Of those who acknowledge Christmas is not a true holiday, do you still celebrate it, or have you chosen to ignore it?How many of you do more than acknowledge that Christmas is a false holiday?
I no longer celebrate it, but I don't go around telling people they should stop. Most people want to question me first and because they ask I will show them the evidence. I don't understand how people attack those who don't celebrate it when we don't force it on them not too. People can be ignorantHow many of you do more than acknowledge that Christmas is a false holiday?
Just a pity neither your question nor the answer are based on the true historical facts but on anti-Catholic propaganda.
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I am guessing your either a JW or a belief like the world tomorrow group. Now my question to you is by proclaiming your question does it make you feel better or are you just hoping to make others who celebrate Christmas feel guilty.Like others have already said we all know it is not Christ date of Birth and at the time of his coming birthdays were not celebrated so days of Birth were not important. So if you were born at that time they would have said you were born say for example during the reign of Pilate's first year. Historically the Church chose the solstice as the day to Celebrate Christ Birth and it had a very positive effect on converting Pagans. You can nit pick all you want and feel as self righteous as you like and have your normal day but i'll try and thank GOD for his Gift to us and try to make as many less fortunate as happy as i can including my family.
Your ';real truth'; is a bit off. Others have covered the reasons why quite well, and there's no need for me to repeat them.
Way to be a wet blanket, though. Tell you what: You go right ahead and have your own non-celebration, and enjoy that smug feeling of superiority.
By the way, the phrase ';More and more people are discovering ...'; is usually meaningless self-serving generalization unless it's backed up with more than just anecdotal hearsay. Infomercials use it quite a lot.
More and more people are being misled by the misinformation around on the internet.
Using the 25th December for Christmas was decided by Christians in Rome in the late 3rd century before it was tolerated by Constantine. There was no traditional Roman festival on this date, though the Emperor did start one, also late in the 3rd century. No-one knows which came first.
There are a number of possible reasons for this date. Most of them concern jewish traditions - many Christians at this time were originally Jewish or from a Jewish background.
Given the vast number of Roman festivals (a handful each month) it was impossible for a new Christian festival not to be at least near an existing pagan one. There is absolutely no historical evidence that the reason for choosing the date was anything to do with competing with pagan festivities. Especially as they avoided the major pagan festival of the time - Saturnalia.
As an aside, none of our specifically Christmas customs can be traced back to any pagan source, Santa - Christian, Christmas tree - Christian, Carols - Christian.
As an inheritor of puritan anti-catholicism, you are, of course, free to do or not do as you like. Anyone with a keen sense of history will enjoy celebrating the feast fo Our Lord as instigated by the persecuted Christians of Rome.
It's true that Christmas Day originally was celebrated to compete against all of the other religious celebrations of the day, but you're right, most people don't know this. However, today in America people who celebrate Christmas usually celebrate it for one of two reasons. First, there are the people who just enjoy the time of year. Santa Claus, Christmas cookies, toys, and just the basic ';peace on earth'; and all of that. Then there are people like myself, who enjoy all of the things I just mentioned but mainly want to celebrate the birth of Christ. Though we know He was not born on this exact day or even this time of year, it's a time for us to worship Him for coming down to earth. Think about it- Jesus, a holy God, chose to come down from heaven to a wicked and sin-filled earth, and only to die for us so that He might rise again in order to save us! How awesome is that?! So, even though this is not the original interpretation of Christmas, this is what it has come to mean to me as well as countless others today.
I celebrate it out of joy and thanksgiving for Jesus Christ and the opportunity to share the event with family, church and friends. Regardless of the day Jesus was born I am thankful for the Roman Catholics (though I am not Catholic) for carving out a celebretory day during a cold, dim and rather ungoldly time of the year (at that time and place anyway) to be a day of joy at the hope we have in Christ. I see so much meaning and symbolism there and am very glad to celebrate it! I also find Christmas hymns are rich with worship and meaning and even many of the secular traditions of giving and receieving can be incorporated into the meaning of Christmas.
Furthermore, my faith in Jesus gives me the freedom to celebrate certain holidays without guilt or fear of judgement. As a matter of fact, in the Old Testiment, God even marked certain days for celebration and feasting so that His people would have days of rememberance, sharing and joy! When I celebrate Christmas, I celebrate it joyfully. I do know the history of Yuletide, and I find it a rather sickening part of history that is what it is, history! That in itself I can be joyful about!
Why is it a false holiday? Is it because Jesus wasn't really born on December 25th that bothers you?
I think it makes good sense to have a competing holiday. As the pagans began to convert to Christianity, they were highly likely to keep Christian holy days and pagan celebrations. Not a good idea. So, the Church gave them a way to have a celebration at the time they were used to, and yet keep it completely Christian. Very logical.
We don't know when Christ was born. Pagans, Romans or anyone else can't ';own'; a day of the year. Anyone can celebrate anything on any day of the year.
I used to live near an old woman who was born in the late 1800's. She was the daughter of sharecroppers and no one had recorded her birth date. So, when she grew up, she picked a day and celebrated her birthday. She had a birthday celebration once a year, on a day of her choosing...just because it wasn't the actual day, it didn't detract from the celebration at all.
What is false about Christmas? It is when Christians celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. I could not care any less about Pagan holidays or if they have any similarity to Christian holidays. It just makes no difference. They can celebrate any way they want or any time. I just want a day to give thanks and praise to my Lord for His salvific work done for me and all humanity. Now, Christmas is not a true holiday for non-Christians and Pagans but that is none of my business because for me and my household we will worship and honor my Lord and Savior. God bless!
In Christ
Fr. Joseph
For christians every day should be Christmas..Actually most of them know that Dec25th is not the exact day that Jesus was born..But just to make it special a one day in a year maybe the Catholics chose that day..Im not against it..after all Christmas Season is all about giving and sharing the joy and happines with the near and dear..Y not celebrate it? in stead of analyzing and diggin deep into whether its a false holiday or not..If u beleive it,its false..if u dnt,u have the best christmas evr..happy christmas..God luvs u..May His light shine on u this christmas..:)
All holidays were thought up by someone somewhere to have reason to celebrate something so how is Christmas any different. It's no different than the winter celebrations that they are ';competing'; against. What's important is WHY we are celebrating and what we do to celebrate.
I don't understand your question.
1- there s nosuch thing as a non-catholic chrsitain
2- Jesus wwas born, he founded hi schurch the catholic church, he was crucified ied and was buied ans rose again from the dead -- these facts are well documentd
3- yes we did chose to celebrae his birthday to conicide with pagan traditions in order to overshadow them
Now which of these facts proves your assertion that chsritmas is a fasle holiday. Jesus was born and we celbrae his birth on Decemeber 25th.
Now whethter we celbrate Jesus's birth as we were hiding from offical roman persecution many of us literally underground below the city of rome in the catecombs is irrelevant. Eventully we converted the roman emperor constaine, and thus defeated teh rman empire as st' john predicted in the book of the apocolypse, and could therfore come above ground literally and figuratively.
But the Mass has not changed since jesus instituted it at the last supper. We celebrate it now jsut as wee did when we were hiding from the roman persecution. what is your point?
I disagree with you and I feel sorry for you, it's not a false holiday. We choose to celebrate the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day, you are really missing out on something special if you choose to ignore it
I celebrate the solstice. It just happens to coincide with the holiday that gets me days off work.
I ignore it, but not for any of the reasons you gave.
Celebrating the Birth of Jesus is No False Holiday. You are sadly misled.
And the angel said to them, ';Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord';. . . . And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, ';Glory to God in the highest, and on the earth peace among men with whom he is pleased.'; (Luke 2:10,11,13,14)
';the star which they had seen in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the child was'; (Matthew 2:9). The position of a fixed star in the heavens varies at most one degree each day. No fixed star could have so moved before the Magi as to lead them to Bethlehem; neither fixed star nor comet could have disappeared, and reappeared, and stood still. Only a miraculous phenomenon could have been the Star of Bethlehem. it was like the miraculous pillar of fire which stood in the camp by night during Israel's Exodus (Exodus 13:21), or to the ';brightness of God'; which shone round about the shepherds (Luke 2:9), or to ';the light from heaven'; which shone around about the stricken Saul (Acts 9:3).
Worshiping Christ is proper according to the NT. Not only did the angels worship him (Heb. 1:6), but so are all creatures to worship him both in heaven and earth (Rev. 5:13,14). Furthermore, we are to give him equal honor with the Father (John 5:23). To worship Christ on any day is proper, including December 25th.
Remember the Reason for the Season and Celebrate the Lord our God.
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