I think the "holiday" protest backfired

Personally, in our family, we have taken the obviously secular parts out of Christmas. Im mostly talking about Santa Claus, btw. We don't necessarily make a HUGE deal out of presents, though we do have them and the kids get excited of course. But the main talk around Christmas is about Jesus and why He came as a baby in the first place.

I don't see any problem with celebrating Jesus' birth. To say that because the Bible never mentions it AND SO it must be wrong, is to me closely akin to the JWs who say that Jesus never celebrated any birthday, so we shouldnt celebrate any birthday for anyone. We acknowledge our kid's birthdays, so why not Jesus' as well?

The world has become very caught up in the gift giving/getting part, and I believe this is where most of the problem lies. ITs really just another indication of materialism. As Christians we are supposed to stay away from that anyway. We just ought to be consistent all year round, including Christmas.

 

The Bible mentions only three kinds of gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh. As such, I really think the only appropriate gifts to give during christmas are aromatics, perfumes and money. This is the only example we have of Biblical gift-giving, and thus the one we should follow.

 

You're kidding, right??

 

I like your Fla humor eyeball.

 

Bapmom,
Your position is certainly fine, and many Christians follow it.
I find it interesting, though, that many Christians, including some on this board, including many Reformed people, have a real trouble with keeping Christ IN Christmas.
Some Reformed people, for example, are diligently seeking to follow the Regulative Principle of Worship, expressed as only doing in worship what God has specifically commanded.
They see special Christmas services in church as "will worship" and binding people's consciences to worship in ways God has not specifically commanded.
THEREFORE, they prefer not to connect Christ with Christmas at all. To the extent that many of them celebrate Christmas at all, they completely secularize it, having presents, kid stuff, family time, secular Christmas songs and no connection with Christ.

As for my family, we do it all in a balance we consider appropriate. We have a tree and presents. We will sing "O Come All Ye, Faithful" and go to church.
We have lights outside, and lots of traditions.
One of them is reading from Matthew and Luke on Christmas Eve.

Karen

 

Seth&MattsMom,

I think being a good witness to your friend will be including Christ in everything you do. The issue of how our unsaved friends view Christmas is sort of peripheral, because unbelievers do not by definition believe in Christ. So why would we expect them to include Him for real in any part of anything they do?

If your friend ever does become a believer, as I hope she does, then would be when her view of Christmas would matter.

Do you see what I mean?

 

A few years ago they attempted to advertise Christmas as "XMAS".

How it's "HOLIDAY", "trees", "gifts", "Season", anything to take "CHRIST" out of "CHRIST-mas".

"Wal Mart" has instructed their "Associates" not to say "Merry Christmas" but "Happy Holidays",

But they had better yell "LOUD" if they want me to hear them, in the other shopping Mall.

 

Maybe when someone says they're getting a "Holiday Tree," we could remind them that "Holiday" really means "Holy Day."

 

I agree with you, Seths&MattsMom

 

XMAS doesn't bother me.

X (a chi in Greek) is the first letter of "Christ" when spelled in Greek. Therefore, I have no problem with XMAS personally.

 

I agree the world will always seek to remove Christ from everything. I think we as Christians should make sure we let the next generation know what Christmas is really about.

 

I agree.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

 

That doesn't mean these are the only acceptable gifts.

We don't have an example of going to church on Wednesday night, but that doesn't make it unbiblical or wrong.

 

As to celebrating "Christ's birthday", I think it is purely a man made tradition. No harm in it I suppose, but the only day Jesus commanded us to memorialize was His Death day.

"This do in remembrance of me." Rmember?

Why all the hullabaloo when the LOST act like they're LOST?

I really don't get you christians sometimes.

Why murmur about it and just get out there and make disciples of them instead, huh?

 

That doesn't mean these are the only acceptable gifts.

We don't have an example of going to church on Wednesday night, but that doesn't make it unbiblical or wrong. </font>[/QUOTE]Actually, since these were given to the Christ Child, it means these are the gifts we should bring to church.

Start getting ready to handle those perfume samples in the offering plates, boys!

 

This is another case of New-Age-Liberals trying to tell us what to do. As a counter-protest, we should plainly say, "Merry Christmas" to each & every store employee who says something else, especially if they appear to be management.

I REFUSE to obey the New-Age-liberal pundits of "political correctnerss"!

 

Christmas has become an extremely popular holiday in Japan--without Christ in it of course. So most missionaries here use it as a chance to get the Gospel out. We will have a special Christmas Eve service at our church, and invite lost people for an evangelistic opportunity.

Why don't you folk do the same thing in "heathen America?" If your church doesn't have a cantata planned, have a Christmas carol sing at your home or some other kind of party, and invite your lost neighbors!