What holidays do you think should be forbidden for a Christian to participate in?

[Bible Highlighter]

Jason - First - I do appreciate that you are, as I perceive, genuine and sincere in wanting the things of God - and to seek after God. I support you in that aspect.

Thank you.

However, the above, my God [have mercy on us!] - that is a LOT of very fleshly, humanistic reasoning.... reminds of the Scholastics - going on and on and on ad nauseum - without providing really any substance.

I can provide Scripture and sources if you like. But if you think my reasoning is humanistic and fleshy, then please explain how that is so. In other words, you cannot make a statement without any reasons or points that appear to be valid. Argue the points I made and how they do not work.

You keep focusing on the word "celebrate". What does that even mean???? Who "celebrates" Halloween - what does that even mean?? Putting on some silly costume and make-up - is that "celebrating"???? Hanging out with a bunch of other people in such silly costumes....

Celebrate:
Dictionary.com says,
Definition #5: To observe a day or commemorate an event with ceremonies or festivities.
Definition #7: To have or participate in a party, drinking spree, or uninhibited good time.

Were you not just telling me before that it is to have a party? To drink? That is what Definition 7 says.
People on Halloween do have Halloween parties. However, Halloween is primarily the partaking in the activity called "trick or treating." When people "trick or treat" they get dressed up in costumes and collect candy to commemorate Halloween. This is pretty common knowledge. Also, it is not a conflict in grammar to say, "We celebrated Halloween."

CountryLiving.com, History.com, Wikipedia.org all reference how Halloween can be celebrated (or is a celebration). Don't believe me? Just Google the keywords: "we celebrated Halloween" and have fun reading.

why does that even hit the radar - when we have such serious issues to deal with - children not having food - not having medical care - our environment - that God created for us - being destroyed by a small class of profiteers who have usurped the American people's protections through its government, etc., etc.

Jesus said the poor will always be among you. It is not about fixing this world the way we think it should be fixed. We are given specific commands by our Lord Jesus in what to do while here on this Earth (within the pages of the New Testament). Yes, we are to help the poor, help children, and we should seek to be good to our environment; But we are not called to end world hunger, be political giants, and to solve the environment problems of our planet. Our goal is to love and worship God. To walk with Him and to love others as He commanded of us. We are to help the poor in the way God says in His Word. We are to spread the good news about Jesus and His salvation. We are to walk righteously in this life and give glory to God. You said we should party and drink. However, that seems contrary to what Scriptures says. Drinking parties leads to drunkness. We are to focus instead on having relationship with God that is far better. For it is written,

"And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit." (Ephesians 5:18).

This sort of focus is not only straining at a gnat - there is no gnat to strain at.

Yes, Jesus said the Pharisees ignored the weightier matters of the Law like love, faith, justice, and mercy (Matthew 23:23) (cf. Luke 11:42).

But Jesus was talking about ignoring tithing in favor of loving, having faith, and mercy, etc.
When a person celebrates Halloween, they are partaking in a day that celebrates witchcraft, murder, the love of death, the fear of evil things, satanism, the occult, ect. God hates these kinds of sins. So why would a Christian want to celebrate or partake in a day that glorifies these things? Would it not show a lack of love for God in celebrating a day that glorifies something He hates?

Agape

Greg

I appreciate that.

May the Lord's love shine upon you in all good you do for Him.

With loving kindness to you in Christ,

Sincerely,

~ Jason.

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Of course they drank the strong drink - Yah told them to PURCHASE it and BRING it to Jerusalem to PARTY before the LORD. You don't purchase and bring to party - and then not use it.....

Then why does Deuteronomy 29:6 say the following then?

"Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I am the LORD your God" (Deuteronomy 29:6).

BTW - all the babble that is floating around in evangelical land trying to downplay the use of wine that, unfortunately, has come your way - is just that - babble.

Just look up all the passages re wine - and you will realize it was good ol' fashioned intoxicating wine - PLUS some good ol' fashioned "squeazin's" the way we made it in the back-woods.

Please check out my recent thread I created here:

6 Biblical Reasons Why Jesus Made Unfermented Wine (Grape Juice).

 

[Trumpeter2]

anything that honors the Lord Jesus is wrong for Christians to observe and honor.

-CryptoLutheran

Any and all rituals which are rooted in paganism are an abomination in the eyes of God!

 

[Bible Highlighter]

Yea, that's discussing not causing others to stumble should our enjoying our freedom to eat and drink cause one who thinks such things are a sin to do the same. Those are the people Paul describes as the 'weak in faith' in Romans 14:1.

The very same passage goes on to state that nothing is unclean in itself, but to one who thinks something is unclean, to them it is unclean (like holidays). It's a sign of still being weak in their faith.

The chapter also says you are not to do anything to make your brother to stumble, either. Oh, and Romans 14:17 still is true when it says,

"For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Romans 14:17).

It was saying in this in reference to not to do anything to make your brother to stumble. Do you believe Deuteronomy 14:26 is talking about how we can have drinking parties with alcohol?

 

[Tutorman]

Not yet, it's not even Advent yet. Perhaps we could have a thread about why Advent is evil. After all, it honors Jesus, and the common theme to all "X is evil" threads tends to be that anything that honors the Lord Jesus is wrong for Christians to observe and honor.

-CryptoLutheran

They just can't seem to let it go. I don't know why they just don't go in a corner and be miserable and let the rest of enjoy the life God gave us.

 

[Tutorman]

I am unfamiliar with the seeing datum that reflects your statement - "anything that honors the Lord Jesus is wrong for Christians to observe and honor."

As @Hammster said I believe it is sarcasm; however, there is some truth in this. These people hate anyone enjoying the freedom and life God has given us and want us all to be as dour and miserable as they are in life. They think God is an ogre who wants everyone to be miserable

 

[ViaCrucis]

Any and all rituals which are rooted in paganism are an abomination in the eyes of God!

Then don't perform any pagan rituals. But nobody on this thread is suggesting performing any pagan rituals.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Open Heart]

What holidays do you think should be forbidden for a Christian to participate in?

And discuss.

I can't think of any holiday, religious, cultural, or national that I as a Christian can't participate in.

I think the better question is, how do I do it as a Christian? I need to remember to keep everything within Christian values: moderation, chastity, kindness, etc. Here are some examples--

• It's okay to take my kids trick or treating and allow them to enjoy Halloween's "celebration of imagination", especially as it is a precursor to All Saints Day. But it would not be a good idea to let my teenagers run free on halloween doing vandalism and the kind of "tricks" that get people hurt or make kids cry. And it's not good to let my 13 y.o. daughter think that halloween is an excuse to dress up like a inappropriate content star.
• It's very Christian to celebrate Christmas with all the trimmings and gift giving, especially to attend Church on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. But Family traditions should be developed to keep spending down and to keep greed from getting out of control.
• Birthdays are great for affirming the life God has given us. When you're an adult it doesn't have to be a big deal (although don't forget your spouse's!) It is, though, most important to always make sure your child is remembered. It's not about having a clown and a bouncy house and all the kids in the neighborhood. Just having a special sit down dinner with favorite foods and cake and ice cream and presents from everyone is plenty if everyone is having a good time (meaning no one is being selfish, pouting, or fighting).

I could go on. You just have to ask yourself, how would Jesus celebrate this holiday, having the best most loving time with his family, giving the best memories to the children, making it as beautiful as possible, making it a day where ordinary problems are put on the shelf, not letting the pagan ways (over-sexualizing things and eating so much food you throw up and being greedy and jealous about gifts) throw things off balance.

 

[Open Heart]

Any and all rituals which are rooted in paganism are an abomination in the eyes of God!

Who was suggesting that you perform pagan rituals? Do you have a post number?

 

[Greg Logan]

Then why does Deuteronomy 29:6 say the following then?

"Ye have not eaten bread, neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink: that ye might know that I am the LORD your God" (Deuteronomy 29:6).



Please check out my recent thread I created here:

6 Biblical Reasons Why Jesus Made Unfermented Wine (Grape Juice).

Jason

You are asking reasonable questions - I will try to make it back - and dig in a bit more.

I would likely start with Deut 29 - and follow the hermeneutic that "we don't pit scripture against scripture". Somehow they both have to harmonize - and denying God encouraging His people to take a few sips of "the water of life" is well completely contrary to His command for them to obtain it....

Nonetheless - I think the qeustion is good - and I will explore further in due time.

 

[Trumpeter2]

Then don't perform any pagan rituals. But nobody on this thread is suggesting performing any pagan rituals.

-CryptoLutheran

So no one on this thread is celebrating/participating in Halloween/Day of the Dead, Christmas, Easter, etc?
No one is lying to their children about Santa, the easter bunny, or the tooth fairie?
No lie is of the Truth.
Don’t speak lies to your children, for this is sin.

 

[Open Heart]

So no one on this thread is celebrating/participating in Halloween/Day of the Dead, Christmas, Easter, etc?
No one is lying to their children about Santa, the easter bunny, or the tooth fairie?

TRick or treating, having a picnic on Granny's gravesite, etc., are not pagan rituals.
Trimming a Christmas tree, giving presents, eating sugar cookies shaped like candy canes and listening to the same music every year... those things are not pagan rituals and CERTAINLY going to church to celebrate the nativity of the Lord is not a pagan ritual.
Celebrating spring time with baby animal motifs and candy is not a pagan ritual, and CERTAINLY going to church to celebrate the resurrection is not a pagan ritual.

Engaging in a culture wide fantasy play is not the same thing as lying. As a parent, I AM the Easter Bunny, so the Easter Bunny DOES exist.

 

[Trumpeter2]

TRick or treating, having a picnic on Granny's gravesite, etc., are not pagan rituals.

Here’s a web search, there’s just too many links to list individually:
pagan roots of halloween at DuckDuckGo

Trimming a Christmas tree

Once again, too many to list:
pagan roots of christmas at DuckDuckGo

Celebrating spring time with baby animal motifs and candy

And again:
pagan roots of easter at DuckDuckGo

CERTAINLY going to church to celebrate the nativity/resurrection...

We are not to associate Christ with anything pagan.
The actual date and time of Christ’s birth remains unknown to us.
The shepherds were out in the fields with their sheep so it certainly wasn’t December 25th.
And the resurrection happened on Passover not Easter(Ishtar).
Jesus was the Passover lamb.

About lying:

1Jo 2:21 - I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth.

 

[Greg Logan]

So no one on this thread is celebrating/participating in Halloween/Day of the Dead, Christmas, Easter, etc?
No one is lying to their children about Santa, the easter bunny, or the tooth fairie?
No lie is of the Truth.
Don’t speak lies to your children, for this is sin.

Trumpeter - With you emphasis on not lying at this level - I assume you spend a lot of time exposing and condemning the liar in the White House. Is that right?

 

[Trumpeter2]

Trumpeter - With you emphasis on not lying at this level - I assume you spend a lot of time exposing and condemning the liar in the White House. Is that right?

Eph 6:12 - For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

 

[Greg Logan]

Eph 6:12 - For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Excellent text - I like it.

My question - did you use the same approach related to the prior administration?

 

[Trumpeter2]

Excellent text - I like it.

My question - did you use the same approach related to the prior administration?

I’m not an American but I did see a prophetic word given back in 2008 that correctly predicted the last presidents election and how God was going to use him to fulfill judgment against your nation.
What does this have to do with holidays though?

 

[Greg Logan]

I’m not an American but I did see a prophetic word given back in 2008 that correctly predicted the last presidents election and how God was going to use him to fulfill judgment against your nation.
What does this have to do with holidays though?

Prophecy related to Obama or Trump?

 

[Trumpeter2]

Prophecy related to Obama or Trump?

Obama but I just saw a recent one on Trump too by Kahn(I hope that is the correct spelling). Trump is being used as a reprieve.

 

[ViaCrucis]

So no one on this thread is celebrating/participating in Halloween/Day of the Dead, Christmas, Easter, etc?
No one is lying to their children about Santa, the easter bunny, or the tooth fairie?
No lie is of the Truth.
Don’t speak lies to your children, for this is sin.

Halloween, Christmas, and Easter aren't pagan. They're Christian. Halloween is the Eve of All Saints Day, Christmas is the celebration of Christ's birth, and Easter/Pascha is the celebration of Christ's resurrection.

I'm sure you read lots of websites that told you that these were pagan, but maybe don't believe everything you read on the internet.

-CryptoLutheran