The first Christians were of Jewish origin, but as it spread, Christians came from various religions of Greece, Rome, and other lands. Were these children being deprived or otherwise harmed by their parents by not allowing them to continue the traditional holidays and observances of Judaism and the other religions?
2006-10-31 22:04:06 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Being Christian is following Christ...therefore Christ set the example for us to follow...
There are many claiming to be Christian and following man!
2006-10-31 22:16:22 · answer #1 · answered by Tina 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Early Christian parents (and adults) faced the same issue that Christians face today. For instance many Christians do not celebrate Halloween. So church will often offer "harvest parties" or other alternatives to Halloween. Those parties may include costumes, bags of candy, bobbing for apples and other Halloween like activities - but present a Christian message rather than a pagen/secular one during the party. In do this, the Christians are not endorsing the traditional holiday, or basing Christians on that holiday. They just could not come up with a better way to still be Christian, yet not deny their children some joy.
This is how Christmas came to be celebrated on December 25. Many of the earliest Christians celebrated in mid January. Eastern Orthodox churches still do. The Bible does not record the day of Jesus' birth. Year, yes. Day, no. So the Christians began to celebrate it on the same day as the Romans had their biggest holiday. That gave the Christians something to celebrate also. And just like "harmless" bags of candy and carmel apples are common at Harvest Parties, so some of the "harmless" symbols and traditions of the other holidays have come to be included in Christmas. They have simple been redefined with a Christian meaning. Today, most people only know of the Christian meaning.
So the children were not deprived of those holidays. They just had them replaced with Christian holidays on the same dates.
2006-10-31 22:21:47 · answer #2 · answered by dewcoons 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They were not allowed, no one had the ability to stop them.You seem to think there was an army that forced Christianity,that is not so new Christians were wooed the banning of holidays would have drove them away.Finally in desperation the holidays were "Christianized" to try and remove the Pagan meanings.
It was not until the Vatican was formed and gained power that the Catholics started destroying idols and customs by the point of the sword or the barrel of a gun.
2006-10-31 22:12:50 · answer #3 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What harm would come of it?
Do we not have the ability to bring into remembrance the Greek, Roman and Jewish traditions?
We have access to those traditions over the generations. They are not lost. Indeed many are still observed by means of cross cultural celebrations and events. No harm there?
2006-10-31 22:14:00 · answer #4 · answered by Doug H 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Regarding some of those early religions, they probably weren't missing out on much.
2006-10-31 22:11:52 · answer #5 · answered by Michael H 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Who knows,Jesus said.... you keep to the traditions of your fathers making the commandment of God none effect in vain do you worship me. I would say they should have been free from them.
2006-10-31 22:10:35 · answer #6 · answered by jackiedj8952 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋