I am a Christian I will start of by saying. And so I can understand why we don't celebrate Halloween. But your thoughts on Christmas? I do hear some Christians say its Pagan this and that. But I have to say Christmas is a time when families get together and show how much they care and love each for each other is that so bad? I dunno I as a Christian would have to say I draw the line on this matter and it is probably more a matter of conviction do you agree? I'll probaly get torn down by some Christians but this is just my opinion.You r thoughts?
2007-11-02 03:16:27 · 23 answers · asked by mariposa 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Peter: I thought about the star too.
2007-11-02 03:26:15 · update #1
I am not a fan of what the holiday has become. It is commercialized and lost most of its Christian context.
That being said, I do love the traditional family time of getting together and spending quality time together.
My wife and I are planning on giving our kids one single present, and possibly going out and working for those who have needs during this time to remind us all of the rich blessings we have in Christ.
My ultimate goal is for my children to view the holiday as the advent of the birth of our Lord and the beginning of His time of sacrifice to redeem us to Him.
Ath
2007-11-02 03:21:25 · answer #1 · answered by athanasius was right 5 · 5⤊ 1⤋
I'm Christian and I celebrate Halloween! It's the night where the veil between the spirit world and the physical world is thin and some believe the spirits of the dead can actually walk among us on that night.
Christmas' origins(the traditions of Christmas) do not matter. Whether we took them from Pagans or a little paralyzed boy down the road doesn't matter. What matters is what they mean for us now.
Christmas, obviously, is when we celebrate the birth of Christ. The Christmas tree came from German Pagans, but now it's a whole new meaning. When the star is on top, it represents finding the way to Jesus, when an angel's on top it represents the Holy Host(yes host).
I don't see a problem with celebrating Christmas because the Christmas of today is not the same as Christmas 1500 years ago.
2007-11-02 03:22:41 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
I am also a Christian.
I live in a small town whose city council decided that the children would trick or treat on Thursday, rather than Wednesday, because Wednesday is a church night...this was announced in the school.
We do Halloween, and it is not "evil" or "demonic" or any other such thing for kids to dress up, have parties, play harmless pranks, and get candy. I can't see how that is "celebrating Satan" or any such thing...and the kids love it.
Christmas...yes, it is true that many of our cherished Christmas traditions come from Pagan religions...even the very day we celebrate Christ's birth is a pagan holiday...but the celebration of the birth of Christ is distinctly Christian...and so is the major Christian contribution to the "Winter holidays"...
Yep, good old Santa Claus belongs to Christians, no matter what anyone tells you.
2007-11-02 03:46:23 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Forget about the Christians and unbelievers who will try to 'tear you down'. They don't matter. You have a right to your opinion.
Common sense would tell you that if pagans observe their pagan worship on certain dates those days do not become their private property. NO ONE CAN STEAL A DAY from anyone. Intent counts; therefore, if Christians celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (Dec. 24 & 25) to REPRESENT Christ's birth...then the intent is good and not pagan or evil. For everyone else - GET A GRIP!
2007-11-02 08:47:30 · answer #4 · answered by ENGLASS 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Throughout human history people have been morphing and adapting traditions, rituals, holidays, and meaning to fit their own beliefs and culture. Its the same with Christmas. Christmas will mean what you make it mean to you. If it doesn't mean anything pagan and its all about celebrating your religious beliefs that is what it represents to you. If you are Pagan celebrating Yule then that is what it means to you. For me it means the solstice, a time to spend enjoying the season with family, and nurturing the concepts of peace, love, and generosity. If you celebrate Christmas as a Christian with a Christian focus and meaning then it doesn't mean you are honoring Paganism. Just as because a Pagan celebrates the season in their way at this time doesn't mean they are honoring Christianity. Or that when I celebrate it reflects that I can be pigeon holed as any belief system. So like Halloween it is what the individual makes it to be for themselves. At any rate I think its silly when people say Halloween is about Satan since it can only be about celebrating Satan if that is what you make it and Pagans never had a Satan character anyway.
2007-11-02 03:37:00 · answer #5 · answered by Zen Pirate 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Christmas was begun to allow Christians to have something to celebrate at the same time of year Pagans had a celebration so Christians would not be tempted to join in the pagan revelry, but would still be able to take part in a celebration. I know that Jesus was not born on that day and I know that some of our traditions have pagan beginnings. I also know that it is the content of the heart that matters on this day. We do not celebrate Santa and our children do not believe in Santa. They wake up Christmas morning to four gifts under the tree, one for each of the magi gifts and one for the gift of our Savior. All of the gifts are wrapped and are from Jesus since He is the giver of all things. I tis a time of worhip and praise. A time of thanksgiving and giving back. It is the motives of the heart, not the way we express it that truly matters!
2007-11-02 03:38:50 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Christmas is a wonderful time for families to get together, share a meal, visit, and enjoy each other's company. If they could manage to attend church together, that would be a big plus. I don't even mind the "pagan" aspects of the holiday, because I am intelligent enough to understand that Santa, Jack Frost, and Frosty the Snowman are symbols of the season, and I don't confuse them with Saints. I'm even smart enough to tell the difference between decorating a fir tree with gold and silver and worshiping it, and decorating a fir tree with ornaments, lights, and tinsel and using it as a holiday decoration.
Where Christmas fails is that it is a forced family time, where arguments, and nit-picking, and sibling rivalries rear their ugly heads. The stress of present-shopping, the expense, the stress of planning and cooking a big dinner, the clean-up afterwards, and in general, having to spend time with people you don't really like casts a pall on Christmas.
I would rather give up Christmas than hear of the horrible things that happen during the season. Add the mean-spirited atheists and their open hostility, the meanness of the department stores that don't want to even wish their customers a "Merry Christmas" (funny how they want our "Merry Christmas" money) or allow traditional charities to solicit funds, the inevitable arrests for shoplifting because people just "had" to have a present for someone; even the child who "runs away" just before Christmas, and is found dead later, because the parent couldn't afford a big-ticket present the kid wanted.
2007-11-02 03:35:05 · answer #7 · answered by sugarbabe 6 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Originally that day was celebrated by the Pagans as the Winter Solstice. the Church wanted to compete with and pull Pagans to the church so being that they did not know Jesus's birthday, they decided to put it close to the Winter solstice that way Pagans would have a replacement holiday. The tree itself is a Pagan symbol of the Winter Solstice. So it may have Pagan roots but it certainly is not a Pagan Holiday it is to celebrate Christ's birth if you are bowing down worshiping your family Christmas tree then maybe there would be an issue.
2007-11-02 03:28:28 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
How approximately this is not approximately Christ. If it became a non secular trip i could be ok approximately it. this is a pagan trip grew to become right into a christian trip. this is another choice to iciness solstace. curiously Christ's birthday is in november no longer december. If it became approximately faith that must be a extensive progression. If appears like it has substitute into pagan back with Santa Claus and all the junk is shops. I went to austrailia twelve months and yuletide is plenty greater beneficial there as a results of fact this is not comericalized.
2016-11-10 01:18:48 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it is appropriate that we celebrate the birth of Jesus, even though we don't know the exact date. I have no problem with many of the aspects of celebrating Christmas. I like to go to plays and see the lights, listen to Christmas music and have a nice dinner, gifts are OK too. I believe how you celebrate is a matter of conviction. I don't do Christmas trees or santa clause, but enjoy the atmosphere of the season.
2007-11-02 04:37:25 · answer #10 · answered by ? 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I am a Christan who has never thought of Christmas a Pagan! For me it has always been about Christ! I was well over 50 before I learned that the Christmas tree was brought over to this country by pagans. I Don't think of the tree in that way and for several years I didn't even put one up. I do now however. It is a Christmas Tree I repeat a CHRIST-MAS tree for me. I don't care what kind of a tree it is for the Pagans, they can call it anything they want to.They do not worship Christ. For Christians it is a Christmas tree. Nuff said!
2007-11-02 03:34:12 · answer #11 · answered by Pamela V 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋