Christmas pagan? does it matter? Any encyclopedia will reveal that Christmas was introduced into the "church" from pagan festivals involving the rebirth of the sun. After all, if God wanted us to celebrate His Son's birthday (Jews never celebrated anybody's birthday), why didn't he even tell us the date? And why didn't he tell us to celebrate it? And why didn't any early Christians celebrate it?
But then again, many who know these facts, don't really care. Should we?
__________________ When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth he either ceases to be mistaken or begins to be dishonest.
There is actually a deeper reason why December 25 was the day the Church eventually accepted to celebrate Christ's Nativity. Yes, the Roman Winter solstice was also going on, but Christians had been celebrating the Feast of the Announciation long before we began celebrating Christmas. The Feast of the Announciation has always been celebrated on March 25. Since this is the day, liturgically, that Christ's divine nature was joined to His human nature in the womb of Mary, it makes sence that exactly nine months later there would be a celebration of His birth.
Christmas occurs at the deepest part of winter in the Northern Hemisphere - a time when the earth is really dead. It was also the time of the winter solstice - the time when the sun would begin its slow return to the Northern lands and bring with it the hope of new life to the earth. What better time to celebrate the birth of Christ - the one who bought new hope into the world of the dead.
__________________ Not all those who wander are lost
Then why didn't the Father of the person who's birthday it is (Jesus) even tell us the day? If it was in December, why were the shepherds out in the cold instead of keeping their sheep in the stable like any good shepherd would do that time of year? And why would the Romans demand a census that would require travelling during cold rainy months when the Jewish nation was ripe for revolt?
__________________ When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth he either ceases to be mistaken or begins to be dishonest.
Neither myself, nor waysayer seem to have much interest in whether Christ was born on December 25th or not. The reasons we give are metaphysical, not legal. Philosophically, it is very fulfilling to see the day the way Waysayer decribes it; the days begin to get longer, as Christ's birth brings light to our lives. It also makes sense in a liturgical way; seeing how nine months after the Feast of the Announciation is Christmas.
God didn't give us the dates of any New Testament holidays; but the observance of certain things is obviously very profitable. The celebration of Christ's resurrection, for example, is an extremely ancient feast, stretching easily into the 1st century; without the Resurrection, our faith isn't worth the pixels on our screens, so of course it should be an observance! Why didn't God give us the exact day? Maybe because it doesn't really matter what the exact day is.
i don't celebrate it... but it is a matter of tradition.
I don't have a decorated tree, but have no objection to what other people do.
that said
I would happily have a plain, undecorated, green conifer to remind me that 'green tree' is a title for the Messiah.
Steve
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Blessed is the one coming in the name of ha’shem - בּרוּךְ הַבָּא בְּשֵׁם יְיָ
Now to Him who is able to keep you from falling..... be glory, majesty, dominion and authority for ever. (Jude) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
homey don't play that......
so what if some thing else just happens to be celebrated on Christmas day....
so what if Jesus was born in July or August
so what if people act very unchristian while shopping
so what if people forget the reason for the season...
they have always done so....
....what do you the individual do?
If it is all about giving money, gifts, and decorations....you are a pagan....
If it is about feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, homeless, needy, and prisoners, giving to those who have nothing ...you are one of the Lord's children
it doesn't really matter to anyone here whether God wants us to celebrate Christmas or not, does it? it just makes us feel good--kind of like marijuana or cocaine. The fact that there is nothing in the Bible to support it and nowhere are we commanded or encouraged in the Bible to celebrate it is irrelevant. no support, no scriptures, (even though this is the "christian scriptures" category of this web site).....just.... it feels good! Easter is just as pagan. Rabbits (who procreate rather quickly) and eggs were long part of fertility rites. Easter is nothing but a pagan fertility holiday dressed up as the resurrection. Read your encyclopedias folks!!!!!!! Don't be ignorant!!!
__________________ When a man who is honestly mistaken hears the truth he either ceases to be mistaken or begins to be dishonest.
Pardon me, but you know as well as anyone that Easter is not about bunnies. The fact that there are similarities that show cultural influence of certain celebrations does not mean that the celebration is about those influences. As an example, consider the music of Austria during the classical period. The music of Austrian composers such as Schubert shows an incorperation of Ottoman influence, but the music is still uniquely Eastern European; with Slavic motives and sequences. Why do you believe that there must be a clear statement in the Bible like "and ye shall celebrate my Resurrection on x day of y month" for a celebration to be good?
We have given reasons why celebrating Christmas is a good thing, do you have reasons why it's wrong?
As regards Easter, it was being celebrated long before chocolate bunnies came to be, it's easily tracable to the 1st century. It is the fulfillment of the Passover; why should it not be celebrated?
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