How did the connection between the Easter Bunny and the actual "Easter" holiday come about?

Question

I mean, they don't really "connect" in my head... =(

(Okay, I can understand Santa Claus, but what about the Easter bunny and the resurrection of Jesus?)

Answer 1

EASTER EGGS
Note: these sites tell where Easter Eggs came from.
http://www.nobleknights.com/~eagle1/eostre1.htm
http://www.rightdivision.com/html/easter_pagan_influences.html

EASTER NOT FOUND IN THE BIBLE
"The English word 'Easter' came from the Anglo-Saxon Eastre or Estera, a Teutonic goddess to whom sacrifice was offered in April, so the name was transferred to the Pashal Feast. The word does not properly occur in Scripture although the AV (King James Translation) has it in ACTS 12:4 where it stands for 'Passover' as it is rightly rendered in RV (Revised Version). There is no trace of Easter celebration in the New Testament..." (INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BIBLE ENCYCLOPEDIA VOL.2, P.889). The word 'Easter' has confused some but the word in the original form is "Pascha" meaning "Passover". It occurs 29 times in the New Testament & everytime it's translated Passover except in Acts 12:4. If you read carefully (ACTS 12:1-4); it says that Herod killed James and was trying to kill Peter in an effort to "vex the church"(Please the Jews). Then in VERSE 3 "were the days of unleavened bread"; see LEV.23. He put him in prison intending to try him "after Easter" (KJV). Now if Herod was trying to "please the Jews" & "vex the church" Why would he have delayed the trial until after 'Easter?'" If this was a "christian holy day", especially one in honoring Christ's resurrection, he would surely not be pleasing the Jews, Wouldn't it be more pleasing to the Jews to vex the church by killing one of it's Apostles on it's own "holy-day," would it not?

ORIGIN OF EASTER: WHERE DID IT COME FROM?
Easter was never observed by the Apostles of Christ or Christ's Religion. "The name 'Easter' comes to us from the mythlogical writings of the Ancient Teucrians (who lived 1200BC along the southern coast of Palestine) where it's known as 'Ostern'" BY GROVER STEVENS. "The name 'Easter' is merely the slightly changed English spelling of the name of the ancient Assyrian and Babylonian idol goddess, Ishtar (pronounced eesh-tar)." WEBSTER'S DICTIONARY says "Easter is from the pre-historic name of a pagan spring festival." THE OXFORD DICTIONARY OF ENGLISH ETYMOLOGY says, "Easter is derived from the name of goddess whose feast was celebrated at the vernal equinox." THE SCHOLARY NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA says, "This goddess is also widely known as Astarte...The cult originated in Babylonia and spread to Assyria, Mesopotamia, Syria & Palestine, then through the Phoenicians to all of the Meditteranean peoples...Ishtar was in fact primarily and chiefly identified as Venus, the most beautiful of celestial objects & from the terrestrial side, the primarily motive of the worship of Ishtar was the impulse to deify sensuous and sensuality." ALEXANDER HISLOP SAYS IN THE TWO BABYLONS (P.103), "Easter bears its Chaldean origin on its forehead. Easter is nothing else than Asarte, one of the titles of Beltis, the queen of heaven..."
http://family.webshots.com/photo/1370351068049373547hLMhYB
http://www.matrifocus.com/IMB04/spotlight.htm
http://www.albatrus.org/english/festivals/easter/is_easter_pagan.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishtar
http://www.lcg.org/search/search.php?query=easter&type=and&results=10&search=1

EXODUS 20:3 = "Thou shalt not have other gods before me." It tells us in verse 5 = "not to bow to them nor serve them".

Here are the texts of gods that should not be worshipped:
EXOD.20:23; 32:3,4,8-10,19-23,30
DEUT.4:19,28-31; 11:26-28; 17:3
JER.10
EZEK.8:13-18
DAN. 3:1-18 (tried to make Daniel's friends to bow to the image, but they didn't)

New Testament Texts:
GAL.4:8-10 (pagan feasts are: New Year's, Valentine's-Cupid, Patrick's Day, Easter-Ishtar, Halloween, Christmas, Sunday-sun{from sunset Sat. to sunset Sunday = GEN.1:5), Monday-moon-{worship after sunset Sunday which would be Sunday evening(Sun.even to Mon.even)= considered to be Monday according to GEN.1:8}. Birthdays come from pagan origin too. = (only 2 birthdays are mentioned in Bible; they are: Pharoah and King Herod)
You can find most of things in sources like encyclopedias, history, etc. that tell you it's pagan or that it comes from pagan origin.

EXODUS 20:3 = "Thou shalt not have other gods before me." It tells us in verse 5 = "not to bow to them nor serve them".

Here are the texts of gods that should not be worshipped:
EXOD.20:23; 32:3,4,8-10,19-23,30
DEUT.4:19,28-31; 11:26-28; 17:3
JER.10
EZEK.8:13-18
DAN. 3:1-18 (tried to make Daniel's friends to bow to the image, but they didn't)

New Testament Texts:
GAL.4:8-10 (pagan feasts are: New Year's, Valentine's-Cupid, Patrick's Day, Easter-Ishtar, Halloween, Christmas, Sunday-sun{from sunset Sat. to sunset Sunday = GEN.1:5), Monday-moon-{worship after sunset Sunday which would be Sunday evening(Sun.even to Mon.even)= considered to be Monday according to GEN.1:8}. Birthdays come from pagan origin too. = (only 2 birthdays are mentioned in Bible; they are: Pharoah and King Herod)
You can find most of things in sources like encyclopedias, history, etc. that tell you it's pagan or that it comes from pagan origin.

VERSES-- DEUT.4:19,28-31; 11:26-28; 17:3 & GAL.4:8-10.

***********************************************************
Another topic: Jesus's death and resurrection

JESUS'S DEATH

**JESUS DIED WEDNESDAY APRIL 14, 31AD at 3pm.

A good foundation (1Tim.6:19) has solid ground evidence. The foundation should include 2Tim.3:16; Isaiah 28:9-10; 2Peter 1:19-21; 1Thess.5:20-21 & Ephes.5:9-10,13. To understand deeply--you must use these websites:
http://www.bbmhp.org/visaids/nt/crucweek.html
http://lcg.org/search/search.php?query=sunday&%24results_per_page=10&search=1

If you read Daniel 9:27; it says "he died in the middle of the week"; that would be Wednesday. This is followed by "3 days & 3 nights" = Matthew 12:40 which equals 1-24hr.day x 3days equals 72hrs. in grave. Next the Bible tells us it would be "after 3days and "not before = Matt.27:63-64 and Mark 8:31. It tells us in three days (John 2:19-21) and not after. The Bible also reminds us a day is 12hrs. not including the night(John 11:9-10). Remember also Gen.1:5 and Lev.23:32 tells us "evening to evening" is considered to be a day.

HEBREW CALENDAR-month of Abib or Nisan (APRIL 31AD)

Wednesday 14
Lord's Supper--Tues.Even
Put in grave Wed.Even
LEV.23:5--[14TH DAY=PASSOVER]
DAN.9:27--["DIED IN MIDST OF WEEK"]
JOHN 13:1; 18:39--[FEAST OF PASSOVER]
JOHN 19:14,31--[PREPARATION OF PASSOVER; NEXT DAY WAS A SABBATH HIGH DAY]
LUKE 22:13--[PASSOVER]
MATT.27:57--[EVENING CAME AND JOSEPH BEGGED THE BODY OF JESUS]
MARK 14:12; 15:42--[PREPARE TO EAT PASSOVER; THE DAY BEFORE THE SABBATH]]
LUKE 23:54--[SABBATH DREW ON]

Dictionary: Drew=to pull or drag. On=over & in contact with.

Thursday 15
Wed.Even= 1night
Thurs.Even=1day
Annual Sabbath
Feast of Unleavened Bread
NO WORK!
EXODUS 13:3,4,6,7--[NO LEAVENED BREAD; MONTH OF ABIB; ONLY EAT UNLEAVENED BREAD FOR 7 DAYS]
LEVITICUS 23:6-7--[15TH DAY; HOLY CONVOCATION]
MATT.27:63-64--[AFTER 3 DAYS]
**CLUE = MATT.26:5 --[NOT ON THE FEAST DAY]
ISAIAH 66:23

Friday 16
THURS. EVEN= 1 NIGHT
FRIDAY EVEN = 1DAY
PREPARATION DAY
MARK 16:1--[probably Thurs.Even--BOUGHT SPICES AFTER SABBATH]
LUKE 23:56--[PREPARED SPICES BEFORE WEEKLY SABBATH]
**NOTES--YOU HAVE TO BUY BEFORE YOU CAN PREPARE! ALSO IT TAKES ALL DAY TO PREPARE SPICES!

Saturday 17
FRIDAY EVEN=1 NIGHT
SAT.EVEN= JESUS ROSE! = 1 DAY
WEEKLY SABBATH
"SEVENTH DAY"= 7TH DAY
NO WORK!
GEN.2:2
EXOD.20:8-11
LEV.23:3
HEB.3:18-19; 4:1-11
MARK 2:27-28
REV.14:7,12
**NOTES= SABBATH IN ENCYCLOPAEDIA AMERICANA, VOL.24, PP.68-69 AND/OR DICTIONARY.

Sunday 18
SAT.EVEN
SUN.EVEN
"FIRST DAY"= 1ST DAY
GENESIS 1:5
MATT.28:1,6,13
MARK 16:6,9
LUKE 24:1,3,6
JOHN 20:1,19
**NOTE: COULDN'T OF BOUGHT BECAUSE MARY & MARY MAGDALENE WENT TO THE GRAVE AFTER THE SABBATH.
THE NEW AMERICAN ROGET'S COLLEGE THESAURUS--
DAWN=DARK, EVENING, TWILIGHT, ETC.

Now I know this is true because the MAJORITY(Matt.7:13) is always wrong. Also there's many clues that it wasn't a Friday crucifixion and a Sunday resurrection; look at 2Tim.2:18. But you will point out Mark 16:9 which says "Now when Jesus was risen[the perfect tense is correct here--he was already risen] early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene." Now the original Greek didn't have no punctuation. If the King James translators put a comma after the word "risen" and not after "week", this would make complete sense. The Centenary Translation renders it this way: "Now after his resurrection, early on the first day of the week he appeared first to Mary Magdalene
http://family.webshots.com/photo/2504347540049373547CSHBBj

Answer 2

The name Easter comes from a pagan figure called Eastre (or Eostre) who was celebrated as the goddess of spring by the Saxons of Northern Europe. A festival called Eastre was held during the Spring equinox by these people to honor her. When second century Christian missionaries wanted the Saxons to accept Christianity, they decided to use the name Easter for this holiday so that it would match the name of the old Spring celebration. This made it more comfortable for those converts to accept Christianity and still retain some of their heritage. The goddess Eastres' earthly symbol was the rabbit, which was also known as a symbol of fertility. Originally, there were some very pagan (and sometimes utterly evil) practices that went along with the celebration. In our day, Easter is almost a completely commercialized holiday, with all the focus on Easter eggs, the Easter bunny, etc.
Because of the commercialization and pagan origins of Easter, many churches are starting to refer to it as Resurrection Day. This is a positive development. The more we focus on Christ the better. The resurrection of Christ is the central theme of Christianity. Paul says that without this, our faith is futile (1Cor 15:17). What more wonderful reason could we have to celebrate! What is important is the true reason behind our celebration, which is that Christ was resurrected from the dead, making it possible for us to have eternal life (Rom 6:4)! Should we celebrate "Easter" or allow our children to go on Easter eggs hunts? There is nothing essentially evil about painting eggs, hiding eggs, and having children search for them. Again, what is important is our focus. Is our focus on Christ, or the silly eggs? Do our children understand that the eggs are just a game? I suppose children could possibly participate in an Easter egg hunt as long as the true meaning of the day is explained and emphasized - but this must be left up to the discretion of parents and churches.

Answer 3

Rabbits are known for their fertility and reproducing. Reproducing brings forth new life.

Jesus' resurrection won for us everlasting life. We are also reborn to new life in Baptism, which is like dying and rising with Christ (going under the water = drowning, death and coming out of the water = rising from death).

The theme of new life is also why eggs and flowers are also associated with Easter and the Resurrection

Answer 4

Easter bunnies have been merely made up. they have no longer something to do with Jesus Christ, Or Easter. Eater is approximately Jesus Christ no longer Bunnies or Eggs. Do bunnies lay eggs?? No! Black bunnies arent cute thats why no person advertizes them! yet once you like a black bunny for Easter I propose you get the Reeses Peanut Butter Black Bunny or Chocolate Bunnies YUMM!

Answer 5

Here is a website that tells you:
http://home.aristotle.net/easter/origins/

Answer 6

ancient church history; Constantine...marrying Ishtar (Easter &/or Ashtorah)...the fertility goddess with Resurrection Sunday...new birth...new life.
All in an effort to stop christians who practiced Jewish feasts to pay homage & support to the new church which he ruled.