Do you realize that Christmas celebrations grew out of Channukah celebrations? that the early Jewish Christians recognized the connection between Channukah and the angel's visit to Mary? Do you consider the eight candle menorah also an idol --- a pagan idol? Is there anything at Christmastime that is not pagan to you?
Do you have trees in your yard? You better cut them down and clear your land? Is planting a tree a pagan practice of putting up an idol? Are all of those millions of evergreen trees that Jews planted throughout the land of Israel pagan idols? Your position needs some rethinking.
The "groves" that idolatrous Israel was worshipping in those days were groves of trees that had their branches cut off and everything green removed --- they were symbols of the dead not the living. It was the same with the Druids. They carved up the natural groves of natural trees --- something entirely different from taking natural rocks and making an altar or natural branches and making tents with them or appreciating natural things. It was the engraving by the hand of man that made those things verboten.
I do. Both are reinvented pagan holidays dressed up as Christian celebrations by the early Roman church.
Do you realize that Christmas celebrations grew out of Channukah celebrations?
Doubtful, since the Roman church until relatively recent times was violently antisemitic. There are specific injunctions in church canons throughout history forbidding observance of God as the Jews did...this would include Channukah.
that the early Jewish Christians recognized the connection between Channukah and the angel's visit to Mary?
Reference?
Do you consider the eight candle menorah also an idol --- a pagan idol?
I haven't done much study on Channukah, but I would suspect that much of the modern day observance is built upon tradition and very well may have pagan origins. After all, Jewish people don't recognize that Jesus was the Christ.
Is there anything at Christmastime that is not pagan to you?
Eggnog. :-).