The history of 12/25 as a irreligious holiday and the Christians spend billions of dollars a year worshiping their God on it as his birthday is really beyond comprehension. Most people know Jesus wasn't born in the middle of winter. Some countries have a different date than the 25th. @ least to me worshiping on a pagan holiday make you kind of pagan - doesn't it?
-
Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.
Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:- Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
- Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
- Access to private conversations with other members.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!
Christmas Day [12/25] is a pagan Holiday!
- Thread starter Arlanbb
- Start date
sandandfoam
Veteran Member
Pagan/Christian/Atheist doesn't come into it as far as I'm concerned for Christmas. Yes Christmas has it's roots in Paganism and Christianity but we're not celebrating in the long ago, we're having Christmas now. And it's ours. Whatever we chose to make of it.
Heneni
Miss Independent
What goes on in the heart is what makes one a pagan or not.
Copernicus
Industrial Strength Linguist
Arlanbb, December 25 is the first day after the winter solstice when it is possible to detect a lengthening of daylight hours, so it had long been celebrated by pagans. In the third century, the Romans had an official sun god (Sol Invictus: "Sun Unconquered"), and they celebrated his birth on December 25. Christians apparently adopted this date because that made it easier for pagans who were converting to Christianity. In fact, Christians adopted and co-opted many pagan traditions, the Christmas tree being just one of them. Halloween is another noted example, a Celtic pagan tradition that was Christianized. In the 4th century, Pope Julius I designated December 25 as the day when Christians would officially celebrate the birth of Christ. In modern times, many Christians actually do believe that Christ was born on that day, so you periodically get press reports that scientists have challenged the theory. Historically-challenged scientists who have way too much time on their hands. 
As a pagan, yes because by now that kind of thing should be common knowledge, at least that there are people who believe that Christmas had pagan roots.
I really find it annoying how much it needs to be pointed out.
Especially since modern Christmas has little to do with either Christ or the Solstice, and more to do with giving giant corporations lots and lots of money for a very expensive gift that won't last the year.
Trey of Diamonds
Well-Known Member
Not really. Most religions have aspects from previous religions that have been absorbed. Tis normal.
Azakel
Liebe ist für alle da
I agree with Riverwolf here. Another thing that get's annoying is that people might think the person that keeps going around saying this is Pagan and they think we're all like this.
gnomon
Well-Known Member
Christmas was a Pagan holiday.
Christmas was a Christian holiday.
Christmas was a secular holiday.
This year this atheist, me, celebrated with a family of baptists on one side and baptists/buddhists on the other. We had a tree with an angel on top. What really mattered was enjoying the company and the food. In other words, other human beings.
Christmas was my holiday. The Christians can't have it back nor can the pagans.
Christmas was a Christian holiday.
Christmas was a secular holiday.
This year this atheist, me, celebrated with a family of baptists on one side and baptists/buddhists on the other. We had a tree with an angel on top. What really mattered was enjoying the company and the food. In other words, other human beings.
Christmas was my holiday. The Christians can't have it back nor can the pagans.
methylatedghosts
Can't brain. Has dumb.
I think on a forum like this one, these threads are generally met with a resounding
"WE KNOW"
But regardless of where it comes from, what it is NOW is what matters.
e.g. for me, Christmas is not particularly a Christian day, it's not really a day to celebrate someones birth. For me, specifically, it's a day to be with family and perhaps some friends, and celebrate what we mean to one another, and appreciating who each of us are. Because sometimes, we do forget. That's what christmas is for me. Neither pagan, nor christian, nor jewish, nor hindu.. nor nothing. It's me and it's mine. Sure, I can cope with christmas carols (though, not for too long) when it gets a whole community together in one place, bringing us all together for a cuppa and a bikkie, maybe a bit of christmas cake too... there's not many things that move people to gather together like christmas does.
"WE KNOW"
But regardless of where it comes from, what it is NOW is what matters.
e.g. for me, Christmas is not particularly a Christian day, it's not really a day to celebrate someones birth. For me, specifically, it's a day to be with family and perhaps some friends, and celebrate what we mean to one another, and appreciating who each of us are. Because sometimes, we do forget. That's what christmas is for me. Neither pagan, nor christian, nor jewish, nor hindu.. nor nothing. It's me and it's mine. Sure, I can cope with christmas carols (though, not for too long
) when it gets a whole community together in one place, bringing us all together for a cuppa and a bikkie, maybe a bit of christmas cake too... there's not many things that move people to gather together like christmas does.
Most of the Churches in England are on or near a Pagan shrine,this made it easier to convert the natives and so it is with the 25th which coincided with a Pagan calendar.
yeh to that
Although we know that the 25/12/ was the birth date of Cleopatra Selena and Helious the twins of Cleopatra who were sired by Mark Antony a close friend of Herod the Great, no one can ever know the exct day of the birth of Jesus the obedient servant of the God of our ancestors, if you choose to celebrate his birthday, pick a day, any day, it's all right with God.
Last edited:
EtuMalku
Abn Iblis ابن إبليس
What's the matter? You didn't like my post last night about just this? :sorry1:
http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/comparative-religion/74502-merry-horusmas.html
http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/comparative-religion/74502-merry-horusmas.html
Sure, we know it started out as Winter Solstice but later someone must have "superimposed" Jesus' birth with it. I think most Christians must know by now that Jesus wasn't born December 25. But honestly, who really cares?
Renji
Well-Known Member
That's correct Arlanbb
.The Russian Orthodox Church celabrates Christmas every January 7. It (12/25)was a pagan celebration and if I'm not mistaken, it is a celebration to honor the god of sun. However, the Early Christians replaced it to honor not the sun god but Jesus through His birth. So tell me if a person replaced something with another, would it be the same? If the Early Christians replaced it already to celebrate the Birth Jesus, do Christians worship the pagan god or at least make them a kind of pagan? Well I don't think so.Who cares about that anyway? Past is past and I've enjoyed the parties last Dec. 25
Last edited:
Smoke
Done here.
My cousin who is one of Jehovah's Witnesses certainly thinks so. She doesn't even say Christmas. She'll say, "The children are out of school for the 25th of December." As far as I'm concerned, modern Christians could learn a whole lot from modern pagans, and they might do well to celebrate the connection rather than repudiate it.
As for me, I'm neither a Christian nor a pagan, but I celebrate Christmas as a family holiday / winter festival, and it's all good. I even decided to grin and bear it when my husband put out his Cowboy Santa Claus figures on my Buddhist altar. I wasn't too happy about it, but I know he didn't mean anything by it, and after all, it's a rather syncretic altar anyway.
It's just religious dogma that bothers me; the trappings of religion can be quite nice.