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| Athanati's "Radical" Easter Page ~Celebrated on April 12, 2009~ |
| As we continue, lets isten to the music of "He Lives" |
| Easter isn't about bunnies and chicks and eggs. It's about the greatest gift of love ever shown to mankind - the gift of salvation, so rich and free, but not cheap!� It's a celebration of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God's son. "For God so loved the world that he sent his only Son, (to die on the cross), that whosoever� (that's you and me!) believes in Him may never perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) Did you know that we deserve to die? The Bible says that we are all sinners (Romans 3:23) and the penalty for sin is death (Romans 6:23).� That doesn't sound like anything to celebrate, does it?� You are right - that's the bad news! When Jesus died on the cross He took our sins upon Himself so that we might be forgiven of them. (1 Corinthians 15:3) Then he was burried in a tomb.� When God raised Him three days later, He won the victory over death!� (Romans 6:9) It is because of his death and resurrection that we too can have eternal life! And do you know what? We don't have to do anything to earn this eternal life - salvation - because it is a free gift. (Ephesians 2: 8-9) All we have to do is accept it.� (Romans 10:9) There's more good news! The gift of salvation isn't just so we can have eternal life (i.e., after our bodies die), but Jesus came so that we can have awesome and full life with Him here on earth (John 10:10)� You see, the cross is about change -- you go to it with all your burdens, troubles, hurts and pain, anger, sins, all the baggage you've been hauling around.� Then, you can dump it all down and give it to Jesus and He will change your life for the better! It doesn't mean you won't have problems ever again, but won't be facing them alone -- He will be right there with you, strengthening and guiding you through them all. I know the joy of having a personal relationship with Jesus and it is my prayer that you will too! Easter is not simply a national or world holiday.� It is a deeply personal event for every Christian.� Being a "Christian" is not about just going to church or trying to live a good life.� These are certainly worthy endeavors, yet can be pursued without any definite spiritual connection to Jesus Christ.� Being a "Christ-ian" means following Jesus and really dealing with who He is and what He means to you.� For Christ and His Resurrection I have everything, and to it,I owe everything!� That is why I can say with assurance: "He is Risen!"� Hope the information provided gave you some insights to this Holiday.� Have a wonderful "Resurrection Day!" Athanati |
| But, there's good news!! |
| It is understood that these traditions are well established in our lives...at least most of them.� They are often very difficult to give up.� And naturally this is a matter to be settled between the individual and the Lord.� One need not be a scholar or spend countless hours in research to ascertain that this holiday is a thoroughly pagan ritual.� It has no connection to Biblical Christianity. |
| WELL, NOW WE KNOW So, what do we do about it? |
| The Easter Rabbit - Since ancient times, pagans have worshipped rabbits as sex and fertility gods, and have looked upon them as symbols of lust, sexual vigor and reproduction.� In the traditions of Egypt and Persia there are such rabbit-gods, and they were particularly honored in the springtime. Hares were sacrificed to the Spring-Goddess, Eostre at the return of the spring.� The story of the rabbit goes like this: There was a great bird who intensly desired to be a rabbit.� The Goddess Oestre graciously turned the bird into the four-footed creature.� In gratitude the rabbit (who could still remember how to lay bird eggs) came each Spring, during the Festival of Oestre, and laid beautiful eggs for the benevolent goddess. |
| Eggs - symbols of fertility, sex and new life.� The Orphic legend of the origin of the Universe has the Earth being hatched out of an enormous egg. In Mesopotamia the legend goes that an egg of wondrous size fell from heaven into the river Eurphrates.� The fishes rolled it to the banks, the doves hatched it, and out came Venus, that is Astarte! So, from Egypt and Mesopotamia to the British Isles, brightly-decorated eggs were (and still are) presented as gifts and charms to bring (supernaturally) fertility and sexual success each Spring. (p .108) |
| MORE ABOUT EASTER SYMBOLS |
| Where did they come from? |
| The Cross - Used extensively in Egyptian worship in the shape of a tau (T).� It was a symbol of life, and a circle around it denoted eternal life. Symbol of shame for Christ to be crucified like a pagan. |
| The Lily - The Easter lily is also deeply rooted in Pagan symbolism.� The liy is a sacred emblem of Lilith, the Sumer-Babylonian Creation Goddess.� Similarly, the lily was sacret to Eostre-Astarte, goddess of the "Easter" lilies.� Other goddesses who claim the lily as their sacred symbol include Juno, Uni, Venus and Hera.� |
| Lent - Not found in the Bible as a Christian holiday.� The word "lent" is of Anglo-Saxon origin meaning "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) the� lover / husband / son of Astarte.� God's Word condemns its observance in Ezekiel 8:14.� |
| Ash Wednesday -No Biblical authority for such day. |
| Good Friday - This is the most bizarre of them all.� Any grade school child can see that the Lord could not have died and been buried late Friday, spent three days and three nights in the tomb (matthew 12:40) and risen again Sunday morning! |
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