Where Did The Name "EASTER"
Come From ?
"The consort of Eostre - was none other than a hare
(rabbit) - that great animal symbol of fertility."
-The Origin and History of the Easter Bunny
by Allen Butler
Where Did The Name "EASTER"
Come From ?
"Historians have traced the origin of the word Easter
to the Scandinavian word 'Ostra' and the Germanic 'Ostern'
or 'Eastre'. Both of these derive from the names of
mythological goddesses of spring and fertility,
for whom festivals were held at the time of the Spring
Equinox."
-Delving deep into Easter
TeacherNet's editorial team
"Easter" was not only goddess of dawn
but also goddess of spring with all its
fertility-symbols and fertility-rites....
which included eggs and rabbits."
-The Final Reformation
by C.J. Koster
"The term 'Easter' is not of Christian origin.
It is another form of Astarte, one of the titles
of the Chaldean (Babylonian) goddess....
the pagan festival of 'Easter'... was introduced into
the apostate Western religion, as part of the attempt
to adapt pagan festivals to Christianity"
- Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary
of Old and New Testament Words
(1985, p. 192, "Easter").
Easter Started in Babylon
All Fertility goddesses were fashioned after Semiramis -
The wife and mother of Nimrod. This incestuous relationship
remained the pattern after which all fertility worship was copied.
"Similar goddesses were known by other names
in other cultures around the Mediterranean,
such as Aphrodite from Cyprus, Astarte from Phoenicia,
Demeter from Mycenae, Hathor from Egypt, and Ishtar
from Assyria (Babylon). All of these goddesses were
celebrated in the spring."
-Delving deep into Easter
TeacherNet's editorial team
"Ishtar...an Assyrian names for Semiramus
of Ancient Babylon. Does the name Ishtar
sound like Easter ? Well it should. It is the same.
The celebration of Ishtar included coloring eggs,
an ancient symbol of fertility. The ancients
even hid eggs for children to find.
Rabbits, known for their prolific reproduction,
also became part of the pagan celebration."
-- Resurrection Sunday and
the Babylonian Connection; By Errol Hale
Fertility and Easter Eggs
This woodcut above was found in Ancient Babylon,
Where "Easter" has its roots - in the Fertility Rites of the
very first Fertility goddess - Semiramis - the mother and wife
of Nimrod.
"Modern symbols of Easter, such as the egg and the bunny,
have their origins in paganism. Rabbits were the most
potent symbol of fertility and the egg, the start of all
life, was often thought to have magical powers."
-Delving deep into Easter
TeacherNet's editorial team
"Easter" was not only goddess of dawn
but also goddess of spring with all its
fertility-symbols and fertility-rites....
which included eggs and rabbits."
-The Final Reformation
by C.J. Koster
"Modern-day pagans continue to celebrate the coming of
spring. Some pagans carry out rituals at this time,
such as holding egg races and egg hunts."
-Delving deep into Easter
TeacherNet's editorial team
"...the rites of the pagan Easter took over,
namely the fertility pagan symbols of Easter eggs
and Easter rabbits (bunnies),"
-The Final Reformation
by C.J. Koster
Fertility and Easter Rabbits
"In the ancient world, the rabbit has long been a symbol
of fertility. The rabbit is known for its reproductive
powers, in fact, even today, we talk of couples who have
many children as "multiplying like rabbits". Because
rabbits are known to reproduce often. In fact our own
lucky rabbit's foot goes back to this ancient tradition.
The rabbits foot - being a phallic symbol with supposed
magical powers related to reproduction."
-The Origin and History of the Easter Bunny
by Allen Butler
"Easter Bunny — The symbols of the Norse goddess Ostara
were the hare and the egg, both representing fertility.
The earthly symbol for the goddess Eastre, goddess of
the dawn, was also the rabbit."
-Delving deep into Easter
TeacherNet's editorial team
"The consort of Eostre - was none other than a hare
(rabbit) - that great animal symbol of fertility."
-The Origin and History of the Easter Bunny
by Allen Butler
Easter Was Adopted by Christendom
During Her Great Apostasy
"The Oxford English Dictionary, will supply the answer:
Easter had a pre-Christian origin, namely a festival in
honour of Eostre, the Teutonic dawn-goddess...
This Eostre was also known to be the spring goddess
and the goddess of fertility. Eostre, also called Eastre,
Eostra or Orstara, became fused with Christianity."
-The Final Reformation
by C.J. Koster
"...the rites of the pagan Easter took over,
namely the fertility pagan symbols of Easter eggs
and Easter rabbits (bunnies),"
-The Final Reformation
by C.J. Koster
Unlike Christianity which observed the "Memorial"
of Jesus' death on Passover - Nisan 14 -
the apostate Church adopted the pagan Springtime
Resurrection fashioned after the Babylonian
Fertility goddess,
"Christmas and Easter - These spurious, counterfeit
holydays represent a compromise with paganism,
an attempt on the part of the church to convert
the heathen by meeting them halfway. We have
learned that this deception came into the Christian
church by way of the open demon worship
of the ancient Babylonians."
-HEATHEN CUSTOMS
In the Christian Church;
By Murl Vance
"People today, calling themselves Christians,
keep the Babylonian festivals of the Solstice
at Christmas and of Easter, which is the festival of
Ishtar - the ancient fertility goddess of Babylon."
- Nimrod and False Religion;
Adapted from Chapters 5 of The Bible Story
Volume 1 by Basil Wolverton
Published by Ambassador College Press.
"When the early church departed from God
and imbibed pagan errors, she became Babylon."
- the International Sabbath School Quarterly,
Feb. 29, 1896
"It was by departure from the LORD,
and alliance with the heathen
that the...church became a harlot."
-The Great Controversy, Pg 382
Source: http://easter-origins.xanga.com/696428254/item/
