Posted on 12/14/2013 2:56:27 PM PST by InHisService
All right, before you get your freckles in an uproar by reading that title and making a quick, errant assumption about me, let me clarify a few things.
I’m a bible believing, spirit filled Christian. I am not an atheist sympathizer. I do not doubt my faith, nor do I have any doubts about the deity of Jesus Christ. He is my Lord and Savior, and I believe the world is lost without Him.
For years I celebrated Christmas. But last year, I decided to stop celebrating it. Something awoke in me, and I just felt turned off by the whole thing.
As a kid, I was coddled just like most children. Every Christmas my brother and I unwrapped numerous presents, and always got what we wanted.
I remember a new bike one year, and an awesome stereo another. I never gave a thought about how hard my parents had to work to pay for the stuff, and I’m sure children these days don’t, either.
And, we did go to church. If fact, we weren’t the proverbial “once a year’ers;” we went weekly. But being a kid, naturally Christmas was all about the presents.
Raising my daughter, though I was a single mom, my daughter was never deprived at Christmas. And I enjoyed giving to her. She was not a spoiled child as she didn’t get much all year long, so Christmas was the time to indulge her.
Anyway, I’ve wanted to write this article for a while. It’s been niggling at me for quite some time. But I put it off because I didn’t want to appear as a snarky Grinch during the Christmas season. My position is a very unpopular one among Christians.
I believe the Holy Spirit has gotten a hold of me, and after seeing a video discussing a particular billboard American Atheists erected this season, I was compelled to write about my position.
One of the billboards, in New York City’s Times Square, reads, “Who Needs Christ During Christmas? Nobody.” The name of Christ is crossed out.
David Muscato, Public Relations Director at American Atheists had this to say about the billboard and about Christmas:
“Most people don’t care about any religious ties to the season because church and religion are not what Americans care about during this time of year—they care about family and friends and giving presents and food and having fun.”
And right he is. Christians can pretend they are honoring Christ this time of year, but they really aren’t. People are consumed with the retail aspect of it: spending.
Muscato goes on to say, “Many so-called ‘Christmas’ traditions celebrated by Americans have nothing to do with Christianity. For example, the North Pole and Santa traditions come from Nordic and Germanic pagan traditions, and caroling, Yule logs, mistletoe, holly wreaths all pre-date Christianity.”
He is absolutely correct in that statement. In fact, every single Christmas tradition we have was started by, and stolen, from the pagans.
That’s right, everything from the tree, to mistletoe to holly to gifts were all pagan traditions. (I’ve done a lot of research into the origins of Christmas; however, this article is not going to elaborate on it as it is very lengthy. An online search of “Pagan origins of Christmas” will yield a million and a half results. An excellent article on the topic can be seen here, True Origins of Christmas: http://rcg.org/books/ttooc.html )
Said David Silverman, President of American Atheists, “We all love this time of year.
“Christianity has been trying to claim ownership of the season for hundreds of years. But the winter solstice came first and so did its traditions. The season belongs to everybody.”
Right again. How can Christian’s claim Christmas belongs to them when we stole it from non-believers? Additionally, there is nothing in the bible about celebrating Christmas. The fact that atheists celebrate what is supposed to be a Christian holy day is alarming. But celebrate it they do, minus anything Christ.
Not only that, Jesus could not have been, and was not born, on December 25th. Most biblical scholars believe he was born in the fall and the biblical account of his birth testifies to that. The date was selected because it coincided with the idolatrous pagan festival Saturnalia. So the date of Christmas was chosen as a sort of in-your-face way of saying, “We as Christians are stealing your date for ourselves! Take that.” Nice gesture on behalf of God, but it hasn’t turned out well. No wonder why.
Now, I don’t like the group American Atheists. In fact, I despise them. I can’t stand David Silverman, who regularly appears on Fox News and elsewhere to tout his anti-God beliefs. To me, they are bullying militant atheists bent on wiping out God and particularly Jesus Christ from the public square. And they have been very successful in a lot of ways.
So, I’m not agreeing with them for any other reason in this area, but they are right on.
(I have written about some of the atheist lawsuits and their attack on Christianity in an article last year on this blog, “It’s not just a War on Christmas, It’s a War on Christianity,” which can be seen here: http://www.maryckirchhoff.com/2012/12/its-not-just-war-on-christmas-its-war.html )
Christmas has become completely distorted and perverted and what is supposed to be a day to honor Jesus has become a two-month long season of out-of-control shopping and spending, overindulgence of food and drink, massive debt and spoiled children.
Christmas, without a doubt, belongs to retailers, not to Jesus. The season begins around late October, and is in full swing right before Thanksgiving, and goes on til New Years.
So let’s be honest here: during this extended period we call Christmastime or the more politically correct Holiday Season, are we talking about Jesus and his birth? Are we marveling that God sent His Son to Earth to save man from his sins? Are we on our knees praying and thanking God for his provision in our life?
More than likely, if we are a believer we are praying that God will provide the finances to overindulge our children so they can open numerous gifts on that “magical” morning.
What really gets me is many of us in this country can’t afford to purchase unnecessary and over-the-top gifts for our kids. Millions of people either get heavily into debt or skip paying necessary bills so they can impress and coddle their kids. Not giving gifts is simply unheard of.
Kids must go to school upon the return of the break and brag about what they got. And what, pray tell, does this have to do with the birth of Jesus Christ? Absolutely nothing.
The wise men gave gifts to Jesus, you say? That happened when He was a toddler, not at His birth. Saint Nick? Another misconception about giving at Christmas.
While parties and gift giving and receiving is fun, for the majority of people, financial stress is increased at this time of year. Holiday parties (oops, can’t call them Christmas parties anymore) require bringing dishes or purchasing elaborate foods. The shopping, the parties, the drinking, the get-togethers, they are all supposed to be part of the merrymaking. Again, where is Christ in this? Decidedly MIA for most people.
When’s the last time you went to a (I’ll be a rebel here) Christmas party and people were excitedly talking about God? Were they marveling about Jesus being born 2,000 years ago, talking about what a gift it was for God to send His Son?
The only gift I’ll guarantee they were speaking of was most likely their Black Friday conquest where they acquired the latest and greatest gadgetry for their kids that they couldn’t afford and will be paying off for months to come.
Is this what God wants for us at Christmas? Or are we deluding ourselves saying “Keep Christ in Christmas.”? I believe so.
The truth is, Christmas is a great lie. Satan is laughing; being the great deceiver, he has really gotten away with a whopper here. Christ never was in Christmas. The entire Christmas season has millions of Christians deceived. It has been bought lock, stock and barrel by believers. The fact that atheists celebrate it should be a giant clue that it has nothing to do with Christ.
Sure, we can sing beautiful Christmas themed hymns, set up a manger and go to church. That will satisfy the God requirement of the holiday, will it not?
Church on Christmas Eve or Day is about the only time you’ll get an hour or so of pure God. A sermon, some singing, some well-wishing among peers. A couple hours of God stuff for over two months of the so-called “Christmas Season.”
I’m not a math person, but that amounts to a microscopic amount of time dedicated to the Birth of Jesus.
Frankly, Christmas is farce, and I’m betting the whole thing makes God very angry.
Below, the link for the aforementioned Atheist Billboard Targeting Christians:
http://video.foxnews.com/v/2933104645001/atheist-billboard-targeting-christians/?playlist_id=930909812001
Nice job..I stopped observing Christmas 12 years ago...never looked back and never regret it. Our modern Christmas is an invention of the media of the 1800’s and early 1900’s and has nothing to do with Christ.
Thanks for your comment. With this article, I’ve learned from people on here I’m poor, lonely, an idiot, a lousy writer, a spoil sport... Holier than though...the list goes on. I stand by what I wrote and I will pray for those who were unkind to me.
The rest of us celebrate Christ at Christmas.
I was thinking about this thread this morning. I was thinking that it is pretty indisputable that the early Church merged the celebration of the birth of Christ onto older, pagan holidays, or in any event let’s accept that for the sake of argument. (I think someone on this thread did dispute it but I don’t know if they had a link, if they did I didn’t read it - though I might yet I suppose - in any case I’m no expert!) Likewise the whole St. Nicholas/Santa Clause thing is very convoluted and different in this Country than in others. It also happens that in Puerto Rico and maybe other Latin American places the Feast of the 3 Kings is the big day, at least for presents.
So, rather than being a solemn religious holiday (like Easter or Yom Kippur for the Jews) Christmas is kind of a mish-mosh.
But that doesn’t bother me. I’m glad we have this ancient tradition of celebration in the early days of winter.
Yes, I think we should keep focus on the religious aspects of the holiday, it annoys me no end that people keep trying to erase the Christian parts of our culture and history. But to me the other things are important too.
It’s all a lot less silly than the Easter bunny!
PS- LOL @ Lay’s Potato chips!
That certainly doesn’t reflect my son or the many children I know in my life. They all know the reason for the season and Christmas is to celebrate Jesus.
Have your surroundings made you bitter?
My surroundings have not made me bitter. I have been blessed by God in many, many ways, and have experienced so much answer to prayer it is astounding. Most recently, a new job with more hours and pay. Have I been through tough times? Yes, but it’s made me who I am.
We have not had a “Christmas Tree” in our home for years and years. Instead, a very large wooden cross is put up in our yard with a spot light. It is our personal way to “celebrate” if you will. The same cross goes up at Easter as well. For us, “Christmas time” is a way for us to remember and reflect and be thankful to God for the birth of Christ Jesus, who is now our King.
Now you state that Christians only help and give to others during the Christmas season. That is patently false.
Again, I am not bitter. I am blessed. I am not angry. I know most people are not going to change their minds about Christmas, and will continue to celebrate it as they always have. That is their choice. I have chosen not to. My purpose in writing this piece was to make people aware. If after knowing the facts about the rip off of pagan traditions and the ridiculousness of the spending, they want to continue in this celebration, go for it. I want no part of it.
Beautifully stated. Thank you.
No, it’s not pride. Actually, it’s anger and sadness at what Christmas is and has become. For the majority, it has nothing to do with Christ, and that’s my article in a nutshell. I am a humble person, believe it or not. I believe God’s heart is broken over what this supposed Christian holiday has become. Just look at video of people fighting on Black Friday for the latest gadget. That sums is up.
3 For the practices of the peoples are worthless;
they cut a tree out of the forest,
and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.
4 They adorn it with silver and gold;
they fasten it with hammer and nails
so it will not totter.
Pagans ate fish, should we avoid fish? Pagans ate meat should we avoid meat? Pagans prayed to their false Gods, should we avoid praying to the true God? Get your eyes off of pagans and back on Christ and maybe you can rediscover the spirit of Christmas.
What troubles me is that you don’t seem able to have Christmas in your heart all year long.
One word. Advent.
Say’s who ? I have it both ways.
Thank you for your lovely response. God bless you and yours!
Not in my lifetime. Everyone knows it is about Jesus. I think you are just being too cynical.
Whereas with Christ faith is based upon enough warrant to take that step, and which is confirmed.
Sometimes even atheists can get it right.
Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.
The writer being a Single Mom, tells me all I want to know.
That’s pretty crass.
You have no idea about the circumstances in a person’s life that would lead to that situation.
What about women who got pregnant through rape?
What about women whose husbands committed suicide? (I know one for sure)
What about women whose husbands left them for greener pastures?
What about women whose husbands have died?
What about women whose husbands beat them of their kids? Should they be forced to stay, in your opinion?
That’s a lot of ASSumptions you make there.
Dontcha love how when you disagree with someone it makes you *bitter*, *angry*, a *hater*, etc ad nauseum?
Methinks there’s a lot of projection going on.
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