Where is the Christmas is evil threads?

[Starise]

23 minutes ago, Henry_iain said:

I am not really here to argue.  I could but I won't. Because my whole focus here is on mercy. On letting people choose. You make your choice I make mine.

[The_Patriot21]

I started this thread largely to be humorous, not to debate. If you want to debate, that is fine i wont stop you...but after this post i wont be responding in any kind of meaningful way other then to stay with the original intent of the post-humor.

Heres my take on christmas traditions: they are what you make them. Yes, many, such as christmas trees, and even the day itself haven pagan origins to a degree. Christmas day...christians have celebrated Christs birth since the days of the early church. They only moved it to December 25th to avoid persecution because it was a roman holiday. But they weren't celebrating the roman holiday they were celebrating Christs birth. God looks at the heart...always has, always will, so the day itself is irrelevant as long as were celebrating Christs birth and the hope that He gives us.

As far as a lot of the traditions...yes i believe telling kids that santa is real and thats where you get presents from is a lie, and ive never followed that tradition as i believe strongly in honesty. But, its also not the unpardonable sin and something kids do grow out of.

Stuff like christmas trees....seriously? Yea...pagan origins, but most if not all the pagan religions these traditions came from are long gone. Theyre dead religions and as such are no longer relevent. Theres absolutely nothing sinful about putting up a christmas tree and exchanging gifts as long as you dont let these things come between you and God. If they become between you and God they become idols and then we have a problem.

What i think is this, Christmas is a day to celebrate the greatest gift ever, Jesus Christ. Its a day to celebrate the hope He gives us, and to share His love with others. Thats what its all about. And arguing over trees because some lunatic worshipped it 2000 years ago, is quite frankly, legalism at its finest and draws attention away from the true purpose of Christmas-being Christ-almost as much as believing in Santa does.

I for one am all for using all the tools available to me to spread Christs love...and giving is probably the biggest. Being legalistic over a tree is not one. Its a tree...if you make it evil its evil. If you make it a symbol of Christs love, then thats what it is. A tree is an inatimate object which is in itself neither good nor bad, its the intent by which it is used that makes it good or evil.

[Mama Etna]

It is the intent behind celebrating the holiday that matters, not so much the holiday itself.

My parents never taught me that Santa was real.  He was just a fictional story.  It is wrong to lie to your kids about something that isn't real.

One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. -- Romans 14:5-12

[Bawb]

"Christmas day...christians have celebrated Christs birth since the days of the early church. They only moved it to December 25th to avoid persecution because it was a roman holiday."

What early church? Do you mean the "early RCC"? Why isn’t it found anywhere in the Bible? Why aren’t we told the month let alone the day of  the Savior’s birth? And who specifically is the "they" you speak of?

"But they weren't celebrating the roman holiday they were celebrating Christs birth. God looks at the heart...always has, always will, so the day itself is irrelevant as long as were celebrating Christs birth and the hope that He gives us."

Jeremiah 17:9 - The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

yes i believe telling kids that santa is real and thats where you get presents from is a lie, and ive never followed that tradition as i believe strongly in honesty. But, its also not the unpardonable sin and something kids do grow out of.

Matthew 18:6 - But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

If the day is truly irrelevant to you, then search for the true birthday instead of the one the RCC changed it to. I'd suggest you use your Bible to verify and look at this website that uses chronological evidence as stated in the Scriptures as evidence: http://www.yashanet.com/library/birth.htm

 

 

 

[Bawb]

43 minutes ago, Mama Etna said:

One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God. -- Romans 14:5-12

Please understand the context of this verse when quoting it. It was speaking about FASTING. It even states that within the verse.

1. This verse is speaking of personal convictions, that can change from person to person.

2. This "day" wasn't something commanded, it was a personal choice day - to observe or not observe - according to each person's conscience.

3. This verse is in context of eating and not eating.

4. This passage is speaking of fast days.

5. Such as there is no biblical connection to fasting and Shabbat.

It clearly did not intend for us to state esteem for pagan holidays...

Edited December 1, 2021 by Bawb

[enoob57]

all the threads I've hidden behind my tree ...

[Mama Etna]

That's a 'Charlie Brown' Christmas tree.

[MrBear]

8 hours ago, MrBear said:

Edited by Omegaman 3.0 - Removed video
Sorry MrBear, but videos are only permitted in the video section. You can submit them for approval there. but please read the guidelines there before doing so, otherwise you might just be wasting your time and ours. 

You were right to do so Brother, it was my fault ?

SHALOM❤️

[Starise]

For me Christmas holiday is an excuse to be with family, have time off and do things I normally don't have the time to do. MY attitudes about Jesus are pretty much the same all year. Fancy trimmings and a tree doesn't change that.

Baby Jesus isn't a baby any more so there's no need to celebrate him that way in the present, besides He is eternal.He was here before He was born.

Most churches go to great effort to make services special during these times.It really does play with how we think. Most of the time we see things as 'normal' . Christmas usually isn't our normal routine. It's something different. Some people love it. Some people can't stand it. One thing that happens to people who are generally alone most of the time or going through some kind of a distress is Christmas makes them feel worse because it accentuates their issues whatever they may be. They reason that people are supposed to be happy. Why am I not happy? People are supposed to celebrate. Why don't I feel like celebrating? People are supposed to give gifts. What if I can't afford gifts or don't like to select gifts for others? People are supposed to gather around in circles and drink apple cider. What if I don't feel like doing that?

The season itself highlights a great loss if someone has just lost a loved one the year prior to this. They will feel nothing but hurt this year with the knowledge they are alone this year. People in retirement communities many of them confined are sad to be all alone while they know others are out and about enjoying themselves. People who are hospitalized are going through physical difficulty and can't enjoy a holiday.

In some ways the RCC has helped us out because now we can all go to these people and help them see the real reason we can have hope. Many of them know what it isn't because the season has brought harsh realities to the surface, so let's show them what it IS.

[Alive]

Merging from another OP---I much enjoy 'God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen'.