The origin of Easter, a holiday associated with the observance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is actually based on an ancient pagan celebration. Christians recognize this day as commemorating the culminating event of their faith, but like so many other “Christian” holidays, Easter has become commercialized and mixed with non-christian traditions like the Easter Bunny, Easter parades and hunting for Easter eggs. How did this happen?
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.”
For Christians, the origin of Easter is simply the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ about 2,000 years ago. According to the Gospel accounts, Jesus Christ, the true Messiah promised in the Old Testament, was crucified and resurrected at the time of the Jewish Passover. Since that awesome event took place, those who believe Christ is their Messiah have honored that day and often celebrated it with the traditional Passover. As the Gospel of Christ spread throughout non-jewish nations, among people who did not have a history of celebrating the Passover, the pagan rites of Easter gradually became assimilated into what the Christian church called “Resurrection Day.” Compromising the commandments of God with the comfort of the world is as old as the nation of Israel itself. Actually, American history teaches us that Easter was dismissed as a pagan holiday by the nation’s founding Puritans and did not begin to be widely observed until just after the Civil War
Very interesting,
The setting of the date for Easter is ‘The first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox’ – Where did this definition come from I wonder
Not sure good point
Whenever a sun god gets involved the dates of celebration follow astronomical events. See http://www.infoplease.com/spot/movablefeasts1.html for some explanation. Astronomical events are also why Christmas is on Dec 25th.
If you made up your own celebration and decided that it would be on the first Saturday of the 6th month of your calendar year, it would be quite confusing to people that did not use your calendar. This is basically what happened with Easter. I think the world is finished arguing about which calendar is the best but not everyone uses the same calendar. Everything associated as a spot on the Jewish calendar will be confusing to anyone using the Gregorian calendar.
Calendars are interesting. How they came to be, who decided what they should be, days that were simply stricken from the calendar, how we get leap days and so on.
Not very ‘Christian’ is it…
no 🙂 Its pagan so should be given back to them
No, no it’s not. It never was 🙂 I find it far more truthful to honor a deity on the solstices who is meant to be honored that day if you must have some tradition. Some of the pagan traditions and rituals have meditative qualities and done in that light I think they are perhaps good for a person. Of course, you need not use such traditions and rituals to gain the same benefits. I know that some people like such traditions and as they go, the pagan ones are not so bad when done light heartedly.
Regardless people that claim Christianity need to as well not celebrate in things and just call them what they want.We cant change something that is already something.Foolish people chase after something and name it what they will.What a shame and makes the Christian community look bad cause we compromise too much and then it compromises our Faith and then we are not Salt to the earth slowly but surely …….Stop Christianizing everything …………………Sola Scriptura