The Christianity of Christmas

[JustSkye]

I think you're missing the point by getting buried in the details. You can move the date to any date on the calendar and Breaks point is still valid.

Ishmael

I understand that. I'm merely giving my thought and opinion.

 

[breakwall]

I understand that. I'm merely giving my thought and opinion.

Perfectly fine.

And Easter is a significant holiday, even moreso in the traditional Christian calendar, but due to it's solemn nature, it lacks the celebratory atmosphere that Christmas provides.

And that's probably why, while Easter is more important, Christmas is more popular. And it's that upbeat mood that accompanies Christmas that has granted it such wide appeal.

 

[phrodeau]

these days christmas is as christian as halloween is pagan.

Hallowe'en is another day stretched along the calendar until it covers the weekends. It won't be long before it's renamed, "Halloweek".

 

[phrodeau]

Perfectly fine.

And Easter is a significant holiday, even moreso in the traditional Christian calendar, but due to it's solemn nature, it lacks the celebratory atmosphere that Christmas provides.

And that's probably why, while Easter is more important, Christmas is more popular. And it's that upbeat mood that accompanies Christmas that has granted it such wide appeal.

It is odd that Easter is not an occasion to party, but Mardi Gras is.

 

[breakwall]

It is odd that Easter is not an occasion to party, but Mardi Gras is.

For some, any excuse for a party.

"Hey! I got kicked in the groin!" *opens beer*

 

[Cheyenne]

It is odd that Easter is not an occasion to party, but Mardi Gras is.

Why is that odd? It's the last party before Lent. Get it out of your system kind of thing.

 

[Saint Peter]

If Christmas was moved to July I think Santa would give me cooler stuff.

 

[Crystals_Kitten]

I was at the grocery store today and I noticed that they already have their Christmas stuff out. I remember a conversation I had with a frustratingly liberal friend of mine who said that Christmas decorations shouldn't be displayed in stores because it violates the rights of people with other faiths.

I have two issues with that, of course. One, isn't forcing a store to remove their Christian symbols a violation of the store owner's freedom of expression? Secondly, and more importantly, if the symbols consist of Santa Claus and Christmas Trees, are those really Christian symbols?

Is Christmas even really exclusively Christian anymore? It seems that the secular interests of Christmas have almost completely eclipsed the religious aspects of it.

Now, let's not get too far from the truth. People still believe that Christmas is a time for fellowship and an opportunity to show human kindness and compassion to our fellow human beings. But, it does that almost without mentioning religion at all.

Hasn't Christmas more or less been co-opted by seculars, not to mention business interests?

So true, I've been saying that for while. It used to be Jesus's day. Maybe if he starts bringing presents like Santa....

 

[breakwall]

I saw my first Christmas commercial yesterday. For the record, that was an ad on an American station (TBS) for a store called Big Lots which until that ad, I had never heard of before. The date was October 28th.

I will therefore officially be fucking sick of Christmas by November 18th.

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

I think religions, at their best, are the collective wisdom of human thought, and are wonderful wellsprings of sacred and valuable cultures.

Religions are not the wellsprings of sacred and valuable cultures -- they co-opt the already existing biological and evolutionary values we already have as a species, and pretend to have invented them.

 

[breakwall]

Religions are not the wellsprings of sacred and valuable cultures -- they co-opt the already existing biological and evolutionary values we already have as a species, and pretend to have invented them.

I said wellspring, not invention. Settle down.

Religion has demonstrably been the touchstone of moral value throughout human history. It continues to be a force for social change. It was the black church in the US that coalesced and drove the civil rights movement. It was the Quaker movement that began abolitionism in the US. Human history is rich with religions of all flavours taking forefront roles in social activism.

But that is a topic for another thread.

 

[Cheyenne]

I saw my first Christmas commercial yesterday. For the record, that was an ad on an American station (TBS) for a store called Big Lots which until that ad, I had never heard of before. The date was October 28th.

I will therefore officially be fucking sick of Christmas by November 18th.

Which is why you should have your Christmas shopping done by then.

 

[MechaBlade]

If Christmas was moved to July I think Santa would give me cooler stuff.

Yeah, getting a jetski in December and waiting 5 months to use it is frustrating.

That's why I'm asking all of Lit to pull together and get me a snowmobile.

 

[Plasmaball]

I saw my first Christmas commercial yesterday. For the record, that was an ad on an American station (TBS) for a store called Big Lots which until that ad, I had never heard of before. The date was October 28th.

I will therefore officially be fucking sick of Christmas by November 18th.

fuck i was sick of it dec. 26th 06.

i think people should just leave this shit well enough alone.
nobody's Faith or opinion is being affected. No little kids are going to be mentally abused from the pouring on of religion around this holiday.
Mostly its just whine bag parents who need a good boot to the chin and told to shut the fuck up already.

This is part of what i feel is the pussification(made this word up) of America. This is right below moronic parents who like to ban dodgeball and tag.
I should run to the toy store and by a Nerf ball. Incase i ever see one of these turds.

 

[Plasmaball]

Yeah, getting a jetski in December and waiting 5 months to use it is frustrating.

That's why I'm asking all of Lit to pull together and get me a snowmobile.

with a hooker on it

 

[allium]

Because some people are...

And good luck to you. Please enjoy your celebration.

But many of us are not. Christmas to me is a festival of love and light in a dark time of the year - just as it has been for thousands of years - long before Jesus, I'm afraid. But I am more than happy for Christians to adopt the festival too and make what they want of it - just don't keep telling us you thought of it first because you didn't.

 

[English Lady]

Perfectly fine.

And Easter is a significant holiday, even moreso in the traditional Christian calendar, but due to it's solemn nature, it lacks the celebratory atmosphere that Christmas provides.

And that's probably why, while Easter is more important, Christmas is more popular. And it's that upbeat mood that accompanies Christmas that has granted it such wide appeal.

And why isn't Easter a big celebration 'cos it sure should be. For *thinks* five years I went on a retreat at easter time to a catholic youth centre place. Easter there rocked. It started at midnght and lasted into the wee hours of Sunday morning. We sang, danced, ate and drank and had a fantastic party for such an important and joyful event.

I remember one year I ended up going to church on the Sunday evening after getting back and it nigh on broke my heart. Thee was barely a smile in the church and the celebration hymns sounded like dirges. I was bouncing around, waving my hands, clapping and smiling and I'm pretty sure they all thought I was high on something. *chuckles*

Anyway, sorryfor the slight meander away from the subject. You just hit upon one of my "issues".

 

[Plasmaball]

And why isn't Easter a big celebration 'cos it sure should be. For *thinks* five years I went on a retreat at easter time to a catholic youth centre place. Easter there rocked. It started at midnght and lasted into the wee hours of Sunday morning. We sang, danced, ate and drank and had a fantastic party for such an important and joyful event.

I remember one year I ended up going to church on the Sunday evening after getting back and it nigh on broke my heart. Thee was barely a smile in the church and the celebration hymns sounded like dirges. I was bouncing around, waving my hands, clapping and smiling and I'm pretty sure they all thought I was high on something. *chuckles*

Anyway, sorryfor the slight meander away from the subject. You just hit upon one of my "issues".

dancing like it was 1214?

 

[English Lady]

dancing like it was 1214?

Something like that.

 

[Plasmaball]

Something like that.

Flog!!

 

[English Lady]

Flog!!

There was no flogging involved at the time.

I am open to it now, though

 

[Plasmaball]

There was no flogging involved at the time.

I am open to it now, though

just seemed like a 1214 thing to say.

 

[English Lady]

just seemed like a 1214 thing to say.

*chuckles*

I think you're flogging a dead horse, mate. *bad pun moans*

 

[Plasmaball]

*chuckles*

I think you're flogging a dead horse, mate. *bad pun moans*

well time to put this horse down!

 

[English Lady]

well time to put this horse down!

But it's already dead!




(apologises to breakwall for thread hijack)