by Brian Shilhavy
I want to start this article by stating who my intended audience is for what is written here, and that audience is the true believers in Jesus Christ who understand that Christianity is a cult that was established in the 4th Century when the Roman Empire adopted “Christianity” as the State Religion, codifying its beliefs and doctrines.
If you don’t first understand that the New Testament portion of the Bible is about the New Covenant instituted by Jesus Christ, the Jewish Messiah, and that no new religion was started by the original believers in Jesus Christ in the First Century when the New Testament was written, then this article about the pagan “Easter” holiday will not make much sense to you. See:
Fact Check: “Christianity” and the Christian Religion is NOT Found in the Bible – The Person Jesus Christ Is [1]
The Council of Nicaea in 325 AD under the Roman emperor Constantine approved the official “doctrine” of Christianity as a State religion. One of the things Constantine did at the Council of Nicaea, was to separate the Jewish “Passover” holiday from the pagan spring festival of “Easter”, which is based on a female fertility goddess.
To separate the “Jews” from the “Christians”, “Easter” was declared to be a “Christian” holiday centered around the resurrection of Jesus Christ, because it occurred about the same time as the Jewish Passover.
The Roman emperor Constantine (who would be labeled “antisemitic” by the Zionists today) reportedly declared:
“Let us then have nothing in common with the detestable Jewish crowd; for we have received from our Saviour a different way.” (Eusebius’ Life of Constantine, Book III chapter 18)
A female goddess of Spring who represents “fertility” is common in many ancient cultures, with the female rabbit and her eggs being a symbol of fertility.
The goddess of Spring that Easter was based on is commonly believed to be Eostre, part of the Anglo Saxon traditions handed down through the Germanic people.
Easter is one of Christianity’s highest and holiest days, the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. But the origins of today’s very Christian holiday are firmly rooted in the ancient traditions of pagan religions from many parts of the world.
With its blend of solemn religious symbolism and the fun of Easter eggs and bunny rabbits, Easter as we know it is a patchwork of beliefs and practices related to the themes of springtime, rebirth, and renewal.
What Does “Pagan” Mean?
Pagan was originally a term used to describe people who practiced non-Christian religions. The term, which had a derogatory connotation, was assigned by early Christians. As Christianity was spreading in its early days in Europe, there were still many people who maintained their polytheistic beliefs.
Those people were subject to the pejorative term, which served as a form of social pressure to convert to Christianity, and identified targets for discrimination. However, since the 21st century, certain people of non-Christian faiths, primarily those that adopted a form of spirituality, began to use the term to describe themselves.
Paganism is now a religion of its own. But early pagans are credited with laying the foundation for Easter as we know it today, and thus, some people consider it a pagan Easter.
Where Did the Name Easter Come From?
Easter most likely takes its name from the names of goddesses associated with spring, vernal equinox and renewal. Eostre was the Saxon mother goddess, the source of all things and the bringer of new life. Around the same time, Teutonic tribes worshiped the dawn goddess Ostara, who also represented fertility and rebirth.
Other pagan cults and deities played a part in the formation of Easter, too. Around 200 BCE, the mystery cult of the goddess Cybele was popular in Rome and its surrounding areas. Cybele, another goddess of renewal and spring, had a lover named Attis, who was born of a virgin, and died and was reborn every spring.
Why Easter Falls on Different Dates
Easter doesn’t fall on the same date every year. Thus, even this aspect of the holiday is connected with pagan celebrations of the cycles of nature. The vernal equinox marks the time when night and day are of equal length.
It’s also a celebration by pagan cultures to welcome the arrival of the long days of spring and summer.
For Christians in Western traditions, Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox.
This is a formula set in 325 CE by the Council of Nicaea, which established many points of doctrine for the early Christian church. (Source [2].)
The King James Government “Authorized” English Translation of the Bible Endorsed Easter
The first English translation of the Bible that was government authorized by the King of England, is the “King James Version” (KJV) which was authorized by James Charles Stuart, the King of England in 1611.
King Jimmy decided to use the word “Easter” in his translation for the first few verses of Acts chapter 12:
Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also. (Then were the days of unleavened bread.)
And when he had apprehended him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quaternions of soldiers to keep him; intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.
Peter therefore was kept in prison: but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. (Acts 12:1-5 KJV)
The word King Jimmy and his translators translated into “Easter” is πάσχα (pascha), which everywhere else in the New Testament is translated “Passover.”
Every other English translation of the Bible uses “Passover” in this verse, as does the Modern King James (MKJV) English translation.
And at that time Herod the king threw on his hands to oppress some of those of the church. And he killed James the brother of John with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he went further to seize Peter also. (And they were days of Unleavened Bread.)
And capturing him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four sets of four soldiers to keep him; intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover.
Then, indeed, Peter was kept in prison. But earnest prayer was made to God for him by the church. (Acts 12:1-5 MKJV)
This is just one of the many errors in the original KJV versions of the English Bible, which had political motivations in the words it chose. I highlight many others and the “KJV” debate here [3], such as “Pastor” and “Church” which are English words that are not proper to be translated from in the original Greek text.
Jesus Christ, who was a Jew, not a Christian, celebrated the Passover as well. In fact, it was of one of the last things he did just before he was executed.
So what did Jesus teach when he celebrated his last Passover? Did he change its name to something else like “Easter”?
When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table.
And he said to them,
“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said,
“Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying,
“This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:14-20)
This is commonly referred to as Jesus’s “Last Supper”, and after he was executed and then rose from the dead, his disciples continued to follow his teaching, probably every time they got together to share a meal, which they referred to as “The Lord’s Supper.”
It was NOT a once-a-year holiday.
Here is Paul’s teaching on it:
For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said,
“This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Corinthians 11:23-26)
Much like how the Passover was celebrated to commemorate Moses and the Passover that instituted the Old Covenant under the Law where those who were less fortunate were supposed to share in the sacrificial lamb that was eaten, these times of coming together to share a meal in the early days after the death of Christ was a time to celebrate the New Covenant, represented by the blood of Jesus that was sacrificed for the sins of the world, as the “Lamb of God.”
Those less fortunate were to share in the meals. But when Paul wrote this to the believers in Corinth, they were abusing it and practicing gluttony and drunkenness instead, which was “unworthy” of its true significance.
When you come together, it is not the Lord’s Supper you eat, for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk.
Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the assembly of God and humiliate those who have nothing?
What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!
Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord.
A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.
That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep.
But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.
So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other. If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you meet together it may not result in judgment. (1 Corinthians 11)
I know that many well-meaning Christians celebrate Easter as a true expression of their faith in Jesus Christ, and his death and resurrection. I did also, for many years of my life.
But if I had known back then what I know now about the false religion of Christianity, I would not have celebrated this Spring Pagan holiday that was renamed into a Christian one by the Government of Rome, and then also codified into the first English translations of the Bible by the Government of England.
The Governments of this world are ruled by Satan, and Jesus Christ is the only authority in the Kingdom of God.
And with today’s technology, anyone can study the Bible for themselves [3], without a government or religious expert telling you what it means.
It is time to leave the Christian churches while you still can, as the Zionist religion is now the most dangerous cult on earth [4], and dominates Christianity, as well as the U.S. Government and politics.
We don’t need their pagan holidays, as we can follow the teachings of Jesus every time we share a meal with other believers, especially with those less fortunate than ourselves, by celebrating the New Covenant, through the Lord’s Supper.
“Do this in remembrance of me.” – Jesus