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That Christmas is not a pagan holiday and that it was created as an alternative to Saturnalia. Saturnalia was a festival that honored the false god Saturn in the Roman Empire and involved bacchanals, sexual orgies, etc. For more info check out The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbons. Christians who left the Pagan lifestyle wanted a wholesome alternative so they created Christmas which celebrates the birth of Jesus, the god-man who would save the world (those who put their trust in Him for salvation). In fact if I remember correctly my family reads from the Bible the true Christmas story and not the one involving Santa, which interestingly Ann Voskamp did a poem with a Christian spin on the Night Before Christmas Santa story. Even if one considered it a pagan holiday, holidays can be redeemed. Instead of not celebrating certain holidays, we should use the Christian holidays that we do celebrate to build a bridge with the culture instead of burning bridges. God bless.
It wasn't created as an alternative, but instead Saturnalia was merged into the advent, which by way of study shows that Christ was not born in December anyways but most likely the fall.
The problem with the idea of redeeming pagan holidays is actually prohibited by God when He asks us not to learn these ways, traditions, and practices.
The difference is this. When we worship God, He specifically asks us not to use the pagan ways to worship Him. The days of the month, months, etc are not being used to worship Him. It's an interesting study though to see how they came about in terms of names though as it also deals with syncretism. But as said before, it's not being used to worship God.
The problem with the idea of redeeming pagan holidays is actually prohibited by God when He asks us not to learn these ways, traditions, and practices.
AGREE! 100% ...I'd like to add more to this. 
If I may.
If people will not celebrate Christmas because they think it's a pagan holiday, then they have can't have anything to do with months of the year, days of the week, and not even the plants. All of which are named after pagan gods.
If I may.If people will not celebrate Christmas because they think it's a pagan holiday, then they have can't have anything to do with months of the year, days of the week, and not even the plants. All of which are named after pagan gods.
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So if christmas is pagan. Then I have a question. As a history major I've researched this topic and found what evidence I could about j
The historical.aspect of it. So through that I as a Christian choose to not celebrate christmas as well as not observe December 25th as Christ's birthday. So with that in mind, my family and that of my significant others DO celebrate whole heartedly. How would you recommend a brother goes about this? Do we.go and not participate in certain things? Do we not go at all. Do we not ask to receive gifts?
The historical.aspect of it. So through that I as a Christian choose to not celebrate christmas as well as not observe December 25th as Christ's birthday. So with that in mind, my family and that of my significant others DO celebrate whole heartedly. How would you recommend a brother goes about this? Do we.go and not participate in certain things? Do we not go at all. Do we not ask to receive gifts?
The historical origins of christmas are pretty easy to research and show that christmas wasn't created under the most honorable of intentions.
Additional reasons I do not celebrate christmas.
It's not Biblical. You won't find anyone celebrating in Scripture, and no instruction to do so.
It is full of pagan imagery and traditions that have been modified or "re-claimed" in order to be more Christian, which is a big no-no in Scripture. That "re-claiming" isn't instructed in Scripture.
It's not Jesus' birthday. Not even close. So why would be celebrate His birth on a day we know isn't is birth unless we were more focused on following man-made traditions?
Additional reasons I do not celebrate christmas.
It's not Biblical. You won't find anyone celebrating in Scripture, and no instruction to do so.
It is full of pagan imagery and traditions that have been modified or "re-claimed" in order to be more Christian, which is a big no-no in Scripture. That "re-claiming" isn't instructed in Scripture.
It's not Jesus' birthday. Not even close. So why would be celebrate His birth on a day we know isn't is birth unless we were more focused on following man-made traditions?
It's not biblical true and I am not saying this to be one of those well if you want to be specific kind of ppl but t.v. isn't biblical nor are phones:b But yes Christmas is no longer about Jesus to most of people it's about presents santa jack frost ect.
But for those of us who celebrate it to celebrate Jesus birth we know it's not his actual b day the bible doesn't give a date to his birth but even so is it wrong to celebrate his birthday even though it's not his actual b day?
But for those of us who celebrate it to celebrate Jesus birth we know it's not his actual b day the bible doesn't give a date to his birth but even so is it wrong to celebrate his birthday even though it's not his actual b day?
One thing that is always evident to me is when I am doing something God doesn't want me to do, I get a very uneasy feeling inside me and Christmas isn't one of those things. Halloween this year was different for me, I began to feel a sense of urgency. Urgency for what I don't know but it happened on halloween,plus I think God is far more interested in the heart of the person celebrating Christmas. For those who cherish and who adore him and who bear the Christmas spirit I can only imagine the absolute joy father must have in his heart for such people.
K
There is nothing wrong with celebrating Christmas, birthdays, anniversary, or any other such holiday or specific days as long as we do it in the right manner and do not put them above or before God.
Now with that being said we are not under, and I repeat, we are not under the OT ordinances.
We in the New Covenant have liberty in Christ to walk in morality of LOVE.
We are not bound to written ordinances, nor is salvation at risk for celebrating or not these days.
We need to resist putting a yoke on people still !!!
Now with that being said we are not under, and I repeat, we are not under the OT ordinances.
We in the New Covenant have liberty in Christ to walk in morality of LOVE.
We are not bound to written ordinances, nor is salvation at risk for celebrating or not these days.
We need to resist putting a yoke on people still !!!