Easter Bunny

Yes,we should celebrate every Sunday as Resurrection Sunday! But,this is the time of year we put extra emphasis on it!

We have fun with the fun stuff and speak seriously about biblical truth. I guess that is the major difference with us...we have never made things real,that are not real.

My middle child has 2 make believe friends that she would talk and *play* with...that is harmless child's play. She knows they were not real...the same when she plays in her closet with her stuffed animals...she pretends they are real....I'm not telling her they are real...big difference.

So,there is nothing wrong with imagination and pretend...but we try to distinguish for our children real and unreal...and we explain the hows and whys.

We have never chased monsters out from under beds,we tell them there are no such things as monsters...that's just how we have dealt with those kinds of issues.

 

We have done the same thing Mozier. And we try not to use the term easter, as it has nothing to do with Jesus. Although it is hard to get out of the habit.

 

Molly, I did tell them there weren't any monsters under the bed, the youngest one insists! It wasn't a problem until they went to school and heard all about how to keep monsters out from under you bed though! (little kid books helping kids deal with "issues")
Oh well. The monster spray has been working well lately.
Doesn't the bible call it Easter, btw?
Gina

 

I was always taught (and still believe) that we meet together and worship on the first day of the week because of our Lord's resurrection and in celebration of it. To make one Sunday more of a resurrection day celebration (whether Resurrection Sunday or Easter) goes beyond Scripture and weakens the reason of meeting on "the Lord's day." IOW, my opinion is that christening Easter "Resurrection Sunday" and leaving off the Easter Bunny is not enough - that's only a reformation rather than a restoration to New Testament practice. [kind of like calling Halloween "Harvest Festival" or something] Yes, Gina, in the KJV the passover season is called Easter (Acts 12:4). Let's not get in a Bible Version debate, though! Please??

 

I've got some "Bunny Rabbit" Christians at my church! Yes Sir Ree, I do!

They come hoppin' in ever Easter!

Blackbird

 

We also referred to it as Resurrection Sunday. And the kids did not believe in the Easter Bunny, but we sure had a lot of fun with him anyway! Especially since we had real rabbits.

They didn't like eggs....

 

Playing games and having fun with kids is not only OK, it is a serious responsibility for parents. When you play with your kids they know you are playing. If a child asks, "Is the Easter Bunny real?". Just tell them that that is part of the fun and you aren't going to tell them. My concern is not with what parents do at home with their kids but with what the church does with Easter. I have been very concerned the last couple of years with some of the newer members wanting to do something "Bunnyish" at church. So far, there hasn't been anything done by the church to participate with this and I hope and pray it continues.

 

Gina,LOL! It must be fun at your house! Your girls sound so cute!

About Resurrection Sunday....I,also believe the resurrection is why we meet each Sunday...what is wrong with celebrating his resurrection every Sunday and esp celebrating it this time of year? I'm missing the point,I guess....?

 

I have told my children that there is no Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, etc, etc... I explained to them why, who brings the gifts, money, candy, etc, etc...

I watched a TV show just the other day, and they had so-called Santa Claus on trial. They asked this man why he does what he does. His reply, "The children need someone to believe in." I thought about that and thank God that instead of thanking Santa or whoever for their gifts, etc. etc..., my children can believe in and thank Jesus for everything.

 

My sister-in-law who has eight children has a spring celebration at a different time than Easter Sunday. The children celebrate spring by dyeing eggs and hunting them. They have lots of fun and do not confuse these activities with the
Risen Lord.

 

Last Sunday I talked pastor into letting me take over for the day and had Sunday school in Church. Mainly because I needed the overhead projector... Well, not really, but it makes a great story Anyway, as it was last Sunday before a couple of weeks off I covered the topic of Jesus death and resurrection.

Here is an out-take from notes: ( © 2003 Pete productions Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved, etc etc....Just kidding )

Pete

 

That's great, Pete. Thanks for sharing.

 

Maybe we should tell our kids that on Resurrection Sunday a unicorn lays candy eggs. After all, the unicorn exists (or did in King James' times anyhow) and the Bible doesn't say the unicorn doesn't lay candy eggs.

Haruo

PS: I don't recall ever having really believed in any of them - tooth fairy or Santa or whoever. Paul Bunyan, and Stormalong, now that's a different matter. And the sasquatch.

 

Why do Christian parents want to lie to their children? Then when they grow to adult hood the parent wonder swhy they don't believe the "God Myth". Usually the parents who insist on lying to their children about the various "fairies and Snat Claus" fail to live a consistent Christian life and the kids never see the truth in them.

Parent a lie os a lie. Call it a "fairy tale" but it is still untrue, making it a lie.

Also these various tales take the place of the true meaning of the season!!!!

 

The easter bunny is a pagan symbol for fertility used for the queen of heaven/mother earth. it has nothing to do with Jesus being our Passover. The whole bunny egg thing is false and should not be veiwed as harmless fun for children. some occults still use these symbols today. we should arm our children with truth and gaurd them from the ease of lies. The resurection of Jesus can be fun let's find ways.

 

There is a lot of difference between reading Peter Rabbit and telling kids a rabbit is the symbol of Easter.

Even though we celebrate the resurrection each Sunday, Easter is a reminder of the passover when God promised to pass over those protected by the Blood.

 

[ May 26, 2003, 08:35 PM: Message edited by: 3907 ]

 

Amen. I was waiting for someone to mention this!
(Though i don't understand the last statement... )

 

Some occultic and pagan rites use the triangle, the circle, the broom, the cat....

We should stay away from geometry, house-cleaning, and pets as a result, right?

Sure, rabbits reproduce quickly, but mice are much faster! I know -- we had that problem once! It's a little hard to cuddle a mouse, though

Rabbits, chickens, ducklings -- baby animals of all sorts share the spotlight now during springtime. It has nothing to do with pagan worship. It has to do with new life and new beginnings and, actually, that is not a bad combination with Resurrection Sunday when parents explain it that way.

I have never even heard of a parent associating the Easter Bunny with any pagan practice, however! It would be a lot different if they did, but they don't.

If a Christian parent chooses to do the bunny/chicken/duckling thing for decorating and dying eggs and such, the kids will know about Christ's Resurrection no matter. If it is a non-Christian parent, then what do we see? Dangerous things like Easter egg hunts, Easter baskets of goodies (the bane of dentists, though!), and another adventure in profiteering for merchants. Nothing terribly new or threatening.

I'd rather see a pagan family having fun with their kids with an Easter egg hunt around the yard than see a Christian family sullen with fights about what is and is not 'right' about any of that!

The first family has a chance of learning about Christ as a matter of love and joy and forgiveness. The second family may well be innoculating their children against it. I cannot even count the number of those we have run into in 'real' life and on the net who were raised in "Christian" homes and who turned their backs on it because of the way it was represented in the home. For some it took many, many wasted years to turn back to Christ for real.

"Fun" is not a swear word. Appreciation of life is not a bad thing. Looking forward to new beginnings and new life and blossoms and baby animals has to do with the same joyful expectation that I personally feel about heaven. I love to see new life. I love to celebrate it. I love the joy of everything fresh and new.

If someone wants to point to where paganism and occultic rites took over some of that, fine. I'll simply enjoy, with my family, the real things.

Barry had never dyed eggs before. We have our own chickens and so have plenty of eggs this time of year. So I went downtown and got some Easter egg dye and showed him. We had a great time. He used the wax crayons to write love notes to each of the kids on an egg for each of them. They glowed.

Our retarded son brought home from school a carved wooden bunny with a fuzzy nose that he had help decorating. It has place of honor on the kitchen table, next to the message eggs. Because of love.

And everyday, at that kitchen table, we have a family Bible study.