Drop Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 I'm not trying to ruffle any religious feathers here....but can someone please explain to me what the Easter Bunny and Easter Eggs have to do with the resurrection of Jesus? This holiday makes very little sense to me because i can't figure out the connection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKINS@THEGOALLINE Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 According to Wikipedia, The Easter Bunny as an Easter symbol seems to have its origins in Alsace and southwestern Germany, where it was first mentioned in German writings in the 1600s. The first edible Easter Bunnies were made in Germany during the early 1800s and were made of pastry and sugar. The Easter Bunny was introduced to America by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s.[2] The arrival of the "Oschter Haws" (a phonetic transcription of the German Osterhase[3]) was considered one of "childhood's greatest pleasures," similar to the arrival of Kris Kringle (from the German Christkindl) on Christmas Eve. According to the tradition, children would build brightly colored nests, often out of caps and bonnets, in secluded areas of their homes. The Oschter Haws would, if the children had been good, lay brightly colored eggs in the nest. As the tradition spread, the nest has become the manufactured, modern Easter basket, and the placing of the nest in a secluded area has become the tradition of hiding baskets.[4] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinInsite Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Like the Christmas tree, blame the Germans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drop Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 lol, ok so we turned to wiki. in other words, nobody else understands the relevance either? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky21 Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 I'm not trying to ruffle any religious feathers here....but can someone please explain to me what the Easter Bunny and Easter Eggs have to do with the resurrection of Jesus?This holiday makes very little sense to me because i can't figure out the connection. There is no connection. Eggs and rabbits are symbols of fertility. The word "Easter" is named after Eastre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and a festival was held in her honor every year at the vernal equinox. Most of the symbols of Easter are pagan, not Christian symbols. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#98QBKiller Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 lol, ok so we turned to wiki.in other words, nobody else understands the relevance either? So you don't trust Wiki's explanation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drop Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 So the holiday is REALLY about making money off of parents whose kids wanna have easter egg hunts and wake up to Easter baskets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigMike619 Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 I dont fully trust wiki but that seems like it might be true. Drop, its funny you bring this up because I was thinking the same thing last night. I cant figure out for the life of me the connection. So easter means eastre which means fertile? makes sense I guess...lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drop Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 So you don't trust Wiki's explanation? lol, no not that i don't trust it. i just find it funny that someone immediately went to wiki because they probably didn't know the answer themself, just like me. I could have searched google or wiki, but i wanted to see if anyone actually knew what the hell they were talking about without having to cite a source. and so far, my belief that people largely don't really know the connection, or care that there is no connection, is true. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#98QBKiller Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 I dont fully trust wiki but that seems like it might be true.Drop, its funny you bring this up because I was thinking the same thing last night. I cant figure out for the life of me the connection. So easter means eastre which means fertile? makes sense I guess...lol lol, no not that i don't trust it. i just find it funny that someone immediately went to wiki because they probably didn't know the answer themself, just like me. I could have searched google or wiki, but i wanted to see if anyone actually knew what the hell they were talking about without having to cite a source.and so far, my belief that people don't really know the connection or care that there is no connection, is true. With Wiki the main thing is to click on the references and check them. But I've wondered the same thing about Easter in the past but have obviously never bothered to look it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mufumonk Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt Rich Fla Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Like the Christmas tree, blame the Germans. What's wrong with Christmas trees? That's me at the bottom. Check out the Nativity scene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smoot Point Really Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 This is a pretty good summary of Eastern Orthodox tradition concerning the dying of red eggs at Pascha: The following is taken from an old book, "The Most Useful KNOWLEDGE for the Orthodox Russian-American Young People," compiled by the Very Rev'd Peter G. Kohanik, 1932-1934.During Easter Day the egg stands as symbol of the resurrection of Christ, and is universally used as means of Christian greeting and present. The symbolical and church significance of the egg has its roots in the greatest antiquity. Long before Christianity, all the cultured nations of antiquity held the egg to be the symbol of life in all their beliefs and customs. According to heathen cosmogonies, the original world’s chaos was contained in an egg, which broke into two halves, the one forming the sky and the other the earth. Out of the lower part of the egg Came mother earth. Out of the upper part of the egg Arose the high vault of the sky. From the fact that this idea is to be found amongst all nations, one has to conclude that it is a reflection of the primitive belief which constituted the religion of mankind in the remotest antiquity and then universally spread at the time of the dispersion of nations. With Christianity, the old belief receives new contents, and the egg receives a religious significance amongst the Christians. There exisits a tradition which makes Mary Magdalene to be the originator of the custom of using red eggs on Easter day. After the Ascension of our Saviour, Mary Magdalene went to Rome to preach the Gospel and, appearing before the Emporer Tiberius, she offered him a red egg, saying: CHRIST IS RISEN.” Thus was begun her preaching. Learning about this offering of Mary Magdalene, the early Christians imitated her, presenting each other with eggs. Hence, eggs began to be used by Christians in the earliest centuries as a symbol of the Resurrection of Christ and of the regeneration of Christians for a new and a better life along [with] it. The custom of presenting each other with red eggs was familiar to the Christians of the earliest Universal Church. The red color, which generally is used for Easter eggs, serves to remind us of the precious blood of God the Redeemer, which was shed on the cross for the salvation of all men. The blessing of the eggs takes place after the morning Easter service. The breaking of the lenten fasting on Easter Sunday begins with eating the blessed eggs. The "Easter Bunny" is an innovation by western "religious" folk to make their beliefs more palatable to pagans. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterMP Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 I don't know, but if it started in Germany in the 1600's, then you can't really tie the Easter Bunny to paganism because Chritianity was well entrenched there by then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuraitengai Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 he dies on friday and comes back on sunday. and thats why we hide the eggs. but on topic, what do eggs have to do with jesus chist? i understand christmas, three wise me show up with a gift. 'i love you,' symbolism. 'i love you,' heres a gift. symbolism. i get that. how did the egg thing happen? did somebody walk up to somebody else and go 'hey, did you hear? jesus rose from the dead.' 'ohhh, hide the eggs. hide the eggs. we gotta trick jesus. paint the eggs, paint them purple. put them in the park. trick jesus. tell everybody to spread the word, from now on, eggs come from rabbits.' 'why?' 'so he doesnt take the chickens too.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PokerPacker Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 'Easter, that's a weird tradition. Female voice: Easter, the day Jesus rose from the dead. What should we do? Male voice: How 'bout eggs?! Female voice: Well, w-what does that have to do with Jesus? Male voice: Alright, we'll hide 'em. Female voice: I don't...I don't follow your logic. Male voice: Don't worry, there's a bunny.'' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 I've always thought that the eggs and bunny have more to do with a nod, or a compromise towards the fertility rituals that happen all over the world in springtime among so called pagan religions. Bunnes breed like,, bunnies. Eggs, spring, the whole thing is about re-birth and renewal. (And since Easter is about the resurrection, it all falls together.) In Japan, they have festivals honoring sex in the spring. Giant phallus floats, chocolate penises for the kids, sex parades, the whole thing is about procreation. It's warm! Winter's gone! Take off your clothes and reproduce! I won't post any photos due to the rules, but here's a nice Google Search that will show you all the fun. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drop Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 I've always thought that the eggs and bunny have more to do with a nod, or a compromise towards the fertility rituals that happen all over the world in springtime among so called pagan religions. Bunnes breed like,, bunnies. Eggs, spring, the whole thing is about re-birth and renewal. (And since Easter is about the resurrection, it all falls together.) ~Bang Bang, that was honestly the best job i've ever heard from someone logically tying the whole thing together without running to a google search. I still think it's a stretch, but it's the best i've heard yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VASkins540 Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Fantastic Easter Special Teabag: The Hare Club For Men has been around for centuries. One of its most famous members was Leonardo da Vinci. Behold, The Last Supper. The dinner Christ had with his disciples the night before he was crucified. What food do you see on the table? Stan: Just bread... Teabag: Really? Look to Jesus's right. The food which is a little different color than the others. Kyle: It kind of looks like...an egg. Teabag: Yes. The egg marks the secret. It lies directly in front of...Saint Peter. Kyle: Who is Saint Peter? Stan: He was the disciple that Jesus made into the first pope. Teabag: Eggsactly. But there's something the Church didn't tell you. In actuality, Peter wasn't a man at all. Saint Peter... was a rabbit. Kyle: ...Peter Rabbit. Teabag: Of course, the Church wouldn't allow da Vinci to paint Peter as a rabbit, so he painted him as a man, but left clues. Look closely. Kyle: I don't see it. Teabag: Look closelier... Stan: ...He looks like a guy. Teabag: Look more closelier...With laser technology we can look beneath the paint, the way da Vinci originally painted it. [Peter disappears from the picture and a rabbit appears next to the egg which was in front of Peter] That... is Saint Peter. The original Pope of Christianity. Kyle: I don't believe it... Teabag: Proof is everywhere. Look at the Pope's hat. It makes no sense, except that it was originally designed...for a rabbit. Stan: But why would Jesus want a rabbit to run his church? Teabag: Because Jesus knew no one man could speak for everyone in a religion. Men can be intolerant; rabbits are pure. But the Catholic Church buried the truth, put a man in charge, and the Hare Club For Men has been decorating eggs ever since to keep the secret in da Vinci's painting alive.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMS Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 There is no connection. Eggs and rabbits are symbols of fertility. The word "Easter" is named after Eastre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and a festival was held in her honor every year at the vernal equinox. Most of the symbols of Easter are pagan, not Christian symbols. That's exactly right. When Christianity was busy spreading across europe converting entire civilizations, those civilizations already had pagan holidays and symbols. The very pragmatic early christians were pretty good salesmen, they basically let the civilizations keep their beloved pagan holidays and just gave them a christian theme.. That's how we get a Tree, evergreen wreaths, and Christmas in December associated with Jesus's birth. Christmas was formerly a Mitria and Mitria used tree's, wreaths, and the exchange of presents long before Christans hyjacked it. Historians don't even think Jesus was born in December. It's also why we have eggs and bunnies associated with the resurection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxBuddy21 Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 There is no connection. Eggs and rabbits are symbols of fertility. The word "Easter" is named after Eastre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring and a festival was held in her honor every year at the vernal equinox. Most of the symbols of Easter are pagan, not Christian symbols. If you research Christian theology, you would be surprised how much of it is adapted from pagan beliefs. The creation story was actually a pagan story that was changed from a multiple God creation story to a single God creation story. And believe it or not, I learned that at a Catholic college! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterMP Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 That's exactly right. When Christianity was busy spreading across europe converting entire civilizations, those civilizations already had pagan holidays and symbols.The very pragmatic early christians were pretty good salesmen, they basically let the civilizations keep their beloved pagan holidays and just gave them a christian theme.. That's how we get a Tree, evergreen wreaths, and Christmas in December associated with Jesus's birth. Christmas was formerly a Mitria and Mitria used tree's, wreaths, and the exchange of presents long before Christans hyjacked it. Historians don't even think Jesus was born in December. It's also why we have eggs and bunnies associated with the resurection. I'll try this again. At least according to wikipedia, the Easter bunny came from Germany in the 1600's. It is VERY difficult to believe there was a need to pull in or appeal to pagans in Germany in the 1600's as Germany had been Christians for centuries prior to that. I'll note that the 1600's are post-Luther (who was German) and the start of the Protestant reformation. Assuming wikipedia is right, the Easter bunny was most likely the creation of Protestants living in a country that had been Catholic for a long time before moving to Protestantism. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick86L Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Southpark has the answer... http://www.southparkstudios.com/episodes/103208 edit: hahaha someone beat me to it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedskinFeathers Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 I learned in (Catholic) school, like a few others have said, that it stemmed from fertility worship...but in all honesty it's more about the tradition of hiding eggs and whatnot these days. Kinda like Santa...Saint Nick used to put money in people's shoes hence all the gift giving, but these days many people see "Santa" as a fat man who brings presents. Most of the holidays aren't really true celebrations of the real holiday these days. But I sure do love chocolate bunnies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry Posted April 8, 2009 Share Posted April 8, 2009 Why does the Easter Bunny hide his eggs? He doesn't want people to know he's been effing chickens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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