Everyone knows there are non believers out there. Do you think it is wrong for non believers and people who aren't religious to celebrate Christmas?
2007-12-03 04:22:05 · 38 answers · asked by Whammy 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
They are only celebrating to get gifts, that's what christmas has turned into, a big gift giving day. And really christmas is not a bible based holiday, a celebration of Christ birth is not mentioned in the Bible. The only thing mentioned in the bible for Christians to celebrate is Christ death and we are told at Luke 22:19 to " Keep doing this in remembrance of me". Christmas is a pagan holiday, there is no truth in it. It is a tradition of men.
2007-12-03 04:50:08 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
When Christianity arrived in Northern Europe, the missionaries noted that the indigenous peoples celebrated a mid winter feast and festival around what would have been the 22 to 23rd of December. In order to aid assimilation of the Pagan culture, Christ's birthday was celebrated on the 25th December, when most practicing Christians at the time celebrated it around the 7th January, as Eastern Orthodox Christians still do.
Some Romans also celebrated a mid winter festival around this time of year, as it signified that the worst of the winter was over and spring would be around soon. (The climate has shifted slightly since then (nothing to do with Global Warming on this occasion, just normal patterns) so we get the worst of the winter weather after Christmas)
In the same way that the Christian festival of All hallows Eve (Halloween) was originally the Pagan festival of Samhain during which people could see lost loved ones and had little or nothing to do with evil spirits as Hollywood would have you believe.
Jesus never said to celebrate Halloween, yet Christians celebrate this, so it [Christmas] is a morphed version of the mid winter festival anyway and was as big as Christmas is now but without the Christian connotations.
Besides, a time when people put aside anger and greed and just be nice to each other for a few days can only be a good thing can't it?
2007-12-03 04:42:55 · answer #2 · answered by Dr. R Jameson 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. The christians don't have the market cornered on celebrations at that time of the year. Previous to being christian, the pagan Romans and other Europeans had winter solstice feasts, Saturnalia, and countless other days and nights of celebration. The christians probably began celebrating their feast at the same time to blend in with the locals, when in Rome... Besides who is pretending that Christmas has anything to do with christianity any longer. It is a capitalist holiday, not a christian one. Just go to a mall and watch all the christian behavior from black friday to christmas then tell me that the holiday means what it is intended to mean.
2007-12-03 04:33:34 · answer #3 · answered by theswedishfish710 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. Christmas has become a largely secular holiday that can be enjoyed by anyone that chooses to do so. Its very easy to exclude all the religious trappings and just have Christmas as a midwinter festival that celebrates love and peace. Midwinter festivals of this sort existed long before Christianity ever came into being.
However, if people don't feel comfortable calling the holiday Christmas because of the "Christ" part of it, they could always just use the term Yule or Yuletide.
2007-12-03 04:25:28 · answer #4 · answered by Azure Z 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
I don't understand why people even argue about this.
Were pagan celebrations held on and around December 25th prior to the introduction of Christmas? Yes. So, obviously, December 25th shouldn't be seen as a day on which only Christians can celebrate.
But does this mean that Christians shouldn't be free to continue celebrating the birth of Jesus and referring to this day as "Christmas"? Of course not. Does Christmas "borrow" from pagan practices? Yes (examples: yule log, cakes, fir trees, etc...). Does this mean that the Christmas celebration itself is pagan? No.
Fact is, December 25th means different things for different people, religions, and cultures. We should just accept it and leave it at that.
2007-12-04 04:20:37 · answer #5 · answered by SINDY 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only if it's wrong for Christians to celebrate Halloween.
Besides, the origins of Christmas are NOT christian, and even the most vaulted theologists agree Christmas does NOT coordinate with the real birth of Christ.
I celebrate Christmas as the end of a calandar year, and to reflect on the New Year coming. It's a time to spend with family and friends of all denominations.
2007-12-03 04:25:47 · answer #6 · answered by Mkath 3 · 6⤊ 0⤋
Christmas for an atheist just means a good excuse to get together with family; give to and receive from each other not just gifts but a shared love. It's got nothing to do with the god-man (he wasn't even born on December 25th. He wasn't born at all because he didn't exist). I like the "goodwill to men" part; too bad the truce lasts only through the holiday and then the wars begin again for most of the next year.
2007-12-03 04:29:39 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
We can celebrate a secular Christmas, because at the end of the day Christmas is just another Winter Solstice (shortest day) holiday. Others include Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, DōngZhì Festival, Karachun, etc [see link]
EDIT: Also, many of my Muslim friends celebrate Christmas. I doesn't matter.
2007-12-03 04:30:10 · answer #8 · answered by ҡʏʟɛ - ❄ 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
no... I would say that day is a day to be with friends and family. Its a time of love and joy. People have not been using Christmas to hurt christians... but to celibrate life and love and family. Its a time of sharing.. If christmas can not be shared.. I dont think christians are doing there job, arnt they suppose to love and share. have no hate.? I dont think that people think of christmas as a religious problem, its more of a time to come togeather... just like 4th of july, Easter, Memorial day... and so on...
its about family... so i dont think "god" would have a problem with people sharing there love!
2007-12-03 11:10:33 · answer #9 · answered by shannonforpeace 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Is it wrong for Christians to celebrate the great Pagan holiday The Return of Light , with all it's customs of gift giving , partying , visiting , decorating with evergreen trees , holly , mistletoe , etc .
The Return of Light has been celebrated for thousands of years before Christ was ever invented . Is it right for Christians to steal this holiday , with all of its trappings and call it a Christian holiday ?
Also , is it right for protestants to celebrate Christ's Mass ? A mass is a Catholic church service .
2007-12-03 04:31:03 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋