The writer of this article, a devout Christian lady, thinks that Christmas should not have public holiday status. From my interpretations of what she’s saying, she has a point and at face value, I would probably agree. All the festivities that we all indulge in, whether as true Christians or part-timers who only emerge into the Christian light at Christmas and Easter time, do tend to rob genuine Christians of what they believe to be their Christmas.
The rampant consumerism…the shallow gestures of church attendance once a year…the lovely Carol concerts for our pure entertainment…perhaps they do undermine what true Christians believe to be the true meaning of Christmas. Perhaps they do demean the spiritual ethos of the season. Let’s be honest…the majority of *Christians* only live up to their religion once or twice a year and cherry-pick their Christian behaviour at their own convenience.
But then, the writer says in her last paragraph…”Unburdened of the glitter and tinsel, the piped-in sugary music at the malls, the frenzied shopping, Christmas could breathe again, become what it was intended to be, and observed in a spirit of devotion by those of us who believe in Jesus, our Christ.”
The words in bold type. Hmm. Let’s remember that the traditional rituals of Christmas are pagan in origin and most of the traditions that we play out each year such as worshipping decorating our Christmas trees, giving and receiving presents, the holly, the ivy, the yule log…they all have their roots in paganism. To summarise a long history lesson, the early Christians could not get the pagans to stop these Winter rituals so they actually spun them into a Christian message of holy nights and virgin births.
That’s fine. Who am I to protest? But I wish they wouldn’t be so selfish and would remember that Christians don’t have the exclusive rights to the season. Please don’t misunderstand me. I don’t abhor the Christian Christmas message. We could do a lot worse than tell the tale of the humble birth of a genuine and true humanitarian. So Christians, by all means, interpret the season as you wish. But don’t tell the secular society that it is hypocritical and has no right to celebrate at this time of the year because in fact, the season was being celebrated way before it was pilfered and changed to Christmas. And so…we all have every right to be merry and celebrate our loved ones once a year. Any one of us may celebrate the winter solstice (Yule) and give thanks to the Earth at this time.
Because actually, no exclusive group owns the season.
I have heard that Jesus Christ wasn’t even born on Christmas, but in late October.. please correct me if you find evidence to the contrary…Merry Christmas
Yes, it’s widely accepted among scholars that Jesus wasn’t actually born in December.
I don’t think the actual date of his birth is known so I suppose the religious leaders just accept that it’s ok to use the 25th of December to celebrate his birth. The date was originally used by pagans to celebrate the birth of a sun god.
Incidentally, the only thing Jesus asked his followers to memorialise was the Last Supper – the breaking of the bread. This is why the JW’s don’t celebrate Christmas and birthdays..because they are actually pagan rituals with no basis in Christianity.
It seems to me that Christmas is merely designed to keep the plastics industry going.
‘Mister Humbug’, (a pantomime which we saw yesterday as a family) would no doubt agree!
Merry Christmas
Yes, the plastics get a fair old bashing at this time of the year. And I must admit, I can be a bit of a Christmas consumer victim myself if I don’t exert some restraint.
“Mister Humbug” sounds like fun. I hope you all enjoyed it. It sounds like a great musical. We love the theatre – when we get the chance!
Merry Christmas too!
Well said EP, I was planning a spot on Yule on my own blog. You’re dead right, Christmas was the original pagan festival that the Christian’s hijacked for their own ends. I don’t mind that, for me anyone can celebrate what they want, but don’t tell me that I can’t celebrate Yule.
Here is Spain they celebrate the immaculate conception on Dec 8th (or is the 6th?), then the birth of Christ on the 25th – which makes the intervening day a pretty remarkable gestation – or, it suggests that Christ was probably born on Sep 6th ish. Or the 8th.
Thanks MrZ.
I read your post. As good as ever.
It’s a bit early but Happy Yuletide to you and yours.
In a way giving Christmas holidays national status violates the neutrality a state has to have face to religion.
Muslims, Jews and other religions would rightly want rights regarding their religious festivities.
Jose+++
Thanks EP, I will be making a visit to England for Yule, it is not an official state visit, just private with the family.
Canarislander (which Canary Island do you live on?) – the UK is culturally Christian, even if it’s secular in practice. It is acceptable for it’s bank holiday system to reflect Christian festivals.
Tenerife, MrZhisou. The problem is that being culturally Christian is one of the aspects of the Western life that Muslims, among others, fear the most, and perhaps one of the hurdles they do not dare to jump, thence the tendency to ghetto themselves.
“In a way giving Christmas holidays national status violates the neutrality a state has to have face to religion.”
Canaryislander, I know what you mean. It does tend to appear that the Christian element of the festival is singled-out as especially important in what’s now a multi-cultural/multi-religious society. But I do like the idea of having a special holiday in which anyone can choose to celebrate in whichever way suits them. In fact, I think it’s important.
MrZ, state visit or not, the carpet will be rolled for the charismatic founder of the all-embracing Zhisouism.
Thanks EP, but I am not in search of fame and fortune, but seeing as you insisted …
Canarislander, I used to live in (on?) Lanzarote and have family in Gran Canaria, so I know the Canaries quite well.
I don’t think a country need give up its traditions and fesitvals even if they put a Christian stamp on the culture. Moslems I know in the UK love Christmas, they just have the good bits and ignore the religious parts (as do I).
[...] Christians hijacked Christmas, not the other way round. More here. [...]
I don’t know that “hijack” is a fair term. History clearly demonstrates that pagans were celebrating winter solstice for ages before the Christians came on the scene, but once many pagans converted, the church was “happy” to use existing celebrations for the recognition of Christmas. (Kind of like Paul taking advantage of the shrine to an unknown god.)
It actually makes good liturgical sense, as well. As someone else pointed out here, the pagan festival commemorated the birth of the sun, giving hope that winter (and the accompanying darkness) were only temporary. The Christmas story is very similar: following the darkest time of the year, the Light of the World comes to redeem creation from darkness.
I actually think that the shared celebration time points to a larger truth than many are willing to admit to. With that, happy Yule, Merry Solstice and Happy Christmas, too.
P.S. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception has to do with the doctrine about Mary’s having been born without original sin. This was a 19th century attempt by the Catholic Church to “protect” the divinity of Christ – which frankly misses the entire point of the Incarnation entering a filth-filled world and identifying with human suffering, but that’s a different discussion entirely.
Hi Robaigh, thanks for that. Indeed, Christmas, Yuletide, whatever, I think it’s big enough for all of us to share.
I might bump this post to the first page seeing as it’s that time of the year again.