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About Christmas.
- Thread starter Meeka_S
- Start date
Sure, I don't see why not. I've known people of various religions who celebrate it. Even back when my mother was an atheist, we celebrated it and my stepfather was a Zen Buddhist in those days.
Xmas is an atheist holiday, but we'll share it with anyone who wants.
The jury is still out on Christmas, we haven't decided if it's a Christian holiday, a Pagan holiday, or a secular holiday or all three or none of the above.
Oh, it's an atheist holiday. That's how it's been in my family for generations.The jury is still out on Christmas, we haven't decided if it's a Christian holiday, a Pagan holiday, or a secular holiday or all three or none of the above.
I'm surprised that religious folk have adopted it too, & even added their own mythology.
Then you're correct, it's an atheist holiday in your case. In that case, it is a Christian holiday for me and an atheist one to my son, David. Dave informed me, however, that he doesn't want to celebrate it this year and didn't even change his mind when I informed him that it wasn't necessarily a religious holiday (The kid's got a hard head, like his mom).
Next thing ya know, they'll be telling me that Easter & Paczki Day aren't just for us heathens!Then you're correct, it's an atheist holiday in your case. In that case, it is a Christian holiday for me and an atheist one to my son, David. Dave informed me, however, that he doesn't want to celebrate it this year and didn't even change his mind when I informed him that it wasn't necessarily a religious holiday (The kid's got a hard head, like his mom).
But I'll admit that we did borrow Halloween from the Xians.
Cephus
Relentlessly Rational
Christmas is a purely secular holiday for the overwhelming majority of people, it's a cultural thing, not a religious thing. Most people have Christmas trees, presents, Santa Claus, wreaths, carols and the like, none of which are Christian symbology. There are very few people who eschew all of that and only celebrate it religiously.
NobodyYouKnow
Misanthropist
I apologise in advance if I offend Christians, it is unintentional -
Christmas is a Pagan holiday called Yule or Yuletide to celebrate the hunting season and it's associated with the Germanic God, Odin.
During Christian reformation and the attempt to wipe out all Pagan ceremonies, Yule and Eostre (a sacred fertility rite) suffered and became 'Christianized'. The Christians just adopted it.
So, I can see nothing wrong with a Buddhist celebrating Christmas. It's more of a tradition and a chance to spend time with friends and relatives than anything else.
It's also only one day of the year and even if you have concerns about it, you can still be a Buddhist the other 364 days - so I wouldn't worry about it.
I celebrate Christmas and I am a Wiccan Hindu (yeah, working on that). lol
Christmas is a Pagan holiday called Yule or Yuletide to celebrate the hunting season and it's associated with the Germanic God, Odin.
During Christian reformation and the attempt to wipe out all Pagan ceremonies, Yule and Eostre (a sacred fertility rite) suffered and became 'Christianized'. The Christians just adopted it.
So, I can see nothing wrong with a Buddhist celebrating Christmas. It's more of a tradition and a chance to spend time with friends and relatives than anything else.
It's also only one day of the year and even if you have concerns about it, you can still be a Buddhist the other 364 days - so I wouldn't worry about it.
I celebrate Christmas and I am a Wiccan Hindu (yeah, working on that). lol
For the record, there is nothing offensive to Christians to what you said here. What you say is true.
Cephus
Relentlessly Rational
It started that way, that's certainly not what it is today. Holidays grow and evolve over time and there is nothing that can be identified with pagan beliefs in Christmas today.
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I have believed for 30 years that what we call Christmas actually started out as a Pagan holiday that was "Christianized" by making it into Jesus' birth. It was Christianized right down to the name, which I think was Yule (you can correct me if I'm wrong). It has become so secularized that anyone can celebrate- it is more of a tradition than a religious day, now. I and some others might use it as a Christian holiday but not everyone else who celebrates it has to do that.
Cephus
Relentlessly Rational
Christmas trees, yule log, presents, Santa Claus...
None of which are linked to paganism in modern celebrations. Santa Claus was an advertising character created by the Coca Cola company. Try again.
I just want to add some history to your post:
Christmas was carefully calculated based on the information the Bible gives. The Bible does not say the day Jesus was born, but John the Baptist's birth can be calculated based on his father's time of duty in the temple. The Bible indicates an amount of time after John was conceived that Mary conceived Jesus. This calculation leads to a late December birth.
Since the first century, the church has agreed Christ was born in late December. This is a full three centuries before the claim is made that Christian leaders proclaimed December 25th as the official celebration day, which may have been an intelligent strategy to override a pagan holiday.
As a Christian, I invite everyone to join in the celebration of the birth of our Messiah...whether you believe in Him or not. It's fun!
ImprobableBeing
Active Member
First of all, Oden is a God in Norse mythology, nothing to do with germanic pagans what so ever.
The holiday still has the tree, gift giving, wealth of food and the date from Jul or winter solstice celebrations while none of that has anything to do with the Chtristian religion.
Jesus birth according to the bible had to have been in early spring, not in mid winter
So basically, there is nothing what so ever about Christmas (or Jul as it's still called in Nordic nations) that relates to the Bible or the Christian faith other than what Christians relate it to be about which is fine, of course.
ImprobableBeing
Active Member
Well, shepherds in the fields watching over their herd at night in mid winter makes absolutely no sense what so ever.
Luke 2:7-8
7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
8 And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.
Then there is the problem with the census, it's claimed that Mary and Joseph came to Bethlehem to register in the Roman census, such censuses didn't take place in mid winter because the temperatures were often below freezing and the roads horrible to travel.
So if we are to believe the Bible, Jesus wasn't born in December 25'th.
kjw47
Well-Known Member
The saturnalia festival dec 25th--feasting,exchanging of gifts) = table of demons--turned into Jesus birthday celebration, along with other pagan additives of yule, tree,etc= table of demons--so by transforming into an angel of light( 2 cor 11:12-15) satan gets mortals to participate and take from the table of demons. but they fail to realize that Gods word clearly teaches-- one cannot partake of the table of God and the table of demons. so they live their lives not doing Gods will but being mislead down the broad and spacious path. now satan claus takes 98% of the celebration-Jesus 2%. Jesus specifically asked for his death to be remembered.
Back centuries ago when all this occurred, the greeks were refusing to go to a religion with only a single God, and they wanted their celebrations.