| Author | Message | ||
| Cordurb Registered user Username: Cordurb Post Number: 80 Registered: 4-2009 |
Last night I got home from an awesome Good Friday service and my SDA wife hit me with the "Easter is a pagan holiday" list from Google. While Easter itself has "pagan" roots, I have never felt anything but the wonderful reminder of how Jesus suffered, died, and gloriously rose from the dead for our salvation. Anyway, I feel like she is trying to take the joy out of the day. Anyone else have this problem? | ||
| Skeeter Registered user Username: Skeeter Post Number: 638 Registered: 12-2007 |
There are probably a LOT of celebrations that have "pagan roots" .. but I feel it is what we make of those celebrations NOW that counts. We celebrate Easter because our Lord rose from the dead on that day not in celebration of false gods and fertility rites etc (the eggs and rabbits). | ||
| Skeeter Registered user Username: Skeeter Post Number: 639 Registered: 12-2007 |
Maybe try pointing out to your wife that the Saturday "sabbath" was also celebrated at one time as a "pagan Holiday" by people worshiping SATURN. I know SDA's sometimes refer to Sunday as the "day of the SUN". NOW I see it as the "day of the SON" So tomorrow as we celebrate Easter, happy SONday to everyone. :-) Francie | ||
| Indy4now Registered user Username: Indy4now Post Number: 794 Registered: 2-2008  |
Most adventists I know still celebrate that Jesus died on the Friday before Easter. I guess what I don't understand is that an adventist can celebrate that Jesus died on the Friday before Easter, celebrate that He supposedly rested on the Saturday before Easter... BUT to celebrate that He rose on that Sunday that everyone calls "Easter"... is a huge NO-NO?!??? I say if they have a problem with Easter... don't celebrate anything that weekend. Be consistent! Does that make sense? vivian | ||
| Asurprise Registered user Username: Asurprise Post Number: 1222 Registered: 7-2007 |
Cordurb; if you tell her that it's "Resurection Sunday" instead of "Easter," I don't think she could say anything to that!  | ||
| Psalm107v2 Registered user Username: Psalm107v2 Post Number: 627 Registered: 10-2008  |
No Viv it does not. When I was SDA the whole resting on Sabbath thing was huge to me and I thought how deluded those "sunday keepers" were to be schlepping to church on Sunday and stuffing themselves with jelly beans and chocolate. Now to me Easter/Passover/Resurrection Sunday is the best day of the year!! Jesus conquered the grave, He died and rose again just like He said He would. I'm not going to make an issue of the name Easter and the whole goddess Ishtar etc etc. The event of the Cross and Resurrection is real and if Spring soltice and some other pagan holidays happen around the same time---big deal. In The same way Passover is real, and prefigured Christ the REAL Passover Lamb really died and really rose and really took away my sin. Like the late Walter Martin would say in his finest academic phrasing about people making mountains out of mole hills "Boowa, Poowa" Yes it's too bad that people are focusing on bunnies and candy but that does not detract from the reality of Christ. Ok I'm off my soap box now. Cordub, enjoy your rest in Christ and if you need a celebration partner, know that I am enjoying the season enough for you and me both Enoch | ||
| Cordurb Registered user Username: Cordurb Post Number: 81 Registered: 4-2009 |
Enoch, I couldn't have said it any better. The tombis empty and He is risen! He is alive! | ||
| Indy4now Registered user Username: Indy4now Post Number: 795 Registered: 2-2008 |
I love that Enoch!!! "... does not detract from the REALITY of Christ." The reality of Christ is that He died and rose again and because of Him I have hope. simple... His gospel is simple, sweet and beautiful. That's something to celebrate! vivian | ||
| Nowisee Registered user Username: Nowisee Post Number: 348 Registered: 5-2009 |
I'm so excited about Easter this year!!! Yippee! When I was SDA we only did the egg & bunny bit--now it's the happiest time of year and it's all about Jesus! Our Good Friday service was awesome, too, Cordurb--there were 16 baptisms after singing praises to God, hearing the word, prayer. We finished with the Lord's supper. People broke out in applause as each testimony was given & each person came up out of the water. Everyone was SO happy--the children in the congregation came up and led the adults in songs of praise. It didn't seem very 'pagan' to me!!! If Christianity turned something that focused on the enemy into a time of worship & praise to the only true God, is this a bad thing?? | ||
| Cordurb Registered user Username: Cordurb Post Number: 82 Registered: 4-2009 |
That sounds like a great night! Our chains are gone. We've been set free. The world needs to know Him | ||
| Skeeter Registered user Username: Skeeter Post Number: 641 Registered: 12-2007 |
All my years growing up it was the "Bunny and egg thing"... then in 40+ years in Adventism the emphasis was put on the fact that Christ died on a Friday afternoon, that He "rested" in the grave Friday night and all day "Sabbath" BUT .... we were not to celebrate "Easter" because it was a "Pagan" Holiday. Now I dont think of it as "Easter" but as Ressurection Sunday. All those years in Adventism I guess it just didnt really occur to me that Christ dying on Friday and "resting" in the grave through Sabbath did not mean a THING without the RESSURRECTION on Sunday morning. We were so focused on "Sabbath" we could not observe anything... even our RISEN SAVIOR because it happened on Sunday. This will be my first Easter/ ressurection day that I feel I am really realizing the importance of putting all of it together. What happened on each of those 3 days is important... but without the ressurrection,, what happened on that Friday and Sabbath would have been for nothing. This morning I am taking 2 of my grandchildren to church with me and meeting my son and his family there. :-) Have a Blessed Ressurection Sunday everyone ! :-) Francie | ||
| Indy4now Registered user Username: Indy4now Post Number: 796 Registered: 2-2008 |
Hey Francie~ One of the first things my mom asked me when we left adventism is... "what is so significant about Sunday anyway?" I about died. I explained to her (just what you wrote above) that if Christ had only died we would not be Christians today. We are Christ followers today because He has risen... and that happens to be on a Sunday! I guess since they worship a day (the sabbath)... they have to see that anyone worshipping on a Sunday is worshipping the day too.  Happy Ressurection day to you too! vivian | ||
| Grace_alone Registered user Username: Grace_alone Post Number: 1677 Registered: 6-2006  |
Wow Viv, "I guess since they worship a day (the sabbath)... they have to see that anyone worshipping on a Sunday is worshipping the day too." You really hit the nail on the head. All my SDA relatives are silent today. So sad! Leigh Anne | ||
| Hec Registered user Username: Hec Post Number: 956 Registered: 3-2009 |
I just found out that Southern Adventist University had a Sonrise service. This was very elaborate with stations representing the whole weekend, death, burial, and resurrection. I've seen some clips of video. It seems like it was very well done. It was done on..... Saturday morning!!!!!!!!!!!! Resurrection on Saturday morning? Go figure. | ||
| Nowisee Registered user Username: Nowisee Post Number: 352 Registered: 5-2009 |
Yes, Leigh Anne, it is very sad to be sda on Resurrection Day. (sda=sad) . I wish they could experience the joy!! It is very empty when all you have is eggs & bunnies and leave out our victorious Jesus. Jesus is better than chocolate bunnies!! | ||
| Skeeter Registered user Username: Skeeter Post Number: 642 Registered: 12-2007 |
I am stunned.... and feel like crying..... I just got off the phone with my MIL (SDA) Last week when I spent the night with her, she had sent a couple books to give to one of my grandsons and had also sent $100.00 and said to give it to my DIL and that it was her (MIL's) "freewill offering"... Dil was greatful (she was paying bills at the time I gave it to her... ) she called and thanked my MIL.. Anyway, I called MIL a few minutes ago and caught her at a bad time as she was in town shopping, but she told me that Jennifer called and thanked her for the $$ and that when she (MIL) told my FIL that she had sent it to Jennifer as her "freewill offering" he told her that was good and that he would rather she do that and help family that needs it than to be sending $$ off to Haiti or some of those other places,,, he told her there are Millions already going there and a lot of it is being misused .. (probably true) but she told him... "those people in Haiti are Gods children too" (very true) and she told him that she would send her "freewill offernings anyplace she felt impressed to send it. Anyway,,, just before she hung up she said "I dont know if you saw where all those people in Haiti were celebrating Easter... IT JUST SICKENS ME !!! well, I have to go" I was so stunned I couldnt say anything ! She was hanging up anyway... but..... :-( 8-{ 8-< Francie | ||
| Helovesme2 Registered user Username: Helovesme2 Post Number: 2386 Registered: 8-2004  |
Oh Francie, I'm so sorry! That is really hard. | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 8084 Registered: 3-2004  |
Francie, I am so sorry. She just does not know how important the resurrection is. That is hard to take. Diana L | ||
| Dennis Registered user Username: Dennis Post Number: 1941 Registered: 4-2000  |
Two sinking ships? CNN's "Situation Room" and the "Cafferty File" just discussed the growing, worldwide sex scandal in Catholicism. One Vatican source called it merely "petty gossip." One journalist mentioned that if the Catholic Church waits long enough there won't be anyone to apologize to. Their members are leaving in droves and/or becoming "retired Catholics." Twenty-five percent of German Catholics no longer respect the Catholic hierarchy. Interestingly, if the Catholic Church gets hit with many millions of dollars in additional lawsuits, they would be in a poor position to continue their operations if their laymen refuse to part with their money while the hierarchy desperately tries to sell off their prestigious real estate. It is my contention that if Roman Catholicism somehow fails then Seventh-day Adventism will likewise collapse. After all, Adventist dogma was built upon anti-Catholicism in the nineteenth century. If the RCC ship goes under, then the SDA ship will soon follow in self-destruction. Adventists would quickly no longer believe in Ellen White. And without Ellenism, Adventism cannot survive. The late Samuele Bacchiocchi rightly accused Ellen White of overlooking the Islamic factor in SDA end-time scenarios. There is absolutely no evidence that the RCC hierarchy would be willing change their beliefs about celibacy, unique access to children, nun abuse, ad infinitum. Just my thoughts. What do you think? Dennis Fischer | ||
| Nowisee Registered user Username: Nowisee Post Number: 356 Registered: 5-2009 |
Wow, interesting, Dennis...yes, as far as I remember, the disdain for crosses, Easter & Sunday are all because they are "Catholic"---if the bogeyman evaporates, who will be blamed for being Babylon? You have to have someone to persecute you if you are to play the 'victim card' all the time. Francie, this is beyond sad, now that we know what Easter/Resurrection Day is really all about. I would be interested if she can explain exactly what about it sickens her. |
