(POLL) What Is Christmas?
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Christmas is the time that is set aside in our generation for being with family and enjoying the secular side of the holiday with Santa, gifts, fudge, decorations and whatever we can cram into this wonderful time.
It is also a time to hear "Christmas" hymns which so eloquently put forth the gospel for many who would not hear it otherwise. A time to remember the birth of the baby that was "born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth" ("Hark the Herald Angels Sing") To review and think on those events which was the preview of the amazing grace to come.
Jesus Christ, the reason for the season, is the center at my house, but we love the glitz and glitter, the silly music and the old movies that get rolled out every year at this time. We can honor Christ and still enjoy the sights, sounds and love that are around us.
My Pilgrim ancestors would probably put us in the stocks. Yet they had their own celebrations in their own way.
I say let evreryone be guided by their own conscience and not be "holier than thou" about it when the moralists disagree.
It is also a time to hear "Christmas" hymns which so eloquently put forth the gospel for many who would not hear it otherwise. A time to remember the birth of the baby that was "born to raise the sons of earth, born to give them second birth" ("Hark the Herald Angels Sing") To review and think on those events which was the preview of the amazing grace to come.
Jesus Christ, the reason for the season, is the center at my house, but we love the glitz and glitter, the silly music and the old movies that get rolled out every year at this time. We can honor Christ and still enjoy the sights, sounds and love that are around us.
My Pilgrim ancestors would probably put us in the stocks. Yet they had their own celebrations in their own way.
I say let evreryone be guided by their own conscience and not be "holier than thou" about it when the moralists disagree.
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Regarding pagan origins:
This is a great example of the genetic fallacy. It's like saying that the Volkswagen is evil because it originated from Germany during the Nazi regime. You have to think about modern day context. Do you really think that our intent is to worship pagan idols by decorating our tree, putting presents underneath, or celebrating Christ's birth on December 25th? Of course not.
This is a great example of the genetic fallacy. It's like saying that the Volkswagen is evil because it originated from Germany during the Nazi regime. You have to think about modern day context. Do you really think that our intent is to worship pagan idols by decorating our tree, putting presents underneath, or celebrating Christ's birth on December 25th? Of course not.
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Well,
I find it strange that many Protestants today celebrate it, when many in the early days didn't recognize any other day as special than the Lord's Day, or the Christian Sabbath. The argument in the day wasn't necessary about any sort of pagan origins, but that our worship should be regulated by the word of God alone and not from some invention of our own. Christmas was seen and did indeed come from Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox beliefs than anything, although Lutherans and Anglicans do celebrate it.
It reminds me of depictions of Jesus in images. There use to be a common agreement among Protestants that any depictions or representations of any person of the Godhead was a violation of the second commandment, which it is. It was more of a Roman Catholic/Eastern Orthodox thing to have images and icons for worship. Nowadays, most Christians have no problem with these images.
I find it strange that many Protestants today celebrate it, when many in the early days didn't recognize any other day as special than the Lord's Day, or the Christian Sabbath. The argument in the day wasn't necessary about any sort of pagan origins, but that our worship should be regulated by the word of God alone and not from some invention of our own. Christmas was seen and did indeed come from Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox beliefs than anything, although Lutherans and Anglicans do celebrate it.
It reminds me of depictions of Jesus in images. There use to be a common agreement among Protestants that any depictions or representations of any person of the Godhead was a violation of the second commandment, which it is. It was more of a Roman Catholic/Eastern Orthodox thing to have images and icons for worship. Nowadays, most Christians have no problem with these images.
I think it would be wonderful if we could turn time back to the second century and redo the church based strictly on the word of the Lord. Christmas and Easter was started by men who said the Jews were evil because they rejected Christ so anything they did was wrong. They had no idea that it wasn't Jewish to celebrate the feasts but Godly. They were sure they could do things much better than God, anyway.
The problem was that they didn't know beans when it came to what scripture said, scripture was OT. The Jews did know. So Christian Jews who knew had read letters to he churches we call scripture and only some followed ceremonial law, but all followed God's plan for celebrating how God saves us, the seven feasts.
All I have read of those feasts seem to me to be a celebration so much more Godly than the ones men decided on. They still don't have the negatives our celebrations have developed. They seem so superior, to me, to our celebrations. I wish we could turn time back and use the celebrations God planned for us.
The problem was that they didn't know beans when it came to what scripture said, scripture was OT. The Jews did know. So Christian Jews who knew had read letters to he churches we call scripture and only some followed ceremonial law, but all followed God's plan for celebrating how God saves us, the seven feasts.
All I have read of those feasts seem to me to be a celebration so much more Godly than the ones men decided on. They still don't have the negatives our celebrations have developed. They seem so superior, to me, to our celebrations. I wish we could turn time back and use the celebrations God planned for us.
Peter disagrees with you... 2 Peter 3:16, writing of Paul: He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.
"Other Scriptures"... meaning Peter thought of Paul's letters as Scripture... in his own time, which preceded the second century by about 40 years.
"Other Scriptures"... meaning Peter thought of Paul's letters as Scripture... in his own time, which preceded the second century by about 40 years.
L
To me, Christmas is the day we have decided to celebrate the birth of Christ. It may not be the right date, but that doesn't really matter. I think the Lord enjoys for us to celebrate his birthday here on Earth. My family worships at home, we have some birthday cake and sing him the Happy Birthday song. Jesus is our brother...so why not treat him like a member of the family?
Easter is also important. But I think they are both equally important/significant. In Easter, we celebrate the resurrection and Jesus' sacrifice for us. In Christmas, we celebrate the gift that God gave us. He gave us his son, a king, born in a manger. So I think that one holiday celebrates the gift God gave us and the other the gift Christ gave us. Christ had free will. He prayed for that cup to be taken away but only if it was God's will. He could have told the Father no but he did not.
I do agree with the above poster that people should celebrate Easter more. Both holidays are beautiful in their own right.
Easter is also important. But I think they are both equally important/significant. In Easter, we celebrate the resurrection and Jesus' sacrifice for us. In Christmas, we celebrate the gift that God gave us. He gave us his son, a king, born in a manger. So I think that one holiday celebrates the gift God gave us and the other the gift Christ gave us. Christ had free will. He prayed for that cup to be taken away but only if it was God's will. He could have told the Father no but he did not.
I do agree with the above poster that people should celebrate Easter more. Both holidays are beautiful in their own right.
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Christmas is a time we celebrate Jesus' birthday. with decorating, with singing, with worship, with giving ...pretty much showing love , Jesus is Love. we also need to continue that after his birthday date, ( even tho we don't know the exact date, we still can celebrate, he doesn't mind it being a date we may have wrong.
