As a Jew, I have always viewed these arguments objectively. I am somewhat puzzled, however, by the affinity for Easter by Christians. I know that the period of Passover is what prompted Jesus to enter the city of Jerusalem - the seven day period that will live in infamy. So, Passover is the period during which the crucifixion would have occurred. Not Easter, which is celebrated based on the ever changing period of the equinox. Passover and Easter are, in some years, several weeks apart - Why? It is because Easter and the symbols utilized are of Pagan origin:
“Ishtar”, which is pronounced “Easter” was a day that commemorated the resurrection of one of their gods that they called “Tammuz”, who was believed to be the only begotten son of the moon-goddess and the sun-god.
Nimrod became a god-man to the people and Semiramis, his wife and mother, became the powerful Queen of ancient Babylon.
Nimrod was eventually killed by an enemy, and his body was cut in pieces and sent to various parts of his kingdom.
Semiramis had all of the parts gathered, except for one part that could not be found.
That missing part was his reproductive organ. Semiramis claimed that Nimrod could not come back to life without it and told the people of Babylon that Nimrod had ascended to the sun and was now to be called “Baal”, the sun god. Semiramis claimed that she was immaculately conceived.
She taught that the moon was a goddess that went through a 28 day cycle and ovulated when full.
She further claimed that she came down from the moon in a giant moon egg that fell into the Euphrates River.
This was to have happened at the time of the first full moon after the spring equinox.
Semiramis became known as “Ishtar” which is pronounced “Easter”, and her moon egg became known as “Ishtar’s” egg.”
Ishtar soon became pregnant and claimed that it was the rays of the sun-god Baal that caused her to conceive.
The son that she brought forth was named Tammuz.
Tammuz was noted to be especially fond of rabbits, and they became sacred in the ancient religion, because Tammuz was believed to be the son of the sun-god, Baal. Tammuz, like his supposed father, became a hunter.
The day came when Tammuz was killed by a wild pig.
Queen Ishtar told the people that Tammuz was now ascended to his father, Baal, and that the two of them would be with the worshippers in the sacred candle or lamp flame as Father, Son and Spirit.
Ishtar, who was now worshipped as the “Mother of God and Queen of Heaven”, continued to build her mystery religion.
The queen told the worshippers that when Tammuz was killed by the wild pig, some of his blood fell on the stump of an evergreen tree, and the stump grew into a full new tree overnight. This made the evergreen tree sacred by the blood of Tammuz.
She also proclaimed a forty day period of time of sorrow each year prior to the anniversary of the death of Tammuz.
During this time, no meat was to be eaten.
Worshippers were to meditate upon the sacred mysteries of Baal and Tammuz, and to make the sign of the “T” in front of their hearts as they worshipped.
They also ate sacred cakes with the marking of a “T” or cross on the top.
Every year, on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox, a celebration was made.
It was Ishtar’s Sunday and was celebrated with rabbits and eggs.
Ishtar also proclaimed that because Tammuz was killed by a pig, that a pig must be eaten on that Sunday.
Some have wondered why the word “Easter” is in the the King James Bible.
It is because Acts, chapter 12, tells us that it was the evil King Herod, who was planning to celebrate Easter, and not the Christians.
The truth is that the forty days of Lent, eggs, rabbits,hot cross buns and the Easter ham have everything to do with the ancient pagan religion of Mystery Babylon.
I think the push-back is over the constant assault on Christianity due to political-correctness run amok; not so much on any similarities to other religions whether they be literal, figurative, coincidental or direct.
LOL.
The Truth, Way and Life is through Jesus Christ.
He was crucified. “Crucify him”
But he Arose from the dead. The Romans guarded the cave. Yet no body was there. He was seen and touched after he was Resurrected.
Prior tho this the Apostles hid, petrified of being found out and crucified.
But then, suddenly, they evangelized and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They didn’t care about death then, in fact they wished for it as they spread Truth.
What changed?
The Resurrection of The Christ.
That is Easter.
As to Easter itself, its all in the message.
Oh, and jump to:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2709773/posts
for a small bit of its history.
I suggest you read “The Case for the Real Jesus”. Lee Strobel. He has the answers you need
It’s amazing that no matter how much things change they still stay the same. Do you really think the Christians on FR will read what you have written and walk away from a Spring pagan celebration that has been around for five or six thousand years?
It might plant a seed in a few people’s heads who may later change their mind but the truth as you have stated isn’t popular with people. Maybe a separate thread on what you have written should be started asking if Christians should still celebrate it and re-post it every year. I bet it would be a lively debate!
Don’t pass out...Passover!
In the book, “Santa-Tizing” by Robin Main she says that after her Nimrod’s fateful death, Semiramis had to create a scheme so she could retain her exalted position as queen. She began to lie and tell people that Nimrod was willing to die for all mankind. Not only did Nimrod willingly sacrifice his body, but he had come back in the form of her son - Tammuz. Semiramis told the world that Nimrod had been reincarnated as Tammuz through her own immaculate conception experience which sounds just like Mary!
http://books.google.com/books?id=rkR4Is8ycikC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false