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What is Easter Sunday? What does Easter have to do with Jesus' resurrection? Shouldn't Easter be called Resurrection Sunday?

Suggested answer:

The origins of Easter are obscure. It is often assumed that the name Easter comes from a pagan figure called Eastre (or Eostre) who was celebrated as the goddess of spring by the Saxons of Northern Europe. According to the theory, Eastre was the "goddess of the east (from where the sun rises)," her symbol was the hare (a symbol of fertility), and a festival called Eastre was held during the spring equinox by the Saxons to honour her. This theory on the origin of Easter is highly problematic, however.

The major problem with associating the origin of Easter with the pagan goddess Eastre/Eostre is that we have no hard evidence that such a goddess was ever worshipped by anyone, anywhere. The only mention of Eastre comes from a passing reference in the writings of the Venerable Bede, an eighth-century monk and historian. Bede wrote, "Eosturmononath has a name which is now translated as 'Paschal month,' and which was once called after a goddess of theirs named Eostre, in whose honour feasts were celebrated in that month. Now they designate the Paschal season by her name, calling the joys of the new rite by the time-honoured name of the old observance" (De Temporum Ratione). And that's it. Eostre is not mentioned in any other ancient writing; we have found no shrines, no altars, nothing to document the worship of Eastre. It is possible that Bede simply extrapolated the name of the goddess from the name of the month.

In the nineteenth century, the German folklorist Jakob Grimm researched the origins of the German name for Easter, Ostern, which in Old High German was Ostarâ. Both words are related to the German word for "east," ost. Grimm, while admitting that he could find no solid link between Easter and pagan celebrations, made the assumption that Ostara was probably the name of a German goddess. Like Eastre, the goddess Ostara was based entirely on supposition and conjecture; before Grimm's Deustche Mythologie (1835), there was no mention of the goddess in any writings.

So, while the word Easter most likely comes from an old word for "east" or the name of a springtime month, we don't have much evidence that suggests anything more. Assertions that Easter is pagan or that Christians have appropriated a goddess-holiday are untenable. Today, however, it seems that Easter might as well have pagan origins, since it has been almost completely commercialized—the world's focus is on Easter eggs, Easter candy, and the Easter bunny.

Christians celebrate Easter as the resurrection of Christ on the third day after His crucifixion. It is the oldest Christian holiday and the most important day of the church year because of the significance of the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the events upon which Christianity is based (1 Corinthians 15:14). In some Christian traditions, Easter Sunday is preceded by the season of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and repentance culminating in Holy Week and followed by a 50-day Easter season that stretches from Easter to Pentecost.

Because of the commercialization and possible pagan origins of Easter, many churches prefer to call it "Resurrection Sunday." The rationale is that, the more we focus on Christ and His work on our behalf, the better. Paul says that without the resurrection of Christ our faith is futile (1 Corinthians 15:17). What more wonderful reason could we have to celebrate! Whether we call it "Easter" or "Resurrection Sunday," what is important is the reason for our celebration, which is that Christ is alive, making it possible for us to have eternal life (Romans 6:4)!

Should we celebrate Easter or allow our children to go on Easter egg hunts? This is a question both parents and church leaders struggle with. Ultimately, it comes down to a matter of conscience (Romans 14:5). There is nothing essentially evil about painting and hiding eggs and having children search for them. What is important is our focus. If our focus is on Christ, our children can be taught to understand that the eggs are just a fun game. Children should know the true meaning of the day, and parents and the church have a responsibility to teach the true meaning. In the end, participation in Easter egg hunts and other secular traditions must be left up to the discretion of parents.

http://www.gotquestions.org/easter-origins.html

Today in England the clock moved an hour forward,indicating Summer. Today we march into Summer and Easter is the celebration. The Sun has risen again for a good Summer, and it will be celebrated again next year. Jesus is an allegory created to explain it better to a lame mind.

ifenes:
Today in England the clock moved an hour forward,indicating Summer. Today we march into Summer and Easter is the celebration. The Sun has risen again for a good Summer, and it will be celebrated again next year. Jesus is an allegory created to explain it better to a lame mind.

Fall backwards and Spring forward. Sorry to announce that the funeral has been cancelled because Jesus is risen! Happy Resurrection Sunday!

OLAADEGBU:
Fall backwards and Spring forward. Sorry to announce that the funeral has been cancelled because Jesus is risen! Happy Resurrection Sunday!

I agree with you,the Sun has risen again. The light of the world has come to save us from the bloody Winter.

ifenes:
I agree with you,the Sun has risen again. The light of the world has come to save us from the bloody Winter.

Even through the storm, the Son still shines!

OLAADEGBU:
Even through the storm, the Son still shines!

You know deep down in you only the Sun shines

ifenes:
You know deep down in you only the Sun shines

I know deep down in me that my world revolves around the Son!

OLAADEGBU:
I know deep down in me that my world revolves around the Son!

How?

ifenes:
How?

So you don't know that the world revolves around the Son?

"In Him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not"

(John 1:4-5)

OLAADEGBU:
So you don't know that the world revolves around the Son?

(John 1:4-5)

You mean the planets evolve round the Sun? Yes I know that. Even the Zodiac signs do too. The Sun is the light of the zodiac signs also.

ifenes:
You mean the planets evolve round the Sun? Yes I know that. Even the Zodiac signs do too. The Sun is the light of the zodiac signs also.

This Son may prevent burning, if you move closer to Him.

"Then spoke Jesus again to them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life"

(John 8:12).

OLAADEGBU:
This Son may prevent burning, if you move closer to Him.

(John 8:12).

The Sun will burn anything that moves too close to it don't be ridiculous. But due to the natural cold nature of Planet Earth,the Sun serves as a heater to balance the temperature. Somewhat a savior of the planet from Ice

ifenes:
The Sun will burn anything that moves too close to it don't be ridiculous. But due to the natural cold nature of Planet Earth,the Sun serves as a heater to balance the temperature. Somewhat a savior of the planet from Ice

Surely our God is a consuming fire but the Son may prevent you from burning if you accept Him as your Saviour and Lord.

Let me break it down for you to understand. If you were to place a dried out leaf into the presence of fire you will realise that the fire would immediately consume the dried leaf in seconds if not minutes. Don't blame the fire because it is only behaving according to its nature. Even if the fire didn't want to devour the leaf it still wouldn't have mattered, it will still consume it because their natures are diametrically opposed one to another.

In the same way, God by His nature, is a consuming fire. He must consume anything and everything that opposes His nature. So when you put on the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son, it is only then that He will prevent you from burning otherwise you will be consumed by the ever burning holiness of the King of Kings.

OLAADEGBU:
Surely our God is a consuming fire but the Son may prevent you from burning if you accept Him as your Saviour and Lord.

Let me break it down for you to understand. If you were to place a dried out leaf into the presence of fire you will realise that the fire would immediately consume the dried leaf in seconds if not minutes. Don't blame the fire because it is only behaving according to its nature. Even if the fire didn't want to devour the leaf it still wouldn't have mattered, it will still consume it because their natures are diametrically opposed one to another.

In the same way, God by His nature, is a consuming fire. He must consume anything and everything that opposes His nature. So when you put on the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son, it is only then that He will prevent you from burning otherwise you will be consumed by the ever burning holiness of the King of Kings.

Sure the Sun is a consuming fire. You are correct. Nothing can stop the Sun from burning you to ashes.

ifenes:
Today in England the clock moved an hour forward,indicating Summer. Today we march into Summer and Easter is the celebration. The Sun has risen again for a good Summer, and it will be celebrated again next year. Jesus is an allegory created to explain it better to a lame mind.

So you believe and interact with demons in your occultic endeavours but just can't stand hearing the name of Christ mentioned. You are a joke.

ifenes:
Sure the Sun is a consuming fire. You are correct. Nothing can stop the Sun from burning you to ashes.

"For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly"

(Psalm 84:11).

Our God provides protection from all evil and danger for all who walk uprightly but for those who walk without this shield you are on your own.

"And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light" (Matthew 17:1-2)