The issue is not motive, it is method.
So God is very angry at us having Christmas and it's a farce.
I would not say that is true of those all who celebrate it outof right motive but in ignorance, nor who support Joel Osteen out of sincere motive, and thus need more light, but i believe God is opposed to the annual celebration of Christmas, due the reasons i stated, and is not happy with Christians who demean those who sincerely oppose it in sincere desire to please God according to Scripture.
And i find it especially incongruous for Reformed believers to submit to a annual tradition of a Christianized pagan feast that is not seen in Scripture, and contrary in principle to it, but it is product of RC syncretism, and is treated as obligatory, so that those who dissent based on Scripture are marginalized or even attacked. This is the reality which testifies to this essentially being that of teaching for doctrines the traditions of men.
So Christmas is a pagan ritual and you're doing your part to support Christianity.
A Christianized pagan festival that is a product of attempting to reform paganism, not worship as new creations in Christ.
Three different views. But people would do well to check their bibles on how many times God talks about feasts and celebrations.
Indeed. And see where the NT church was taught to engage in the annual celebrations of days, months times and years, outside of the 1st day having a precedent as a specific day of meeting.
And i find it especially incongruous for Reformed believers to submit to a annual tradition of a Christianized pagan feast that is not seen in Scripture, and contrary in principle to it, but it is product of RC syncretism, and is treated as obligatory, so that those who dissent based on Scripture are marginalized or even attacked. This is the reality which testifies to this essentially being that of teaching for doctrines the traditions of men.
While the author may believe that God "is very angry" and Christmas "is a farce", I don't happen to agree with her assessment. And it's very presumptuous for people to think they know what God is thinking. It was that type of attitude that caused problems for the Pharisees. One thing I have learned is that it is difficult to know what God is thinking.
And i find it especially incongruous for Reformed believers to submit to a annual tradition of a Christianized pagan feast that is not seen in Scripture
I can't speak for other Reformed believers. I can only speak for myself. I just came back from a beautiful CHRISTMAS celebration of wonderful hymn singing. And, yes, we have a CHRISTMAS tree in the sanctuary. It only served to confirmed to me that Christmas is a celebration. It is a time when the angels herald the coming of Christ and shepherd rejoiced.
People can take and make anything they want out of Christmas. They can complain it's not scriptural, there's too much commercialization, it's too fattening, or a host of other things. The thing they can't get rid of is what Christmas is truly about. And I don't believe for one moment that God is offended by us giving gifts to each other in the name of a pretend Santa Claus, that He's angry at us for putting up a Christmas tree in our house, or that we might play cards on December 25th. God expects of us to rejoice in His salvation and I think He is most pleased when we find our pleasure in Him. Regardless of whether we have a Christmas tree or celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25th.
No, Christmas isn't a farce. Christmas is alive and well.