Serious Question. Do Christians realize that Christmas and Easter were originally pagan holidays?

Question

Easter was the celebration of Ishtar the Goddess of sex.
Christmas was Winter Solstice.
Not saying it's not what it is now...Just saying admit what it was and DON’T REFUTE THIS WITHOUT CHECKING IT OUT FIRST or you embarrass yourselves and other Christians.

Easter was the celebration of Ishtar the Goddess of sex.
Christmas was Winter Solstice.
Not saying it's not what it is now...Just saying admit what it was and DON’T REFUTE THIS WITHOUT CHECKING IT OUT FIRST or you embarrass yourselves and other Christians.


I am glad to see that SOME of the people who answered here unlike KATHY W know what they are talking about and thx to ernest77h for an extensive answer but I wonder about peoples thoughts on Easter (Ishtar) as well.

Answer 1

Fortunately I know that - so I will be avoiding the pit-fall of embarrassing my fellow-Christians. I must admit I was quite amazed when I first discovered this. Go well, and God Bless!

Answer 2

Yes we realize that our Christian celebrations were combined with pagan celebrations. This was done to ease the transition when non christians were being 'reformed' or whatever. it is all very interesting how many of the symbols and ideas we now hold as evil are simply old pagan symbols that have been given evil connotations to keep us from going back to the old ways. In any case, every one I know realizes Christ was not born on Dec 25 but it doesn't take away from the celebration of that birth. Likewise, Easter - which is the most important holiday in Christianity and my favourite - is at a perfect time of year as we celebrate the rising of Christ in conjunction with the rebirth of a new year (spring). New Years' was celebrated in spring at this time right up until around the 1600's (not sure of the exact year), which makes sense. nothing is new about Jan 1 really... spring is much better... great question!

Answer 3

Easter and Christmas were not "originally" pagan holidays.
Let me explain. They celebrate Christ's birth and crucifiction. THERE ARE BORROWED ASPECTS FROM PAGANISM, and they are close, in time, to pagan events, this was to allow the current pagans of the time to "swallow" Christianity easier.
The aspects of the egg, is definitely a pagan ritual. As well as the Christmas tree, worshipping trees and leaving gifts for the "gods inside the tree".
In truth, most fundamental Christians are against these types of celebrations. But it's for the kids, and just for fun, so I don't think a big deal should be made about it--as long as the real message of those holidays are established.

Answer 4

Most so-called Christian holidays are actually Catholic attempts to hide its Pagan roots. Contrary to popular belief, Catholics are not true Christians. Every Catholic holiday we celebrate is actually an old pagan ritual. Easter is the Festival of Ishtar; The Babylonian goddess of fertility (Easter eggs, anyone?). Most Christian scholars will agree that Jesus was actually born sometime in the spring, so Christmas is inaccurate. Catholics practice what they call communion, which is basically ritual cannibalism (drinking the blood, and eating the flesh of Christ). Catholics elevate the saints (especially Mary) to a status sometimes even greater than Christ himself. These are all sins. That is why the Orthodox church and the Catholic church had fueded for hundreds of years. True Christians know that Catholics incorrectly mourn their faith, instead of celebrating it. Go to a true Christian church and you will never see a crucifix, or a statue of the Virgin Mary. You will find a cross, but Jesus won't be on it. It is a sin to clebrate or display the crucifixion, to wear Rosary beads, or to worship the Virgin Mary. Revere her, yes (she is the mother of Jesus), but she is a woman, not an angel or a deity.

Answer 5

i comprehend good, human beings do no longer even comprehend Christmas was once outlawed in us of a of america as a results of fact of that reason. Heres some extra documents: in an attempt to earnings pagan converts the Roman Catholic clergy in the fourth century after Christ took in this pagan Saturnalia on December 25 and backed it as a results of fact the “mass of Christ” or “Christ-mass.” Christmas, hence, isn't something extra advantageous than a carbon replica of the pagan Saturnalia. it is many times admitted with the aid of historic and non secular pupils. Says a international historic previous, on the line to Civilization, internet site 164: “The dinner social gathering of Saturn, the Saturnalia, became right into a iciness competition which lasted a week commencing up on the twenty-5th day of December, and became into celebrated with dancing, the replacing of presents, and the burning of candles. The Saturnalia became into later taken over with the aid of the Christians as their Christmas, and given a sparkling magnitude.”

Answer 6

I think most Christians, of the educated variety, know that many of their celebrations have roots in pagan rituals. From the dates in which certain events are commemorated, to how those events are celebrated; most historically knowledgeable Christians are cognizant of the fact that differing belief systems that were contemporaneous with the birth of Christianity, heavily influenced many aspects of Christian tradition.

With that said, I think Christians with a mature faith will not see this fact as in any way impinging on the value of their faith. After all, nothing exists in a vacuum, and most belief systems are derivative. Ask any true patriot in this country who is proud of this government, and tell them that the structure of government and our Constitution have their foundations on a former enemy colonial power; namely Britain. Would that fact in anyway make them see their country any differently, or dissuade them from being as patriotic as they are? I don’t think so. They know that despite the foreign influences that created the United States, there is something distinctive about the US, which sets it apart from other nations. Its this unique quality that gives them something to be proud of.

Similarly, Christians, who are not fundamentalists, acknowledge the parallels between their faith and that of others. Yet is the distinctive essence of Christianity that makes the faithful adhere so strongly to their beliefs. If fact, I would go so far as to say that Christianity’s universal appeal has a lot to do with the fact that it incorporates positive elements from other beliefs. The fact that the Old Testament, a Jewish religious work even exists in Christianity’s most holy book, underscores the fact it Christianity did not form independent of anything else.

Answer 7

whenever i tell people that they don't believe me... however, easter was actually the goddess of spring. thats why rabbits are there. i think its halarias, especially when the christians really vhemenantly deny it. Its like, well, then why are their rabbits hopping around as Jesus is rising from the dead?

Anyway, people above shouldn't be saying that its ok becuase the new holidays were gods way of replacing the bad with the good. Pagan holidays weren't bad, and they actually made sense.

I would much rather worship the earth... its given everyone life, so it makes sense!

Answer 8

I didn't read the book that someone brought, but I know that, historically (with regard to the life of Christ), the dates on which we celebrate Christian Holidays are meaningless. The dates we use correspond to pagan holidays and were chosen so that the converts to Christianity could have something of their own to celebrate while the pagans were doing their thing. Hanakuh (Sp?) is probably emphasized in Judaism for the same reason.

Answer 9

You are right. Christmas is a pagan holiday and we were never commanded to celebrate Christmas.
The Jewish passover when we really are celebrating the resurrection of Christ is Easter. I have not checked the dates, but the Jewish calender is different anyway. So I don't know about that one.
The other side of this is that the world has so many celebrations that they make them to happen at the same time.. One thing that can not be avoided is the dates of celebrations.. What if some cult celebrated sex day on your birthday?? Would that make celebrating your birthday wrong??
The only celebration is the Lord's supper and we are commanded to do it as often as we want..

Answer 10

Yep. It was thought that by "declaring" a Holiday during the same periods of time it would make the conversions of the Pagans easier. The best example was that of Samhain(although the "actual" date honestly Varies in accordance with tradition) was celebrated on Oct 31, the Church declared November 1 all Saint's Day and the preceding day was called All Hallows Eve.... (Funniest thing is that no matter how hard they deny it, Halloween is actually a Christian Observance.)

Answer 11

Yes, they originated from pagan ideas, or practices, and probably God still consider it a pagan tradition. We aren't ask to celebrate Jesus's birth, only the Passover. That is the only thing Christ asked of us, to remember the passover and to keep it Holy, and to do it often in remembrance of Him. We aren't suppose to lie, but we lie every time we tell of santa claus, we lie every time we talk about the easter bunny. I don't do the santa, and easter bunny routine.

I use to be a liar, I would lie about anything, then one day I felt God telling me. Hey a lie is a lie is a lie. So then I changed my ways, and now I tell the truth, even if it might hurt someones feeling, I rather have the feeling hurt than to live in hell for eternity. The Bible clearly states that God hates a liar. It mentions it quite a few times.