Should christians celebrate holidays?

Originally posted by JesusisTruth
locoman, I have another interesting article about the winter and his birthdate.


Like I said, it doesn't matter when he was born, we don't know, what we celebrate is his birth IN general...




and as for Kyo.... It doesn't matter if pagans celebrated a holiday on december 25th first, that's not the point, the point is that we celebrate the birth of Christ and Christ himself.


In general... and the bible clearly says let no man judge you of sabbaths and certain holidays.


it's just a simple celebration, but what considers the soul should be of much more importance.


after death all other things will be sorted out.

peace.

[edit on 24-9-2009 by JesusisTruth]

Okay, your reference to Paul's words about not letting people judge you for your sabbaths or holidays... He was speaking to a specific group of gentile christians who were being ridiculed by the local pagans for worshipping on Saturday instead of Sunday and who were following God's 7 Holy Day Feasts (outlined in leviticus 23). He wasn't saying that people are free to celebrate whatever holidays they wanted to. He was telling the gentile christians to be strong in the faith and not to let the local Pagan authorities get them down. You have to understand that Paul's words are deeply misinterpreted and twisted so many ways that an uneducated christian will fall into a false doctrine trap very quickly. Also, about celebrating the birth of Christ... which He or no other early christain ever did or commanded to do... on a pagan holiday such as Saturnalia, let's see what the bible really says about mixing biblical beliefs with pagan beliefs.

Deuteronomy 12:29-32

29 “When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, 30 take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ 31 You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods.
32 “Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it.


Clearly, God wanted us to worship Him in a specific manner, which included abstaining from Pagan traditions... as innocent as they may seem. God's Holy days have been forgotten by most of christianity and they are COMMANDED in the bible unlike former pagan holidays like christmas and easter.

Loco I know what Paul was saying about the sabaths.


Whether Jesus was born on the 25th or not, which he might of been according to information I read along time ago, doesn't mean we can't partake of it.

It's a celebration in general that has nothing to do with a pagan belief, in Jesus birthday.

Let's say I went away from my family for months. I come back and my birthday was 4 months ago and they missed it but decided to celebrate it on lets say.... labor day...


does it cancel out because it's on labor day and 4 months late? No. It's just a birthday celebration.


If those souls in Church authority wanted to put it on the 25th to draw people to Christ I don't see the big deal.

I do take part in Christmas since I don't know when he was born, and always will.

what Deutornomy was speaking of was taking part in pagan practices themsevles, it's a completely different thing.


peace.

Originally posted by mblahnikluver
Well no because they dont say it that way. Its always "Pagans are evil and satanic" its never about the bible beliefs. If it was I would heard that and not the other. I know many who have no idea about Pagans yet still just say oh they are evil without reading anything about them or even having an ounce of nerve to back it up.

ok well then its my take on things.

personally i just am not going to get involved in other religions. celebrating a holiday that comes from another religion is in my opinion just that

Originally posted by JesusisTruth
Like I said, it doesn't matter when he was born, we don't know, what we celebrate is his birth IN general...

eccl 7:[1] A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

so.. celebrate jesus' birth (which he didnt command), or his death (like he commanded us to)?

" pagans are evil "


I wouldn't say that. You got to understand that what pagans do though are invoke, what they believe is a godess with no revelation, but they invoke really satan which they don't know.

So it's not the individual itself that's evil, they are just misguided on witchcraft and blackmagic and the likes, and where it really comes from, and also even (good) black magic, white magic or whatever, is still a hidden subtle evil that satan can use in the soul who invokes such powers.


and the souls understanding goes away, they have a false sense of power in magic (some), and it can lead to all types of idolatry.


peace....

Miriam.. LOL we celebrate both....

the reason death is better than birth is because to some, the death represents the life of the soul and what they accomplished.

and that passage I think was talking about a regular man, this is jesus we are talking about here who had one of the most important births ever. The most important birth ever with many stories to go with it.


peace.

Originally posted by JesusisTruth
this is jesus we are talking about here who had one of the most important births ever. The most important birth ever with many stories to go with it.

and yet, for such an important birth, we are NEVER told to celebrate it.

in fact eve the stories we tell about it are told wrong.
it wasnt three kings, but rather astrologers.
the star wasnt from god, but rather from satan (to get the astrologers to report him to herod).
it wasnt the night he was born but rather after some time.
even the time of year is wrong since the shepards were still in the fields.

another point is that early christians did not celebrate his birth

yet another point is that christmas is actually a festival to saturnalia...
www.simpletoremember.com...

Roman pagans first introduced the holiday of Saturnalia, a week long period of lawlessness celebrated between December 17-25. During this period, Roman courts were closed, and Roman law dictated that no one could be punished for damaging property or injuring people during the weeklong celebration. The festival began when Roman authorities chose “an enemy of the Roman people” to represent the “Lord of Misrule.” Each Roman community selected a victim whom they forced to indulge in food and other physical pleasures throughout the week. At the festival’s conclusion, December 25th, Roman authorities believed they were destroying the forces of darkness by brutally murdering this innocent man or woman.

The ancient Greek writer poet and historian Lucian (in his dialogue entitled Saturnalia) describes the festival’s observance in his time. In addition to human sacrifice, he mentions these customs: widespread intoxication; going from house to house while singing naked; rape and other sexual license; and consuming human-shaped biscuits (still produced in some English and most German bakeries during the Christmas season).

none of this strikes you as un-christian?

reply to post by miriam0566


We're gonna get a pitiful response on how JiT doesn't celebrate the whole pagan side of things like the eating of human shaped cookies (gingerbread men), or doing the Santa Clause thing... which by the way was only partly taken from St. Nicholas. The whole "fat man with a white beard pulled through the sky in a sleigh by 8 reindeer" is taken from the pagan god, Odine who was a fat man with a white beard in a chariot being pulled by an 8 legged horse in the sky.

Also, to JiT, the whole reason Dec. 25 was chosen for christmas was because of the link between the birth of the sun (after the winter solstice) and the birth of the Son. The catholics twisted the meaning of the day by insisting that the Son of God was born on Dec. 25 when pagans believed it was the sun god who was born on Dec. 25. Christmas trees are taken from pagan fir trees as a sign of everlasting life to the sun god as well as the wreaths, holly bushes, mistletoe, etc. Evergreens were the symbol to pagans for everlasting life as the sun god was reborn every winter solstice. Even the gift-giving came from Saturnalia. Wooden dolls were given to kids to burn in the fire, to symbolise Saturn killing his children so they wouldn't overtake his throne as sun god.

Originally posted by JesusisTruth


" pagans are evil "


I wouldn't say that. You got to understand that what pagans do though are invoke, what they believe is a godess with no revelation, but they invoke really satan which they don't know.

So it's not the individual itself that's evil, they are just misguided on witchcraft and blackmagic and the likes, and where it really comes from, and also even (good) black magic, white magic or whatever, is still a hidden subtle evil that satan can use in the soul who invokes such powers.


and the souls understanding goes away, they have a false sense of power in magic (some), and it can lead to all types of idolatry.


peace....

and what you need to understand is that just because you say that doesn't make it true. Not all pagans invoke. I talk to my goddess and I assure you she isn't Satan. You don't know where it comes from for wiccans. I am so tired of this idea that everybody knows about everyone else because they had an experience. Look I get it, you experienced Christ and for all I know you really have but I experienced the goddess and she isn't Satan and I am not invoking anything so don't sit and think you are going to get me to understand when essentially you are just telling me I am ignorant. It doesn't matter that you don't think I am evil, what matters is your rather egoistical presumption that you know exaclty what I am 'invoking.' How do you honestly know that your whole concept of God and Chrsit isn't an illusion? I am dead stinking serious with no insult meant. How do you honestly know that what yo saw of God wasn't some illusion?

-Kyo

l thinks Christians should should not celebrate holidays.I believe in god i just am not committed to a church as they all seem to celebrate these holidays i suppose there is no church that dose not celebrate holidays if this the case how do you get baptized.
Thanks to everyone contributing.

reply to post by SimpleKnowledge


Research the United Church of God (www.ucg.org, www.gnmagazine.org)
or the Living Church of God (www.tomorrowsworld.org) which are the churches I follow. They don't celebrate pagan holidays. They celebrate God's 7 holy day feasts outlined in Leviticus 23. Jesus, the apostles, and the first century church all celebrated these holy days... it wasn't until the Roman Catholics took over as the main religion of the Roman empire that changes were made in the holy day/holiday ordeal.

reply to post by Locoman8


I guess most have been taken over like this.




[edit on 26-9-2009 by SimpleKnowledge]

reply to post by SimpleKnowledge


Pretty much. I mean, the pope is asking for a one world currency. Something a true christian knows better to ask for. We know one world currency begins a New World Order led by the beast and false prophet... that false prophet, in my opinion, is the pope, whether this one or the next one.

Originally posted by KyoZero
And that is totally fine...just seems like people want to vilify us Pagans for some ancient practices when the bible and it's words have driven people to war and I would imagine killed a hell of alot more people than Pagans have.

Frankly...it's an endless battle and we are but mortals...though these mortals will continue to argue who is right and who is wrong

-shrugs-

-Kyo

Well I cnnot speak for others, but when I myself leaned of the occult origins I made the decision not to be involved anymore. I'm concerned with honoring my Lord and Savior, and His feasts and celebrations are laid out for me in scripture.

I don't need Christmas and Easter or Holloween and Valentines Day to be a faithful Christian.

reply to post by NOTurTypical


And God bless you for that. It also doesn't mean we can't celebrate some holidays. Holidays that are not religion related or that were created specifically for the religion celebrating it. Examples... Independence Day represents the birth of the United States as a free country. Labor day is a day commemorating the workers of the United States. Memorial Day commemorates the fallen military and civilian lives that made this country great. Veterans Day commemorates our armed forces and the sacrifice we've made as veterans for our country. These days are national holidays and are not religious in origin. Thanksgiving is a combination of national and religious depending on preference. It commemorates the discovery of colonial America by pilgrims and the supposed feast they shared with the native americans... grant you, the story we hear in school isn't acurate. Religiously thanksgiving is mentioned in the bible but is not pagan in origin or commanded in the bible. We are commanded to give thanks to the Lord, but not to celebrate a day for it as we should live every day with thanks to the Lord. Another religious holiday not commanded but not pagan in origin is hannakka (festival of lights, re-dedication of the temple). It was created as a commemoration to the second temple in Jerusalem after it was rebuilt. Purim is another created but not pagan-related holiday of casting lots. Other than that, look in leviticus 23 for an outline of the 7 holy days commanded in the bible and followed by early christains.

I only care about not reporting for work on holidays...

-Certain holidays are evil
-The workplace is full of evil

I choose the lesser of the two evils...

But cutting to the chase, I do not pay attention to any kind of holidays nor celebrate any of those. Citing for example, Valentines Day - a day of lust. Christmas/Christmas holidays - a season of hypocrisy. Halloween - sorcery and blackmail

reply to post by ahnggk


All that you mention are pagan-rooted and adopted into catholicism. Christmas came from Saturnalia. Valentines Day was suppose to commemorate ST. Valentine but follows Cupid, the pagan love god. Halloween is known in catholicism as "all saints day" but is an ancient celtic pagan festival.