The pagan gods like Adonis, Attis, Baal, Dionysus, Horus and Ra were all born on December 25th of a virgin. If they didn't want to be associated with pagans why didn't they just celebrate the birth of Jesus on New Year's Day?
2006-12-27 09:23:12 · 12 answers · asked by Asilos Magdalena 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Because it was their idea. The christians were the new power they put their holidays with their stuff very close to existing holidays, partly so they wouldn't have to kill the blatant followers of a different religion and partly to help mix the cultures to their successful end. It's funny now to hear the christians complain about it.
Peace!
2006-12-27 09:31:09 · answer #1 · answered by carole 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know, but I do know, that those other gods, don't take anything away from people celebrating the birth of Jesus on the 25th. By the way, I had no idea those were all born on that day, i think someone should verify this. Doesn't that sound a bit unbelievable to you? Regardless, I wouldn't care if anyone wanted to celebrate their particular god on that day. Its about what you believe, your family traditions, and having a good christmas time, and making and capturing memories!
2006-12-27 17:28:41 · answer #2 · answered by oceansnsunsets 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
silverbirch has a valid point.
In order to have followers the church took aspects of other faiths to fill the rolls. Starting with Constantine's inclusion of the Trinity. The church had to make the new religion believable.
Even the most unbelievable of things were stated by the early Christian church as "truth" Like for instance.King Arthur was Christian and so was Merlin Or even funnier "Truths" . Julius Caesar was Christian.
The church took people's practices and heros and magicly made them believers. The Druid monks became Catholic and Christian monks. The Practice of Yule and spring celebration became Christmas and Easter. Resurrection became the proof of Godliness.
Every known faith has lost some small bit to Christianity and Catholicism, Baptism for washing away sins, was the practice of purifying waters and washing the spirit to the Tianice and Druids. Anointing with "the blood of Christ. was Anointing with oils to Druids and the same practice was held by Egyptians to bless the person and the spirit. The gift of bread was a common practice to various EBFs as it was part of the Infinate's Promises.
Practices and beliefs had to be taken or there would have been no church.
2006-12-27 17:51:31 · answer #3 · answered by tian_mon 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Because they created Christmas in an effort to convert the "heathens" to Christianity more easily. Christmas was nothing more than a recruitment technique.
Just like the only aspect of the Christian story anyone follows is spending money on tons of gifts. Thre isn't any religion left in Christmas anymore, which is why even atheists can still celebrate it.
2006-12-27 17:33:05 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Technically, these are not all pagan gods. Paganism is an earth religion that sees spirits in all things.
However, regarding your question. The Christians were those who had converted from worshiping those gods. They didn't want to have no holiday while everyone was celebrating theirs, so they simply took on the same day. Everyone had their day on the Winter Solstice, which used to occur on December 25 (but has shifted over the centuries).
2006-12-27 17:28:37 · answer #5 · answered by NHBaritone 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Because Christianity spread primarily through the paganc communities and Christianity, like all religions, used existing and familiar rituals and practices to present their teachings. Buddhism did this as well; it's intentional and logical. Unfortunately, time passes and the mythological stories -- which are meant as mechanisms to present the teachings and mire the practitioner in a mythological context that points to truth -- are taken literally. Then we get the situation where believers and non-believers alike miss the whole point of the purpose of leveraging existing mythological symbols and stories.
2006-12-27 17:28:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
Because they wanted their day of celebration to rival the pagans' day of celebration so as to weaken it or maybe to convert some of the pagans by their seeing the Christians' fervent and creative celebration.
2006-12-27 18:24:33 · answer #7 · answered by STILL standing 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It wasn't about associating with pagans, it was about eliminating pagans and replacing pagan beliefs with their own. They killed untold numbers of pagans in Rome, then slapped Jesus' "birthday" right over top of the pagan winter festival. They wanted to undermine the pagans, not co-exist with them. They did the same with Easter, placing the celebration of Jesus' "resurrection" onto the festival worshipping Eostre, the goddess of fertility.
Lisa
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/secularhumanism/
2006-12-27 17:32:59 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
If you dont like Christians go to another site. Understand the reason people try to bash Christians is because they hate God. John 15:18
2006-12-27 17:31:33 · answer #9 · answered by white dove 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Because before they were Christians, many were pagans, so they were making the transition easier.
2006-12-27 17:29:46 · answer #10 · answered by HarmNone 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋