It says Jesus was born during Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, where he was born. People are celebrating it during Winter, so it’s the wrong date regardless of calendar. You could follow the Islamic or Chinese calendar and it would still be wrong. As for seasonal change, it’s been so small that it wouldn’t account for enough days to make the date right.
As for having a day to celebrate, yes, it is important. But my point is: people usually say “the bible this”, “the bible that” etc., yet they don’t know most of what’s written in it.
Christmas was first celebrated in December in order to assimilate Christianity in to Roman culture as they had a feast for the God Saturn in late December. This is where we also get the custom of exchanging gifts. I believe the tree is a German thing though.
As far as I know, the only passage that gives any hint to the time Jesus was born is Luke 2:8 “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.” That doesn’t definitively say spring. I don’t know much about the Middle East’s climate, so I don’t know how cold it would be in winter. In the end, it doesn’t really matter. However, the Bible, as far as I know, doesn’t definitively say spring.
Basically, celebrating Christmas on December 25th is alot like celebrating President’s Day on the third Monday of January. It may not be the right date (cause neither Washington’s Birthday no Lincoln’s fall on the third Monday), but it’s more about what you’re honoring and remembering.
I don’t understand why the ultra-capitalist American right is so hurt when corporations appeal to the lowest common denominator with their “holiday” trees. That’s capitalism, folks!
It isn’t as much about capitalism as it is about religion. They feel a little threatened by other religions. Also, appealing o the majority (the majority isn’t always the lowest common denominator) is a part of more than just economics. It is is about politics and just life. Such as with politics, in order to get elected, you have to appeal to more than just those who agree with you.
You sound like a communists with you emphasis on capitalism and trying to make it sound bad, despite this not having anything to do with capitalism. Hell, right now the ones in power are the Republicans and they support, and get their support from, big business. By going against their supporters, they would be killing themselves. The Republicans would lose so much power and influence that it could kill them if they went against big business. That is why this is more about religion (hence the fuss over the word “Christmas”).
Meh, what else is new, political correctness?
I’ve stopped celebrating Christmas. There’s no point to it anymore and besides, it would feel wrong to use a fortune on food and presents when there’s people who barely know what a decent meal is and actually do have a reason to hope and believe there is a Santa and a God.
I think you misunderstood what he said. It sounded to me like he was pointing out the irony in the fact that conservatives, who usually claim to uphold the free market and capitalism in other situations, become upset in this case even though retailers are just following the rules of the free market by trying to appeal to the majority. He wasn’t “trying to make capitalism sound bad.”
Bill O’Reilly has finally given us the answer. The people who are behind this “War on Christmas?” Jon Stewart. What’s more, Jon Stewart had the sack to defend himself: