By spending millions on a fictitious Santa n other paraphernalia, arent we diluting the essence of Christmas?

Question

after witnessing media reports on the millions spent in dressing up like Santa and bursting costly crackers, this question kept prompting me... When millions are starving for a square meal a day, and when Christ Himself Has asked His followers to feed the sick and destitute and poor, is it imperative for lavish spending on Christmas..?

Answer 1

Jehovah's Witnesses love and respect and honor Christ. They do NOT celebrate so-called "Christmas" because "Christmas" does NOT celebrate Christ; "Christmas" celebrates the pagan Saturnalia. Jesus was not even born in December. Nearly all so-called Christmas customs dishonor Christ.

(Jeremiah 10:2-5) This is what Jehovah has said: "Do not learn the way of the nations at all... 3 For the customs of the peoples are just an exhalation, because it is a mere tree out of the forest that one has cut down, the work of the hands of the craftsman with the billhook. 4 With silver and with gold one makes it pretty. With nails and with hammers they fasten them down, that none may reel. ...the doing of any good is not with them."

http://watchtower.org/e/19981215/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20001215/
http://watchtower.org/e/20041215/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/19981215/
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/article_11.htm


By contrast, it's tragic that the one holiday Christ actually *DID* ask Christians to commemorate is entirely ignored by almost all of Christendom. It is, of course, the Memorial of Christ's death, sometimes called "the Last Supper" or "the Lord's Evening Meal".

(1 Corinthians 11:23-25, NWT) The Lord Jesus in the night in which he was going to be handed over took a loaf... Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” 25 He did likewise respecting the cup.. Keep doing this... in remembrance of me.”

(1 Cor 11:24, 25, NEB) "Do this as a memorial of me.”


Christ Jesus himself personally celebrated and explained the significance of that Last Supper to his followers (see Matthew 26:26-29). Christians who commemorate the Last Supper have done so on the same Jewish calendar date as Jesus did, Nisan 14, which generally falls between late March and mid-April. Interestingly, Christians in the centuries immediately after Christ's impalement were sometimes called "Quartodecimans" which literally mean "Fourteen-ers", because the early Christians were well-known for this true holy day.

How would Jesus feel to learn that the holiday he commanded was widely ignored, while his so-called followers chose to celebrate a pagan false god and their own traditions of men? We don't need to wonder.

(Matthew 15:6-9) You have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites, Isaiah aptly prophesied about you when he said, 8 ‘This people honors me with their lips, yet their heart is far removed from me. 9 It is in vain that they keep worshiping me, because they teach commands of men as doctrines.’”

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/lmn/article_08.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/article_11.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20041215/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20011115/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20050101a/
http://watchtower.org/e/jt/

Answer 2

Lavish Christmas spending is not imperative, and you're right we need to be wise. But how many would spend money on the poor and needy even if they cut down on gifts, etc.?

I don't want the government to have any control over what I choose to spend at Christmas, it's no ones business but my own. It's my choice and I like it that way.

Christ asked his followers, not the governments, to be charitable. How charitable would our giving be if we had no option? As for me and my house, we will celebrate the birth of Christ with Santa on the roof!

PS - Many times in our family we give charitable donations to our favorite charity in the name of a family member as a gift.

Answer 3

Of course not, seems like we are not worshiping Jesus Christ birth anymore, but Mamom!
But not everyone is that way, for some people Christmas is a special time to give and share with loved ones.

I've checked the way you respond to question and you seem a very honest and caring person.I'm glad there's people like you in YahooQ&A

Answer 4

sure, it may look as though Santa ought to no longer gain his objectives even via quasi-common skill. the blunders is which you place self belief in 'flying' reindeer hurdling for the duration of the stratosphere as could common airplane. enable's then anticipate a simpler actuality. Santa is able to manipulating time and area. instead of vacationing the earth, he travels by way of dimensions. Which brings a darker element to Christmas. somewhat, our naughty or effective habit could happen in one length on an identical time as the delivers we acquire happen in yet another. So technically, a clean length is created each Christmas for us to acquire our presents.

Answer 5

Not everyone who celebrates Christmas is Christian. While it may be extra special for those who do believe in God, the average American just sees the holidays as a time to be with family, etc, etc. Gift-giving and decorating the house are just traditions, just as the many traditions within the Church.

Answer 6

Fictitious Santa?

Search the Web for "St. Nicholas".

Answer 7

I think you have a very good point - when will people take the real message of Christmas to heart? Christians, generally, aren't really good advertisements for Christ and his teachings.

Answer 8

The desilution of Christmas is not possible. Christmas is here. Now the desilution of people is frightening. Christ does, People think.

Answer 9

You are correct in your assessment...the USA in particular is a Godless nation, meaning money is at the root of all of this nonsense. How can we fight the corporations and media that fuels this?

Answer 10

People are greedy. That's why the world is so screwed up. We could do something about it...