[Off-Grid]

Rev 18:4* And I heard another voice from the heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. (Jer_51:6, Jer_51:9, Jer_51:45, Jer_50:8, Jer_50:13, Jer_50:28)*

 

[Watchingtheweasels]

Great and Holy Pascha

"On the Great and Holy Feast of Pascha, Orthodox Christians celebrate the life-giving Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This feast of feasts is the most significant day in the life of the Church. It is a celebration of the defeat of death, as neither death itself nor the power of the grave could hold our Savior captive. In this victory that came through the Cross, Christ broke the bondage of sin, and through faith offers us restoration, transformation, and eternal life."

"Pascha is a transliteration of the Greek word, which is itself a transliteration of the Aramaic pascha, from the Hebrew pesach meaning Passover."

"Twelve weeks of preparation precede it. This is made up of pre-lenten Sundays, Great Lent, and Holy Week. The faithful try to make this long journey with repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation, prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and study. When the feast finally arrives, it is celebrated with a collection of services combined as one."

Oh, and regarding the word "Easter" itself,

"In a footnote to his translation of the work of Eusebius, Christian F. Cruse defended the usage of the word Easter:

"Our English word Passover, happily, in sound and sense, almost corresponds to the Hebrew [pesach], of which is a translation. Exod. Xii. 27. The Greek pascha, formed from the Hebrew, is the name of the Jewish festival, applied invariably in the primitive church to designate the festival of the Lord’s resurrection, which took place at the time of the passover. Our word Easter is of Saxon origin, and of precisely the same import with its German cognate Ostern. The latter is derived from the old Teutonic form of auferstehn, Auferstehung, i. e. resurrection. "

Your video is an excellent example of what happens when you get on stage with a garage band, declare yourself to be a preacher or a pastor, and open the scriptures in ignorance apart from the light of history and the collective memory of the church.

So basically, if you went to this guy's church on Sunday morning and listened to his sermon, you would spend an hour of your life absorbing what today is called fake news.

 

[Off-Grid]

fake news.

Really? Let me know what part was fake so we can discuss it.

Do catholics like to have the kids collect eggs from a magic rabbit for this occasion?

 

[OhioMan]

Thanks Off-Grid!

Our family has never done the whole Easter-bunny, Easter eggs thing. It just never felt right along with Santa Claus and all the rest. It's just not been apart of our families traditions.

At the time of year many focus of Christ and His death and burial we have always seen as everyday obedience to Christ not just one day.

We do have a Christmas tree(s), wreaths, decorations around the house inside/out but we don't see those things as worship but rather family tradition much in the same way we have a family get-together on the 4th of July or buying coffee before Church, just a tradition.

However your video does bring up some important points. I 100% agree we as believers have fallen away in some of these paganist practices and incorporated them into Christian worship.

I think many of your points bring balance to a much needed discussion. Thanks for doing this and shedding some light on these subjects.

OM

 

[ActionJackson]

Really? Let me know what part was fake so we can discuss it.

Do catholics like to have the kids collect eggs from a magic rabbit for this occasion?

Eggs and bunnies represent "fertility" and reproduction and (in the olden days) orgies.

Whatever the case may be ... I believe that there are some religious organizations that believe in incorporating pagan rituals, traditions, and customs into "Christianity" as long as those practices are first "baptized." I'm not sure that I've seen it written in God's Word that "baptizing" pagan customs is condoned by God.

In fact:

2 Corinthians 6:17, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you."

Revelation 18:4, "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."

Isaiah 52:11, "Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the LORD."

1 John 2:15, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

The message is pretty clear. Christianity is a pure religion based on pure truth. Man has not been given the right to alter it and/or mold it to conform to his own pleasure, desires, opinions, or traditions. Stick to the written Word and you can't go wrong.

 

[Off-Grid]

Stick to the written Word and you can't go wrong.

BINGO! :thumb:

 

[Watchingtheweasels]

Really? Do catholics like to have the kids collect eggs from a magic rabbit for this occasion?

I have no idea what Roman Catholics do. You might want to ask one.

 

[mrghostwalker]

The message is pretty clear. Christianity is a pure religion based on pure truth. Man has not been given the right to alter it and/or mold it to conform to his own pleasure, desires, opinions, or traditions. Stick to the written Word and you can't go wrong.

:thumb:
Christianity/ Messianic Judaism have always been a problem for the religious. With religions, rules and tradition are applied to the adherents. With Christianity/ Messianic Judaism, the adherents follow God and His word directly.

 

[Off-Grid]

I have no idea what Roman Catholics do. You might want to ask one.

My bad, How about your group? Most do chase the eggs.

 

[cat_1978]

My bad, How about your group? Most do chase the eggs.

You will not understand Christian symbolism even if we give it to you point by point. In short you don't know what you are talking about. The Orthodox Church has created Christian symbolism since 2000 years. In my country alone we have thousands of songs, festivals and objects all Christian or Christianized that precedes the discovery of America and certainly Protestants as a whole, and even post Schism Catholic Church, and you want me to explain them to you? What a laugh. You continue to do what you do best: modern talk for modern newbies (naive) in faith.

 

[OhioMan]

You will not understand Christian symbolism even if we give it to you point by point.

Is this how Jesus, Paul, Peter would have answered?

 

[cat_1978]

Is this how Jesus, Paul, Peter would have answered?

They would have answered probably more forceful with: "Away Satan!"

You are touching important things of the Church in a very ignorant way and without a shred of respect and humility from where you stand and what product you are of (apostates and heretics of the last 500 years). There are 1500 years before those ignorant 500 years. You are talking about things that you don't know. And you were right with 1 point (that you put in another thread): you don't know anything.

 

[Off-Grid]

They would have answer probably more forceful with: "Away Satan!"

That's kinda my reaction to folks when I see kids told about a magical bunny who has left colored eggs everywhere and somehow tie that to Scripture...rather than telling them the truth about it's pagan source.

Jer 10:2* Thus said יהוה, “Do not learn the way of the nations...

 

[ActionJackson]

You will not understand Christian symbolism even if we give it to you point by point. In short you don't know what you are talking about. The Orthodox Church has created Christian symbolism since 2000 years. In my country alone we have thousands of songs, festivals and objects all Christian or Christianized that precedes the discovery of America and certainly Protestants as a whole, and even post Schism Catholic Church, and you want me to explain them to you? What a laugh. You continue to do what you do best: modern talk for modern newbies (naive) in faith.

I can picture a Babylonian telling you that you would "never know their pagan symbolism even if they gave it to you point by point." Remember: Their symbols precede your church. That doesn't make them any more true.

But the greater point is this: Christians should be seeking truth rather than symbols. God's holy, untainted, unadulterated, clear, and pure truth -- plus nothing!! Nothing exceeds it!! God doesn't hide behind hidden symbolism or masks.

 

[cat_1978]

I can picture a Babylonian telling you that you would "never know their pagan symbolism even if they gave it to you point by point." Remember: Their symbols precede your church. That doesn't make them any more true.

But the greater point is this: Christians should be seeking truth rather than symbols. God's holy, untainted, unadulterated, clear, and pure truth -- plus nothing!! Nothing exceeds it!! God doesn't hide behind hidden symbolism or masks.

There is no hidden symbolism. It is all in plain view. That is One.

I know that many of the Protestants view even the Cross as a symbol that is not Christian as per their minds. That is Two.

The Church used symbolism since the beginning and specially in the times of oppression by the Roman Emperors in church catacombs and in their houses. That is Three.

Learn Church History before you speak ignorance. That is Four.

 

[BabyBlue]

Make it easy on yourself. Easter is the celebration of the resurrection. More important than the birth of Jesus (or however you want to pronounce his name. Pronunciations are not the point.), because we have all been born. But only he has been resurrected YET. It has been promised to us all, and he is the proof of the promise.

The cute little custom of having pretty little children in their Sunday best crinolines dashing about collecting coloured eggs and eating chocolate bunnies may have originated in false gods, but that is not what it is now. Almost everyone has forgotten those false gods and they don't matter. Expunging the modern custom will not matter. The Father does not judge you because you colour eggs.

 

[Off-Grid]

coloured eggs and eating chocolate bunnies may have originated in false gods, but that is not what it is now.

So the origins have morphed through time? It's now OK to lie to your kids and tell them a magic bunny laid these things?

Have you actually looked into the origins of this fertility bunny and coloring eggs?

 

[Jack Swilling]

The truth about Easter
It is both secular and religious
Same with Christmas
If you are convicted about any of the secular activities, don't participate
Otherwise enjoy the secular part
For sure remember the Greatest Sacrifice
The death, burial, and Resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Yesterday was Ash Wednesday
Always like to participate in it
Resurrection (Sun) day as awesome as it gets on earth

Seems like every Easter and Christmas we get the same old
"I just googled it"
"Those are pagan holidays"

Then don't play
But stop being the master of the obvious
It gets real old

Every day is Sacred to me

 

[ActionJackson]

=cat_1978;20096432]There is no hidden symbolism. It is all in plain view. That is One.

When I see a symbol it doesn't add to or take away from my personal faith in Christ. So, for me, they're irrelevant and unnecessary. They certainly aren't required to have faith and belief in a Savior who died for my multitude of sins.

I know that many of the Protestants view even the Cross as a symbol that is not Christian as per their minds. That is Two.

When we really stop and think about it ... the cross is a "symbol" of punishment, pain, and death. When I do see a cross ... I like to see the ones where Christ isn't present. It shows that He's no longer on the cross but on the right hand of the Father. It shows that He conquered death. Crosses that still show him hanging in death indicate that He never left that horrible devise of cruel torture.

The Church used symbolism since the beginning and specially in the times of oppression by the Roman Emperors in church catacombs and in their houses. That is Three.

None of the "traditional" symbols I've seen are indicated in Scripture. Not even the cross is elevated to a standard of worship. Christ conquered the cross and the grave and ascended into Heaven. That's where He is according to the written Word. I don't need any icon or object to remind me of that fact.

Learn Church History before you speak ignorance. That is Four.

Learn the Scripture and Church History will seem somewhat insignificant in comparison.

 

[Off-Grid]

Almost everyone has forgotten those false gods and they don't matter.

Trust me, the One Who really matters has not forgotten:

Deu 12:30* guard yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire about their mighty ones, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their mighty ones? And let me do so too.’c

Footnote: cSee also Deu_18:9, Lev_18:3, Jer_10:2, Eze_11:12 and Eze_20:32, Eph_4:17, and 1Pe_4:3.*