Hows does the easter bunny and his/her eggs relate to christs resurrection? Is the hiding of the eggs in some way symbolic to the burying of christ? I understand the hot cross buns, but the bunny confuses me.
I suppose I could google this but interested what the christians feel.
Easter dates back to the spring fertility festival in honour of the goddess Eostre (think estrogen. The hare (bunny) is associated with Eostre (what do bunnies do so well?).
Originally posted by Bosse de Nage Easter dates back to the spring fertility festival in honour of the goddess Eostre (think estrogen. The hare (bunny) is associated with Eostre (what do bunnies do so well?).
Eat carrots?
Okay so how does that relate to christs resurrection, sounds like it doesn`t at all.
Originally posted by Chakan If someone could answer this for me.
Hows does the easter bunny and his/her eggs relate to christs resurrection? Is the hiding of the eggs in some way symbolic to the burying of christ? I understand the hot cross buns, but the bunny confuses me.
I suppose I could google this but interested what the christians feel.
Go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_bunny
The word "Easter" originated from Eostremonat, meaning Eostre's month. According to the medieval English historian Bede, Eostre was a pre-Christian goddess and Jakob Grimm, in Deutsche Mythologie, concluded that this same goddess was called Ostara in Germany. It is from the German legends of Ostara and her association with the 'Ostern Hare' that the modern 'Easter Bunny' is derived. Eostre's associations with the hare seem to be related to its high fecundity (ability to reproduce quickly).
and...
The idea of an egg-laying rabbit came to the United States in the 18th century. German immigrants in the Pennsylvania Dutch area told their children about the "Osterhase" (also: "Oschter Haws" ) or Easter Bunny. Only good children received gifts of coloured eggs in the nests that they had made in their caps and bonnets before Easter. Presumably, the Oschter Haws laid them when they were not looking. A hundred years later Jakob Grimm wrote of long-standing similar myths in Germany itself (noting many related landmarks and customs), and traced German legends of Ostara back to at least the 7th century.
So the answer is that it has absolutely nothing to do with christ's supposed resurrection. It is an entirely separate tradition.
So tell me do most christian kids these days associate easter with jesus resurrection or the easter bunny?
I don't know. Those christian kids do the darndest things.
I suppose the two traditions were just condensed into one holiday. One dealing with christ, blah, blah, blah, and the other being a more secular alternative. Much like Christmas, with one aspect dealing with christ, blah, blah, blah, and the other dealing with Santa Claus. But I don't really know.
So tell me do most christian kids these days associate easter with jesus resurrection or the easter bunny?
That depends upon the temperament of their parents' cult sympathies. The more out of touch ones scorn the Easter Bunny as a secular cover up of the "real" meaning of Easter: Christ's resurrection. Ironic, eh, given the truth of the matter?
Originally posted by telerion That depends upon the temperament of their parents' cult sympathies. The more out of touch ones scorn the Easter Bunny as a secular cover up of the "real" meaning of Easter: Christ's resurrection. Ironic, eh, given the truth of the matter?
I doubt you can be considered the expert on christian parent's cult-sympathies. 😛
Originally posted by Bosse de Nage So what do you as a rational Christian think about the whole Easter thing, Hal?
For Christians its a commemoration of Christ's death. For non-Christians I don't give a flying-f@rt if they use it as an excuse to stuff themselves full of bunny chocolate; even if they are going to painfully squeeze it out of their faces on Easter Sunday morning. 😛
Does that cover the rational response? 😵
P.S. I do appreciate the diverse cultural/religious history of the day.
Originally posted by Halitose I doubt you can be considered the expert on christian parent's cult-sympathies. 😛
Why not? I bet I've spent more intimate time with xian parents than you have. At 12, I moved from my home (xian parents) to go to school. Over the years, I lived with 5 other families (all xian) in several different cities. It's not just about talking to some one in church or being their friend. You learn a lot more when you live with people.
You might consider me a biased source, but I'm certainly not an ignorant one.
The Easter Bunny
14 Nov '05 11:31
Back to Top