the other hand, divine inspiration is often accompanied by human experiences that shape a religious belief.

Well said, DK.

Ann

I do not know. I do not need the hoopla or someone else telling me how or what.. I get up every day just glad to be alive. I have no message to impart to anyone and I do not think I need instruction or persuasion. Everyone has their own brain. Let them think with it.

Love,
Betty

Betty Fasig wrote:

I do not know. I do not need the hoopla or someone else telling me how or what.. I get up every day just glad to be alive. I have no message to impart to anyone and I do not think I need instruction or persuasion. Everyone has their own brain. Let them think with it.

Love,
Betty

And your brain does some of the most delightful thinking around.

Ann

It is restful not to have to make everyone agree with me.
Differences make us unique.

4/26/2011

All I know is I believe in God, I stopped following the
Catholic church when I was 18......To me you can pray
and talk to God anywhere , any time.....


Cheers...Joe

Joe,

I am so happy for you. You are very wise.