Christians: Where do you get the idea that Jesus' birthday is December 25?

Question

Or even that the ressurection occured on Easter Sunday? How do you know these dates are accurate and not, as many other religions will attest, simply Pagan holidays under a new name?

Is there any biblical proof of these being the actual dates? And if so, why aren't they in the bible?

Answer 1

don't, the recorded census of the Nazareth areas by the Romans was in September, if this coincided with the apparent birth of Jesus. then he would have been born in September. Easter replaced a pagan festival of rebirth from spring represented by the egg. The origins of this can be linked to Dionysus, he was a god who was slain by the unfaithful and resurrected, hmm similar to Christ ye think. You can't help what some pope did hundreds of years ago, like Benedict VI who pronounced that the original sin was sex.

Answer 2

Both Christian religious festivals and/or celebrations that you mention are the bi-products of Christian theololgy mixed with the rites of pagan customs from the cultures encountered as Christianity began to spread throughout Europe after the Emperor Constantine declared Christianity to the be the "state religion".

Christmas adopted the celebration of the begining of the elongation of days (i.e., the end of winter and the approach of spring, the "soltice") as a time to celebrate the "hope" of the advent of Christ and his salvific works accoridng to Christian beliefs.

If Jesus had been born on December 25, in ancient Palestine, he probably would not have survived, especialy when one takes into account the "manger" aspect of his birth. It can be and usually is very cold during that time of the year there.

The Holy Qur'an says that the Prophet Essa, peace be upon him (a.k.a., Jesus in Greek) was born when the palm fruit, dates, ripen, which is usually in late September or early October.

Easter, the celebration of the supposed resurrection from the dead by Jesus, is a mixture f the Roman Pagan celebration of the beginning of Spring called "Aeaster". Some of the pagan symbols of this celebration werea large rabbit that gave out eggs.

If there is a "resurrection from the dead", it would seem more likely that the same will occurr on the "last day" or "day of judgement" for all of mankind and that Essa, being a mortal, will experience the resurrection along with all other mortals.

Again, as to these two particular religous beliefs, the Holy Qur'an appears to be the more reliable and provides some time frame as to the first, though not the second. Christian scriptures provide no such information.

If one simply observes life without one's usuall subjective view, thereby seeing what is as it is, one quickly realizes that all of life appears to go through cyclces of birth- death- rebirth, not once, but many times. With the addtion of the supporting evidence of reincarnation, one might find the the Buddhist belifes as to this regard (especially those of Zen Buddhism) seem more to the truth.

All religions have their good points and bad, good persons who practice the same and those who might not be considered as good, those points that appear valid and historicially accurate and those that appear less so, etc., etc., etc.

No one religions holds all of the answers, nor is any one religion the ultimate "Truth" and the only sure way to "God".

As wonderful as the books of revelation or scriptures of each of the three major monotheisitic religions may be, none of them were written by "God". All of them, if given by "God" were so given via a "human" or many human intermediaries. Humans make mistakes. Thereby, the reliability of these works must be questioned by any and every thinking individual. Sadly, many practicioners of these faiths have all too glady abdicated there ability to think and reason in their individual and colective pursuit of an ideal and personaly hoped for "spiritual reward".

May it all be well with you.

Answer 3

Well we know Jesus wasnt born on Dec 25th, we do know that the date is of a Pagan holiday. There is no recorded date of the birth of Christ so any date that we celebrate Him for any reason is fine. As for Easter, the date is very close and many times right on the actual date of the resurrection which was the Sunday following Passover.

Answer 4

Um, you do realize we don't actually think that, I trust?

"Christ Mass", or as it is known on the liturgical calendar, the Feast of the Nativity, is not some sort of "birthday party." It is a twelve day period on the liturgical calendar, starting on Christmas Eve, when the priests vest in red, and the readings and liturgy celebrate the birth of Christ.

It is celebrated when it is because it marks the point in time when the increase of darkness has ended, and when the days start to get lighter.

As to the Ressurection being Easter Sunday, that one's a no-brainer. "On the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala came to the tomb early in the morning..." (from John 22), and "After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb..." (Matthew 28)

Never mind the fact that both the book of Acts and the 1st century Didache record Christians commemorating the ressurection on the first day of the week.

Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after Passover, and the gospels all record Jesus having been crucified right after a Passover Seder.

Answer 5

The Christianization of Pagan holidays began about the fourth century A.D. when the Roman Emperor Constantine, became (or feigned becoming) a Christian. In order to consolidate his rule, he incorporated the Pagan holidays and festivals into the church ritual - attracting the Pagans, but he gave the holidays and festivals new "Christian" names and identities - thus appeasing the Christians. Over the centuries, this practice has continued until the present time where we find the two systems, Paganism and Christianity, almost indistinguishable.

This is the Adversary's clever deception - Paganism dressed up in Christian clothes! It's still nothing more than Paganism, but the Christian churches have wholeheartedly embraced this deception.

http://www.logon.org/english/s/p235.html

http://www.goodnewsaboutgod.com/studies/holidays2.htm

agape!

.

Answer 6

We don't think Jesus' birthday is December 25. Nobody knows the date He was born because people didn't record birthdates at that time. It's not like there were paper calenders hanging on the wall for people to scribble "Jesus is born!" on.

Dec. 25 is the day we celebrate THE FACT that Jesus was born. See the difference?

As far as the resurrection knows, we know from Scripture that Jesus was buried on the Friday of Passover and He rose on the third day. 1st day = Friday, 2nd day = Saturday, 3rd day = Sunday.

Easter floats every year because Passover floats every year, being determined by the position of the moon. Sometimes it's in March, sometimes it's in April.

The actual DATES don't matter. What matter is that these events that happened are worth celebrating, so we take some time to celebrate.

Answer 7

I don't think that there is concrete evidence, but there may be.

I do believe that the position and alignment of the stars is one reason Jesus's birth is said to be on Dec 25.
Your theory about pagan holidays is a good point, for much of Christianity is influenced by paganism, as well as other influences.

I doubt the dates are 100% accurate.

Thanks for the interesting question.

Answer 8

It replaced right into a date chosen previously in antiquity, and does it easily count the spectacular DATE He replaced into born? quite it is extra significant that we DO rejoice His delivery. The 12/25 date replaced into set see you later in the past, it is complicated to alter the custom, inspite of the place it got here from. you recognize that, interior the pony racing international, ALL Thoroughbred race horses' delivery dates are registered as January a million, top? Do you truly think of it concerns to the pony? Do you think of it concerns to the owner? What related to the variety years of automobiles? all of them "age" a twelve months on October 1st, inspite of while they have been synthetic. Does it worry you? It does not worry me. Does it worry you that we use the GREGORIAN calendar as a replace of the Hebrew calendar... or the Julian calendar... or the Islamic calendar... or the Persian calendar... or the Egyptian calendar... or the Indian calendar... or the Hindu calendar... or the chinese language calendar... or the Ethiopian calendar.... or the .... shall i flow ON? No, it does no longer worry me that we rejoice Christ's delivery on 12/25. What DOES worry me is that, recently, it is getting extra "politically incorrect" to even point out Christ in Christmas! we've a "trip" season! How DARE we DISCRIMINATE against different religions and ideology via saying, Merry CHRISTmas! interior the call of the altar of Tolerance, we are slowly strangulating CHRIST out of Christmas... Easter... and so on. Have a blessed day.

Answer 9

Ok, I will give your other answers that Easter is correct based on Passover, but who says Passover is correct?

For the person that decided Christmas is the 25th of December because it is the darkest day of the year, wow. The solstices are on the 21st of June and December. So, your theory is even more wrong than most.

Answer 10

These aren't the actual dates. We celebrate these days based on tradition. December 25th is symbolic for Jesus' birth, even though he was actually born some months earlier, because it is the darkest day of the year. Jesus is often called the Light of the World, so it is symbolic of his presence on Earth that the days get progressively lighter as the year goes on.