Homestar Runner Wiki Forum

I wouldn't say 'compete'. Shortly after the pagans stopped persecuting the Christians for 300 years, one of the Roman emperors became a Christian. Of course, that meant a lot of people (especially politicians) converted to Christianity, so there were a lot of Christians who were former pagans. So I'm guessing they wanted to keep the same holiday as they had before but celebrate Jesus' birth instead.
You could be right, but it couldn't have always been that way, because St. Nick didn't live until after 1000.

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I think the reasons for celebrating an individual's birthday and the birth of Jesus are very different. Again, though, what I'm looking for is some kind of actual Biblical support for the holiday.



Not sure about that, but I do know the Protestants had issues with Christmas for a time given its ties to Catholicism. The Puritans were against it outright; they pursued bans on it both in England and America in the 17th century. It wasn't much celebrated in early America anyway, especially after the Revolution; most people viewed it as a British thing and therefore evil. It gained a foothold in the U.S. in the 19th century, however, and became a federal holiday in 1870.

Mike

I have to agree with BTG on this one. We celebrate President's Day to honor Lincoln and Washington's birthdays. We celebrate Martin Luther King's birthday. So why not?

But in the case of Jesus Christ, it's not just a birthday we are celebrating, but the mystery of the Incarnation, that God would become flesh and dwell among us. As such, I don't think there needs to be a clear biblical mandate to celebrate it.

Oh, and by the way, medieval calendars have as many at 130 holidays per year.* Apparently, medieval people were always looking for an opportunity to celebrate. So it shouldn't be surprising that any Christian holiday falls on or around pagan celebrations, or that similar customs develop. I don't think that makes them pagan. It's the reason why you celebrate a holiday that makes it what it is. I'll give you an example: my brother was born on November 3. So if I celebrate his birthday, does that mean we're going to try to blow up Parliament? Of course not!

* Dr. Robert Woods, Atlanta Christian College.

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Neither do I, but it is interesting to note that there isn't one.

Mike

Hmm, I wouldn't attach any specific significance to that. Christmas should be something people celebrate because they want to, not because they have to.

(BTW, I as an individual don't really celebrate Christmas -- at least, not in the conventional way -- but the rest of my family does, so I kinda get dragged into it...)

But that's just it: we don't celebrate Christmas because we "have" to, we do so because we want to. To us, God taking our form and becoming one of us is a thing to be celebrated, something to rejoice in.

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It's always worthwhile to try to gain the clearest picture possible of any given topic. This discussion is about Christmas, so it's good to look into the origins of the holiday, examine how it has evolved over time, etc. I was raised Baptist, and the idea that Christmas was a sacred day was deeply ingrained into me. It was a long time before it ever occurred to me to question that, and I bet a lot of people on this thread are in the same boat.

Mike

I'm an atheist and I celebrate Christmas. Christ was a good person, wether he was holy or not.

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The dragon never works...

I tihnk atheists can celebrate whatever they want. Christmas has gone a little commercial lately anyway. It should be more focused on Christ, but it's not as much. Oh well! People can celebrate it for their own reasons.

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