2006-11-23 06:54:04 · 23 answers · asked by Longjohn 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Christmas
In history there were practical reasons as to why festivals are held at the times they are. Yule (midwinter solstice) became Christmas as you know. It was at this time of year that excess livestock had to be slaughtered because only so many could be brought through the winter. It was necessary to have a feast: make it a Christian feast. Likewise fasting at Easter. The Spring is the season when food is at its most scarce. The forty days of Lent demand fasting. Best make a virtue of necessity.
Many Protestant sects tried to do away with Christmas for the reason you gave in the question. Animals still had to be eaten though, so New Year became the celebration instead.
2006-11-23 07:09:03 · answer #1 · answered by 13caesars 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Actually, not all Christians do. I'm an Orthodox Christian and we celebrate Christmas on the 7th of January.
It was when Christianity came to England that they replaced a pagan festival with Christmas, so no 25th of December probably isn't Jesus' real birth date at all, not that the 7th of January is, could be closer though.
But then the reason most people in the west celebrate Christmas doesn't have much to do with Jesus' birthday anyway, so to most it doesn't matter either way. You can only know the true meaning of Christmas by going to a place for Christmas where it's not commercialised bull and really celebrated for what it is.
2006-11-23 07:11:58 · answer #2 · answered by LifeIsOneBigLesson 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Christendom only started to celebrate the feast we know as Christmas when Constantine of Rome decided the best way to water down real Christianity was to hybrid it with paganism in the hope that it would appeal to more people and therefore take away the threat that Christianity was making on life at that time.
Any Bible scholar will tell you that Jesus Christ was born in the spring time when lambs are born. The shepherds in Israel don't stay out with their flocks in the middle of winter.
But, what is the best way to counteract a problem, compromise, the old Scottish Presbyterian would tell you that compromise is a word of the devil. So if you water a belief down a little bit to make it to everyones taste then soon er or later it catches on!!!
2006-11-23 08:46:31 · answer #3 · answered by genevieve 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am a practicing Hedgewitch and a Pagan. The christians have stolen all of the Pagan festivals and corrupted them to their own means.
This was done in order to make christianity the foremost religion in the world. Too bad it didn't suceed. Paganism is the fastest growing religion in the world, with Islam comming a very close second.
2006-11-23 18:33:26 · answer #4 · answered by The Alchemist 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I heard it was put on Dec25 by the Roman Church to displace peoples attention to the pagan holiday or to add it to that day so they could celebrate with the pagans and not draw attention to the fact to other Chrisians. I prefer to accept the latter because of all the pagan imagery in the Roman Church as well as their extra-Biblical doctrines. As for me, I observe the day for the birth of the incatnate Lord. BTW, I read somewhere that the real date of His birth has been calculated to be somewhere in the Autumn.
2006-11-23 07:28:48 · answer #5 · answered by Donnatello 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Why have Christians change a pagan festival into a Christian one? Why have Americans changed a Christian festival into a market place?
2006-11-23 06:57:58 · answer #6 · answered by J. 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Hallowe'en isn't a pagan pageant. It has pagan origins -- enormous distinction. this is now an earthly holiday, and alright to rejoice. The names of rather some the days of the week, many of the planets, some human beings's names, the call of the capital of France are of pagan foundation. So what! as quickly as I say, hear or examine "Paris," i think of of the city, no longer the pagan. The wheel became invented via pagans, maybe the sandal became too, so we ought to consistently no longer use them? Pagans celebrated birthdays because of the fact they enjoyed their toddlers, mothers and fathers, spouses .... ought to we supply up celebrating birthdays because of the fact the pagans celebrated them? nonetheless i'm no longer a pagan, I too love my kinfolk. human beings can exhibit themselves in purely maximum of approaches. Is it evil to consume devil's nutrition cake?
2016-10-17 10:58:14 · answer #7 · answered by bassage 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I celebrate the birth of Christ and spend time with family. I like to decorate my house nice for Christmas and I believe that there are many aspects of the holiday that are not pagan.
2006-11-23 10:57:01 · answer #8 · answered by Ms. H 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I can accept that thousands of years ago pagans were afraid not to. They worshipped the sun and without the drinking and the gift giving and the orgys. Little sex worship in there to. the summer wouldn't come or the eternal father sun wouldn't come back.
So they got scared. so we can forgive them for adding it to the worship of Jesus Christ. But there is no excuse for the people of today. Except like electric preachers on TV. It is all about the money. And when they say it isn't all about the money then you know it is all about the money.
2006-11-23 07:04:53 · answer #9 · answered by Steven 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Because they don't realise it is a pagan festival
2006-11-24 05:23:29 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋