Merry Ostra Fellow Pagans

[joefree1]

The magic of tradition

By Laurel S. Barton

Special to The Times
It has come to my attention recently that the Easter
Bunny is becoming an endangered species. Various types
of bunnies, such as the "spring bunny" and "garden
bunny," are materializing at malls all over the
country. Apparently, these new politically correct
bunnies are an attempt to be sensitive to those who
are misguidedly offended by what they perceive to be
part of a Christian holiday.

It is disquieting to watch ignorance ripple through
society and wash away American tradition. Similar to
how connotations of words change, the celebration of
holidays and the meaning behind them do as well.

Easter was, in fact, originally a pagan holiday. The
term "Easter" is believed to be linguistically derived
from the Scandinavian word Ostra, or Easter, for the
goddess of spring and fertility. Her consort, Attis,
died each year and resurrected through virgin birth as
representation of new vegetation after winter.

edit ...
Even the determination of Easter Sunday's date is
pagan: It is calculated as the first Sunday after the
first full moon after the vernal equinox.
More ...
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2002220135_satrdr26.html

B*B,
Joe