Why celebrate christmas?? I am curious??

Question

If atheist are so Gung Ho against Christianity. Why do they celebrate Christmas ?True meaning of Christmas is Christ!! God's gift to us! That is why we celebrate and give gifts to others. Do atheist not celebrate with presents for their KIDS and FAMILY? Do they like stay at home and have a "every other day kinda day " when the Christians that celebrate Chistmas enjoy watching their kids open presents and tell of the Baby Jesus stories? If atheist are so against Christianity...Do they enjoy the christmas breaks at work ? Also Easter, when Christians believe Jesus died and was ressurrected. Do atheist enjoy the Easter (Now known as Spring Break and trying to turn Christmas into Winter Break ..Santa didnt work nor the Easter Bunny So that is why the seasonal change name IMO ) BUT! our holidays really come from the christian belief! Why dont atheist stay at the job working and let only the Christians have these Holidays? Since Atheist do not believe in such holidays ?

yes I know and agree that it was turned into pagan ...jesus was never born in Dec anyway ..by the Jewish calender...and the fact that a couple of u are so right about it has turned into a profit day for buisnesses ..I agree 100 % but as christians we do believe that it is for christ coming to earth ..whenever it was ..to save us! ...its not about the tree or presents Its about Jesus! That is the real reason for CHRISTmas. :D
Hope everyone has a Great and Blessed one at that!!
Merry Christmas!!!!!

kent_sha ...read my last post ;)

The point is ..since most want to make a harsh and rude comment ..Why dont the Christians celebrate CHRISTmas as their own Holiday and Atheist make up their own Drinking Party Pasing around Presents Day...pagans their own Tree Loving Day?? or Whatever they want to call their holi"DAY."..and so on and so on ...I come to the conclusion that the majority that come in here to answer is just looking to argue and say their belief is the right one..why not state ur opinion politely??...sad very sad

Answer 1

Are you sure you do understand the true meaning of Christmas? Is not your stated meaning only your view that you learned and accepted as a truth?

I am a Bible nut and yet I do not have anything to do with Christ Mass for I believe is all a lie disguised as a truth/

Please that is my view and I do respect your for you OK/

Answer 2

I'm NOT athiest, BUT it is just as discriminitory if I were to say WHY DO CHRISTIANS ALWAYS CRITISIZE AND WORRY ABOUT OTHERS? It's not a bad thing though. America was built around Christianity and athiests will probably NEVER get their own holiday because of that very reason. So complaining about when people want to spend time with their family is not a solution. The Athiest religion is not torwards the hate of G-d, it's the belief that there is no higher being in existance, NOT JUST CHRISTIANITY. Christians tend to try to make themselves look like the victims in most situtations, when Christians are really the ones that nit-pick at everything that everyone else does, I believe everyone in the Christian religion would like to go to heaven, but if you don't love everyone, then how would you do so? Worrying about other's and their beliefs will not get you a step closer to the gate. All I'm REALLY saying is that you shouldn't worry so much on what people CHOOSE to do, Christmas was a holiday that was established WELL AFTER 'when Jesus was supposedly born'. But it's evolved over the years, and there are more than Christians in this world. And the last time I checked, Jesus was Jewish, so I don't see why it's such a problem when others celebrate a holiday.

Answer 3

Many atheists don't celebrate Christmas -- however, it is primarily a secular holiday throughout the West -- far more than it is religious.

Incidentally -- umm... no offense, and I happen to be Christian, but I don't deceive myself either. Christmas and Easter do NOT come from Christian belief originally. The early church absorbed them from earlier religions in order to permit converts to feel comfortable with the Church festivals.

Christmas is actually the celebration of the Winter Solstice (which was celebrated for many gods in different religions). The symbols we STILL use for Christmas -- things like holly and wreaths and trees and lights -- are all pagan in origin (and I do not say that as a bad thing, Jonathan is Wiccan and I respect the faith deeply), so is the giving of presents. Some of the names still used for Christmas (Yule for example) are pre-Christian and were originally among the names given to the solstice by other faiths.

Easter comes from another pagan holiday -- most directly the holiday celebrating the Teutonic goddess of spring, Oestre or Eastre (often now spelled Ostara). Easter also less directly comes from the almost universal pagan celebration of the Vernal equinox (spring) with its symbology of rebirth and birth (the egg, the flowers, etc.).

To understand these two festivals one must imagine being in a more primitive culture depending entirely upon grown and stored food for survival in the winter. Many people died in the cold and dark of the winter, wolves even got some. Midwinter was a celebration because the sun (almost ALWAYS a god in pagan belief systems) was at its weakest and was starting to return; Spring was a celebration because new life was starting to come forth, and planting -- to continue the cycle (or wheel) and preserve the race of man, could begin.

I hope that helps clarify the origins of these two ancient and most sacred days.

Kindest thoughts,

Reyn
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Answer 4

Actually the Holidays as you know them have strong Pagan roots. Christ was not born Dec 25th but is celebrated at this time to somewhat fall within the Winter Solstice (oh the christmas tree is the Yule Log etc...)

Here's a little difference for you Jehovah's Witness's believe in christ, but do not celebrate Christmas, Easter etc....

Theology has a LOT popular opinion in it and sometimes adjust with the times

Answer 5

Christmas has nothing to do with Jesus.

Jesus was born most likely in early fall or possibly late spring. And aside from the fact that this was established based on time frames throughout the Bible, you can be sure this is true because the shepherds would never have their flocks outside in the middle of the freaking freezing Israel winters. And I mean cold; not just cold, not just freezing, but specifically freaking freezing.

Christmas is a compromise. Back in Rome in the 4th century, whatever the Emperor was on faith so went every citizen of the empire. When Emperor Diocletian switched over the Christianity, that made all Roman citizens Christian (this is the emergence of the Roman Catholic church). But remember that Christians were rather hated at the time. So basically this move made a whole bunch of people who hated Christianity into Christians.

They did not like the idea of having to give up their festivals. So as a compromise move, they turned their festival of Saturnalia (birth of the Sun god) into a celebration of Jesus' birth. And you know nothing impresses Jesus more than adding pagan customs to the worship of Him and His Father (Jehovah).

Easter is a similar situation. It was originally the celebration of the birth of Artemis. She was the protector of young life, represented by eggs (a container of life) and rabbits (quick on the reproduction). It happened to be near the Jewish month of Nisan (Nisan 14 is the celebration of Passover when Jesus held the last supper, he died early the next day).

But Jesus said to celebrate the last supper every year at the same time. Which means we go to the Jewish calendar to find it. And the Jews back then based their calendar on the moon (we base ours on the sun). The date from year to year changes on our calendar (it stays the same on the Jewish moon calendar).

Since Christmas and Easter are pagan anyway, let the atheists have it. Jesus never celebrated his own birthday, nor did the Israelites/Jews, nor did any of his apostles, nor did any Christian until the 4th century (which is when Diocletian made everyone Christian whether they like it or not). Jesus told us what He wanted us to celebrate. Logic would say that if He wanted us to celebrate something, he would tell us; and that if he didn't tell us to do so it was because He wasn't interested in us celebrating something.

And the only thing He told us to celebrate was the Last Supper. It was to be held on Nisan 14 every year. And it consisted of unleavened bread only (you'd be hardpressed to find a Christian organization today that uses unleavened bread for this event--known as Communion), and wine (actual wine, not just grape juice).

Answer 6

A lot of people dont' think of it as the day that Jesus was born anymore.
Nowdays it's the best excuse that people have to get together and be nice to each other, and have general good will towards everyone.
They get tired of all the hatin' all year and they need a break.
I don't think it's right to tell a person that they can't have a few days off to go see family, eat good food, and have some fun, just because they are not Christian.
I know thats not what Christmas is supposed to be about, but thats the way it is, and Christians let it become that way, so you can't blame the non-Christians for that.

Answer 7

Well, it's tradition. And I would imagine most places of business are closed so that is why they would not be at work. I agree that Christmas is a celebration of Jesus coming to earth as a gift from God. But, our country has people of all religions and beliefs. Muslims, Buddists, Jehovah Witnesses....none of them believe Jesus was the Son of God. So, many schools use the "Winter Break" and "Spring Break" to respect the beliefs of others. I am a Christian so I'm not sure why people who do not believe celebrate, but there is nothing wrong with it. Probably tradition, having fun with their kids, and just because they enjoy it.

Answer 8

Once again - Christmas really has nothing to do with Christ and most will admit that Christ wasn't born in the winter (if he existed). Everything about Christmas has pagan origins:

To stay pagan free during the Christmas season

avoid the following:

Decorations * a tree inside the house * candles lit all night (or lights) * exchanging gifts * mistletoe * toasting each other * feasting * gathering family together * burning a Yule log * celebrating a savior's birthday on the 25th

Mithra's birthday * Saturnalia * Yule * Solstice = pagan

Added: Pagans and Heathens do have our "tree hugging" holidays - Yule, Solstice, Easter....... your church/religion hijacked our holdiays and now you're complaining because we are coming back to our original holidays and religions? Grow up.

Answer 9

Everybody likes gifts and vacationing. Nobody can't tell if Jesus was born on Christmas. Christmas was created for commercial purposes. You should know that Santa Claus and Christmas trees are of celtic origins. Eggs, a bunny, and Christ have no relation. Easter used to be a Celtic tradition. Easter has to do with the sun's solstice, when the sun rises from winter. Christmas means that the sun has fallen. Something about the equinoxes and solstices. There are many hidden symbols behind the things we celebrate.

Answer 10

We don't celebrate Christmas. Many of us celebrate on the same day as Christmas, but that's not really the same thing is it? A bit like how you guys celebrate on the same day as the solstice, but you don't celebrate the solstice.
And many of us put up trees and give gifts and all that, but those things have nothing to do with Christ. The tree is a Pagan symbol and Santa is a marketing device invented by Coca Cola. The only Christmas tradition that has anything to do with Christianity is attending church services, and you'll find most atheists don't do that. So what's your problem?

And you don't need me to tell you how ridiculous it is to suggest that atheists shouldn't be allowed to enjoy public holidays.

If it makes you feel better, we already have invented our own Drinking and Passing Around Presents Day. We just happen to have it on the 25th of December and we use some of the same symbols as you guys. But as a Christian I'm sure you realise how hypocritical it would be for you to criticise a group for taking the religious significance out of a holiday, keeping the traditions and celebrating it yourself.

Answer 11

The holiday now called Christmas existed long before Jesus. The tree, the wreaths, the mistletoe and much else were all elements of a festival celebrating the middle of winter and the hopes for the return of spring. As now, it was a time for families and communities to come together. Easter, formerly spelled Oester, was the pagan goddess of spring, and her festival was appropriated by the church just as the midwinter festival was. Didn't you ever wonder what eggs and bunnies had to do with Jesus? They are holdovers from the original celebration.

No reason we can't all celebrate in our own ways for our own reasons.