Christmas a sham?

Post Reply New Topic

My father always said that Jesus was never born on Christmas Day. Up in the Middle East it can get to below freezing at night, and the carols we were taught as kids made us believe that the sheperds watched their flocks by night. How could they be watching their flocks by night in almost sub-zero temperatures?

Just before the end of 1999, I saw a billboard outside a church that said "2000 years since what?" - obviously an effort to get us to think about Jesus and God and so on. But... Christmas is when Jesus (aka Mithras) was born, Easter when he died... so what happened on the 31st? 2000 years since what, indeed!

_________________
Diagnosed but unconvinced... I reckon I'm just a rude and arrogant wierdo

that's from the web:

Between the month of December and the month of February, it is the winter time in Israel, when temperatures are moving from 18- 21 degrees in average: Tel aviv 9-19, Jerusalem 7-14, Eilat 11-23 and Haifa 9-18.

http://tourism.index.co.il/siteFiles/1/60/261117.asp

Degrees here are in Celcius. So it is quite possible to be outside at that time of year. Quite comfortable temperatures, like in spring in the north. Though the temperature differences between day and night in that region are higher than in the north.

Still the date of christmas is an invention of the catholic church to take over a old roman sun god feast. Before that early christian communities thought the date to be at beginning of January. Though there is no evidence, that this was based on any real knowledge of the birthdate or just another thing somebody had made up. (Since there is no evidence, that JC lived at all, the details are even less reliable anyway)

I don't believe in Jesus, I'm not a Christian, and I still celebrate Christmas. There's no rule that says you can't open presents on the 25th, have a Christmas tree, and eat lots of fatty, sugary foods just because Jesus really wasn't born on December 25th.

It's not important exactly when we celebrate the birth of Christ; what is important is that we celebrate it. For better or for worse, the Christmas Feast is December 25. I'm aware that this is not historically accurate, but if the actual event is so far in the past I would expect these kind of historical, chronological, and mathematical errors.

Relocating the Christmas Holidays to elsewhere in the year is impossible.

in the past people celebrated christmas, now it's Xmas. there is no longer any religious meaning in the holiday as far as most people are concerned, it''s just about giving/recieving presents and eating loads of food. the 25th of december is a time to celebrate being with the family (friends are the family you choose in some cases) and getting ready for the new year, celebrating the birth of christ to me ruins the spirit of it.

_________________
most people think i'm a bit strange, even abnormal. normal is the majority, the average, what is most frequent. if you lived around here, you'll see the positive of not being normal

Hey, I believe there was a Jesus, and that he wasn't born on someone's set date to. I still celebrate Christmas for the history I had with it. Presents, candy, whooo.... It just doesn't resemble anything religious to me. But yeah, I know how your feeling with the carols and the stories and such. What else is a kid supposed to think with that info

Astronomer Says Christ Was Born in June

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

An Australian astronomer says the Christmas star that led the three Wise Men to Jesus appeared in June, not December.
Dave Reneke, former chief lecturer at the Port Macquarie Observatory in New South Wales who now is news editor of Sky and Space magazine, said complex computer software was used to map the night sky as it would have appeared over Bethlehem 2,000 years ago.The research pinpoints the date of Christ's birth as June 17 rather than Dec. 25, The Times of London reported Tuesday.

"Venus and Jupiter became very close in the the year 2 B.C. and they would have appeared to be one bright beacon of light," he said. "We are not saying this was definitely the Christmas star -- but it is the strongest explanation for it of any I have seen so far."

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/news/wires?id=124200121

I don't see the point of Christmas. One day in the year for everyone to get together like that HAVE to. Why not visit them independently through out instead? I would happily work through Christmas Day. Something has to pay the rent and bills

well duh jesus wasnt born on decmber 25th, it was made that day to squash out one of paganisms major holidays because much like what christians do now there trying to convert everyone. the cross is also not a christian symbol but a pagan one Lol. now ive said too much and will probably burn in hell

for what its worth i do hope jesus was born in june, because i was also born in june and i always knew jesus was a player