Why Observe
Easter? The Hunt for the Truth
By Gerald E. Weston
W
hat do celebrations surrounding Easter have to do with the biblical account of Jesus’ death and resurrection? Truthfully, little to
nothing at all. Let us begin with the name. As many secular sources explain, the name Easter derives from the Anglo-Saxon goddess Eostre. This deity is widely known as the goddess of fertility and the Queen of Heaven, and her name is spelled differently in different cultures. Easter is connected to Ishtar and Istra, just to give a few of the different spellings of her name found in various languages. The Melkite Greek Catholic Church says this about the origin of the name Easter: “Our modern English word ‘Easter’ comes from Old English, and referred originally to the Norse goddess of fertility, Istra – who was symbolized by a rabbit” (“Great Lent and Holy Week,” Melkite.org).
The connection of the name and many Easter customs to paganism is an indisputable matter of historical record. This ought to elicit questions from anyone with an active mind. Does it not seem strange to stamp the name of a pagan goddess on what is considered the most sacred holiday of professing Christianity? Why would leaders allow or do such a thing, when Scripture explicitly prohibits borrowing heathen practices? (See Deuteronomy 12:29–32; Jeremiah 10:2.) Why do leaders of mainstream Christianity not speak out about this? Furthermore, blatant paganism surrounding the celebration of Easter does not stop with the name. Would not a curious person want to know what eggs, bunnies, hot cross buns, and Easter lilies have to do with the resurrection of Christ? The truth is, these too were borrowed from heathen customs. This is easily discovered by a little research, which the average person can conduct. Strange, isn’t it? Why would Christianity embrace customs that are common in the worship of a foreign deity?
March-April 2019 | Tomorrow’s World 5
