The Easter Egg Goddess + Jesus

[SpiritWriter]

I know most of us know these things but since Easter is tomorrow I thought I'd bring it up again. Christian holidays are combinations of Christianity and Paganism. A lot of people get upset by this but I think it is a testiment that somewhere at some time people were living in acceptance of each other and celebrating with each other.. as well as the fact that the symbology behind thier celebrations were connected, symbolic and very important. Some people don't celebrate holidays because they are mad at the ambiguation/disolvement/combining of histories, some because they aren't religious per se, some don't concern themselves with the meaning at all and just like to eat and see family and friends.

Me? I love the resurrection story and its deep meaning for myself and mankind. The goddess Eostre? She's cool with me too. I love spring, I love fertility, I love the idea of new life. I see the relativity of Spring and Jesus' resurrection. Do you?

What are your thoughts Easter? How and why do you celebrate it if at all? Does the pagan/christian combination bother you at all?

Edited March 30, 2013 by SpiritWriter

[Q-C]

Imo, the browns and white and silence of winter are replaced with bright green and other colors and the sounds of life. That first crocus peeks out, even through snow! Robins singing outside my window, birds gathering nesting material for their EGGS to start a new generation, etc.

Spring is a rejuvenating season, for me: cleaning out, beach vacations, open windows. But not spiritual or religious, per say. Not pagan or Christian or Wiccan or whatever. It's about new life and that is for anyone and everyone. How can anyone lay a chokehold claim to a season? Nature? An egg? New life?

We all live in it, we can certainly all share it without fussing over who started spring and who we should worship or credit for it: A god or goddess or chemistry!!!

Just enjoy!

Imo, Easter is just fun because it involves chocolate....and ham...and pretty clothes...and family and wide-eyed kids... :yes:

(spring is a bit different now, living in warm climate for a snow bunny though)

Edited March 30, 2013 by QuiteContrary

[+Paranoid Android]

In this kind of discussion it is important to separate the traditions from the theology. In terms of tradition, I absolutely a totally agree with you. Worship of Ishtar/Oestre (whatever you want to call her) was common among pagans, and thus when Christianity was expanding attempted to assimilate these traditions in order to appeal to a wider audience (the obvious intention being to allow pagans to worship as they have always done, but now simply do it to the Christian God instead). This is not disputed as an historical fact. The eggs and bunnies remain to this day symbols of fertility, not unsurprising for worship of a fertility goddess.

However, these are just the traditions. The theology behind the resurrection is much different. If anything, the texts of the Bible tend to draw more on the Jewish festivals here than anything pagan. In particular the Jewish Passover. It took place roughly the same time as the Spring Equinox and worship of fertility goddesses, and Jesus is often compared to the Passover Lamb. So if it can ever be said that Christianity "borrowed" theology, that would be the source. Pagan borrowing was simply a publicity stunt by the early church to try and gain converts. Sure, I think it is wrong (and for that reason, as a matter of principle I boycott church on Easter Sunday and Good Friday) but it's just the traditions and rituals. The theology of it does not come from pagan sources at all, and I think that is worth noting in any discussion of this kind (for obviously, if the distinction is not made, questions automatically beg asking that if ritual/tradition was borrowed, what else may have been borrowed?).

Just a few thoughts for consideration

~ Regards,

[Jor-el]

I know most of us know these things but since Easter is tomorrow I thought I'd bring it up again. Christian holidays are combinations of Christianity and Paganism. A lot of people get upset by this but I think it is a testiment that somewhere at some time people were living in acceptance of each other and celebrating with each other.. as well as the fact that the symbology behind thier celebrations were connected, symbolic and very important. Some people don't celebrate holidays because they are mad at the ambiguation/disolvement/combining of histories, some because they aren't religious per se, some don't concern themselves with the meaning at all and just like to eat and see family and friends.

Me? I love the resurrection story and its deep meaning for myself and mankind. The goddess Eostre? She's cool with me too. I love spring, I love fertility, I love the idea of new life. I see the relativity of Spring and Jesus' resurrection. Do you?

What are your thoughts Easter? How and why do you celebrate it if at all? Does the pagan/christian combination bother you at all?

While I have no real problem celebrating Easter, I realize that what we are celebrating is not Easter at all, but the Passover. Gentile christianity mixed the two up long ago and thus while today Easter is on a different date from passover, the spirit of the celebration is ultimately the same.

Personally I would love for christianity to return to its biblical roots instead of the mix we have today, but I suppose that is not a practical thing to accomplish.

Edited March 30, 2013 by Jor-el

[Professor Buzzkill]

While I have no real problem celebrating Easter, I realize that what we are celebrating is not Easter at all, but the Passover. Gentile christianity mixed the two up long ago and thus while today Easter is on a different date from passover, the spirit of the celebration is ultimately the same.

Personally I would love for christianity to return to its biblical roots instead of the mix we have today, but I suppose that is not a practical thing to accomplish.

Its 7am here on easter sunday and my kids are searching for chocolate eggs and bunnies. It seems to me that jesus and pass over have been forgotten, but not the goddess Easter.

[Coffey]

Imo, the browns and white and silence of winter are replaced with bright green and other colors and the sounds of life. That first crocus peeks out, even through snow! Robins singing outside my window, birds gathering nesting material for their EGGS to start a new generation, etc.

Spring is a rejuvenating season, for me: cleaning out, beach vacations, open windows. But not spiritual or religious, per say. Not pagan or Christian or Wiccan or whatever. It's about new life and that is for anyone and everyone. How can anyone lay a chokehold claim to a season? Nature? An egg? New life?

We all live in it, we can certainly all share it without fussing over who started spring and who we should worship or credit for it: A god or goddess or chemistry!!!

Just enjoy!

Imo, Easter is just fun because it involves chocolate....and ham...and pretty clothes...and family and wide-eyed kids... :yes:

(spring is a bit different now, living in warm climate for a snow bunny though)

You just described it how most Wiccan/Pagan people look at it.

[Moon Gazer]

Well as I am Pagan I celebrated Ostara back on the Spring Equinox, pretty much the same way that people will be celebrating Easter this weekend. The kids decorated eggs (in Angry Bird theme this year lol) and made Hare ears. I have my own rituals and ways of honouring the Goddess that doesn't involve my kids.

I love hearing about others traditions and beliefs. At the end of the day, all we have is the faith that we are on the right path, just faith..... no one knows for sure. I have lots of Christian friends who will be celebrating Easter this weekend and it doesn't matter where their beliefs stem from as I think religion is quite a personal thing and I would never question anyone about theirs or try and get "one up" on what came first etc.

[Jor-el]

Its 7am here on easter sunday and my kids are searching for chocolate eggs and bunnies. It seems to me that jesus and pass over have been forgotten, but not the goddess Easter.

A sweet tooth is a good excuse to forget everything... When they reach for those chocolate eggs, are they giving actual thanks to Ishtar or are they thinking of that sweet tooth?

[Q-C]

You just described it how most Wiccan/Pagan people look at it.

Sorry, I just can't agree when I hear a "most" statement. I hear about The History and see possessiveness from pagans too.

For some spring is a natural thing. For others it has religious significance. Others it has spiritual meaning and others supernatural qualities.

Imo, There is room for all, until spring ends and the planet ends up in a perpetual winter. Then whose will it be?

[Coffey]

Sorry, I just can't agree when I hear a "most" statement. I hear about The History and see possessiveness from pagans too.

For some spring is a natural thing. For others it has religious significance. Others it has spiritual meaning and others supernatural qualities.

Imo, There is room for all, until spring ends and the planet ends up in a perpetual winter. Then whose will it be?

They aren't proper pagans then. lol

Spring/Easter is natures. We are part of nature. (well we are supposed to be lol) Nobody owns it and nay true Pagan/Wiccan will tell you that. You get a lot of fake Pagan/Wiccans who are very up themselves. Usually they watched charmed or Buffy the vampire slayer and it's a style thing for them.

[Q-C]

They aren't proper pagans then. lol

Spring/Easter is natures. We are part of nature. (well we are supposed to be lol) Nobody owns it and nay true Pagan/Wiccan will tell you that. You get a lot of fake Pagan/Wiccans who are very up themselves. Usually they watched charmed or Buffy the vampire slayer and it's a style thing for them.

Okay. I just mean why is it about telling someone else what a spring holiday does or does not mean? Defining it for someone else. Attempting to limit it by definition just in case the others weren't paying attention. All sides seem pretty good at that, no sharing or tolerance there.

"I just thought you should know...."

Edited March 30, 2013 by QuiteContrary

[Coffey]

Okay. I just mean why is it about telling someone else what a spring holiday does or does not mean? Defining it for someone else. Attempting to limit it by definition just in case the others weren't paying attention. All sides seem pretty good at that, no sharing or tolerance there.

"I just thought you should know...."

Well from my experience only the fake pagans/Wiccans do that. A true one will tell you it's what you feel it is. Only historically was it a Pagan holiday first, but that's just fact.

[SpiritWriter]

I like charmed....

Passover I believe should also be celebrated by christians in is an observance quite different than easter though. They are observing the Passover, when god spared the isrealites from the plague of death of the first born and delivered them from 425 years of slavery by the hands of the egyptians. I see the relativity to Jesus and the Lamb of course, just as I can see relativity between spring and reserrection.. but indeed they are all seperate things. I celebrated passover this year maybe next year I will celebrate, passover, spring equinox, and easter....

If that is the case Easter shouldnt really be called Easter.. we can still celebrate but try to know these things true meanings and tell our kids when we become aware... if we dont like the meaning perhaps we can call it a different name and not participate in certain aspects of it or embrace them as well. I can easily embrace them because I dont see any of it as bad, and all of it as good... but I will consider not calling Easter, easter anymore, because thats not really what it is... unless I also give tribute to eostre which to this date I have not. Maybe tomorrow I will give her a flower and an egg? What little I read about her this morning she is fertility and spring god and in association with all the other numerous goddesses that are sometimes seen as the mother god or devine feminine.

I wonder if Jesus and Eostre kick it in heaven on thier special day they share together... I wonder if there is an actual entity of Eostre... I do believe in Jesus and think there are other entities, but it is all a great mystery to me. I am not ashamed not to know in full or be confused about the whole thing. And I will have fun and reverence the source today and tomorrow on Easter.

One God

One Love

Unity

Peace

[Ashotep]

To me March 31 is too early for Easter. It use to be around April 8 so I ashamed to admit it but I didn't ever realize it was tomorrow until a couple of days ago. I use to go to church on Easter and watch the play but now I just look forward till the day after so I can get candy for half price.

[Coffey]

I didn't mean anything bad about watching Charmed or Buffy by the way. I watched them both. lol I meant you get people who jsut become Pagan or mostly Wiccan because thye think it's "cool" and not because they actually believe/feel it properly.

[Q-C]

Well from my experience only the fake pagans/Wiccans do that. A true one will tell you it's what you feel it is. Only historically was it a Pagan holiday first, but that's just fact.

Okay, I can't tell a real pagan from a fake one, same with religious people, especially via the Net.

Many many things evolve and change or get rewrapped or relabeled or whatever.

I guess I struggle with how a celebration of spring and new life (eggs, butterflies, rabbits) which would have been obvious to all ancient humans has to have a "start" and specific "tradition" and "source".

For me, no one owns claim to what spring did in the hearts of humans a long time ago (pagan) or even now (religious).

[Q-C]

For me, no one owns claim to what spring did in the hearts of humans a long time ago (pagan) or even now (religious).

wanted to rephrase that

For me, no one owns claim to what spring did in the hearts of humans (however labeled) a long time ago or even modern humans (however labeled) now.

[Grandpa Greenman]

Ostara, is the equinox. March 21, 22. I did a Full this week and called it the Worm Moon. The Celts called this the Wind Moon.

http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/ostarathespringequinox/p/Ostara_History.htm

Many peoples celebrated it for many different Gods and Godesses, mostly it is a marking of time for planting.