2006-10-26 07:29:58 · 15 answers · asked by angie_mediamanagement 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Christmas
The Greek letter "chi", which looks like an X, stands for the aspirated "kh" sound that doesn't exist in English. We spell it "ch" and pronounce it like a K. This letter is the first letter in "christos", the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew "messiach", which means "anointed".
In the days before the printing press, even before cheap paper, when everything was handwritten (or chiseled), people used abbreviations to save space and effort. When the Roman Empire put up a monument or issued a proclamation on behalf of "the Senate and People of Rome" (Senatus Poulusque Romanus), they just wrote "S.P.Q.R.". When people made Christian emblems, they decided monograms were easier to arrange than lines of words, so "Jesus Christ, Conquer!" ("Iesous Christous, Nika!") became "ICXC NIKA". (Romans converted Greek final Ss to Cs.) If you look at a crucifix, you'll see a little banner with the legend: "I.N.R.I", which means "Iesus Christos, Rex Iudaeorum" ("Jesus Christ, King of Jews"). Everybody used acronyms and abbreviations and everybody understood what they meant.
An example of NOT understanding is what happened when Christians rediscovered the Hebrew Bible and found the name of God. Hebrew started out without printed vowels, so God's name was "YHVH" (or "JHVH", depending on your transliteration). But Jews did not pronounce the name of you-know-who, so to keep that from happening, the vowel points that were added were for the word "Adonai" ("Lord"). The reader saw a nonsense word and remembered to pronounce it "Lord". But Christians didn't know any better and pronounced it, so God's name became "JaHoVaH". Any Jews in the audience wouldn't know whether to laugh or cry.
So, simply put, "X" is short for "Christ." Some pious Christians equate shortcuts with laziness and lack of respect. the proper way to render the word is fully spelled out, all capitals, in 60 point gothic font and gold ink. Anything less smacks of the devil.
Incidentally, this "taking Christ out of Christmas" campaign echos a similar campaign around 1959-1960, sponsored by right-wing, xenophobic organizations like the John Birch Society, who blamed it on godless Communists. It's not all that original.
2006-10-26 08:31:28 · answer #1 · answered by skepsis 7 · 13⤊ 3⤋
This is what I was told by a respected conservative Christian pastor when I was younger. In greater detail though.
X is Greek for Christos which is where the title Christ comes from (Jesus/Yeshua was his name, Christ was his title, like you would call someone King or President today). In the Middle Ages, when the Catholic Church was doing their part to convert the pagans, they borrowed/stole Yule from them (the modern Christmas tree is one of many traditions with Pagan origins and is strictly forbidden in Jeremiah) and created a name for their holiday called Christmas or Mass of Christos. Thus when you say Xmas, it also means Mass of Christos. Nowhere is that taking Christ out of Christmas. It's simply another way of saying the same thing.
2006-10-26 14:41:27 · answer #2 · answered by Cinnamon 6 · 5⤊ 1⤋
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2014-09-21 23:57:45 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The x is meant to represent the cross Jesus was crucified on. However, it has been secularized to the point of people thinking the x has replaced the Christ part of Christmas when it is actually has a much deeper religious meaning.
2006-10-26 14:33:28 · answer #4 · answered by Evelyn's Mommy 5 · 3⤊ 2⤋
The name Xian = Christian, Hence X-mas is Christmas
2006-10-26 14:38:55 · answer #5 · answered by londonhawk 4 · 5⤊ 1⤋
XC has been used as an abbreviation for the greek form of Christos has been in use since the 1500s. Apparently Xtian for Christian is at least 500 years old too.
Xt has been used as a shorthand for Christ since at least 1021 AD.
X is shorthand for Christ. its not taking the 'christ out of christmas'.
2006-10-26 14:35:13 · answer #6 · answered by kheserthorpe 7 · 8⤊ 1⤋
I like answers 1,4,5,9,&13. It was to take Christ out of Christmas and replay Him with a fat demon called Santa Claus and all of his little demons called elfs! Only God (Jesus Christ) knows who has been naughty or good. And only He can see you when your sleeping or awake! You may vote against our answers but you can't change the truth! God have mercy on your souls! Everybody should listen to the Diamond Rio Song "In God We Still Trust" It will bless your heart.
2006-10-27 13:24:41 · answer #7 · answered by Bekka 3 · 1⤊ 4⤋
it started when the liberal anti christian'er started to take god out of schools and out of everything Christmas reminds them what it is all about "Christ"mas and they just wan the presants and money but not the true meaning behind the holiday !!!
God Bless America !!!! one nation under God !!! God forgive them fo they no not what they do
2006-10-26 14:40:06 · answer #8 · answered by Duane G 3 · 1⤊ 4⤋
The contraversy some people didnt want Christ,in Christmas.
2006-10-26 14:31:37 · answer #9 · answered by Erica B 3 · 3⤊ 6⤋
I think at the same time that they made Christmas about Santa and not Christ.
2006-10-26 14:33:06 · answer #10 · answered by Sooner 4 · 2⤊ 5⤋