Merry Religious Assimilation Day: The Pagan History of Christmas

Yet another blow to the intelligent design theory. Good job, Matt!

This is a really great post…its crazy how many people don’t realize these associations.

Great post VnutZ! I always find it interesting to learn how these traditions started.

You have to give the church credit for assuming pagen traditions in order to wipe out the pagen ways. Allow the people there partying while you are cultivating your beliefs in their minds by replacing the meaning of the party. Interesting tactic, keep the public drunk and happy!

Good research VnutZ79. For some Christmas is just another holiday…a chance to rest and relax with family and friends. For most, however, it is a religious holiday—a chance to reflect and remember Christ’s birth. A few, like Hope of Israel, which you link to, feel that it is blasphemous to celebrate Christmas considering some of the pagan origins. They say, “The very name ‘Christmas,’ combining the holy name of Christ with the pagan mass, POLLUTES and PROFANES YEHOVAH’s holy name! The celebration of these ancient pagan festivals, calling them ‘Christian,’ is an abomination in the sight of YEHOVAH God! YEHOVAH will not accept such pagan, superstitious worship!”

This article, by a Christian leader, recognizes the “commencement of the holiday lies in pagan worship long before the introduction of Christianity” yet the true spirit of Christmas today “comes to him who has taken Christ into his life as a moving, dynamic, vitalizing force.” I think most who view Christmas as a spiritual holiday take this approach. Although Christmas has morphed over hundreds of years, the holiday, like any holiday, is what you make it personally.

Found an article that has some great background on this with actual footnotes and citations to substantiate claims.
http://users.rcn.com/tlclcms/chrtree.htm

Repent Heathens, and stop this vicious war on Christmas!

Hahahaha…just kidding. Yar Matey! and good article!

That’s nice and all, but when you remove Santa, trees, and your lame Internet sources, the only important part of Christmas is the birth of Jesus Christ, God’s son who was sent to save mankind. That’s what I’m celebrating, this year and every year.

Looking at Christmas from the outside, you share the perspective of another lost soul who once totally misunderstood the meaning of Christmas: Dr. Seuss’ Grinch.

Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small,
Was singing! Without any presents at all!
He HADN’T stopped Christmas from coming!
IT CAME!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the Grinch, with his grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow,
Stood puzzling and puzzling: "How could it be so?
It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
"It came without packages, boxes or bags!"
And he puzzled three hours, `till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before!
"Maybe Christmas," he thought, "doesn’t come from a store.
"Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!"

Indeed. To all a good night!

Although we know that Jesus was not born on December 25th, Christmas is still about Christ’s birth to me. For me, a Christmas morning would not be complete without a reading of Luke 2. So here it is:

1 AND it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

2 (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

5 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

21 And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

It occurs to me, that I’ve been on the defensive, as it were, about Christmas. I think it time that someone explain why, exactly, Christmas- the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, is offensive to some. To head off arguments of "Christianity has done bad things over the centuries", we are not talking about the Church history, but the very concept of Christmas day, and what it means. To wit, why is the following offensive:

-A poor carpenter and his wife spending the night in a stable.

-Mary giving birth and placing the newborn in a manger.

Angels heralding the birth of Jesus by telling-not the rich, or powerful but the lowest people on the social structure, the poorest of the poor, the shephards who stood watch over their flock.

-A new star appearing in the sky, which guided Wise Men from the East.

Even if you don’t believe in the religious/miraculous aspects, it’s still a basically nice little story. So, please, if someone can put aside all of the Christian versus Athiest and vice versa political crap and tell me what about the story of Jesus’ birth is SO offensive that there must be made a big deal over it and try to stifle the meaning of the holiday, I’d appreciate it.

Jesus is good. Jesus is bad. Stand up sit down fight fight fight.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the arguments for and against this.

What I would like to know is this….

Of those of you who argue in favor of the "it doesn’t matter about the time of year that it’s celebrated, it’s about the birth of Jesus Christ" idea…. How many of you participated in the PAGAN ritual and gave someone a gift? I’d be willing to place bets that the "god’s of marketing" won out this year, once again.

Origins of Christmas
This news and some personal study have caused me to reflect on Christmas, what it means and how it should be celebrated. The origins of what many consider essential parts of the Christmas season are obviously pagan in nature, but does that ruin the holiday or necessitate the Christian abstention of all Christmas celebrations and traditions? As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I set out to determine just where the Lord stands on Christmas. (Although the majority of the references and quotes below are to LDS figures or works, they could easily be applicable to most any Christian faith.)

Christmas Matured
The first step in my thought progression after recognizing the holiday’s pagan origins was to think of what Christmas has become. Christmas celebrations today are filled with non-Savior-centered activities. Despite these distractions, however, the celebration of Christmas has persisted to become an undeniable force for good in the world. Clarence Baird wrote of this impact:

Of all holidays there is none that enters so fully into the human heart, and stirs so many of the higher sentiments. The thoughts, memories, hopes, and customs linked with it are bound by antiquity and nationality collectively; and by childhood and old age individually. They embrace the religious, social, and patriotic sides of our nature. The holly and mistletoe entwined among the evergreens, the habit of giving gifts to those we love, the presence of the Christmas tree, the superstition of Santa Claus, all combining to make Christmas the most longed-for, the most universal, and from every standpoint, the most important holiday known to man. (Clarence Baird, "The Spirit of Christmas," Improvement Era, 23:154, December 1919.)

As a Christian, of course, I don’t view this importance as being the result of pagan traditions she mentioned or sun-god worship the news post describes, but of the true spirit of Christmas, the Spirit of Christ. This Spirit remains undimmed by the shopping and getting and can move our hearts for good, although it may be sometimes hard to find. In fact, Elder Hugh W. Pinnock describes this Christmas Spirit as not just something good, but something necessary. He tells of a retail sales clerk who grew fed up with the persistent river of customers into her store and exclaimed, "Who needs Christmas?" He then answered her question:

We all have complaints about Christmas – the hustle and bustle, the added expense…, the commercialization. Besides, many Christmas traditions have their roots in pagan customs, and Jesus really wasn’t born in December anyway. So who needs Christmas? We do! All of us! Because Christmas can bring us closer to the Savior, and he is the only source of lasting joy. We need Christmas because every December millions of people open the Bible to Luke’s account of one of the greatest events in history, and we hear again what the shepherds heard: ‘For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord’… We need Christmas because it helps us to be better people, not only in December but in January, June, and November. (Hugh W. Pinnock, "Who Needs Christmas?; New Era, December 1987, 4.)

Why is the Christmas Spirit necessary? Because it is the Christ spirit, the spirit without which no one has hope of salvation. Thus, among the stress and bustle often associated with this season, as Howard W. Hunter described, "the years of childhood fancy pass away and an understanding maturity takes their place, the simple teaching of the Savior that ‘it is more blessed to give than to receive’ becomes a reality. The evolution from a pagan holiday transformed into a Christian festival to the birth of Christ in men’s lives is another form of maturity that comes to one who has been touched by the gospel of Jesus Christ." (Howard W. Hunter, "The Real Christmas; Ensign, December 2005, 22.)

What Christmas Is: The Sabbath of the Year
The Christmas season, then, is what I have come to regard as the Sabbath of the Year. Just as Sunday is set apart in the week to think more deeply on the Savior and to perform his work, Christmastime is a special season in which more turn from their labor to the labor of the Lord. The similarities between the two holy times are readily apparent in the description of the meaning of Christmas by the First Presidency, years ago:

Christmas, to the Latter-day Saint, is both reminiscent and prophetic – a reminder of two great and solemn events, which will yet be regarded universally as the mightiest and most wonderful happenings in the history of the human race. These events were [foreordained] to take place upon this planet before it was created. One of them was the coming of the Savior in the meridian of time, to die for the sins of the world; and the other is the prospective advent of the risen and glorified Redeemer, to reign upon the earth as King of kings. ("What Christmas Suggests to a Latter-day Saint," Millennial Star, January 2, 1908, 1.)

Christmas is, then, a time to lift up your head and be of good cheer; for the sign was given, and the Savior came into the world to show unto the world that He would fulfill all that which He had caused to be spoken by the mouth of His holy prophets. It brings with it the same spirit that Sabbath worship does – one of peace and renewal, one moving to dedicate more energy to the work of the Lord and to endure another week (or year in this case) in the world.

How We Should Celebrate: Giving of Self
Once this connection has been made, it is interesting to read Christ’s teachings in that context. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." (John 14:27) Christmas is a time of giving, but not giving as the world gives. It is a time of giving as Christ gave – giving of yourself. Through doing so, we can partake of the Christmas Spirit. President Monson quoted the poet as writing:

I am the Christmas Spirit; I enter the home of poverty, causing pale-faced children to open their eyes wide in pleased wonder; I cause the miser’s clutched hand to relax and thus paint a bright spot on his soul; I cause the aged to renew their youth and to laugh in the glad old way… I cause the prodigal to pause a moment on his wild, wasteful way, and send to anxious love some little token that releases glad tears—tears which wash away the hard lines of sorrow; I enter dark prison cells, reminding scarred manhood of what might have been, and pointing forward to good days yet to come; I come softly into the still, white home of pain; and lips that are too weak to speak just tremble in silent, eloquent gratitude; In a thousand ways I cause the weary world to look up into the face of God, and for a little moment forget the things that are small and wretched; I am the Christmas Spirit.

Monson continues, "This is the Christ spirit. No quest is so universal, no undertaking so richly rewarding, no effort so ennobling, no purpose so divine. The Christmas season seems to prompt anew that yearning, that seeking to emulate the Savior of the world." (Thomas S. Monson, "In Search of the Christmas Spirit; Ensign, December 1987, 3.)

President Hinkley defined Christmas in five ways that outline its purpose:

• Christmas means giving.
• Christmas means the Christ child.
• Christmas means eternity.
• Christmas means compassion and love and, most of all, forgiveness.
• Christmas means peace.

In other words, we seek to give of ourselves as Christ gave of himself – through compassion, love and forgiveness, to "bow our heads in prayer and reverence and then roll up our sleeves to provide succor and salvation" (Gordon B. Hinckley, "What Shall I Do Then with Jesus Which Is Called Christ?; Ensign, December 1983, 3.) – and by doing so secure peace for ourselves in eternity. Christmas reminds us of the Savior and brings us a tiny bit of the peace of salvation as we emulate Him. Thus, the message and gift of Christmas are one and the same – eternal life with our families in the presence of God. As President Monson put it, the spirit that brings this gift is "never found in a surfeit of things. It is less obvious in arrival and more lasting in impact." (Monson)

This spirit has been described as a "desire to sacrifice for others, to render service, and to possess a feeling of universal brotherhood. It consists of a willingness to forget what you have done for others, and to remember only what others have done for you; to ignore what the world owes you, and think only of… your duties in the middle distance, and your chance to do good and aid your fellow-men in the foreground – to see that your fellow-men are just as good as you are, and try to look behind their faces to their hearts – to close your book of grievances against the universe, and look about you for a place to sow a few seeds of happiness and go your way unobserved." (Hunter)

President Howard W. Hunter explained that, "Such a belief in Christ and the keeping of His commandments are not restraints upon us. By these, men are set free. This Prince of Peace waits to give peace of mind, which may make each of us a channel of that peace." (Hunter)

He went on to explain another way that one might seek the true spirit of Christmas:

During the hurry of the festive occasion of this Christmas season, find time to turn your heart to God. Perhaps in the quiet hours, and in a quiet place, and on your knees—alone or with loved ones—give thanks for the good things that have come to you, and ask that His Spirit might dwell in you as you earnestly strive to serve Him and keep His commandments. He will take you by the hand and His promises will be kept. (Hunter)

President Faust explains that, "All of us enjoy wonderful gifts from God which, if developed, can be enjoyed by others… The sharing of these natural gifts blesses both the giver and the receiver." (James E. Faust, "A Christmas with No Presents; Ensign, December 2001, 3.)

Such counsel of service, thanksgiving and the sharing of talents is, of course, not limited to Christmastime. "As we seek Christ, as we find Him, as we follow Him, we shall have the Christmas spirit, not for one fleeting day each year, but as a companion always. We shall learn to forget ourselves. We shall turn our thoughts to the greater benefit of others." (Monson)

One of President Monson’s endearing stories illustrates some who have learned this lesson:

…A wise teacher placed aside the manual one Sunday morning as Christmas approached. With her class members listening in, she telephoned me. I was serving then as the bishop of a large ward situated in the central part of Salt Lake City. The teacher inquired, ‘Are there any poor in your ward—people who need a sub for Santa?’ She then described her own neighborhood as one of affluence and mentioned that she wanted her class to remember this particular Christmas. I responded that our members had the necessities of life but mentioned a family that would welcome a special experience—one that would also greatly benefit her young class members.
bq. The family I had in mind had recently emigrated from war-torn Germany and had rented a humble, older home in our area. The children were new to America, and, while they were learning to speak our language, they were shy and reluctant to mingle with others. Their personal possessions were few; they had lost so much during the war.
bq. In a private telephone conversation with the teacher, I suggested an appropriate evening when her class could accompany her to our ward meetinghouse and together we would journey to the home where the Mueller family lived. Again the teacher stated that she wanted her choice class to remember the true meaning of Christmas. I responded, ‘Could I suggest, then, that each child bring with him or her a gift that has a special meaning to the individual; a gift the person treasures and would rather keep for himself.’
bq. Just four days before Christmas, the class journeyed to our ward. Several adults brought them in large, expensive automobiles. Such an array of wealth had never before graced the parking area. We then walked to the Mueller home, singing carols along the way. The laughter of the children and the hurried pace of their steps reflected the anticipation of Christmas.
bq. It was at the Mueller home, however, that the frills of Christmas became the spirit of Christmas. I watched as one girl looked into the eyes of one of the Mueller children, a girl about her age, then tenderly handed her a beautiful doll she had received on her own birthday, a gift she herself loved. She anxiously told her newly found friend how to dress the doll and hold it ever so tenderly in cradled arms. I observed a normally rowdy boy take from his left hand his genuine leather baseball glove, which bore the replica signature of Joe DiMaggio, and place the glove on the left hand of a German-speaking boy who had never seen, far less worn, a baseball glove. He then explained how to catch the baseball in the special pocket of the glove, which he had hand prepared hour after hour with a particular oil. Such was the experience of each child with each gift.
bq. As we left the Mueller home and walked back to the meetinghouse, not a word was spoken. One could hear the crunch of the newly fallen snow as young feet, guided by happy hearts, made the two-block journey. We entered the building, there to have donuts and apple cider. In the blessing that was asked upon the food, a beautiful girl, her voice choked with emotion, described the feelings of all as she prayed, ‘Heavenly Father, we thank Thee for the best Christmas we have ever had.’ (Monson)

The more touching part of this story is not the joy elicited in the hearts of the German children, although that was no doubt great, but the lasting and life-changing joy the givers felt as they were presented with an opportunity to prioritize their lives and serve the Lord.

Haven’t we realized yet here at the O-Nerd that it is impossible for us to attempt to argue whether Christianity or Atheism or whatever else you believe in is the correct answer to any given question? Seriously, we waste all of this good skill tryin to argue with each other to no end. This topic has been argued by both scientists and philosophers for years, during which not a single point has been proven by either side.

The only thing that either side can agree on is that Mr. Pibb + Red Vines = Crazy Delicious!

christmass is NOT Christian. Adonai called pagan worship of Him an ABOMINATION (Ezekiel chapter 8) and so He considers christmass celebrations (which are pagan) an ABOMINATION. Anyone who continues to worship G-d using paganism is commiting ABOMINATIONS (see also Aaron’s golden calf)