What do you think of this pagan/Christmas discussion answer?

Question

I saw the question earlier asking why people celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday, and then another question about why people say that Christmas started as a Pagan holiday (and their argument is that Pagans didn't call it Christmas).

Is it possible for Christians to step out of their shoes and try to get a different perspective on this one? Many of us DON'T BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST. Yet, this nation is still a predominantly Christian country, something that we have to live with and deal with on a daily basis. I don't care what people believe, but when they try to make people feel like they're wrong or bad for not being Christian, those are the people I can't stand. Yes, most non-Christians celebrate Christmas. You know why? Because of culture. We don't give a care about Jesus and what people claim he did for mankind, that is FINE, but many people DON'T BELEIVE THAT. When Christmas comes around, we still have those fond memories of childhood where Christmas was all about..

the presents. Then we got older, and the whole idea of Christmas was still engrained in our heads and it became a cultural thing. Now I celebrate Christmas because A) it is practically forced upon me, and because it is a reason to be with my family whom I love dearly.

Sorry for the generalizations, I am not describing ALL Christians, Athiests, Ex-Christians, Agnostics here; only the ones that fit the bill.

About the whole Pagan thing, I'm not Pagan, so I can't really speak for them, but it seems to me that Christmas has really become a fusion of the two. What's wrong with people celebrating December 25 with Pagan intentions?

Adan: You always bring a smile...somehow when reading your answer, I conjured up a memory of watching "A Christmas Story" for the millionth time!!

Answer 1

I do celebrate the winter holiday called Yule, which was Christianized to lure pagans to Christianity. Yule is one of the major holidays in my religion of heathenism/Asatru. The 12 days of Christmas, the tree, the lights, all are heathen in origin.

I don't celebrate Christmas and neither does my family and friends. My family and I go to a national state park every Christmas day because nothing of worth is open and it's a great opportunity to avoid Christian celebrations.

We celebrate from the Winter Solstice to New Year's eve with solemn rituals, celebrations, feasting, gift exchanges, charity work, family time and special rituals to our ancestors.

Answer 2

While I consider myself a Christian, I actually agree with your way of thinking.

Christmas can be symbolic of MANY things...many of which don't even include the religious aspects of it. It's about family and friends, and other loved ones. It's about the excitement and magic you felt as a kid during this time of year. It's about reliving old memories and making new ones that will last a lifetime. It's about giving. It's about doing good for other people. It's about the decorations, the bright lights, wrapping paper and big beautiful bows. It's about cheesy Christmas specials on television. It's a special feeling that you get, and that you want to share with everyone around you.

You don't have to be a religious person to believe/experience all of that. I have nothing wrong with non-Christians celebrating Christmas, because Christmas symbolizes a LOT of things. A lot of things that we can ALL relate to, no matter if we are Christians or Atheists or whatever.

Answer 3

I'm tired of it all... but it's just begun! We've still got over a month of "who was here first" arguments.

Being a moderate (as in not an extreme "Christians stole everything from us and burned us at the stake") pagan, I sort of get stuck in the middle of these arguments. The more extreme pagans misrepresent me by swearing that Christians are all idiots who stole Yule just to spite us, but then I have to disagree with the people who deny that Christmas is not highly influenced by older pagan traditions.

In the end... I don't mind people celebrating Christmas. I just wish it were a bit more simple, and everyone could just not have to fight over stuff like this.

Answer 4

Hear hear...

The tilt of the Earth's axis is the reason for the season, whether Christians like it or not.

I celebrate Christmas because it's a fun holiday when I can spoil my family, be around loved ones even more than normal, socialize more than I regularly do because people take time off to enjoy the season.

It's part and parcel of being an American... nothing more, nothing less. It's secular and I prefer the pagan origins than the Christian origins.

Answer 5

Listen as a believer I have my own religious belief for celebrating Christmas and I don't really care what it means to other people.

I joined a denomination the Pentecostal Apostolic church doesn't celebrate it at all because it is pagan. I've been a member only 8 months. It saddens me they don't celebrate it cause it is a very significant event when God is born a man to fulfill God's plan of salvation for mankind. But that is their choice.

I will still celebrate it in my own way.

Answer 6

VERY interesting question. The problem with Christians and the pagan aspects of religion is that most Christians do not even know that their religious symbols all came from pagan sources and most will tell you that they don't lol. (the christmas tree is a symbol of the tree that Christ was hung on, mistletoe, holly, etc. all have some Christian fable as to why they are important for a symbol, but I forget them all)

Answer 7

Of course it is a pagan holiday, but as an atheist it does not matter to you as long you get to keep family traditions etc. It has no religious significance whatsoever for you. I get that. I don't get "christians" who know full well the origins of Christmas, and participate in Christmas celebrations anyway. (John 4:23-24)

Answer 8

I love your question and I completelly agree, some people do not believe in it, but I think it is important to respect others and we get to the point of those people who make you feel that if you are not a christian you are not saved or whatever, tell them to read Mathews 7;1, or Luke something like that that says Judge not thow be judged or something like that, but a lot of christians are such hypocrite because they only preach to you parts of the bible that are convinient to the point they are trying to put across, but while preaching about the loving, caring man of God Jesus, they also contrdict themselves by judging the ones who don't believe the way they do. I don't get it, my family does it all the time and they freaked out when they found out I had changed religions, I heard it was a big dramma, like get the family together to talk about it drama!
I love pointing out when they contradict themselves though, like VANITY, the bible says it is a sin, yet a lot of christians are sooooooo vain, some of them are brunettes and suddenly they look like Jessica simpson, so when they start talking to me about christianity and how it is the only religion that save I tell them to go die their hair back to the original color other wise Jesus will not recognize them. And it is not about making fun of their religion or Jesus, I believe that Jesus existed I just don't believe it the way they do, I respect their religions too, but I just think that they should not judge others and if you want to live by the bible for one thing why not live by the bible for all things, like things that are not convenient to you, not dying your hair, not judging, not selling things at the churches which they all do even if they say that it is no true. I don't know, Hypocrisy, hypocrisy my dear old hypocrisy!!!
Oh, and about christmas, I celebrate it because I love the time, all the lights, the beautiful moments with your family and all, I love it and also it reminds me a lot of my mom!
Thanks for the questions, have a star girly!!!

Could you please answer this hun? For a good laugh only!!!

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AoqeTbeFdQtHl_.nxz.h.UPsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20071111213006AA8nBOQ

Answer 9

I believe that certain aspects of Christmas have a pagan origin. I was baptized/raised Catholic but I'm not this anymore. I'm becoming increasingly more interested in Wicca & Neo-Paganism, so this Christmas I may try to "reclaim" those aspects of Christmas that were once pagan, or at least clebrate Christmas with religiously inclusive spirit or feel.

Answer 10

I asked the question about pagans not calling it Christmas. I dont care if people celebrate the holiday as the birth of Christ or how or why they celebrate Christmas.

What was bugging me alittle was in some earlier answers so many people kept saying christmas was a pagan holiday, it is just a pagan holiday, they stole it from the pagans so its really a pagan holiday, etc.

Christians may have "ripped" off many of the traditions of pagan holidays to come up with their holiday of Christmas, but the holiday called Christmas is most definetly not a pagan holiday and is indeed a holiday meant in its traditional meaning to celebrate the birth of Christ. I find it a little obnoxious to say that Christmas is a pagan holiday and claim it as theirs because it is hijacking a holiday that, although incorporated pagan ideas, is not a pagan holiday. It is a christian holiday by definition.

Celebrate however you want. I dont care. But be honest about your intentions when you try to claim Christmas is not a christian holiday. Pagans never celebrated Christmas. Christians took pagan traditions and created their own unique holiday to celebrate the birth of Christ. (and it doesnt matter that he wasnt born on Dec 25th, it is just a symbolic celebration)