Why Does the Date for Easter Change Every Year?
christianity.about.com/od/faq...nge.htm

Church leaders pushing for unified date for Easter
www.times-herald.com/local/C...-1071658

Reform of the date of Easter
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Refo..._of_Easter

Well, the problem with having Easter always on the same date has to do with the fact that we didn't start using our current calendar until long after Jesus died. The whole Anno Domini thing obviously didn't start until they nailed him up. The Julian calendar (in use then) measured time by lunar cycles, thereby setting Good Friday and Easter Sunday at a fixed moon cycle/vernal equinox point.

\pedantic_rant

On a related note, I heard a comedian do a bit on the days between Friday and Sunday.

"What the fuck was he doing in that cave for those three days? Trying to figure out of it was all just a bad trip or something?"

I'm not Christian, but I thought posting some links for your own information would help everyone to make their own decisions....

paganismwicca.suite101.com/arti...pagan
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Bunny
www.wisegeek.com/what-are-...-bunny.htm
www.nowpublic.com/culture/e...00420.html

I sort of ignored this topic when it was posted.. I read it as hostile.. the OP just turned me off.. but I also think it is right to say the comments are fair..

In the study of comparative religions and culture, syncretism always makes for an interesting topic to explore..

Religious syncretism is a well know phenomenon.. I would say there are many many devout Christians who accept it. I have family members who do.. who describe themselves as "Irish Catholics" (they are really Roman Catholics.. but are more fun.. and, like a lot of Catholics I know.. they tend to cringe 75% of the time at the Popes words..).. they firmly can see and also acknowledge Pagan Traditions being incorporated into their faith.. from Easter.. to Christmas.. to personages like St Bridget (who many argue with good reason is a reworking on an older pagan fertility goddess.)

This is *really old news* and I was taught about it both at my Catholic Primary and Secondary Schools..

Wikipedia says

"Religious syncretism exhibits blending of two or more religious belief systems into a new system, or the incorporation into a religious tradition of beliefs from unrelated traditions. This can occur for many reasons, and the latter scenario happens quite commonly in areas where multiple religious traditions exist in proximity and function actively in the culture, or when a culture is conquered, and the conquerors bring their religious beliefs with them, but do not succeed in entirely eradicating the old beliefs or, especially, practices.
Religions may have syncretic elements to their beliefs or history, but adherents of so-labeled systems often frown on applying the label, especially adherents who belong to "revealed" religious systems, such as the Abrahamic religions, or any system that exhibits an exclusivist approach. Such adherents sometimes see syncretism as a betrayal of their pure truth. By this reasoning, adding an incompatible belief corrupts the original religion, rendering it no longer true. Indeed, critics of a specific syncretistic trend may sometimes use the word "syncretism" as a disparaging epithet, as a charge implying that those who seek to incorporate a new view, belief, or practice into a religious system actually distort the original faith. Non-exclusivist systems of belief, on the other hand, may feel quite free to incorporate other traditions into their own."

And how do they reconcile this ? Simply.. if god exists.. then he/she/it is a mystery.. and as a mystery it is inevitable humans will not, and cannot, comprehend god... so there is no point getting your knickers in a knot about religious syncretism..

And the follow-on logic is fundamentalist who proclaim to know the will of god and have an intimate relationship with him/her/it seem silly to such believers.. esp when using the Bible as the basis for that claim.. because a 9 year old can observe they are eating shell fish and not stoning their wives who cheat. .blah blah blah.. they all pick and choose the sections they want from both the Bible and Christianity.. when they start yelling at others about this.. it moves from silly to evil... especially when they impinge on others rights to live their lives as they see fit without detriment to those around them...(but that's a completely different conversation.. best held in Fun with Fundies)

If there are central message beyond the salvation message of Christianity (which you gotta admit *is* the central message), it is "love one another".. but again.. like those who focus on other stuff.. the tradition I was brought up in pick and chooses.. and they combine the salvation, love one another with the 'judge not" messages.. and the forgiveness messages.. and I think they come out with a basically benevolent force.. *especially* when they practice those values about themselves as individuals (*self* love and *self* forgiveness) as well as those who surround them..