Christians targeted again?

Carrera

Seneca the Younger wrote about Rome during Saturnalia around 50 AD:

"It is now the month of December, when the greatest part of the city is in a bustle. Loose reins are given to public dissipation; everywhere you may hear the sound of great preparations, as if there were some real difference between the days devoted to Saturn and those for transacting business....Were you here, I would willingly confer with you as to the plan of our conduct; whether we should eve in our usual way, or, to avoid singularity, both take a better supper and throw off the toga."
"Like (Christian) Christmas, this important holy day (feriae publicae) was for more than fun and games. Saturnalia was a time to honor the god of sowing, Saturn. But again, like (Christian) Christmas, it was also a festival day (dies festus) on which a public banquet was prepared. An effigy of the god was probably one of the guests."

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"Everybody has a philosophy. However, what philosophy you have is a matter of choice, and most people don't make a conscious choice with regard to what philosophy they accept."

limerickman

Christmas - from the phrase the Mass of Christ - is the celebration of the birth of Christ.
Christians celebrate Christmas.

As for non-Christians, they're not, by definition, celebrating Christmas.

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

jhuskey

Merry Christmas Lim.

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Whenever I can't get excited about riding I just fantasize about someone else's bike.

limerickman

Happy Christmas to you and yours, JH.

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

Carrera

Christianity borrowed a heck of a lot from non-Christian festivities and tradition. I suspect Christians may have adopted the Dec 25th celebration day from a Celtic festival held on this day.
Christmas always passes me by as I'm usually too busy to get much free time and take it in.

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"Everybody has a philosophy. However, what philosophy you have is a matter of choice, and most people don't make a conscious choice with regard to what philosophy they accept."

DiabloScott

Actually, neither are Christians. Christmas was a pretty minor holiday on the Christian calendar until a couple centuries ago; it mostly involved saying an extra prayer. The birth of Jesus was considered not very important - just a necessary step on the way to the all-important crucifixion.

So Christians can claim that Jesus is the reason for the season, but the real reason Christmas is a big deal is all the pretty trees, gifts, and family in the dead of winter.

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http://diabloscott.blogspot.com

limerickman

You hit on a good point : Easter was traditionally viewed by Christians as the more important celebration in the church calendar.

Christmas - Mass of Christ - is also a Christian celebration.

I have no problem with non-Christians celebrating at 25th December : it's just that they're not celebrating for the same reasons as Christians, I suppose.

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.."But finally the last thing I’ll say to the people who don’t believe in cycling, the cynics and the sceptics. I'm sorry for you. I’m sorry that you can’t dream big. [I]I'm sorry you don't believe in miracles. You should believe in these athletes, and you should believe in these people. I'll be a fan of the Tour de France for as long as I live. And there are no secrets" - this is a hard sporting event and hard work wins it - Armstrong 2005 TDF
morelike hypocrisy.

Carrera

The belief Jesus Christ was the son of God, the resurrection from the dead, the redemption, the miraculous conception e.t.c. was arrived at as early Christians debated these issues.
Very early Christianity was diverse and not specifically Orthodox as Christians believed varied ideas and some had their own gospels such as the Marcionites.
Orthodoxy only appeared sometime after Constantine the Great saw the need for an Orthodox set of beliefs.
At any rate, many non Christians believe Jesus existed but don't believe he originally taught current Orthodoxy. Some aspects of Christianity are even mystical - the Gnostic belief systems.

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"Everybody has a philosophy. However, what philosophy you have is a matter of choice, and most people don't make a conscious choice with regard to what philosophy they accept."

bkaapcke

Christians object to abortion and the government goes out of its way to not fund abortions so as not to offend taxpaying christians. I object to christian displays in tax funded venues, such as airports, city halls/squares, etc. Separation of church and state should control here.

Christians are vehement is their opposition to such thinking. They feel that their desires for public acknowledgement of their faith poses a minimal intrusion that the rest of us should tolerate. However, this 'intrusion' is not so minimal. God on the dollar and in the pledge of allegiance, the commandments in public displays, if not courthouses, crosses on local hilltops, prayer in schools and at school functions. The list goes on and on, to the point of being opressive. Why, some congressmen would require muslims to 'swear in' on a bible. There is just no end to it, and it has got to stop. Why can't they keep it to themselves? Because it would make recruiting new members more difficult. bk