easters coming up, and this has been bugging me. what on earth does a bunny have to do with the reincarnation of jesus?
Nothing. It is another example of Christians coopting existing pagan traditions. Originally it was a hare, which in the springtime goes absolutely gonzo for mating. Good spring/fertility/rebirth image.
Here’s Snope’s Easter Lore page if you would like to read more about the orgins of the imagery. Cecil wrote a column on it, which is summed up nicely by DrFidelius.
Jesus was reincarnated???
Interesting point. Would you say he was reincarnated, or revivified?
When Jesus comes back on Easter, if he sees his own shadow, that means there’s six more weeks of basketball.
What that has to do with bunnies, I can’t imagine.
Resurrected, of course, is the more common terminology. Reincarnation implies starting over from birth in a new body.
But, yeah, bunny = fertility… Good links aplenty already provided above.