are americans pagans? or christians?

Question

then why celebrate xmas on a date when Jesus wasn't really borned on? why celebrate eater? halloween? etc

Answer 1

I'm pagan and I don't celebrate Jesus' birth, Easter or Halloween.
I celebrate the winter solstice, spring equinox and samhain :)

Answer 2

If you are asking about American society, the answer would be nominally Christian. Every study done in the last 20-40 years shows 75% of the population as being christian. But it is also an American predilection to choose between competing denominations for the practices that best fit your own view of faith.

Most American holidays have a secular 'holiday' festive side and a religious 'holy' side. Of course, the holy side is less visible than the secular, since there is no national religion.

Christmas: The date was selected a thousand years ago and has been accepted by the Western church. Christians who are members of the Eastern church, i.e., Orthodox (Russian, Greek, etc) celebrate Christmas on a different date. It matters little to many on the date, as there is no historical record of the exact date, only seasonal information.

The holiday has become a major economic function, regardless of ones faith. Many non-christians celebrate it as a time of family and remembrance. It coincides with Channakah and Kwanza, 2 other events with related family and gift aspects.

I assume Easter was the 2nd item. Easter is mostly a religious day. Like all holiday type celebrations in the US (Independence Day, Memorial Day, Secretaries Day, Grandparents Day, etc) the stores decorate and have sales for those events. This is regardless of the employees personal beliefs. Easter is of course the recognition of the sacrifice and salvation of Jesus on the Cross. Few American celebrate the religious part. Many celebrate the secular events.

Halloween is actually based on the Christian, All Saints Day, November 1. More churches are emphasizing the All Saints aspect, but the popular culture still enjoys the what was considered the last night of revealry by evil spirits before the Saints Day. Today, there are more movie heros than evil spirits on the street.

One thing to remember is that American's tend to be a mixed group, accepting many traditions. Yes, there is a lot of xenophobia about new traditions coming in with new immigrants, but once the traditions have been around a few decades, they are often absorbed into the society in general.

As I memtioned earlier, there is no national religion in this country. That was done to prevent the Congregationalists of New England from fighting with the Catholics of Maryland, or the Episcopalians (Anglicans) of Georgia or the Quakers of Pennsylvania. So, you might say that this is a country without religion, i.e., pagan, except that nearly 90% claim a link to one faith or another that follow a supreme being. Only 10-13% are without a faith. Just don't expect the other 85-90% to publically demand that their faith be mainline for the country.

Answer 3

This is a bigger question than just limited to Americans.
There has been an on-going running battle over holidays.

Christmas was chosen for Dec.25 to counter Saturnalia.
The Pagan celebration of the winter solstice.

Halloween is a pagan response to Christian All Saints Day.
Which came around the Autumnal equinox feast of Dead.

Easter comes around the vernal equinox based on Passover.
Which was a Jewish first barley harvest celebration.

Answer 4

There are lots of defferent belief systems here in the states. Just because you are Christian does not mean you cannot celebrate different holidays.
Noone truly knows what day Christ was born on, but when the Church was in it's early days, the winter date was chosen for Christmas in order to attract more Pagans during the winter solstice. The same can be said for many of the major religious holidays, such as Easter and Halloween.

Answer 5

Americans are mixed people
some Christian , some Pagan , some Atheist , some other religions.....
they celebrate Christmas because a long time ago , their religion adopted these dates
they dont have another agreed date to celebrate the birth of their saviour
Pagans dont have a problem with sharing this date ... why do you ?

Answer 6

I'm Pagan-- --- How do you feel about the fact that Christianity was forced upon your people? It wasn't for the most part... Christianity spread like wildfire through Europe at first; people just seemed ready for it-- ripe for a change. Of course there were some horrible incidents when non-Christians were persecuted, which increased as superstition in the church began to grow, but many people readily accepted it. ---- To the pagans did this fact have anything to do with you turning to the old ways? Not at all. I did not become Christian to rebel against Christianity or the church or Christians in history, but because I was following my own path, my own calling. --- Do you use the old religion as a way to feel more in touch with your ancestors? Paganism helps me feel more in touch with a lot of things-- my ancestory (not my ancestors ghosts, but my heritage), the Higher Power, nature, etc... that's why the path works for me. --- To the Christians how do you feel about your religions history of going into an area and killing those who do not convert? Not a Christian but personally I don't believe they should feel bad about it-- have compassion for those who were killed unjustly, but don't carry guilt over something that happened years before your birth, and don't let the mistakes of humans in the path dictate your beliefs in the present.

Answer 7

i dont give a flying F**k where the holiday came from, its fun! I wish people would stop pressing their beliefs about it. if you are crazy enough to believe jesus was born on 12/25, then thats your issue, celebrate as you wish.

WHY cant people celebrate as they chose to? WHY does everyon give a flying Fuc* about this? its not that big of a flipping deal?!

I'm an atheist, i celebrate Christmas with stockings, a tree, decorations, gifts, christmas music, friends, family blah blah blah.

If you want a manora, and that stuff, good for you.

If you want a manger, and a morning or evening mass, good for you.

If you want nothing to do with it, good for you.

I dont care what its called, from christmas, yule, xmas, i dont give a shi*. GET OVER YOURSELVES EVERYONE!

Its a day, recognized as a national holiday, where we can spend the day with our families, or for those working, earn extra money. GIVE it A REST ALREADy!

Answer 8

Exactly. Why celebrate 'holydays' when the Almighty clearly states in Deuteronomy 12, not to ask,"How do the pagans worship their gods?" We are not to even ask. Because it is a snare to us.
Then He says,"Do not do, what they do and say your doing it for Me."
Christians, GET A GRIP. Worship the Holy One of Israel. Start by abandoning easter and celebrate Passover this next year. Shalom.

Answer 9

Christians celebrate the Winter Solstice (aka Christmas) for the same reason that Americans live on Native Indian land.

Answer 10

I don't celebrate pagan holidays like Christmas. It isn't Christian.