The 'X' in 'Xmas' literally means Christ

[Qnts2]

In a different forum, an atheist entered and posted x-mas, and x-tian, and on and on. He thought he was going to insult me and others. When I explained the X is a standard shortcut in seminary for Chi-Rho, and would be Greek for Christ, so I am glad that he (the atheist) is honoring Jesus that way, well, the atheist expressed some words about not at all meaning honor. But, in the end, he did not know how to discuss Christmas as he did not want to say Christmas, and now would not say x-mas as he understood what it actually represented.  

 

Getting people to ask questions is a good way to share the gospel. I have used the name 'Yeshua' which is Jesus Hebrew name in a setting where it is unlikely that the people have heard the name Yeshua. It always causes someone to ask, who is Yeshua. They are ready to listen for a bit, so I can explain Who Yeshua is, why He was called Yeshua, and show prophesies saying the He will be our yeshuah. I know some missionaries who wear pins or other things which can start conversations.

[The_Patriot21]

I fail to see how making an angry athiest madder is a good example of effective witnessing. Thats just fighting. Witnessing comes about via relationships. If it came up, I would use it, but I am not going to intentionally use "X-mas" to "witness" to people. The best way to start coversations, is to walk up to someone and talk to them. Jesus didn't wait for people to find Him-He found them, and He spoke to them in THEIR language, not one they didn't understand.

[Guest]

I fail to see how making an angry athiest madder is a good example of effective witnessing. That's just fighting. Witnessing comes about via relationships. If it came up, I would use it, but I am not going to intentionally use "X-mas" to "witness" to people. The best way to start conversations, is to walk up to someone and talk to them. Jesus didn't wait for people to find Him-He found them, and He spoke to them in THEIR language, not one they didn't understand.

 

 

[Qnts2]

I fail to see how making an angry athiest madder is a good example of effective witnessing. Thats just fighting. Witnessing comes about via relationships. If it came up, I would use it, but I am not going to intentionally use "X-mas" to "witness" to people. The best way to start coversations, is to walk up to someone and talk to them. Jesus didn't wait for people to find Him-He found them, and He spoke to them in THEIR language, not one they didn't understand.

 

You are right, some atheists are angry and talking about Jesus makes them angrier. I don't stop taking about Jesus to them because it makes them angrier. 

 

Scripture says that the gospel is an offense. That means that some people will be offended when presented the gospel of salvation. Offense brings anger, so some people will get angry when presented with the gospel. Since that is in scripture, I believe it to be true.

 

Matthew 11:6 And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”     

 

Romans 9:11 just as it is written, “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense, And he who believes in Him will not be disappointed.”

 

I personally do not believe in friendship evangelism. Friendship evangelism was designed to hopefully avoid offending people. The problem is, we do not have to wait to share the gospel. And if a friendship was formed for the sole purpose of sharing the gospel, it is a friendship with an ulterior motive. What if the person rejects the gospel. Is there still a friendship? Or, if the friendship is formed to avoid the offense of the gospel, yet the scripture says the message of Jesus is offensive for some, is this a hope to avoid what the scripture says? Also, once a friendship is formed, sharing the gospel risks the friendship, so some people don't want to risk a friendship once it is formed.

 

If you share the gospel, and the person wants to discuss it further, a relationship forms, but that relationship is around the gospel first.

 

Assisting an atheist by explaining that for Christians (the group he was trying to insult), the use of Xmas or Xtian, is not an insult but a way of honoring Jesus, so his use was not an insult as he had planned.  It was not effective witnessing, but this was an atheist who only wanted to insult Jesus and Christians. He was offended, and then more offended by Jesus, just as scripture says would happen.

 

There was a time when I was with a group doing street witnessing. I was talking to a woman about Jesus, and a large man dressed as a woman came over and started yelling at me, and cursing Jesus. He was certainly disrupting my discussion with the woman. For whatever reason (I think it was a prompting from God), I looked at the man, and told him 'be silent'. He stopped shouting, mid word, mouth still open, and stood there silent. It was the strangest thing. The woman and I looked at the man, standing there with his mouth open but silent for a second, and then continued our discussion. When we parted, I looked at the man and said, 'we are done'. He shut his mouth, and went back to his friends, not saying another word. Was I insulting the man? Was that an effective witness to the man? No, it wasn't. FYI- the woman I was talking to, walked on down the street, and another of the people witnessing approached her. She immediately told the other person she wanted to pray to accept Jesus.  

 

There are times when a persons only goal at that moment is to insult Jesus, insult Christians because they have faith in Jesus, and disrupt Christians doing Christian things. There are times to accept and take what is happening for the purpose of a witness, and there are times to not allow a disruption of what should be going on.  

[Willa]

When people curse using God's name, wish me happy holidays, or use X for Christ, my stomach knots up and I try not to say much because it will be with a bad attitude. But the one that outraged me was the receptionist who wished me happy holidays on the day before halloween. I know that some people celebrate all saints day and especially the day of the dead in areas with a large hispanic populations. But I really draw the line on this. Holidays should include Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas, I don't give a rip about new years and I refuse to include Halloween. It is like including Obama in presidents day which was only for combining Washington's and Lincolns birthdays. It just isn't right!

Ok. So there are a few pet peeves that set me off. Calling me a Ms. is another one.

[OldSchool2]

This is a non word. When using the Chi Rhro properly it is with a an elongated stroke to the top of the 'p' which is then crossed making it a Chi Rhro the X is nothing by itself, other than X-mas.

A lot of fuss about a "non-word".

[The_Patriot21]

Old school, your right about a lot of fuss about it-why the push to use this non-word? You haven't, in my opinion given any good reason to use yet, yet this is what, the third topic you started in a weeks time pushing for its use?

[OldSchool2]

Old school, your right about a lot of fuss about it-why the push to use this non-word? You haven't, in my opinion given any good reason to use yet, yet this is what, the third topic you started in a weeks time pushing for its use?

"The 'X' in 'Xmas' literally means Christ" is only the first time this was the topic, but it's the third time my use of the chi-ro has come up.

I'm not sure why this bothers some posters.

[The_Patriot21]

it bothers me for the above reasons ive listed in all 3 occurances. Its not properly used, it wasn't put in to keep Christ in Christmas but rather as a compromise to the politically correct, and I fail to see how misusing a obscure greek term can be a witnessing tool.

[OldSchool2]

it bothers me for the above reasons ive listed in all 3 occurances. Its not properly used, it wasn't put in to keep Christ in Christmas but rather as a compromise to the politically correct, and I fail to see how misusing a obscure greek term can be a witnessing tool.

I understand intellectual disagreement, but why the visceral responses, e.g., stomachs knot up, cringing, etc.

There just seems to be more going on underneath the surface than some care to admit.