The Practice of Peeps – Easter's Pagan Origins

This morning people are putting on their new outfits, going to an Easter church service, having dinner with their families, hiding dyed eggs and eating chocolate bunnies.  Why, you ask?  Because today is the day Jesus rose from the grave is the answer the average person would probably give you.  But is that true? The mission of Lost Creek is to search for answers with an open mind.  We are in no way hating on celebrating Easter for its Christian basis.  We just want to point out what a lot of people don’t seem to be aware of.  A certain Sunday in April is not the actual date that Jesus is believed to have risen from the grave. Celebrators are just choosing a day to recognize for the resurrection. We’re cool as cucumbers with that. But actually just like Christmas, Easter celebration has a pagan basis. 

Early Christians found a method of assimilating with converts from other belief systems by meshing their gods and traditions together. They would incorporate some pagan symbols to make them more comfortable and not kill them/offer them protection.  Everybody’s happy, right?  

Those pesky pagans (Wicker Man, 1973)

The pagans had a moon goddess named Ishtar (pronounced Easter), the wife of the sun god.  When Ishtar’s son was killed by a wild boar, she proclaimed a forty day period each year during which no meat was to be eaten and worshippers were to focus upon her husband and son.  On the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox there was to be a celebration for Ishtar with rabbits and eggs and because her son had been killed by a wild boar, a pig was to be slaughtered and eaten.  

Followers of the ancient god Mithras, who may or may not be worshipped by evil Illuminati-New World Order Types today, celebrated the spring equinox. The worshipers of Cybele lived where Vatican Hill is today.  Each spring they celebrated the rebirth of Cybele’s lover Attis.  It would start on Blood Friday and last three days, reaching a crescendo on Sunday.  

Exchanging eggs goes back to ancient pagan custom, like those celebrating the goddess Eostre, whose symbol was the hare.  Pagans would also gather on the morning of the equinox to watch the sunrise.  When Jesus’ tomb was found empty, the soldiers that were guarding it were asleep, nobody actually saw it. So it can’t be said for certain that he rose from the dead at sunrise.  A quick google search will bring up even more examples of modern Easter symbols that have ancient non-Christian roots.

We came across an article by an extreme fundamentalists online that condemned celebrating Easter as conducting ‘antichrist activities.’  There are Christian denominations that don’t celebrate these holidays.  The writer said Satan was a master deceiver, and Christians celebrating Easter with eggs, rabbits, hot cross buns, and ham were being tricked into sinning by worshiping false idols.  Either way, it’s easy to see how the symbols and celebrations of different beliefs have meshed together over time.  We think it’s fun to find out where the ‘practice of peeps’ comes from.

Now that you’ve stopped by Lost Creek and visited for a spell go eat dinner with your family, hide some eggs, and enjoy Easter!

Have a Creepy Easter!