It is quite true that the Church decided to put their new holiday, Christmas, on the same day on which a Pagan celebration was once observed. But I hear so many people who seem to be saying that Christmas came from, or is derived from, a Pagan holiday. This is simply not true.
Christmas is simply observed by Christians on the same day that Pagans once held a holiday or event.
Am I right about this?
2007-11-23 04:19:56 · 40 answers · asked by Zezo Zeze Zadfrack 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Yes and No.
Christianity might never have been a Pagan holiday, but it evolved from one, like how we humans evolved from other primates. And let's face it, every religion has some kind of holiday on the Winter Solstice.
And our modern celebration of Christmas borrows more from Charles Dicken's "Christmas Carol" than it does from early pagan practices.
This doesn't invalidate Christmas. But people celebrating Christmas shouldn't pretend that there is no connection, either.
2007-11-23 04:36:56 · answer #1 · answered by Mr. Bad Day 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
No, sorry, you're not right. The Church made Christmas on the same day to try to stamp out paganism. Jesus wasn't born in December; he was born in the spring, something Church officials at that time already knew. The Church just needed to find a way to do away with the Pagan celebration of the Winter Solstice. It was their way of forcing conversion.
The giving of gifts, feasting, decorated trees, wreaths, mistletoe, caroling--all Pagan customs.
btw, that Pagan holiday is still observed. It's known as Yule, Wintertide, Saturnalia, and Christmas.
2007-11-23 08:16:27 · answer #2 · answered by Bookworm 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, you're not right about that. The Tree is a Pagan tradition. So is the Yule log, "Here we go a Wassailing" (Look up Wassail's origins). The birth of a "savior"/godman is quite common in Pagan cultures. Mistletoe used at this time is a Pagan tradition.
Everything about Christmas is derived from Pagan traditions. Traditions, which, are still held by Pagans. Though we Pagans should probably thank the Christians for maintaining our traditions even during a time when they were trying to wipe out Paganism. =)
2007-11-23 05:01:15 · answer #3 · answered by River 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
At the end of December , the days begin to let longer . This was computed by the Ancients . They celebrated the "Return of Light " as the most important holiday of the year .
The early Pagans worshiped the evergreen tree . They believed that it was favored by the gods who kept it green when other trees became bare and dead looking . The holiest of holies was the mistletoe . Mistletoe is a paracites that tapes the host oak tree and sucks nurishment . It has no roots . The Pagans said it's suspended between heaven and earth , but not connected to either .
Parties were held , with lavish exchanging of gifts . Lights , singing , dancing , feasting .
When the early church decided to steal this holiday , they used all of the Pagan trappings , decorations , gift giving intact . All they had to do was to sneak in the baby and BINGO ! we have Christmas .
So , if you consider that Christmas is purely Christian , I would say that you're five percent right .
2007-11-23 04:41:34 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think your question has been answered below- which ever side you believe. I do want to say this, though. You stated in your question that Christmas is observed by Christians on the same day Pagans "once held a holiday..." Well, we didn't just ONCE hold an event then, we STILL celebrate the Yule Sabbat, one of our major celebrations, on the winter solstice every year.
2007-11-24 08:00:38 · answer #5 · answered by goddess4peace 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, you aren't right. The entire premise behind Christianity stems from earlier Pagan religions. The savior gods from earlier Pagan religions like Mithra, Jupiter, Horus and others are the basis for the story of Jesus.
The story of Horus outdates the story of Jesus by about 5000 years. http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_jcpa5.htm
There are some similarities.
The idea behind the added morality was simply cultural influence. When it comes right down to it, Christians are taking ancient mythological archetypal Gods as literal Godheads instead of anthropomorphisms.
Christmas isn't the only shared holiday. There is also,. Easter, Hallowmas/All Saints Day, May Day, Groundhog Day, Valentines Day, and others.
2007-11-24 14:36:16 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, many of the traditions of Christmas, like holly, mistletoe and trees, are taken from Pagan traditions. But why should that bother you? If you want to celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25th, the fact that there are Pagan celebrations going on at the same time shouldn't stop you.
2007-11-23 05:32:53 · answer #7 · answered by lilagrubb 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
christmas is to celebrate the birth of jesus, although now it is more of a family celebration than a religious one. But it was put on a pagan holiday to make it seem more important, back at this time, paganism was more popular, and christianity was trying to, in a sense, absorb it. things like the christmas tree, that we have now, came from a pagan festival of lights. the two holidays sort of merged until now, when, in some ways, the holiday is actaully more pagan than it is christian.
that is why people say that it came from a pagan holiday.
2007-11-23 05:22:00 · answer #8 · answered by Narry 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Are you really this stupid? Christ was not born in December, its held on a Pagan day, it has all pagan traditions associated with it... is it not obvious to your brain that Christmas is simply a twisted and bastardized version of the pagan holiday to convert the heathen masses?
Seriously... is there something wrong with you that you can't put two and two together?
2007-11-23 04:37:01 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
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2016-10-17 21:49:14 · answer #10 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋