Is Christmas Christian?

[The Gregorian]

I responded to someone else's thread... he was offended by the term 'christmas' because it's too 'christian'.... but... I wanna know... is christmas christian?


FIRST off... Jesus wasn't born on December 25th... it's just the catholics adoption of various winter celebrations (mostly druidic).... they just said it was to celebrate Jesus birthday.... they just got to keep their fertility logs (christmas trees), Sacrificial bull testicles (Mistletoe), etc....

Then Commercialism Reared it's ugly head... putting Santa in the picture (ironically... satan, with the "n" in the wrong place... still an omnipresent immortal in all red who takes god's place judging what is good and evil)... This has gotten so bad, if you ask any child what 'christmas' is about... 90% of them will say 'presents' and if you ask who the most important person about christmas is, almost all will say 'santa'.... the whole "jesus' birthday thing... is just gone"

... So the holiday has lost what little meaning it didn't start out having.... it didn't start as a christian holiday... and it is in NO way a religious holiday any more... if you don't like the fact that it happens to have 'christ' in it... don't celebrate it... but don't try to say christians are pushing their religion on you by telling you to enjoy yourself during the commercialized misrepresentation of a pegan holiday, adopted by the church in order to gain more attendance, therefore more donations, thereby foresaking their faith in the name of financial gain....

So... in what way is christmas christian? It didn't start out as a christian holiday... it was changed to become one, but it certainly doesn't mean anything anymore except toy prices going up, children being spoiled, suicide going up, and your friends being upset for you not having got them a good enough present....

Thoughts? (I'm not trying to flame anything, nore am I trolling for problems... this is simply my opinion)

 

[Mariette]

Actually, Santa is..well WAS real.
While it didn't start out at the VERY VERY beginning as a Christian holiday, it maybe didn't start out as a druidic holiday either. All through history other beliefs adopted other beliefs. Egyptians adopted Roman Gods, Romans adopted Greek gods, Japan adopted some Chinese gods and folklore etc. etc.

Just like Easter was originally (as far as history can tell) Eastre. But that was adopted as a Christian holiday as well...there's a reason for it. I can't recall which it is.

Personally, this year is the first year that I've noticed people aren't noticably nicer. Usually, I've noticed that people get nicer the closer it is to Christmas. So, what makes Christmas Christian? Since the foundation of the holiday was not PURELY christian, I dont think that nowadays it can be just that. Purely christian. It's a mixture of everything.

Whether you want to view it as good or bad is up to you.

 

[meebs]

Actually, Santa is..well WAS real.
While it didn't start out at the VERY VERY beginning as a Christian holiday, it maybe didn't start out as a druidic holiday either. All through history other beliefs adopted other beliefs. Egyptians adopted Roman Gods, Romans adopted Greek gods, Japan adopted some Chinese gods and folklore etc. etc.

Just like Easter was originally (as far as history can tell) Eastre. But that was adopted as a Christian holiday as well...there's a reason for it. I can't recall which it is.

Personally, this year is the first year that I've noticed people aren't noticably nicer. Usually, I've noticed that people get nicer the closer it is to Christmas. So, what makes Christmas Christian? Since the foundation of the holiday was not PURELY christian, I dont think that nowadays it can be just that. Purely christian. It's a mixture of everything.

Whether you want to view it as good or bad is up to you.

no offense but this is how i view the Abrahamic religions. Stealing from previous religions, who knows where the real origins lie? Also i view the Trinity as polytheistic.

again no offence!

 

[The Gregorian]

That's another thing I've started some threads about... the word 'trinity' is no where in the bible... throughout the bible Jesus says he's the 'son' of God, and says "the father is greater than I am." When people asked him if he was God, Jesus said "no." Jesus Prayed to his Father on multiple occasions asking him for things (indicating that God had authority over him), etc.... yet, people call me non-christian because I don't agree in the 'triune nature of the christ' as is never mentioned in the bible.....

anywho... back to the christmas thing... There WAS a dude (pretty good dude, mind you) in norway who used to make toys in his spare time, and on christmas would hand them out throughout his town... But his name wasn't 'santa' ... and I don't even know where they got the 'claus' part... It started out as whatever his name really was, then turned into "Saint Nick".... then saint turned into 'santa' and nick... turned... into claus? I dunno... Still, just because it was based on a guy who really existed doesn't mean what we tell children now isn't wrong....

All year, we tell children to be good... not because God is watching... but because Santa is... he's taken the place of God for many children, and therefore is a false god. Not only that, but the children don't behave to please God... but instead behave due to greed... because if they're bad, they won't get presents.... just an overall offensive idea to me.

 

[Blackguard_]

anywho... back to the christmas thing... There WAS a dude (pretty good dude, mind you) in norway who used to make toys in his spare time, and on christmas would hand them out throughout his town... But his name wasn't 'santa' ... and I don't even know where they got the 'claus' part... It started out as whatever his name really was, then turned into "Saint Nick".... then saint turned into 'santa' and nick... turned... into claus? I dunno... Still, just because it was based on a guy who really existed doesn't mean what we tell children now isn't wrong....

St. Nicholas is from Anatolia. http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=38 I have never heard of the Norwegian fellow and cannot tell if you are getting your wires crosssed. Either way, the Norwegian guy was not St. Nick if he existed.

 

[WAB]

St. Nicholas is from Anatolia. http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=38 I have never heard of the Norwegian fellow and cannot tell if you are getting your wires crosssed. Either way, the Norwegian guy was not St. Nick if he existed.

Yes, actually his name was Jul (converted to yule).

 

[Voegelin]

Most websites on the net which are hostile to the faith have "ready to copy and paste " screeds on how Christians do not know what their own holiday is about.

Informing Christians of the "true" origins of Christmas on Christian sites is becoming a Christmas Tradition. While Christians do warn each other of commercialization of Christmas, those hostile to the faith use that as a weapon against the faith and to declare Christmas no long has any meaning.

How many times, exactly, must Christians be told this? And what is the point? Anyone keep count on this website how many times these questions have been asked and answered?

 

[Dragons87]

It doesn't matter what the date is, what the origin is...as long as we know that it's a day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

So yes, Christmas in mainstream culture is Christian.

 

[Trillian]

Christmas is only Christian if you are Christian, since it wasn't originally Christian and, in this country anyway, is a national holiday. If you are a Christian, when you celebrate Christmas you are celebrating the birth of your savior (hopefully, although in practice I don't think that happens as much as you'd think). However, if you're not Christian (like me) and you celebrate Christmas you are probably celebrating the same thing I am...

The one time of the year when everyone seems nicer, your entire family
calls to talk all in the same day, your kids (who aren't spoiled at all) get
to wake up excited because they got a ton of gifts that they totally
deserved for being awesome all year, you get to totally blow your diet
on the yummiest food ever without feeling guilty, and if you or your
husband had to work you were raking in double time and a half .
Did you like my run-on sentence??

Merry Christmas!

Tril
​

 

[Aimee30]

I responded to someone else's thread... he was offended by the term 'christmas' because it's too 'christian'.... but... I wanna know... is christmas christian?


FIRST off... Jesus wasn't born on December 25th... it's just the catholics adoption of various winter celebrations (mostly druidic).... they just said it was to celebrate Jesus birthday.... they just got to keep their fertility logs (christmas trees), Sacrificial bull testicles (Mistletoe), etc....

Then Commercialism Reared it's ugly head... putting Santa in the picture (ironically... satan, with the "n" in the wrong place

This reminds me of Dana Carvey as the church lady, who pointed out a similar thing in his act on Saturday Night Live and commonly had her say, "Could it be, Satan?" I think Satan is a foreign word for saint.

... still an omnipresent immortal in all red who takes god's place judging what is good and evil)... This has gotten so bad, if you ask any child what 'christmas' is about... 90% of them will say 'presents' and if you ask who the most important person about christmas is, almost all will say 'santa'.... the whole "jesus' birthday thing... is just gone"

... So the holiday has lost what little meaning it didn't start out having.... it didn't start as a christian holiday... and it is in NO way a religious holiday any more... if you don't like the fact that it happens to have 'christ' in it... don't celebrate it... but don't try to say christians are pushing their religion on you by telling you to enjoy yourself during the commercialized misrepresentation of a pegan holiday, adopted by the church in order to gain more attendance, therefore more donations, thereby foresaking their faith in the name of financial gain....

So... in what way is christmas christian? It didn't start out as a christian holiday... it was changed to become one, but it certainly doesn't mean anything anymore except toy prices going up, children being spoiled, suicide going up, and your friends being upset for you not having got them a good enough present....

Thoughts? (I'm not trying to flame anything, nore am I trolling for problems... this is simply my opinion)

The celebration of the holday is Christian as Christmas. Sure there are other holidays around, but I don't believe any others are on the exact day of 24th and 25th, at least I don't thimk they are--maybe I should look them up. And funny, I thought Winter Solstice was a Roman thing to begin with. Given, it is admitted though, that Druid customs include mistletoe, which is considered to be sacred by Druids because it grew on the sacred oak tree. The oaks are then connected by E. Raymond Capt in his book series to Hebrew beliefs because of the Oaks at Mamre and some other evidence. Well, let's just say when I read books of his and others about Druidism and Christianity there is more than one connection between the two faiths.

 

[Lithium Hobo]

The date of December 25th was chosen simply because it was near the time of a Pagan holiday and Christians wanted to convert them. They also adopted the tree for this holiday from the Pagans to try and make them seem more familiar in the hopes Pagans would convert more easily.

Presents are also given out based on another holiday, though it escapes me at the moment. There is very little Christian basis for Christmas except that die hards focus on the birth of Jesus, while really most people look forward to it for the gifts.

 

[Danhalen]

Is Christmas Christian? Who cares? The basis for the celebration is Christian. The reson it's celebrated is not wholly Christian. I wish people would shut up about "what is Christmas" and just be happy. Keep Christmas as you will. Regardless of whether or not Christmas is "Christian" people should show goodwill toward one another. It's not going to hurt an atheist, Buddhist, Hindu, Jew or Muslim to act a little "Christ-like" during the Christmas season.

 

[stray bullet]

I responded to someone else's thread... he was offended by the term 'christmas' because it's too 'christian'.... but... I wanna know... is christmas christian?

It is if you let it be. I visit my family, have a good time and go to Mass on Christmas or Christmas Eve. That's very Christian. It is if you give into materialism and consumerism that it looses it's Christian background.

FIRST off... Jesus wasn't born on December 25th... it's just the catholics adoption of various winter celebrations (mostly druidic).... they just said it was to celebrate Jesus birthday.... they just got to keep their fertility logs (christmas trees), Sacrificial bull testicles (Mistletoe), etc..

That's incorrect and a common myth. December 25, the winter solistice, was a popular time of year for a lot of cultures.

Christmas was moved to December 25 when the Church decided to formalize the date. It would be celebrated 9 months after the west celebrated the conception of Jesus, which was on March 25.

Then Commercialism Reared it's ugly head... putting Santa in the picture (ironically... satan, with the "n" in the wrong place... still an omnipresent immortal in all red who takes god's place judging what is good and evil)... This has gotten so bad, if you ask any child what 'christmas' is about... 90% of them will say 'presents' and if you ask who the most important person about christmas is, almost all will say 'santa'.... the whole "jesus' birthday thing... is just gone"

Santa is a protestantism invention, an answer to a holiday of Saint Nicholas. In America, Catholic kids would get candy and little treats in their shoes on December 8 to remind them of the spirit of Saint Nick. The parents of jealous protestant kids gave in not only to Saint Nick, but also the Catholic holiday of Christ-Mass. Protestants are generally very opposed to Saint's days, so they combined the two and hence, Santa would leave them presents on Christmas.

So... in what way is christmas christian? It didn't start out as a christian holiday... it was changed to become one, but it certainly doesn't mean anything anymore except toy prices going up, children being spoiled, suicide going up, and your friends being upset for you not having got them a good enough present....

Thoughts? (I'm not trying to flame anything, nore am I trolling for problems... this is simply my opinion)

If you don't like some aspect of Christmas, then don't participate. I get little gifts for my parents that they need and I ask for the same. I got some really great kitchen items for Christmas. No consumerism or wasteful gifts.

 

[stray bullet]

Actually, Santa is..well WAS real.
While it didn't start out at the VERY VERY beginning as a Christian holiday,

Yes, it did. It was originally celebrated in the Spring, around May 20th I believe. Some cultures celebrated it in the fall.

 

[stray bullet]

no offense but this is how i view the Abrahamic religions. Stealing from previous religions, who knows where the real origins lie? Also i view the Trinity as polytheistic.

again no offence!

I don't see anything stolen by Christianity or Judaism.

Christmas was a Christian holiday, created to celebrate the birth of Jesus. We celebrate all sorts of events in Christianity on particular days. What was the Immaculate Conception of Mary stolen from? The celebration of all the various saints?

I can point you to a liturgical calender and you'll find every day celebrates something. The reason Christmas gets a lot of accusations was because it was moved to near the winter solistice. Although some Christians still celebrate it in January.

If one understands the Trinity, it is far from polytheistic. There is but one God, one essence, in three persons.

 

[stray bullet]

That's another thing I've started some threads about... the word 'trinity' is no where in the bible...

The word Trinity is not in the bible. The word is a term for a concept in the bible.

anywho... back to the christmas thing... There WAS a dude (pretty good dude, mind you) in norway who used to make toys in his spare time, and on christmas would hand them out throughout his town... But his name wasn't 'santa' ... and I don't even know where they got the 'claus' part... It started out as whatever his name really was, then turned into "Saint Nick".... then saint turned into 'santa' and nick... turned... into claus? I dunno... Still, just because it was based on a guy who really existed doesn't mean what we tell children now isn't wrong....

All year, we tell children to be good... not because God is watching... but because Santa is... he's taken the place of God for many children, and therefore is a false god. Not only that, but the children don't behave to please God... but instead behave due to greed... because if they're bad, they won't get presents.... just an overall offensive idea to me.

Santa is a play on "Saint".

Like I said, it was an invention within the last 200 years, built to satisfy protestant kids.

 

[stray bullet]

The date of December 25th was chosen simply because it was near the time of a Pagan holiday and Christians wanted to convert them. They also adopted the tree for this holiday from the Pagans to try and make them seem more familiar in the hopes Pagans would convert more easily.

It was moved to December 25 because it makes more sense to celebrate the birth of Jesus 9 months after you celebrate His conception.

The Christmas tree comes from the Lutherans of Northern Germany and their plays. The evergreen was chosen because it, with apples hanging on it, represented the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil during Christmas-time plays.

This is why you will still see apples as decorations and why you have other little things hanging on it... why stop with apples?

 

[stray bullet]

Finally, without a doubt many Christmas traditions are borrowed from Pagans. If you ate a goose every year as part of a pagan celebration and now you were Christians- of course you'd want to keep that tradition alive. Christmas did not get pagan traditions to convert, but got pagan traditions by converts. I see nothing wrong with that

 

[stray bullet]

St. Nicholas is from Anatolia. http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=38 I have never heard of the Norwegian fellow and cannot tell if you are getting your wires crosssed. Either way, the Norwegian guy was not St. Nick if he existed.

Yup.
Saint Nicholas was a real person from Turkey.

Santa Claus is a made up guy pieced together from all over, with Saint Nick as his foundation.

 

[hernyaccent]

No it isn't.