Does christmas have anything to do with Jesus

[mizzdy]

I understand that Christmas isnt plainly laid out in the Bible and it's not Jesus' birthday, but why all the contempt by some of a day that promotes a spirit (in the general sense) of family, love. giving, and in many cases selflessness and self sacrafice. All attributes that Christ himself wants us to show.

They believe it is a pagan holiday. There is a conspiracy theory floating around that Christmas in its original form is based on sun worship and that all the customs go back to ancient Babylon and so forth. There is no real historical basis for that claim, but they operate from a revised version history.

There was celebrations of this day before Yeshua was born, there is was mixing and mingling of the celebrations when Dec. 25 became the day decided to celebrate His birthday, although it was Jan. 6 that was supposed to be the day kept and understand some still do that to keep those things separate. There is history behind it all but so many just keep parroting the same stuff each year and fail to do any real indepth studies on it all.

I would really love it if people would stop calling others pagans, what people do today on that day doesn't have a lot to do with any of the old pagan things attached to it. My problem with it all is that we find it nowhere in scriptures, not one word spoken of keeping His birthday, no later celebrations of it at all but people want to rush out and claim it for Him when He didn't even claim if for Himself. How often do we read something about 'I don't listen/follow/do anything unless its in scriptures' yet fail to see this is not. No matter what or how others feel God set aside His days, that outline His plan of salvation and reconcillation, God said they are His days, why cannot we honor that and observe those days to and for Him.

shalom,

Mizz

[Guest shiloh357]

My problem with it all is that we find it nowhere in scriptures, not one word spoken of keeping His birthday, no later celebrations of it at all but people want to rush out and claim it for Him when He didn't even claim if for Himself.

True but no Christan teachings are violated and it does in fact promote the teaching of the virgin birth and incarnation of God in human flesh. It also publically acknowledges the fulfillment of several prophecies. It is not commanded, but it not commanded against.

How often do we read something about 'I don't listen/follow/do anything unless its in scriptures' yet fail to see this is not.

I agree, people are hypocritical with that kind of comment and often they don't see the internal inconsistencies their own lives.

God said they are His days, why cannot we honor that and observe those days to and for Him.

I will admit that have been to several traditional Friday night Shabbat observances in people's homes and Saturday Torah services and there is something gloriously mysterious about them. Something always resonates within me when celebrate Shabbat, Passover, Shavuot, etc.

[ayin jade]

They believe it is a pagan holiday. There is a conspiracy theory floating around that Christmas in its original form is based on sun worship and that all the customs go back to ancient Babylon and so forth. There is no real historical basis for that claim, but they operate from a revised version history.

Perhaps that revisionist history is due to the devil or unbelievers who seek to discredit our Lord by removing what appears to be a Christian holiday to the secular world and by default, turning Jesus into a "myth of pagan origins"?

[mizzdy]

My problem with it all is that we find it nowhere in scriptures, not one word spoken of keeping His birthday, no later celebrations of it at all but people want to rush out and claim it for Him when He didn't even claim if for Himself.

True but no Christan teachings are violated and it does in fact promote the teaching of the virgin birth and incarnation of God in human flesh. It also publically acknowledges the fulfillment of several prophecies. It is not commanded, but it not commanded against.

How often do we read something about 'I don't listen/follow/do anything unless its in scriptures' yet fail to see this is not.

I agree, people are hypocritical with that kind of comment and often they don't see the internal inconsistencies their own lives.

God said they are His days, why cannot we honor that and observe those days to and for Him.

I will admit that have been to several traditional Friday night Shabbat observances in people's homes and Saturday Torah services and there is something gloriously mysterious about them. Something always resonates within me when celebrate Shabbat, Passover, Shavuot, etc.

If we leave off the idea that the feasts are somehow 'Jewish' we find the God called them His feasts set apart for His set apart ones, I am not saying feasts or Sabbaths are about salvation, they are not, yet they do hold the whole plan of His salvation. I do see christmas as something added to His plans, but as I said I don't see people bowing to trees, worshipping other gods at the altar of christmas, and believe me it pushes my buttons to see God loving people called pagans for keeping christmas and I was one of those vocal people some years back. (Thank you Father for your Spirit and teachings!) I don't see them in scripture, I have yet to find Yeshua celebrating His bday so for me I try to follow His example best I can.

They are such a rich blessing, something that cannot really described. Each Sabbath, each Feast I keep more and more of Him is revealed, those glorious mysterious you spoke of are shown each time. God said that the Sabbath is a sign between us and Him, doesn't mean we have to keep the day as some crotchety day either as most think it is. I thank Him for every day He gives me, each day I wake is a day to celebrate and worship Him, yet the Sabbaths and Feasts are special times to meet with Him.

shalom,

Mizz

[Massorite]

Hi everone

I think I've or maybe we have been dicived by parents and the church about Christmas what's your thoughts on this issue ?

This subject comes up every year at this time and I get shot down pretty hard when I speak what my research has informed me. But I simply can't give up so here we go again.

If you would study Jewish custom you well find that the Jews in the days of Jesus and even the Jews of today do not celebrate birthdays. Because they consider the celebration of birthdays to a pagan ritual and since Jesus was a Jew who followed the laws and costums of Moses we know that Jesus also believed the same way. This is why there are only two biblically recorded birthday celebrations and both of them were done by non-believers/pagans and in both birthday celebrations a man was murdered at the command of the birthdayee as part of the birthday celebration.

There is no command by God to celebrate any birthday for any reason written anywhere in the bible and Jesus himself never celebrated his own birthday nor did he command us to celebrate his birthday. Not only that but the celebration of the birth of Christ as in Christmas was not celebrated for the first 300 years of the church.

Now most folks have the idea that if it is done for the right reasons then that makes it ok but one can call pagan ritual anything they want but it is still pagan ritual.

The biblical example I always use to show what God thinks about doing that which is wrong in the eyes of God with the seemingly right modivations is the story about the ark of the covenant on the cart. When King David was transporting the Ark of the Covenant back to the temple from Philistinian hands the cart hit a bump in the road and caused the Ark to wabble. So the driver of the Ark reached out to steady the Ark to keep it from falling to the ground and when he did God killed him at the very second his hand touched the Ark.

So, did the driver of the cart touch the Ark out of respect for God to keep it from falling to the ground? YES he did and he did it for the right reasons. But God commanded that no human would ever touch the Ark which is why there were polls used to transport it. So right reasons or not, disobeying a commandment from God is considered by God to be a sin against him.

Well the same kind of commandment applies to the use of pagan ritual to celebrate the birth of God in the flesh. We are commanded not to have anything to do with anything that has anything to do with Paganism. And when we use pagan ritual to honor and celebrate Our God we are actually slapping him in the face. If God wanted us to celebrate the birth of Jesus he would have told us to do it.

I wouldn't say that we were lied to by our parents because they were decieved by the church who lied to everyone. The Universal Church knew what they were doing and claimed that they were doing it for a good reason but in reality they adopted paganism into the church and compromised/corrupted not only the church but also the gospel of Jesus.

There is no proof in scripture that God respects the use of any pagan ritual to celebrate Christ just because it is the only time of the year that some folks talk about Jesus.

Just make sure that you don't worship any pagan gods at Christmas and you'll be fine.

I don't do any of it. Did you know that the word "Mistoltoe" means dug on a twig?

[nChrist]

Massorite

I don't do any of it. Did you know that the word "Mistoltoe" means dug on a twig?

I don't understand the question you're asking, and a dictionary didn't help.

[nebula]

Massorite

I don't do any of it. Did you know that the word "Mistoltoe" means dug on a twig?

I don't understand the question you're asking, and a dictionary didn't help.

He means "mistletoe".

[Middle English mistelto, back-formation from Old English misteltān (tān , taken for pl. of tā, toe) : mistel, mistletoe + tān, twig.]

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/mistletoe#ixzz1e7YxGoRD

[ayin jade]

I don't do any of it. Did you know that the word "Mistoltoe" means dug on a twig?

Mistletoe is in Norse mythology. There is a myth about a gentle god named Balder who was beloved by all. His mother extracted promises from all of creation not to harm Balder except for the innocent looking mistletoe. After that, for fun, the other gods and goddesses, would try and hurt him with stuff, rocks etc, and laugh at how it would bounce off him, leaving him unharmed. Another god Loki, sort of a trickster, one who does evil things, convinced a blind god (the name escapes me) to join in the fun and shoot a mistletoe arrow at Balder, who then died.

I was taught mythology in depth as a child since it is part of the western world's iconographic heritage.

[nChrist]

Massorite

I don't do any of it. Did you know that the word "Mistoltoe" means dug on a twig?

"Mistletoe" - now I understand part of your question. I don't know much about the significance of mistletoe except some kind of an old custom to kiss someone standing under mistletoe.

[artsylady]

To the pure all things are pure. Titus 1:15