i have a friend who is jewish, both of his parents are and hes had a barmitzvah and everything. today he was telling me that his family celebrates Hanukkah and christmas, and when i asked him why they celebrate christmas he was like "i dont know. just because". they dont get a tree or anything but they still exchange gifts on that day. i know friends who celebrate both because they have 2 parents of different religions and obviously i know of jewish people who go to christmas parties with friends and stuff. i just find it almost offense that they celebrate a holiday based on something they dont actually believe in. any thoughts?
2007-12-04 07:26:05 · 36 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Christmas
I agree 100%!
The reason why we celebrate Christmas is for the birth of Jesus Christ. Jewish and Atheist(And others) don't believe in this. I think it is extremely disrespectful and it should not be done! + I doubt that Jewish people would like if we started celebrating Hanukkah.
2007-12-04 07:31:50 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 4⤋
If everyone had to worry about offending someone else- nobody would celebrate anything.
Everyone is different and we all have rights to celebrate individually. You have a right to your opinions as does everyone else but honestly- would you stop being his friend because you disagree?
Nobody has a "right" or "wrong" way of celebrating. The problem comes in when people have this mindset of what people should or should not do. Hence the plethora of different organizations within the same faith base.
If everyone could respect individual thought and action pending that harm comes to no one- I think the world could be a much better place.
Rise above this inner conflict- don't let your opinions affect your friendship. This bothers you for a reason...and to you it is valid. But should you really voice this to him and risk jeapordizing the friendship? Educate yourself instead- if his parents like you maybe you could ask them in a non-offensive way why they celebrate Christmas with gifts although they are Jewish.
2007-12-04 07:59:00 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, December 25th is not Jesus's actual birthday it's simply the date that has been popularized as the day to celebrate it. It's a day that combines the birth of Christ with previously held winter festivals. There is as much of a secular aspect to Christmas as there is religious. Even the Christmas tree was adapted for Christmas from a pagan winter solstice celebration. If your Jewish friend chooses to celebrate this day as a secular holiday and exchange gifts without any mention of Christ, then that is certainly their right. Nothing to be offended over.
2007-12-04 07:37:08 · answer #3 · answered by redessa 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Christmas has nothing to do with Christianity anyway...if you really think about it. I am Jewish, and my husband is Jewish. Our children will celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah. Why? 1. Because our families celebrate Christmas. 2. Because people seem to think Jewish people are weird, or that people have to celebrate Christmas. I don't want my kids to feel left out or be teased in school because they didn't celebrate Christmas. So, we will celebrate it by exchanging gifts. Our religious emphasis will be on Hanukkah. Christmas will simply be about spending time with family and giving gifts. That's it.
2007-12-04 07:31:09 · answer #4 · answered by Mikey's Mommy 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Traditionally they don't celebrate it. But then there are countless religions where not everyone follows what their religious peers do. I personally have never met any Jew (and I have known several) who celebrates Christmas, but if they chose to, it wouldn't bother me. They like the comraderie of the holidays but they don't tend to get into the tree decorating (Christmas and Yule are the only holidays that use a tree as a symbol/decoration), carol singing, etc.
Yeah I do think it's weird you take offense at it. The holidays in general are about family and friends. If your Jewish friend wants to participate in Christmas, how is he he hurting you? It's called being openminded to things outside of his own belief system which people don't do much of. Christmas is Pagan in origin anyway if you do any amount of research.
2007-12-04 07:36:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
No I dont think there is anything wrong with that at all. I know a muslim girl who celebrates christmas with her family and do the same as everyone else, probably to fit in with the rest of society. I mean, how many people celebrate christmas who realy beleive in it? Most people in this country think that christmas is about a fat man in a red suit jumping down chimneys, doesnt that offend you? It seems christmas has become less about religion and more of an international day of giving and unity of people, which is a good thing
2007-12-04 07:32:37 · answer #6 · answered by Liam F 1 · 3⤊ 1⤋
They can celebrate whatever they want to, leave them alone! It must be hard not to celebrate Christmas when the rest of society around you is and it's nice that everyone can join the Christmas spirit even if they don't believe the religious message that goes with it. In answer to your question: Yes, it is strange to take offence at someone else celebrating a festival.
2007-12-04 07:31:00 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
For non-Christians, Christmas can just be about family. I believe in Jesus Christ and all of that, but not everyone does. Some people just use Christmas as a holiday to celebrate friends and family. There's really nothing offensive about it in my opinion.
2007-12-04 07:30:29 · answer #8 · answered by Skelli 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
"celebrating holidays we don't actually believe in" You might want to take a look into Halloween. I can't say I believe the origins of Halloween but I do find that I celebrate it in some fashion. If your Jewish friend celebrates Christmas, that is great, it is a wonderful segway to tell him about Jesus.
2007-12-04 07:30:15 · answer #9 · answered by Aaron W 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Yes. It's weird that it offends you. Actually, it offends me that it offends you.
Most of us celebrate holidays we don't believe in (Halloween, for one). All they are doing is giving gifts when lots of other people are doing so. I'm assuming from your question that you are a religious Christian, so I'll ask you this -- do you really think Christ would object to your friend giving gifts on Christmas? Re-read your New Testament -- you're missing something big.
2007-12-04 07:41:18 · answer #10 · answered by Susan 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
As a Pagan I find it equally weird that Christmas Day falls on the date of the ancient Mid-Winter festival - no historical evidence that JC was born on that day.
I find it weird that Easter falls at the start of Lenten - again no evidence.
I find it weird that christians celebrate all their "festivals" using ancient pagan symbolism .....holly, ivy, candles on trees, easter eggs, easter bunny, etc etc.......
I manage to live with christians so why can't you live with a Jew.
From the answers I get from the fundies it seems that christians are no more than "New Age Jews" any way.
2007-12-04 07:39:29 · answer #11 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋