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
I believe that if you don't like what I say or what I believe, Tough. Deal with it. But we can't upset the PC world now, can we?
Amazing isn't it? -that even the annual celebration of the birth of Christ brings joy to even atheists who deny and refuse to believe in Him.
>> I just want to get people thinking.
Because we weren’t beforehand?
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Keep Christ in Christmas, FRiends.
What does my being a single mom have to do with this article? FYI, I was married and left an abusive man. Not that it’s any of your business.
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?
Lovely!!! May every blessing be yours!
The author may have pretended, but I don't. And many Christians don't. Not because we are not aware about the history of Christmas celebration and its components (tree, gifts, etc.), but because we actually give a different meaning from the ones in original pagan traditions. Our own meaning.
If some Christians, or nonChristians want to stop celebrate it, it's up to them. They probably need to watch this again and again: True meaning of Christmas : 
I really don’t care what this woman does or doesn’t do.
The traditional celebration that my family has done is what I will do this year. I am fully aware that the birth of Jesus did not take place in December. As a cultural life affirming event I think Christmas celebrations are a good thing. The lights, the foods, the hymns, the family gathering those are all things that I treasure and have passed along to my family…. along with the real story of the Nazarene’s burt, life, death, and resurrection.
I find no reason to lambast others because of what they do for this time of year
Keeping Christ at the center and being the reason for the season anchors the christian to enjoy all the other side aspects of christmas. As for me I find all the obligatory gift buying a real drag but I don’t begrudge others of it if they choose all the trappings and such.
I didn’t realize you wrote this when I posted the Yes, Virginia editorial.
Now that I realize it I must say you sound very unhappy.
I don’t think there is anything wrong with Christmas being in part a, how should I say it?, recasting of pagan holidays. That to me is fascinating and wonderful.
Christmas is the one time of year when we are all urged to think of others, to strive to make our loved ones and even strangers happy.
I think that very much is a Christian message.
And for all the nonsense of retail advertising, I don’t know that so many people succumb to that.
Don’t you think it is a good thing that we have a time in our culture where we celebrate family, the innocence of children, and yes God almighty?
If you don’t want to do the gift giving thing, find a performance of the Messiah and go see it; sing carols; do toys for tots; work in a soup kitchen.
Christmas is about the glory of God, celebrate that in the way you think is best, but please don’t buy into what the atheists say about it. My goodness, I’d take Macy’s over that crew 8 days a week.
God rest you merry, gentlewoman.
Its a gift to the world the Christian religion organizes a couple weeks in the yr when concentration is on gratitude and good will.
ta da......what else in history does that?
I have no problem with others celebrating Christmas.
But I have yet to find anyone who can justify it from scripture.
Love to hear you try.........
At our church's Christmas party last December.
It sounds as if the author is projecting herself onto others.
Herodotus mentions that Persians celebrated their birthdays, as if reporting on an odd custom.
In Puritan Massachusetts Bay Colony in the 17th century, it was against the law to celebrate Christmas because it was considered a Catholic invention. You were expected to work on Christmas Day unless it fell on a Sunday.
You really overrate the power of your post. It is amusing that you think you have the power to offend anyone. People like me do not grant the power to people like you to offend us. You aren’t even annoying. You really need to work on your style or take a nap. Which ever makes you feel better. Merry Christmas.
I see Christmas as having two purposes, both of which have value, if not equal value.
The first, of course, is the religious value, which can be approached in many ways, and is often discussed.
But the second is neglected. It is a very human value. Christmas is about at the darkest time of the year, and this has profound effects on people. Before Christmas to after the new year.
People are sad, and slow, and their routines have been disrupted. They often feel lonely and depressed. So it is a fine time of the year to bring out Christmas cheer, and the spirit of Christmas.
It stands apart from the religious nature of Christmas, though certainly has no conflict with it. It is the gift of helping people feel better.
What’s not to like?
Yep-— and what other historical great person (either ancient or more modern) has a birthday celebrated so universally and with such enthusiasm down through the years?
The Bethlehem angels pronouncement of bringing great tidings of joy and gladness still ring down true in celebration every year. Explain that away you dear atheists.
I don’t worry about all that stuff - I just keep telling people about the Messiah of a Israel regardless of the holiday it happens to be at the time.
I was never much of a Christmas fan but once I read the Bible as an adult I felt less guilt about it. :) I bet most Christians think Jesus was born on Christmas and that the wise men were there at his birth. I don’t think that’s going to held against them on Judgement Day but being more up on the details wouldn’t hurt any.
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