Hi folks. I'm submitting the following post a week later than would have suited, but I'm sure you'll all still find it enlightening!
It's about the "Christian" celebration of "Easter", which was in fact only a borrowed Pagan celebration called Eostre.
For the Christian form of Eostre, it all started in 664 in Whitby, England. At this time it was the Celtic church which reigned supreme throughout what was to become Britain. In this year, a synod took place that became the first victory for the Roman bishops over the Celtic church. It was decided there that the festival of Eostre, the ancient goddess of spring, would be subsumed into the mainstream Christian framework.
The reason for this was that the Catholic church wanted to 'de-Jewify' their religion, by removing Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection from it's association with the Passover. The Eostre celebration, however, was a celebration of fertility, not Jesus! Thus the new
hybrid celebration incorporated elements of the pagan Celtic church's beliefs too.
For example, a long-standing custom at Eostre was the giving of a brightly coloured egg to friends and family - Eostre eggs. The symbolism was entirely related to fertility, hence its timing at the beginning of spring, and it was from the word Eostre that the word 'estrogen' is derived.
How fascinating it is that the church should adopt a
pagan set of beliefs while simultaneously condemning paganism. Imagine if this was widespread knowledge. Imagine if every Catholic knew their church had lied to them about Easter. In fact, forget Easter! What if they all knew about the timing of Christmas being in honour of the pagan festival of Sol Invictus?!
I think we should tell them. Tell them all! It's not nice for them to be lied to.
~ Org.