Did the Church institute Dec 25th to replace Pagan Festivals with a Christian Theme?

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Nov 15, 2020
1,897
362
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Newcastle, NSW, Australia
I read some of your posts on the first page, and these on the last page and noticed your use of the phrase "why christianize something pagan?" (which I pretty much agree is non-beneficial but doesn't seem to hold weight with those to whom you say it). What came to me when reading this particular posting was the passage in 1 Kings in which king Jeroboam decided to establish a holiday in a month of his own choosing. That didn't seem to be a good idea then, and it doesn't seem like it would be a good idea now, if applicable. Here's the passage:

1 Kings 12:32-33
[32] And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Beth-el, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places which he had made. [33] So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

The question on my mind is "Did the people who decided to establish Dec 25th as Christmas choose this out of their own heart?" because I've never heard any claim that God told them to do it.

Also I don't see a biblical precedent for taking over other religions' holidays to push out bad traditions.

Love in Jesus,
Kelby
so you agree, not so much that i'm right, but i know what i'm talking about ?
 

Budman

Senior Member
Mar 9, 2014
4,153
1,998
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Arrrrgggh!!!

EVERY year this stuff!

I say, if celebrating Christmas bothers you. Don't do it. But don't try to rain on everyone else's parade.
 
B

Blackpowderduelist

Guest
Arrrrgggh!!!

EVERY year this stuff!

I say, if celebrating Christmas bothers you. Don't do it. But don't try to rain on everyone else's parade.
Boy howdy, that's a mouth full now days. (The days of oppression by the perpetually offended).
So to those who choose to a scripture to support.
To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and their conscience are defiled.
Titus 1:15
As long as you are worshipping Jesus then, get on with it.

This is a little thing that I intend to add to our celebratory recognitions.
Just as the saints of old awaited the first coming of the Lord so also we wait for his return. Let us celebrate his birth and the promise kept and the evidence that he will keep his promise to return.
 
B

Blackpowderduelist

Guest
So here is my question ⁉️
What about the way Christians celebrate Christmas is so bad?
So let's look at the list:
1. Buying gifts for loved ones.

2.Meeting up with family for extended amounts of time.

3. Going to church, singing songs about the birth of Jesus, teaching children about the birth of Jesus via role playing, worshipping Jesus in recognition of his first coming.

4. Pot luck dinner together with church family.

5. Celebratory dinner with home family

6. sending cards to other folks you know that have the proclamation of the birth of the Messiah.

7. Decorating the he with lights and with a tree upon which they place ornaments that reflect allanner of the things of heaven and our religious symbols, like angels, and crosses, and stars.

Here is my observation and two cents worth. This year the world especially here in America, they are trying to rob us of celebrating Christmas, just as they are robbing us of gathering for church, and also did rob many of celebrating Thanksgiving. I can assure you that if you are on the same side of the issue as the world you are dead wrong. Each year Christmas comes under attack by the anti Christian groups like the freedom from religion movent, and pagans try to claim Christmas while also demanding we stop saying the words merry Christmas. They throw out so many narratives trying to get as many to buy in as possible in order to stop our celebrations, and Christians buy into which ever narrative suits their own. It is time to stop and look around. Because each year when we celebrate in grand fashion those who hate God have to face the fact of their selves, and they can't stand it. So why give into their demands. Because you are as wrong headed as them?
 
S

SophieT

Guest
am i not allow to forget where else i read it ? maybe i should get alzheimers then, and forget everything ..
What should I say to that? Tell you what, I will just go with bad humor.

Seems you have a head start. :sneaky:
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,173
113
funny how some people think its 'us' and 'them'

nobody is stopping anyone from celebrating Jesus birth on any given day. The Bible tells us to 'rejoice evermore'
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,173
113
I now proclaim christmas day is going to be observed on July 25th. I am going to rename it 'Jesus Day'

everybody present say amen?
 
Nov 17, 2019
366
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New Mexico, USA
It is interesting to me that in our present day, evangelical churches are striving to transform Hollween into a "Fall Festival" holiday.

I wonder if we will ever succeed to the point of making it an official, national holiday.
 

KelbyofGod

Senior Member
Oct 8, 2017
1,881
717
113
so you agree, not so much that i'm right, but i know what i'm talking about ?
I think (from what I've read so far) that you are right that it's inadvisable to try to make a pagan ritual holy. I was just pointing out that the way you said it didn't seem to reach the hearts (not sure why)... so I was just offering another reason NOT to pick Dec 25th to make a holiday...because that's choosing it out of their own heart unless God TOLD them to do it. (which I don't think he did).

Another reason to not select Dec 25th as some anti-pagan-but-chosen-because-of-the-pagans holiday date is the commandment to "Keep yourself unspotted from the world". From what I've seen, those who choose to celebrate Christmas but claim to be doing it "only to serve God" have still incorporated/allowed the pagan habits to spot their holy-day.

Love in Jesus,
Kelby
 

KelbyofGod

Senior Member
Oct 8, 2017
1,881
717
113
So here is my question ⁉️
What about the way Christians celebrate Christmas is so bad?
So let's look at the list:
1. Buying gifts for loved ones.

2.Meeting up with family for extended amounts of time.

3. Going to church, singing songs about the birth of Jesus, teaching children about the birth of Jesus via role playing, worshipping Jesus in recognition of his first coming.

4. Pot luck dinner together with church family.

5. Celebratory dinner with home family

6. sending cards to other folks you know that have the proclamation of the birth of the Messiah.

7. Decorating the he with lights and with a tree upon which they place ornaments that reflect allanner of the things of heaven and our religious symbols, like angels, and crosses, and stars.

Here is my observation and two cents worth. This year the world especially here in America, they are trying to rob us of celebrating Christmas, just as they are robbing us of gathering for church, and also did rob many of celebrating Thanksgiving. I can assure you that if you are on the same side of the issue as the world you are dead wrong. Each year Christmas comes under attack by the anti Christian groups like the freedom from religion movent, and pagans try to claim Christmas while also demanding we stop saying the words merry Christmas. They throw out so many narratives trying to get as many to buy in as possible in order to stop our celebrations, and Christians buy into which ever narrative suits their own. It is time to stop and look around. Because each year when we celebrate in grand fashion those who hate God have to face the fact of their selves, and they can't stand it. So why give into their demands. Because you are as wrong headed as them?
I actually like this post and reasoning behind it, even though I personally don't celebrate Christmas or most of the other U.S. holidays (other than really rejoicing to have the time to do things other than labor lol ).

Love in Jesus,
Kelby
 
Nov 15, 2020
1,897
362
83
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Failure to contextualize practices seen in the world with scriptural admonitions has left many in the dark where evil,satanic practices are concerned. The attempt to appropriate the customs of others should have been done with the scriptures as a guide to what is acceptable to God.Whose custom was this(Christmas) and what did God have to say about these customs:



The testimony of several is clear:

"As early as A.D 245,the Church father Origen was proclaiming it heathenish to celebrate Christ's birthday as if He were merely a
temporal ruler when His spiritual nature should be the main concern."(The Christmas Almanac,Gerard and Patricia Del Re)


"The Fathers of the 2nd and 3rd centuries,such as Clement of Alexandria,Origen and Epiphanius,contended that Christmas was a copy of a pagan celebration" (Encyclopedia Britannica,15th edition)


"Christians of Armenia and Syria accused the Christians of Rome of sun worship for celebrating Christmas on December 25th...Pope Leo the Great in the fifth century tried to remove certain practices at Christmas which He considered in no way different from sun worship."(Celebrations:The Complete Book of American Holidays,Robert Myers)


The practices were called,pagan,heathenish,sun worship.From whence did these come?They are nowhere supported by the word of God nor practiced by the people of God.

Hear what God says about this:


"Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying,How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt notdo so unto. the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which He hateth,have they done unto their gods."( Deuteronomy 12:30-31)


“This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk,in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened,being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, becauseof the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.”(Ephesians 4:17-19)



“For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings,banquetings, and abominable idolatries.”(I Peter 4:3)


Christmas,Easter,birthday and other celebrations are of heathen/pagan origin and many have their roots in sun worship. Knowing this, why go against the word which instructs not to partake in the abominable idolatries of the heathen/Gentiles?The very early church was opposed to this practice as are the scriptures and so there can be no justification for its later introduction.
exactly .. so why don't people get that ?
 
Nov 15, 2020
1,897
362
83
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
I now proclaim christmas day is going to be observed on July 25th. I am going to rename it 'Jesus Day'

everybody present say amen?
the irony, is that Jesus didn't instruct to actually celebrate His birth. and, the date of His birth isn't in the Bible. why, because He already existed .. outside of our timeframe.
 
S

SophieT

Guest
the irony, is that Jesus didn't instruct to actually celebrate His birth. and, the date of His birth isn't in the Bible. why, because He already existed .. outside of our timeframe.
Well I bet Jesus didn't tell you to join this forum either, yet here you are.

The angels sent by God to announce the birth of His Son and the great celebration of their singing and rejoicing indicates that Jesus birth is a very joyous occasion and indeed, hope for the whole earth. It is bizarre that you cannot see this. The irony is you ignoring the fact of rejoicing in Jesus birth and preferring to make a long face and suck on lemons instead.

This, is the hallmark of religious deception and contrary to scripture. God says rejoice and you say bah humbug.
 

KelbyofGod

Senior Member
Oct 8, 2017
1,881
717
113
So here is my question ⁉️
What about the way Christians celebrate Christmas is so bad?
So let's look at the list:
1. Buying gifts for loved ones.

2.Meeting up with family for extended amounts of time.

3. Going to church, singing songs about the birth of Jesus, teaching children about the birth of Jesus via role playing, worshipping Jesus in recognition of his first coming.

4. Pot luck dinner together with church family.

5. Celebratory dinner with home family

6. sending cards to other folks you know that have the proclamation of the birth of the Messiah.

7. Decorating the he with lights and with a tree upon which they place ornaments that reflect allanner of the things of heaven and our religious symbols, like angels, and crosses, and stars.

Here is my observation and two cents worth. This year the world especially here in America, they are trying to rob us of celebrating Christmas, just as they are robbing us of gathering for church, and also did rob many of celebrating Thanksgiving. I can assure you that if you are on the same side of the issue as the world you are dead wrong. Each year Christmas comes under attack by the anti Christian groups like the freedom from religion movent, and pagans try to claim Christmas while also demanding we stop saying the words merry Christmas. They throw out so many narratives trying to get as many to buy in as possible in order to stop our celebrations, and Christians buy into which ever narrative suits their own. It is time to stop and look around. Because each year when we celebrate in grand fashion those who hate God have to face the fact of their selves, and they can't stand it. So why give into their demands. Because you are as wrong headed as them?
I do, however advise against asking for the bad if that's not what you want to hear. Because unless it's perfect there will be someone who answers your question honestly.

My prayer will be that you (all who read this) are able to rejoice and give thanks to God for all that He's done for us, is doing for us, and will do for us. And that he may open his word to us and pour out his spirit and blessings upon us to the fullness of his desire. In Jesus' name. :)

Love in Jesus,
Kelby
 

Blik

Senior Member
Dec 6, 2016
7,312
2,424
113
I

The question on my mind is "Did the people who decided to establish Dec 25th as Christmas choose this out of their own heart?" because I've never heard any claim that God told them to do it.

Also I don't see a biblical precedent for taking over other religions' holidays to push out bad traditions.
It was chosen to correspond to the winter solstice.
 
B

Blackpowderduelist

Guest
YES! Anytime. Any issue. Whenever you find yourself in agreement with anti-christians, you REALLY need to stop and re-evaluate.
Right, are we so spiritually discerned that we agree with pagans who both claim Christmas and reject it and demand that we stop saying the word? Buffeted by every wind and doctrine is what that is.
 
Nov 15, 2020
1,897
362
83
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Well I bet Jesus didn't tell you to join this forum either, yet here you are.

The angels sent by God to announce the birth of His Son and the great celebration of their singing and rejoicing indicates that Jesus birth is a very joyous occasion and indeed, hope for the whole earth. It is bizarre that you cannot see this. The irony is you ignoring the fact of rejoicing in Jesus birth and preferring to make a long face and suck on lemons instead.

This, is the hallmark of religious deception and contrary to scripture. God says rejoice and you say bah humbug.
Too bad for you that I am here 😛😆