Christmas has become commercialized and materialized by companies. People everywhere, NOT necessarily Christian, celebrate it. (Yes, even atheists.)
It's a pagan holiday to celebrate the winter solstice: In 350, Pope Julius declared Christ’s birth to be celebrated on December 25th (though Jesus was most likely actually born in the Fall or Spring (if he existed at all)) to probably convert pagan Romans to Christianity.
So how is it wrong for non-Christians to celebrate Christmas not for Christ's birth, but for other reasons?
2007-10-15 18:57:56 · 19 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I think its ok for anybody to celebrate it.
2007-10-15 19:02:23 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋
Christmas is both a secular and a religious holiday. It's most direct origins are Christian: it celebrates the birth of Christ. But a lot of non-Christians also celebrate it as a time to give gifts, be thankful, and get together with family. Christmas shares a date with a pagan holiday. It really bugs me when people insist that makes the two holidays the same thing. There's only 365 days in the year. Of COURSE there will be overlap. If I was born on Dec 25, does that mean Christmas is really the celebration of MY birth? Of course not. It's just two celebrations on the same day.
2016-05-22 21:53:46 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes Christmas has been commercialized and all it is really is a big promotino for these businesses. To get more money for there money hungry pockets. Pope Julius declaring it? No that is not true, Jesus was born in December and that is a fact. We do not know the exact day so the 25th is designated. The trees and stuff like that are pagan but the birth of Jesus is not. So what the world has changed Christmas into today can be classified as pagan, but not the real meaning. You pagans stole it from us Christians. So how in the world do you people think that Jesus was born in the fall or spring? You have no idea, this past Christmas my pastor broke it down to show it was in december. It all made sense, and I wish I could remember what he said. But anyway, is it wrong for non-christians to celebrate? I think so because you have to know what the real meaning is right? They don't celebrate Christ's birth but just buy presents and do whatever else they do. So maybe they need to call it something else since it has been changed. You see the word Christ in Christmas don't you? Welllllllll get the idea, go call it something else and we will keep Christmas, and celebrate the way it is supposed to be.
2007-10-15 19:14:03 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋
This time of year should be celebrated by all as a time of joy and celebration of family.
This is not soley a christian holiday. Many major religions celebrate a similar holiday at this time.
This is why its so commercial, you have the world spending millions if not billions of dollars and companies want to take advantage of those profits.
Pagans didn't steal christmas. Yule begins on December 21 or 22 depending on the first day of winter. It's a time when the birth of the sun god is celebrated .
Part of Celtic tradition also incorporates the Holly King as being active at this time of the year, hence Santa Claus.
As for Jesus being born in December, there was no December in the ancient calendar, there were only 10 monthes so this can not possibly be fact. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yule#Ancient_Yule
http://www.geocities.com/athens/olympus/4642/yule.html
http://www.wicca.com/celtic/akasha/yule.htm
2007-10-15 19:26:10 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Christmas and the pagan celebration may occur near the same time, but are two different occasions entirely. I'm not sure people celebrate winter solstice anymore, but Dec. 25 is the day set aside to celebrate the birth of Christ....thus the name. It IS too commercialized. We have a fat man in a red suit teaching little children greed and materialism and we call that the spirit of giving...it's not. It's the spirit of getting that we're teaching our kids. How many kids even think of Jesus and His great love to enter our world as a baby. They're taught that as a story and taught that the fat man is real. It is sacrilege and it makes me livid. But it is a Christian holiday, if we can see past all the fancy paper and bows. It's one of the greatest acts of love this world has ever known....the other one is His sacrifice for us 33 years later. And non-Christians are encouraged to celebrate this with us. After all, Jesus came here for them too.
2007-10-15 19:25:17 · answer #5 · answered by Jewel 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Greetings!
For some, it is(a Religious Holy-Day)-and that includes Gifts,Lights,YuleLogs, Trees and Wreaths,Yummy Foods,Singing,Visiting,Being Happy with Friends and Family,Making Prayers,Mistletoe, and that`s just the Pagans, who celebrate at least three days and nights, and some who celebrate Twelve!
Everyone is welcome to celebrate our HolyDays right along with Pagans, and they are welcome to do it in the way they choose, but not by excluding (publicly) anyone, or any view.
I`m happy that it can be viewed in a secular manner, rather than strictly Religious, because the Season calls for everyone to TRY to get along.
Historically, Winter was a time when the armies went home-it was too hard to fight in the cold, and most Northern cultures agreed-so, the Season was one of Peace.
The stores need to tone down the sales, and give more to the needy-we have a Christmas party for kids that don`t get Christmas, some have never had a Christmas, and have never seen Santa-some get scared!
It`s not about selling, it`s the giving.
/!\
2007-10-15 19:35:10 · answer #6 · answered by Ard-Drui 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well, considering I'm Pagan, I don't celebrate Christmas, per say, I do celebrate Yule, which is a very religious holiday for us Pagans. Since Yule was celebrated way before Christmas was even thought about, it's not "wrong" for us to celebrate our holiday. Technically, it should be "wrong" for Christians to celebrate Christmas, really. But, I expect everyone celebrates it for their own reasons.
2007-10-16 05:36:09 · answer #7 · answered by Heathen Mage 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is not wrong. Christmas is a phony when it comes to religious holidays. Pope Julius did what he did so that he could get the "heathen" into the church. It had been the Roman Saturnalia. The bible commands its followers to "learn not the way of the heathen".
2007-10-15 19:11:05 · answer #8 · answered by What? Me Worry? 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
By fabrication and the acceptance of a lie becomes the truth to those who are ignorant enough to accept it as so.
I've celebrated Christmas and the phoney nativity . Why?
Because even if Christ birth is fabricated nativity is worth appreciation in real terms and generosity is nice if one can afford it .
2007-10-15 19:04:26 · answer #9 · answered by dogpatch USA 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Christmas has crossed over, it's no longer a religious holiday, anyone can celebrate it, but for some it has different meanings.
2007-10-15 19:05:02 · answer #10 · answered by Daisy Indigo 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Even the Magi arrived with gifts (Matthew 2:11), lighten up.
2007-10-15 19:07:14 · answer #11 · answered by great gig in the sky 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋