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Posted by Moderator (The article being critiqued is Copyright © 1998-2001 Timothy A. & Kimberly B. Southall) >Origins of Lent. The word "lent" is of Anglo-Saxon origin meaning No, it originated from the 40-day fast of Christ in the desert at the beginning of His ministry (Matthew 4:1-2). The number 40 (and the time period "forty days") holds great biblical significance; why go searching for a pagan origin when the Biblical origin is the most obvious? Also, the Assyrians believed that Tammuz, a vegetation god, died in the summer, when the intense heat in that area kills off the vegetation. They mourned his death not in the spring, but during June/July; (the month on the Jewish calendar corresponding to June/July is to this day called "Tammuz"). So there is no connection between Lent, which occurs in the spring, and the mourning of Tammuz, which took place during the summer. >Tammuz (the son/husband of the Babylonian idol Ishtar) was killed by Tammuz was never resurrected; see the article "Dying Gods?" at: http://home.nyc.rr.com/mysticalrose/pagan4.html (link at bottom of this post). Speaking of Tammuz, anti-Christian skeptics often claim his death and (supposed) resurrection is "proof" that Christians plagarized Jesus' death and resurrection from paganism. Does that charge sound vaguely familiar? It's the same one hurled against Catholicism by this article, the classic "You stole that from the heathen!" argument. (BTW, the "Dying Gods?" article refutes the "plagarized Jesus" charge.) >Origins of the use of the lily. Asherah (a Sidonian goddess) was Then why didn't the serpent and lion also become Easter symbols? The molten sea in Solomon's Temple was shaped like a lily (2 Chronicles 4:5). Was this copied from Asherah's lily? I doubt it, otherwise God wouldn't have blessed the Temple (5:13-7:16). The lily is a lovely flower, spoken of in Song of Songs 2:1-2. It became an Easter symbol because its whiteness signifies purity. >Origins of wearing new clothing for Easter. The tradition of wearing This is a "chicken-or-the-egg" case: did the practice of wearing new clothes arise from the superstition, or visa versa? I tend to think the practice came first, because the new garments signify the "new beginning" of spring. Anyway, not everyone who buys new Easter clothes believes in that stupid-stition. >Origins of the timing. The timing of the festival of "Eostar" (the In 325 A.D., the Gospel had not yet reached Northern Europe, so Christians had not yet encountered the pagan spring festival in question. The change in the timing of Pascha had nothing to do with trying to win over the pagans. >Who celebrates Easter? Witches, who base their celebrations (including Witches celebrate a pagan spring festival, not the resurrection of Christ. As for the objection to celebrations based on the phases of the moon, the Jewish calendar is primarily lunar. God commanded the Jews to celebrate each new moon as a feast to Him, especially Rosh Hashana. In fact, Passover itself begins fifteen days after the new moon of the month Aviv (Nisan), so it, too, is based on the phases of the moon! >Christians, however, are clearly forbidden from observing this pagan As we have seen, Pascha/Easter is a Christian celebration, not a pagan one. >There is a good reason why the early church never spoke of Easter and Yes, because they called it *Pascha* back then, not Easter! >(The only exception is a mistranslation in the King James version of Again, Pascha/Easter is not a pagan festival. >Honoring Christ. While there isn't anything wrong with spring, nature, No; we are celebrating the resurrection of Our Lord. Christians don't believe in pagan goddesses of spring, so we don't worship them at all. The wedding ring originated in paganism, yet many married Christians wear one; are they all "unknowingly participating in pagan practices"? Numerous other wedding customs are also pagan in origin, as are the use of flowers at funerals, blowing out the candles on a birthday cake, etc. etc. Does God get enraged every time we do these things? No, for we don't do them to honor pagan gods. >Christians who do not yet see anything wrong with such practices In which St. Paul tells the Christians of his time not to partake of meat sacrificed to idols. Easter eggs, hot cross buns and such are not currently offered as sacrifices to heathen gods, so they do not fall under this prohibition. >The intent of most Christians who celebrate "Easter" is actually to Exactly, and that is what they do! God looks at the intent of our hearts; the authors of this article are looking at outward appearances. >Rather than celebrate His resurrection with worldly traditions, there Where does the Bible call this feast "Resurrection Day" or "Resurrection Sunday". It doesn't, so those terms are not "Bible names" and the authors contradict themselves by advocating them! BTW, the word "Sunday" doesn't appear in the Bible anywhere. In fact it means "day of the sun" and is of *pagan* origin, rooted in sun worship. By their own standards, wouldn't they "dishonor God" by calling Pascha "Resurrection SUNDAY"! (Though as I said in the last post, God is not offended by words which originated in paganism, such as "bun", "Easter" and "Sunday", as long as we don't believe in or worship false gods. The mere use of a word does not constitute worship; that is one of the errors made in this article.) >The death, burial and resurrection of Jesus can still be remembered True, and Catholics do this especially on Holy Thursday, to commemorate the Last Supper. But there is no reason to limit the Eucharist to the Paschal season; early Christians "broke bread" every day (Acts 2:46), as Catholics continue to do at daily Mass. >Christians should always remember that the focus of the resurrection Amen! >Surely His sacrifice is enough. No Christian who colors Easter eggs is suggesting Jesus' Sacrifice isn't enough. The authors are reading too much into such practices if they see them as a "slight" against our Savior. >Easter eggs, Easter bunnies, and other pagan activities which add worldliness Unnecessary? Perhaps, but still not wrong. Easter eggs and even the Easter Bunny have taken on Christian significance, and can be used to glorify God. I certainly object to how the world makes them the focus of Easter rather than Christ, but that does not mean they have no place at all in Christian celebration. One can certainly make Our Risen Lord the center and still use colored eggs and such to His glory. >A decision to make. You now have a decision to make concerning Easter. We threw away pagan gods long ago, when our forefathers came to Christ. But I agree that we Christians must always re-commit ourselves to serve Our Lord. >Copyright © 1998-2001 Timothy A. & Kimberly B. Southall In case anyone forgot, I'll leave in the copyright info. :-) In Jesu et Maria, Link: Dying Gods?
on 4/18/2001, 1:12 pm
+JMJ
>"spring." Lent developed from the pagan celebration of weeping,
>fasting, and mourning for 40 days over the death of Tammuz (one day
>for each year of his life).
>a wild boar and then allegedly resurrected. This mourning of Tammuz
>is specifically prophesied by Ezekiel in the Bible and is
>characterized by God Himself as being detestable (Ezekiel 8:13-15).
>frequently represented as a nude woman bestride a lion with a lily
>(symbolizing grace and sex appeal) in one hand and a serpent
>(symbolizing fecundity) in the other.
>new clothing for Easter comes from the superstition that a new garment
>worn at Easter means good luck throughout the year.
>festival of spring) predates the birth of Jesus Christ, and the
>festival was always celebrated in conjunction with pagan idol worship.
>In 325 A.D. it was conveniently linked to the full moon on or following
>the spring or vernal equinox, March 21, when nature is in resurrection
>after winter. This is also when Easter is celebrated in modern times.
>The timing of Jesus' resurrection is linked to the Passover rather than
>to the vernal equinox.
>Halloween) on the phases of the moon, celebrate Easter.
>celebration (Deuteronomy 12:30-31; Luke 4:8; 1 Corinthians 10:20-22;
>Ephesians 5:11).
>why there is absolutely no indication of the observance of the Easter
>festival in the New Testament.
>Acts 12:4, where it gives the word "Easter" instead of the correction
>translation "Passover.") It was not an oversight on God's part; Christians
>simply are not to celebrate Easter, a pagan festival.
>rabbits, eggs, pastries, fires, lilies, or wearing new clothing, doing
>or observing such things only for "Easter" is either knowingly or
>unknowingly participating in pagan practices.
>should prayerfully read and study 1 Corinthians 10:18-11:1.
>remember and honor Jesus Christ.
>are biblical ways for Christians.
>First, we should call biblical things by Bible names. Rather than
>using the name of a false goddess, "Easter," Christians should use
>words which do not dishonor God. Some acceptable terms are "Resurrection
>Day" and "Resurrection Sunday."
>through observance of the Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark
>14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26) and other Christian
>worship.
>is Jesus Christ.
>and traditions of men are unnecessary in our observation of Resurrection Day.
>In the oft-quoted words of Joshua: "Now fear the Lord and serve him
>with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped
>beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the
>Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day
>whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond
>the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.
>But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua
>24:14-15 NIV)
Mystic Rose
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