I follow the #pagan tag, and it’s Easter (Happy Easter to my Christian friends, by the way), and almost everything I see is some bitchy comment about how Easter is a stolen Pagan holiday with an attitude to suggest that it is invalid just because it happens to share timing and themes with Ostara. 

Why are you all being such asses? 

This happens on nearly every major Christian holiday, and you wonder why so many people hate us. I’m ashamed to be a member of the community when this happens. I understand that many of us are former and recovering Christians and that we harbor a lot of resentment. I have no delusions about this. But why do we have to turn around and tear down everything that they believe in, just to validate ourselves. Isn’t that what we always complain that they did to us? 

Does the fact that the Egyptians, the Greeks, Mayans, and the Norse all have risen Gods make any one of them invalid? Then why does it not work the same way for the Christians? If Ostara is a celebration of the Spring and the return of life to the world, then what is wrong with the Christians celebrating the rebirth of their God whom they believe that, by his death, cleansed them? If the egg is a universal symbol of new life, and the Egyptians and Romans exchanged them at this time of year - and some of us do as well - does it really invalidate their use of the symbol as well? 

Remember that the Christians in ancient times did suffer persecution in Rome, and they changed their relatively new celebration of the birth of Jesus to coincide with Saturnalia because there were common themes between the holidays, and they wouldn’t be held suspect because everyone was celebrating. Remember that old Christians were converts from various Pagan religions who didn’t want to abandon their traditions and cultural symbols, so they became repurposed for their new faith. Archetypes don’t change because religions do. 

Don’t many of us still give Christmas gifts along with our Yule celebrations? Don’t we often still buy the chocolate bunnies and eggs and take advantage of Easter holidays from school or work (if we get them)? 

Get off your high horse and realize that they are people just like us.