Why Some Christians Don't Celebrate Christmas

Good News Magazine ^ | Nov. 2005 | Jerold Aust

[Conservative til I die]

Yes, there are secular aspects to this holiday but who cares, not me.

Exactly. And it's not as if you or I can control how the rest of the world decides to celebrate the day anyway. I guess the idea of "control" is what this whole debate is about to some people.

[Uri’el-2012]

Why do you think "New Covenant" is only spoken about by Jesus at the time of the Last Supper

Please see the Book of JEREMIAH

Je. 31:31 “The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.

Je. 31:32 It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to [Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac covenant, and I turned away from] them,” [Or was their master] declares the LORD.

Je. 31:33 “This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

b'shem Y'shua

[Diego1618]

we have St. John Chrysostom telling us in his homily for this Feast, that the Western Churches had, from the very commencement of Christianity, kept it on this day. He is not satisfied with merely mentioning this tradition; he undertakes to show it is very well founded, inasmuch as the Church of Rome had every means of knowing the true day of our Saviour's Birth, since the acts of the enrollment, taken in Judea by command of Augustus, were kept in the public archives of Rome

Since your argument, and that of Chrysostom, is now suspect because of the response of Xenia and his excellent article, (post #26) I would like to hear your take on it.

[Diego1618]

So long as we treat it as a time for charity, generosity, forgiveness, and joy - it is a credit to His life and mission.

When I hear this argument I often think of 2 Corinthians 11:14, [And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.]

If your going to celebrate Christmas.....just be sure you know what it is you are actually celebrating. You will not find it in the word of God.

[freedumb2003]

Yes, it isn't that cold in Jersulam now but that is because of Global Warming.

See? Celebrating Christmas is BUSH'S FAILT!!

[DouglasKC]

"But since Jesus never taught His apostles to keep Christmas, ...., shouldn't that make us question whether Christmas is something Jesus really wants or appreciates?"
The logic of this line of argumentation is so laughable, that I can't believe anyone would take it seriously. To illustrate, let's substitute something else that Jesus never commanded His apostles to do:

It's perfectly logical considering that Christ created specific days that he commanded that his followers should observe. As followers of Christ...."Christians"...we should live by the example he set in the records of his life and observe the festivals he created and observed.

[DouglasKC]

Two billion people celebrating the birth of Christ speaks to me more than the few who don't.

I prefer to base my beliefs on scripture rather than what others do. Good luck.

[Diego1618]

All this nonsense about "Christianising" pagan festivals is hogwash spewed forth by the ignorant who have no Tradition and who don't understand how the early Christians read the Bible.

What exactly do yule logs, mistletoe, evergreen trees, Santa Claus, gift exchanges, decorations, colored lights and general merrymaking have to do with scripture?

[DouglasKC]

So the author's a Judaizer. I guess we should all only celebrate Yom Kippur, Hannukah, and Passover. And go back to the Hebrew calendar.

That is and was the goal of Jesus Christ.

It's too bad some of these clowns can't just live a Christian life, instead of obsessing over holidays. Traditions of men, indeed.

It's not obsessing over "holidays". It's spreading the truth about holy days...days that Christ created and commanded to be observed.

[DouglasKC]

Then go feel free to sit in a closet on December 25th. Your argument is a loser, and has been settled for well over a millenium.

Thankfully that's never been the case. Scripture is never a "loser" and the word of God endures forever.

[RightWhale]

While I suspect the story of the wise men et al is a remnant of older, superstitious traditions, I still feel something approaching hope on Christmas morning. The only other holiday type thing that comes close actually goes far beyond, and that is the Easter sunrise service. Yes, indeed.

[DouglasKC]

The pluperfect Sacrifice of the New Covenant is His Sacrifice on the Cross re-presented in a Sacramental manner in real time via the Priesthood He established and it is through the Priesthhod He established that Jesus, as both Priest and victim, offers Himself to God as an act of propitiation and we Redeemed Christians gather with Him at the altar to offer this perfect Sacrifice of the New Covenant and then we Redeemed Christians consume the New Covenant Meal/Heavenly Banquet, the Eucharist.

That would be another point for not celebrating Christmas. The last supper occurred on Passover, a biblically commanded observance held yearly. Again, a feast day of God. Christ commanded his followers to observe the cermonial bread and wine in a like manner, every Passover, until he came again.

[DouglasKC]

Religious conservatives have a cause this holiday season: the commercialization of Christmas. They're for it.

Ironic, isn't it? Let the money changers INTO the temple so we can profit off God.

[Conservative til I die]

Yes, there are secular aspects to this holiday but who cares, not me.

Exactly. And it's not as if you or I can control how the rest of the world decides to celebrate the day anyway. I guess the idea of "control" is what this whole debate is about to some people.

[bornacatholic]

From what I have read, most protestant catechesis is based in polemics against the Christian Catholic Church "The Catholic Church does thus and such but the Bible says..."

As for the Pagans, they were all right in my book. They were much more sensible than many of today's protestants, having discovered fortitude, temperance, prudence, justice; the rest of the knowledge of the Virtues would be completed with the Grace of Faith, Hope, and Charity built upon their naturally perfected knowledge.

On the other hand, literally, how many proddies are wearing wedding rings which practice was introduced by the pagans as a way of making us Satanists I guess.

I had heard the March 25 explanation but it's Chrysostom's story and I'm sticking with it :)

[Conservative til I die]

I've been laughing for days at the people who think that calling a decorated evergreen a "Holiday tree" rather than a "Christmas tree" somehow denigrates the Savior.

It's not denigration of the Savior. It's a general attack on Christmas and Christian identity. I laugh at all the idiots that think that calling it a "Christmas tree" is somehow denigrating to tyrannical religious minority bullies.

[Tantumergo]

"It's perfectly logical considering that Christ created specific days that he commanded that his followers should observe."

Apart from His commandment to "Do this as my memorial", where does He command that His followers should observe any of the Jewish festivals?

Do you accept the Acts of the Apostles as inspired Scripture?

[x5452]

This borders on anti-Christian propaganda. It's the same BS the imfamous walmart email used for saying happy holidays.

Folks are free to celebrate Christmas Dec 25, Jan 7, or at least 2 other widly practiced dates, but NOT honoroing the birt of Christ is the most un-Christian thing I've ever heard of.

[bornacatholic]

If you are Jewish and I think you are ignorant and arrogant that doesn't mean, by extension, I think Jesus is ignorant and arrogant.

Jesus didn't hate Tradition.

2 Thess 6 And we charge you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw yourselves from every brother walking disorderly, and not according to the tradition which they have received of us.

*It is you who hates Jesus, Tradition, Christians and the Bible.

Have a nice Advent.