Big Bubba - The Holidays Threads Merged

[lyngraphics]

:hug It was just the thought of not being permitted to eat those half-dozen Cadbury's Creme Eggs I have waiting.

:hyper

[J4E]

http://crocodilehunternews.com/Smileys/default/chocolate.gif

[House of Light]

Hi:

While there are clearly pagen roots to these holidays (Christmas and Easter) - there are pagen roots/similarities to many stories/events in the Hebrew scriptures. (e.g., Rosh Hashannah - the Jewish New Year coincides with the Babylonian New Year and there are pagen stories of the flood)





The Lord is the one who proclaimed the holy feast days....he was the one who set them aside : "These are the feasts of the Lord, holy convocations which you shall proclaim at their appointed times." Leviticus 23:4

Men "invented" Christmas and Easter whether they are pagan or are in celebration of something scriptural. All the same....they are man made.

The feasts, on the other hand...were proclaimed by God...and not just the feast itself...but the exact time in which it would occur.

[KaiafromBergen]

The only two things, that I can see, that Gentile Christians are told to do is Remember the Lord's Death and Resurrection (I believe through Communion and the date of His Death and Resurrection - not with eggs or bunnies) and be baptized.

Now, neither of these are involved in either obtaining Salvation or "keeping" Salvation.

[Betty]

I have to buy just one, cause I am on a diet. I am thinking of buying one Chocolate Easter bunny cause I was good at Valentines.
betty

[BarbT]

Christmas and Easter biblical?

Of course they are. :nod The Lord gives us the freedom to observe any days we like. We are not to judge those who abstain and visa versa.

IMO, the unsaved will not benefit from watching a Christian reject traditional Christian holidays. They look to us to see Christ uplifted and celebrated at these times. They watch us. But if instead they see sour-faced believers going on & on about "pagan roots" {meaningless to them} it only drives them further away from such a "confusing" religion.

I say take every opportunity to CELEBRATE Jesus Christ in front of others! Our actions at Christmas and Eastertime could move a lost "pagan" to seek the Kingdom of God!:yeah

[teresa13]

IMO, the unsaved will not benefit from watching a Christian reject traditional Christian holidays. They look to us to see Christ uplifted and celebrated at these times. They watch us. But if instead they see sour-faced believers going on & on about "pagan roots" {meaningless to them} it only drives them further away from such a "confusing" religion.

Just to be clear, I didn't refrain from putting up a Christmas tree last Christmas to somehow make a point to unbelievers. It was about my trying to be obedient to the word of God based on the verse already posted. Also, I didn't mean to imply that I don't observe Christian holidays if that's how it sounded, only that I feel personally convicted to not partake in the pagan customs associated with them anymore. I don't put on a sour-faced attitude when I'm around other people and I respect their right to celebrate as they see fit. Respectfully, it might be that some of those people who are confused about religion, might be so because we do embrace pagan customs with our religious holidays. JMHO. I've done a lot of thinking on this and I just can't reconcile what spending so much time, energy, and money on decorating a pine tree, making it the centerpiece of our home during Christmas, eager to show it off to all who come around, has to do with worshipping Christ. Isn't the point of decorating the tree to make it beautiful, and then to sit back and adore our handiwork? I say this because that is the reason I used to decorate it. All those years while I was hanging ornaments I never once thought I'm doing this for Jesus. If I wanted to do something for Jesus, I would have given the money I spent on decorations to the local rescue mission instead.

[1master]

Christmas and Easter biblical?

Of course they are. :nod The Lord gives us the freedom to observe any days we like. We are not to judge those who abstain and visa versa.

IMO, the unsaved will not benefit from watching a Christian reject traditional Christian holidays. They look to us to see Christ uplifted and celebrated at these times. They watch us. But if instead they see sour-faced believers going on & on about "pagan roots" {meaningless to them} it only drives them further away from such a "confusing" religion.

I say take every opportunity to CELEBRATE Jesus Christ in front of others! Our actions at Christmas and Eastertime could move a lost "pagan" to seek the Kingdom of God!:yeah

:nono Be careful what you are saying here. I find it no where in the NT that we are to celebrate these events. The first part of your message you talk about "observing any days". In the context of the Bible, Paul is talking about Jewish Law being imposed on Gentile believers which is a common thread throught the NT. If you celebrate Christs birth or the Ressurection..that is entirely up to the individual believer. I ask, why mix in the pagan concepts of Christmas trees, yule logs, santa clause, easter eggs and easter bunnies? Ask yourself, Why on earth would we name the day of the ressurection of our Lord and savior after ISHTAR-the goddess of sex and fertility??:doh
I am no sour faced believer by any means and I am by no means saying that you are implying that. I just want to stimulate thought---thats all. As far as making Christianity "confusing"...We did that!:ohno There are over 500 different denominations in the world today and last time I checked...there Is only One God! These days were Injected into the Church and meant to make it more convenient to the pagans around them. We are represenatives of Christ and Paul says in 2 Timothy 1:7 "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power,of love and of self discipline"(NIV) Lets preach it Boldly! :thumb

[cocopea9052]

My pastor agrees on both points, and says we should not be dogmatic about it. If the little kids want to Easter hunt, he has no problem and lets his own grand-daughter. They don't do a tree, but they do gifts, etc. They encourage people to spend those days at the church, but they do not rebuke believers who celebrate in the traditional ways.

They are more concerned with those who during these times become depressed because they don't have the money to buy into the hype. Or are without friends or family. Everything is so commercialized and in "in your face" and some succumb to the pressure, over-spending and putting the emphasis on the gifts and events. They feel that is less spiritual than the days themselves. And I agree.....if your not praying to a tree or bunny, bowing down to Santa, killing a cat and drinking it's blood.... etc..then I don't think God has an issue.

And I always use those times to share the gospel in some way. Be it sending Christian cards, giving similar gifts, or saying a prayer as the family gathers for dinner. But to be dogmatic about it is what pulls the body of Christ apart......

[1master]

I just think we are so deeply "rooted" in tradition that if you dont celebrate these days or dont do trees or easter bunnies your looked at like a weird-O. Makes me sad.