Is Christmas secular?

[Lintu]

Is Christmas secular? Should it be celebrated by non-Christians?
To what extent are holiday decorations, lights, poinsettias, and Christmas trees religious symbols?
If you belong to another faith group, do you celebrate Christmas? Why or why not?

 

[jewscout]

The vast majority of things we associate w/ christmas, from the tree, to mistletoe, to caroling all come from pagan traditions. There really isn't that much in the holiday that is truely christian unless you go to services and put religion into your holiday experience. I will be doing both christmas and chanukah this year. My mom would have my hide if i missed christmas

 

[Pah]

Is Christmas secular?

It is now and has been getting that way for many, many years.

Bob

 

[HelpMe]

if christians can adopt a pagan holiday, why couldn't pagans celebrate it?

 

[Scott1]

if christians can adopt a pagan holiday, why couldn't pagans celebrate it?

Ditto!

 

[Green Gaia]

Search the terms "Pagan origin of Christmas" and you'll get several websites that detail where many of the traditions surrounding Christmas came from.

ReligiousTolerance's page on Christmas

 

[Lintu]

I do know, though, that many people of other faiths don't celebrate Christmas (and are indeed told that they shouldn't). Just wondering about that, as well.

 

[Scott1]

I do know, though, that many people of other faiths don't celebrate Christmas (and are indeed told that they shouldn't). Just wondering about that, as well.

I would be interested in finding out where you came across that last bit of info..... I never have heard of anyone being told they should not celebrate Christmas....

 

[HelpMe]

cept the jw's.and jews?

 

[Lintu]

I would be interested in finding out where you came across that last bit of info..... I never have heard of anyone being told they should not celebrate Christmas....

They're told by their religious leaders, not by Christians (if that helps).

 

[Linus]

I think the purpose of Christmas was originally (supposedly) a religious one (the birth of Christ). But over the years it has developed largely into a commercial and secular celebration thereof. I, personally, don't really care if non-christians celebrate Christmas or not because I think it's meaning has changed so much over time anyway.

 

[jewscout]

Jews don't celebrate it because it is essentially a pagan holiday: The Saturnalia. Like i said above it has many elements it took from paganism. Now don't think that i'm for banning christmas...far from it. These days i think it can bring out the best in people, the way they should act all year round. And i love Christmas lights. I don't care what my rabbi says i'm having frigin Chanukah lights!:woohoo:

 

[Lintu]

And i love Christmas lights. I don't care what my rabbi says i'm having frigin Chanukah lights!:woohoo:

Haha, awesome Did your rabbi say not to?

 

[jewscout]

Haha, awesome Did your rabbi say not to?

I'm not going to ask i'm just going to do it. Most Jews at KBI aren't real big on advertizing their presense, but then most jews i've met period are like that.

 

[worldchanger]

If you would like to get technical, Christ/Jesus/Yeshua however you want to refer to Him, wasn't born durning the Christmas Season. Yeshua was not born during the winter months as the sheep were in the pasture (Like 2:8).Yeshua was born six months after John the Baptist. John the Baptist was conceived about Sivan 30, the eleventh week (Luke 1:8-13, 24). Using forty weeks for a normal pregnancy places Johns birth on Nisan 14 , or Passover. Six moths after Passover is the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkoth which is in the approximate month of October when Yeshua was born. Six months after Johns conception Yeshua was conceived which places us in the month of Kislev, Hanukkah begins on the 25th of Kislev.

I guess this would then make Christmas more or lass a Holiday, not really classified as a Pagen one. It's funny how you find so many menorah's out amoung non-religious people. The famous "Christmas" lights just so happen to be one of the many highlights of this season which always has Chanukah "The Festivle of Lights" happening around the same time. It's a time of celebration, time off work/school, and reaching out to everyone. To bad every day isn't like that. I wouldn't say Christmas is any more pagen than say the 4th of July.

 

[Scott1]

They're told by their religious leaders, not by Christians (if that helps).

Got ya... I thought you meant Christians told them not too! That would not be nice!