Clergyman Calls for Christmas Ban.

BBC ^ | 11/23/01

[Khepera]

bimp

[gulliver]

Amen

[PoorMuttly]

FIY, I think the original Massachusetts Bay Colony levied a 20-pence fine on anyone found to be celebrating Christmas.

[anniegetyourgun]

Rev Swan, of Trinity Methodist Church in Heywood, said: "It's about time we stopped now and took a look at what we are doing.

While I would agree with the Rev's sentiment here, he's got the wrong solution. While many will be caught up in commercialism, God will look upon the heart of those who celebrate the birth of His Christ in Spirit and in Truth. We can't expect the unbelieving world to discern between the two.

[marshmallow]

Agreed. He's throwing out the baby with the bath water.

[Eccl 10:2]

I will send a $10,000 check to the first person who finds a Biblical reference to Christmas or celebrating the day of the birth of His son.

Kudos to Rev Swan for being able to think out of the box, but he's looking at the symptoms, not the disease.

There is no Biblical basis for Christmas.

Or Easter for that matter.

[mlocher]

i think that massachusets bay colony levied a 20 pence fine on anyone caught celebrating christmas

even back then the liberal state of massachusets was looking for ways to fund its liberal policies. hard to turn back 400 years of idiotic tradition.

[Tall_Texan]

In a similar vein, I've said for years that if this "separation of church and state" that the liberals hold so sacred was consistent, then state and federal employees should be forced to treat Thanksgiving and Christmas like any other day of the year - NOT as official holidays. Imagine the howls from the ACLU if these two holidays hadn't already existed and some Republican had proposed them. What "dangerous and divisive" meaning might they see in the word "Thanksgiving" - thanks to whom, they'd ask? They'd call it a stealth campaign to force religion down the throats of non-Christians. And Christmas? Read the label! There's no way the libs would have allowed this. What about those who celebrate Hannukah? What about Kwanzaa? Christmas would be illegal the minute somebody like Jerry Falwell endorsed the idea.

Therefore, it should be illegal for state and federal workers to get Christmas and Thanksgiving off. Let them live by their own twisted government logic while the private sector would be free to recognize these holidays as they saw fit. This ban might include government schools as well - THEN this liberal interpretation of "separation of church and state" could have the true meaning it deserves.

[baxter999]

I hate to admit it, but I agree with this guy. The whole month of December has become one of unremitting misery. I begin dreading it as soon as the last one is over.

One of the worst aspects of it is those stupid decorations. How many guys out there have a falling-off-the-ladder-or-roof story?

I treated my first for this season in the er yesterday. And then you have to take the things back down. Plus, it is just about impossible to find the specific bulb you need to replace your particular brands.

Then there are all the gifts and all the money it takes. How long does it take you to pay off your credit cards each year? And then you can't just throw away all those annoying doo-dads, but you have to clutter up the house and display them for a month before you can throw them away. I've taken to accidently stepping on them at night to speed up the process.

Even worse, you have to pretend to like all your neighbors, even the one whose dog loves to crap on your front porch. It really irks me to feel pressure to wave nicely at them when I really want to wave my middle finger like usual.

Christmas day itself is awful with all the garbage generated from opening the gifts. I remember one Christmas eve when three adults, two who were professional mechanics/engineers spent 6 hours assembling a barbie house.

And then, just when you can sit down and rest, the relatives start showing up with their kids and their presents - as if I really want them riding around my music room on their new tricycles with horns.

I always try to work an er shift that day so I don't have to be home. I find it much more peaceful.

[mlocher]

i will send a $10,000 check to anyone who can find a reference to christmas or celebrating the birth of his son in the bible

read the christmas story in the gospels. three wise men came and brought frankensens, myrrh and gold as gifts to celebrate the first christmas.

you may send the check to the christian charity of your choice in my name.

thanks

[Tall_Texan]

If Easter is intended to celebrate the resurrection of Christ, I would say it has a Biblical basis even if the word itself is not used in Scripture (neither is the word "Trinity" for that matter - do you disregard that?).

If one looks at Scripture, one could find Jesus alluding to his blood and body as sacraments to be shared whenever two or more are gathered in His name. Easter is actually Communion on a large scale. "Do this in remembrance of Me", Jesus said. So one could argue it does have a Biblical foundation.

But it is fun to get people to thumb through their Bibles looking for old bromides like "God helps those who help themselves" and "Cleanliness is next to godliness." It's good for people to know what actually is and isn't in Scripture. It can be quite enlightening.

[anniegetyourgun]

"After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh." Matt. 2:11

Sounds like a celebration of the birth of the Son to me. I for one will continue to rejoice over the One who has come to save His people from their sin - God With Us.

[IronJack]

I like this guy's thinking. Christmas is a paganized, commercial greedfest. Count how many times you hear Christ's name mentioned this season.

[Eccl 10:2]

While this is a nice Biblical story, there is nothing in there that says we should do this every year, on a specific day, in remembrance of Jesus.

Sorry. Thanks for playing our game. We have wonderful parting gifts for you.

[Lessismore]

I don't think of Thanksgiving as a religious holiday -- at least not associated with any particular religion. It's really a more secular, generalized, unfocused, spririt of thankfulness.

As for Christmas, it's pretty well established that Jesus was not born in December. So I think that Christians should revise their calendar to adopt a more realistic date for celebrating Christ's birh, and that Christmas should go back to being Saturnalia or Mid-Winter Festival.

[mlocher]

we have wonderful parting gifts for you

oh joy, a ouji board, vacuum cleaner, crystal ball, deck of taro cards and a pair of stilts. just what i always wanted and needed!

[anniegetyourgun]

Come take a look at all the legalists who would come to put us under their law. And all because there are pagans who choose to pervert a celebration of the birth of Christ. It seems many here are so fixated on the world (which will always make a mockery of Christ) that they have forgotten who the holiday points to. Spiritual paralysis (dumping Christmas) because of what pagans do isn't my idea of a solution.

[Protagoras]

There is no Biblical basis for Christmas. Or Easter for that matter.

Must there be biblical basis for us to celebrate these joyous events?

[Protagoras]

As for Christmas, it's pretty well established that Jesus was not born in December. So I think that Christians should revise their calendar to adopt a more realistic date for celebrating Christ's birh, and that Christmas should go back to being Saturnalia or Mid-Winter Festival.

I'm with you, we can have a Santa Claus day and reserve celebrating the joy of the savior's birth for it's own day.