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Christmas Or No Christmas?


Ukulelemike

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When I hear the word "Christmas" I can't help but think "hail Mary" because its so catholic. 

 

The courage/insanity it would take for a Pastor to cancel Christmas at his church blows my mind. Yet how on earth could a Pastor say we will not celebrate, no tree, no show, no special services. What if he said I'm going to preach like I do the rest of the year and we will celebrate the "Lord's supper", would the church revolt? One of the women on here said people had gotten SAVED due to the christmas show at her church. Where is the line of compromise for the man of God leading our local churches? Is a little catholic stolen idol worship okay if people get saved? 

 

On top of that how does Grandpa tell the kids he didn't buy them something for Christmas? 

 

If the catholics had said on May 19th, Jesus healed a leper would we be celebrating that day? 

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When I hear the word "Christmas" I can't help but think "hail Mary" because its so catholic. 

 

The courage/insanity it would take for a Pastor to cancel Christmas at his church blows my mind. Yet how on earth could a Pastor say we will not celebrate, no tree, no show, no special services. What if he said I'm going to preach like I do the rest of the year and we will celebrate the "Lord's supper", would the church revolt? One of the women on here said people had gotten SAVED due to the christmas show at her church. Where is the line of compromise for the man of God leading our local churches? Is a little catholic stolen idol worship okay if people get saved? 

 

On top of that how does Grandpa tell the kids he didn't buy them something for Christmas? 

 

If the catholics had said on May 19th, Jesus healed a leper would we be celebrating that day? 

Thanks for the comment on the courage to cancel Christmas at a church-I have done that very thing. Oh, we sing the songs, the good ones, but they're good any time. But nothing else. No tree, no decoration, no "Christmas" sermon-well, let me revise that, I do talk about the actual birth of Jesus, and why we don't celebrate, talk about some of the real, biblical timing of events, as much as scripture gives us, etc. So I use it as an opportunity to educate people.

 

As for how grandpa, (me) tells the kids he doesn't buy them gifts for Christmas, well, I just do, and you know what? They still love me. We haven't had the actual conversation yet, so they prOBably just think Grandpa is poor or a cheapskate, but they still love me.

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Thanks for the comment on the courage to cancel Christmas at a church-I have done that very thing. Oh, we sing the songs, the good ones, but they're good any time. But nothing else. No tree, no decoration, no "Christmas" sermon-well, let me revise that, I do talk about the actual birth of Jesus, and why we don't celebrate, talk about some of the real, biblical timing of events, as much as scripture gives us, etc. So I use it as an opportunity to educate people.

 

As for how grandpa, (me) tells the kids he doesn't buy them gifts for Christmas, well, I just do, and you know what? They still love me. We haven't had the actual conversation yet, so they prOBably just think Grandpa is poor or a cheapskate, but they still love me.

 

:bigshock:  :bigshock:  :bigshock:  :eek  :eek  :eek  :o  :o  :o  

 

I'm speechless. 

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 One of the women on here said people had gotten SAVED due to the christmas show at her church. Where is the line of compromise for the man of God leading our local churches? Is a little catholic stolen idol worship okay if people get saved? 

 

 

Well, that "one of the women" would be me.  If you don't like Christmas, that's good for you.  But to disrespect people getting saved when they come to church and hear some kids sing about Christ is a little out of line, don't you think?

 

Assuming that we are stealing catholic idol worship is going a bit too far, as well. Until you've attended our church and seen/heard what our kids present to their families and the rest of the congregation, you really need to have a care what you intimate.

 

Whether you folks (and that means others, not just you, MC) like it or not, we use Christmas time as a tool to witness.  And we do it on a SUNday...a day of the week named after a false god.  Unless and until folks change the names of the weeks and months - named after gods as a form of worship to them - don't diss churches that are reaching people for Christ on Christmas.

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I know a church that didn't celebrate Christmas due to pastoral direction... But most of the people had it privately at home anyways.

And some of my folks do, as well. I have made clear what Christmas stems from, but I also know that you con't convince people, the Lord must, and its up to them to listen or not.

My old pastor used to say, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still".  It took me time to be willing to hear conviction on Christmas and Halloween and such, I didn't turn from them the first time I heard someone preach against them. And it wasn't, ultimately, someone's preaching that made the final difference, it was my willingness to listen and studiy it out myself. I stood on the shoulders of others, but I opened the books and read and that worked with the Spirit of God speaking.

 

So I don't seek to 'change' anyone's mind-I can't. I seek to give the truth, so no one can one day claim they didn't know. If people are to be ignorant, they will be willingly ignorant because they ignore the truth and refuse to look into it themselves. To me, it seems a simple issue of separation. And its not comparable to the names of the days of the week, because we don't have much power over them, do we? I don't go to church BECAUSE it's SUNday, I do because its the FIRST day, and that's the day Jesus rose from the grave and met with His disciples, and its the day the early church met, or at least, the only day specifically mentioned as a day they met, at least the one time. But we celebrate Christmas BECAUSE the Catholic church declared Jesus to have been born that day, and for no other reason would we ever have done so.

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That might be why you celebrated Christmas in the past, but that isn't why we do.  And, noted that you don't go to church on SUNday because it's Sunday but rather the first day, the fact remains that you and I and everyone else call the days of the week and the months of the year by the names that pagans gave them in worship of their deities.  Same/same.  There are people who have created their own calendars because of that very thing. So, yes, we can control them if we want to. It's just easier not to.

 

You don't want to celebrate the birth of Christ? Don't do it.  But don't condemn those who do by trying to make them feel like they are being pagan (that's not to anyone specifically, it's to whomever would continue to say that people are idol worshiping or following Catholicism).

 

"One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike.  Let every man be 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 doth not regard it...."

 

That would include celebrating the birth of Christ on Dec. 25.  Accusing someone of being pagan, following paganism, following Catholicism (I know, same/same), or worshiping idols ignores Romans 14:5, 6.  And, no, it's not about eating...the next part of  verse 6 is, but this is specifically about days. 

 

Just FYI - I've looked deeply into this, so please know that I'm not speaking from ignorance of "facts." We also had a pastor who preached against Christmas - well, calling it Christmas, anyway. And having trees. Well, except his daughter having one in her bedroom at his home (she was a minor, not a visiting adult).

 

We know the history - we have all the books (even the ones that've been proven questionable...). We were more than open to completely doing away with OBserving the day.  But guess what?  After seeking the Lord's face about it, He gave us the liberty to OBserve the birth of Christ.  I'm sure those of you against it won't believe that, but there it is.

 

Funny thing about it: we don't have the liberty to have a tv.  God burdened my hubby about that while he was still living with his parents.  We've never had one.  But we don't condemn folks who have the liberty to have them.  Even though there's a whole lot of paganism, anti-God stuff, etc. on there. Folks might not get the comparison, but it's there.  

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DISCLAIMER:

Happy, and others reading, allow me, before this post, to say that if I sound poor-spiritied, it is not toward you. I was re-reading this and I sound as though I might be directing sentiments to you, but be assured I am not-I am merely passionate about the subject, so please, read it in the spirit meant, and not in my weak and unskilled manner in which I present it.  Thank you.

 

That might be why you celebrated Christmas in the past, but that isn't why we do.  And, noted that you don't go to church on SUNday because it's Sunday but rather the first day, the fact remains that you and I and everyone else call the days of the week and the months of the year by the names that pagans gave them in worship of their deities.  Same/same.  There are people who have created their own calendars because of that very thing. So, yes, we can control them if we want to. It's just easier not to.

 

You don't want to celebrate the birth of Christ? Don't do it.  But don't condemn those who do by trying to make them feel like they are being pagan (that's not to anyone specifically, it's to whomever would continue to say that people are idol worshiping or following Catholicism).

 

"One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike.  Let every man be 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 doth not regard it...."

 

That would include celebrating the birth of Christ on Dec. 25.  Accusing someone of being pagan, following paganism, following Catholicism (I know, same/same), or worshiping idols ignores Romans 14:5, 6.  And, no, it's not about eating...the next part of  verse 6 is, but this is specifically about days. 

 

Just FYI - I've looked deeply into this, so please know that I'm not speaking from ignorance of "facts." We also had a pastor who preached against Christmas - well, calling it Christmas, anyway. And having trees. Well, except his daughter having one in her bedroom at his home (she was a minor, not a visiting adult).

 

We know the history - we have all the books (even the ones that've been proven questionable...). We were more than open to completely doing away with OBserving the day.  But guess what?  After seeking the Lord's face about it, He gave us the liberty to OBserve the birth of Christ.  I'm sure those of you against it won't believe that, but there it is.

 

Funny thing about it: we don't have the liberty to have a tv.  God burdened my hubby about that while he was still living with his parents.  We've never had one.  But we don't condemn folks who have the liberty to have them.  Even though there's a whole lot of paganism, anti-God stuff, etc. on there. Folks might not get the comparison, but it's there. 

But see, no offense meant, but you're missiong or ignoring the point; before the Catholic church declared ANY day as Jesus birthday, NO believers celebrated His birth on ANY day, and even good followers of Rome didn't do it widely until well into the 6th century, more than 200 years later. But even then, and through mistory, true believers were known specifically for their refusal to participate in any Christmas festivities.

After the founding of America, true believers didn't celebrate Christmas, understanding that it was a Romish construct-it wasn't until much later that first, some in America celebrated it because the crown of England declared it legal, and posted guards to ensure it could be celebrated, (mostly with drinking and gambling, by the way, not with prayers and solemnity), and then later it was pushed primarily for political purposes, as a way to bring Americans back together after the Civil War. And, it wasn't the Bible that caused people in Ameirica to embrace Christmas, it was Longfellow's poem, "A Visit from St. Nick", that drew people's attention to it.

 

Here's a quote from the website, Historytoday.com:

  

In colonial times, Americans of different sects and different national origins kept the holiday (or did not) in ways they carried over from the Old World, Puritans, for instance, attempted to ignore Christmas because the Bible was silent on the topic. Virginia planters took the occasion to feast, dance, gamble, hunt and visit, perpetuating what they believed to be the old Christmas customs in English manors. Even as late as the early nineteenth century, many Americans, churched or unchurched, northerners or southerners, hardly took notice of the holiday at all.

And another:

This new 'revived Christmas of our time' afforded a retreat from the dizzying realities of contemporary life, but cast in contemporary terms. Americans varied old themes and wove new symbols into the received fabric to create something definitively their own. The 'American' holiday enveloped the often contradictory strains of commercialism and artisanship, as well as nostalgia and faith in progress, that defined late nineteenth-century culture. Its relative lack of theological or Biblical authority – what had made it anathema to the Puritans – ironically allowed Christmas to emerge as a highly ecumenical event in a land of pluralism. It became a moment of idealized national self-definition.

 

Notice the part I made bold: The very reason that the early believers, and more than just the puritans, by the way, rejected Christmas-lack of any authority, and, unmentioned, the fact that it was of Romish origins, was exactly the reason it was able to so well cross theological, as well as non-religious, lines.

 

So I assert again, the ONLY reason there is a Christmas to celebrate at all, something early believers rejected completely, is because the church of Rome created it, based upon pagan origins, and welcoming most of the pagan practices, to include trees, wreaths, gift-giving, particularly to children, (from Juvenalia), and the specific date.

 

It is only in these last of days that true believers have opened themselves to traditions of men and rulers which for 1700 years was outright rejected by believers the world over, now that we have time and money and ease to consider fivilous things and declare them holy, thanks to ungodly Popes, whoi we claim to otherwise reject.

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The word “Sunday” does not appear in the Bible. The Holy Ghost was so careful with idol worship and names “the first day of the week” is used, and later “the Lord's day”. This didn't happen by accident and its an example for us to follow.

 

In this area of the USA no one brings in items formerly used in the worship of the Sun, Saturn, Thor, etc. for use on Sunday when worshiping Jesus and the Father. However at Christmas, trees, wreaths, red and green items, etc are brought into Churches and they was used in the worshiping of idols. That's why the comparison falls short. If Churches had Suns hanging on the walls then it would be a different story. Regarding a day unto the Lord by using items formerly used in idol worshiping defeats the purpose of regarding the day.

 

Would using Sun idols on Sunday make using idols for false worship on Christmas okay? Wouldn't that just defile the first day of week or the Lord's day? Aren't we talking about 2 Corinthians 6:15?

 

The 25th is the tradition of men. No where is the date or day of week recorded in the Old or New Testaments. We all know how Jesus wasn't happy over the traditions of men in his day would he treat us differently?

 

No one is against children praising Jesus in song. No one is condemning people getting saved. No one was saying women are in control of Church services. Men of God referrers to Pastors, Preachers, etc.

 

From what I've read it started out for us Americans as children dressing the parts of Jesus birth. Next the trees came in and wreaths, Santa Claus, and so forth and so on. At what point are we going to return to the old pathways?

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Who said anything about women being in control of church services?  

 

We don't worship any idols.  You can think they are all you want. That's your choice.  But to accuse others of doing so is playing the part of God.  

 

(and, BTW - I'm neither missing nor ignoring the point. As I said, I know the history)

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I was reading a couple lines from a book, "A Testimony against Several Prophane and Superstitious Customs, Now Practiced by Some in New England:" by Increase Mather, an early Puritan leader, related to Cotton Mather, and he made a few interesting points on Christ-mass, as he called it: 

 

 

In the pure Apostolical times there was no Christ-mass day
OB
served in the Church of God. We ought to keep the primitive Pattern. That Book of Scripture which is called The Acts of Apostles saith n
ot
hing of their keeping Christ’s Nativity as an Holy-day.

Why should Pr
ot
esta
nt
s own any thing which has the name of Mass in it? How unsuitable is it to join Christ and Mass together? [. . .] It can never be proved that Christ’s nativity was on 25 of December.

[They] who first of all
OB
served the Feast of Christ’s Nativity in the latter end of December, did it n
ot
as thinking that Christ was born in that Mo
nt
h, but because the Heathens’ Saturnalia was at that time kept in Rome, and they were willing to have those Pagan Holidays metamorphosed i
nt
o Christian ones.

 

It is from a very interesting article on the original 'War on Christmas", found here: http://earlyamericanists.com/2013/12/23/the-early-american-war-on-christmas/

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