Why Bunnies?

[Fate]

As you know, today is Easter. And Easter marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is therefore a religious holiday. However, I've noticed that Easter is decorated with eggs and bunnies. What do eggs and bunnies have to do with Jesus Christ being reborn? This thing has been on my mind for a while, and I think it's just stupid! Is there an alternate reason for Easter that I am unaware of? Please, answer this question, and put my mind to rest! Thanks, all!

[loner-kid]

Actually I think the bunnies come from an old pagan fertility festival but don't quote me on that. The egg however is used to symbolise christs rebirth, or the boulder that blocked his tomb. Again don't quote me on that

[Cheesevixen]

Easter (like almost all christian holidays) have a healthy dose of pagan symbolism. Like steeples and their link to the male penis, and Christmas ornaments to the males testicles. Many things from Easter were created from pagan views of rebirth, and sacrificial practices. The very name comes from the Norsemen's Eostur, Eastar, Ostara, and Osta,and the pagan goddess Eostre. This name was commonly intertwined with spring.Egg's stood for new life, bunnies for fertility.....there is a lot of symbolism. Just do some research...I am sure different sites say different things, but what I've said is pretty much the gist of it.

[loner-kid]

yay I was mostly right. Go pagans, without you our festivals would be boring, or at least make sense.

[Chickenballz]

Once upon a time the bunny on the moon was all, "Dawg, I'm so bored...I need me some fine tail up in this piece." And he came down to Earth and got a lot of other bunnies pregnant and all the other bunnies are all, "Sex is pretty cool" and they became the blessed first to enjoy recreational copulation. Easter, or Eostre, was designated as a day of tribute to these enlightened creatures.

[Govinda]

Because rabbits killed Jesus. Duh.

[Meier Link]

Easter (like almost all christian holidays) have a healthy dose of pagan symbolism. Like steeples and their link to the male penis, and Christmas ornaments to the males testicles. Many things from Easter were created from pagan views of rebirth, and sacrificial practices. The very name comes from the Norsemen's Eostur, Eastar, Ostara, and Osta,and the pagan goddess Eostre. This name was commonly intertwined with spring.Egg's stood for new life, bunnies for fertility.....there is a lot of symbolism. Just do some research...I am sure different sites say different things, but what I've said is pretty much the gist of it.

If I remember correctly I beleive that both the rabbit, hare, bunny (which ever you prefer to call them) and the egg are both signs of fratility. It is beleived that the dying of the egg is what sybolizes new life and that after adoption by the Christians the dying of the egg (red) became a trend making new life represnted by the above stated color In other words it resimbles the markings that the yolk gets after fertilization.

But I do know that you are correct in your Anglo-Saxon pagon reference for the most part. If I remember correctly the name is highly tied to German back ground and is also in direct relation to the term "Eostur-monath" which was a month that was listed in the German Calender. A rough time frame gestimates that this month is the equivalant to our calenders April. Given that Germany was pretty much established as an Anglo-Saxon territory it is understandable as to why this time frame is related to an Anglo-Saxon / Germanic Goddess.

Then again I could be wrong on this it has been years since I have even thought to look into the topic.


:edit:
BTW good call on movin this to GC.

[Walter Sobchak]

Seriously, the wikipedia page on Easter can give you a much more detailed answer than anyone here can, or is willing, to give you.

Easter - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Easter Bunny - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

However, despite lacking any evidence, I am encouraged to believe that the Bunny is just an elaborate way to keep people from questioning the bizarre nature of someone coming back to life.

[Unknown Entity]

Actually I think the bunnies come from an old pagan fertility festival but don't quote me on that. The egg however is used to symbolise christs rebirth, or the boulder that blocked his tomb. Again don't quote me on that

Just did.

Firstly, I don't have clue. Just don't ask too many questions or the govenment will ban you eatting Easter Eggs in public. That would suck.

Please... don't take away the atheist's fun...

Because rabbits killed Jesus. Duh.

Must have been big rabbits... =O

[Storm]

Because rabbits killed Jesus. Duh.

Monty Python proved that one right with the killer rabbit guarding the cave of aaaaaaaaargh. Rabbits also caused Napoleon's most shamefull defeat (yay QI). Rabbits really are evil!

But yeah, rabbits are often seen as a symbol of fertility, and spring is the time of fertility. Much like Christmas has invaded the Winter pagan festival of Yule, Easter has most likely invaded a spring festival. It normally lies between the Spring Equinox and Beltane, two of the large pagan festivals, although there are numerous smaller ones that Easter may correspond with one of those?

Edit: Ah... everythings pretty much been covered anyway. Guess i'm a little late!

[Rikkuffx]

I asked chacha a day before easter and this is what he said

"he bunny as an Easter symbol seems to have it's origins in Germany, where it was first mentioned in German writings in the 1500s."

and its chacha.com btw

[Furore]

Why not bunnies?

But on the plus side, it's a good reminder that Rabbit dishes can be tasty. Unfortunately for my cousins one year my uncle brought a rabbit back and jokingly claimed it was the Easter bunny. Whoops.