Question by Nick: How do Christians feel about… ?
How do christians feel about “christ”mas trees being a pagan image?
How do christians feels about the rabbit and egg imagery of easter being direct derivations of fertility rites in honor of the goddess Oestre?
How do christians feel about the yule log being a norse mythological symbol?
How do christians feel about the cross being a symbol borrowed from Greek, Egyptian and Indian faiths?
How do christians feel about our days of the week being named after pagan gods?
How do christians feel about the son of their chosen god’s “birthday” being celebrated on the date of Saturnalia, an ancient Roman pagan holiday, a date entirely unrelated to his actual birth?
“we still celebrate the real reason for Christmas.”
— you clearly don’t know what that is though.
Nothing to do with your lord and savior Jeebus, though. I can assure you of that.
Edit:
No. No, you clearly don’t.
3 Christian answers.
Typical.
Best answer:
Answer by slow_hand_78
to us, a tree is a tree. it isnt a symbol of anything. we use it for decoration at christmas. we still celebrate the real reason for Christmas.
EDIT: I have no idea why i celebrate a holiday? interesting. you are wrong, but interesting.
the fact is, i DO know what i celebrate.
Give your answer to this question below!
I’m fine with it. It’s not as if any of this is a secret. I grew up attending Christian schools, and somewhere in the very early grades, we learned about the pre-Christian origins of many Christian festivals and rites. I’m not afraid of cultural and spiritual influences outside my own religion.
I’m Christian. And I don’t feel anything about any of these you mentioned =) All religions have their influences, it’s just that it “seems” that Christianity has the most of them. Try searching a bit about others and you will notice they’re not so “pure” either.
CONSTANTINE THE RETARD WAS STUPID ENOUGH TO CONVERT THE PAGANS INTO STUPIDER CHRISTIANS, THEN HE WAS STUPID ENOUGH TO BUT JEEBUS’ BIRTHDAY ON DECEMBER 25TH.
Christians should worship their God with a pure heart not mixing their worship with pagan worship. All these traditions that are mentioned were not celebrated by the early Christians so why should we. Are we being blinded and lead away as slaves to man’s traditions?
Christmas is Christmas, Saturnalia is Saturnalia.
There’s nothing wrong with our days of the week being named after pagan gods. Just like what Praptorkian Evangelist 2 said, Constantine did not want to screw up the pagans’ holiday schedule so he declared Christmas on the same time of year as Saturnalia. The cross is a symbol that was borrowed but Christians use the cross as a symbol of Christianity because that’s what Christ was crucifed on.
Christmas trees being a pagan image? So… because someone used a fire once to symbolize light and life, no one else can use it from that point on right? Go talk to the Nazi’s about how often their symbol has been used if you really believe that. A symbol is defined by the people using it, not by how it’s been used in the past. Talk to the gays who wear a pink triangle if you think the people who use the symbol now matter less than how it was used in the past.
How do you feel about Oestre being made up? Sorry, but historians have found that Goddess to be… fake. Thank you Venerable Bede. See the two links provided. As for the symbols, again, symbols are defined by the people using them and how they’re using them, not who used them first.
The yule log… again… the symbol matters more in how it’s being USED, and who’s using it. Same with the cross, though the cross wasn’t “borrowed” by anyone, but the way Christ was killed, along with a LOT of other people.
Days of the week being named after pagan Gods… that’s history. 🙂 It doesn’t bother me to recognize that historically the calendar was made during a time when Christians were not the ones in power.
How do you feel about how many holidays happen on or around the Winter Solstice? The druids celebrated a holiday at that time, and when many of the early Saints became Christian (and stayed Druid as well since they saw no contention between the two religions) they continued those traditions, changing very little to be made into Christmas. I have no problem with celebrating the light of the world coming into the world at the darkest time of the year. If “pagan roots” should be enough to keep people from celebrating this time of year, when would you have them celebrate, since pagans had celebrations all year round… *laughs* Seems silly to say “this day belongs to THIS group!” Better go get after those Kwanzaa people…