We almost made it through the season without one of these stupid posts.
First, no one knows why Christmas is celebrated on 12/25. The conventional wisdom that it is to co-opt a pagan holiday is disputed by many scholars because Christians were not in the habit of using pagan holidays for outreach at the time we first hear of the date. Some argue that it is due to a belief that the Crucifixion was on the anniversary of His conception (which also requires some calculation errors). Others have even noted the similarity with the Feast of the Dedication on 25 Kislev. Others have argued that it is even possible that He was born on 12/25, because there was a field near Bethlehem where lambs destined for Temple sacrifice were kept, and they had to be watched all the time, all year round.
And as to the “Easter is named for a pagan goddess”, that is no more true than saying our 4th of July is really about Julius Caesar. “Easter” comes from the German name for the month when it is often celebrated, nothing more. It is only found in English and German - most languages use a term for resurrection, or a cognate of the Hebrew Pesah.
I love the internet, but man it sure can spread the BS.
/rant
Januar, Februar, Maerz, April, Mai, Juni, Juli August, September, Oktober, November, Dezember. The months in German. Which one sounds like Easter?
“First, no one knows why Christmas is celebrated on 12/25. The conventional wisdom that it is to co-opt a pagan holiday is disputed by many scholars because Christians were not in the habit of using pagan holidays for outreach at the time we first hear of the date.”
Well, actually, it was “co-opted” in the sense that it was chosen (at least in part) to KEEP Christians from getting sucked into pagan celebrations. Manfred Clauss mentions this in one of his books on Mithradaism with a quote from a Christian in late antiquity as evidence. See The Roman Cult of Mithras: The God and His Mysteries (page 66).
>> First, no one knows why Christmas is celebrated on 12/25.
Because it’s 7 days before the New Year.