Ah, only a few more days until Christmas. Just the thought of the food, the presents, and the fun is making me happy. But too often -far too often- we forget what the season is really about. And what I have been wondering lately, is that if someone doesn't believe in God, then why do they celebrate Christmas?
Christmas is the day where we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. All Christians know that. Christmas = Christ + mas. The most simple way to say it is this:
If you take away Christ from Christmas, what do you have? Christmas - Christ = mas. And what, now, exactly, is a mas? I don't know either. So if all of these people -people who don't believe in God- aren't celebrating Christmas, what are they celebrating?
I truly just don't get it. Christmas has become too commercial, too material. It's too much about 'Santa Clause' and presents. And worse- it's not even enough about giving. So many times this year, I have been asked what I want. I don't really want any stuff. I want to become a better Christian, but that is not a gift one can give. People are forgetting what the season is truly about- the birth of Jesus.
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2: 6-7)
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. (Luke 2: 16-18)
So all of you, please remember the story behind the holiday. And I would appreciate comments; I love hearing other's points of view. Thanks!
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I don't know if you've read my most recent post or not, but actually Jesus' birth is not the story behind this holiday. Everything involved (all the traditions), except Jesus' birth, have pagan origins. The Catholic Church wanted to divert the heathen's attention to Christendom and added Jesus as the reason of the season. I just posted a article on the history of it, and why my family doesn't celebrate "Christmas". I welcome you to read it, and know that I in no way think ill of you. :)
The people who don't believe in God who celebrate Christmas are truly just celebrating the holiday.
Jesus was actually born sometime in September so the date is not even correct either.
Blessings!
Jocelyn-
The same thing goes for Halloween, and many other holidays, but to me that does not matter. It doesn't really matter when we celebrate the birth of Christ, but this is the time of year that we do special things to celebrate it.
I did read your post, and I must disagree with it. I left a comment, if you want to find out why.
And does it truly matter if we celebrate Jesus' birth on the exact day? If we don't know His birthday, I don't know how we could celebrate it with out selecting a day to. And, if you think about it, we also celebrate other historical people's birthdays, like George Washington's, and Christ is much more important than him, so why should we not celebrate it?
Anyway, those are my thoughts.
Jessica,
I got to your blog via the comment you left on Jocelyn's site.
Since you said at the bottom of your post that you would appreciate comments, I decided to go ahead and leave one. :-)
As Jocelyn said in her comment, there is only one true thing about christmass and that is the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.. yet He wasn't even born in December. Everything else about this wordly, pagan, Roman Catholic holiday has pagan roots and origins.
Why should we not celebrate it? Because it's origins are pagan and ungodly! We as Christians are called to be separate (from the world). We are also clearly told to 'learn not the way of the heathen'. And since christmass is rooted in heathen traditions, that should be reason enough not to celebrate it.
I have made a post on my blog about 'The Christmas Spirit' if you would be interested in reading:
http://lacy.obeyingthetruth.com/blog/2008/11/the-christmas-spirit/
Striving on the narrow way,
~ Lacy
I don't think that NOT celebrating Christmas makes you a better "Christian" - it is how you live your life every day. Not because you go to church - but how you live your life outside of it. Treating others with respect and love, no matter their belief or lifestyle, the way that Jesus would, is the ultimate honor to Him.
I want to comment on a couple different things. First, on your question about why someone who doesn't believe in God would celebrate Christmas. I celebrate Christmas for the same reason I celebrate many other holidays. Because it is a part of our cultural tradition. I enjoy giving gifts to the people I love, and spending time with them. Just because I don't believe that Jesus Christ was divine, doesn't mean that he wasn't a great man. I have the utmost respect for the message he taught; a message of love and compassion for others.
As far as the comments from Jocelyn and Lacy, yes it's true that Christmas as we know it incorporates many pagan traditions. In the history of the early Christian church, there were periods when pagans persecuted the Christians, but there were also periods when the Christians persecuted the pagans including outlawing pagan religions, destroying pagan temples and even killing non-Christians. Do these sound like the kinds of things Christ would have wanted his followers to do? The things that Jocelyn and Lacy (and many of the commentators I read on Jocelyn's post) express reminds of this very close-minded, un-Christian attitude. They of course would also show disdain for the early Christian Church for allowing pagan traditions into Christianity. But they separate themselves from this by referring to the early church as the "Roman Catholic" church, as if their version of Christianity was somehow separate from it. The truth is there was only one Christian church at that time, and for most of the last 2000 years.
I'm glad to see that you openly disagreed with Jocelyn. That shows that you are thinking for yourself. Many "Christians" tend to put forth their views as if they are absolutely right and opposing views are absolutely wrong. I hope you continue to be open to seeing different points of view.
"The Christians persecuted the pagans including outlawing pagan religions, destroying pagan temples and even killing non-Christians. Do these sound like the kinds of things Christ would have wanted his followers to do?"
No, that does not, and I highly doubt these were real Christians.... Christ would never condone any such actions. He said if someone strikes you on the cheek, turn to him the other cheek also. There have been many times people have been acting as "christians" to make Christians look bad, and I know there have been "christians" you have done evil unto others in the Name of Christ, but that is NOT of God. Just as Nero (had his servants) do when Rome burned. Just curious, what (specific) events are you speaking of anyways?
MANY people disagree with my beliefs on my blog, and the way I think and believe is foreign to MANY christians. I'm not going to label you anything because you're a pagan. Don't label me anything because I'm a Christian.
And, I in NO way believe that I'm absolutely right. I am human and I do not know everything. I stumble. I fall, but I press on towards the goal set before me, and seek to encourage my sisters in Christ. I believe the *facts* I presented are correct though, and in my post I said "this does not mean I am going to shun or condemn anyone for participating in this holiday. I don’t agree with it, and I am simply presenting you with information that you can do with it as you like." I was NOT judgmental towards anyone.
Jessica, I don't believe anyone who celebrates "Christmas" is unsaved. Just as I said above you may do what you like with the information presented. I did answer your comment, btw, on my blog.
Blessings!
Wow!Those comments were heated!
My opinion is:
I do realized that Christmas comes from pegan origin, but I believe that you can celebrate Christmas in a very Christian manner if you reform it. By that I mean not have the consentration being on gifts/money/spending. ect. but have it be on Jesus and sharing his love with others. Please excuse my spelling.
Miss Jocelyn, my point in the comparison of the early Christian church and pagan traditions was not just to point out the injustice of persecution on both sides, but rather that Christianity and pagan beliefs are (and always have been) intertwined. Your post talked about how distorted Christmas is, and many of your commentators brought up the "be ye separate" quote, implying (or stating outright) that celebrating Christmas is yoking yourselves up with the "unbelievers". But the truth is that Christianity and the pagan traditions share the same roots. Christianity is by its nature yoked up with the pagan traditions. I think that Jessica's point in her post was that Christians should emphasize Jesus when celebrating Christmas. And I think that's great. But as Christmas does incorporate non-Christian traditions, I also don't see a problem with non-believers celebrating it either. And I'll go farther than that: I think it's OK for Christians to participate in the aspects of Christmas that are pagan in origin, and I think it's OK for non-believers like myself to celebrate the birthday of a man whose teachings promote love and compassion for our fellow human beings. And in my opinion, for followers of Jesus to hold themselves out as separate from people with differing beliefs is both close-minded and not very Christ-like. And I don't mean that in a mean way; I just think it's unfortunate.
Now I'm afraid that I may have hijacked Jessica's blog, so this is the last that I say about this.
Jocelyn,
"Paganism is the blanket term given to describe religions and spiritual practises of pre-Christian Europe, and by extension a term for polytheistic traditions or folk religion worldwide seen from a Western or Christian viewpoint. The term has various different meanings, though, from a Western perspective, it has modern connotations of a faith that has polytheistic,[2] spiritualist, animistic or shamanic practices, such as a folk religion, historical polytheistic or neopagan religion.
The term has been defined broadly, to encompass all of the religions outside the Abrahamic monotheistic group of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam." (from Wikipedia)
I'm not sure to whom you are referring when you use the term "pagan". No one that has commented on here is a pagan. Maybe you mean Heathen?
I was referring to Mr. Don when I said pagan. He said he does not believe Jesus to be divine, though he has respect for him.
No, I meant pagan, but heathen will work too... means the same thing.
http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,heathen
http://1828.mshaffer.com/d/search/word,pagan
Honestly, I am not worried about your family celebrating Christmas, Mrs. Gookin. That is your decision and is between you and God. Like I said many times before I've represented you with the information and you may do with it as you like. I meant no disrespect to you or your family. The girls asked for my point of view. I gave it to them.
Blessings!
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