Everything is of pagan origin!
They were here first!
Christmas...pagan? or non-pagan?
by FreedomFrog 31 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Quandry
Well, I remember reading in the WTS literature that pinatas were from a pagan origin. Period. So my daughter was never allowed to have any part in them if they were used at school (we lived in an area with many Spanish) because I WAS A LOYAL DUB.
Then, the WTS came out a few years ago with an article stating that pinatas are not NOW commonly known to be associated with any pagan rites, because that was so long age, so they ARE O.K. TO USE.......
Well, most people have no idea about origins of Christmas or mean to be disrespectful to God. SO WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?
grrrrrrrrrrrrrr..........
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Lloyd Braun
Christmas is the time of year when people either get very greedy or very giving. Just like anything else, it has good and bad associations.
Matt
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bebu
Interesting thoughts here from everyone.
Roller Dave, that was a very original way to state your point of view and I think it hits the mark. Celebrations and traditions are like songs (often include songs). Love and faith are being expressed in the heart, not the particular forms. And God knows what's in the heart.
bebu
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MadTiger
Fact:
Christmas and most holidays (hell, even Groundhog's Day!) are pagan.
Trees, gift-giving, caroling -- all of pagan origin.
(did you know that the St. Nicholas Santa Claus is modeled after was the patron saint of, among others, pawnbrokers?)
If you celebrate in sincerity, you have not sinned, though. Unless you are an active JW. Then, a pox on you. -
Lloyd Braun
Fact:
Christmas and most holidays (hell, even Groundhog's Day!) are pagan.
Trees, gift-giving, caroling -- all of pagan origin.
(did you know that the St. Nicholas Santa Claus is modeled after was the patron saint of, among others, pawnbrokers?)
If you celebrate in sincerity, you have not sinned, though. Unless you are an active JW. Then, a pox on you.Gift giving is not pagan. Gift giving is humane.
Trees in themselves are not pagan, nor is a decorated one, unless it is worshiped.
Loving a human that existed 2000 years ago and celebrating his birth is not pagan either, it is just fulfilling the law of love, "love thy neighbor".
Eating cranberry sauce on top of a slice of turkey with a side of stuffing is not pagan.
"Aspects" are questionable at all times and we are not in subjection to another's condemnation for the wonderful love we can express to each other.
Matt
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Cicatrix
LOL! Scully, the same thing happened to me. I had an ice skating party for the kids in the congregation and decorated with snowflakes, snowmen, mittens, and sled cut outs. One of the mothers actually complained that I had holiday decorations up.
As far as the pagan, non-pagan debate, it all depends on one's paradigm. Christians feel they are celebrating Christmas. Pagans feel that Christians borrowed pagan practices to worship their own god. Pagans DID place significance on the December 25th date before Christians. But then again, someone else pointed out that not all Christians celebrate Christmas on the 25th.It all seems pretty syncretic to me.But I could see where a Christian who takes seriously the Bible admonition not to be yoked with other religious practices would have the need to create a paradigm in which there is some kind of line of division between their beliefs and those of others.To each their own, I say
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Cicatrix
Hey Matt,
So who put decorations on trees FIRST?
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MadTiger
Lloyd Braun:
I have two word for you: context clues.
Gift-giving in the context of Christmas. Evergreen trees and shrubs used in the CONTEXT of Christmas. MmmmKay? -
greendawn
"When someone offers you meet eat it and don't bother searching whether it was sacrificed to the idols for the idols are nothing"
The dubs do not follow the advice of Paul and seek to dig too deeply into issues to find problems and hinderances. No one glorifies paganism through Christmas but rather the Christ.