You seem to be focused on just one aspect of the whole story I explained.Because murderers were the ones practicing birthdays is not the sole reason for not practicing birthday's by true Christians.This is not the reason one should not practice birthdays.It just shows WHO it was practicing birthdays.There is a huge difference.The holy scriptures is merely pointing out this fact.It was never God's people.It was always Pagan's.That's all.
It goes deeper than that.I explained many times in previous comments about Idolatry,self worship,pride,vanity etc..
So, we have the, who was doing it? And we also have the why?
You are only focusing on the word murderers and birthdays.
I'm not understanding, actually. It just seems simple to me. If I understand you correctly, you don't celebrate birthdays because it was celebrated and originated from pagans. I am saying it doesn't matter the history and who originated the holiday, it's the sole focus on worshiping God as the center and only the center of the celebration. Same with birthdays and every other celebration practiced once by non-Christians (or pagans). I don't see how one can get out of it, really. Every practice we do to day was in some way practiced by people who were not Christian and,
some who held (in a christian view) idolatrous beliefs.
It seems I'm focused on context and you're focusing on content.
For example, I will take Catholicism.
This history is obviously influence by Roman paganism. Christianity (or how you say Christendom) has pagan elements in it. That' a given.
One "pagan" (or pre-christian/folk Roman) practice was the full set up of Easter and Christmas. The flowers at the altar (which they call it an altar). The bowing to the altar; and, so forth. Since I am pagan, I see no problem with this. In a Christian, evangelical view, I see the problem.
Anyway, the content is the Eucharist, the altar, the flowers, transubstantiation, hosts, and so forth.
The context is worshiping CHRIST not other gods as the pagans did. The context is giving all focus to God and to no one else. (As they believe Jesus is God).
The
reverence to Mary and the Saints are not pagan practices but folk traditions that
every culture has to one extent or another. One can't separate these traditions from the beliefs itself. That's extracting half of the Jewish customs of reverence to prophets.
It just shows WHO it was practicing birthdays.There is a huge difference.The holy scriptures is merely pointing out this fact.It was never God's people.It was always Pagan's.That's all.
Okay, I have clarification. Thank you. The BIG difference between the pagans then and
some people today is that we are NOT worshiping other gods when celebrating these holidays.
On my mother's birthday, I am focusing on my mother not the gods pagans worshiped (pretending if they did on their own birthdays; which, I assume didn't exist then as a holiday. I think it's an American thing.). The WHO is my mother not a pagan god. I can careless what pagans worshiped if they indeed celebrated each other's birthday. The context is different.
Easter then and Easter now (which I'm sure Catholics may disagree; but, I see it coming outside in) is completely different. Easter then, the closest to celebrating Christ's resurrection is in Acts during the spread of Christ's message and the commemoration they had with the Gentiles, I believe bringing people to Christ (His Father's Words). Today, it has changed a bit. The offerings of the hosts to God to bless the hosts to become Jesus is not in Holy Scriptures. The point is not the content (the blessing, the offering up, etc), it's the context WHO are they offering the hosts for consecration. WHO they are asking for the blessings in which the entire congregation including the priests receive.
So, we have the, who was doing it? And we also have the why?
You are only focusing on the word murderers and birthdays.
What I hear you're saying is:
We don't celebrate Christ's resurrection because
Pagans worshiped (Who) other gods.
(Why) They didn't want to worship the one true God? Maybe they had the right to worship the Gods they chose; but, God didn't like that for some weird reason.
So, because of the who and why,
maybe that's why you don't celebrate it?
On the other hand the Context says something completely different.
The history is pagan oriented yes, but the who and why are completely different.
Christians worship Christ (Who) celebrate Christ's resurrection (Why) because they are acknowledging, making devotion, and giving their love to Christ for they, through Him, have the Hopes to be resurrected (faith) as He was. It has NOTHING to do with worshiping other gods.
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I just don't understand how anyone can relate a Christian today's devotion and celebration of Christ's resurrection with the pagans
completely different motive and focus of devotion and celebration to their gods. How in the world, outside of history. can anyone judge or interpret a Christian's devotion to Christ based on the celebrations that are pagan by
history?
The two don't match up. Unless Christians are actually worshiping other gods in their celebration to Christ today, the two don't add up.
How do you relate the two other than the history?