| Question / Issue |
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| What does the easter bunny or easter eggs or santa clause or wrapping gifts have to do with honoring Jesus? Aren't these things pagan rituals to lure us from the real truth? Shouldn't we be giving all the time to loved ones and not just at Christmas? |
| Answer / Solution |
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Calvary Community Church does not promote the standard practice of Easter as it pertains to bunnies and eggs, but has no problem with Christmas trees and presents. Family is always the most important aspect of living next to knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The Lord Jesus Christ and family are the top two priorities on any day of the year, holiday or not. The placement of God and family at the center of your life pleases God and promotes godliness. In this context, the Holy Spirit is more than able to direct believers towards the traditions and celebrations that are appropriate.
It is a matter of personal preference whether or not one participates in any of the activities that you’ve mentioned. There are some general things to consider before judging those who do participate:
- Historically, some of these practices have an ancient connection to some sort of paganism. Time and culture have significantly polluted and/or diminished these features such that the connection is no longer valid. For instance, the icon of Santa Clause celebrates a profoundly benevolent bishop from the middle ages who cared for orphans; his remembrance is a historical celebration of kindness, not worship. Concerning Easter eggs and bunnies, the original practice is not so benign, but it is no longer true. People are not practicing a pagan fertility ritual when they look for eggs and eat chocolate bunnies.
- Technically, in order to truly practice an occult ritual, one must truly have “dedicated” objects in that system of worship. The traditional secular practice of Easter does not map well onto any ancient occult rituals that involve practices too disgusting to be mentioned here. Peter Cotton Tail and chocolate bunnies are not closely related to self-mutilation and religious prostitution.
- Culturally, an entirely new meaning has been assigned to a very old practice. In other words, no one is thinking or even aware of pagan origins, due to the cultural momentum of apathy. Since the practice is far removed from its original form and given entirely new meanings or essentially no meaning at all (such as the secular American practice of Christmas), it is hard to count certain secularisms of ancient holidays as equivalent to their modern form.
The issues that you raise are historically complex and difficult to track. The answer given here is a generalization of many historical resources concerning the traditions in question. |