Who Invented "X"mas?

[rpellegrini]

Who invented "X"mas? Why not C'mas, instead? My guess is that it was some twisted lefty from the heyday of communism in America. Someone who thought it important to X out Christ, not simply abbreviate.

[RightWhale]

Don't you have a concept of the origin of SHQIPO is?

Greek has come down to us relatively intact, as have Latin and Sanskrit. SHQIPO has been overrun, diluted, and denatured so much it is hard to find any of the original IE source in it these days, althogh it is in there for those who are inclined to get past the spellings.

[dmz]

You want to go off topic.

I want to stay on.

Whatever.

[Chemist_Geek]

I wonder if it has anything to do with a prohibition on fully spelling out G_d as some people do. I'd like to know any biblical references pertaining to that - gotta have a "controlling legal authority", don't cha know? If there is a basis for not spelling out G_d, then one could easily make the leap that "X" would also be appropriate for His Son. Personally, I spell them out.

Deuteronomy 12:3-4.

The thinking is, that it is commanded that the name of the Lord not be destroyed. Therefore, writing the Name on any ephemeral substance (and what's more ephemeral than a computer, which writing disappears once power is removed?)^* violates that law.

^*Of course, one could counter-argue that the posting database still remains. One could then counter-counter-argue that 1. there's no guarantee that the database will remain forever, and 2. it doesn't matter whether or not the writing is a copy - any instance of the written Name must be preserved.

[Denver Ditdat]

I find "BibChr" to be an irrevent, Christ-rejecting, cutesy short-cut for "Biblical Christianity." The fires of Hell are gonna feel mighty uncomfortable for you if don't repent and stop using that abbreviation right now!

<g>

[BibChr]

Oh, ugh; I hate when people use "impact" as a verb. Colons are impacted; a tooth can be impacted. Don't talk about people being impacted. Yuck.

I would say, though, to your further point, that it is not in the interests of communication for anyone who reveres Christ to use the abreviation. His odds of being understood are slim, at best. He'll be taken as meaning the same thing as everyone else means by it: a cutesy, Christless abbreivation... like saying "Turkey Day" instead of Thanksgiving.

Dan

[BibChr]

LOL! But you mean, by TX, what MOST people would mean by "TX"! Communication is about communicating!

And with that profundity.....

Dan

[Charles Henrickson]

Windows XP

"And the Gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

[Chemist_Geek]

Malcolm the Tenth? ;-)

[BibChr]

LOL! That is terrible!

Dan
8^D

[RightWhale]

It's both. A letter for the literate, a picture for the rest.

[Protagoras]

Thank you for your kinds word. I agree will them completely.

You are welcome. Merry Christmas.

[latina4dubya]

X is the Greek symbol for Christ... there's is nothing unChristian about X-Mas, in it's original sense... some people didn't feel worthy to write the name Christ, so they used the X--(meaning Cristo)...

i always sign my letters "ysiX" when i write to my Christian brothers and sisters... it stands for "your sister in Christ."

[TNdandelion]

And that the simultaneous yearly swelling of Christless Christmas traditions, and prohibitions of the mention of His name (or even the bare saying of the word "Christmas") is unrelated?

Some how, I get the impression that the Christless Christmas haters wouldn't even bother to use the term Xmas.

[Protagoras]

like saying "Turkey Day" instead of Thanksgiving.

I detest that.

But I would point out that it's entirely appropriate for many of the people I know because for them, there is no giving thanks, there is no God, there is no prayer.

For them, it's just "turkey day". What a pity for them.

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

See Post 114 above.

[zoobee]

I thought the "X" was a cross.

[durasell]

My two cents: I'd be willing to wager a very small amount that it goes back to victorian letter writing, when people abbreviated all kinds of words, like "yrs" etc. for the sake of saving paper/ink.

[tiamat]

Saw that.

Thanks.

[Taiwan Bocks]

I recently read for the first time that most of my hero groups of Christians disallowed the celebration of Christmas.

That would be the early church, the pilgrims, the founding fathers of America, and the early settlers.

The preacher Spurgeon called the observation of Christmas "superstition."

It's confusing to me with my yearly Christmas trees still boxed as yet. I have only just yet heard of this historical resistance to celebrating Christmas among the most respectable groups of Christians in history.

The reference is always brought up to the golden calf in Exodus.

Aaron says to the Israelis, "This is the god who brought you out of Egypt." and "Tomorrow we will have a feast unto Jehovah." So they were worshiping the golden calf for the Lord? Sounds crazy.

God was so angry He wanted to kill them all but after Moses' intercession He only killed 3,000.

The Christian heroes of the past wouldn't participate in Christmas, not going along with "It doesn't mean that to me," in regards to Saturnalia and the pagan baal worshipping roots of most of the Christmas traditions.

Why are we doing what the early church and the pilgrims and the founding fathers and the settlers vehemently opposed, celebrating Christmas?

I honestly am not being argumentative, and I hope someone has some insight, hopefully biblical insight, not Catholic/pagan tradition insight.