Posted on 12/14/2013 2:56:27 PM PST by InHisService
“It sounds as if the author is projecting herself onto others.”
Exactly what I was thinking!
He came into the world...
He rose from the dead...
He demonstrated His love.
He demonstrated His power.
He led the captives free.
Why strive to help others and give to others only at Christmas? That should be done year round. All those things you mentioned are wonderful. But it doesn’t negate the fact that Christmas has been hijacked by retailers. I’m not buying into what the atheists say, I happen to believe they are right on this point.
“The media goes all ga-ga over Muslim’s Eid al-Adha.”
I stand second to no one in my hatred of the MSM, a feeling I’ve had strongly since I was 10 years old, back in the bad old days.
But I can’t really agree with that statement. Heck, they don’t even go ga-ga over Mexico’s “Day of the Dead”.
No flak, just two thoughts. First, this is a “meat sacrificed to idols” issue: if your celebrating Christmas as a Christian holy day impedes your relationship with Christ, then don’t do it, because the relationship is more important than the holiday. Second, there is nothing wrong with taking something pagan and making it Christian: Christ died on the cross to redeem the world, so that it can be reclaimed from the devil, and anything that the devil has taken should be taken back by Christ, for Christ, with Christ, through Christ, who works through His Body, the church.
Perhaps if the author celebrated a blessed Advent first, then they would better understand Christmas.
Advent, the four Sundays before Christmas, is about purification of mind and soul, in preparation to receive the Christ Child.
We contemplate patience. We practice charity. And contrary to popular culture, we slow ourselves to prepare to celebrate the sublime mystery of Jesus, God made man.
Christmas Day, until Epiphany, is the Christmas season.
Giving and sharing the gospel are to be done all the time, not just at Christmas. I stand by what I wrote about stealing traditions from the pagans. I agree, a Nativity scene was not stolen from Pagans. Lighting things was. Pagans celebrated by decorating trees...it goes on and on.
But I have yet to find anyone who can justify it from scripture.
Love to hear you try.........
Well, scripture records a Christmas celebration:
Luke 2--
8 And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. 10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying,14 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”
15 When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” 16 And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. 17 And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. 18 And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.
nor do I have any doubts about the deity of Jesus Christ.
***Ok, that got me to listen. There are some very beautiful traditional christian hymns like “silent night” that speak clearly to the celebration of the birth of Christ. It’s good enough for me. I don’t need the rest, and try not to let any pagan rituals bother me. Christmas lights were beautiful to me when I was an atheist, and they’re beautiful to me as a christian.
The shepherds were keeping watch over their flocks by night. This wouldn’t have happened in the dead of winter. Also, tax collection time wouldn’t have been then, either.
Um...where on Earth did you get the idea that I think Jesus was actually born on Dec. 25?
Did you even read my post?
True. OTOH, Louis Armstrong celebrated his birthday on July 4 because he didn't know when it really was. December 25 is as good a day as any, and better than most, because it breaks the power of the pagan solstice, just as Christ breaks the power of the devil.
Good catch, I saw that flag too.........
I’m not agreeing with them for any other reason in this area, but they are right on.
Translation: "My loneliness at this most holy time of the year is only relieved by joining those who are just as hollow and rejecting that which would make me whole....."
Loneliness and misery are magnified at this time of the year, especially when they have no one to share the joy with.........
Having been there, I feel justified in offering my opinion.
Christmas has not been “hijacked” by retailers, that is silly. I mean, seriously, are you that easily influenced by advertising?
And atheists are ALWAYS wrong.
Especially organized atheists who are so afraid of something that they putatively don’t believe in that they must rail against it at all times.
I don’t even understand those people.
And I don’t understand Christians who seek to undermine Christmas. Not celebrating it is one thing, but striving to undermine it, well it’s just as bad (maybe worse) if a Christian does it as when an atheist does.
I for one will celebrate Christmas this year as every year. Even though at this particular time my heart is filled with fear. I’ll put up the tree, light the lights against the winter darkness, thank the Lord for his Salvation and strive to kindle hope in my heart.
The Christmas season will help me, not hinder me.
I have clearly offended many, which wasn’t my intention. Once again, it’s an opinion piece. Like it, hate it, whatever. I feel strongly about what I wrote and put it out there. If you didn’t care one way or the other about what I wrote, you wouldn’t have posted a couple of comments.
As for me, this is what Christmas is all about:
It’s a sad wonder to see people define things for themselves by notions of what other people’s attitudes are.
Wrong again. I have many friends and family I am close to. Loneliness is not an issue whatsoever. I said I was a single mom raising my daughter, she is 27 now. Did I say anything about my current “marital” or relational state at this time? I did not. Thanks for the psychoanalysis, but you’re both wrong.
To me when it comes cultural Christianity I rate Christmas Carols number 1. They are available to almost everyone, are beautiful, moving, and imbued through and through with the message. The tunes and words almost everyone knows and singing them is wonderful. My favorite is O Little Town of Bethlehem but almost all of them are timeless and thus they pass the true test of art.
Good for you! Celebrate away. You’re entitled to your beliefs and traditions and opinion as everyone on here is. I, too am entitled to my opinion.
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