Is Easter Pagan?

[TheWatchman]

(08-18-2010 05:43 PM)truth pick Wrote:  

(08-18-2010 05:20 PM)TheWatchman Wrote:  So where's the scriptural precedent for keeping the tradition of Easter? I was accused of learning a thing or two from Michael Rood, but you didn't justify with scripture how I am wrong, or how you are right?

"Thou shalt have no other God's in my face"

The Easter bunny is not God

Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.

The first thing that Peter preached was the resurrection of Christ. If we want to celebrate that on Easter Sunday, I don't think God is going to say - oops sorry - you got the wrong day - and what's up with the bunny?

Act 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
Act 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

Yer barking up the wrong tree It's not about Easter this or that. Life is about Christ and serving Him. Sorry you are stuck in a rut

Not so fast there high speed! You just admitted to replacing resurrection day with Easter Sunday! Which is it then? Do you think Yahshua our Elohim actually likes it when we reference His resurrection as Easter? Easter is a well established pagan myth goddess. Why do most preachers not chastise their congregations for attending and participating in Easter egg hunts? Why do a vast amount of churches actually hold Easter Egg hunts? It seems tradition has taken the place of the instructions in Torah, by doing one pagan thing and saying we are doing it unto Yahweh. BTW...I didn't see anything in those scriptures where you cane call resurrection day, or the remembrance thereof...Easter! You need to watch more Rood!...LOL!

---

Rood was right after all! Nobody can seem to dispute the unauthorized interjection of easter using scripture. It's impossible...just like a pre trib rapture! It's also impossible to do what truth pick said, "Life is about Christ and serving Him", and replace the word of Yah with ritual made by man. Once you take away (illegally) or add to scripture, there is no longer a true representation of Yah. The Torah is the face of yah. Alter it, and you alter the face of yah. The testimony of Yahshua is the defense of the Torah...the instructions from Yah.

[truth pick]

(08-18-2010 05:59 PM)TheWatchman Wrote:  Not so fast there high speed! You just admitted to replacing resurrection day with Easter Sunday! Which is it then? Do you think Yahshua our Elohim actually likes it when we reference His resurrection as Easter? Easter is a well established pagan myth goddess. Why do most preachers not chastise their congregations for attending and participating in Easter egg hunts? Why do a vast amount of churches actually hold Easter Egg hunts? It seems tradition has taken the place of the instructions in Torah, by doing one pagan thing and saying we are doing it unto Yahweh./quote]

Well, that is their problem I don't really care what they do, to be honest. I love the Lord Jesus and honor Him on Easter. It's my tradition. I don't worship bunnies and don't think about pagan goddesses. I see Jesus in Easter, not paganism. Easter is just a word, a title for the time of year. not a biggie you know the old saying: Don't worry, Be Happy!

[quote] BTW...I didn't see anything in those scriptures where you cane call resurrection day, or the remembrance thereof...Easter! You need to watch more Rood!...LOL!

---

Rood was right after all! Nobody can seem to dispute the unauthorized interjection of easter using scripture. It's impossible...just like a pre trib rapture! It's also impossible to do what truth pick said, "Life is about Christ and serving Him", and replace the word of Yah with ritual made by man. Once you take away (illegally) or add to scripture, there is no longer a true representation of Yah. The Torah is the face of yah. Alter it, and you alter the face of yah. The testimony of Yahshua is the defense of the Torah...the instructions from Yah.

Not taking away or adding to Scripture. Worshiping the Lord is 24/7. Picking out a day to especially remember His sacrifce and His resurrection [another word for risen ] is all good and honors the Lord. We worship in Spirit and in truth, and how He leads us. It's not a big mystery

You can get all bunched up over the count, but the bottom line is Jesus died and rose again for me. That's what I am talking about

All that stuff about "defense of Torah" is goofy. You don't keep Torah any better than the Jews did

[sheep wrecked]

Quote:The Watchman:
“The Greek Orthodox dye eggs and lay them on the altar to this day, which is inside their synagogue, which is a well known place for a pagan altar. The modern churches have adopted this practice, although they do not sacrifice animals, but sacrifice the past there, and even use it to commune with Yahweh. ALL altars of sacrifice for Judah are outside. Always have been! You can watch the movie, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and you will see them dying eggs dark (blood) red.”

The Greek Orthodox do not worship in a synagogue. Their places of worship are called temples. They also do not lay their dyed eggs on the altar, nor do modern churches. Churches do not sacrifice anything on altars.

From wikipedia:

Quote: In the Greek practice the priest reads a selection from the Gospel Book (Mark 16:1-8). Then, in all traditions, the priest makes the sign of the cross with the censer in front of the closed doors (which represent the sealed tomb). He and the people chant the Paschal Troparion, and all of the bells and semantra are sounded. Then all re-enter the temple and Paschal Matins begins immediately, followed by the Paschal Hours and then the Paschal Divine Liturgy. The high point of the liturgy is the delivery of Paschal Homily of St. John Chrysostom, for which the congregation stands.

After the dismissal of the Liturgy, the priest may bless Paschal eggs and baskets brought by the faithful containing those foods which have been forbidden during the Great Fast. Immediately after the Liturgy it is customary for the congregation to share a meal, essentially an Agápē dinner (albeit at 2:00 a.m. or later). In Greece the traditional meal is mageiritsa, a hearty stew of chopped lamb liver and wild greens seasoned with egg-and-lemon sauce. Traditionally, Easter eggs, hard-boiled eggs dyed bright red to symbolize the spilt Blood of Christ and the promise of eternal life, are cracked together to celebrate the opening of the Tomb of Christ.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter

If Judah is sacrificing anywhere right now, they are in a heap of trouble. No Temple, no sacrifices. Jews do not sacrifice today, they have other Rabbinical practices that take the place of it.

Quote: The Watchman:
I have not yet read in this forum where anyone gave Scriptural reference for observing Easter as written as a sabbath, whether weekly or high. If we cannot display proof of observance through the law and guidelines, we must disavow such activities. If what we observe and do is from Pagan roots, and then say it is of Yahweh, then it is tainted and is an abomination, which is the harshest word in the Hebrew language.

Christians do not celebrate Christ’s resurrection on the Sabbath - that would not make sense as He arose on Sunday, the first day of the week:

Mat 28:1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.

Mar 16:1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.

Luk 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

No one ever claimed that celebrating the resurrection of Christ was instructed by God. People have purposed in their hearts to worship the Lord in remembrance of His death and resurrection. There is nothing ungodly about doing that, nor is that an abomination to the Lord. It appears that you are belittling Christianity by elevating your non-observance of the risen Lord, as if that is something to be proud of and Torah is more important. That is really just plain sad.

Quote: The Watchman:
It's the same with the symbols we see on churches and jewelry, the cross of Mithra, and the steeple resembling the ***** of Ra. Again, no Scriptural reference for displaying these symbols for believers from any of the authors of "New testament", or the Torah, or Yeshua Messiah. If we cannot justify through scripture, these things and practices, they must not be observed and performed. Yahshua, nor Shaul, ever dyed an egg!

Jesus died on a cross. Steeples have been part of the church since the 12th century, and certainly there is a wealth of websites that pursue phallic symbolism, but when one really digs into the history of the steeple, it was built as a beacon – both lighted, pointing to a city of refuge, and to warn of danger and beckon to services. Personally, I think the phallic symbol association is a myth.

Quote: Ans.- The steeple on churches came about from the church buildings being used as parts of strongholds. Since the churches were built from stone, they were used as areas of refuge in times of attack. Churches had towers which were used as watchtowers and as places from which defenders could fight to repel attackers. As churches adopted the gothic architecture, the use of the tower changed from being an item of defense to being an item of inspiration. With the soaring arches and uplifting, vast spaces, it was only logical that the towers would also incorporate this soaring look toward God. The steeple then became a way to place the cross at the highest point in the city as the church was often built on the highest point in the city. The steeples could be seen for miles around with the effect that the cross on the top would be seen in witness to the faith of the community. Witness the great cathedrals of Europe with their steeples which seem to reach to the heavens. Also, it has been noted that the shape of the steeple was best for holding the weight of the heavy bell(s), which were used to announce worship times to the people.
http://www.stjohns-lpin.org/christian_church_trivia.htm

Quote:Steeples as Landmarks
• The steeple's main purpose during the middle ages was to make the church visible from any part of a town. At that time, everything from civil institutions to education revolved around the church. It was essentially the heart of any European town. The steeple was thus built to be the tallest structure in town, clearly there for all to see and be reminded of the Church's importance in their lives.
Communication Device
• Steeples also housed bells that were used for a variety of functions, both secular and religious. Bells let clergy members know when to perform certain ceremonies, when to fast and when to pray. Townspeople were informed of services as well as potential dangers, such as an approaching army or a fire. The height of the steeple essentially allowed the bells within it to transmit sound loudly and clearly to all parts of the town, ensuring effective communication.
Illumination
• The steeple often acted as a lantern to light the town and the center of the church. This was the case in the 13th- and 14th-century churches built by the English in England and Normandy.
Symbolism
• The main symbolic purpose of the steeple is, of course, related to the nature of a church itself as a symbol of the divine and place of worship for the faithful. The steeple is meant to act like a hand, reaching into the sky to touch the heavens themselves. As with many other religious structures, such as ancient ziggurats and pyramids, the steeple is built high to remind followers of how the religious order goes beyond the everyday reality of the earth, and shares something with the transcendent.

For some Christian sects, the connection to these "pagan" religions in the form of steeple architecture is a source of worry that the purity of the faith has been contaminated. Further, secular psychological perspectives, such as those advanced by Sigmund Freud, argue that steeples represent nothing more than phallic symbols of masculine power and domination.

While such influences may be there, it is perhaps more likely that the steeple has more innocuous purposes such as those described here.

http://www.ehow.com/about_5368002_reason...eples.html

Quote:The Watchman:
I used to observe Easter "religiously", until I learned Easter was a pagan God (Semiramis reincarnate...Tammuz's mother and Nimrods wife), the twelve breasted Goddess of fertility who ascended from heaven into the Nile in an egg and turned a bird into an egg laying rabbit (the symbol of fertility, which is why Playboy uses it as their symbol). After the 40 days of the weeping for Tammuz (now Lent), babies would be sacrificed on the altar of Tammuz and eggs dipped in their blood to stain them red. The priests would then impregnate virgins on the altar and their babies would then be sacrificed the next year at 3 months of age. The altar cave can still be visited in Israel. It is consequently called the cave of Tammuz.

Unfortunately, this information is anything but factual. Semiramis and Ostare [Easter] have nothing to do with each other. Semiramis did not “ascend from heaven into the Nile in an egg and turned a bird into an egg laying rabbit (the symbol of fertility, which is why Playboy uses it as their symbol)".

Semiramis/ is a Greek goddess, often connected to Ishtaar a Babylonian goddess, and has nothing to do with Tammuz or Nimrod. I am not sure how this myth got started, but it sure is prevalent in some circles now that Michael Rood runs with the torch, declaring these outrageous myths that were started by Alexander Hislop whose “historical” writing is full of conjecture and opinion.

The rest of his “priests impregnating virgins and eggs dipped in blood” are not found anywhere in history. It’s all made up sensationalized garbage.
Eostur is a spring month, translated as the Pascal month in Germany. The goddess, Eostre named after Eostur is a myth. There is no evidence that she actually existed as a worshiped goddess.

Quote: Bede, c.700
Eostur-monath has a name which is now translated 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 that Paschal season by her name, calling the joys of the new rite by the time-honoured name of the old observance. [Christian monk Bede, De temporum ratione ("On the Reckoning of Time"), Ch. xv, “The English months"

“This was [Bede’s] attempted etymology of Easter – which is only called that in English of course. The problem is that as the Goddess in question, Eostre is completely unknown otherwise, … so this proposed etymology is probably spurious. In the 19th century a German antiquarian invented Osatra, as the German form, using Bede as his source.

Bede admits this idea is his speculation – he is not actually aware of a goddess called Eostre, he just thinks there was one. There is not a single reference to her, from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles, any of the other writings we have from the period, or from inscriptions. No depiction – no amulets – nothing. Her Germanic version was invented completely in the 19th century, and again has no evidence whatsoever from history or archaeology to back it up.” 1

http://jerome23.wordpress.com/2009/04/10...a-pagan-ho liday/

http://www.celtic-catholic-church.org/oa...aster.html

******************

“ It is equally valid, however, to suggest that the Anglo-Saxon “Estor-monath”simply meant “the month of opening”, or the “month of beginning”, and that Bede mistakenly connected it with a goddess who either never existed at all, or was never associated with a particular season, but merely, like Eos and Aurora, with the Dawn itself.” [Stations of the Sun, p.180]

“Eostre is a very obscure Goddess, and uniquely Anglo-Saxon Heathen. She is not mentioned at all in the Norse corpus and only fleetingly in the Old English by Bede in De Temporum Rationale. Her material is so scant that some scholars have speculated she was not a Goddess at all, but that Eostre was merely a name for the holiday.” 2

http://www.englatheod.org/eostre.htm

****************

“All we know from Bede was that she was worshipped sometime in April. Bede also mentions another Anglo-Saxon goddess, Hredhe, who was honoured in March, and for whom the month of March was named. If the heathen Anglo-Saxons actually did worship a goddess at the Vernal Equinox, then according to the only historical evidence we have it would have been Hredhe, not Eostre.” 3

http://www.manygods.org.uk/articles/essays/Eostre.shtml

The playboy bunnies are not used due to a connection to bunnies as a fertility symbol:

Quote: According to Hugh Hefner, the Bunny was inspired by Bunny's Tavern[2] in Urbana, Illinois.

Bunny's Tavern was named for its original owner, Bernard "Bunny" Fitzsimmons, who opened for business in 1936. Serving daily food specials for a mere thirty-five cents, as well as ten-cent draft beers, Bunny's catered to locals and University of Illinois students alike. One of those students (in the late 1940s) was Hugh Hefner.

Hefner formally acknowledged the origin of the Playboy Bunny in a letter to Bunny's Tavern, which is now framed and on public display in the bar.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Playboy_Bunny

Quote:The Watchman:
So where's the scriptural precedent for keeping the tradition of Easter? I was accused of learning a thing or two from Michael Rood, but you didn't justify with scripture how I am wrong, or how you are right?

"Thou shalt have no other God's in my face"

You must have quoted Michael Rood’s own improvised translation. The correct text is:

Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

The NT is full of example or worship for our Savior, Lord and King. To set aside a special day once a year to thank God for the death of Christ for our sin and to recognize His resurrection is not putting other gods “before Him”. Christians do not worship Tammuz, Mithra, Semiramis, Ishtaar or Eostre. We love and worship the Lord Jesus Christ.

Rom 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.
Rom 14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.
Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
Rom 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
Rom 14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
Rom 14:7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
Rom 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.

Quote: The Watchman:
Rood was right after all! Nobody can seem to dispute the unauthorized interjection of easter using scripture. It's impossible...just like a pre trib rapture! It's also impossible to do what truth pick said, "Life is about Christ and serving Him", and replace the word of Yah with ritual made by man. Once you take away (illegally) or add to scripture, there is no longer a true representation of Yah. The Torah is the face of yah. Alter it, and you alter the face of yah. The testimony of Yahshua is the defense of the Torah...the instructions from Yah.

Easter is not a ritual. It is a celebration of Christ. How about the ritualistic concepts that Michael Rood adds to Scripture? I know that Michael Rood teaches that “Each year we rehearse Yom Teruah (the Day of Trumpets) to remind us of the day that the trumpets blew and the Torah was shouted down from Mount Sinai by the Almighty”. That is a ritual [shouting down Torah] not found in Scripture. Michael adds to Scripture every time he teaches and improvises the Scriptures with his “MIV” version. There are so many things that Michael teaches that are not in the Bible, it is beyond ludicrous.

For instance:

“Torah is the face of Yah”. Please show this in Scripture.

“Alter it [Torah] and you alter the face of Yah”. Please show this in Scripture, because God altered Torah in the OT.

“The testimony of Yahshua is the defense of the Torah”. Please show this in Scripture. And there is no such name as “Yahshua”. It’s a made up name that means nothing and is not Hebrew.

We no longer follow the old covenant [Torah], we are in the New Covenant purchased with the precious blood of Jesus Christ, not the blood of animals [old covenant]. The Law is fulfilled in Him and it is fulfilled in our love for others. Interesting that Michael Rood never has anything to say about the extreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ for us to reconcile us to God and give us better promises than He gave to Israel > eternal life with Him. Funny how the focus is Torah, not Jesus.

Quote:The Watchman:
That's because your Bible is translated from the Greek, who replace Jesus' Hebrew name "Yahshua" with Jesus Christ. Cristo, the Greek word is used in Greek mythology to mean "Holy". They used it in reference to all their Gods, as they revered them all as holy. Jesus is not the son of Miriam (Mary) and Joseph (Yoseph) Christ! That is not his last name! Yah is in the name of many hebrew names...Mattithyahu (matthew)...etc. Yah basically means "of Yahweh" (God). You can find Bibles with the original Hebrew spellings on the internet.

Jesus did not replace “yahshua” and is not translated from the Greek. “yahshua” is not a name in Hebrew and is not the name of Jesus in Hebrew. Jesus is transliterated from Yeshua [Hebrew, shortened from Yehoshua (later OT) > Joshua] Iesous [Greek] to Iesus [Latin] to Iesus [Early English] to Jesus [late English when then the “I” evolved into the hardened French “J”]. It’s not a conspiracy. It’s language science

“Yah” is only used at the end of names, never at the beginning [and stand alone]. This is basic Hebrew 101 knowledge. If Michael cannot even grasp the basic Hebrew for His Name, how then do you trust him to expound all the “mysteries” of the Hebrew for everything else he makes up?

“yaweh” is not the Name of God either. It comes from the Greek!!! We do not know the pronunciation of His Name. Jesus instructed us to call Him, Father. If it’s good enough for Him, it’s good enough for me!

Check out these articles for true scholarship on the names:

http://www.seekgod.ca/htname.htm
http://www.seekgod.ca/htwhatsinaname.htm

[Mary]

[Mary]

(08-28-2010 05:03 AM)mbtshoes2011 Wrote:  God used His chosen people, Israel, to demonstrate His redemption, to bring people out of this captivity. The actuality and the symbolism of the Passover made this clear, but today, many are stuck in the desert, going over the events of the Passover, but not accepting that the sacrificial Lamb has Risen and is alive.

[Backpacker]

Whatever we call the day of the risen Lord, it is a celebration of the greatest miracle in the Bible. I have done my research on some of the customs and practices of Easter and for this reason we do not have an Easter Bunny or color eggs (for the same reason we don't celebrate All hallow's Eve by dressing up as witches and goblins). But I leave this up to each individual and would never preach you are wrong and I am right (because I have been wrong before ;). Also, I prefer to call it Resurrection Sunday instead of Easter as this is the name of a goddess and in Exodus 23:13 God says not to mention the names of other gods. In one post on this thread someone said that prior to 1980 very few made the connection between Ishtar and Easter or even cared. I would challenge that statement with the following quotes;

She may be identified with Eostre of the Germans... from which our word Easter comes from.
--Ishtar and Izdubar, the epic of Babylon - page 207, published 1884

...were used in the worship of the Queen of Heaven, the Goddess Easter (Ishtar)
--Ancient faiths embodied in ancient times - page 378, published 1868

...as read on the Assyrian monuments , Ishtar, and by our Saxon ancestors Easter,
--A suggestive commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans - Volume 2, Page 238, published 1873

The Easter Cakes presented by the clergyman to his parishioners — an old English custom, now rarely met with — are the cakes of Ishtar...
--Christianity, its evidences, its origin, its morality, its history - Page 380, published 1893

This is just a few of many, but I think that illustrates my point.

Jacob

[sheep wrecked]

(12-29-2010 01:04 AM)Backpacker Wrote:  Whatever we call the day of the risen Lord, it is a celebration of the greatest miracle in the Bible. I have done my research on some of the customs and practices of Easter and for this reason we do not have an Easter Bunny or color eggs (for the same reason we don't celebrate All hallow's Eve by dressing up as witches and goblins). But I leave this up to each individual and would never preach you are wrong and I am right (because I have been wrong before ;). Also, I prefer to call it Resurrection Sunday instead of Easter as this is the name of a goddess and in Exodus 23:13 God says not to mention the names of other gods. In one post on this thread someone said that prior to 1980 very few made the connection between Ishtar and Easter or even cared. I would challenge that statement with the following quotes;

She may be identified with Eostre of the Germans... from which our word Easter comes from.
--Ishtar and Izdubar, the epic of Babylon - page 207, published 1884

...were used in the worship of the Queen of Heaven, the Goddess Easter (Ishtar)
--Ancient faiths embodied in ancient times - page 378, published 1868

...as read on the Assyrian monuments , Ishtar, and by our Saxon ancestors Easter,
--A suggestive commentary on St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans - Volume 2, Page 238, published 1873

The Easter Cakes presented by the clergyman to his parishioners — an old English custom, now rarely met with — are the cakes of Ishtar...
--Christianity, its evidences, its origin, its morality, its history - Page 380, published 1893

This is just a few of many, but I think that illustrates my point.

Jacob

You jumped right into some major controversy

Actually, Ishtar and Easter have nothing to do with each other. Easter was not a goddess. There is no historical evidence to prove it. Not only that, Easter is a late CE word. The first we hear of it is in Bede's writings in 900CE and then Hislop took the ball and ran with it - like most of his "facts" .

Ishtar has Semitic word root which may mean “to lead”. Ostara [Eostre] is a German word that means dawn, rising sun and includes resurrection, which became the Anglo Saxton Eostre/Easter.

Ishtar - Babylonian goddess of fertility, love, war, sex and the divine personification of the planet Venus
Ashteroth [found in OT] is the Phoenician/Semitic for Ishtar
Inanna is the Sumerian for Ishtar
Astarte is the Akkadian for Ishtar
Athtar is the Arabian for Ishtar
Tanith is the Northern African for Ishtar
Ishtar was the lover/husband of Tammuz
Dumuzi is the Babylonian Tammuz
Semiramis is the wife of Nimrod/Nimnus and the mother of Tammuz

There are no connections to Easter/Eostre in all the articles and books that I have researched on ancient deities in regard to Ishtar.

Quote:Alexander Hislop, in his book The Two Babylons [1858], mistakenly equated the goddess Eostre with the Babylonian-Assyrian fertility goddess Ishtar, and with the Phoenician fertility goddess Astarte. Questionable etymology and the mistaken research of Hislop has led some to conclude that the festival of Easter is pagan in its name and its origins.

However, the annual spring celebration of the resurrection of Jesus was not even called Easter until centuries after Christians began celebrating it, and etymological authorities (those who study word origins) have cast doubt on Bede's accuracy.

In a footnote in a circa 1850 edition of Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History, the translator, Isaac Boyle, suggested that "our word, Easter, is of Saxon origin, and of precisely the same import with its German cognate Ostern. The latter is derived from the old Teutonic form of auferstehn, auferstehung, i.e. resurrection."

The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology (Baker Books, 1984) article on Easter, after mentioning Bede's account, says it is "more likely" that the word Easter "came from a German root for dawn or east (the time and place of the rising sun)." The Oxford English Dictionary relates Easter and the east to a common root meaning dawn or morning. If these are accurate, Easter did not derive from the name of a spring goddess Eastre. Rather, both words came from a root that means "dawn," or "morning/rising/new light," or by extension, "resurrection."

More likely than Bede's explanation, it seems possible that the resurrection celebration was named Easter because the word described the promise of new light and new life brought to humankind by the new-risen Son.

http://www.gci.org/jesus/celebrating

Quote:Ishtar (Istar) - Assyro-Babylonian; Akkadia, Chaldea, Semitic, Sidon, Sumner.

Also known as: Absusu (Sumerian), Abtagigi (She Who Sends Messages of Desire), Agasaya, Ashtart, Ashtoreth, Athar (Arabic), Aya (Babylonian), Banitu (possibly), Belti (Semite), Bisi-Bisi, The Bride, Dilbar (The War-provoking Evening Star), Gamlat (Babylonian), Gumshea, Hanata (Middle Eastern), Inanna (Sumerian), Innini, Irnini (possibly), Kilili (Queen of Harlots), Meni (possibly), Minu-anni, Minu-ullu, Nin-kar-zi-da, Nin-khar-sagga Nin-si-anna, Ninkarrak (Sumerian), Ninkasi, Ninlil (Phoenician), Sharis (possibly an ancient name used by the Armenians), Shaushka (Hittite), Shimti (Akkadian; goddess of fate), The Shrieker, Zanaru (Lady of the Islands), Zib (evening star who stimulates sexual desire).

As a Babylonian goddess, Ishtar originally may have been a Sumerian or Akkadian goddess. A composite of numerous goddesses, she is generally thought to have originally been the earlier Sumerian goddess Inanna.

Ishtar is a mother goddess, fertility goddess, the goddess of spring, a storm goddess, a warrior and a goddess of war, a goddess of the hunt, a goddess of love, goddess of marriage and childbirth, goddess of fate and a goddess who is the divine personification of the planet Venus. She is also an underworld deity. Her predominate aspects are as the mother goddess. The sexual aspect of her persona is linked to the earth's fertility.

She has a reputation for having numerous lovers who were killed when she was finished with them. As the daughter of Sin and sister of Shamash, the war-like side of her character is dominant. In her role as warrior, Ishtar rode into battle and sent the vanquished into the underworld. It is said that she once tore out the teeth of a lion. It is in this form that she was worshiped by the Assyrians, particularly at Nineveh and Erbil.

She is the sister of the queen of the Underworlds, Ereshkigal. Ishtar was worshiped as Uruk as the goddess of gentleness, love and desire. In this aspect, she is known as the daughter of the sky god Anu and the goddess Anat. Though not as violent, she was still demanding and had bad temper. Ishtar's consort, and some say brother, is Tammuz, but she was also said to be the wife of Ashur and the consort of many kings.

In one of her numerous adventures, as Irnini, she was living in the guge Cedar Forest of the Amanus which were guarded by the giant Khumbaba, She had planned to build a table and chair from the wood of a huluppa tree that she had planted in her garden. Prevented from proceeding with her project by negative forces, Gilgamesh came to her aid. In return she presented him with a magic drum and drumstick made from the huluppa tree. Their relationship was not always smooth. Ishtar once took revenge on Gilgamesh by sending a bull after him when he spurned her advances. Enkidu saved Gilgamesh, but was rewarded for his bravery by being struck down with a fatal illness by Ishtar.

In another tale, Tammuz was mortally wounded by a wild boar. He was cast into the underworld. Furious, she made a journey to the dark and dreary place. Aggressively she demanded entry and threatened to smash the doors down if refused. She also threatened to let the dead loose to wander among the living. The guardian of the gate gained permission from the ruler Ereshkigal to allow Ishtar through the gates. At each of the seven gates it was demanded that she leave an article of clothing or jewelry. Finally, naked, she appeared before the queen. In the meantime, the Upperworld mourned her absence. The vizier of the gods, Papsukaal, was tearing out his hair, and Shamash was in deep mourning. Her absence from the Upperworld caused the passions of all men and beasts to cease. The only way to return to normalcy was to persuade Ishtar to return. This they knew, would be a difficult endeavor, as she would not consent to return without Tammuz. The great god, Ea, finally decided to create Asushunamir, a charming eunuch, to send to the Underworld to rescue Ishtar. With the use of magic incantations, which Ereshkigal could not resist, Ishtar was led from the Underworld by Namtar.

She was part of the triad with Sin and Shamash. Ishtar as the goddess of love was irresistible. Her lovers were legion. Once tired of them, they were cast aside. When she descended to earth, she had a retinue of courtesans with her. Sacred prostitution formed part of her cult.

Ishtar is identified with the Sumerian goddess Inanna and with Astarte of the Phoenicians and the Babylonians. She has been identified with Ninlil. Ishtar corresponds to the Chaldean goddess Nintu. Ishtar parallels the ancient Sumerian goddess Anunit in numerous ways. The Hebrew goddess Tamar is equivalent to Ishtar, The Hittite goddess Shaushka is known as the Hurrian Ishtar. As Hanata, she is also a warrior. The Babylonian goddess Gamlat eventually assimilated into Ishtar, as did the Babylonian Aya. The war goddess Agasya eventually became Ishtar as the sky warrior. The vegetation goddess Gumshea merged with Ishtar.

Her titles of Minu-anni and Minu-ullu may link her with the Assyrian god or goddess, Meni (see Menu). Compare Ishtar to Isis (Egyptian), and the Inca goddess, Mama Allpa. Ishtar is depicted sometimes naked, with her hands clasping her breasts. Often she is bedecked in jewelry and has an elaborate hairstyle. She is also shown reclining, wearing a crowned crescent set with a shining stone on her head. Sometimes she is shown holding her symbol, the eight pointed star. In her battle stance, she carries a bow and is depicted standing on a chariot drawn by seven lions. The lion, bull, and dragon are Ishtar's emblems. The lion is her sacred animal and perhaps the dove.

See also Abtagigi; Allat; Allatu; Anat; Anta; Anu; Arinna; Ashur; Astarte; Asushunamir; Atargatis; Athar; Aya; Belti; Boann (Celtic); Chemosh; Ea; Enki; Enkidu; Ereshkigal; Gilgamesh; Igigi; Inanna; Innini; Khumbaba; Kilili; Namtar; Ninkarrak; Ninkasi; Ninlil; Papsukaal; Ramman; Saltu; Sammuramat; Semiramis; Shamash; Sharis; Sin; Tammuz; Tiamat; Venus; Zerpanitum.

http://books.google.com/books?id=jEcpkWj...ng&f=false

[Backpacker]

(12-29-2010 06:09 PM)sheep wrecked Wrote:  You jumped right into some major controversy

Oh goody , I love a good controversy.

(12-29-2010 06:09 PM)sheep wrecked Wrote:  Actually, Ishtar and Easter have nothing to do with each other. Easter was not a goddess. There is no historical evidence to prove it. Not only that, Easter is a late CE word. The first we hear of it is in Bede's writings in 900CE and then Hislop took the ball and ran with it - like most of his "facts" .

Ishtar has Semitic word root which may mean “to lead”. Ostara [Eostre] is a German word that means dawn, rising sun and includes resurrection, which became the Anglo Saxton Eostre/Easter.

Etymologically speaking Ishtar, Astarte and Eostre are cognates, the same word with shifting vowel sounds as it travels through different cultures and languages. This phenomenon is called Grimm's Law. While I may be wrong, I am of the opinion that the German Eostre is a derivative of the Sumerian Ishtar and Easter is a derivative of Eostre.

I did notice that you jumped on the name, but what about the other connections I mentioned between the modern practice of Easter and the mythology of Ishtar including the Bunny and eggs? Just curious about your opinion those as well.

Jacob

[sheep wrecked]

(12-29-2010 06:46 PM)Backpacker Wrote:  Etymologically speaking Ishtar, Astarte and Eostre are cognates, the same word with shifting vowel sounds as it travels through different cultures and languages. This phenomenon is called Grimm's Law. While I may be wrong, I am of the opinion that the German Eostre is a derivative of the Sumerian Ishtar and Easter is a derivative of Eostre.

I did notice that you jumped on the name, but what about the other connections I mentioned between the modern practice of Easter and the mythology of Ishtar including the Bunny and eggs? Just curious about your opinion those as well.

Jacob

That would be like saying bell and ball are "cognates" because they contain the same consonants

The connections between Easter, bunnies, eggs, etc do not bother me. Easter for me is recognition of the death and resurrection of Christ. Easter is simply a term, a word, for that season of the year. If people take traditions for their celebrations does not mean they are worshiping those traditions in place of Christ. Surely you don't believe that Christians are worshiping bunnies and eggs

Ishtar has nothing to do with Easter bunnies and eggs. Again, that is myth. The Grimm brothers ran with that whole concept [taken from Bede, whose writings on Eostre cannot be proved] and now it is accepted as historical "truth"

If you read what I posted about Ishtar and the legends surrounding her, and her "attributes" - I think you would be hard pressed to find any connection between her and Ostara. They are not even in the same league

[Backpacker]

(12-29-2010 07:45 PM)sheep wrecked Wrote:  That would be like saying bell and ball are "cognates" because they contain the same consonants

The connections between Easter, bunnies, eggs, etc do not bother me. Easter for me is recognition of the death and resurrection of Christ. Easter is simply a term, a word, for that season of the year. If people take traditions for their celebrations does not mean they are worshiping those traditions in place of Christ. Surely you don't believe that Christians are worshiping bunnies and eggs

Ishtar has nothing to do with Easter bunnies and eggs. Again, that is myth. The Grimm brothers ran with that whole concept [taken from Bede, whose writings on Eostre cannot be proved] and now it is accepted as historical "truth"

If you read what I posted about Ishtar and the legends surrounding her, and her "attributes" - I think you would be hard pressed to find any connection between her and Ostara. They are not even in the same league

Etymology is a fascinating subject and is a subject of great interest to me. You can't just look at two words, like "red" and "read" and say they come from the same root just because they have two consonant in common. You have to research the history of the words as they travel from one culture and language to another. Your example of bell and ball is very interesting, because bell and ball, along with bald and blue come from the same Proto Indo-European root "bhel."

I do respect your view of Easter and its trappings through you research and study and you have every right to celebrate it in the way you see fit. I on other hand view things differently from my research and study. I would never say you are wrong and I am right, but instead your view is right for you and my view is right for me.