Christmas and Easter - wrong or right?

[~candice~]

Celebrating Easter and Christmas is good every day. Just don't get sucked into he semantics. Christmas = Jesus was born. Easter = Jesus died and resurrected. Celebrate.

[sheya joie]

Holiday drop-out here.

[missmuffet]

That is sad yet funny.

[Qnts2]

I'm hoping no one minds my questions as they are a bit off topic.

Does anyone know the origen of the easter bunny?

And for Santa, I have heard there was a real person, Saint Nicholas. But where and when did the fictional character begin?

I once talked to a person who really enjoyed their young childrens excitement concerning Santa. This person planned on going out during the night, and putting impressions in the snow of sleigh tracks and reindeer foot prints. Then sprinkle the area with glitter where the 'sleigh was'. They were looking forward to seeing the looks on their childrens faces when they saw the sleigh and deer tracks from Santa. So, there is something enjoyable for the parents to see the wonder on the childrens faces, so that the parents will setup things to further their childrens belief in Santa. Has the legend grown because of this?

[CaliforniaJosiah]

.

Christmas is the celebration of the Nativity of Our Lord, the birth of the Savior. There's nothing pagan about that.

Easter is the celebration of the Resurrection and victory of Our Lord - and the salvation and life that is ours in Him. There's nothing pagan about that.

HOW we celebrate may have elements common to pagans - like eating, singing, giving/recieving gifts, gathering as families - but that doens't make the festival "pagan." Think of a Sunday morning worship service in a typical Christian Church.... people coming together.... singing..... listening to a speech..... having coffee and refreshements after...... Nearly all of it are activities commonly found in pagan activities, too. So what?

That's my perspective....

Pax

- Josiah

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[Guest]

.... The celebration of birthdays is the celebration of the birth of pagan deity and that is an unarguable fact based on scripture....

Nevertheless I Will Rejoice With The Angels

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. Luke 2:7-14

And Those Wise Guys

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. Matthew 2:1-2

[Qnts2]

The celebration of a 'birthday' is pagan. The first record instance of a celebration of a birthday was that of Pharaoh and part of that celebration was to remove the head of his baker. The second record is the 'birthday' of Herod during which the head of John the Baptist was removed. The entire world makes a celebration of birthdays and this alone is a reason not to celebrate. The celebration of birthdays is the celebration of the birth of pagan deity and that is an unarguable fact based on scripture.

In regard to Easter its just plain to see that the days are confused. If Messiah was put to death on Friday and was risen on Sunday, He did not fulfil the sign of Jonah. So either Easter is just a mixed up celebration or the Messiah was false and I know for sure He is genuine.

There are many people who have stumbled because of the false celebrations.

Scripture never says that birthdays are bad, or pagan. Scripture never says that riding a donkey is bad, or getting a drivers license and driving a car. In scripture certain days in a persons life are marked. Eight days after birth is an important occasion.

As far as Easter, the scripture says Jesus rose on the third day. OT days start at sunset to the following sunset. Any part of a day is counted as a full day. A baby born 10 minutes before sunset is on his second day after sunset. The first day is counted in full. Starting the count from Friday as day one, Saturday as day two, any time on Sunday (the first day of the week) would be the third day.

[Qnts2]

Scripture never says that birthdays are bad, or pagan. Scripture never says that riding a donkey is bad, or getting a drivers license and driving a car. In scripture certain days in a persons life are marked. Eight days after birth is an important occasion.

As far as Easter, the scripture says Jesus rose on the third day. OT days start at sunset to the following sunset. Any part of a day is counted as a full day. A baby born 10 minutes before sunset is on his second day after sunset. The first day is counted in full. Starting the count from Friday as day one, Saturday as day two, any time on Sunday (the first day of the week) would be the third day.

In Jewish thought in Jesus time, a day of birth was not celebrated because you don't know what the future holds for that person. But, on the death of the person, we know what their life was and can celebrate their life (although Judaism does have a mourning practice for the people who were close to the departed). Because of that belief, those who have had successful lives are said to be conceived on the same day they died. Ok, I know this is a strange view for many.

Since Jesus died on Passover, which would be March or April time frame, and His conception by tradition would have been March or April, guess when Jesus would have been born, based on that tradition? Around December or January.

Calculating from the information we do know from scripture, the shepherds were in the hills around Bethlehem, grazing their sheep. Bethlehem is an arrid warm climate, so for most of the year, there would not be any grass in the hills to graze on. The shepherds in that area would take their sheep out right after the rainy season when the grass would be growing. One of the rainy season was from roughly October thru November, and the shepherds would have their flocks out in December and January.

[Guest]

Wrong or right?

True, some of the traditions have pagan origins. So do the names of the week. Is it an issue that our calendars have days named after roman Gods?

Celebrate or not as you fell led or convicted, modify your way of celebrating if you need to.

I would say they are not good or bad in and of themselves. We converted pagans, I have no problem converting their holidays also. When I sing a Christmas Carol (not a winter song) I am worshipping - how can that be wrong? I have an issue with lying to children about Santa and the Easter Bunny, but that is me. Some people think is is just dandy to lie to their children.

If there is a legitimate issue here, I think it can be seen in the following passage:

1Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. 2If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; 3but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.

4Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the world, and that there is no God but one. 5For even if there are so-called gods whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 6yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.

7However not all men have this knowledge; but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. 8But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. 9But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 10For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol’s temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? 11For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. 12And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble. 1 Cor 8

Substitute 'holidays with pagan origins' in place of food, and you will understand my meaning. Do what your convictions require, but don't judge others too harshly, who live their convictions.

[Guest]

Calculating from the information we do know from scripture, the shepherds were in the hills around Bethlehem, grazing their sheep. Bethlehem is an arrid warm climate, so for most of the year, there would not be any grass in the hills to graze on. The shepherds in that area would take their sheep out right after the rainy season when the grass would be growing. One of the rainy season was from roughly October thru November, and the shepherds would have their flocks out in December and January.

So, what do they do the rest of the year, starve?

I have seen sheep in the middle east with their shepherds, where you cannot see a blade of grass for miles. The picture below, happens to be sheep in Israel, in December, notice the abundance of grass at that time of year.

(Photo: Sheep grazing on Christmas in Israel, courtesy of

the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands)