The exact date of Christ's birth was lost, so the Roman Christians adopted the Pagan Holidays by giving them new names and meanings. It made sense at the time.
Christmas as a holiday didn't become solidified until about three centuries after the death of Christ. In the process of converting others, it is more easy to do so if the holiday has a certain familiarity to it. Many pagan religions had some sort of holiday or festival around the winter solstice to celebrate the return and/or coming of the light. For Christians, the birth of Jesus fits in nicely with that theme. Since no one has really pegged the true date of Jesus's birth, December 25th is as good a time as any.
Christmas is a Christian holiday, they just decided to have it at the same time as a Pagan holiday to convert people. It's at the same time of year, and they have some of the same traditions, but it's a different holiday.
And Jesus wasn't born on Easter, that's when he died. No one knows when he was born.
That's not really true. Christmas is without question an amalgamation of many different religious and cultural practices going back to pre-Christian Rome and beyond, but the modern holiday has added many Christian elements to the mix. It can't be said that it's a uniquely Christian holiday, but neither can it be said that it's "100% pagan."
True... Christ was not born on 25 December. We Christians contextualized the old pagan holiday and Christianized it, so the converted pagans who used to have a big bash on that day will not feel they lost a good-time day and feel tempted to revert to paganism just so they can party with old pagan freinds. I reckon it was a smart thing to do.
No, He wasn't born on Easter. He was resurrected on Easter.
He wasn't born on Christmas either, but that's the day we've chosen to celebrate it. Personally, I don't care what it's origins were. I know why I celebrate it. That's all that matters.
What the crutches guy says, plus I wonder how many of them have a tree with lights? And a fairy? Mistletoe and holly? A yule log? Spiced wine? A feast? Candles? A big generous man bringing gifts? I wonder if they realize if they do, they are worshipping according to Pagan ritual - 100%?
Comments
The exact date of Christ's birth was lost, so the Roman Christians adopted the Pagan Holidays by giving them new names and meanings. It made sense at the time.
Christmas as a holiday didn't become solidified until about three centuries after the death of Christ. In the process of converting others, it is more easy to do so if the holiday has a certain familiarity to it. Many pagan religions had some sort of holiday or festival around the winter solstice to celebrate the return and/or coming of the light. For Christians, the birth of Jesus fits in nicely with that theme. Since no one has really pegged the true date of Jesus's birth, December 25th is as good a time as any.
Christmas is a Christian holiday, they just decided to have it at the same time as a Pagan holiday to convert people. It's at the same time of year, and they have some of the same traditions, but it's a different holiday.
And Jesus wasn't born on Easter, that's when he died. No one knows when he was born.
That's not really true. Christmas is without question an amalgamation of many different religious and cultural practices going back to pre-Christian Rome and beyond, but the modern holiday has added many Christian elements to the mix. It can't be said that it's a uniquely Christian holiday, but neither can it be said that it's "100% pagan."
True... Christ was not born on 25 December. We Christians contextualized the old pagan holiday and Christianized it, so the converted pagans who used to have a big bash on that day will not feel they lost a good-time day and feel tempted to revert to paganism just so they can party with old pagan freinds. I reckon it was a smart thing to do.
No, He wasn't born on Easter. He was resurrected on Easter.
He wasn't born on Christmas either, but that's the day we've chosen to celebrate it. Personally, I don't care what it's origins were. I know why I celebrate it. That's all that matters.
What the crutches guy says, plus I wonder how many of them have a tree with lights? And a fairy? Mistletoe and holly? A yule log? Spiced wine? A feast? Candles? A big generous man bringing gifts? I wonder if they realize if they do, they are worshipping according to Pagan ritual - 100%?
Funny, huh?
_
because the pagan told me he was born on december 25 and whatever the pagan says, that's what it is.
Laziness
It's 100% pagan. Many might not want to go against the flow once they realise it.