If so why do you think they call it Christ Mass?
2007-11-23 11:30:01 · 21 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The early Church took many of the Pagan religious holidays (such as Yule) and incorporated into their own religion so that when they tried to convert (or force) pagans to join they would point out the similarities. Yule is around the 21-22nd of Dec. It celebrates the longest night of the year. Greens were brought into the homes and candles were lit. Feasts were given and sometimes gifts were exchanged. A yule log was lit and kept lit for the duration of the holiday. If it stayed lit it meant the year would be lucky, if not fortunes would be bleak. The Early church used that time saying the birth of Christ since they wanted a day everyone would celebrate together, plus the true birth date was unknown.
2007-11-23 15:46:09 · answer #1 · answered by Rev. Kaldea 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most of the traditions surrounding it have pagan roots, including its time of year. However to say that Christmas is actually pagan wouldn't really be true. The pagans who celebrated the winter solstice didn't call it Christmas, clearly the name of that Holiday includes the name of Christ. Rather Christmas developed as sort of a Christian substitute for a pagan celebration. Just as many Churches today have Hallelujah parties or Harvest Parties as a substitute for the Pagan celebration of Halloween. For my family, it is a time to remember the birth of Christ, but we do so with full knowledge that it isn't His ACTUAL birthday. Also, my family is not Catholic and I would agree that the Catholic Mass is not really biblical, but when my family celebrates Christmas the way we do, it is Christian holiday in our home. Every day belongs to Jesus anyway, there is nothing wrong with remembering His birth on December 25th or any other day you want to.
2007-11-23 11:38:46 · answer #2 · answered by Thrice Blessed 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Christ mass is indeed a pagan holiday. It was started by the cathlolic church in order to attact people into the church and away from religions the catholics believed as ungodly.
Yet, the day they selected along with the many, many traditions of men instituted into this holiday make this a holiday for men, and not God.
As for the word christmas, it is simply Christ with the word mass after it.
I suggest you do a study on the word mass. It is rituals that are contrary to the Word of God.
Below is a link to help you determine if believers in Jesus Christ should partake in the worldly holiday called christmas.
http://www.godsaidmansaid.com/searchresults.asp
2007-11-23 11:37:59 · answer #3 · answered by heiscomingintheclouds 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Celebrating in late December has pagan origins. This made Christianity palatable to the pagans who were told not to be pagans anymore.
Insofar as Christmas is a Federal Holiday, and the US has no official religion, Christmas in the US is secular. This is what happens when you don't object to your religion getting co-opted and devalued by the government. Kind of what happened when Saturnalia was converted into Christmas by the Christian-led societies.
See - what goes around, comes around. Sorry.
2007-11-23 11:33:44 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
It was an amalgamstion of the pagan celebration of the winter solstice in order to unite the diverse religions of Rome. A celebration the Christians would approve of and the pagans would celebrate anyway. Quite practical really....
2007-11-23 11:34:04 · answer #5 · answered by Rafael 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
From its inception interior the fourth century, Christmas has been surrounded by potential of controversy. as an occasion, there grew to become into the question of Jesus’ birthday. by using fact the Bible would not specify the two the day or the month of Christ’s delivery, a sort of dates have been reported. interior the 0.33 century, one team of Egyptian theologians located it on might 20, collectively as others commonly used in the past dates, alongside with March 28, April 2, or April 19. by potential of the 18th-century, Jesus’ delivery were linked with each month of the twelve months! How, then, grew to become into December 25 finally chosen? maximum scholars agree that December 25 grew to become into assigned by potential of the Catholic Church as Jesus’ birthday. Why? “likely the reason,” says the recent Encyclopedia Britannica, “is that early Christians needed the date to coincide with the pagan Roman competition marking the ‘birthday of the unconquered solar." Following the so-referred to as conversion of Constantine interior the fourth century, enormous numbers of pagans flocked to the type of Christianity that then prevailed. With what effect? The e book Early Christianity and Paganism states: “The particularly little physique of particularly earnest believers grew to become into lost interior the excellent multitude of professed Christians.” yet interior the tip the only social gathering that Christians are commanded to computer screen is the Lord’s night Meal
2016-10-02 03:52:22 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was orginally a pagan holiday that was jacked by Christians when it suited them.
Why do you think that the Church didn't settle on a date for Christ's birth until the 4th century?
2007-11-23 11:33:41 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Christmas? No. The holiday it ripped off/was based on? Yeah. Definitely.
2007-11-23 12:15:15 · answer #8 · answered by xx. 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Like most of our celebrations, its a mix up between pre-christian and christian holidays. A sort of cultural-religious soup of compromise! I don't think of it as Christ's birthday or a celebration of that, I see it as a family day and keep my beliefs separated from all the hullaballoo!
2007-11-23 11:35:22 · answer #9 · answered by AUNTY EM 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It originated as the pagan celebration of the winter solstice, but the Catholic Church figured it was easier to simply adopt this as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus.
2007-11-23 11:33:21 · answer #10 · answered by mannzaformulaone 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋