the real meaning has nothing to do with reindeer or santa.....but it has to do with the birth of jesus even though he wasnt born on christmas...people reserve that day for him!
2006-12-04 05:08:34 · 14 answers · asked by Queen_of_Miami! 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
true meaning of christmas.....take a look at your credit card bill after the holidays and answer that question again.
2006-12-04 05:14:25 · answer #1 · answered by ? 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Luke 2:8-11 shows that shepherds were in the fields at night at the time of Jesus’ birth. The book Daily Life in the Time of Jesus states: “The flocks . . . passed the winter under cover; and from this alone it may be seen that the traditional date for Christmas, in the winter, is unlikely to be right, since the Gospel says that the shepherds were in the fields.”—(New York, 1962), Henri Daniel-Rops, p. 228.
The Encyclopedia Americana informs us: “The reason for establishing December 25 as Christmas is somewhat obscure, but it is usually held that the day was chosen to correspond to pagan festivals that took place around the time of the winter solstice, when the days begin to lengthen, to celebrate the ‘rebirth of the sun.’ . . . The Roman Saturnalia (a festival dedicated to Saturn, the god of agriculture, and to the renewed power of the sun), also took place at this time, and some Christmas customs are thought to be rooted in this ancient pagan celebration.”—(1977), Vol. 6, p. 666.
The New Catholic Encyclopedia acknowledges: “The date of Christ’s birth is not known. The Gospels indicate neither the day nor the month . . . According to the hypothesis suggested by H. Usener . . . and accepted by most scholars today, the birth of Christ was assigned the date of the winter solstice (December 25 in the Julian calendar, January 6 in the Egyptian), because on this day, as the sun began its return to northern skies, the pagan devotees of Mithra celebrated the dies natalis Solis Invicti (birthday of the invincible sun). On Dec. 25, 274, Aurelian had proclaimed the sun-god principal patron of the empire and dedicated a temple to him in the Campus Martius. Christmas originated at a time when the cult of the sun was particularly strong at Rome.”—(1967), Vol. III, p. 656.
2006-12-04 13:14:38 · answer #2 · answered by Resolver 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
there was a pagaen holiday for worshipping the sun. Christians celebrated Jesus' birth on that day cause he's the "light of the world." It's just the day we decided to celebrate, even if some people do it with gifts or christmas trees.
dude you answered your own question anyway
2006-12-06 19:00:24 · answer #3 · answered by jazzzzzzz D 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
... it is a commercialized holiday and has nearly nothing to do with Jesus, even for many of his followers. Birthdays should be celebrated on the day of birth, not five months early. Not to mention the innumerous people who celebrate christmas and don't celebrate Jesus' birth. Or the fact that it was a stolen pagan holiday celebrating the soon to be returning light and life in nature.
2006-12-04 13:13:46 · answer #4 · answered by spirenteh 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You believe that anything people do to honor God is OK with God? God says differently. As you pointed out, Jesus was NOT born on, or anywhere near, December 25. But it is well known that that date is the ancient day for worshipping the sun. And God says not to worship him in any way that comes from heathen religious rites:
"take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them [the heathen],... and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.' You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way;..." (Deuteronomy 12:30-31)
So, the true meaning of Christmas is that the whole world is deceived and does not do the will of God. The true meaning of Christmas is that people don't want to hear the words and message of Christ. The true meaning of Christmas is that the world follows after lies. Christ was never in Christmas, so don't bother trying to put him back.
2006-12-04 13:50:56 · answer #5 · answered by BC 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Good question. What is the essence of Christmas??? As we look around the world and at all of the ways that Christmas is celebrated or observed, we see that the one thing that is common to all of these is the act of giving.
In observing Christmas, we are observing the instant when God gave humanity the gift of being reconciled to Himself through the birth of Jesus. That is why we give tokens (gifts) to each other and especially to those in need and the helpless at the time of Christmas - to mimic the gift, the act of giving that God initiated when Jesus was born.
2006-12-04 13:23:04 · answer #6 · answered by Bruce 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Not me, I reserve that day for reindeer and Santa.
2006-12-04 13:10:51 · answer #7 · answered by boukenger 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ! As God has foretold this long ago:
Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born,to us a son is given;and the government shall be upon his shoulder,and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
-We need to always praise Him for what He has done...and continue sharing His wonderful truth with others! It should be Jesus receiving gifts- as the wise men brought Him when He was born....yet He gives us eternal life!!
1 Corinthians 12:31
But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way.
John 15:13
Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
2006-12-04 13:15:22 · answer #8 · answered by Mandolyn Monkey Munch 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
actually christmas was a pagan holliday, celebrated the birth of a pagan god. most christmas traditions are derived from that pagan holliday, the evergreen tree (our christmas tree), is the pagan symbol of renewal of life, the holly and mistletoe are pagan traditions as is ham. also giving gifts was done by the pagans during this time.
2006-12-04 13:12:14 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
spend lots of money to drive the economy - thats the true meaning of Xmas
2006-12-04 14:13:36 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋