Some Christians Shun Easter Celebrations

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I thank you for supporting my point.

I can't see that anyone on here has been putting down others. They've merely been explaining their own reasons for celebrating (or not celebrating) the festival called Easter.

(Un)fortunately, I don't think you'll find any quotes from anyone declaring: we all condemn MCalavera!

I don't really see how I have, but, in any case, you're welcome!

I understand. Some people mis-quote Him, and others insist there is no "He" to even say anything at all.

I don't know how naive you think me to be. I've studied enough psychology to know what sort of nonsense comes out of people's mouths (whether online or in real life).

If you say that others are not being Christian for celebrating Easter, then you are putting them down and making them feel like they're not "Christian" enough. That's exactly what "putting down" means.

And as a note: I don't feel put down or condemned by anyone here. As:

1. I personally don't celebrate Easter. Just take advantage of it for a good break from work (and possibly a nice vacation).

2. I'm indifferent to the preachings of Christians, as unlike many unbelievers here, I understand what it's like to be a Christian who desperately wants to follow what the Bible says (regardless of how one chooses to follow it).

I never implied you were naive. Please don't start being nasty. If anything, I am the naive one around here, because I am not very clever (see signature and also see my post in the IQ thread). A lot of the time some of what you are saying goes right over my head. I genuinely don't know what you meant when you said I supported your point!

I am puzzled now. Either yet more things are going over the top of my head because they're too hard for me, or else you are swinging from one side to the next and making different arguments all the time, that contradict one another and don't make any sense.

First you accused people of condemning others.

Now you're saying you don't feel condemned by anyone.

Which is it?

I'm not trying to catch you out: just confused and trying to figure out what on earth you are talking about!

Edit: I never implied that I walk up to a professing Christian celebrating Easter and announce to them: "you're wrong!" I merely said that in my mind I mentally note that they are not Christian at all. This is not judging; it is noting who is and who isn't Christian, and it is in fact what we are warned to do in the bible: watch out for fake Christians and wolves in sheep's clothing, by examining their deeds, not their words, and then avoid them. Not condemn them; avoid them. That's all.

This is the last Christian holiday that the Jehovah's Witnesses celebrate, isn't it?

So, Santa comes on Easter rather than Christmas.

It most certainly is, and even if you do not also presume to condemn.

Here is what the dictionary says:

judgingpresent participle of judge (Verb)

1. Form an opinion or conclusion about.
2. Decide (a case) in a court of law.

I do not see anything wrong with forming opinions about the people and things in the world around me. Doing so is not a sin. Whether or not my judging is sinful depends if I am being accused of judging in the secular sense (see number one) which each and every one of us does all the time about everything in our surroundings, or in the biblical sense (see number two) which is something reserved only for God.

Judging, in the biblical sense, means pronouncing someone guilty and passing sentence on them. God is the only one who passes eternal sentences and he is the only one who will be doing the judging on the final day. Hence why it's called Judgment Day.

Judgment Day is not the day on which God will sit on his throne and form opinions about us all in the spirit of number one. Rather, it is the day on which he will sit as judge and decide our cases one by one, according to his law, as described in number two.

I agree here. It IS judging. "Judge not..." is one of the most quoted passages in postmodern culture, I think. Most often it is misinterpreted as a matter of convenience because we don't like admitting that many things we persist in doing are wrong according to the Bible. If judging is such a crime, then you have to explain why it is Jesus was able to judge AND encourage His disciples to do the same. It is only wrong when you fail to acknowledge your own shortcomings.

If my car breaks down, I don't dare try to diagnose the problem and repair my vehicle. I may "think" I know what's wrong, but for me fixing it will only cause more damage. A mechanic, on the other hand, is well versed in motor vehicle operations and has the tools to discover the problem and properly restore proper function.

On the other hand, I have no problem whatsoever telling another musician friend that his or her performance sucks. Why? I'm a musician myself and I also might have something useful to say that will fix whatever the problem that person is having.

Someone who professes to be a Christian does not have the right to look at someone's house, note that the roof is falling apart and trash all over the front yard, and decide that the person living inside is a lazy bum of low moral character. They may very well be. But they also could very well be disabled, wheelchair-bound, and have no children, relatives, or friends to look after them, and the situation they are in is no fault of their own. To judge that person without first knowing the situation would be unfair. Moreover it is wrong to judge a person when your own hands are unclean. It would be horrible to, say, publicly expose someone for looking at porn when you yourself are guilty of the same. It is difficult, say, for an alcoholic to relate to someone who has never touched a drop, but it is helpful if someone who has recovered from alcoholism to advise someone trapped in an addiction. We should not presume to correct someone else's mistake and/or condemn them when we haven't honestly faced our own failings.

But to look at someone's yard and house, judge that it is in poor condition, discern that the resident on that property has a need, and then actively take part in mowing their grass and patching their roof is still judging; yet it is judging with a more Christ-like attitude in the spirit of caring for His sheep. To intervene on someone's behalf when a great injustice has been done is to judge a person's oppressors. You cannot say that they are wrong to harm another person without making a judgment. To come to the aid of a friend involves judging. Biblically speaking, however, this kind of thing is encouraged. When you listen to a preacher or teacher, check them with the Bible, and conclude their teachings are in error, you are judging. However, you are judging because you seek the truth and do not wish yourself or others to be deceived by false teachings. The Berian church did this and were commended for it.

Judging is both a virtue AND a sin. It takes a discerning mind (judging) to tell the difference.

We agree.


... thereby making "God" a virtuous sinner, eh?!


Although not always completely separate, discernment is an entirely different matter.

AngelRho was, I believe, referring to human beings forming opinions, not God sitting on his throne to judge. AngelRho perhaps expressed it wrongly, but I see what s/he was trying to say. I think what s/he meant was "judging can be either a virtue or a sin, depending on how you do it." It clearly cannot be both at once.

I understand. We all judge others all the time, and we hope our occasional condemnations of others are actually virtuous.

Hmm now we're onto a different word. Condemn.

con·demn/kənˈdem/Verb
1. Express complete disapproval of, typically in public; censure.
2. Sentence (someone) to a particular punishment, esp. death: "the rebels had been condemned to death".

Again, the first meaning is secular, the second is biblical or judiciary.

Either I have always slightly misunderstood the word (very probable) or whoever wrote that entry had things a bit muddled up. I didn't know condemnation was akin to censorship. Edit: I suppose it is. Heathen society condemns and censors the use of the word "sodomite" and only allows the euphemism "homosexual."

In any case, I certainly don't condemn anyone in the biblical sense, because I am not God.

Are you saying you condemn people? Or were you just using the word "we" instead of "you" because you were employing sarcasm, and not literally including yourself amongst the condemners?

I wish people would just say what they really mean. It would mean I wouldn't have to keep puzzling out everything they say.

If we're to worship God in spirit and truth, as Jesus said, and by means of truth, the Bible (John 17:17), then the Bible is the gauge that helps Christians know what is right and wrong. Second Timothy 3:16, 17 says "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work." Is it right to celebrate an event that is clearly pagan in its origin, even if it's been "cleansed" or "Christianized"? I ask you which is more truthful? Easter or the memorial of Jesus' death which Jesus commanded his followers to annually observe at Luke 22:19-20 and 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. Point me to a single scripture that shows Jesus commanded his followers to celebrate his resurrection. I can assure you none exists because Jesus never commanded his true followers to do such a thing.

(2 Timothy 3:16-17) All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.

Because the Bible is inspired of God it is His Word. The Bible is like a powerful two-edged sword that can cut down religious falsehood and help righthearted people find spiritual freedom. (John 8:32; Hebrews 4:12) Is it wrong of me not to tell people about falsehoods practiced today? Would it be not wrong of me to come home from work, see that my neighbor's house on fire, and warn him? To both questions... no, it is not. It would be unloving and uncaring of me to not tell anyone the truths from the Bible.

Last edited by kxmode on 18 Apr 2011, 11:27 am, edited 5 times in total.