Let's Ban Christmas

[Dr. Bob]

Outlawing the celebration of Christmas sounds a little extreme, but it has happened. The ban existed as law for 22 years in Massachusetts. The Puritans who immigrated to Massachusetts to build a new life had several reason for disliking Christmas. </font>

• It reminded them of the Church of England and the old-world customs, which they were trying to escape.</font>
• They didn't consider the holiday a truly religious day. December 25th wasn't selected as the birth date of Christ until several centuries after his death.</font>
• The holiday celebration usually included drinking, feasting, and playing games - all things which the Puritans frowned upon. One such tradition, "wassailing" occasionally turned violent. The older custom entailed people of a lower economic class visiting wealthier community members and begging, or demanding, food and drink in return for toasts to their hosts' health. If a host refused, there was the threat of retribution. Although rare, there were cases of wassailing in early New England.</font>
• The British had been applying pressure on the Puritans for a while to conform to English customs. The ban was probably as much a political choice as it was a religious one for many.</font>

For preventing disorders, arising in several places within this jurisdiction by reason of some still observing such festivals as were superstitiously kept in other communities, to the great dishonor of God and offense of others: it is therefore ordered by this court and the authority thereof that whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way, upon any such account as aforesaid, every such person so offending shall pay for every such offence five shilling as a fine to the county.
From the records of the General Court,
Massachusetts Bay Colony, May 11, 1659

In 1659, the ban became official. The General Court banned the celebration of Christmas and other such holidays at the same time it banned gambling and other lawless behavior, grouping all such behaviors together. The court placed a fine of five shillings on anyone caught feasting or celebrating the holiday in another manner.

The generality of Christmas-keepers observe that festival after such a manner as is highly dishonourable to the name of Christ. How few are there comparatively that spend those holidays (as they are called) after an holy manner. But they are consumed in Compotations, in Interludes, in playing at Cards, in Revellings, in excess of Wine, in mad Mirth ...
- Rev. Increase Mather, 1687

(All adapted from Massachusetts Travel, C. Danko)

Anyone for the ban today? We still see the same attitude, only add commercialism and greed to the list of Dr. Mather's condemnation . .

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

 

[Dr. Bob]

Self portrait, Sue?

 

[I Am Blessed 24]

Why, of course! That is the 'before' picture. This is the 'after' picture (after my heart grew two sizes).

 

[rsr]

But I myself conversed with a priest in one of these temples and asked him why they kept Crissmas on the same day as Exmas; for it appeared to me inconvenient. But the priest replied, It is not lawful, O Stranger, for us to change the date of Crissmas, but would that Zeus would put it into the minds of the Niatirbians to keep Exmas at some other time or not to keep it at all. For Exmas and the Rush distract the minds even of the few from sacred things. And we indeed are glad that men should make merry at Crissmas; but in Exmas there is no merriment left. And when I asked him why they endured the Rush, he replied, It is, O Stranger, a racket; using (as I suppose) the words of some oracle and speaking unintelligibly to me (for a racket is an instrument which the barbarians use in a game called tennis).

— C.S. Lewis

CHRISSMAS AND EXMAS

 

[Dr. Bob]

Another paragraph reemphasizing why I hate the writing of Lewis . .

 

[Dan Todd]

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaah Humbug!!

 

[Bartimaeus]

Oh No! Oh No! I don't dooooo Christmas, but I am thankful for it for one MAIN reason. It actually closes down McDonalds one day a year! Praise the Lord!

Thanks -------Bart

 

[HankD]

Baaaaaaaaaaaaaah Humbug!!

Amen (but only after I open my presents).

 

[Wisdom Seeker]

Okay...well first of all...weren't the Puritans the same fanatical religious group that was creditted for the Salem Witch trials? Seems that group saw evil everywhere. That isn't Christianity to me. Sorry.

I like Christmas. The Christmas season brings out a certain kindness towards others that isn't seen every day.

So...Christmas stays as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Helen]

Hey! Obligatory decorating, gift-giving, card-sending, and over-eating support our entire economy. Are you guys subversives???

 

[Don]

Gonna go put out my lights tomorrow. It's been a pain the past few years, but this year I bought a couple of those rope lights.

Put 'em in the shape of a cross on the front of my house. Other than a tree, that's about all the decorating that'll be done.

 

[Gib]

Just think no more expensive gifts, no more Christmas musicals, boring Christmas parties, Plastic snowmen in 60 degree weather. I'm down with that.

 

[gb93433]

The Jews don't do Christmas. Shall we join in with them?

About two weeks ago the public high school and junior high where we live put on quite a choral program at a local church. Many of the songs were about praising God and giving thanks along with God being the creator of the heavens and the earth.

The combined choirs totaled about 260 students.

 

[Roy]

If Christians try to do away with Christmas, based on the premise that Christmas is not Christ-like, will the ACLU reverse themselves and try to force Christmas on everyone?

Roy

 

[Dr. Bob]

What will Christians think of next? Try to make Christmas a religious holiday?

 

[Bartimaeus]

This is the truth, If I'm lyin' I'm dyin'
I was in a Western Sizzler (Batesville, Ar)the week before Halloween, and they had an evergreen tree up in the entranceway and had pumkins and ghosts and goblins hanging on it. I thought what a deal. Now they got it right! Ha Ha!
What's next? A yuletime evergreen with flags and banners for the 4th? How about an evergreen with eggs? Wow, lets just leave it up all year round and use it continuously. If Wal-Mart could capitalize I know they'd use it year round and there would be some dumb shoppers being trampled continuously.
Thanks ------Bart (and the time is so exciting)

 

[Artimaeus]

Originally posted by Bartimaeus:
If Wal-Mart could capitalize I know they'd use it year round and there would be some dumb shoppers being trampled continuously.

This may be the only thread where I agree with everybody.

 

[Johnv]

Originally posted by Bartimaeus:
It actually closes down McDonalds one day a year!

McDonalds is actually closed twice a year: Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.