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The Pagan Origins of Easter

From where did Easter observance come? Did
the early Christians dye Easter eggs? Did Peter
or Paul ever conduct an Easter sunrise service?
The word "Easter" appears once in the King
James Version of the Bible (Acts 2:4). The
word translated "Easter" here is pascha which
is -- as all scholars know -- the Greek word for
passover and has no connection with the Eng-
lish "Easter."

It is well-known that "Easter" is not a Christian
expression -- not in its original meaning. The
word comes from the name of a pagan goddess
-- the goddess of the rising light of day and
Hope of Israel Ministries (Church of spring. "Easter" is but a more modern form of
YEHOVAH) Eostre, Ostera, Astarte, or Ishtar, the latter, ac-
The Berean Voice Magazine cording to Hislop, being pronounced as we pro-
P.O. Box 6772 nounce "Easter" today.
Thousand Oaks, CA 91359-6772, U.S.A.
Like the word "Easter," many of our customs at

Website (West Coast): this season had their beginnings among non-
http://hope-of-israel.org Christian religions. Easter eggs, for example,
Website (East Coast): are colored, hid, hunted, and eaten -- a custom
http://hope-of-isreal.net done innocently today. However, this custom
did not originate in Christianity but was a sa-
cred symbol among the ancient Babylonians
E-mail: kiwihope@netscape.net
who believed an old fable about an egg of won-
drous size that fell from heaven into the Euphra-
Editor and Director: tes River. From this marvellous egg --
John D. Keyser according to the myth -- the goddess Astarte
(Easter) was hatched. The egg came to symbol-
Contributing Writers: ize the goddess Easter.
Louise Rushmore
Herbert W. Armstrong Are these customs pleasing in YEHOVAH's
sight? Does Easter honor Yeshua and the mes-
Technical Advisor: sage he brought to mankind? Are you like a
David Hinkley blind sheep following the other millions in ob-
serving this custom? Why follow heathenism
Hope of Israel Ministries -- and try to convince yourself that you are a

Preparing the Way for the Christian? YEHOVAH calls such things an
abomination!
Return of YEHOVAH God -- John D. Keyser

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