religious holiday on to the winter solstice?
2006-12-18 08:28:40 · 22 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
>> Is Jesus the reason for the season
No, axial tilt is the reason for the season. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Season )
>> have we simply tacked on a religious holiday on to the winter solstice?
Seems like. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia )
2006-12-18 08:31:24 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
I guess for many individuals Jesus is the "reason for the season". There's no problem with that. Personally, I prefer Yule and the Pagan Traditions of the huge meal, gathering with family, exchanging gifts, singing songs, lightin candles... sounds familiar don't it? I just don't include Jesus in my celebrations. But I certainly don't care if someone else does. As for originality, all the "Church" did was pick up on the Pagan Holidays being done during the Winter Solstice and celebrated alongside them in hopes of gaining converts.
2006-12-18 16:40:17 · answer #2 · answered by Kithy 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Winter Solstice IS a religious holiday for Wiccans and Pagans. It's one of the eight Sabbatts known as Yule. In an effort to convert the indigenous Pagan population in Europe, early Christians co-opted the celebration of the longest night of the year and called it Jesus' birthday. Christ-Mass. That way the Pagans could celebrate like they always did (trees, mistletoe, holly, et al) while still being a part of the early Christian church.
2006-12-18 16:34:25 · answer #3 · answered by gjstoryteller 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Christmas is from Christ Mass, which is a remembrance of the last supper. Christians wanted to be able to celebrate Christ, but back then, Christianity was not popular (to say the least), so they adapted Dec 25 as the day to celebrate and adopted the styles of celebrating during the solstice so they wouldn't stand out.
Jesus is the reason for Christmas. The orbit is the reason for solstice, the Maccabees are the reason for Hanukkah, and well, quite frankly, I don't know what the Kwanzaa is all about.
2006-12-18 16:32:28 · answer #4 · answered by ♫O Praise Him♫ 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
According to history Jesus is not the reason for the season. He wasn't even born on Dec. 25 it is just the winter solstice. It was a way to "Christianize" a pagan holiday. And as we see today I dont think people are thinking about Jesus and the type of person he was when they're fighting over tickle me elmos.
2006-12-18 16:32:50 · answer #5 · answered by Curious 1 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I'm going to go with the Season is the reason for MY celebration. Yule is my celebration, and no, I don't call it anything else other than Yule, or the Winter Solstice.
What someone else may want to call any holiday that follows Yule is their own concern, and their reason for a celebration is their own. Same with anyone else who may have had a celebration this last week eight days long. That is their reason.
So, a very happy Yule to you all, and a Joyous Winter Solstice. Goddess Bless!
2006-12-18 16:39:48 · answer #6 · answered by Boudica 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
For many Christians, Jesus is the reason they celebrate the holiday now known as Christmas. For others, it's not. And yes, Christmas was originally a number of pagan and so-called pagan holidays which were merged into the Christmas celebration.
2006-12-18 16:31:26 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
For me, and other Christians, Christmas is the celebration of the fulfillment of God's promise of a Savior.
We don't know when Christ's birthday was. It doesn't matter. But, it's nice that a day has been set aside specially to celebrate His birth.
Those who do not believe, this is a day of giving and receiving, and showing good will.
For the business owners, it's a season to prosper.
It doesn't bother me that businesses profit. At least the Good News of Christ is getting out there, and I'm sure people come to Christ because of the holiday -- perhaps a Christian showing them the true meaning of Christmas.
2006-12-18 16:33:18 · answer #8 · answered by Dianne C 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
As a bible-believing christian, I would like to think that Jesus is the reason. However, I know that much of society has turned Christmas into a material holiday stuck on "how much can I get and how much money did they spend on me." Unfortunately, I don't think children are being taught the real reason we celebrate Christmas. Not much hope for future generations. Just my opinion.
2006-12-18 16:32:16 · answer #9 · answered by Tami C 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Christmas is all about having four plastic Frostys in your front yard and eight lighted reindeer pulling a wooden sleigh with a fat man on it.
Christmas is about spending money on decorations, lighted trees and spoiled kids that already have too many toys.
Who is this Jesus person you are talking about? Surely He doesn't have anything to do with Christmas in America.
2006-12-18 16:37:12 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋