Ah, the age-old tale of Easter's supposed pagan roots! 🐣🌷 Let's dive into a spirited conversation from The Patrick Madrid Show, where Linda seeks wisdom. She's been thrown the curveball question:

 

Is Easter just a rebranded pagan holiday? 

 

First off, Patrick Madrid lays down the calendar facts: Easter in the Western Church is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the vernal equinox. 🌕✨ This method of dating Easter might seem like it's borrowed from a pagan calendar at first glance, but oh, it's so much more!

 

Patrick explains the Quartodecimanism controversy... about when Easter should be celebrated. This has led to the Eastern and Western Churches celebrating Easter at different times. But does this discrepancy hint at pagan roots? Patrick says, "No way, José!"

 

Why? Because this calendar conundrum is tied not to pagan rituals but to the lunar calendar, which our Jewish friends used for plotting feast days. And guess what? The Jews were definitely not hosting pagan parties. 🚫🌺

 

Patrick suggests arming yourself against the "Easter is pagan" argument with two epic resources:

 

1. Catholicism and Fundamentalism by Karl Keating - a book so powerful, it's like watching a bowling alley strike. Argument after argument, Keating knocks them down.

 

2. Articles by Jon Sorenson - your go-to for refuting what Patrick charmingly calls "silly arguments."