Merry CHRISTmas

[bbestar]

December 25. What does it mean to you. Think about it, over the years, it has had different meanings. Family, Goin to boring church, food, Gifts, ladies, or maybe even the Birth Of Christ

To me, December 25 has a new meaning to me...
Nothing... December 25 means nothing to me anymore...
Why do I say this? I look at the bible, and do I find this date? I realize that man's religious traditions has taken hold of society and has even greater significance then the bible itself and its true message.

So what is the True date of the Birth Of Christ? Nobody knows... Most scholars say between September, October, Novemeber, December, January, February, March, April.

What if You knew the birth of Christ was January the 6th, or Early November. December 25 wouldn't mean much anymore. But what does a simple date mean to you and your life's heartaches, burdens and problems

If the 25th means nothing, what do we do now in life?

What is the reason for the season? Is it all about Goin to church twice a year... No, far from it.

Its about a Gift.. A free Gift of eternal life From God. Jesus Christ offers himself in your place, your failures, your mistakes.

John Chapter 16-17
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."

And God Loves you so much, that he gives you the Option
To Accept His Gift.. Or Not..

Its all up to you.

Instead of Religion, how about a True Relationship with Jesus Christ Himself who lives today

 

[Skel]

xmas is about being with family or those you love and giving thanks to what you have in life.

 

[diplomatic_lies]

After listening to religous nuts talk to me about Christmas, I'm actually glad we turned Christmas into a consumerist frenzy.

Buying (and recieving) presents is so much more fun than listening to a sermon!

 

[NINJA PIMP]

Christmas is just the remains of the Catholic church campaign to absorb pagan religions. December 25th not only was the pagans celebration of WInter Solstice, but it is also the birthdate of several pagan gods.

Buddha is believed to have been born on this day when the "Holy Ghost" descended on his virgin mother Maya. The great saviour and god of the Persians, Mithras, is also believed to have been born on the 25th of December long before the coming of Jesus

The Egyptians celebrated this day as the birth day of their great saviour Horus, the Egyptian god of light and the son of the "virgin mother" and "queen of the heavens" Isis. Osiris, god of the dead and the underworld in Egypt, the son of "the holy virgin", again was believed to have been born on the 25th of December.

The Greeks celebrated the 25th of December as the birthday of Hercules, the son of the supreme god of the Greeks, Zeus, through the mortal woman Alcmene. Bacchus, the god of wine and revelry among the Romans (known among the Greeks as Dionysus) was also born on this day.

Adonis, revered as a "dying-and-rising god" among the Greeks, miraculously was also born on the 25th of December. His worshipers held him a yearly festival representing his death and resurrection, in midsummer. The ceremonies of his birthday are recorde d to have taken place in the same cave in Bethlehem which is claimed to have been the birth place of Jesus.

The Scandinavians celebrated the 25th of December as the birthday of their god Freyr, the son of their supreme god of the heavens, Odin.

The Romans observed this day as the birthday of the god of the sun, Natalis Solis Invicti ("Birthday of Sol the invincible"). There was great rejoicing and all shops were closed. There was illumination and public games. Presents were exchanged, and the slaves were indulged in great liberties. Remember, these are the same Romans who would later preside over the council of Nicea (325 AD.) which lead to the official Christian recognition of the "Trinity" as the "true" nature of God, and the "fact" that Jesus was born on the 25th of December too.

So as you can see, Christmas has always been about MARKETING...and the spirit lives on today.

 

[Bible_Belt]

In the U.S. today, Christmas shopping accounts for 50% of the retail industry.

 

[diplomatic_lies]

So let's fight this consumerist spirit by stealing presents instead of buying them!

 

[NINJA PIMP]

Personal Hypothesis:

I am just talking out my ass here of course. But it seems to me like the 25th is one of the coldest and darkest days of the year. Very depressing time followed by severe cold weather.

The humans needed to stock up nuts in a sense, so they held big religious events at this time of year to make some sick paper so they could live fat as a pack of hibernating bears for the rest of the winter.

12+25=$$$$BIG$$$

It's really is simple mathematics when you break it down.

 

[Desdinova]

I personally don't believe in the bible. However, I'll take the 25th as a paid holiday off work. I'll get together with my friends and family, enjoy watching them the cool stuff I got them, and embrace the spirit of giving.

Here's a question... What did Jesus do on Boxing day?

 

[Giovanni Casanova]

Originally posted by Desdinova
What did Jesus do on Boxing day?

He opened up his alms box to the poor.

 

[penkitten]

does it matter exactly what day we celebrate jesus's birthday ? cant we just use dec 25 as his birthday since none of us know when the heck the exact birthday was?

 

[Abbott]

I'll tell you what it means. For most people, it means receiving a bunch of useless crap that you never wanted, needed, or will use use. The type of thing that you'll either throw away after ten years, when after some spring cleaning you wonder "where did THIS come from?," or sell on Ebay or at a garage sale.

It also means buying a bunch of useless crap for people who you hope will appreciate what you buy for them, but after thanking you for the gift will secretly wish you never bought it for them in the first place.

For some people it sometimes means getting something useful (like every year I tell my parents I want more money, and that's what I always get).

This year, I think I'm simply going to write checks and place them inside holiday cards. Regardless of who you are and what you want, need, or like, money is something everyone can use. Therefore, there are no worries about whether or not the recepient can make good use of the gift.

I won't buy gift certificates, since I hate them with a passion. If you're going to get that, then why not simply give them cash or write them checks? It costs the same, and unlike gift certificates you can use regular money anywhere and it never expires. You don't even have to spend it. You can save and invest it.


Ben

 

[bbestar]

Ring the Bells, ring the bells.
Let the whole world know Christ was born in Bethlehem many years ago.

Born to die that man might live, came to earth new life to give,
Born of Mary, born so low many years ago.

God the Father gave His Son, Gave His own Beloved One
To this wicked, sinful earth to bring man kind His love new birth

Ring the bells, ring the bells,
Let the whole world know Christ the Savior lives today
As He did so long ago!

--Ring The Bells

 

[spider_007]

i'm not cristian

haw ever

i like the whole month of december. At the risk of sounding like a fag; their is this wonderfull atmosphere about the whole month. it's something about the music, snow, and don't get me started about that week off work that i get (the only time off that i get).

it just feels...........cousy


somebody slap me

 

[Giovanni Casanova]

Originally posted by Abbott
This year, I think I'm simply going to write checks and place them inside holiday cards.

Go ahead and add me to your holiday card list, dude.

 

[Levex]

I dont really give a sh1t what christmas is traditionally about. For me its time to get off work and school for a week, party, spend some time with family or go see old friends(doing latter this year), and just have a good time before the new year starts.

p.s. all this bullsh1t about not saying "merry christmas" at schools is rediculous. you wont find a bigger atheist than me, but fvcking up an old tradition just because few as$holes dont like to be reminded of god is retarded.

coca-cola's new holiday bears can suck my c0ck.

 

[Brian20o2]

Originally posted by Levex
p.s. all this bullsh1t about not saying "merry christmas" at schools is rediculous. you wont find a bigger atheist than me, but fvcking up an old tradition just because few as$holes dont like to be reminded of god is retarded.

coca-cola's new holiday bears can suck my c0ck.

Amen to that. Im tired of people trying to be politically correct when really all it does is separate us when we should be trying to come together as a nation.

 

[PRMoon]

uh oh

I see politics & religion in this thread....

 

[Nighthawk]

Originally posted by Levex
I dont really give a sh1t what christmas is traditionally about. For me its time to get off work and school for a week, party, spend some time with family or go see old friends(doing latter this year), and just have a good time before the new year starts.

p.s. all this bullsh1t about not saying "merry christmas" at schools is rediculous. you wont find a bigger atheist than me, but fvcking up an old tradition just because few as$holes dont like to be reminded of god is retarded.

coca-cola's new holiday bears can suck my c0ck.

Aren't the first two paragraph's contradictory? Either you care about the roots of christmas (as has been said, pagan festivals that were co-opted by Christianity, and much later, Coca-Cola's red and white color scheme for santa) or you don't.

Sucks for Jesus being born at Christmas, you get less presents.

 

[al77]

Originally posted by PRMoon
uh oh

I see politics & religion in this thread....

Exactly!

bbestar:

And God Loves you so much, that he gives you the Option
To Accept His Gift.. Or Not..
Instead of Religion, how about a True Relationship with Jesus Christ Himself who lives today

bbestar,
Are you on a crusade here to sell your religion? Please, try to sell
something that helps men to get women instead.

 

[wavejams007]

bbestar,
Are you on a crusade here to sell your religion? Please, try to sell
something that helps men to get women instead. [/B][/QUOTE]

Just some food for thought, which do you prefer, women or eternal life?

I am a Christian, alhtough I am not preachy. Actually, people who beleive in God, and at least seem to have good morals, in the long run, get better women cuz they tend to be less arrogant and idealistic, IMO.