At least one pastor does not agree with Christmas=Sacred

[CornField]

http://www.wave3.com/Global/story.asp?S=4233217&nav=0RZF

"Pastor Defends Decision To Close Church On Christmas"

(LEXINGTON, Ky.) -- The senior minister at central Kentucky's largest church defended a decision to not offer services there on Christmas Sunday and responded to mounting criticism.

...

The backlash came after the Lexington Herald-Leader reported that Southland and other megachurches in Illinois, Michigan, Georgia and Texas would not hold worship services on Dec. 25.

Standing on a stage decorated with 15 artificial Christmas trees, Weece downplayed the significance of the day.

"Christmas began as a pagan holiday to the Roman gods, and if we were to really celebrate the historical birth of Jesus, it would either be in early January or mid-April," Weece said. "I'm only pointing out the historical technicalities not out of intellectual arrogance, but again because of the illogical, ill-informed and even hypocritical arguments that were aimed at me this past week."

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The articles goes on to say the Pastor received applause and a standing ovation during his sermon. (I had no idea standing ovations were a part of a religious ceremony. Learn something new each day... )

[Inland]

1. Article in local paper on no services in some megachurches

even though christmas falls on a sunday. It's for families now, you know, gifts, eggnog, bowl games, dinner....all the secular stuff.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

2. So if Christmas is not such a big deal

then why does he have to spend it home with his family?

BTW, we clap and stuff in our church sometimes after a sermon..usually when the priest tells us he's resigning.

[Toots]

3. In Christianity there is nothing more sacred than Christmas except maybe

Easter. This guy is not Christian he is right wing shill trying to defraud unimaginative people.

[CornField]

5. But isn't it interesting in light of the "War on Christmas" stuff floating

about? This seems to fly directly in the face of those who have been on the news expounding upon the sacredness of the holiday and how everyone is trying to downgrade Christmas. How does that point of view collide with churches not holding a Sunday service on the day?

[Fenris]

6. This pastor's view seems more in line with that of the Puritans.

After all, they did ban Christmas for 13 years in Massachusetts because they deemed it unseemly.

[reality based]

10. The churches that I attended as I child

vehemently refused to celebrate Christmas, or Easter for that matter. Both were regarded as being too infused with pagan symbolism and as non-Biblical observances. Weekly Sunday worship was the only observance authorized. Thankfully, we observed Christmas at home with the pagan tree, gift giving, and Santa Claus. Non religious Christmas songs were preferred, but occasionally we did a little caroling. All this politicization of Christmas is ruining what little has remained after its supercommercialization. These right-wing roaches spoil everything they touch.

[Fenris]

4. I was under the impression Christmas had its origins in pagan

Scandinavia, not Rome. What, with Yuletide and all that jazz.

[Moochy]

12. Christianity coopted "Pagan" rites

In general it's a true statement to say that much of Christianity's rites and rituals have their origins in non Christian cults and religions. Since pagan is a catchall word that nowadays means non-christian, from what organizations can a growing christian religion steal from, besides non-christian religions?

Pagani, which means inhabitant of the fields. Was a term used by the urban romans to describe the rural folks who were faithful adherants to the Roman state religion, and participated piously in its rites and rituals.

The Pagani did not convert to christianity as quickly as the fad-conscious city folk, thus early christian writers used the term with disdain at the lack of tithes those pagan regions were generating.

[misanthrope]

14. Yule is Germanic...

...Saturnalia is Roman.

In ancient Babylon, the feast of the Son of Isis (Goddess of Nature) was celebrated on December 25. Raucous partying, gluttonous eating and drinking, and gift-giving were traditions of this feast.

In Rome, the winter solstice was celebrated many years before the birth of Christ. The Romans called their winter holiday Saturnalia, honoring Saturn, the God of Agriculture. In January, they observed the Kalends of January, which represented the triumph of life over death. This whole season was called Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, "the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun."

It's also in ancient Rome that the tradition of the Mummers was born. The Mummers were groups of costumed singers and dancers who traveled from house to house entertaining their neighbors. From this, the Christmas tradition of caroling was born. The Mummers of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania were the initial inspiration for what evolved into America's contemporary Mardi Gras.

In northern Europe, other traditions we now consider part of Christian worship were begun long before the participants had ever heard of Jesus. The pagans of northern Europe celebrated the their own winter solstice, known as Yule. Yule was symbolic of the sun god, Mithras, being born and was observed on the shortest day of the year. As the god grew and matured, the days became longer and warmer. It was customary to light a candle to encourage Mithras, and the sun, to reappear next year.

Huge Yule logs were burned in honor of the sun.

Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual. Holly berries were said to be a food of the gods.

Live evergreen trees were often brought into homes during the harsh winters as a reminder to inhabitants that soon their crops would grow again.

In 350, Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25.

Christmas (Christ-Mass) as we know it today, most historians agree, began in Germany, though Catholics and Lutherans still disagree about which church celebrated it first. The earliest record of an evergreen being decorated in a Christian celebration was in 1521 in the Alsace region of Germany. A prominent Lutheran minister of the day cried blasphemy: “Better that they should look to the true tree of life, Christ.”

[LibertyLover]

15. Ancient Rome and Christmas

The Romans celebrated a holiday called Saturnalia at roughly the same time as Christmas, ie the Winter Solstice. Gifts were exchanged, family and friends visited, there were feasts and for a time masters and slaves exchanged roles. This last activity may have been carried over into the medieval period with its Feasts of Misrule and Boy Bishops that are seen at Christmas time. The way Christmas is celebrated today owes a lot to a variety of cultures' traditions - Germanic, Roman, pagan and medieval Christian - that were kind of blended together by the Victorians.

[reality based]

7. Re: Church Ovations

They surprised me, too, when I first witnessed them. As a child the only spontaneous audience participation I saw or heard at church was limited to "amens" from the more sanctified brethren in the front pews and mild laughter at the preachers' jokes. I went off to a "Christian" college and saw the "in" faculty encourage standing ovations for right wing speakers in mandatory chapel "services." Maybe the church sheeple returning to their local congregations and parishes from this indoctrination introduced the practice.

[CornField]

11. Even during the most elaborate revivals

I never saw anyone applauding. I think it would be really surreal for me to witness such a display in church. Political rallies... sporting events... productions... I have applauded at all of those. The only time my hands have clapped during church were when we visited predominantly black churches and danced and clapped to the beat of the music. (Well, as much as this non-rythemic girl could. LOL!)

[Ilsa]

8. I got one of those emails blasting the "godless liberals" for trying

to take "Christ out of Christmas" via the corporations using HH instead of MC. I replied that Christians should be discouraging corporations from using Christ's name to make a buck, and besides, mega-churches were closing, and that it doesn't look good when Christians talk this talk but not even walk the walk on Christmas day. I ended my reply with Peace, etc, and don't let the tv pundits ruin your Christmas.

My auntie replied (shocked) that one of the "social club" mega-churches in her town (Amarillo) would also be closed Sunday, Christmas morning.

[gratuitous]

9. Sounds like Bill O'Reilly needs to go to Kentucky

And straighten these folks out. That is, if O'Reilly can even find Kentucky.

[Johonny]

13. There is no historical account of the birth

it would either be in early January or mid-April


Those dates are as much a shot in the dark as any other. Heck he might not have ever been born.