Symbols and motifs associated with the modern Christmas are derived from traditional pagan Yule celebrations. Burning the Yule log, decorating Christmas trees, eating of ham, hanging of boughs, holly, mistletoe, etc. are all historically practices associated with Yule. When the Christianization of the pagans began, missionaries found it convenient to provide a Christian reinterpretation of popular pagan holidays such as Yule and allow the celebrations themselves to go on largely unchanged, versus trying to confront and suppress them.
Pope Gregory suggested that converting "heathens" would go easier if they were allowed to retain the outward forms of their traditional pagan practices and traditions, while recasting those traditions spiritually towards the Christian God instead of to their pagan "devils".
Why do Christians persist in denying the historical facts that this is in fact a pagan holiday?
2007-12-06 06:20:13 · 16 answers · asked by slushpile reader 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Evey year you hear "Put Christ Back in Christmas" - which I always find ironic...
Oh, and the supposed "War on Christmas" wherein American "heathens" were supposedly attacking this sacred "Christian Holiday" - again, anyone see the irony?
How about "Jesus is the reason for the season" - uuuhhh, noooo...
2007-12-06 06:21:53 · update #1
Free Thinking American: Actually, it isn't the birth of Christ - even the church agrees that Christ could not have been born in Dec.
Its a Pagan holiday the christians tried to turn into a Christian holiday to convert pagans. Sorry, thems the facts. I'm taking it back.
Yuletide Greetings!
2007-12-06 06:31:55 · update #2
"And Yule and Christmas are similar" - while I see and respect what your saying, you're missing the point entirely - without Yule - there wouldn't even BE christmas. "Christmas" ONLY EXISTS because the christians wanted pagans to convert and so made their holiday (Yule) INTO a christian holiday (christmas). Its the SAME holiday, renamed with Jesus tacked on.
2007-12-06 08:44:13 · update #3
Oh yeah break out the mead and let the pagan feasts begin!
2007-12-06 06:27:07 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 2⤋
I'm not familar with Christians denying that the Pagans had a winter holiday before we did. My Confirmation teacher was perfectly honest about that. I'm not particularly threatened by it. I have a lot of respect for the various Pagan traditions. And Yule and Christmas are similar: as I understand it, they both celebrate the birth of God from womb of the feminine principle.
I think Christianity is enriched by the incorporation of rituals that predate our organised existence, even though I realise that this was originally meant as an evangelistic strategy. Oh, well. These days, I know more people raised Christian who have embraced Neopaganism than the other way around, so I guess we've come full circle. Sorry if you feel ripped off though.
As far as "Keeping Christ in Christmas" (sometimes you'll hear people say "Keep Mass in Christmas" - same idea), I think a lot of people of faith (any faith) are concerned about the secularisation of "the holidays". Personally, I'd rather someone celebrated Yule, Hannukah, or Diwali in their religious tradition than do a secular "Xmas" as a sort of second Thanksgiving plus gift exchange. (At least have the decency to call it "Festivus"!) =P
2007-12-06 08:11:32 · answer #2 · answered by raxtonite 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Celebrate it however you'd like. Christmas as it's celebrated in this country is a fusion of beliefs and symbols, and I don't see that there's anything wrong with that. Perhaps the initial roots were shady as far as why people did what on which days. But think about it, you have a whole group of people who are slowly transitioning from one religion to another, isn't it only natural that certain auspicious days would remain auspicious? Symbols are deeply ingrained in cultures, you can't just yank them out. I feel that modern Christians are no more "stealing" from Pagans when they light a Christmas tree than Pagans are "stealing" from Hindus when they practice Yoga.
Wouldn't it be silly of us to stop eating ham or hanging boughs of holly because those things were originally Pagan?
2007-12-06 06:31:22 · answer #3 · answered by ♥ Honest Heart ♥ 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
I don't mind that people celebrate Christmas instead of Yule, but it does irk me when Christians completely deny any kind of pagan origin to Christmas and Easter.
I feel like the deniers are little kids going "I was just sharing so that I could take it and now it's all mine! And I'll never give it back! And I'll tell everyone it was never yours to begin with!"
2007-12-06 06:28:10 · answer #4 · answered by ultraviolet1127 4 · 6⤊ 2⤋
Actually, it was not the paga tradition that was added to the holy.
But it was the holy - birth of Christ - who was added to the pagan.
People of the cloth thought it wise to introduce christian traditions into their pagan traditions as it would make it easier for them to accept christendom. The populace did not want to be messed with, and the clergy didn't want to ruffle any feathers.
It's similar to taking a spoonful of honey to make it easier to swallow a bitter pill.
Just as a reminder, Christmas was once banned in England for the debauchery that occured on that occasion.
2007-12-06 06:31:44 · answer #5 · answered by Krokett 2 · 4⤊ 2⤋
They do that because it has been indoctrinated since birth. No one bothers to research anything themselves and when they do, they claim it's a lie because it doesn't fit in with what their leaders have told them is the truth. Christians have no right to say they are being persecuted when they persecute others and dictate what they can and can't do, Pagans included.
2007-12-06 06:50:39 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
No Christ in my Christmas. Lot's of Pagan decorations, and I thank them for that.
2007-12-06 06:26:13 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 7⤊ 0⤋
This information is not remotely new to anyone. What is your point? Anyone who has claimed belief in christianity obviously would make a study of what they were subscribing to and would know the origins of certain rituals lie in pagan religions. I don't think christians deny this any more than they deny that the earth moves.
2007-12-06 06:31:31 · answer #8 · answered by theswedishfish710 4 · 3⤊ 3⤋
We are also allowed to eat food once offered to idols. In the same way, it doesn't really matter what it once was. We just know who the One true God is, and that all the other stuff is just silliness.
2007-12-06 06:27:56 · answer #9 · answered by The GMC 6 · 1⤊ 3⤋
I am incredibly happy that you took the time to ask this question. Every time I've tried I end up getting so frustrated over people's ignorance, I end up scrapping it half way through.
2007-12-06 06:25:34 · answer #10 · answered by Leina 3 · 9⤊ 2⤋