I have a soap box to get on. I am really pissed right now. I hear all these christians rising up and complaining that their rights are being violated because people are choosing not to say, "Merry Christmas" so as to not offend anyone. I don't have a problem with this. I think if they want to say Merry Christmas, that's their right and their choice to do so. They don't care if they're offending anyone by not saying it. That's their prerogative. But what is NOT right is the double standard. It's okay for them to shove their theology and cute little story about 3 wise men looking at a baby in a manger (which btw, is not biblically correct) down everyone's throat. But they do not respect the rights of those of us who do not celebrate christmas to voice our beliefs.
It would be one thing if I was being hateful and telling everyone to take their christmas and shove it, etc. etc. I have not done that. My problem with christmas is that it is a pagan holiday. I have no problem with the festivities of the season. i have no problem with the music, decorations, santa, and all of the fun stuff that goes along with it. I'm not going to be overly religious about it and shun the whole season. I love the season just as much as anyone else. My family and I do gift exchanges and participate in others' celebration of the holiday season. However, it is my right to not celebrate "christmas" like everyone else does. I celebrate my Savior everyday; I do not need to associate my King with a pagan deity who was born on Dec. 25th. Yes, I get aggravated when I hear the same old twisted tale of Yeshua's birth (there were not 3 wise men; and by the time the astrologers and kings (a vast army of them) reached Him, he was approximately 2 years old.) I do get frustrated, but I do not attack others about it. I just choose not to read about it. I accept that it is some peoples' choice to believe the story Religion has told them. That's fine for them, but it's not for me.
It amazes me how Christians expect everyone to respect their rights, but they do not respect anyone else's. Do not attack me or psychoanalyze me because I choose not to celebrate Christmas. I celebrate every season. I do not devote just one day a year to my King. I devote every day to Him. I am not a heathen because I choose not to celebrate Christmas. I do enjoy the festivities, but I choose not to christianize a pagan holiday. It seems to be okay for Christians to shun Halloween because they claim it's the devil's day or a pagan holiday. Yet God forbid you speak against their beloved Christmas. You don't have to agree with me, but I do expect you to respect my decision to not celebrate it. It is something Abba has revealed to me. I don't expect anyone else to give up Christmas. I know it's a lot to ask. I don't think that it's something that will send you to hell or anything like that. I simply choose not to out of respect. I don't push my beliefs on anyone. You have the right to delete me or to not read what I post.
One more thing: if you open up the subject of the history of Christmas, remember that you started it. Don't get upset when you start the subject and only tell the parts that support what you believe. If you are going to post your study of the holiday's history, don't get bent out of shape when someone else says, "dig a little deeper." Does it threaten you that much to know that your beloved holiday has a pagan history? Just remember: don't try to support your theory with history if you are not willing to accept the full history.
P.S. Christmas is not the only pagan holiday Christians celebrate: Easter and Valentine's day are pagan as well.
I also see myself as someone who has abandoned the man-made structure they call the "church" and embraced the church that Jesus is building, His Body. There are many of us on that journey and although it takes us in different directions, we end up in the same place. I struggled at one time with the pagan roots of Christmas and Easter, but I heard something that put a different light on it for me. I don't remember the name of the guy who said it, but in a nutshell it was: "Before I became born-again, I was a pagan. When I became a part of the Body of Christ, it did not make the Body more pagan, but rather made me redeemed. When we choose the day of a pagan celebration to celebrate Jesus, we are not paganizing Christianity, but rather redeeming the pagan holiday and Christianizing it."
ReplyDeleteSheri,
ReplyDeleteI understand where you're coming from. I don't know that I agree, but I do understand the logic. :) Thanks so much for your comment! Hope you have an enjoyable winter season/holiday season, regardless of what you do or do not celebrate. :) Thanks again! :D