2007-12-12 11:18:32 · 10 answers · asked by bagel lover 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
No, Xmas is just a shopping spree driven by quasi-religious sentiment. Consider it a consumer orgy, clearly an offshoot of pagan Rome's Saturnalia.
2007-12-12 11:39:33 · answer #1 · answered by Dear Carlos 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The artifice of declaring that it is Jesus' birthday is almost certainly a lie, however Christmas has become much more than a religious holiday.
Originally it was a pagan holiday that was taken over by early Christians who needed attention. These days it seems to have reverted to its original form (either intentionally or unintentionally) where for many the religious significance is not significant.
However having said all of that, there's nothing wrong with pretending its Jesus' birthday (since nobody really knows the real date) and so it can be a perfectly good symbolic holiday for Christians if you want it to be, but just don't confuse the issue by being too literal about it or being too possesive of it. It was a pagan holiday first.
2007-12-12 11:49:29 · answer #2 · answered by megalomaniac 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes and no.
"Christmas", as celebrated on or around December 25, was originally (as others
have mentioned) a 'pagan' celebration that lasted approximately a week, from the
Winter Solstice onward, for 7 - 10 days or so..
It was a joyous celebration, with feasting, decorations, gift-giving, and, well, orgies,
probably. It was celebrated in many cultures, thousands of years ago. Sure, it was
dedicated to the local deities (Saturnalia, in the Roman Empire, obviously named for,
and dedicated to, the Roman God Saturn). In Scandanavia, the ancient Nordic cultures
and such, it was "Yule". You know - like the Log. :D
The early Catholic Church leaders, in their endless quest for world domination (yes) craftily appropriated this wonderful holiday and twisted it into the whole birth-of-Jesus
lie that we have now. The Church also did this with Valentine's Day (Lupercalia) Easter,
and any other 'pagan' holiday they could get their mitts on.
No one knows for sure when exactly Jesus was born. It was probably in the late fall
or early spring. But December 25 was convenient for the Church leaders' purposes
of "converting" those awful heathens into obedient, God-fearing, guilt-ridden slaves
to their monotheistic rule. They just plain didn't want any competition. You know,
like most corporations. It's kinda like, the Catholic Church is Microsoft, and
Christianity is Linux. Sorta. ;)
Also, Jesus was basically just the Hebrew version of the Buddha (who preceded
him by 500 or 600 years) and it would behoove the Church to quit deifying the guy.
Jesus was a brilliant and compassionate spiritual leader, and deifying him is just as
pagan as anything the pagans ever did, and only serves to mythologicize him, and
thus make him and his teachings less accessible to mortal men.
So, IMO, if Christians want to accurately memorialize Jesus' birth, they should fix
some kind of date that would be more appropriate - and more accurate - for their
"Christ Mass" celebration. And leave the fun stuff to the rest of us, and for heaven's
sake, STOP WHINING about the 'true meaning of Christmas' ("put Christ back in
Christmas" was a popular mantra when I was growing up).
I am NOT anti-Christian, but I'm not a fan of the bloated, power-hungry, narrow-
minded entity that the Holy Roman Catholic Church has become. A 'true' Christian
would simply follow Jesus' words and teachings, and disregard the mountains
of heaped-on garbage with which the Catholic Church has obscured the Truth.
Happy Holidays - whatever they may be - to all ...
And "God bless us, every One."
2015-12-20 02:10:58 · answer #3 · answered by June 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Christmas is not a lie. But many people do not act very nice this time of year.
2007-12-12 11:23:14 · answer #4 · answered by redunicorn 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Christmas is a pagan celebration invented by the Germans
hundreds of years ago. Yes. Christmas is a lie. So is Santa.
Othe pagan holidays:
Easter
Halloween
2007-12-12 11:31:37 · answer #5 · answered by woodster 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Are you referring to the birth of a Mythological super hero, or the retail holiday?
2007-12-12 11:32:53 · answer #6 · answered by pacdog 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
don't believe woodster because Christmas is not invented by Germans because it was invented by Jesus Christ when he was born in the manger. hence thats why Christmas has the name of Christ in front of mas
2007-12-12 13:45:02 · answer #7 · answered by hockey pro 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's neither lie nor truth - it just is.
2007-12-12 12:13:46 · answer #8 · answered by James Bond 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they made it so people can go shopping for the play stations they take the profits and make millions.
2007-12-12 11:45:38 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, I am pretty sure it happens.
2007-12-12 17:18:15 · answer #10 · answered by Hubby . 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋