Jesus died on Good Friday, Easter is the day he rose from the dead. We celebrate his resurrection on Easter Sunday, which for most Christians is bigger then Christmas. The reason Sunday is the day people go to church is because of the resurrection.
The Catholic mass mirrors the last supper, the death, and the resurrection.
Why do kids get chocolate eggs on Easter? Who thought to give kids chocalate on the day Jesus died?
Trying to keep atheism out, but I must refute commonly held beliefs to answer this question.
The Christian Church, in an attempt to garner more adherents among non believers chose to use the Aestival solstice for Christ's death and Resurrection, which happened on a somewhat ambiguous date. The Aestival Solstice was commonly celebrated as a fertility festival with the giving of treats. Thus the Easter Bunny and his assorted goodies were created through diffusion.
Discuss it here, but please keep Atheism out of this topic.
So tempting...I suppose I'll let you all frolic in the meadow...for now
Isn't the reason people goto church because on the seventh day that God was creating earth it was finished to his likings?
Even though this is a question for Devious to answer, I'll add my 2 cents. I'm fairly certain that God, according to the Bible, decided to chillax on the seventh day, when he could be adding in finishing touches, i.e. cure for future cancer, end to violence, etc.
Discuss it here, but please keep Atheism out of this topic.
Wow, if I didn't know any better, I'd say this is suggesting that anyone who doesn't celebrate Easter is an atheist. But, no... that couldn't be possibly be... could it?
What do you think of Easter, the last supper, The crucifixion etc... What is your/your religions point of view on the matter.
I don't get the connection between a guy with nice abs getting nailed to a piece of wood and a rabbit with eggs. Honestly, I don't even get the connection between the rabbit and the eggs. I've Googled this several times, but have never gotten a satisfactory answer. And I'm sure by posting here I'm going to get a bunch of 14-year old conjecture. So I'm not even sure why I'm posting this, except that I've already sank like 45 seconds into this thing and I'd hate to waste it.
Discuss it here, but please keep Atheism out of this topic.
That, or he could have chosen better words/phrases to make it not sound like that. Why not "Please do not debunk the beliefs of Christianity" or something along the lines of that? That makes sense to me.
Anywhoo...
I love Easter! I love celebrating it. I also love the entire side celebration of it being a fertility festival. I would say the entirety of the eggs/chocolate/Spring-type themes going on alongside Easter is a Universal celebration, whereas the Christianity side of Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ is well, a Christian celebration. Christians do add both sides into the mix, but what really would be an interesting topic is "where did the Easter Bunny and the traditions of egg hunting come into play?".
What do you think of Easter, the last supper, The crucifixion etc... What is your/your religions point of view on the matter.
You think your lagged conection is bad? It took Jesus 3 days to respawn! Sorry I had to. And no I didn't make that up but can't remember the original source btw.
And I'm sure by posting here I'm going to get a bunch of 14-year old conjecture. So I'm not even sure why I'm posting this, except that I've already sank like 45 seconds into this thing and I'd hate to waste it.
Seems to be like father's day, a totally commercial thing, with no tradition attatched to it. I could be wrong though.
I think Easter is a good barometer for anyone who wants to know whether they are a proper Christian, or just a fair weather fan. I know plenty who feel smug about going on Christmas, but decline to go on Easter. Considering Christ's ressurection is probably more important to Christian belief than the birth of Christ I find it's a good means of telling whether or not people are committed to the faith.
I think I answered that one, but I might be able to give a more in depth answer.
Try not to be too cynical when you do explain more in depth.
Anyway, rabbits and eggs are symbols of fertility. Jesus rose from the dead during the spring, a time of rebirth. Therefore, you have the Easter Bunny handing out eggs. The reason why people give out chocolates is because food is almost always a part of a celebration in one form or another.
Christian scholars have been telling us that we have the wrong dates for Christmas and Easter. For about 8 years my mother-in-law had an exotic and domestic animal zoo. These animals were from all over the globe, a lot of them were rescued. There was one day a year, every year that the animals would remain silent from dawn on Christmas until the following morning.
The animals would always greet us when we fed/watered, groomed, cleaned out their stalls or sometimes just walking around would be cause for some chatting.
Every Easter day, the animals would really be chatting, of course that could be argued that it's Spring and The females are 'in heat'. Ok, but all of the animals? On the same day? I'm not talking just about beautiful clear days, even in NC it can snow as late as May.
Now, I'll try to answer Krizaz's question: Christmas is the time of year that Christians believe that Jesus was born in Bethlehem, of a virgin, Mary and Joseph who was engaged to her remained with her. He could have divorced her and then have her stoned and thought hard about doing that very thing until he was visited by an Angel. The Angel confirmed the crazy things Mary had told him, that the Spirit of God had impregnated her, that no man had touched her but yet she was with child. The Angel went on to warn Joseph just how special Jesus would be and that Joseph's blood was supernaturally a part of Jesus blood. Mary was important too because Elizabeth, her sister was the mother of John the Baptist. Presents are exchanged or services are given such as visiting the prisons, giving quilts and food to shut-ins, etc at Christmas time.
Easter is the time of year when Christians believe that Pilate has ordered the crucifixion of Jesus because when the mob was asked which man to pardon they called out, "give us Barabbas" and so a revolutionary and murderer was set free. When Pilate asked the people, "What shall I do, then with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all answered, "Crucify Him!"
The Book of Matthew is the only one of the Gospels that gives us the story of Pilate ordering the tomb of Christ to be guarded.
Matthew 27:65-66 says that the chief priests and Pharisees placed a seal on the stone and the guards were posted to ensure that because Jesus said,"(I) He (will) would rise on the third day", The Christ would have to rise from the dead to escape the tomb and none of his disciples would be able to steal his body.
Matthew 28:1-7 Says that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary,(but not Jesus' mom), went to the tomb, Monday morning, at dawn. 'An Angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, his clothes white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him they shook and were like dead men. The angel spoke to the women, telling them not to be afraid, he knew they were there to see and care for Jesus. "He's not here; He's risen just as He said. Come see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples: He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you to Galilee. There you will see Him. Now I have told you.'"
