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UNT, ASHES, EASTER, RABBITS, ANO EGGS...
A
s children, to most of us the
word "Easter" a lways meant
bright , colorful, egg-shaped
jelly beans, grass nests with cute
little Walt Disney- type bunnies, and
newsreels about the big parade on
Fifth Avenue in New York.
The name didn't bother us espe–
cially. lt seemed to rhyme with
"yeas t" or perhaps have something
to do with a direction like ' 'east."
But everyone seemed lo figure it
was mighty important to pay it
sorne special attention, and, being
normal people who were inclined to
get starry-eyed over brightly lit
candy counters, it probably seemed
Like a good idea at the time.
But What Does
lt
Have to
Do
Witb Cbrist?
The desire to follow the crowd
exerts a tremendous pull on Little
children. But Easter wasn' t invented
by children - and it's not child's
play!
What about it? Did you ever won–
der about sorne of the strange cus–
toms being observed by "Christian"
societies today?
Just what do eggs have todo with
Christ and his resurrection? What
do rabbits and eggs have in com–
mon? Rabbits most assuredly do not
lay eggs, even though millions of
little children are taught to assume
they do!
And why " hot cross buns"? Wby
not cold triangle ones or just plain
bread? And what was there about
Wednesday that led to putting asbes
on on e's fore head, and what is
really "good" about Friday? And if
Friday was the day Christ was cruci–
fied, then why did he keep insisting
(Matt. 12:40) he was going to be
three complete days and three com–
plete nights in the tomb?
He couldn't have been,
if
he was
resurrected on Sunday morning,
could he?
Pagan Festivities
You would be shocked if you read
the bistory of the "hot cross bun,"
the Easter bunny, the eggs, and tbe
practice of bowing toward the east
as the sun rises!
The
PLAIN TRUTH Aprii-May 1976
wrnmu~~
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ffi[l[l
mrnrnrnu~
by
Garner Ted Armstrong
and Eugene
M.
Walter
Just what is "Easter"? What
does the name mean? Have
you ever wondered why you
believe and practice certain
customs at Easter time. You'/1
be surprised to find the plain
truth about Easter!
In Germany severa! years ago,
tbe usual riotous German version of
the "Mardi Gras" was taking place
in Cologne. People were acting as
if
insane, drunken revelry was taking
place, and hideous masks, weird
costumes, idiotic dancing, and
noisemaking were everywbere.
We asked passersby what it all
meant! One man said vaguely, "Oh,
it's for the children!" Another said
it
had no "special" meaning. Only one
man out of severa! seemed to know
it
was tbe pre-Lenten rioting that
accompaoied the days of "fasting"
prior to Easter!
After all, who needs an excuse,
people reasoo, to attend a party?
lt's
Easter - But Why?
On one Sunday morning each
spring, a strange and bewildering
pbenomenon takes place in cities,
towns, and countrysides around the
world. Instead of sleeping late as
usual, many tbousands will get up
early on this day - very early. They
must be at their destination well be–
fare sunrise.
The occasion? A game of golf? A
fishing trip? No, not on this particu–
la r moroing.
Instead , th ey will meet with
friends and, of al! tbings, watch the
sun rise! And as if this were not
strange enough, this is all part of a
religious service!
On this very same day, millions of
others will be preparing to do some–
thing unusual, too. This is one of the
two or three times during the year
when they wi ll darken the door of a
church! Or perhaps it would be bet–
ter to say decorate the door of a
church, for they will have purchased
fashionable new clothes especially
for the occasion.
Sorne, because their forty days of
partial abstinence called " Lent" are
over, will once again freely indulge
themselves. Others anticípate a fam–
ily reunion, a big ham dinner, or,
perhaps, a fashion show or a pa–
rade.
And the children? They are abso–
lutely delighted with the chocolate
rabbits, the colored eggs, and the
prospect of exciting egg-hunting
and egg-rolling games on the lawn!
This is Easter - one of the big
bolidays of the Western year. But
what is its purpose? What is it sup–
posed to commemorate? And why
all t.h ese incongruous activities?
Wby watch the sun rise on this day?
Why purchase new clothes for it?
Why eat ham for dinner?
Why rabbits? Wby nota puppy or
a kitten? They can lay just as many
eggs as a rabbi t. But, then, why
eggs? Wouldn' t oranges or onions
roll justas well?
To a world steeped in tradition,
these customs seem normal. But
when you stop to think about it,
what real
sense
do the activities of
this day we call "Easter" make, any–
way?
And why is Easter observed on a
Sunday? Why not on a Tuesday,
Thursday or Mooday?
To this question many will imme–
diately reply that Sunday was the
day on which Christ rose from tbe
dead and that his resurrection is the
very reason for observing Easter.
But is it? Was Christ resurrected
on a Sunday? Are you sure? Have
you ever proved it from the Bible?
And what has the Easter rabbit
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