Christians call it Christmas. All Atheists are welcome to celebrate the Pagan holiday now called Christmas.
2007-12-20 15:21:27 · 37 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I posted this question yet again to make a point. Obviously, some of you didn't get it. Many Christians are asking Atheists, in very RUDE ways, if they are going to celebrate Christmas - and as long as they keep doing that, the rest of us have the obligation to keep them honest.
Christians - your responses to this question, for the most part, prove that your witnesses are not at all about Jesus, but about your own selves. You sure did Jesus proud with your answers. NOT.
2007-12-20 15:37:39 · update #1
*sigh* Don't you just LOVE when the fundies prove your point with their arrogant answers? And at the same time they think they're somehow explaining themselves and turning the situation in their favour. It's so sad.
Arrogant, ignorant and overly proud. They own nothing but the name and yet they claim everything, every single tradition, and even dare to get angry if a non-believer celebrates it in the same way.
Sad and pathetic.
Blessed Yule.
2007-12-20 19:15:26 · answer #1 · answered by Ymmo the Heathen 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
We didn't technically "steal" it. The early Church was mostly a bunch of ex-Pagan converts; naturally, they'd bring their traditions with them to their new religion. It's the same concept as the variety of cultures in the US-- people emigrated here and brought their traditions with them. And even though aspects of Christmas were originally Pagan, it doesn't make it a Pagan holiday. Pagans didn't call their holidays Christmas; It's called Yule. Christmas is the CHRISTIAN holiday and Yule is the Pagan one. They are similar but they are NOT the same. And if you want to get even more technical, Santa Claus was derived from Saint Nicolas... A Christian! The whole aspect of Santa wouldn't even be around if it weren't for him.
Anyways though, this is a stupid argument so I don't know why I bothered to type the above paragraph out. The point of the season is to be with friends and family and have a good time. Who cares if you celebrate it the Christian, Pagan, or secular way? The holidays should be a time we all enjoy. Most holidays and traditions these days have pagan roots anyways... the lines between religious things like that are so skewed now that you can't say one person "owns" a holiday.
2007-12-20 15:33:31 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋
When the New Testament was written, nobody had records from 100 years or so ago when anybody was born, so nobody knows when Jesus was born. December 25 is just a random day taken from traditional avatar birthdays and the configuration of stars that told the pagans that spring was about to come. It's no big deal. If a holiday unites people of different persuasions, what's wrong with that?
2007-12-20 15:32:49 · answer #3 · answered by stale mate 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sigh.... As a pagan i'm quite ill of questions like this. each and every new bobbing up subculture adopts some practices, customs, traditions and such from pre-present cultures. Neo-pagans do the comparable, so what's the enormous deal? As a pagan, i do no longer celebrate the delivery of or resurrection of Jesus (that are the excuses Christmas and Easter have been generic). So what if Jesus grow to be no longer born on Dec twenty 5th and that grow to be purely the day chosen for all to celebrate. Sheesh, we had a occasion for my neighbor's toddler on Saturday, yet his quite birthday grow to be contained in the midst of the week earlier - could we no longer have celebrated on Saturday whilst all human beings grow to be accessible to hold jointly because of the fact he grow to be no longer relatively born on 6/25? So what if Christians integrated some old seasonal customs into their celebrations of Jesus. Decorations and such are greater so secular now besides. The non secular meaning of them relies upon on the guy using them. this is completely pleased with me if a Christian has a Christmas tree and that i've got a yuletide tree on the comparable time of 365 days. Pagans do no longer very own unique rights to the month of December for goodness sake. there is room for all human beings right here - and no ought to bicker over such issues that are so petty now thinking they got here approximately see you later in the past you or I have been even born. I nevertheless celebrate yuletide and Ostara for what they imply to me - have been doing so my entire person lifestyles - so it form of feels Christianity did no longer thieve my holy days regardless of each and every little thing.
2016-11-04 04:44:18 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am! I know that Christmas was once a pagan holiday...but so was half of the holidays we celebrate... the reason we (christians) use those dates? Example: If you came into a community where every year the people were off of work from August 7th-10th because of something they celebrated and then tried to change it, it wouldn't be worth the hassle. So we use the dates that the pagans were used to. eh...I dont see a problem....its not like Christ was born on December 25th and was crucified on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs after the spring equinox. So why all the fuss?
2007-12-20 15:32:49 · answer #5 · answered by CollegeJR 2 · 4⤊ 2⤋
I have heard that both Christmas and Easter were events that the Christians wanted to observe, but because of severe opposition, they decided to have their celebrations on days that coincided with pagan holidays (the spring festival that honored the gods and the feast to honor Isis). That way their own celebrations wouldn't be suspected.
Many people are not aware of this history, and I think that in their hearts, if they are trying to honor God, they aren't doing anything wrong. If they DO know, each person is accountable to follow their conscience, and shouldn't force their personal convictions on others (bigotry) or allow others to pressure them into acting against their beliefs (legalism).
However you see it, I hope you have a wonderful December 25th!
2007-12-20 15:31:10 · answer #6 · answered by Wynnie 3 · 5⤊ 0⤋
damn, there are some @ssholes on here. I'm celebrating Yule. Christmas is just a day off to spend with the family. nothing religious. My mom is christian and doesnt do all of that 'christian' stuff (church services, group prayer, etc.) on that day.
It seems like alot of holidays originated with pagan holidays. I think its pretty cool.
Most of these holidays are comercialized and not really celebrated with religion. Mostly family time. thats a good thing. people need to spend more time with thier families.
hope that was a more positive answer
2007-12-20 15:31:41 · answer #7 · answered by corpsmanlove1! 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Although I'm Pagan and celebrate Yule, and know that the Pagan holidays were around long before Christianity (including a story of a virgin birth - Mithras), nowadays there are so many other religious celebrations around the same time that I don't think anyone can claim to "own" this season or should feel excluded.
2007-12-20 15:25:40 · answer #8 · answered by Cheryl E 7 · 11⤊ 2⤋
I'm a Christian who is going to celebrate Christmas and come to think about it, if I go back several generations, my forefathers were Pagans so I should be good all the way around.
edit: I understand what you are saying but some of us are aware of the origins of Christmas. I have many Atheists as contacts as well as people of other faiths. Don't let the intolerant and uninformed ones here spoil your holiday.
2007-12-20 15:24:38 · answer #9 · answered by Mr. E 7 · 12⤊ 2⤋
Well they didn't really take it. They just inserted there own on top of a previous celebration. Christmas is Christian. I'm a eclectic spiritualist and observe both the Solstice and Christmas. Christmas creates joy and sharing, and to me that type of energy isn't ever a 'bad' thing. What someone else believes doesn't effect me, nor make me feel less then.
It is interesting to say merry Solstice back when someone says Merry Christmas ;-)
2007-12-20 15:30:51 · answer #10 · answered by WebWeaver 3 · 4⤊ 2⤋