Subject:
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Re: My version -- The meaning of CHRISTmas
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Sat, 12 Dec 1998 22:05:28 GMT
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Reply-To:
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cjc@newsguy.SAYNOTOSPAMcom
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Viewed:
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424 times
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Steve Berry <steveb@codenet.net> wrote:
> Now that Larry has defined the "True meaning of Christmas," I thought I would.
>
> Christmas, like it or not folks, is a CHRISTIAN holiday. It exists because
> Christ is the savior and this is the day we celebrate his birth. We don't
> celebrate Christmas because of decorated trees, lights or over-weight guys in
> red suits.
>
> If you study history, you'll find that Santa Claus (St. Nicholas), gift giving
> and decorative lights find their roots in RELIGIOUS traditions to celebrate
> Christmas around the world. We give gifts to symbolize the Wise Men who gave
> gifts to baby Jesus to celebrate his birth and recognize him as a King.
> Christmas's version of gift giving is inherently a selfless act that mirrors
> God's love for us in giving us his only Son. Unfortunately, it has been the
> unreligious that have mischaracterized the Holiday.
>
> Why is it that atheists feel the need to take a Christian holiday, strip the
> Christ out of it and claim it as their own? Has this happened to Hanukkah or
> Kawaanza? I'd like an atheist to name one other holiday that is a non-
> Christian holiday they have basterdized more?
>
> So, being the open-minded people atheists apparently are, couldn't you create
> your own, special holiday to just have fun? Yes, I'm saying the unthinkable
> in the politically correct world we live in -- find your own holiday or be
> OPEN-MINDED enough to understand why the holiday exists in the first place!
I don't mention this to be overly agumentative, but the celebration(s)
that were common during the Christmas-time of year were around long
before Christ. While there were several festivals during the latter
half of December in Rome, focusing on the winter solstice, the largest
and most memorable was the Saturnalia.
Now I'm no expert on the actual factual history of Christ, so I don't
really know when he was born, but it's always been my assumption that
the early church focused on December 25th not because he was actually
born then, but because the entire world (the Roman world anyway, and
that's pretty much the only part that mattered (to them)) was used to
having a celebration then anyway, one that is really remarkably like
what we think of as Christmas today.
So, imo, it isn't just that all the Santa Claus and other gift-giving
etc grew out of the tales surrounding Christ's birth, as they may
have. You also have to take into account that many of the traditional
activies associated with Christmas were traditions associated with the
Saturnalia, a celebration that existed for hundreds of years before
the birth of Christ.
I could dig out a book and quote some dates and stuff, but a quick
search on Excite turned up, among a number of hits relating to a
Saturn (the car company) site, this one:
http://www.ancientsites.com/as/er/saturnalia.html
> God bless you all and merry Christmas.
And to all a good night. :)
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Message is in Reply To:
 | | My version -- The meaning of CHRISTmas
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| Now that Larry has defined the "True meaning of Christmas," I thought I would. Christmas, like it or not folks, is a CHRISTIAN holiday. It exists because Christ is the savior and this is the day we celebrate his birth. We don't celebrate Christmas (...) (26 years ago, 12-Dec-98, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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