Question

[he4rty]

Do you celebrate Christmas, This isn't a loaded question, Its just a church someone I know goes to is used by SDA on a Saturdays and needs to raise some money so they where thinking of selling some Christmas cakes after a service but don't wont to cause any offence.

 

[OntheDL]

There is no biblical support for Dec 25th. The scriptures point to a probable October timeframe.

However Adventist church does not officially have a stance on this. So it's left to individual church and members to deside if and how to celebrate Christmas.

Ellen White, who the Adventist church officially recognizes as a messenger of God maintained it is not a sin to celebrate Christmas, but cautioned against commercialism and encouraged the people to use it as a great occasion to witness and to pass out literatures about Jesus.

Hope this helps,

 

[freeindeed2]

I've lived East to West, and North to South, and many places inbetween as an SDA, and virtually everyone I know (SDA) celebrates Christmas. I do know of a few who don't (one family, of which, lives in a grass house in Montana without electricity waiting for the second coming), but those are the exception. You 'should' be safe.

 

[maco]

Just some thoughts to think about.

Jeremiah 10:1-4 Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

 

[honorthesabbath]

I do NOT celebrate the xmas and many members of my family do not either. There is definitely a growing number of SDA's who have come to the realization that it is very hypocritical to celebrate a pagan holiday while denouncing the pagan substitute for Sabbath (the sunday).

But DL is correct. There is no official GC stance on it's observance.

 

[honorthesabbath]

Hi he4rty, I just noticed the second part of your question which I failed to answer.

To tell you the truth, I think I would have a problem with the "xmas cakes' thingy. First of all because it comes really close to this....

Jer 7:18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.
Jer 44:19 And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?

And then second, I don't think the church should be a place of 'commerce'.

12 ¶ And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Now whether the SDA church who is renting would have an issue with these things--I have no idea!

Hope this helps or at least enlightens.

 

[OntheDL]

We don't celebrate christmas and I know about 20 SDA families here locally don't either.

And we dont have sheltered lives.

 

[Sophia7]

Just some thoughts to think about.

Jeremiah 10:1-4 Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

To tell you the truth, I think I would have a problem with the "xmas cakes' thingy. First of all because it comes really close to this....

Jer 7:18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.
Jer 44:19 And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?

Aren't these texts referring to worshiping idols?

 

[he4rty]

Thanks for the info.

 

[honorthesabbath]

Aren't these texts referring to worshiping idols?

Well--isn't the whole history behind the xmas idolatry? Sure it is. Below is just one web site that deals with this. And this is why we stopped observing this idolatrous festival several years ago.

www.biblicalhistorytimeline.com/TheOriginsofChristmas.htm

 

[IntoTheCrimsonSky]

Personally, I do as a SDA. I also know some from my church who do too. It probably depends, because as stated above there is no church standpoint.

I had a thread about holidays a bit ago that you may find helpful in getting some opinions about it. Also included a poll to see how many do keep it.

Check it out here: http://foru.ms/t6173056-poll-what-holidays-do-you-celebrate.htmlhttp://foru.ms/t6171365-poll-what-holidays-do-you-celebrate.html

Blessings and Love,
Sarah

 

[freeindeed2]

Well--isn't the whole history behind the xmas idolatry? Sure it is. Below is just one web site that deals with this. And this is why we stopped observing this idolatrous festival several years ago.

www.biblicalhistorytimeline.com/TheOriginsofChristmas.htm

Why do you extract 'Christ' out of Christ-mas? Just wondering?

 

[thecountrydoc]

Hi he4rty,

You have ask a very valid question. Speaking only for myself I don't put much emphasis on Christmas as a holiday. I do enjoy the opportunity to think more about the Savior's birth and use Christmas time as an excellent time to wittness to others.

Honor the Sabbath has give you a very good link relating to the origins of Christmas. I also think she is 100% correct to say that the selling of baked goods on the Sabbath after church should not be done. There are other times and other places fo such activities.

Originally Posted by maco

Just some thoughts to think about.

Jeremiah 10:1-4 Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.

Originally Posted by honorthesabbath

To tell you the truth, I think I would have a problem with the "xmas cakes' thingy. First of all because it comes really close to this....

Jer 7:18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.
Jer 44:19 And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?

Sophia then responed:

"Aren't these texts referring to worshiping idols?"

Yes indeed Sophia, the above text do indeed refer to idol worship, especially the worship of Baal. A further study of both Biblical and secular history will bear this out. That has always been one of the strongest arguments aganst all the trapings of Christmas, especially the decorated tree.

Freeindeed then ask;

"Why do you extract 'Christ' out of Christ-mas?" Just wondering?

An excellent question Free.

With the "christianizing" of so many of the pagan symbols and worship practices, and the date of December 25th being declared the birthday of Christ,
The romans decieded that the date should be given a Christian name. Thus, to appease the Christians of the day it was originaly called "Christ Mass," or in other words, "The Mass of Christ."

With the passage of time, and the religious opperssion of the Dark Ages, many who dissagreed with the the use of Christ name in association with a pagan custom simply deleted the name of Christ and instead used an X as a prefix to the word mass, and at the same time deleted the last "s" from the word Christmas.

Respectfully, your brother in Christ,
Do

 

[freeindeed2]

Freeindeed then ask; An excellent question Free.

With the "christianizing" of so many of the pagan symbols and worship practices, and the date of December 25th being declared the birthday of Christ,

I guess I was never taught that it was the actual birthday of Christ. Obviously we celebrated Jesus (God) coming down to earth to save humanity, so the parallels are obvious and I can see why some would think it was actually his birthday. After all, the initiation of the plan of salvation was by God (Jesus) becoming man.

The romans decieded that the date should be given a Christian name. Thus, to appease the Christians of the day it was originaly called "Christ Mass," or in other words, "The Mass of Christ."

With the passage of time, and the religious opperssion of the Dark Ages, many who dissagreed with the the use of Christ name in association with a pagan custom simply deleted the name of Christ and instead used an X as a prefix to the word mass, and at the same time deleted the last "s" from the word Christmas.

Respectfully, your brother in Christ,
Do

I just don't see it as being 'wrong' to celebrate Christ, regardless of whether or not paganism had influence in it. Jesus has authority over all things and he 'trumps' all things. He knows when we are doing something to honor him.

My two cents.

 

[OntheDL]

Mass is for dead people. Jesus lives forever.

The pagan holidays are revolved around the movement of the sun.

Christmas falls on winter solstice when length of the day begins to increase (the birth of the sun), Easter falls on the spring equinox when the length of day is equal to night's.

Jesus never commanded us to celebrate His birthday, but His death.

We, christians celebrate His death with Baptism and His birth by taking communion, partaking the bread that came down from heaven.

 

[tall73]

Why are all these opinions being given in the main section? Stick to official statements.

 

[IntoTheCrimsonSky]

Just a quick reminder to not let this turn into a debate, everyone. If you wish to debate this topic please make a thread in the Debate & Discussion forum to do so.

 

[irishbell]

xmas is extremely pagan. along with all the other holidays. they all stand for different things and gods..the tree..the "globes" we hang on them etc... it is a wonderful time of the year to do outreach though! so take advantage of that part . I still like to give gifts out to my family, but we dont usually do it on "xmas"

 

[irishbell]

wow. i didnt look at this page first i totally agree with Doc !