What is the importance of Christmas and is there much of a point in celebrating it?
*I am not asking because I don't, i just want to know because of the many stories I've heard of many in history refusing to celebrate it.*
Hello,
Glad you brought it up. We do not celebrate it, it is not Scriptural and is too closely connected to the Roman Catholic Church and Paganism.
Santa is detestable to me, along with the sentimentalization that goes with that worldly holiday.
Here's hoping someone who is more articulate than myself will speak forth on the subject. I have researched it and read some very clarifying pieces.
Kind regards,
white stone
So, what does it have to do with Roman Catholicism?
ps. Santa is also detestable to me; an omniscient being other than Him? yea...
Thank you for your reply.
"The word Christmas comes from "Cristes Maesse", an early English phrase that means "Mass of Christ."" (World Book Encyclopedia)
"On Dec. 25, 274, Aurelian had proclaimed the sun-god principal patron of the empire and dedicated a temple to him in the Campus Martius. Christmas originated at a time when the cult of the sun was particularly strong in Rome." (New Catholic Encyclopedia)
The "Mass" in Roman Catholicism is 'the supreme act of worship'. "In the Christian law, the supreme sacrifice is that of the Mass...The supreme act of worship consists essentially in an offering of a worthy victim to God, the offering made by a proper person, as a priest, the destruction of the victim." (Catholic Encyclopedia)
"The myth of Mithra formed the origin of the cult of Mithraism, which flourished in the Roman Empire and was for a time the chief rival of Christianity.... One of be most well known festivals of ancient Rome was the saturnalia, a winter festival celebrated from December 17-24. Because it was a time of wild merry making and domestic celebra6ons, businesses, schools, and law Courts were closed so that the public could feast, dance, gamble, and generally enjoy itself to the fullest. December 25, the birthday of Mithra, the Iranian god of light and the contract and the day devoted to the invincible sun, as well as the day after the Saturnalia, was adopted by the church as Christmas, the nativity of Christ, to counteract the effects of these festivals." (Encyclopedia Britannica)
Elves,mistletoe,ivy,yule are all associated with the occultic practices of the Nordic and Druid pagans. The pagan winter equinox festival of Saturnalia, characterized by merriment, evergreen trees, and exchanges of gifts, were all incorporated into the Christ-Mass celebration of Roman Catholicism.
This Mass-acre of Christ on the altars of Rome and around the world by their priests is where this abomination began to be adopted by the professing church and those religious men plagued by so many superstitious practices.
And so this ceremony of the marriage of paganism with Romanism has borne its bad fruit to this present day among so many.
Sadly, many of God's own have fallen for this lie that God is neutral insofar as their participation in heathen holi-days.
As the world demands, "I want my MTV", so others who ought to know better demand, "I want my christmas".
Just another commonality between the world and the professing church not being discerned in the Light of His Holiness which we are also called to.
2 Cor. 6:14-18 And be ye not yoke-fellows with them that believe not: for what fellowship hath righteousness with iniquity? or what communion hath light with darkness? or what concord hath the Messiah with Satan? or what part hath a believer with an unbeliever? or what agreement hath the temple of God with that of demons? For ye are the temple of the living God; as it is said, I will dwell among them, and walk among them, and will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore, come ye out from among them, and be ye separate from them, saith the Lord; and come not near the unclean thing, and I will receive you; and will be to you a Father, and ye shall be sons and daughters to me, saith the Lord Almighty.
"On a high and lofty mountain you have set your bed, and there you went up to offer sacrifice.
Behind the door and the doorpost you have set up your memorial; for, deserting me, you have uncovered your bed, you have gone up to it, you have made it wide; and you have made a covenant for yourself with them, you have loved their bed, you have looked on nakedness." (Isa. 57:7-8)
One commentator writes,
Superstitious persons commit fornication with their idols, because, by forsaking the simplicity of the word, they violate the bond of that holy marriage into which God has entered with them, and prostitute themselves to Satan. But now Isaiah intended to express something more; for, when he says that they set up their bed on a lofty place, he means that they are not at all ashamed of their shameful conduct. As a harlot, who has lost all shame, dreads not the sight of men, and cares not about her reputation, so they openly and shamefully committed fornication in a lofty and conspicuous place. He compares altars and groves to “beds” on which that accursed crime is committed, and he compares men who sacrifice on them to impudent and abandoned harlots...They imagined, indeed, that in doing so they were rendering obedience to God; but the Lord rejects all that men contrive according to their own pleasure, and abhors that licentiousness."
If you are new to SermonIndex this has become something of annual rite of it's own ...
That is, that a whole range of opinion is expressed and too often it is that which constitutes strife.
This is a somewhat older post with what was up to that point current. If you do a search of this site you will find a great deal more.
For what it's worth, many of us here recognize the correlations, understand the issues and still choose to celebrate this special time of the year. For many it is very fond memories of childhood and love of family, for others it is that very lack. Others are convinced of the origins and any observance whatsoever is _______.
There is really no getting around the fact that it means completely different things to different people, even many of the men of God who are appealed to on this site, long since gone from this earth celebrated Christmas, recognized the errors and extravagances but either had a fondness of - or at least a tolerance of those who differed.
I anticipated this and have given some thought to it as usual. One of the things that jumped up in my thoughts in this anticipation was the focus on [i]Pagan
Trust that we have heard every conceivable argument and then some, weighed every practical concern, understood the Catholic Church history ad nasuem
I am midstream reading a very good article from Lampert Dolphin talking about the times we are living in and with out saying so much in the same words, the very destruction of the family in our time. Here is bit;
[i]Sex, Marriage, Family
Back in the '40s divorce in America was very rare�about 8% as I recall. Now it is 50% even among Christians (http://www.divorcereform.org/rates.html). As a boy I took it for granted that one simply did not divorce for any reason, even if one had to live with a difficult marriage. Parents had to stick it out for the duration, if only for the well-being of the kids. I remember when divorced men were shunned by prospective employers!�
Marriage vows are covenants (solemn promises by the parties involved), and God takes covenants very seriously. Where would we be, or instance, if Jesus Christ annulled his marriage plans with us, His church�for good cause?�
But ours is no longer a covenant keeping society. We have been unfaithful in our vows to God and so we also do not keep our promises and commitments. �
One of the rationalizations for easy divorce in recent decades has been the claim that our children would be better off if their unhappy parents parted company. Now, however, it's clear that divorce is very damaging, and permanently so, to children of any age.�
No one us has a God-given right to pursue his or her personal dreams and ambitions at the expense of home and family. But our life-style norms in this country are now quite the opposite of what God asks of us. The model Jesus gave us is one of integrity and faithfulness in all we do, of self-giving love, dying to our own selfishness, and sacrificially giving ourselves to the well-being of others.�
Consequences? Countless men and women in the younger generation are growing up now with no positive examples of a good marriage for them to imitate. (Most animals throw their offspring out of the nest a short season after birth, but human boys and girls need nearly two decades of nurturing and training). Children need role models of how a man or a woman is supposed to live in a world under God. Functioning parents and quality family life forms the fabric of society.
In the '40s sexual immorality was very rare, gays were still in the closet. Adultery was scandalous, sex before marriage was unthinkable. Now? Starting in Middle School, children are taught that they need to find their own personal sexual preferences. They should begin to be exploring their sexuality as soon as possible, says the teacher. Sexually abstinent virgins of either sex are now ridiculed as weird and dysfunctional--from junior high school and up.
A slick magazine from Stanford, which came to me this summer, contained an article by one of the deans at the University who noted that Stanford students were cohabitating regularly. She said that "hook ups" were now common on campus. I had to ask someone. Hook Ups, I learned, are brief sexual encounters arranged on the spot--one-time-only sexual encounters with a partial stranger of either sex. Then I learned that there was now a whole new generation of younger homosexuals (aged 16-25) who find it emotionally "safer" and easier to go for same sex partnerships rather than trying for a more demanding marriage relationship, especially when there is not much support coming from parents on both sides. �
Without good role models for manhood and womanhood, and with generally poor models of what marriage is suppose to look like, living temporarily with a girl friend (or a boyfriend) seems the best way to live for many in the younger set today. Like marriage, "the church" is also widely believed to be an archaic, irrelevant institution having nothing important to say to the next generation.
I think we have far more serious problems facing us and if Christmas is that which means drawing a family together in spite of, in contradiction to where society is heading - If it is [i]at the least
If you are one who has strong convictions otherwise, it is understood. I just do not know that there is much necessity in trying to convince anyone else here, I would not attempt the conversion either.
[i]Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
It was November 26th, two years ago, that the Lord got a hold of me. I remember, that first Christmas, being horrified by the holiday and the things that surrounded me.
The frazzled insanity of the people, the foolish and wicked music, the silly lights and the endless advertising.
Just the previous year, I had put up at least eight christmas trees and had decorated every window on three floors of my house - and just to top it all off, I had found a way to attach a large bright star to the peak of the roof by reaching out of the attic window. My house is on a hill and the star could be seen from a great distance. I also had a large collection of christmas music, as I had been adding to it for many years.
But suddenly, all of it made no sense - and had become an offense.
I tried listening to the music, but found myself skipping from one song to the next as the meaning behind the lyrics became clear. On the classic songs, the background music and noise drowned out the meaning of the words. By the third album I quit trying to find anything acceptable.
I tried to send out christmas cards, but could not even get past the thought of it.
Everywhere I looked there were lights - all of that effort, and for what? It was as if they were mocking God - I tried to look away, but couldn't, because they were everywhere.
I remember being very miserable because no one could figure out what was "wrong" with me - and I was at a loss as to how to explain it.
How do you tell others that they are mocking the very Person that they are supposedly celebrating?
EDIT: After reading the post by crsschk, I would like to state that each man must do as the Lord directs. What I have written is what He has put upon my heart. Last year I sent out cards that I made myself after praying for direction as to what they would contain. This year I plan to do the same.
2nd EDIT: After reading what MrBillPro said, I would also like to state that it was not another Christian making me feel guilty that changed my view on Christmas - it was the Lord - and He did not change my view - He changed my heart.
My best advise is just enjoy it as you feel lead and please don't let others influence you one way or the other. We enjoy it just as the many generations of my family have, we exchange gifts and have all the family over for food and fellowship, some watch football games and some set at the dining table and drink coffee and chat and the children either play games or go outdoors and have fun, this is what were going to do. We all also as we always do thank God for the many Blessings he has provided us and the Blessing of having us all still here for another Christmas together. I don't mean to sound harsh, but personally I really don't care how others feel about how we personally celebrate our family Christmas together and never have, but I also do respect others and the way they celebrate or don't celebrate. I have finally overcome one of the toughest things I have ever overcome in my life in the past few years, and that is not to let Christians or anyone else make me feel guilty about the way my family celebrates Holidays. Great lyrics to a song I heard once.
I wanna live, live and let live
I want all the love this life has to give
I wanna smile and be friendly with you
I wanna live and let you live some too
thank you all for your replies. I have read each of them carefully. I only made this thread to see what the Scriptures said about it, and after posting it I realized that I have never read anything about it. I'll pray about it and see what He will have me do.
Thank you all for your replies,
Toality
HeartSong, I use this holiday as you do, one to freely express the salvation of the Lord through homemade cards.
I have long been grieved by the christian embracing of a holiday that makes many despondant and suicidal. I buried my own brother on Christmas Eve. Something doesn't quite make sense if a supposedly godly holiday causes these sorts of reactions. Brother Paul West already stated that he and his wife don't look forward to this time of year because of the phone calls he receives.(he is a mortician)
I have not sternly walked away from all aspects of this holiday. I join my unsaved family and saved as well in whatever their convictions are. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
I just attempt to utilize the gospel of Jesus wherever and whenever the doors are open.
Hope this helps.
Brother Paul West already stated that he and his wife don't look forward to this time of year because of the phone calls he receives.(he is a mortician)
Whether we eat or drink or sing or celebrate Christmas or Easter we do all things to the Lord - and not to man - and we are not to judge the other's weaker or stronger conviction, for God is able to make both the weaker [i]and
Amen, Paul. Same to you Mike.
I love this time of the year...
ginnyrose
Paul,
I hope I didn't appear as "anti" Christmas in my comment. As I stated in my earlier post, I celebrate with both my saved and unsaved family and use the opportunities presented to share the gospel.
It is one of the few times of year where I can take the initiative and freely speak to many about Jesus.
I pray I did not sound judgemental concerning this issue.
I feel overall, for the unsaved, this holiday is almost always are great let down. It encourages increased debt, loneliness to those who have no family, and a false sense of everything being fine in the world.
Lord bless, Kathleen
Kathleen,
My heart goes out to you, just had a very close call little over a week ago with a relative ...
What is the importance of Christmas and is there much of a point in celebrating it?
Wanted to come back to the original question, the [i]importance
I guess the older you get the more your reflections draw back - back to seemingly better times. For myself there is some very deep marrow to draw from. It is likely contained in any number of posts but my parents, my upbringing as a "Catholic" ... I am thankful for it. Mode and manner, all the things realized now, it's really just pressing beyond that to those things instilled, 'caught rather than taught'. One of those is just a very simple, innocent thing - It's rather strange how it has stuck all these long years and as a contrast to today, something that would have the lawsuits flying, the ACLU calling ...
Came across this interesting piece, strange that it is also from my local paper -
If you read this with an eye towards the little things, it is telling. It is telling in more ways than we might even care to acknowledge. [i]Why[i]the story
What of the difference - today and yet that which still grips children ...
With all the preface here, what I wanted to share was from one of my great heroes of the faith;
Linus.
[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKk9rv2hUfA]Charlie Brown Christmas
I pray I did not sound judgemental concerning this issue.
I feel overall, for the unsaved, this holiday is almost always are great let down. It encourages increased debt, loneliness to those who have no family, and a false sense of everything being fine in the world.
If you chose to celebrate the season, that is wonderful; if not, it is still wonderful. Either way, I realize that I too am a servant of God and I have no inclination to stumble the convictions of this holiday between another servant and the Lord on account of my own beliefs. Let everything be done through a clear conscience and faith, this is what is important to God, for whatever is not of faith is sin.
Thanks dear saints for your responses. Whatever this season brings our way, or how we view it, I pray we all have opportunites to give an answer to every man of the reason of hope that is within us.
Kathleen
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Dear saints, I thought I would share this tract by Keith Green that I read years ago and never forgot. He is able to get the point across clearly, and without swerving and stumbling off the side of the road into a wreck.
"I'll never forget the incredible joy and expectation of Christmas. Our house smelled like a Douglas fir. The tinsel and ornaments sparkled in the colored lights. Friends and relatives came to visit... all with smiles and laughter... and all with presents!! The season was full of life, warmth, and giving. They are the very best memories of my childhood. The air outside was cold and crisp. And inside, always the smell of something baking. If anyone asked me to describe "joy" in one word, it would have been Christmas.
I remember taking a drive to an area of town where a whole street prided itself on their Christmas displays and lights. The whole neighborhood spent thousands of dollars to light up their front lawns with scenes of snow, Santas, reindeer, and mangers. I always used to wonder what the manger had to do with Santa, candy canes, and jingle bells, but it didn't bother me enough to ask.
When I was about 10 or 11, I noticed the word "Xmas." I wondered what the "X" was for. I concluded it meant "criss," as in "crisscross." It never even entered my mind that it replaced "Christ"! Yes, there were school Christmas plays and other things that talked about the birth of Jesus having something to do with Christmas, but it never really was the main emphasis in my young mind. I only wished that it would be Christmas all year, and Jesus had nothing to do with it! But when I was 21, I met Jesus, and since then it has been Christmas all year... and Jesus has had everything to do with it!
[b]The Origin Of Christmas
In the third century A.D., a wonderful thing happened. Constantine, the Roman emperor, became a Christian. For almost 300 years the Christians had been praying for their emperor's salvation. Nobody believed it was true! But then came the royal decree... Christianity was made the religion of the state. Everyone was strongly urged to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and only deity. At the risk of seeming uncooperative (and believing that it would be safest politically and sociaially), almost everyone in the empire made "professions of faith" in the new religion. This, of course, delighted Constantine.
After a while there arose a great problem. What were they to do with all their other gods? And what about all the great feasts and celebrations, especially the winter solstice and the spring equinox? Before Constantine's conversion, the whole empire would lustily celebrate these festivals to their gods and goddesses. What would they do now? Constantine knew that, although almost everyone had outwardly confessed Christianity, they were in no way prepared to give up their cherished celebrations. What he had on his hands was a kingdom full of "unconverted converts"!
As the restlessness and dissatisfaction of his people grew, the emperor knew something had to be done. So, in desperation, he declared two major "religious" holidays. They would correspond exactly to the times of the old great celebrations. He declared December 25 (for centuries celebrated as Saturnalia, the birthday of the sun) as the celebration of the birthday of Christ. (Although historians say that Jesus was probably born sometime in October.) A great mass or religious service would be held in honor of Jesus' birth on that day (hence, Christ-mas). He also declared the old holiday of the spring equinox to be the celebration of Christ's resurrection. (The old emphasis of the festival was the worship of the goddess of fertility-which is where we get the Easter Bunny.) The grumbling masses were thus quieted when they realized that they could once again celebrate their great holidays. Oh yes, the festivals might be called something different, and they might have to go to some "religious ceremonies," but for the most part, things could get back to normal, and their old festivities could again be heartily resumed.
[b]St. Nick
The history of the man Nicholas (who was later made a saint by the Roman Church) is vague and sketchy. But one thing stands out about his character - he loved the poor and needy, and at every Christmas he used to give gifts to the widows and orphans. He was loved by all, especially children. This is how the tradition and practice of gift-giving was started. The folklore fantasy called Santa Claus grew over the centuries and now is the central image of a secular Christmas, where an average of over $150 each is spent on gifts for every man, woman, and child in the United States alone!
[b]The True Meaning Of Christmas
I've heard a lot of talk (especially by Christians) about the true meaning of Christmas. I've seen Christians go in for all the trappings and trimmings. They spend hours, even days, in department stores trying to figure out what to buy for friends and relatives who already have everything they need ... sitting around the tree and watching nervously while someone opens up the present you got them, as they try to look surprised and squeal with delight... parents teaching their young what they call "a harmless fairy tale" - the story of Santa and how "he's gonna bring you lots of presents, so you better be good." And all the while, a world full of starving, deprived people are silently, invisibly looking in through your living room window begging for a scrap of food, a rag to keep them from shivering to death, and an answer to their misery, suffering, and oppression.
When we consider all the money spent by all of us, during a season that's reatest meaning is the Father giving us His only Son to come live and die for us, we must cry out against the injustice of an American, Christian people, who have so much and do so little. The true meaning of this season should be to give ourselves to the work of spreading the Gospel. Proclaiming freedom to the captives! Giving them bread to eat, then pointing them to the Bread of Life, to fill their hungry souls.
[b]Some Suggetsions
As a part of your Christmas celebration this year, we suggest taking your children to a ghetto, to a hospital, to an orphanage, to an old-age home. Teach them the meaning of giving. Teach them it is foolish for us to spend money on things we don't need, and on things that others don't need. Let them spread joy to those who are miserable! Let them give a smile to an old woman's face, whose own children have forgotten and abandoned her in a convalescent hospital. Let them empty their piggy banks and send the money to missions and the poor. Let there be giving! Costly giving! Let us give our Lord Jesus the whole world for His birthday! The world and the Lord await our response..."
- Keith Green
"One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. " (Romans 14:5-6)
If you can celebrate it to the glory of the Lord, then do so. If you can't, don't celebrate Christmas.
But when I was 21, I met Jesus, and since then it has been Christmas all year... and Jesus has had everything to do with it! - Keith Green
[color=0066FF]What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. [/color] Phil 1:18
Glad you brought it up. We do not celebrate it, it is not Scriptural and is too closely connected to the Roman Catholic Church and Paganism.
This isn't only addressed to White Stone, but to all of those who don't celebrate Christmas because of it's origins.
I have a question then, if you're not going to celebrate Christmas because of the pagan origins, do you wear a wedding ring, call the days of the week by their common names, etc? The wedding ring and names of the days have pagan origins.
The Quakers wouldn't call the days by the common names becuase of their connections with different gods. They would call them 1st day, 2nd day, etc.
I don't really care if someone does or doesn't celebrate Christmas, but I think to be totally consistant we need to consider these questions.
This discussion is locked.
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