holidays like Easter

[Desert Snake]

Do you celebrate holidays like Easter, I didn't realize the attitude against Easter was so prevelant, and some of the 'reasons' to be against the holiday seemed silly to me, if not outright ridiculous.
do you celebrate easter with it's 'pagan overtones, or some other date, or just skip easter and other holidays?


I realize there are other threads with this topic, but wanted to get a fresh take on the situation, as it seems the 'anti-holiday' folks are out in full force.

 

[JayJayDee]

Do you celebrate holidays like Easter, I didn't realize the attitude against Easter was so prevelant, and some of the 'reasons' to be against the holiday seemed silly to me, if not outright ridiculous.
do you celebrate easter with it's 'pagan overtones, or some other date, or just skip easter and other holidays?


I realize there are other threads with this topic, but wanted to get a fresh take on the situation, as it seems the 'anti-holiday' folks are out in full force.

You realize that a "holiday" is actually a "holy day"?....But "holy" to whom?

Easter, Christmas, Mother's Day, New Years, Halloween, Valentines Day....are all adoptions from pagan "holy days" used to celebrate the worship of other gods.
This is a direct violation of the first Commandment. (Ex 20:3, 5, 6)

If they are acceptable to man but not to God, then violating a direct command is placing one on dangerous ground, spiritually speaking IMO.

I personally ignore all of them. Apart from their grubby origins, they have all become highly commercialized and I have better things to do with my hard earned money. Its a good feeling when you haven't been conned into insulting God whilst being enslaved to the commercial system.

I can give gifts and have family get-togethers at any time of year and I don't need an excuse or a date on a calendar to dictate what I do and when I do it.

You are free to do as you wish.

 

[Desert Snake]

You realize that a "holiday" is actually a "holy day"?....But "holy" to whom?

Easter, Christmas, Mother's Day, New Years, Halloween, Valentines Day....are all adoptions from pagan "holy days" used to celebrate the worship of other gods.
This is a direct violation of the first Commandment. (Ex 20:3, 5, 6)

If they are acceptable to man but not to God, then violating a direct command is placing one on dangerous ground, spiritually speaking IMO.

I personally ignore all of them. Apart from their grubby origins, they have all become highly commercialized and I have better things to do with my hard earned money. Its a good feeling when you haven't been conned into insulting God whilst being enslaved to the commercial system.

I can give gifts and have family get-togethers at any time of year and I don't need an excuse or a date on a calendar to dictate what I do and when I do it.

You are free to do as you wish.

The thing is, the symbols and such don't mean people are worshipping idols, that's just ridiculous to me, n-one has to celebrate holidays, but raining on everyone elses parade is not something I understand.
Add to that, I noticed that no=one seemed to care about mistakes relating to more important issues in the bible, even with all that research into the "pagan" holidays.

 

[Pegg]

Do you celebrate holidays like Easter, I didn't realize the attitude against Easter was so prevelant, and some of the 'reasons' to be against the holiday seemed silly to me, if not outright ridiculous.
do you celebrate easter with it's 'pagan overtones, or some other date, or just skip easter and other holidays?


I realize there are other threads with this topic, but wanted to get a fresh take on the situation, as it seems the 'anti-holiday' folks are out in full force.

no, dont celebrate easter or christmas


The customs associated with easter and christmas are pagan as you know. They were not celebrated by Jesus or his disciples because back in the first century, those customs were part of the pagan religions that the Jews were separated from.

As followers of Christ, we are likewise keeping our form of worship separated from such customs.

 

[Desert Snake]

no, dont celebrate easter or christmas


The customs associated with easter and christmas are pagan as you know. They were not celebrated by Jesus or his disciples because back in the first century, those customs were part of the pagan religions that the Jews were separated from.

As followers of Christ, we are likewise keeping our form of worship separated from such customs.

Well , there is a lot of symbolism from paganism, but without the idolatry.....who cares? That's all i'm saying.
Even the cross is a pagan symbol.

 

[Pegg]

Well , there is a lot of symbolism from paganism, but without the idolatry.....who cares? That's all i'm saying.
Even the cross is a pagan symbol.

from reading a fair bit of the bible, i would say that God cares.


We have to remember where those pagan practices orginated from. They are the remnants of false religions. And who instigated false religion? Gods enemy Satan.
Why do you think Satan instigated false religions?

 

[Desert Snake]

from reading a fair bit of the bible, i would say that God cares.


We have to remember where those pagan practices orginated from. They are the remnants of false religions. And who instigated false religion? Gods enemy Satan.
Why do you think Satan instigated false religions?

Well, see I don't really think satan instigated those religions.

If you mean Santa=Satan or whatever, I don't do the santa thing, never did.

 

[Sultan Of Swing]

Do you celebrate holidays like Easter, I didn't realize the attitude against Easter was so prevelant, and some of the 'reasons' to be against the holiday seemed silly to me, if not outright ridiculous.
do you celebrate easter with it's 'pagan overtones, or some other date, or just skip easter and other holidays?


I realize there are other threads with this topic, but wanted to get a fresh take on the situation, as it seems the 'anti-holiday' folks are out in full force.

The word "Easter" itself is pagan but it's only used by the Germanic languages. More commonly it is called "pascha" or "paques"... something similar to what we know as "passover", which is evidently Hebrew in origin, not pagan. I'm not sure how people can really claim Pascha/Easter is pagan, when it is set to be in the same week as the Jewish Passover. If you're not happy with some pagan elements that people may have adopted over the years, then you could drop them, but the festival itself is inherently Christian with its Hebrew roots.

Christmas is more complicated, yet I would still see it as inherently a Christian celebration. In the early church times many saw the Spring equinox as the time the world was created, when God said "Let there be light". Naturally, nine months later would then be the time this Light, this Word, would be born into the world, which falls somewhere around December 25th. Theologically, the date has a lot of significance. The problem with ascribing paganism to Christian festivals is that the festival itself could be set at any date during the year, and it would inevitably be near some pagan festival, and so there'll always be critics to ascribe it to something.

The main point though is that Christians celebrate festivals like Christmas and Easter for what they are intended for. I do not see any evidence that the roots of these practices are pagan, though they may have adopted pagan themes over the years as paganism was displaced by Christianity. If people are uncomfortable with that, that's fine, perhaps they should drop any pagan ideas that are associated with them then, but the events themselves are inherently Christian.

 

[Pegg]

Well, see I don't really think satan instigated those religions.

If you mean Santa=Satan or whatever, I don't do the santa thing, never did.

who do you think instigated them?

 

[Sultan Of Swing]

who do you think instigated them?

Possibly the same people who start any fictional story or fantasy... human beings? Not denying the work of Satan in the world, but can we put it all down to Satan? I mean, take the golden rule that can be found in Confucianism, Hinduism and Buddhism to name a few, for example, can we say that was really of Satan? Jesus taught the golden rule, but is it only unsatanic because Jesus taught it?

 

[Pegg]

Possibly the same people who start any fictional story or fantasy... human beings? Not denying the work of Satan in the world, but can we put it all down to Satan? I mean, take the golden rule that can be found in Confucianism, Hinduism and Buddhism to name a few, for example, can we say that was really of Satan? Jesus taught the golden rule, but is it only unsatanic because Jesus taught it?

actually, Confucia said 'if you dont want someone to do something to you, dont do it to them'

Thats the opposite of the golden rule which is: 'if you want something done to you, do it to others first'

But back to the question about who instigated false religion. Regardless of whether the religion taught good principles, the real question is why did God not want his people to be associated with false religions and their practices?

Thats an even better question because it really doesnt matter what you or I think about it....it matters what Gods thinks because he is the one we are trying to worship and if he wants it a certain way, then we should do it that way.

 

[Shiranui117]

Do you celebrate holidays like Easter, I didn't realize the attitude against Easter was so prevelant, and some of the 'reasons' to be against the holiday seemed silly to me, if not outright ridiculous.
do you celebrate easter with it's 'pagan overtones, or some other date, or just skip easter and other holidays?


I realize there are other threads with this topic, but wanted to get a fresh take on the situation, as it seems the 'anti-holiday' folks are out in full force.

I and every other Orthodox Christian celebrates Pascha (our word for Easter) without the pagan overtones. We celebrate it according to ancient Christian traditions, and keep the Germanic pagan influences out of it.

 

[Desert Snake]

I and every other Orthodox Christian celebrates Pascha (our word for Easter) without the pagan overtones. We celebrate it according to ancient Christian traditions, and keep the Germanic pagan influences out of it.

Well, that's what I'm asking, though, do you really have a 'problem' with the pagan overtones?

 

[Knight of Albion]

Easter was corrupted/adopted from the pagan Eastra spring equinox festival.

Nowadays it seems to be more about chocolate, the 'Easter bunny' and trips to the garden centre more than anything of a religious nature.

There can be some magic in the air on Easter Sunday morning that I try to tap into. Other than that, it is no different to any other day.

My only other Easter connection is the crushing sorrow of thinking of all the millions of beautiful lambs who get slaughtered to provide Easter Sunday dinner for the world's Bible adherents. Who are seemingly oblivious to the fact that Jesus, the Lamb of God gave himself as the sacrifice and spared the Passover lamb. A symbolic act which in allegorical form defines the very essence of true Christianity.

 

[Desert Snake]

Easter was corrupted/adopted from the pagan Eastra spring equinox festival.

Nowadays it seems to be more about chocolate, the 'Easter bunny' and trips to the garden centre more than anything of a religious nature.

There can be some magic in the air on Easter Sunday morning that I try to tap into. Other than that, it is no different to any other day.

My only other Easter connection is the crushing sorrow of thinking of all the millions of beautiful lambs who get slaughtered to provide Easter Sunday dinner for the world's Bible adherents. Who are seemingly oblivious to the fact that Jesus, the Lamb of God gave himself as the sacrifice and spared the Passover lamb. A symbolic act which in allegorical form defines the very essence of true Christianity.

But, there's another aspect here, if people don't celebrate these holidays, is that BETTER than celebrating a holiday with some pagan overtones??
I like the Xmas tree etc., frankly I don't care if it once had pagan festival significance.

 

[Shiranui117]

Well, that's what I'm asking, though, do you really have a 'problem' with the pagan overtones?

The only thing I actually have a problem with is the Easter Bunny, because that's the only symbol that can't really be made Christian. It's just a fertility sign and good luck symbol, and what Christian needs that? We Orthodox have our own tradition of Easter eggs that predates the supposed "Germanic paganization" of Easter, so those are no issue to me per se. Even the tradition of Easter egg hunts takes on a Christian meaning--the myhrr-bearing women go looking for Christ's body, and discover the truth of His Resurrection. In the same way, we go looking for red eggs--the red symbolizes Christ's passion, and eggs have long been a symbol of new life.

 

[Shiranui117]

But, there's another aspect here, if people don't celebrate these holidays, is that BETTER than celebrating a holiday with some pagan overtones??
I like the Xmas tree etc., frankly I don't care if it once had pagan festival significance.

Honestly, if it's been made Christian, I don't care what it was used for prior. Are we supposed to judge a person for the life they lived before they became a Christian? Of course not. It's the same thing with Christianizing formerly pagan symbols; we shouldn't consider them evil just because once upon a time they had a pagan significance.

 

[JayJayDee]

But, there's another aspect here, if people don't celebrate these holidays, is that BETTER than celebrating a holiday with some pagan overtones??
I like the Xmas tree etc., frankly I don't care if it once had pagan festival significance.

I don't think it matters two hoots what we think about any of it. It matters to God who told his people, when they were entering the Promised Land...

"When you have entered into the land that Jehovah your God is giving you, you must not learn to imitate the detestable practices of those nations."....
For whoever does these things is detestable to Jehovah, and on account of these detestable practices Jehovah your God is driving them away from before you. You should prove yourself blameless before Jehovah your God. “For these nations that you are dispossessing used to listen to those practicing magic and divination, but Jehovah your God has not allowed you to do anything like this." (Deut 18:9, 12-14)

Does this sound like God doesn't care about false religious practices? So many of these festivals and celebrations were tied up with spiritism and astrology....how they could they not be "detestable" to God? What does the word "detestable" convey to you? How does one dabble in false religion and remain "blameless" in God's eyes?

Would your rather we "rain on your parade"....or God?

When we make choices about our worship, they should be informed ones not merely justification for doing what God hates. All we are doing is informing people....what they do about it is up to them.

 

[Desert Snake]

I don't think it matters two hoots what we think about any of it. It matters to God who told his people, when they were entering the Promised Land...

"When you have entered into the land that Jehovah your God is giving you, you must not learn to imitate the detestable practices of those nations."....
For whoever does these things is detestable to Jehovah, and on account of these detestable practices Jehovah your God is driving them away from before you. You should prove yourself blameless before Jehovah your God. “For these nations that you are dispossessing used to listen to those practicing magic and divination, but Jehovah your God has not allowed you to do anything like this." (Deut 18:9, 12-14)

Does this sound like God doesn't care about false religious practices? So many of these festivals and celebrations were tied up with spiritism and astrology....how they could they not be "detestable" to God? What does the word "detestable" convey to you? How does one dabble in false religion and remain "blameless" in God's eyes?

Jesus changed our obligations. He changed them quite a bit...:yes:
We aren't defined anymore by the physical laws, but through His grace.

So, that being the case, who really cares about Xmas trees etc.
Something else......
When I created the thread about tattoos being forbidden, sure don't remember getting much agreement...so, are we 'picking & choosing according to ...what. exactly?

 

[JayJayDee]

Jesus changed our obligations. He changed them quite a bit...

What obligations did Jesus change that allowed us to insult his Father by adopting customs, beliefs and practices from false religion?

We aren't defined anymore by the physical laws, but through His grace.

Does grace allow us to sin with impunity then?

Paul doesn't think so.....
"For if we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left, but there is a certain fearful expectation of judgment and a burning indignation that is going to consume those in opposition." (Heb 10:26, 27)

So, that being the case, who really cares about Xmas trees etc.

If Christmas trees, like Easter eggs, are the trappings of pagan worship, then God cares. He saw the original and he knows what the symbols are.
If he warned his people NOT to adopt the pagan practices of the nations back then because they were detestable to him, (and the scriptures tell us that God does not change) why would he turn a blind eye today?

Something else......
When I created the thread about tattoos being forbidden, sure don't remember getting much agreement...so, are we 'picking & choosing according to ...what. exactly?

I don't remember posting on that thread, but if I did it would have been to point out that tattoos are forbidden to God's people in his law.
"you must not make tattoo markings on yourselves." (Lev 19:28)

So who is picking and choosing?