Birthdays

Post by **_Les Wright** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:19 pm

Thanks for your posts.

Chriscarani, after starting this thread, I got to thinking that all of that birthday wishing meant this had probably already been addressed in the Halloween thread, I just had skipped over it.

I like celebrating birthdays. I am not a gift giver really, but do send out emails and think that it really encourages people.

After further thought, I suppose a distinction could be made between pagan high holy days and birthdays (as long as they don't fall on these dates)... but, my oldest son Silas' birthday is today. He is 2 years old.

I agree that not everything with pagan origins is wrong (like Jethro's advice to Moses, etc.) although I have tended to see it that way in the past.

God bless.
Les

Post by **_Paidion** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:36 pm

Les, there is a great deal of diffence in celebrating a holiday (Holy Day) whose origins are pagan, and celebrating one which is not only pagan in origin, but is currently pagan in practice. The latter is the case with Hallowe'en.

True, there are many people who observe Hallowe'en innocently, "trick or treating" with their children, who just consider it justa fun night. At the same time as they are "trick or treating", there are many witches, or "wiccans" if you prefer, who are offering sacrifices of cats and other animals in pagan celebration. They are reputed by some to offer even human sacrifices. The disciple of Christ should not be associated in any way with this unholiday (unholy day).

It is true that birthdays were not celebrated in the early church, being associated with paganism. Christmas and Easter also had pagan origins.
So did chiropractery and even normal modern medicine.

So I don't mind being involved with any of these (though I do shun chiropractery), but considering their pagan origins, I don't celebrate Christmas or Easter as Christian holidays.

I celebrate Christmas as a festive season. It has a wide variety of rich origins. I enjoy the lights, trees, gifts, etc. However, the birth of Christ was not celebrated in early Christianity. Christmas carols, though, are part of current tradition. Some of them do not harmonize with scripture at all. Consider "We Three Kings of Orient Are." The magicians were not kings, and there is no scriptural evidence that there were precisely three. Christmas pageants have the "wise men" appearing at the same time as the shepherds, though clearly the gospel records indicate that their appearance was much later.

Post by **_MLH** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:03 pm

Yes, HE WAS.....He is now KING of KINGS....

A baby in a manger is helpless...

How can we celebrate his birth by giving presents to family
members? My son said one time, " Boy I'd be unhappy if
it were my B-day and presents were given to everyone else."

" Let no man judge you in meat, drink, new moon or Sabbath day..

Ask God he'll reveal to you what to do..

Post by **_Anonymous** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 7:55 pm

MLH, I'm just curious (I don't really have a strong emotion about this,) but do you do nothing associated with Christmas during December? How do you avoid it? I don't really care that much about Christmas and we didn't have the Santa tradition, but we do exchange gifts and have family gatherings during the month. On Christmas day we usually go to the movies.

Post by **_TK** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 8:15 pm

MLH- i agree that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, but he was still a helpless baby in the manger. can't get around that fact.

TK

Post by **_MLH** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 8:30 pm

I know that !!!!
Of course no doubt at all...
So are you still a helpless baby?
Is HE?

If he's not lets not portray HIM that way thats all....
No arguing here.

Post by **_anothersteve** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 8:58 pm

Dave wrote:

You spend crucial formative years in your child's life convincing them that there is a Santa Claus

May I share my experience as a child.

When I reached the age where I realized there was no Santa I asked my mom about it. She acknowleded he didn't exist but said his "Spirit was in our hearts"

Months later I asked my mom where Jesus was and she responded "He's in your heart". She likely didn't remember her earlier responce to Santa's spirit being in our hearts.

I immediately figured that Jesus was a myth on par with Santa.

Obviously I'm a Christian now so things have changed but I've decided not to muddy the waters with my daugther. She knows Santa is a myth but I've told her if she wants to pretend there's a Santa and have fun with it that's OK...just like she pretends with all her other toys.

That being said I think there is some merit to what TK said in the following

seriously, how many of us have been ruined psychologically by an early belief in santa?

I've just decided, based on my experience, to keep things straight with my daugther.

Steve

PS.. It's always awkward when adults will ask her "Was Santa good to you?" and she usually just looks at them with a blank stare.

BTW she's 7 now.

Post by **_Paidion** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 1:42 pm

MLH- i agree that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, but he was still a helpless baby in the manger. can't get around that fact.

Are you implying that we should therefore celebrate His helplessness in the manger?

Post by **_TK** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 3:39 pm

Nope-- no need to celebrate that, unless you really want to. I was just making the point that the depiction of Jesus in the manger is reality-- he really was a helpless baby: I said this because MLH's 1st post threw me a little bit. i understand what she is saying now.

christmas is about celebrating the incarnation, at least it is to me.

TK

Post by **_MLH** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 8:58 pm

Of course not Paidion ........

Seems my communication skills are lacking