Well At Least They Can't Make War On Easter Can They

[Solomon]

Nothing "christian" at all about the name "easter". In fact, that one still uses a pagan name instead of something to do with christ. Can't make an issue out of this one.

Was it taking the christ out of easter for the candy companies to start making and selling chocolate easter bunnies to celebrate the death and re-birth of christ?

Most people are confused about the origin of christmas. But not so with easter. One can clearly see the influence of the prior pagan holiday with respect to easter. You can't take the christ out of easter because it was there before he was.

[LittleClarkie]

1. I always point out to those who want to rail against Halloween

that Easter and Xmas both have pagan origins too. But they don't want to rail on those. So they war against one holiday, and yell at us for warring on another.

We all need more fiber, that's what I think.

[izzie]

2. Must be something wrong with a bunny and eggs.

How did all that get started?

[NNadir]

3. Christmas was originally to replace the Roman Saturnian solstice festival

The conversion of the Romans to Christianity would have been far more problematic were it necessary to eliminate a popular holiday. The holiday, like the Empire, was Christianized and displaced several days away to make the substitution less obvious.

[joefree1]

4. Oh we can confuse the Borg-agains about Christmas

Pagans in the past did not cut down evergreen trees, bring them into their homes and decorate them. That would have been far too destructive of nature. But during the Roman celebration of the feast of Saturnalia, Pagans did decorate their houses with clippings of evergreen shrubs. They also decorated living trees with bits of metal and replicas of their God, Bacchus. Tertullian (circa 160 - 230), an early Christian leader and a prolific writer, complained that too many fellow-Christians had copied the Pagan practice of adorning their houses with lamps and with wreathes of laurel at Christmas time. 8,9,10,11

The English Puritans condemned a number of customs associated with Christmas, such as the use of the Yule log, holly, mistletoe, etc. Oliver Cromwell preached against "the heathen traditions" of Christmas carols, decorated trees and any joyful expression that desecrated "that sacred event." 2,4

In America, the Pilgrim's second governor, William Bradford, a Puritan, tried hard to stamp out all "pagan mockery" at Christmas time. 4 Christmas trees were not used by Puritans in colonial times. However, if they were, they would certainly have been forbidden.

In 1851, Pastor Henry Schwan of Cleveland OH appears to have been the person responsible for decorating the first Christmas tree in an American church. His parishioners condemned the idea as a Pagan practice; some even threatened the pastor with harm. But objections soon dissipated.

More ...
http://www.religioustolerance.org/xmas_tree.htm

I think the Borg-agains have gone a bridge too far if people start to scratch the thin Christmas and Easter wrappings and discover the Pagan holidays underneath.
Merry Yule and Happy Solstice!

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PaganWarrior/

[Solomon]

6. Good post. Thanks.

[Cleita]

5. Are you kidding!

Forget the Easter bunnies, eggs and the name. Easter is the biggest Christian holiday of them all, the Resurrection. Without the Resurrection, Christ has no claim to divinity. Think about that one again. Christmas is only a small holiday really compared to Easter.

It's Easter that gives the Christians a sort of legitimacy.

[Solomon]

7. I thought the same thing Cleita. Easter should be much bigger than

christmas. Ironic isn't it.