I know several other people who aren't Christian, but still engage totally in the nonspiritual traditions of Christmas. I don't just mean the insane commercialism of the holiday and buying photos of your kids with Santa, I mean the wholehearted togetherness and being kind to your follow man traditions as well.
Still, I acknowledge that Christmas is born totally of Christianity, and I'm curious as to how Christians feel about the involvement of outsiders in their holiday. Do you think it's great that we're still able to take part in the love and joy of the season, or do you wish we'd find our own holiday, or no holiday at all?
2006-11-24 09:25:19 · 24 answers · asked by ? 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
1. Christmas isn't a Christian holiday - it was originally a pagan holiday celebrated by the Celts
2. Jesus wasn't born on Christmas, nor in December. Historically, Jesus was actually born around late October-early November.
3. Christmas is not really a religious holiday...it is more of an American tradition.
2006-11-24 09:29:41 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 3⤋
Couple of facts some of which have already been stated. 1.The Winter's Solstice or Yule was a pagan holiday first. Later adopted by the Christians. Just like Easter, All Hallows Eve, and another I can't think of off the top of my head. 2. In the bible the angels met the Shepard's in the fields tending their flocks to tell of the Christ child's birth. This lets us know that Christmas (Christs birthday) should have been closer to July, August, or September. Because if they where any later then September then the sheep and the Shepard's would either be A. drowning in mud or B. Freezing to death because that is a bad weather time in the area. 3. If you read through Christian history and through the bible you will find many "mystics" and even back into Jewish beliefs with Kabbalist So your answer comes down to two prone. A. If they are all pagan, which the story does not elude to being, then they have the orginal holiday. B. They are a sect of christianity or Jewish that believes in magic of one sort or another.
2016-05-22 23:03:45 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I personally don't know any Christians who take offense when people celebrate Christmas in a secular way. Christmas is such a part of Western culture, and many people enjoy certain parts of the holiday season. To Christians, it is a sacred, joyous, fun time. More seriously, as Christians we reflect on the birth of Christ as the fulfillment of God's greatest promise to mankind. We remember and renew our belief that the life that began in a Bethlehem stable would one day be given freely on Calvary's cross. For these reasons, I am glad when anyone respectfully celebrates some part of Christmas. I should say this, though. All faiths have certain sacred rituals or ceremonies that are not appropriate for nonbelievers to take part in. For Christians, a couple of these would be baptism or holy communion. But Christmas? Come go with us. String your lights and smile at strangers and put as much as you can in the kettle. "Peace on Earth and goodwill toward men." Let us share that thought if none other.
2006-11-24 09:58:33 · answer #3 · answered by mybella 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Absolutely, enjoy the day. Have a wonderful day with all your loved ones. It is a good thing for families to share holidays together. Love of the family is not just a Christian thing, its for everyone. And no I don't think you should have a separate holiday, that would just give the store owners another season to soak us all for more money. Happy Holidays
2006-11-24 09:31:16 · answer #4 · answered by angel 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
As a Christian I see nothing religiously hindering at all in allowing others to Celebrate Christmas. The simple idea:
If I got a baby and was overjoyed would I restrict other from celebrating this event???
Christians celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, how can anyone restrict the celebration of others.
Also its none of our business to poke our noses into your celebrations (said with respect to fellow christians). Christians hate abortion as we believe it KILLS a child, we do poke our noses in there (like a human rights thing of a defenseless innocent person) but the 'secular' celebration of Christmas as you describe it seems only promoting of christian values of togetherness, family and love. Since you are not believeing in the faith we profess (respectfully said) hence you are not obligated to go for the christmas masses and other religious based services, just dont oppose people who choose to do so.
Cheers. :)
EDIT: to clarify some confusion about the birthdate, no one is sure of the birthdate of Jesus, its like a guess of the time, it was winter cos its cold as mentioned in the Bible, then the 25th is some day which is the peak of the season/the shortest day of sunlight or something. Also some other reasons maybe there but I dont know them at the moment.
2006-11-24 09:35:18 · answer #5 · answered by martin 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
No one is an outsider to a true Christian. And he wants to take this opportunity to introduce the Divine Cause of God to a greater number of people.
The loss of sacredness of this greatest occasion of the year is due to the false Christians. They don't read and practice the divine lessons of the Bible, but stick too much to rituals. Now, almost all people can read, why they keep on depending on human interpretations? Wishing that the knowledgeable followers will restore the spiritual meaning of His Holy Birth. If they save money on pine trees for charity, they can also improve tremendously the earth's environment.
2006-11-24 09:39:37 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
If people wish to celebrate Christmas, let them. Just because it means some thing else to them as it means to us, is no reason to ban them from a particular holiday. So pass the egg nog and party it up. I hope you all have a merry Christmas ( or what ever you guys do in the winter )
2006-11-24 09:31:24 · answer #7 · answered by Odindmar 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Christmas is the pagan Festival of the Sun God with the addition of Jesus (Je-Zeus) as the sonn of Zeus the Sun God come down as his own son and a new light.
25 December is the Winter Solstice pushed a couple of days to align with the Feast of the Circumcision on I January, 8 days after, in keeping with Christ being made the Je-Zeus when in fact Jesus and the Christ are separate personlities.
2006-11-24 10:08:05 · answer #8 · answered by mythkiller-zuba 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
How little you know about Christiantiy. It is not our Holiday, it is celebrating the birth of our Christ. Anyone wishing to celebrate this is more than welcome. As for as the comercial celebration, why not all have a moment in time to share and love... Christians have much more of an understanding of what it is about, but it is great to see people giving and sharing, even if only once a year. And if we can catch you, and teach you of the love of the Lord, you KNOW we will!
2006-11-24 09:31:33 · answer #9 · answered by Fluffy Rover 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
We have no problem with non-Christians celebrating Christmas. We wish they would become Christians so that they can celebrate the true meaning of the holiday, but we're not selfish about the holiday. I have more of a problem with Christians celebrating Halloween.
2006-11-24 09:29:27 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋