The commercialization of Christmas has been a very good thing...

[Calminian]

... for the Church and for our country. I continually hear whining about this every year. Oh how I hate the commercialization of Christmas!

Would you prefer the socialization of Christmas? Government mandated free Christmas trees, and gifts? No commerce allowed? No seasonal jobs?

I would even argue the secularization (observance by unbelievers) of Christmas in America has proven to be a good thing. It's a day our entire country observes with Christ honoring decorations and songs (whether they know it or not). I can tune into a local secular station and hear God/Christ honoring songs from mainstream secular artists like Whitney Houston (Do you hear what I hear), Bob Seger (Little Drummer Boy), Train (Joy to the World), Dolly Parton (Go Tell it on the Mountain), Celine Dion (O Holy Night), Rascal Flatts (First Noel). Take a listen to those if you haven't heard them yet and tell me if those are somehow a bad thing. And then countless other songs that use that politically correct word Christmas! The Eagles, Please Come Home for Christmas, comes to mind. Such an amazing tune. These may not impact everyone at the same time in the same way, but God's truth is going out.

I thank God for Christmas season every year and the capitalism that boosts it.

 

[rsr]

Bah! Humbug!

 

[InTheLight]

Now do Easter.

 

[Calminian]

Now do Easter.

Stay tuned. We'll hit on that after winter.

 

[tyndale1946]

Bah! Humbug!

There is always a scrooge in the bunch!... Brother Glen

Handel's Messiah!!!

 

[InTheLight]

You make some good points, however, hearing Christmas songs on secular radio has been going on for almost 100 years now. The difference is the emphasis on buying stuff was much less than it is today, and didn't start until after Thanksgiving. Also, people HEARD the Christmas story on secular radio until about 60 years ago. The President's annual Christmas message/prayer was also heard. Do they even print that in the newspapers anymore? Nowadays, it is a constant barrage of advertising of merchandise that starts earlier and earlier every year.

I saw Christmas ads on TV the day before Halloween, the earliest in my memory. As far as the actual Christmas story of Christ's birth, you don't hear much besides a couple of traditional Christmas carols.

It is kind of strange for you to praise the buying and selling of stuff as a way to preserve a couple of songs on secular radio.

 

[David Kent]

I would prefer no Christmas.

Christmas came late for the US. An americam woman on our local radio a few years ago, said that in New England Christmas was not celebrated till the late 19th century. Before that it was considered a papist trivia.

I read minutes and letters from two local Baptist Churches from the 19th century. They never mentioned Christmas, only refering to it as December 25th. One even had their church business meeting on 25th December.

 

[Calminian]

...As far as the actual Christmas story of Christ's birth, you don't hear much besides a couple of traditional Christmas carols.....

The actual story should be told every year by US!..... in Christmas services, concerts, plays and other outreach events. Because it's a crossover holiday, Church visits are at their height during Christmas. Pews are filled with captive audiences.

Don't look to society to to this. You do it.

 

[InTheLight]

The actual story should be told every year by US!..... in Christmas services, concerts, plays and other outreach events. Because it's a crossover holiday, Church visits are at their height during Christmas. Pews are filled with captive audiences.

Don't look to society to to this. You do it.

Sure, I'll do it. But I'm saying in the 40's, 50's, and into the 60's, when there were radio dramas on the air, there would be many retellings of the actual Christmas story on the radio, sometimes dramatized, sometimes simply read and explained as a historical fact. There's nothing like this anymore.

 

[David Kent]

Who celebrates "Christmas"? The world.
Tertullian said "The pagans are faithful to their festivals." If that is so, why do those who are not Christians, and even hostile to Christianity celebrate christmas?
Even the word is blasphemous. Christmass = Mass for Christ. The anglican 39 articles say the mass is a blasphemous fable and a dangerous deceit. Quite rightly.
Scripture doesn't say when Jesus was born, We don't know the date, but one day we do know is wan't was December 25th.
Scripture doesn't tell us to remember the birthday of Jesus. There were only two birthdays mentioned in scripture and they both resulted in someone losing his head.

 

[David Kent]

Spugeon, Treasury of David,

Psalm 81

Verse 3. Blow up the trumpet in the new moon. Announce the sacred month, the beginning of months, when the Lord brought his people out of the house of bondage. Clear and shrill let the summons be which calls all Israel to adore the Redeeming Lord. In the time appointed, on our solemn feast day. Obedience is to direct our worship, not whim and sentiment: God's appointment gives a solemnity to rites and times which no ceremonial pomp or hierarchical ordinance could confer. The Jews not only observed the ordained month, but that part of the month which had been divinely set apart. The Lord's people in the olden time welcomed the times appointed for worship; let us feel the same exultation, and never speak of the Sabbath as though it could be other than "a delight" and "honourable." Those who plead this passage will keep such feasts as the Lord appoints, but not those which Rome or Canterbury may ordain.

Verse 4. For this was a statute for Israel, and a law of the God of Jacob. It was a precept binding upon all the tribes that a sacred season should be set apart to commemorate the Lord's mercy; and truly it was but the Lord's due, he had a right and a claim to such special homage. When it can be proved that the observance of Christmas, Whitsuntide, and other Popish festivals was ever instituted by a divine statute, we also will attend to them, but not till then. It is as much our duty to reject the traditions of men, as to observe the ordinances of the Lord. We ask concerning every rite and rubric, "Is this a law of the God of Jacob?" and if it be not clearly so, it is of no authority with us, who walk in Christian liberty.

 

[Calminian]

Who celebrates "Christmas"? The world.
Tertullian said "The pagans are faithful to their festivals." If that is so, why do those who are not Christians, and even hostile to Christianity celebrate christmas?

He didn't answer his own question. Who celebrates Christmas? He then says "The pagans are faithful to their festivals." Okay, but their festivals are not Christmas, a remembrance and celebration of the birth of Christ. Christmas was likely placed at point in winter to squash previous pagan festivals, and it apparently worked. So the truth is, most pagans are not faithful to their festivals.

Even the word is blasphemous. Christmass = Mass for Christ.

That's not what Christmas means to me, so this is irrelevant. I hear this often.

'But but some other people celebrated this on this day!!!!!! Some other people used to do this!!!!' Others used that symbol differently!!!!!'

I don't care what others did in the past, and I don't care what meaning their poured into certain symbols. They have no power over me. I celebrate the birth of Christ on De. 25, and pour my own meanings into the Christmas symbols, including including the word Christmas.

Scripture doesn't say when Jesus was born, We don't know the date, but one day we do know is wan't was December 25th.

A big fat, SO WHAT? No one is claiming Jesus was born Dec. 25. We merely celebrate his birth on this day.

Scripture doesn't tell us to remember the birthday of Jesus. .....

What?? Scripture doesn't tell us to remember an event recorded in Scripture????? Wow!

The birth if Christ, a coming seed of the woman, is first prophesied in Genesis 3:15 in the Protevangelium. If Scripture records the nativity from prophecy to fulfillment, in explicit historical detail, you can be sure God wants us to remember it.

And you should know Christmas is not a birthday celebration. That's just silly.

 

[agedman]

As a teacher and performer, I got very tired of Christmas, and by the time the time came, I was rarely in any mood, yet needed to present with a joyful attitude. I learned to fake it.

What I cherished is Christmas at home, with family, in a private celebration of each other being born from above, by the one who came to be born below.

What I now cherished are the memories now beginning to fade and are but shadows in mists of tears, of friends now crossed over, of the promises my Redeemer gave that still spring from the heart just as that little child's anticipation on Christmas Eve.

So, I let others perform, teach, present, while I allow my Redeemer residence and shelter in my heart.

 

[Calminian]

As a teacher and performer, I got very tired of Christmas, and by the time the time came, I was rarely in any mood, yet needed to present with a joyful attitude. I learned to fake it.

What I cherished is Christmas at home, with family, in a private celebration of each other being born from above, by the one who came to be born below.

What I now cherished are the memories now beginning to fade and are but shadows in mists of tears, of friends now crossed over, of the promises my Redeemer gave that still spring from the heart just as that little child's anticipation on Christmas Eve.

So, I let others perform, teach, present, while I allow my Redeemer residence and shelter in my heart.

Wow. Sorry to hear all this. Very sad.

 

[Ziggy]

Britain celebrates the Queen's birthday in June, regardless of its actual date. Perhaps a principle to be derived.

 

[David Kent]

Britain celebrates the Queen's birthday in June, regardless of its actual date. Perhaps a principle to be derived.

Yes that is ridiculous as well.

 

[David Kent]

He didn't answer his own question. Who celebrates Christmas? He then says "The pagans are faithful to their festivals." Okay, but their festivals are not Christmas, a remembrance and celebration of the birth of Christ. Christmas was likely placed at point in winter to squash previous pagan festivals, and it apparently worked. So the truth is, most pagans are not faithful to their festivals.

You didn't read the post.

Who celebrates Christmas? The world. That was the answer. The world are pagans

 

[Calminian]

You didn't read the post.

Who celebrates Christmas? The world. That was the answer. The world are pagans

Again, a big fat so what? The world also eats Chinese food. Pizza. Coffee. They shop at Hobby Lobby, Walmart. They shop at the very grocery stores you shop at.

They listen to classical music, and classic Christmas hymns in December, for some reason. They also, many of them, attend Church twice a year. Creasters I believe we call them. Some of these go on to become regulars, showing God's drawing.

I never allow pagan customs and beliefs to influence my customs and beliefs. I don't care what they believed, nor what symbols they use, nor the days they recognize.

 

[David Kent]

I never allow pagan customs and beliefs to influence my customs and beliefs. I don't care what they believed, nor what symbols they use, nor the days they recognize.

But the question is 'Is Christmas Christian or pagan invention?" As it was a pope that invented Christmas, I say the fesival is pagan as Catholicism is paganism dressed up as christianity.

 

[Calminian]

But the question is 'Is Christmas Christian or pagan invention?" As it was a pope that invented Christmas, I say the fesival is pagan as Catholicism is paganism dressed up as christianity.

Did pagans invent a day to celebrate the birth of Christ? Obviously not. Did they observe other festivals like Saturnalia around Christmas time? Sure. Don't care.

Is Christmas a catholic invention? Not sure actually. But is that the important question? Absolutely not. The important question comes from Romans 14. Do we celebrate Christmas in faith with a clear conscience?

Rom. 14:5 One person considers one day more sacred than another;a another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind.​

If you truly believe you are in sin for celebrating Christmas, the truth is, you are. You should skip it to the glory of God, and not pass judgment on those who don't.

But, like it or not, there is no prohibition against celebrating the birth of Christ on any particular day of the year, even a day pagans hold dear. You'll search in vain.