Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

[Guest Biblicist]

I hope this whole thing isn't some big test from God to see if we're willing to "give up" a human holiday for Him the way He gave up his life for us. If it is we're all gonna flunk I think. I sure hope I don't find myself in eternal hell for being "weak" and going with the flow.

I found this statement rather peculiar, especially the highlighted part...

Please, tell me, what do you believe will get you to Heaven or send you to Hell?

[David of Derby]

The birth of Christ wasn't important enough to early Christians to bother marking the date, and it was considered a dangerous heresy to mark the occasion until the middle ages. What was important was Christ's Epiphany. Read The Magic of Christmas: Facts Behind the Myths and Magic of Christmas by Patrick Harding for the real facts behind the date of Christmas and the origins of the customs we practice today.

[Emily~Anne]

The birth of Christ wasn't important enough????? No, I highly doubt that is the reason the date is not marked. (Especially considering the scripture in my siggy) I dont think it is necessarily important that the day we celebrate is EXACTLY on the day Christ was born, but it certainly is nice to set aside a day to really focus on celebrating this WONDERFUL gift to us from God!

[David of Derby]

This was the position of the early church, I assure you. They didn't care when His physical body was born, only when He came into His power.

[Emily~Anne]

The birth of Christ was important enough that God sent angels to tell the sheperds about it.

Luke 8:10-14 10 Then the angel said to them,

[Guest Biblicist]

The birth of Christ wasn't important enough to early Christians to bother marking the date, and it was considered a dangerous heresy to mark the occasion until the middle ages. What was important was Christ's Epiphany. Read The Magic of Christmas: Facts Behind the Myths and Magic of Christmas by Patrick Harding for the real facts behind the date of Christmas and the origins of the customs we practice today.

Was your birth important? What about the birth of your family members?

The birth of the Saviour of the World would certainly be more important than all of those put together...It was certinly important to the Angels!

[Hypathia]

The birth of Christ wasn't important enough to early Christians to bother marking the date, and it was considered a dangerous heresy to mark the occasion until the middle ages. What was important was Christ's Epiphany. Read The Magic of Christmas: Facts Behind the Myths and Magic of Christmas by Patrick Harding for the real facts behind the date of Christmas and the origins of the customs we practice today.

Was your birth important? What about the birth of your family members?

The birth of the Saviour of the World would certainly be more important than all of those put together...It was certinly important to the Angels!

Then why don't we know when it was? The real date?

[Guest Biblicist]

I hope this whole thing isn't some big test from God to see if we're willing to "give up" a human holiday for Him the way He gave up his life for us. If it is we're all gonna flunk I think. I sure hope I don't find myself in eternal hell for being "weak" and going with the flow.

I found this statement rather peculiar, especially the highlighted part...

Please, tell me, what do you believe will get you to Heaven or send you to Hell?

Did you miss this question?

The birth of Christ wasn't important enough to early Christians to bother marking the date, and it was considered a dangerous heresy to mark the occasion until the middle ages. What was important was Christ's Epiphany. Read The Magic of Christmas: Facts Behind the Myths and Magic of Christmas by Patrick Harding for the real facts behind the date of Christmas and the origins of the customs we practice today.

Was your birth important? What about the birth of your family members?

The birth of the Saviour of the World would certainly be more important than all of those put together...It was certinly important to the Angels!

Then why don't we know when it was? The real date?

Some people believe they do know the real date.

[EricH]

Whether to celebrate or not is all opinion. Mine is no less valid than anyone else's and I do try and provide some reasoning. James might not have been there but surely being Jesus' brother he would have known his birthday. I know my sibling's birthdays and they're just people. James brother was God, all the more reason to know and remember his birthdate and tell the whole world when it was, especially the other christians and converts of that era. Scripturally speaking the birthdate isn't mentioned and we are not told to "pick one" and celebrate it every year with pagan traditions and customs. You say God doesn't say "NOT" to and that's really a very weak argument when you think about it. It is an ancient pagan holiday, you can celebrate Jesus' birth on it if you want to, I'm just pointing out that this holiday has been around a long, long, time before it was ever christianized by the Catholic Church.

I hope this whole thing isn't some big test from God to see if we're willing to "give up" a human holiday for Him the way He gave up his life for us. If it is we're all gonna flunk I think. I sure hope I don't find myself in eternal hell for being "weak" and going with the flow.

btw Vicki - I'm not acusing anyone here of worshipping pagan gods. I don't think any of us here have ever done that.

This is really an argument from silence. James may very well have known the date. He simply did not record it.

[Guest Biblicist]

Whether to celebrate or not is all opinion. Mine is no less valid than anyone else's and I do try and provide some reasoning. James might not have been there but surely being Jesus' brother he would have known his birthday. I know my sibling's birthdays and they're just people. James brother was God, all the more reason to know and remember his birthdate and tell the whole world when it was, especially the other christians and converts of that era. Scripturally speaking the birthdate isn't mentioned and we are not told to "pick one" and celebrate it every year with pagan traditions and customs. You say God doesn't say "NOT" to and that's really a very weak argument when you think about it. It is an ancient pagan holiday, you can celebrate Jesus' birth on it if you want to, I'm just pointing out that this holiday has been around a long, long, time before it was ever christianized by the Catholic Church.

I hope this whole thing isn't some big test from God to see if we're willing to "give up" a human holiday for Him the way He gave up his life for us. If it is we're all gonna flunk I think. I sure hope I don't find myself in eternal hell for being "weak" and going with the flow.

btw Vicki - I'm not acusing anyone here of worshipping pagan gods. I don't think any of us here have ever done that.

This is really an argument from silence. James may very well have known the date. He simply did not record it.

There are lots of things the Bible doesn't record about Christ. Like, did he get cranky when he was teathing? Was he popular in school? Did he do well in Math? Did he know when he was a little boy that he was the Messiah?