I heard a radio commercial for a Christian bookstore promoting a sale they
were having for Easter. The ad stated that Christians should celebrate the
real meaning of Easter. I remember thinking how strange it would be if the
listeners actually did what the commercial was asking them to do.
The original Easter was a holiday named after a fertility goddess. That is
why rabbits and eggs are still associated with the holiday to this day. How
did Christianity move from a religion that worshiped the One God to a
religion that celebrates an ancient holiday that still bears the name of the
pagan deity?
Just how much influence did Greek society have on the early church? In a Q &
A column of Dr. James Dobson’s “Focus on the Family” magazine he was asked
the following question.
Q
“Does our celebration of Christmas have some
roots in pagan religious practices? How do you feel about Christians
participating in that sort of thing?”
A
“It’s true that the timing of our modern
Christmas season coincides with that of an ancient Roman festival, the
Saturnalia. There’s even an historical connection between the two. In the
fourth century, Emperor Constantine declared Christianity the official
religion of the Roman Empire and outlawed all pagan religious practices.
“But it seems Constantine also had a fair
understanding of human nature and was something of a diplomat. He didn’t
want the public outcry that would be sure to result if he simply banned the
Saturnalia. He declared that the festivities should