Are Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny Pagan?

Question

since the origins of easter and christmas (and many other holidays) stem from paganism, why do christians tell us (pagans) that we're going to spend eternity in a firey, horrible place for celebrating our holidays such as ostara and yule (the original forms of easter and christmas)? when christianity tried to convert the pagans, they incorporated many of their beliefs/traditions to make it easier.

i don't actually mean that santa and the bunny are pagan, i realize that they are just symbols of those holidays. my point is, are those holidays pagan, because their origins are, and if so, why do christians still celebrate them and give pagans heck for practicing paganism?

Answer 1

Yes Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny are pagan. They are symbols of paganism ; just like the days are. I don't celebrate these things; neither does my church. When you celebrate Christmas; aren't you honoring another god? What about Easter; why the eggs and mythical things; what does that have to do with Christ? Absolutely nothing. Now I don't know why christians judge other people when they do it themselves or not do it; I hate that the most. I try not to judge; I do give texts however.
In Rev.21:8; it says
"But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
Also back to your question; there are two christianities in the Bible. There is a false christianity called Babylon and a true christianity which is built upon Jesus and the Apostles.
See Acts 20:28-30 = "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them."
See this site: (God's Church through the ages)
http://www.lcg.org/cgi-bin/tw/booklets/tw-bk.cgi?category=Booklets1&item=1104363708

Now in the Bible; it tells us in:
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 = Christmas Tree is an idol
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.4:8-12 = "Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage(sin)? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain. Brethren, I beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all."
(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.


VALENTINE'S DAY
How Christmas came about. Is it related to Valentine's?
VALENTINE'S (CUPID)
CENTURIES BEFORE CHRIST, THE PAGAN ROMANS CELEBRATED FEBRUARY 15 & THE EVENING OF FEBRUARY 14 AS AN IDOLATROUS & SENSUOUS FESTIVAL IN HONOR OF LUPERCUS, THE "HUNTER OF WOLVES". THE ROMANS CALLED THE FESTIVAL "LUPERCALIA"; CUSTOM OF EXCHANGING VALENTINES & OTHER TRADITIONS TO HONOR LUPERCUS, THE "HUNTER OF WOLVES". THE ROMANS CALLED THE FESTIVAL "LUPERCALIA"; CUSTOM OF EXCHANGING VALENTINES AND OTHER TRADITIONS IN HONOR OF LUPERCUS (THE DEIFIED HERO-HUNTER OF ROME). IT WAS ALSO BONDED ANCIENTLY WITH THE PAGAN PRACTICE OF TEENAGERS "GOING STEADY" THAT USUALLY LED TO FORNICATION. TODAY, "GOING STEADY" IS A REBIRTH OF AN OLD CUSTOM THAT CAME FROM THE TOMAN FESTIVAL LUPERCALIA THAT WAS CELEBRATED IN FEBRUARY BY DRAWING YOUNG WOMEN'S NAMES OUT OF A BOX BY MEN AS CHANCE DIRECTED.-- ENCYCLOPEDIA AMERICANA, ARTICLE, "ST. VALENTINE'S DAY."

WHEN CONSTANTINE MADE CHRISTIANITY THE OFFICIAL RELIGION OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE THERE WAS SOME TALK IN CHURCH CIRCLES OF DISGARDING THIS PAGAN FREE-FOR-ALL. BUT THE ROMAN CITIZENS WOULDN'T HEAR OF IT! SO IT WAS AGREED THAT THE HOLIDAY WOULD CONTINUE AS IT WAS, EXCEPT FOR THE MORE GROSLY SENSUAL OBSERVANCES. IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE REIGN OF POPE GELASIUS THAT THE HOLIDAY BECAME A "CHRISTIAN CUSTOM." AS FAR BACK AS 496, POPE GELASIUS CHANGED LUPERCALIA ON FEBRUARY 15 TO ST. VALENTINE'S ON FEBRUARY 14."--("CUSTOMS AND HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD", PG.172 BY LAVINIA DOBLER)(BY HERMAN L. HOEH; THE PLAIN TRUTH;FEBRUARY 1966).

LUPERCUS BORNE THE NAME VALENTINE AMONG THE HEATHEN ROMANS. THE GREEKS CALLED HIM "PAN"; THE SEMITES "BAAL" ACCORDING TO THE CLASSICAL DICTIONARIES". IN THE BIBLE; "BAAL" IS MENTIONED OFTEN; ANOTHER NAME FOR HIM IS CALLED "NIMROD, "THE MIGHTY HUNTER" (GENESIS 10:9). ANOTHER NAME FOR NIMROD WAS "SANCTUS" OR "SANTA", MEANING "SAINT", COMMON TITLE FOR A HERO-GOD. NIMROD KNOWN AS BAAL OR sun god OF ANCIENT PAGANS WAS BORN AT THE WINTER SOLSTICE. IN ANCIENT TIMES THE SOLSTICE OCCURED ON JANUARY 6; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/epiphany
http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0oGkmL4t5pFr1kAAr9XNyoA?p=jan.6+pagan&prssweb=Search&ei=UTF-8&fr=slv8-&x=wrt
http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=slv8-&p=pagan%20epiphany
http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0oGkmL4t5pFr1kAAr9XNyoA?p=jan+6+epiphany&prssweb=Search&ei=UTF-8&fr=slv8-&x=wrt
THIS WAS HIS BIRTHDAY UNTIL THE SOLSTICE CHANGED & THEN IT WAS CELEBRATED ON DECEMBER 25. "IT WAS THE CUSTOM OF ANTIQUITY FOR THE MOTHER OF A MALE CHILD TO PRESENT HERSELF FOR PURIFICATION ON THE 14TH DAY AFTER THE DAY OF BIRTH. THE 14TH DAY AFTER JAN.6--NIMROD'S ORIGINAL BIRTHDATE---TAKES US TO FEB.15, THE CELEBRATION OF WHICH BEGAN ON THE EVENING OF FEB.14--THE LUPERCALIA OR ST. VALENTINE'S DAY." --(HERMAN L. HOEH) NIMROD'S OTHER NAME WAS "CUPID" WHICH MEANS "DESIRE"---ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA", ART., "CUPID".
Encyclopedia Americana, article, "St. Valentine's Day."
Encyclopedia Britannica, art., "cupid."
http://family.webshots.com/photo/1339760087049373547vWZntY
http://www.biblestudy.org/basicart/valentin.html
http://home.swbell.net/kelkay/valentines
http://home.sprynet.com/~pabco/stvalen.htm

http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=slv8-&p=Christmas--Pagan--sun%20god
http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=slv8-&p=mithras%2chorus%2c%20nimrod%20of%20Christmas
http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=slv8-&p=mithras%2c%20Horus%2c%20Nimrod--Christmas

Look at these websites:
MITHRAS (goddess of light)
http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=slv8-&p=mithras
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=PCTA,PCTA:2006-34,PCTA:en&q=mithras+god+of+light
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&rls=PCTA%2CPCTA%3A2006-34%2CPCTA%3Aen&q=Mithras+born+Christmas&btnG=Search
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&rls=PCTA%2CPCTA%3A2006-34%2CPCTA%3Aen&q=Mithras--goddess+of+light&btnG=Search

HORUS (sun god)
http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=slv8-&p=horus
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&rls=PCTA%2CPCTA%3A2006-34%2CPCTA%3Aen&q=horus&btnG=Search
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=PCTA,PCTA:2006-34,PCTA:en&q=dec+25%2d%2dhorus
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&rls=PCTA%2CPCTA%3A2006-34%2CPCTA%3Aen&q=Horus--bull%3F&btnG=Search
http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=slv8-&p=Horus--Valentine%27s
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=PCTA,PCTA:2006-34,PCTA:en&q=Horus+born+after+the+death+of+Nimrod
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=PCTA,PCTA:2006-34,PCTA:en&q=Horus+the+sun+god

Saturnalia (Mid-December; another name for Nimrod or Tammuz)
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=saturnalia+christmas+tree&rs=1&fr2=rs-top&prssweb=Search&ei=UTF-8&fr=slv8-
http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0geuoKAwIhFuoYAeSBXNyoA?p=saturn+god+related+to+nimrod&prssweb=Search&ei=UTF-8&fr=slv8-&x=wrt
http://www.google.com/custom?hl=en&oe=ISO-8859-1&client=pub-6807258685122891&channel=9400434304&cof=FORID:1%3BGL:1%3BS:http://www.google.com%3BL:http://www.google.com/intl/en/logos/Logo_50wht.gif%3BLH:74%3BLW:163%3BLBGC:336699%3BLP:1%3BLC:%230000ff%3BVLC:%23663399%3BGFNT:%230000ff%3BGIMP:%230000ff%3BDIV:%23336699%3B&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=saturnlia&spell=1
http://www.google.com/custom?q=saturnlia&hl=en&lr=&oe=ISO-8859-1&client=pub-6807258685122891&channel=9400434304&cof=FORID:1%3BGL:1%3BS:http://www.google.com%3BL:http://www.google.com/intl/en/logos/Logo_50wht.gif%3BLH:74%3BLW:163%3BLBGC:336699%3BLP:1%3BLC:%230000ff%3BVLC:%23663399%3BGFNT:%230000ff%3BGIMP:%230000ff%3BDIV:%23336699%3B&start=10&sa=N
http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0geusU_wohF.QAADbJXNyoA?p=saturnalia+god+related+to+December+25&prssweb=Search&ei=UTF-8&fr=slv8-&x=wrt
http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=slv8-&p=saturnlia
http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=saturnalia+god&rs=0&fr2=rs-top&prssweb=Search&ei=UTF-8&fr=slv8-
http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=slv8-&p=saturnalia%20god%20related%20to%20tammuz http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0geutnRwYhFJhkAZR9XNyoA?p=saturnalia+god+related+to+tammuz+and+n

EASTER

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

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

Answer 2

Santa Claus Pagan

Answer 3

Actually the Easter Bunny is a deist.

No, Christmas and Easter are not Pagan. It's true that they occur at the same times as Pagan festivals and they incorporate a lot of Pagan symbols, but they're entirely different festivals. As you say, Christians incorporated Pagan symbols and traditions to make Christianity seem more attractive to the Pagans. But according to Christian beliefs, if you celebrate the Pagan forms of these holidays (which have nothing to do with Jesus) then you will indeed burn in hell. Luckily Christian beliefs are ******** and you have nothing to worry about.

Answer 4

Actually Christmas was a Pagan holiday as you explained. And yes celebrating it was actually banned by Christians in the past, (as someone else said, real Christians do not celebrate it). There are a few recorded Christmas celebrations in the history of Christianity before it was banned. But it never really was big holiday and tradition as it is today. Actually, Christmas was not even made into a national holiday until 1879. Before that people were not even allowed to take the day off of work to celebrate it. That is how nontraditional the celebration was.

Saint Nicholas was actually a bishop from the early church. He lived around 400 CE and was from Asia Minor or Turkey. He helped the poor to his own detriment.

Answer 5

If you follow the rules of being a Jehova Witness or a strict christian, then the answer is yes. The tree for Christmas some believe come from druid / wiccan beliefs. Saint Christopher, however, is real but many believe that the giving of gifts to others has us neglect the religious part of Christmas. As far as the Easter Bunny, I am not sure of the origins of it but again many believe that it takes away from the true meaning of Easter.

As for me, I still celebrate Christmas, Easter, and yes dare I say Halloween. It is just fun and my kid loves it. I am a true christian and a ordaned minister to boot. So, yet the people have their beliefs that its bad or ok, It doesn't effect my beliefs either way and my strong tie to God and Christ.

Answer 6

i'm no longer offended by ability of the two of them. Marginally, for purists, i might would desire to declare that Santa Claus is the fewer offensive. he's derived from Saint Nicholas. one concern he, the genuine Saint Nick, did became to furnish presents, greater often than not dowries for some much less wealthy women persons in his parish. In a minimum of one tale they money for the dowry had to be positioned down the chimney to get to the girls persons.

Answer 7

Christians adopted the solstice festivals because it suited their purpose. As well as related customs and their age-old meanings: evergreen tree - eternal life, eggs - resurrection. Actually, I hear that Jesus' birthday is in the summer. Granted, winter is more impressive ... at least in the North it is. Ha.

Answer 8

You don't have to be pagan to celebrate both occasions. When Christmas comes, the saints celebrate this occasion and when Easter comes we celebrate this occasion as well.

For Jesus came to save the world and Jesus rose from the dead and we celebrate his visible victory over the devil.

Answer 9

Santa or the easter bunny are not real! They were created by the world.

Answer 10

Are Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny Penguin?

I've never thought of it that way, but yes, I suppose that since they are Catholic, they would be...

Answer 11

how come it's okay to believe in god but not santa? they are basically equivialant in my mind.