I don't think it's so much of being unaware of the history for me as much is that it is not a foremost thing in my mind. My personal history to me is all that I was ever taught. They don't teach the history of Christmas in school. Atleast they didn't back in the early 80's. Now, this is my humble opinion only, but, the way we celebrate Christmas now is what matters. If there are people that celebrate it as Saturnalia, then fine. It's their perogative, just as celebrating Christmas my way is my perogative. But I don't see everyone giving Saturnalia a hard time. I see Christmas getting a hard time. History is just that...........history. We learn from it and do our best to improve the future. While a good majority of history has done alot to make my life as good as it is today, of which I am eternally grateful, some parts have had nothing to do with it. Christmas was celebrated diffrently under differetn names, I'll give you that. But it changed, evidently alot, over the years. We have what we have today which what I believe the main bulk of the culture celebrates. And since God made all, I believe He had a hand in Christmas of today.
So you aren't the least bit curious? If something wasn't taught in school, you don't care? You don't seem to understand. Everyone who puts up a tree and decorates it is celebrating Saturnalia. Everyone who exchanges gifts is celebrating Saturnalia. We call it Christmas now, but it's still the same thing. You do not set up a tree in honour of Christ's birth. You do not exchange gift's in honour of Christ's birth. No, in honour of Christ's birth, you go to midnight services. You pray and remember. But that's not how Christmas is celebrated. No, you see the celebration of the birth of Christ as getting a hard time. I have typed this three times already and you don't seem to get it. What you are celebrating with the tree the carols, the presents, everything is Saturnalia, which was called "Yule" and is now called "Christmas". Unfortunately some don't learn from it, and keep making the same mistakes. Nope. It's been essentially the same for a thousand or more years. Oh, it's been altered slightly. For instance we trim a pine tree where originally it was an oak tree. We use glass ornaments instead of apples and pears. But it's all essentially the same. Yep, I agree with you. But Christmas and the celebration of Christ's birth are two different things. Like I said earlier. Please feel free to celebrate Christ's birth. Go to midnight services, set up a nativity. But don't be thinking that putting up a tree and decorating it is done in His honour. Don't think that exchanging gifts is representative of the gift He gave us. And above all, don't think the "reason for the season" has anything to do with Christ's birth. It doesn't.
Ya'll beat anything I have ever seen! It's Christmas! We are celebrating the birth of Christ! Doesn't matter WHERE the misc. traditions of Christmas trees and Santa Clause came from in my book or what actual day he was born on. One of my favorite ornaments is of Santa Claus bowing his head in front the manger. Take a moment and reflect on it if you believe. If you don't, just hush and let the rest of us who do, enjoy ourselves without nitpicking it to death.
Gosh, sometimes I feel just like that - why am I typing and typing and posting and posting, and nobody seems to have read anything I wrote? Why do we punish ourselves like this?
Words...............words......................words....................... yes, I did read it, all of it. I don't disagree with a lot of what you said, in fact, I am sure you are correct as I remember studying such things in school. It's just beside the point to me.
So, then, if the fact that all of your celebrations (tree trimming, gift exchange, caroling, etc) have nothing to do with Christ's birth. And the "Season", meaning the decorating, family get togethers, etc., existed long before Christ's birth. If all of that is "beside the point" then I must ask, what was the point of your post? No one says you must celebrate Christmas OR the birth of Christ. You can do both. If fact, I would encourage you to do both. All I'm saying is, don't call Christmas the celebration of Christ's birth. It is not. Do not say "The Reason for the Season" is Christ's birth. It is not.
I believe that the "C-H-R-I-S-T" in the word CHRISTmas is for Christ. Which is the one who's birthday happens to be celebrated this day.
So, once a week, on that day between Saturday and Monday when you go to church, you are worshiping the Sun, right? After all, it is S-U-N day. The fact that the word Christ appears in the name does not automatically make it about Him. You must understand the reason the word was created. It's truely unfortunate that you don't think it's important to learn history. I hate to continue to be the bearer of bad news, such as in this case... Christmas was not created by the church in an effort to celebrate the birth of Christ as much as it was to stop the people from celebrating the rebirth of the Sun.
It's not that I think that history is unimportant, it is important. It's just that I will not let history take away from the joy of the Christmas season, the love, the bonding, the family surrounding or the birth of Jesus who saved me. Whether it is the actual day or not. As a little girl I was exhilerated by the Christmas season! We put up a tree, with a manger scene under it and decorated it with all kinds of ornaments form Santa Claus's to angels. We gave Christmas gifts wrapped in paper with the the Christ child on it and stars and angels. Christmas is about giving and love and joy. So is the birth of Jesus.
Now you are talking about two different things (as you know, since you put the word "or" between the two). And, once again, you aren't paying attention. It has nothing to do with when Christ's birth is celebrated. Ok, once more then I give up... The "Reason for the Season" is NOT Christ's birth. The two may coincide, but they are not the same. The "Reason for the Season" is actually steeped in ceremony far older than Christ's birth. The actual "Reason for the Season" is celebrating the rebirth of the Sun (figuratively speaking, not literally) and includes Yule logs, tree decoration, families gathering together, caroling, gift exchange, and a myriad of other activities. And I agree wholeheartedly, but the two are not one and the same.
Rebirth of the sun??? It was created by God, it never died Is this the same kind of thing along the lines of ancient tribal beliefs?
What part of "figuratively" confuses you? When you watch the weather on the news, they talk about Sunrise and Sunset. You understand that the Earth rotates and the Sun doesn't actually rise or set, right? Each year the Sun goes through the cycles of the season. As winter approaches, the days get shorter and shorter until just about mid-late December the days start getting longer again. The pagans saw this and believed the Sun was being reborn.
However, under that notion, the original reason for the season would today not be a reason at all if it had not been for the adoption of the season to celebrate the birth of Jesus. You have an ancient celebration of nature that has bowed to the celebration of the Son rather than the Sun. The old has been transformed into new. Much like how we tell time. Our time is told according to the birth of Christ. Even it may be disputed by some, Christ is the focal point of our measurement of time even today.
That's it. I give up. Why I post anything is beyond me when people don't take the time to actually read anything.
I did, it looks like you are trying to deescalate from "Proof" to "fact" that Christ is God. Well If you are trying to tell me that Jesus of Nazareth is God than you will need to show proof, or just admit that it is an opinion. There is nothing wrong with that opinion and I hope that the folks that believe that take joy in their Christmas celebrations. If you do have proof that Jesus of Nazareth is God, for centuries people and a number of religions have been looking for or trying to avoid this truth or fact, so please consider sharing it in this season of giving. If you are trying to tell me that everything and everyone is a God, don't bother.
I understood your original post and I think it was a good one. If you don't think I understand your posts regarding Christ and God, please take pity on this individual that clearly does not have the education that you do and lay it out for me.
