My Wife  :p & I  ;) have decided not to celebrate Christmas starting this year.

I will say this from the start, We make no judgement or force our ideas on anyone else. For my family, this is what we have deceided. Therefore, what you do is up to you, if you celebrate christmas, good for you, you will still be my friend and fellow christian, just trying to love one another as commanded.

We viewed a video "Too Long in the Sun" there is also a book by this title. The video/book basically states that christmas & easter are pagan celebrations that have been adopted to christianity via the Catholic church centuries ago.

In doing a little independent research on the christmas tree, I found that there is evidence that agrees to the video. Basically that the christmas tree is from a pagan background. Do a search on the internet using "christmas tree history" in your search.

Taking into account the pagan background (that's enough) and "what am I'm getting for christmas" (ie: What's in it for me?)......Shopping malls that don't look or sound very Christ like, crowds, commercialization, ect. Add Santa Claus, Do I really want to Lie to my kids and tell them that THERE REALLY IS A SANTA CLAUS? You better be good, you better watch out! :angry: (Where is grace there?), And then have them find out that their parents purposefully lied to them, reinforcing the "The end justifies the means" theory for their later life.

Anyway, starting to rant and rave here......

I reveived the following email that helps me get my point across.

Have a wonderful Christmas, my friend enthused.

"Yes every day is wonderful, I replied, but I do not celebrate Christmas".

"Why? I thought you would especially want to show your appreciation to your dear LORD and SAVIOUR at this time", he exclaimed.

"That is just it", I replied "I don't celebrate Christmas because of my deep love and respect for my LORD and SAVIOUR. You know history and the Bible make it clear that His birth does was not on December 25th".

" Oh I've heard that ", my friend responded, " but what difference does it really make? "

"Because", I replied, " December 25th was celebrated to honor the birth of a very evil pagan god long before the birth of The SAVIOUR. The wreath, so much used at Christmas, was used then, too. It was sacred to Bacchus, the god of drunkeness and revelry. Also, the tree, giving of gifts, and mistletoe at this time - the whole works were all part of that worship."

"Well", he answered, " all the more reason to put Jesus into it. Make something good out of something bad!"

"I don't believe that honors Jesus," I replied. "You know He says my honor will I not give to another'.

Let's just suppose you and I have a very special Jewish friend", I continue. " He has done more for us than we can ever repay.We decide to do something to honor Him so I suggest we have a birthday party for Him. You agree to that but wonder when His birthday is", he replies.

"I don't know so let's just have the celebration on Hitler's birthday", I reply. "Hitler was the worst enemy the Jews had during the last century.That way we could make something good out of it, and say, since we are using Hitler's birhday, we can decorate the room with swastikas and other Nazi regalia. Let's really get with it!"

"Our dear Jewish friend doesn't care much for materiel things so we could just give presents to each other! Oh, we'll have a really, merry party!"

"Now the question is would our dear Jewish friend be honored?"

My friend considered this for a moment before he gave this thoughtful reply.

" I never thought of it that way before. You know Jesus said those that worship Him must worship in Spirit and in Truth. There isn't any truth in the December 25th celebration is there? This is something I really need to think about", he said as he slowly walked away.

Love and blessing to you all,
Furry Bald Eagle

Emily, Nice to see you too.  I have my own stories that some have heard that are very sad concerning those who would be labeled ultra-conservative COC.

If only some could see that their opinions are not always God breathed and rather man-breathed.  Whenever someone says "We have no man-made traditions in our church," I cringe.

One more point on this and I will be quiet....

On Valentine's Day, how many Christian's do not allow their children to exchange valentines because of religious reasons?  Actually, there are some Christian religious sects who do not allow it.  What do you think that does to a child?  Does it make that child more loving or more godly?  Most members of the coC that I know celebrate Valentine's Day by giving valentines, cards, or candy.  Yet the pagan roots of that holiday are blantant.  Little cherubs shooting love arrows...Cupid is based on pagan myths....come on?  Also, the Catholic roots are well-known. St. Valentine was martyred by arrows shot through him. But we think of it as only a holiday to show how much we care for someone.

My point is why is one holiday accepted and the other not when they are both obviously pagan AND Catholic in origin?  Probably because Valentine's Day is not considered a religious holiday for most Protestants...but it is for Catholics.  According to traditional coC beliefs, how spiritual is it to endorse it when it is pagan and Catholic, and claim Christmas is wrong for the same reasons?  The inconsisteny in this kind of thing is confusing and shows how traditions do make church laws even in the church of Christ. Anyway....just some more food for thought.

Most (if not all) of you have already taken a position on this issue, so what is said here likely will not change that.  This is intended to cause all of you to consider just why you take your position.  
 
In the first place, just what do you understand the term "celebrate" to mean?  
Is that directed toward an annual family get-together and exchanging of gifts?  
Is it directed toward some "religious" ceremony or rite devised by some well-meaning "religious" figure in our past?  
Is it some mixture of the two prior examples?  
What scriptural basis do you use to justify "celebrating" an event which began the committed life that Jesus lived.

All the religious division which exists in our world (particularly in the "Christian" world) is a result of people searching the scriptures endlessly for verification of what they already believe.  Consequently, anyone who would present a "scriptural" opposing or varying view is not likely to be heard.

Using a time period once a year for family reunions and gift exchange is really not the issue.  The establishment and practice of "celebrating" the birth of Jesus, quite simply, is not mentioned, let alone authorized, in scripture.  That would seem to be the issue with most people who ask, "What's wrong with it?"  One might ask Nadab and Abihu, "What's wrong with using another source of fire for the altar since we let the "authorized" fire go out?"  The answer should be obvious:  When (and where, in scripture) God gives us instructions on how to lead our lives in honoring an glorifying Him, He requires that we not replace, modify or add to those instructions.  

The instructions He gave us for honoring Jesus pertain to the "celebration" of His suffering, His death, His resurrection, and His return to life.  That "celebration" occurs once each week on the Lord's day.  Our focus should be that event.  

No, it's not wrong to recognize that His birth is significant.  It's just that God gave us no instructions regarding making anything more of it than that.

Hi Jane,

Well, as usual your post really encouraged me. I will look into the Wineskins website.  I have a question for you....are you the same Jane who e-mailed me a few months ago when I first visited the old GCM board?  If so, I want to thank you for those e-mails you sent me.  They really helped me.  A few months ago, I thought it was basically hopeless for me, but now I am feeling a spiritual renewal inside me.  I am not sure where the changes are taking me spiritually, but I feel so much stronger than I did last year.

I am planning to stick with the church I am attending.  The people are loving and compassionate, and they are trying to get away from some of the legalism. I think I may have over-reacted with the Christmas thing.  I should have been more loving in my attitude instead of getting angry.  The man who preached that day is really a good man; his views are just different and more conservative.  He really is just doing what he feels is right.  I should learn to accept that as I would want him to accept me.  I wish this kind of thing did not exist, but it does, and I will have to learn to deal with it if I stay within the church of Christ.  Thanks again, Jane...and thanks for your prayers.
em