Posted on 12/21/2005 9:57:18 AM PST by ConservativeStatement
Even as conservatives rail against what they say is secularization of the holiday, some Christian churches forbid its observance.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
The Los Angeles Times???
Ho! Ho! Ho!
More media pounding.
Move on!
P.S. Jesus did Feel the nails on both hands. The MSM is attacking from both the atheist side and the extreme Christians.
The early Puritans forbade it, I believe. At the time, it was probably seen as holding onto its pagan aspects. It only later became a larger part of the general culture.
Another dope that thinks that 'Christ' should be eliminated from 'Christ Mass', which is the celebration of the birth of Christ.
Talk about mindless ranting.
Let's continue to discuss it for another couple of millennia and see if we can reach a consensus.
What I find ridiculous about Christians who want to heap on their brothers and sisters in Christ by drudging up histories few know about, ignoring the current meanings of these expressions, is how they are completely oblivious to the point of all of this. Anyway....interesting article, but it doesn't persuade me that I shouldn't celebrate Christmas. These points would have more credibility in a different context. But as just another angle of attack to silence religious expression, I find it uncompelling.
Mainline Christians that make up over 85% of the U.S. population observe Christmas.
As a practicing Christian, I try to compartmentalize the material, symbolic celebration of Christmas from its spiritual significance. Joy and piety aren't mutually exclusive.
But that wasn't the point of view of the Christian featured in the article.
What I find ridiculous about Christians who want to heap on their brothers and sisters in Christ by drudging up histories few know about, ignoring the current meanings of these expressions, is how they are completely oblivious to the point of all of this.
But can't you allow this brother the courtesy of his belief?
I think it's all BS. I just finished my Christmas shopping. Christmas was everywhere I went. Clerks in every store I shopped said Merry Christmas!
Where is this war on Christmas?
I watched a fairly interesting show on the History Channel about that. The early Puritans did forbid the celebrating of Christmas. The Roman Catholic church tried to replace the traditional pagan celebration with Christ's Mass (Christmas). But the pagan way of celebrating Christmas held on for some time. The History Channel made it sound like Mardi Gras in England and even noted that birth rates were strikingly higher the following September. But apparently it was still celebrated on the sly in the New World.
One little side note I found kind of interesting was the tradition of putting apples on trees to symbolize the apple in the Garden of Eden, which then eventually morphed into the glass ball ornaments.
I'm a baptist and I personally don't follow a lot of the holiday traditions rooted in pagan cultures.
I don't lie to my kids and tell them there is a Santa.
I don't put up a tree. I don't think Dec. 25 is the birthday of Jesus but it doesn't bother me if people want to pretend that it is.
I just wish it could be about Jesus instead of the way it is now.
He is fully entitled to his belief. He might find, however, that he is digging a hole for himself. As he attacks the religious expression of others he will find that pretty soon he is no longer entitled to his beliefs either. My point regarding religious expression protects him too.
It doesn't exist. It was made up by Bill O'Reilly and some other folks to create a controversy.
The lectern was flanked by a set of drums, a synthesizer and other instruments
Jog my memory, in which Gospel does Jesus order the use of synthesizers in worship?
I talked to a receptionist at a doctor's office today. She said "Merry Chri....or um...Happy Holidays." I said, "no, please leave it with Merry Christmas." She gave me a guilty giggle. And I again said Merry Christmas when the conversation was over. She said, "you too!" Ah..and the TONE OF HER VOICE said even more. Bless her.
Thanks for the history lesson! I've seen several shows which indicates that the best thinking is that Jesus was born in April, at least in the spring. I think that you're right, Christmas was celebrated in the winter because it's meaning works very well with the winter solstice celebration--rebirth that brings hope for renewal. I think Lewis's Narnia captures that as well. It's frozen in winter until Aslan comes and then Christmas is thawed to return. {I just love that "simple" tale!)
Your comment about Mardi Gras interests me. I live in the Philly area where the Mummer's parade is a tradition on January 1. It's right out of the Middle Ages and reminds me a bit of Mardi Gras. While it celebrates the new year, it's all around the time of the winter solstice, so there may well be tie-ins with all these celebrations.
I'd tease the doctor about that. Maybe he's just a jerk.
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