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Life in Christ is all about Christ in us and us in Christ because of what He did on the cross and through His resurrection. I will claim no institution of man, religious or otherwise.   source

Taking Christ out of Christmas?

Posted December 10, 2011 - 11:40am

While many people have made a big stink over the world's attempts to take Christ out of Christmas, I have to wonder if Christ was ever in Christmas in the first place. No, no, I'm not denying the story of the birth of Jesus, as told in the Bible, nor am I ignoring that many seek to honor him in the celebration. I'm okay with that. However, considering the history behind the holiday we now know as Christmas, it could just as easily be argued that religion has inserted Christ into the many different pagan celebrations that occurred around the winter solstice. After all, Christmas as a Christian holiday didn't even come into existence until hundreds of years after Jesus Christ was born. History shows that believers living during those early years didn't celebrate his birth, but rather his death and resurrection. Yeah, it took the decision of a religious institution to incorporate a celebration of the birth of Christ into the religious calendar. Like I say, I'm fine with the festive spirit of the holiday season, and I respect those who use the day to celebrate the one who came to bring new life through his death and resurrection, but I'm not going to get all high and mighty by demanding that the world needs to respect someone it does not accept.

Comments

Re: Taking Christ out of Christmas?

by Visitor - Dec 21 2011 - 7:39pm

When was Christ ever IN Christmas? Ancient pagan holiday, neo-fied with omnipotent red-suited gift giver......flying around with those elves and horned creatures.....and the Yule Tree symbol of firey rebirth..uhhhhh...rings a bell, if you get my drift, and it ain't no Salvation Army tone I'm hearing.

Winter equinox, non-Biblical feast, along with Macy's make this holy day a heart-ache to most and the only god I hear of is the mocking "In God We Trust" emblazened on the dollars spent....as the battle for the buck sucks in families who just want to please.

Merry?, or Holy ?......not usually. Expensive, taxing, lonely, pressure filled, and WHY?...are expressions I usually hear.

Re: Taking Christ out of Christmas?

by theshovel - Dec 21 2011 - 10:44pm

It is quite insane, isn't it?

Jim

Re: Taking Christ out of Christmas?

by Visitor - Dec 23 2011 - 6:52pm

To the pure, all things are pure. There are some plus-es in the yule tide mix. It affords some an opportunity to give....and, not that it makes you are breaks you, but I don't think you can really be a believer in the Risen one without an element of this character in your life..."God gave His only begotten "Son"...as of course Abraham did also. Give and it shall be given unto you....kind of thing, and let us not remember the recipient of the singular Talent, and what his justice was ...when he refused to give. [ burying that mercy talent..]

We can only get mercy, when we give it, and the refusal to do so, will not be pardoned. Christmas of course is the primary vehicle for some to do so, but in the form of family love mainly. Not counting Hanukkah, the Jews of old had at least four rockin' holidays:

1. Rosh Hashanah/Yom Kippur--the new year related holidays

2. Sukkot--harvest celebration...[ Tabernacles ]

3. Shavuot--celebration of the giving of the Torah

4. Passover--celebration of the blood driven victory over Egypt and God's mercy on the Israeli's

Yes, there was the holiness factor...but there was also the joy factor, and they came up by families...and they were all heavily inter-connected. This produced a social confidence within, as it is even witnessed today, and these were of course God instituted celebrations. These often lasted several days...such as Tabernacles. Though some holy celebrations were mixed with somber reflections and introspection, they still got off work..and two of those, all the males had to travel....and their was a feast, sooner or later...[ as is today..]

Christmas and New Years is the only major feast-celebration that America has of any real length. It is not holy, but secular...but as most of us here...I fondly remember the amazing anticipation as I slept, an awakening to begin the raid on a well stacked , brightly lit tree...Santa had come and dad smiled slightly as he saw us rippin' and a tearin' the reindeer wrap in pieces. It was about the only time I saw my dad smile...and still relate to me. Inside of him was something he could rouse up in giving, and it took Christmas to draw it out of him. Now and then, this also happens in families, and this is good for the kids, anyway...at least for those who are not desperately poor.

This, I passed on to my children, and them to theirs, as it is today. I leave in 48 hours with my sack stuffed with bounty for all of them...but...it is a season to give. Is this evil? I say no....it is cultural in my book, and the only feast day I got to enjoy my tribe, and all I want to do, as a "Paw-Paw" is give. I don't see it as Christmas..I see it as Festivus! "For the rest of us!" In this sense, I am secular. I do not pretend that Jesus has anything to do with it, and this sets me free. I just enjoy giving, and relating to my children like a good daddy.

That's fun, in my book, and, in all sobriety, to quote the spirit of an old Tina Turner song; "What's love got to do with it?"..[ Christmas ].nuttin. What's Jesus got to do with it? Just another day He gets misquoted. He just want's me to walk in love, and to be a good son to Him, and to be a good brother to His family, and a good Daddy too.....but this is one of the only times I can, with those of my blood, while mixing a holiday feast in it.....Merry Festivus! ..[ Santas laughing..]...I am free.......!

All for Jesus no matter the Cost.......

.

Re: Taking Christ out of Christmas?

by Visitor - Dec 24 2011 - 9:33pm

I'm not a big holiday kind of guy, so the unscriptural christmas that smacks of Rome is not for me. I don't need 1 day a year to remember and focus on the Incarnation of God, the Messiah Jesus being born in humble Bethlehem.

Yet isn't it strange how people will react when you tell them you don't celebrate christmas? They begin to question if you are Christian (which to a believer is questioning the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, to most however, sad as it is, in America it is just a sociological culture title) in the first place or if you're in some sort of weird cult or perhaps just a bitter person. It really is insane, this is exactly what Paul was talking about. People running around insanely, spending absurd amounts of money on useless trinkets, trees and ornaments, binding themselves with commandments that come from...men. Isn't the eucharist enough to remember the Incarnation, the salvation of Man and the overwhelming love of God who was crucified for our sins? Well, enough congregations have thrown it out. It's all weird.

Cal

Grace in the midst of Christmas?

by theshovel - Dec 25 2011 - 12:11pm

And now grace enters the picture ...

  • Will those who understand that no such day is prescribed or needed — since every day is for him, of him, and to him — will they allow grace for those who honor one day above another?

  • Will those who honor the day as being for him, of him, and to him — will they refuse to judge those who do not set it aside as special?

Herein is real grace and life!! :)

Jim