X-mas! Do u believe that the "X" is "crossing" out Christ?

Question

I was told that the "X" before "mas" is a symbol of non-belief.
If you do believe, why would you not write Christmas. It doesn't take much more effort!

Answer 1

It's not.

The word "Christ" and its compounds, including "Christmas", have been abbreviated for at least the past 1,000 years, long before the modern "Xmas" was commonly used. "Christ" was often written as "XP" or "Xt"; there are references in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as far back as 1021 AD. This X and P arose as the uppercase forms of the Greek letters χ and ρ), used in ancient abbreviations for Χριστος (Greek for "Christ") (see Labarum), and are still widely seen in many Eastern Orthodox icons depicting Jesus Christ.

The occasionally felt belief that the "X" represents the cross Christ was crucified on has no basis in fact; regardless, St Andrew's Cross is X-shaped, but Christ's cross was probably shaped like a T or a †. Indeed, X-as-chi was associated with Christ long before X-as-cross could be, since the cross as a Christian symbol developed later. (The Greek letter Chi Χ stood for "Christ" in the ancient Greek acrostic ΙΧΘΥΣ ichthys.) While some see the spelling of Christmas as Xmas a threat, others see it as a way to honor the martyrs.

Answer 2

No. If they were really "crossing out Christ", they would actually write "Christ", then cross it out.

It's not an "X", it's a borrowed Greek "chi", an x-like character that's pronounced like a cross between "k" and "h". It was used to represent "Christ" early on. Back in the days of papyrus, parchment and stone, extra letters weren't wasted.

Some people write a "chi-rho" to represent Christ. It looks like a "P" superimposed in an "X", but it's really Greek for "Chr-", a slightly longer abbreviation.

In the interest of clarity, I would suggest that those who truly wish to insult Jesus Christ take the trouble to actually write out the name and scribble over it. Those in a hurry who wish to be unambiguous about their respect for the dear Savior write a "chi-rho". And don't worry about the plain old "X". How would the word be spelled in a text message? At least it's being used and no one is uncertain about the day being referred to.

Answer 3

So there you go. that's what one believes relating to the historic previous of yuletide, and the reason one celebrates Christmas that I appreciate regardless of my faith or lack thereof. you need to call it Reindeer Baptism social gathering Day and that i'd sense the same. someplace there are youthful Rudolfs very spiritually honoring the 1st indoctrined foal to return out of Lapland in a somber, pious temper. someplace else there are sled races and eggnog bongs and pin the angel on the tree video games, and Rudolf isn't allowed to play. no longer that he would besides, to him that's blasphemy. it particularly is the classified ads and merchandising and marketing of the trip journeys that hardship me. they have their hooks in the yankee psyche by years of black ops study and the formation of yet yet another area of the sinister plot to income wealth in abundance off of each guy woman and baby, utilising funds as a device. they are amassing stockpiles of organic materials, gasoline and minerals, tips technologies, grains and different foodstuffs, medicine and scientific awareness and so forth. funds won't purchase something whilst the earth is mined and deforested and the seas and different waters are polluted. A parcel of seeds would bear the occasional harvest yet no longer in a desolate tract. by some capacity, i think the strongest element would be finding men (and females) with honor, intelligence, braveness and empathy. Desperation will scouse borrow those issues from the soul if one facilitates the slightest incorrect that they'd have prevented. i did no longer advise to go on and on particularly of in basic terms anwering the X ? yet like T.S.Eliot says, "it particularly is the way the worldwide ends- no longer with a bang yet a whimper..."

Answer 4

You were told wrong.

"X" is a acceptable abbreviation for "Christ" that been accepted as valid for over a thousand years. It's the Greek symbol for "chi", which is the first Greek letter of Christ's name.

The "crossing out Christ" myth is a recent invention by radical Christians with little or no knowledge of the history of their own faith.

Answer 5

It's not a matter of believing or not. To me Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ and Xmas I use as a reference to the commercial side of the season. I would never use Xmas when I am referring to our Savior and Lord.

Answer 6

It's an easier way of doing things. As a kid working at wendy's chicken was chix just because that was easier. You have to admit Christmas is a big word.

Answer 7

Sorry, some ignorant people may use it that way, but...

the "X" stands for the Latin "CHI" which has been used as an abbreviation for "Christ". It's been that way for over 1500 years.

People who fuss about it, are just uninformed.

Blessings,

Answer 8

No, it comes from the Greek word for Christ.

Answer 9

I think its good for short hand or to save space. But I do get sensetive when it seems to be done for no reason. I make a point to write it real big.

I like it when people say "happy holidays" too
I say "Merrry Christmas" real loud.

Answer 10

in greek,X means christ--the use of X-mas was started by the church--history doesn't hurt