Was Christmas originaly a Pagan holiday?

Answer 1

Of course! The christians stole it.

Answer 2

Wow - are we going to go through this every day?

Yes, Yuletide is a Pagan holy day. The red and green colors, the evergreen trees, the star symbols, the holly, the mistle toe, the punch, the caroling, and even the birth of a baby is alll Pagan. Deck the Halls is a Pagan carol that survives unchanged to this day.

The only thing original to Christianity is their idea of eternal damnation and the devil. The rest is taken from other religions.

Answer 3

Yes. It's as simple as that. Pagan's Yule was celebrated at the same time long before Christianity. Many christmas traditions come from Pagans.

Answer 4

Does your bible tell you to decorate your home with holly and ivy and mistletoe? No.
Where in the bible is there any reference to a yule log? There isn't.
Google Emperor Constantine and see what you get.
Google Mithra and see what comes up.
You may care to absorb the fact that Easter is also a pagan celebration.
The bible is responsible for so much confusion and the early Roman catholic church so guilty of manipulation. No wonder simple minds are living a fantasy.

Answer 5

It still is...
Pasting another name on a pagan holiday, doesn't really change anything...

Christmas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas

Has Christmas Lost Christ?
http://watchtower.org/e/19981215/article_01.htm

Christmas Customs---Are They Christian?
http://watchtower.org/e/20001215/article_01.htm

Answer 6

Yes dear, christians holidays were chosen to coincide with old pagan holidays and festival for clever marketing reasons.

Answer 7

Staring this again so soon, are we?

Yes. Christmas and Easter have strong pagan ties and rituals associated with them.
Guess what. I can celebrate the holiday however I choose. Freedom! =]

Answer 8

Yes. December 25 is actually the birthday of Mithra.

Jesus was really born on 8th April.

Answer 9

Since Christmas begins with the name "Christ" which is the title of Jesus meaning "Annointed" - as the Messiah, this is a holiday that should be about Jesus Christ. Since Jesus actual birth date was not recorded, December 25 comes during the winter solstice. John the Baptist, Jesus' cousin and forerunner who prepared the people for Jesus coming, said "He must grow more and more, and I must grow less and less." So, someone thought a fitting date for Jesus' birthday would be around winter solstice when days grow longer (more and more). John the Baptist's birthday was assigned in mid-June (summer solstice time). Rather clever.

The following is also written in allaboutjesuschrist.org
The date of December 25th probably originated with the ancient "birthday" of the son-god, Mithra, a pagan deity whose religious influence became widespread in the Roman Empire during the first few centuries A.D. Mithra was related to the Semitic sun-god, Shamash, and his worship spread throughout Asia to Europe where he was called Deus Sol Invictus Mithras. Rome was well-known for absorbing the pagan religions and rituals of its widespread empire. As such, Rome converted this pagan legacy to a celebration of the god, Saturn, and the rebirth of the sun god during the winter solstice period. The winter holiday became known as Saturnalia and began the week prior to December 25th. The festival was characterized by gift-giving, feasting, singing and downright debauchery, as the priests of Saturn carried wreaths of evergreen boughs in procession throughout the Roman temples.

Variations of this pagan holiday flourished throughout the first few centuries after Jesus Christ, but it probably wasn't until 336 AD that Emperor Constantine officially converted this pagan tradition into the "Christian" holiday of Christmas.

Origin of Christmas - What Really Matters?
The true origin of Christmas is filled with controversy and compromise. A quick study will reveal a number of disturbing roots that we haven't been able to cover in this brief article. In short, the Christmas holiday we celebrate today is indicative of Christianity's willingness to absorb the world's customs and traditions, and forget its simple roots in the historical reality of Jesus Christ. Christmas should be nothing more than a simple, yet wonderful reminder of Christ's humble beginning as a human child in this world. His birth merely set the stage for the power, glory, and salvation that would be revealed in His life, death, and resurrection! Whether it's December 25th, sometime in late September, or any other day of the year, we should use each and every opportunity to reflect on Jesus Christ and His message of hope for all of us.

Have you considered how much He cares for you, my friend?
He really does LOVE you soo much. "God so loved the world that He gave His only son that whoever would believe in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world but that the world should be saved through Him." John 3:16-17
Get to know Him. If you have a Bible, begin to read a gospel to find out more. Ask God to show you that He is alive and well today and cares about you. You have everything to gain that is of true value by trusting in Him, and all to lose, too, if you don't. I pray you consider Jesus, God's provision for your sin and mine. Jesus came that you might have life abundant. He is willing that none should perish. "It is appointed to man once to die, and then the judgement." See Hebrews 9:27. Please consider Jesus. He really lived, died, and rose again. A very well-documented fact. All His disciples were willing to die for this truth.

He lives to make intercession for us before God the Father. Don't leave earth without Him.

Israel's old rituals of offering sacrifice for sins was done away with when after Jesus rose, the veil was torn from top to bottom inside the Holy of Holies. This material was a few inches thick. It really ripped and this symbolizes God's not hidden anymore from us. Our sins are taken care of, so now we have access to our heavenly Father.
HEB 10:11 Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. 13 Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, 14 because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

HEB 10:15 The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:

HEB 10:16 "This is the covenant I will make with them
after that time, says the Lord.
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds."

HEB 10:17 Then he adds:

"Their sins and lawless acts
I will remember no more."

HEB 10:18 And where these have been forgiven, there is no longer any sacrifice for sin.

HEB 10:19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Answer 10

Yes.Still is.There are no "holidays" in Scripture.