Question by totalawarenessnow2: Since Dec 25 is actually a pagan (Saturnalia) ritual celebration day should Christmas be changed to april 1st?
Best answer:
Answer by Neil on wheels
no, that day is taken
What do you think? Answer below!
Question by totalawarenessnow2: Since Dec 25 is actually a pagan (Saturnalia) ritual celebration day should Christmas be changed to april 1st?
Best answer:
Answer by Neil on wheels
no, that day is taken
What do you think? Answer below!
LOL Um, no. Jesus’ birth was sometime in early fall instead. Maybe we should have a day in early fall instead.
Jesus never told us to celebrate His birth anyways. He did tell us to remember His death and resurrection, especially the resurrection. That is the cornerstone of our faith!
No, you should let people celebrate what ever the want regardless of the past.
Should we force Christians to see the Cross as tourer and death that it stood for originally?
also YOU ARE SO FUNNY! Extremely late April fools!
I don’t see what that’s necessary: either moving Christmas or your facetious sarcasm.
April 1 is “all fools day”. The Bible says ” the fool says in his heart there is no God”.
in Le France, they have a tradition known as “Poisson d’Avril” or “April Fish”
this is a popular Fishtian tradition where we bless one another by sticking fish on peoples backs
hence why we can’t allow Christians to steal April 1st from us
I really don’t care what day it is on as long as we have a day to Celebrate the birth of Christ.
Jesus was born and left mankind with more than good advice
It may have been in June and the winter might have been chosen because there was already a popular pagan festival in December.
Completely irrelevant. What matters is that Jesus was born. Jewish records refer to Jesus of Nazareth and did so even before Christ’s own followers had written about Him. Obviously these Jewish sages did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, but they refer to him quite clearly as the son of Mary, the alleged father being a man we know little about.
The writings of Josephus, a Jewish general who became a friend of the Romans, are vital for any understanding of the Jews in the first century.
While Christian enthusiasts probably edited his work, we know that the original text is explicit about Jesus having existed. The Roman historian Tacitus was not edited and he discusses the great fire in Rome, how Nero was thought responsible and how the emperor blamed the Christians, named after Christus, who was crucified by “one of our governors, Pontius Pilate.”
The Roman biographer Suetonius also refers to Jesus and a riot across the River Tiber by supporters and opponents of Christianity. Pliny the Younger, governor of Asia Minor, also speaks of Christ and Christians.
Then there is the Gospel evidence for Jesus, written by those who followed Jesus of course. But the more we learn about the Gospels the earlier we can place them and the more authentic they are shown to be.
New research and the latest discoveries tell us so very much. The Ryland Papyrus on the Nile includes parts of John’s Gospel.
Serious scholars now agree that the Gospels were completed well before AD 100. That is, while some who were present during Christ’s life still lived. No genuine biblical expert doubts that Jesus lived, that He claimed to be the Messiah and that many who knew Him believed that claim.
The idea that He was just a great moral teacher or that we can believe some but not all of what He taught is, frankly, absurd. He claimed to be the Son of God. If He wasn’t, He was lying or insane. Liars are not to be believed and madmen are not to be followed.
But should we believe? Consider the first generation of martyrs. People die for the wrong reasons, but they assume them to be the right reasons.
Yet men and women who knew Jesus, lived with Him, saw Him die and saw Him rise again. They then went to their deaths with a smile.
His followers were in chaos when they saw Jesus crucified. It was the resurrection, an event He had promised, which thrust them into belief and, frequently, a martyr’s death. There is no explanation for the documented martyrdom of those who knew Jesus other than that they knew, without doubt, that He was the Messiah and that He had been raised from the dead.
They were not few in number and they were not fools but instead intelligent, street-wise people. Among them were dockworkers, fisherman, former terrorists and prostitutes, collaborating bureaucrats and brilliant teachers. People like you, me and everyone.
So in a few days when the world tries to show its cleverness and stylish cynicism by ignoring Christmas or claiming that it’s all a sham, consider the facts and the arguments and the faith. Most of all, consider Jesus Christ. Really consider Jesus Christ.
perhaps if nonbelievers stated truth instead of lies just to try and make themselves look better they might get a little more respect from me. Christmas was NOT stolen from pagans. One should really do research and learn the truth before spewing out lies.
Did Christmas originate as a Pagan holiday? The surprising answer is that although it coincided with pagan festivals that were occurring at around the same time, Christmas itself did not originate from a pagan holiday. (In fact, the word “Christmas” comes from two other words meaning “Christ” and “Maesse” or “mass” which means “The Mass of the Christ.” It is so named because it is in reference to when the Catholic priest re-offers the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross).
There are stories of many cultures with celebrations ushering in the winter season. In the Roman Empire, Saturn (the god of sowing) was worshipped in a celebration called “Saturnalia.” This celebration marked the winter solstice and its date varied every year (but it usually occurred between December 17th and 23rd). Now the exact reasoning varies depending on what research you’ve done. Some sources say the church wanted to get rid of the Pagan worship but was having difficulty. Other sources say the Christians wanted to move their celebration of the Lord’s birth (which was already being celebrated in the springtime) to this time to provide a contrast for the Pagan worship. That is it would provide an alternative for Pagan worship as well as help protect Christians that were being wooed into these celebrations. (Similar to what many missionaries do today). Either way, what is agreed upon is that the Roman church wanted to adopt the holiday, they turned it into a celebration of the Lord’s birth, originally called it the “Feast of the Nativity” and it has been a part of western culture ever since.
No one knows for sure the actual birth of Christ which many believe it is in the spring. But. that is okay. It’s no different than throwing a belated birthday party for someone whom was out of town. It’s the meaning of the celebration that provides its value, not its accuracy on a calendar.
The eventual choice of December 25, made perhaps as early as 273, reflects a convergence of Origen’s concern about pagan gods and the church’s identification of God’s son with the celestial sun. December 25 already hosted two other related festivals: natalis solis invicti (the Roman “birth of the unconquered sun”), and the birthday of Mithras, the Iranian “Sun of Righteousness” whose worship was popular with Roman soldiers. The winter solstice, another celebration of the sun, fell just a few days earlier. Seeing that pagans were already exalting deities with some parallels to the true deity, church leaders decided to commandeer the date and introduce a new festival to encourage converts.
Western Christians first celebrated Christmas on December 25 in 336, after Emperor Constantine had declared Christianity the empire’s favored religion. Eastern churches, however, held on to January 6 as the date for Christ’s birth and his baptism. Most easterners eventually adopted December 25, celebrating Christ’s birth on the earlier date and his baptism on the latter, but the Armenian church celebrates his birth on January 6. Incidentally, the Western church does celebrate Epiphany on January 6, but as the arrival date of the Magi rather than as the date of Christ’s baptism.
Another wrinkle was added in the sixteenth century when Pope Gregory devised a new calendar, which was unevenly adopted. The Eastern Orthodox and some Protestants retained the Julian calendar, which meant they celebrated Christmas 13 days later than their Gregorian counterparts. Most—but not all—of the Christian world now agrees on the Gregorian calendar and the December 25 date.
The pagan origins of the Christmas date, as well as pagan origins for many Christmas customs (gift-giving and merrymaking from Roman Saturnalia; greenery, lights, and charity from the Roman New Year; Yule logs and various foods from Teutonic feasts), have always fueled arguments against the holiday. “It’s just paganism wrapped with a Christian bow,” naysayers argue. But while kowtowing to worldliness must always be a concern for Christians, the church has generally viewed efforts to reshape culture—including holidays—positively. As a theologian asserted in 320, “We hold this day holy, not like the pagans because of the birth of the sun, but because of him who made it.”
I know you are trying to be funny suggesting April Fools day but seriously there are a few minority of Christians who strictly follow the bible and speak where the bible speaks and stays silent where the bible is silent and these few refuse to celebrate Christmas not only because it was a pagan holiday but because the bible does not say to celebrate Jesus birth but his death. You don’t have to be a scholar to understand that in Jesus day Jews and later Christians did not celebrate birthdays at all. That was only pagans who did that. It was a pagan birthday celebration that was the cause for John the Baptist losing his head.
A few minority of Christians understand why many things practiced today in churches were not practiced in the first 3 centuries. These people are few and in the minority because the majority love celebrate birthdays and Christmas and do not think it is wrong. Many know the history but believe they are allowed by God to choose the days they want and there is some sciptural evidence for such belief. It can be debated many years with no 100 percent agreement.
No because Christmas is celebrated secularly by the non-christians. I still have a pagan celebration, no one can stop me from having my pagan celebration.
No,many ‘christians’ realize that Christ was not born on 12/25; but it is A day to celebrate Christ birth,not the anniversary of his birth.
Ugh. Not to mention that Christmas is often in the middle of Hanukkah? Why move Christmas for the pagans? Why not to avoid interference with this Jewish holiday?
Honestly, this pagan doesn’t really care and wishes that people would stop arguing about what days belong to what group. There’s no reason we all can’t have some “holiday spirit” and simply enjoy the season.
Is there really a problem with two different cultures/religions celebrating their respective holidays on the same day?
Some of my friends and family celebrating Christmas does not prevent me from celebrating Yule/Winter Solstice and vice versa – in fact, some of us combine our celebrations, meeting in the middle and honoring both out of respect for each other.
It is nothing to do with either Christianity or Islam but it does have it’s origins in the midwinter festival and many other basically pagan rites but since much of it is a celebration of nature rather than religion everyone should be able to enjoy it and be happy together despite religion!!
The ancient European pagans celebrated the midwinter festival and a number of other festivals long before Christianity ever existed!
Babylonians celebrated the feast of the Son of Isis with gluttonous eating and drinking, and gift giving and the goddess of fertility, love, and war.
The Romans held a festival on 25 December called “Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, celebrating their own god Sol Invictas – PAGAN.
The Persian god Mithras, the Syrian sun god Elah Gabal, the German Sol, the Greek Helios and the Mesopotamian Shamash. But also Saturnalia, honouring Saturn, the God of Agriculture. The law courts and schools were closed. No public business could be transacted an this is where the holidays originated – ALL PAGAN!!!
Wax tapers were given by the more humble to their superiors. The origin of the Christmas candle – PAGAN!!
In Rome groups of costumed went from house to house entertaining their people. And this was where the carolling Christmas tradition originated PAGAN!!
Statues of the Mother and lover or Mother and son were paraded through the streets not only in Italy but also in Africa, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany and Bulgaria. Thus, the symbolism of the Heavenly Virgin and the infant child paraded on a yearly basis are not of Christian origin. They stem from the Mother-goddess religion, which is very ancient ENTIRELY PAGAN!!.
Scandinavian countries celebrated Yule honouring Thor – PAGAN.
In Germania (not Germany) they celebrated midwinter night followed by 12 wild nights of eating and drinking. The 12 days of Christmas PAGAN!!
The church under Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25 in 350 AD in order to try to hijack the PAGAN festivals but it was largely ignored. Christians did not really celebrate Christmas until 378 but it was then dropped in 381 and not resurrected until 400.
The Christmas tree stems from pagan tradition and ritual surrounding the Winter Solstice, which included the use of holly boughs ivy and other foliage as an adaptation of pagan tree worship. Holly and ivy represented male and female. Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual – all PAGAN!!
Santa Claus came from the Dutch “Sinterklaas” and was a tall figure riding a white horse through the air and usually accompanied by Black Peter, an elf who punished disobedient children. Also the origin of the reindeer, sleigh and the elves ALL PAGAN!!
The modern red coated Santa was brought about by coca cola!!
America actually banned Christmas several times and is the originator of the expression “Happy Holidays” which came about because of the pagan origins of Christmas to include all religions and traditions!!
The Venerable Bede, an early Christian writer pointed out that the Christian church absorbed Pagan practices when it found the population unwilling to give up the festivals. Thus a lot of what Christians now see as Christians practices are in fact pagan!!!
Christmas is the time of year christians strive to prove just how pagan they have become!!!
some of these people really depress me, the things they have said here, i feel saddened there are people in the world that really exist who are like that and truly beleive what they do
ah well, cest la view eh
it should yes, but, then, it shoudlnt too, as its now a social tradition, so no point
so for me, id be happy trhat these people, such as a few of those above, woudl simply accept the truth about the origins of their religion and its holidays and celebrations, and even most of its myths too,
but, probably aint likely to happen
you’re slick chick LOL sneaky sneaky sneaky hahahahahaha people don’t take offense to yuletide she’s just being silly hehehehehe she’s not being mean. I believe we should just throw a party at the holiday and say in your mind believe as you wish and on the outside partyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy with the rest!
april 1st hehehehehehehe too funny yule