Is Christmas the Disneyfication of Christianity?

Question

Why do you personally celebrate it?

It was a priest who asked his congregation this question.

Answer 1

Christmas is atime to celebrate the birth of Jesus for many people ...and to bring good will to others ...when my children were little they were told by there school that as he wasn't around to have birthday presents he said it was OK for them to have them instead i thought this was a lovely way to look at it..sadly Christmas has lost its true meaning for many people they see it as a time to eat and drink to much ...Christmas can be the saddest and lonest time for some people.. and yes i do celebrate it we all have presents and a nice family meal as for Disney that hasn't been around that long really and Christmas is what ever u make it

Answer 2

So what if it is --- the kids love it for all the excitement and presents, and the 16-30s love it for all the office parties (using it as an excuse to get their end away with somebody they fancy then when they find out it wasn't so good after all they can say they were too drunk, etc etc !), The 40-50s love it because they'll probable be invited to their kids' place for Christmas, and the 60-70s will all sit there reminiscing and gently getting drunk. The 80s and above will be grateful to be ABLE to have another Christmas, and will secretly enjoy being cared for by family and friends even though they'll have to keep up the "grumpy" act, which adds to their fun!
On the whole, a good time will be had by all !

Answer 3

it is not "Disneyfication" as you said (did you make this word up or is this in the dictionary?). But it is not Christianity either. Some theologians say that Jesus was born around end of September (and I really like this because my birthday is in September), since the shephers who saw Jesus' Star has their sheep outside (which they could not do if it was in December.) And you can read the rest of myths about Christmas... Most of the things related to Christmas is not Christian at all.
I grew up in Japan and Philippines, and we usually had Christmas Tree, a small family feast, and gift giving/exchange. Oh, and my dad was Catholic, so we went with him to the Midnight Mass.
Now that I have kids, we usually do gifts (sometimes we do the tree -- it is nice to have a tree with presents). And nice dinner for the four of us. (I'm not Catholic, so no midnight mass now)

Hope that helped?

Answer 4

It's a celebration of the Birth of Christ where even the backsliders can find Peace, Love, Brotherhood and the joy of Family.

It's also I time when we are encouraged to show more compassion to those less fortunate and try to have a greater understanding of our world community. It has nothing to do with Disney what-so-ever! LOL.

________________________________

God of my Brother across the Sea
God of the Stranger standing next to me
God of the Family of Man
Grant us the Grace to cast aside
the differences that but divide
and to see in all the true and good.
_________________________________

Answer 5

It has for thousands of years been the tradition that people give at Christmas, or whatever the name was for this festival before it was hijacked by the church.

Disney wasn't about then.

Answer 6

i like the idea of a holiday based on giving. giving makes you feel better about yourself. i don't think of christmas as disneyfying anything. disney is quite a corporate beast -- i live in orlando right under its shadow. i guess christmas is time to go shopping in corporate stores since they have taken over everything. i usually buy from ebay and get better prices. who says you can't compete with walmart? lots of people do on ebay.

Answer 7

The what of what?

I celebrate it because I was brought up to do so and now Ive got children of my own I keep it going moreso for them.

Im not religious though dont see what that has to do with it.

Answer 8

I celebrate for family and a chance to give someone I love something special. Not a Christian myself and it has never been a "birth of Christ" thing for me.

Answer 9

I fear that your observation is near to reality.
Perhaps we should remind each other to turn to the meaning of Christ's sacrifice and conduct the celebration in a more spiritual and beneficial manner.

Answer 10

I personally do not celebrate christmas. The reason behind me doing this pagan traditions is because of children who have been accustomed to this traditions brought about by the roman church.

Basically, christmas is not a disnefication of christianity, but, the paganism of christianity. You see Satan mixed the truth with the lies and lies with the truth.

Certainly there is a thing called CHRIST MASS which was celebrated in Germany a long time ago. It is a church gatherings in commemoration of Christ gospel. Later on some factions changed it to CHRISTMAS and became a traditions worldwide celebrating the birth of Jesus.

But, How did it started.

The date of December 25th probably originated with the ancient "birthday" of the son-god, Mithra, a pagan deity whose religious influence became widespread in the Roman Empire during the first few centuries A.D. Mithra was related to the Semitic sun-god, Shamash, and his worship spread throughout Asia to Europe where he was called Deus Sol Invictus Mithras. Rome was well-known for absorbing the pagan religions and rituals of its widespread empire. As such, Rome converted this pagan legacy to a celebration of the god, Saturn, and the rebirth of the sun god during the winter solstice period. The winter holiday became known as Saturnalia and began the week prior to December 25th. The festival was characterized by gift-giving, feasting, singing and downright debauchery, as the priests of Saturn carried wreaths of evergreen boughs in procession throughout the Roman temples.

What Really Matters?

The true origin of Christmas is filled with controversy and compromise. A quick study of it will reveal a number of disturbing roots that we might not been able to uncover in this brief analogy.

In short, the Christmas holiday we celebrate today is indicative of Christianity's willingness to absorb the world's customs and traditions, and forget its simple roots in the historical reality of Jesus Christ. Christmas should be nothing more than a simple, yet wonderful reminder of Christ's humble beginning as a human child in this world. His birth merely set the stage for the power, glory, and salvation that would be revealed in His life, death, and resurrection! Whether it's December 25th, sometime in late September, or any other day of the year, we should use each and every opportunity to reflect on Jesus Christ and His message of hope for all of us.

Christmas--No Foundation in the Bible

If Christmas is truly Christian, then the Bible ought to instruct us not only about the date when Jesus was born, but it should also contain a plain command from the Father that we should celebrate it. Many will be surprised that, in a thorough search of the Scriptures, they will not be able to find either date or precept for the celebration of the birth of Christ; no, not even the example of a single man who celebrated it during the time of Christ or the apostles.

A close investigation will make quite plain to us the time of year when this wonderful event occurred. It was when the shepherds were "abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night." Luke 2:8. According to the information we have about Palestine, the flocks were let out in the pastures in the month of March, and brought back in November, when the rainy season began. Concerning this, Adam Clarke makes the following remark in his commentary: "It was a custom among the Jews to send out their sheep to the desert about the Passover, and bring them home at the commencement of the first rain. During the time they were out, the shepherds watched them night and day. As the Passover occurred in the spring, and the first rain began early in the month of March- esvan, which answers to part of our October and November, we find that the sheep were kept out in the open country during the whole of the summer. And as these shepherds had not yet brought home their flocks, it is a presupposed argument that October had not yet commenced, and that consequently our Lord was not born on the twenty-fifth of December, when no flocks were out in the field by night. On this very ground the nativity should be given up. The feeding of the flocks by night in the field is a chronological fact, which casts considerable light upon the disputed point." (See also the book, The Two Babylons, pages 91,92.)

The Horne's Introduction, Vol.II, pp. 23,24. narrates the following, "This proves plainly that the flocks were not yet brought home from their pastures, when the angels visited the shepherds. Some have the idea that there is no winter in Palestine, but that is a mistake, because sometimes it is very cold there, so that the lives of both men and beasts are in danger of the cold rain and hail storms of the winter."

Now we will note more closely how this festival is related to paganism: according to Schaff-Hersog Encyclopaedia. "No other Christian festival penetrated so deeply into the household as Christmas, probably because its character is essentially joy, such as it appears in the household. However, many features indicate that there were more Christian elements present in its origin. The giving the presents was a Roman custom. The yuletide and the yule log are remnants of old Teutonic nature worship. In the household also, the festival gradually sank down to a mere revelry"

Should I say Merry Christmas to you in Advance? Or
Should I say Merry Christ Mass to you.

nevertheless, God Bless you