Well, grand, apparently from the answers, not EVERYONE associated Christmas with Jesus.
And no. Giving presents isn't evil. But substituting consumerism for actual generosity and goodwill...
IS. Spend a little less on yourself and your friends and family. Take the saved money and HELP your fellow man, instead of just.....giving them something actually meaningless. Give -help-, or even -hope-. Much better presents.
But yes, the gospel portrays the birth of Jesus possibly in the middle of the year. I don't really know, but I can assume that shepherds in these parts 2000 years ago wouldn't want to stay out in the cold at night. Summer in the northern hemisphere is in the middle of the year, therefore in my opinion it was during the middle of the year that Christ was born, as shepherds came and visited him.
Amen to that. But it is the date that we remember Jesus' birth. The winters in Bethlehem are known to reach very cold temperatures and it was unlikely that shepherds would watch their flocks by night during the winter. If you know the story of Jesus it says that an angel appeared to shepherds. Winter in the middle east occurs in December, so Jesus would probably have been born in the summer which is 1/2 way through the year.
You must also remember that people had ridiculous beliefs and even made up their own doctrines in the middle ages and the time of the crusades. Society was advancing too fast and what I can gather is they feared change. This is how I read why the church persecuted many people.
What you must remember that religion is not perfect, every religion has holes...why? Because people do and always will get God wrong. Since is normally led by humans, and, according to Christianity no one else is perfect, only Christ is. We are all sinners no matter what. People have sinned and will continue to sin, I sin, it's something that for humans it's impossible to escape.
I'm a believer in my own things, but I do think that if you're celebrating christmas, it should have some context to christ. I am a jew, but just because it's 'christmas time', I don't spend that day with my extended family. If you celebrate that day, you are participating in a religious ritual. So if you don't agree with the religion, then don't piggy-back it for presents. I spend time with my family on other days than the 25th.
I think your comfusing his message of faith based enlightenment with petty acts of humanity that have nothing to do with just catholisism... I get that christianity has the stigma for being genocidal etc but you have to separate the concept of love, presented here, with the dilution of it, as seen in the countless acts of oppression against the church.
I don't become a "consummer". I don't go celebrate the fake birthday of this Jesus guy. I celebrate the light... the lengthening of the days... I celebrate family.
And this "love like no other"?
Really.. I have seen "this love"... and it's the kind that has started so many wars... so many crusades.. deaths... etc.
It is when people become extremists, they forget the concept of love. Their religion gets too much of a hold of them that they forget the concept of which they are following. I don't exactly know why the church persecuted people in those ages, I, in my opinion do agree indeed that it is wrong and should never occur again today.
trying to tie in the birth of this guy, Jesus with the real celebration of light, the Saturnalia.
Then they went around with troops spreading the "love of christ" by whacking people on the head if they decided to worship anyone else BUT this christ guy.
And they asked for money.
Always they ask for money.
This "Lord god" is "all powerful"... but he still needs money. For some reason, he just can't do his stuff without the money.
because everyone was celebrating the Saturnalia at that point... and that was a week-long celebration... from the 20th to the 27th... a celebration of the light.. of the lengthening of the amount of sunlight per day that we got. So the church leaders decided to put their "holiday" right near the end when everyone was nearing the peak of celebration.. and then they called their celebration a celebration of light...
That guy, Jesus, the son of God still lives today. He dwells where ever humans let him in. If something is translated several times, yes, sure there will be slight alterations in some details, like expression. When "songs of songs" (a book in the bible) is read in Hebrew it proves to be quite erotic. However if we read it in English it seems to be quite "tuned down" almost. It's not as expressive, but the concept is still clear. It's still a love tale between a husband and wife.
As long as we don't go too far and start trying to force it into everyone else's faces... or make them recite something in school like "the lord's prayer"...
Personally, I don't care for consummerism... nor do I really care about the "christ" thing... seeing as this "christ" guy was actually born in January and that the church back in the Roman times moved the "birth of christ" celebration up to december 25th
Well done.
HubsiCube 2 months ago
Well, grand, apparently from the answers, not EVERYONE associated Christmas with Jesus.
And no. Giving presents isn't evil. But substituting consumerism for actual generosity and goodwill...
IS. Spend a little less on yourself and your friends and family. Take the saved money and HELP your fellow man, instead of just.....giving them something actually meaningless. Give -help-, or even -hope-. Much better presents.
joelsean1966 2 years ago
ugggg why does everybody relate x mass 2 jesus!? godd!
grandtheftautomadnlu 3 years ago
well....you do know that the reason we celebrate Christmas is because of Jesus' birth....right?
nimtye 2 years ago 6
@grandtheftautomadnlu lol @ raging about Christian's while using their lord's name in vain... and yeah... CHRISTmas
Fcuking420A 3 months ago
Don't give things to people! It's evil!
dakgoalie38 3 years ago
But yes, the gospel portrays the birth of Jesus possibly in the middle of the year. I don't really know, but I can assume that shepherds in these parts 2000 years ago wouldn't want to stay out in the cold at night. Summer in the northern hemisphere is in the middle of the year, therefore in my opinion it was during the middle of the year that Christ was born, as shepherds came and visited him.
Gareth225 4 years ago
We know that, I think it does not matter the date correctly, we must celebrate everyday that God is with us, Emmanuel.
marcinhaUK 4 years ago
Amen to that. But it is the date that we remember Jesus' birth. The winters in Bethlehem are known to reach very cold temperatures and it was unlikely that shepherds would watch their flocks by night during the winter. If you know the story of Jesus it says that an angel appeared to shepherds. Winter in the middle east occurs in December, so Jesus would probably have been born in the summer which is 1/2 way through the year.
Gareth225 4 years ago
According to some researchers, Jesus was born on September 11. I guess Santa's gonna hafta fly into skyscrapers from now on. ^_^
Zyozyoma 3 years ago
You must also remember that people had ridiculous beliefs and even made up their own doctrines in the middle ages and the time of the crusades. Society was advancing too fast and what I can gather is they feared change. This is how I read why the church persecuted many people.
Gareth225 4 years ago
What you must remember that religion is not perfect, every religion has holes...why? Because people do and always will get God wrong. Since is normally led by humans, and, according to Christianity no one else is perfect, only Christ is. We are all sinners no matter what. People have sinned and will continue to sin, I sin, it's something that for humans it's impossible to escape.
Gareth225 4 years ago
I'm a believer in my own things, but I do think that if you're celebrating christmas, it should have some context to christ. I am a jew, but just because it's 'christmas time', I don't spend that day with my extended family. If you celebrate that day, you are participating in a religious ritual. So if you don't agree with the religion, then don't piggy-back it for presents. I spend time with my family on other days than the 25th.
minimeminden 4 years ago
I think your comfusing his message of faith based enlightenment with petty acts of humanity that have nothing to do with just catholisism... I get that christianity has the stigma for being genocidal etc but you have to separate the concept of love, presented here, with the dilution of it, as seen in the countless acts of oppression against the church.
minimeminden 4 years ago
Part 4:
So I celebrate being with family.
I don't become a "consummer". I don't go celebrate the fake birthday of this Jesus guy. I celebrate the light... the lengthening of the days... I celebrate family.
And this "love like no other"?
Really.. I have seen "this love"... and it's the kind that has started so many wars... so many crusades.. deaths... etc.
That "love" is not for me.
ottoarchitect 4 years ago
It is when people become extremists, they forget the concept of love. Their religion gets too much of a hold of them that they forget the concept of which they are following. I don't exactly know why the church persecuted people in those ages, I, in my opinion do agree indeed that it is wrong and should never occur again today.
Gareth225 4 years ago
Part 3:
trying to tie in the birth of this guy, Jesus with the real celebration of light, the Saturnalia.
Then they went around with troops spreading the "love of christ" by whacking people on the head if they decided to worship anyone else BUT this christ guy.
And they asked for money.
Always they ask for money.
This "Lord god" is "all powerful"... but he still needs money. For some reason, he just can't do his stuff without the money.
ottoarchitect 4 years ago
because everyone was celebrating the Saturnalia at that point... and that was a week-long celebration... from the 20th to the 27th... a celebration of the light.. of the lengthening of the amount of sunlight per day that we got. So the church leaders decided to put their "holiday" right near the end when everyone was nearing the peak of celebration.. and then they called their celebration a celebration of light...
ottoarchitect 4 years ago
One gift does suit all, the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. A love like no other.
Gareth225 4 years ago
Isn't that guy dead?
I heard about him in a book... that someone translated from a retranslation...
Ah well, Merry Holidays, Buddha.
ottoarchitect 4 years ago
That guy, Jesus, the son of God still lives today. He dwells where ever humans let him in. If something is translated several times, yes, sure there will be slight alterations in some details, like expression. When "songs of songs" (a book in the bible) is read in Hebrew it proves to be quite erotic. However if we read it in English it seems to be quite "tuned down" almost. It's not as expressive, but the concept is still clear. It's still a love tale between a husband and wife.
Gareth225 4 years ago
Part 1:
That's for sure... "like no other."
As long as we don't go too far and start trying to force it into everyone else's faces... or make them recite something in school like "the lord's prayer"...
Personally, I don't care for consummerism... nor do I really care about the "christ" thing... seeing as this "christ" guy was actually born in January and that the church back in the Roman times moved the "birth of christ" celebration up to december 25th
ottoarchitect 4 years ago