why is a bunny the mascot for easter?

Question

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Answer 1

Because he's fast (quick as a bunny) so he can deliver all of those eggs on time.

Answer 2

In the Christian world, Easter is a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. On the third day after his crucifixion (which is remembered on Good Friday), the New Testament tells us that Jesus arose from the grave, appeared to his disciples and ultimately ascended to Heaven. It is this act that is celebrated by Christians every year on Easter Sunday. If the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the origin of Easter, where then does the Easter Bunny come from? There is no mention of the Easter Bunny in the Bible, and except for its modern association with Easter the rabbit has not been a Christian symbol. Where then does the tradition come from? The Hare: Ancient Fertility Symbol In the ancient world, the rabbit has long been a symbol of fertility. The rabbit is known for its reproductive prowess, in fact even today we talk of couples who have many children as "multiplying like rabbits." Because it is known to reproduce often, it was seen has having special powers in assisting humans to reproduce. In fact our own lucky rabbit's foot goes back to this ancient tradition. (Not only is it a bodily part of the fertile rabbit that can transfer power to the bearer, it also serves as a phallic symbol). In Europe prior to the introduction of Christianity the ancient pagans already had their own springtime festivals, as did almost all other ancient peoples. Because spring is the time, after the harshness of winter that the world begins to bloom once more, it is seen as a time of replenishing and renewal, birth and rebirth, fertility. The Goddess of Fertility in Northern Europe before the coming of the Christians was Eostre. It is in fact from her that our own word for Easter comes. The consort of Eostre was none other than a hare, that great animal symbol of fertility. According to some traditions, Eostre cast the hare into the Heavens, creating the constellation we know today as Lepus the Hare. Some stories also say that Eostre gave Lepus the ability to lay eggs once a year, eggs also being an ancient symbol of fertility.

Answer 3

If you really want to know why the Easter mascot is a bunny, here you go...Christ's death was just prior to Passover, not Easter. In fact, the Bible Itself states that Christ was/is our "Passover Lamb" and Joseph of Arimathea hurried to put Jesus in a tomb because the sun was about to rise on a new day/Passover. It was prohibited to work at all on Passover, so Joseph could have been thrown in prison. Easter comes from the word Ishtar, a goddess of fertility. The eggs have always symbolized fertility. The bunny rabbit symbolizes (believe it or not) sexually orgies that were performed for the goddess. "Quick like a bunny" is unfortunately where that phase came from. I mean, even look today...they are called Playboy BUNNIES! If THAT's not sexual, I dunno what is. Unfortunately, bunnies have symbolized sexuality for a LONG time.
Scary, huh? Certainly NOT Christian or holy.....
I am angered that our Lord's name was put to such an unholy holiday...

Answer 4

Eastre (or "Ostara"), the Anglo-Saxon Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility was often accompanied by a hare when represented. The fertile nature of rabbits and hares is another symbol of new life and the rebirth that occurs during the spring season.

Also, German settlers in America are said to have brought over the tradition of a bunny named "Oschter Haws" who would visit houses on Easter eve, leaving colored eggs for children. Easter eggs were painted different colors to represent the sunlight of spring. Christians later used eggs to symbolize the rebirth of Christ.

Another Easter tradition is the eating of Hot Cross Buns. These cakes were marked by the Saxons to honor Eastre, the fertility goddess. The crosses on the buns are said to represent the moon's quarters, while Christians see the cross as a reference to the crucifixtion.

Answer 5

Easter Hares and Rabbits: In Europe, the hare has long been a traditional symbol of Easter. (In North America, the animal is a rabbit—a close relative of the hare.) Yet The New Encyclopædia Britannica explains that the hare was “the symbol of fertility in ancient Egypt.” Thus when children hunt for Easter eggs, supposedly brought by the Easter rabbit, “this is not mere child’s play, but the vestige of a fertility rite.”—Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend, volume 1, page 335.

Answer 6

Hee! Easter is a pagan holiday reworked by the Catholic church when they couldn't get the locals to stop celebrating. The word Easter comes from the same place the word "estrous" comes from, and has to do with having babies in the spring. Easter is a celebration of the rebirth of the year, since people thought the world died in winter. And what produces more babies quicker than a rabbit?!

Answer 7

The symbol of the Easter Bunny originally came from the pagan festival of Eastre or Eostre – the goddess of fertility. This festival celebrated replenishment, rebirth, the renewal of life, and spring. The consort of Eastre was the symbol of fertility, a hare. According to some stories, Eastre gave the hare the ability to lay colorful eggs (an ancient symbol of fertility) once a year.

Answer 8

It is an ancient fertility symbol, as are eggs. Some of the Pagan Spring celebrations got mixed up with Easter.

Ordinary rabbits have been a fertility symbol for thousands of years, because they reproduce so well. Chocolate rabbits are relatively new; they had to wait for Columbus to discover America and bring back chocolate.

Canadians don't exchange chocolate rabbits at Easter, you know; they exchange chocolate moose.

Answer 9

The bunny is a symbol of fertility, and Easter was originally a pagan celebration of fertility.

Later, the church, in an effort to eradicate the pagan holiday, assigned it as the time we celebrate the Ressurrection of Christ.

Answer 10

The rabbit is the Pagen symbol for fertility. Chritianity uses many Pagen rituals and symbols. However, the easter bunny is un-related to the Christian belief of Jesus. Just the a Pagen sybmol of celebration. Check out this flick http://zeitgeistmovie.com/

Answer 11

Because, like eggs and chicks, it is a symbol of fertility...a leftover symbol from Easter's ORIGINAL purpose, which was more or less to celebrate spring...and...fertility. While converting the Pagans, Christians took the original festival/celebration, attached Christ's resurrection to it (since spring is about rebirth), and made it into a Christian holiday.

Long live MARSHMALLOW PEEPS!