And why do people that call themselves Christians celebrate Christmas? Where did Christmas come from and where in the bible does it tell us to celebrate it?
2007-12-10 06:09:34 · 44 answers · asked by Artscola 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The Christmas celebration was created by the early Church in order to entice pagan Romans to convert to Christianity without losing their own winter celebrations.
Pagan religions during this time celebrated the winter solstice which occurs around this time of the year.
2007-12-10 06:12:50 · answer #1 · answered by Small Victories 4 · 6⤊ 0⤋
The Bible doesn't talk about Christmas at all. Christmas is a holiday that sprung up because during the Christian overthrow of paganism, many holidays were created/moved to pagan holiday celebrations, in order to help convert pagan Europe. For instance, the pagan celebration of Yule (Dec. 21st) is a celebration of the darkest night of the year, and the coming of spring and all it entails. Pagans celebrate the wheel of the year, and the holidays are based upon myths of the Goddess, who gives birth to the God (at Yule - many speculate that this is because women during that time frequently gave birth during the winter, because fertility holidays are held in the spring, and this way, women would be only slightly pregnant during the busy part of the year - summer/fall, and heavily pregnant during the more idle, indoor months of late fall and winter, when the focus was on weaving and such). Then the God grows up, and on Beltane, the join together (fertility holiday here, celebrated on May 1st) and the goddess becomes pregnant with the God. During the harvest festival (Lugnasdah.. oh, I know I slaughtered the spelling of that, sorry my fellow pagans), the god dies (represented by the harvesting of the crops). Then at Winter Solstice, he is born again, and the cycle repeats itself. This is a representation of a type of spirituality based upon nature cycles.
So, when the Christians decided to convert pagan Europe, and take it over, the easiest way to do so was to equate pagan holidays with Christian events. So the birth of the God became the birth of the son of God. (No one has any way of knowing when Jesus was actually born - it could have been during that time, or any other.) That is also why, if you've ever wondered, Easter (the resurrection) is celebrated with bunnies, eggs, chicks, and all other sorts of fertility/goddess/reproductive symbols. It's because it occurs right around Beltane, and essentially "took the place" of that holiday.
By the way, people who don't consider themselves Christians usually have family that do, and therefore celebrate it as a time to be with their loved ones, to show a spirit of giving, even if they don't believe in the actual reason for the holiday.
Also.. I am not condemning the Christian method of conversion - better by social means than by the sword, although that was done too. Just wanted to give some historical insight.
2007-12-10 06:22:03 · answer #2 · answered by Kylie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some do it out of a sense of tradition, others do it to support the economy, while the vast majority do it because everyone else is.
However, in the Middle East, many Muslims will celebrate Christmas for two reasons:
1. The birth of the prophet Isaa (Arabic for Jesus)
2. A sign of goodwill to their Christian neighbors (most Arab countries have significant native Christian populations)
There is no command in the Bible to celebrate anything other than communion, however Christmas comes from a mixture of European pagan holidays (that's where the Christmas tree originated) and Zorarastrian holidays (that's where Dec. 25 comes from). While Christmas is essentialy based on the birth of Christ, it has been altered by the West to include many pagan rituals.
2007-12-10 06:18:50 · answer #3 · answered by Gordon B 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Christmas is a feast that existed in Europe long before Christianity came. It was the feast of light in the darker days of winter(the candles) and of hope, that spring would come again( the green tree in the house). Christianity had a bit of trouble when it came to Europe. Lots of people didn't want to give up their old feasts. So the Christians made a few drastic changes in the meaning of the feasts. Easter would be symbolic for the crucifiction of Christ, and Christmas for his birth....etc. Now the people could keep their feats theway they wanted it and still be faithful Christians.
It's a bot odd of course, Christ wasn't born on Christmas day at all. No problem to celebrate it then, but it isn't really his official birthday. I'm not a Christian and Christmas is not the celebration of Christ's birth to me. Although I do put up a little Christmad stable with the little crib and the animals and evrthn simply because I live in the Netherlands and Christianity is our biggest faith here by far. So you can't help it but adapt customs. I never thought of it really.
2007-12-10 06:18:46 · answer #4 · answered by saskia r 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People hung on to the scripture where the Wise Men brought gifts for Jesus's birth and twisted it, making it commercialized..
I do not do the traditional Christmas present buying but I do like to give a special letter, a box of Scriptures that I make myself from the Bible (365) for people to read one daily.
I don't celebrate Christmas per se, I do honor Jesus's birth.. there is no place in the Bible where we should celebrate Christmas. As a Christian, I do read the story of Jesus's birth at the dinner table before we eat.
The day is in honor of my Lord
2007-12-10 06:26:58 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Christmas was a pagan holiday long before Christians decided to chose it for the birth of christ. History shows that Jesus of Nazareth was born in August and not December. Christmas was the original pagan holiday celebrating the Winter Solcitice.
It's not referenced in the bible as much of the bible was written before Jesus was born. The Catholic church co-opted the holiday so pagans would feel more comfortable joining the church.
2007-12-10 06:17:18 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Christmas trees and the lights and many things that we do on Christmas, I have heard, has come from paganism. I have never seen it in the scripture for us to celebrate the birth of Christ on Dec. 25. I do know that the scriptures call the birth of Christ a reason for great celebration throughout the year. Not just on one day each year. Just like Thanksgiving should be something that we do everyday...not just once a year.
2007-12-10 06:22:55 · answer #7 · answered by loveChrist 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I just recently stopped celebrating Christmas as a day for just giving gifts. But I feel that if Mary conceived in the 6th month (June) how did she have Jesus in December (12th month). That would mean Jesus was a preemie. So my question is what are we as Christians really celebrating in December? The pagan holiday in December is Xmas so... You do the math!!!
2007-12-10 06:17:12 · answer #8 · answered by gods-chosen1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It seems to me, that in today's society, most people, Christian or not, celebrate Christmas for the giving and the recieving. Most people have lost sight of what the true meaning of Christmas is and Christians are no exception. It is all about greed for most people. You do have those few people that are in it just for the spirit of giving but everyone knows that getting presents kicks ***!
2007-12-10 06:16:57 · answer #9 · answered by imahippieguy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It sure makes me wonder too. To find out infomation about Christmas on the internet though, try Googling it and you'll see a plethora of info at your fingertips.
As far as Christmas being celebrated in the Bible is concerned....IT WASN'T.
Christmas, actually has Pagan roots, but your research will tell you more about that.
2007-12-10 06:15:48 · answer #10 · answered by SUPERMARIO 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋