Birthdays

Post by **_Les Wright** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:36 pm

TK's recent Halloween thread got me thinking... I wonder where celebrating birthdays came from? (Read this to yourself in a church lady voice for best effect)

Seriously, I don't think I ever thought about it before. A quick internet search confirms, birthdays have pagan origins, which doesn't strike me as odd, since I don't see it on the Jewish religious calendar!

Currently, I'm kinda a fence sitter when it comes to the major holidays and Halloween. I realize the feastivals have pagan origins, so for me, that is a major drawback from getting excited about celebrating them. However, I think celebrating them (I'm not really thinking of Halloween here) does a few things, including: just having a fun family time, giving us an occasion to stop and celebrate Jesus (not pagan gods.. I realize we're supposed to do this every day, but...), and I also think it is an effective 'time' to evangelise. Even though the politically correct thing is taking X out of Xmas, there is still a cultural openness/opportunity to talk about Christ, at least it isn't way out of left field.

Anyhow, .. the bottom line is my question, is it I consistent to celebrate birthdays and not to celebrate Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween, etc..

I tend to think it wouldn't be. I suppose Halloween may be an exception, but maybe not.

Anyhow.. I am certainly not dogmatic at this point and would appreciate your thoughts.

in Him,
Les

Paidion, do you celebrate birthdays?

Post by **_chriscarani** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 11:19 pm

Hi Les,

I think you are referring to my post. Here is a link to good old wiki, you may have already seen.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthday

I don't have much to say, but Paul makes an interesting point.

Colossians 2:16

"So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ."

Post by **_Derek** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 11:27 pm

Anyhow, .. the bottom line is my question, is it I consistent to celebrate birthdays and not to celebrate Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween, etc..

Wha?? What about the presents?!!

j/k

God bless

Post by **_TK** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 7:59 am

maybe even pagans had some good ideas-- let's face it --we "use" the ideas of pagans every day (maybe not pagan in the literal sense, but rather in the "unbeliever" sense).

i had never heard that celebrating BD's had pagan origins. Big deal! celebrating the anniversary of one's birth is a way of showing appreciation for a person. it is not a matter of bowing down to some pagan wicker man. of course, if that is what one does on their birthday, then that is another story.

the same goes for Christmas. i don't really care if the druids (or whoever) started the idea of celebrating a winter solstice by singing around an evergreen tree (or even offering a sacrifice). that is not what Christmas is about to me. when i think of Christmas, i think of the birth of our Savior-- and I like reading the story of the birth of Jesus, and I like being with family and friends at this special time of year. I AM NOT A DRUID! I am a Christian, and just because the idea of Christmas at some time in the far past was "hijacked" from a pagan culture, once again- big deal. i'm not celebrating the winter solstice-- i am celebrating the birth of Jesus. yes, i realize that there are other things to christmas, santa claus and elves for example. but seriously, how many of us have been ruined psychologically by an early belief in santa? it's just fun, that's all. it's part of our culture. santa is not an "evil" figure. he's a good guy with admirable qualities. of course the focus at Christmas time is on Jesus, and I am sure all of us here make sure that is the case in our families.

i can't imagine not celebrating christmas- singing carols, giving gifts, receiving christmas cards, roasting chestnuts on an open fire-- all of it! what a bleak time of the year the month of December would be (at least her in NE ohio) without it.

TK

TK

Post by **_Benjamin Ho** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 8:42 am

In the Wikipedia article on birthdays, it states that birthstones may have originated from the Bible! It's not the best interpretation of Exodus 39:10-14 and Revelation 21:19-20, but maybe celebrating birthdays aren't all that pagan afterall!

Post by **_schoel** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 9:58 am

TK wrote:but seriously, how many of us have been ruined psychologically by an early belief in santa? it's just fun, that's all.

I have nothing against the myth of Santa Claus (although its terribly useless), but the cultural practice of getting your young children to believe that he really exists seems harmful to them in the long run.

You spend crucial formative years in your child's life convincing them that there is a Santa Claus and then, when they reach the age when Santa's existence doesn't make sense, then you smile and tell them that you've been lying to them all this time.

How's that for building trust with your kids? What are they going to think about what you've told them about Jesus?

I don't mean to derail the topic.
Back to the regular programming...

Post by **_TK** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 12:13 pm

hi dave-- i understand what you are saying, but i think most kids (including me) began figuring out the truth of santa claus before parents have to break the news. i think the average child by about age 6 has serious doubts. however, it is "fun" to believe, even if in your heart of hearts you know that santa claus simply can't visit everyone's house on christmas eve, magic or not. i certainly was not "crushed" when i figured out the truth and i didnt lose faith in my parents or all humanity. i realized they talked about santa because of tradition, and because they believed when they were little, etc etc. it's kind of hard to imagine christmas ( in america at least) without the jolly big guy with the big heart.

that being said, i do find the recent depictions of santa kneeling at the Bethlehem manger with his hat off to be a bit much.

TK

Post by **_MLH** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 12:57 pm

Each one of us has our own ideas...
Personally, I raised my children with no Christmas and no Halloween.
Birthdays were celebrated....I dont like the idea that they portray
Christ Jesus in a manger as a helpless baby. Also, I always spoke
truth as I understood it and there is no Santa Claus! Sorry! I dont believe
in the tree and giving presents to people who dont need them. There
is no mention of Christmas celebrated and I think I remember the bible
states to celebrate HIS death until he comes. I dont judge anyone who
does I am just stating what we have done and still do.

Maybe a good idea would be to give to the poor and invite a person
without family to a holiday dinner.

Post by **_TK** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 2:55 pm

MLH wrote:

I dont like the idea that they portray
Christ Jesus in a manger as a helpless baby.

just curious, but what is wrong with portraying Jesus in the manger as a helpless baby? wasn't he?

TK

Post by **_JC** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 3:56 pm

As you can tell from my avatar (that's a pagan word, by the way) I don't mind celebrating Christmas. I don't have kids but if I did, they would know that Santa Claus is not a real person. I see nothing wrong with celebrating the birth of our Lord though.

I also celebrate birthdays, but mainly to remind me how old I am and to share cake with friends who are not currently on a diet.

There is more liberty in Christ than many people realize. I thought Paul made that clear in his epistles but I guess it needs reiterating. Meat sacrificed to pagan gods... is it OK to eat?

In summary I'd like to say that I only intend on teaching my children things that are actually true... like the fact that missing teeth are the currancy of ferries.