Why do we teach our children to Lie?

Wrong. It's not evil in our household.

Ever hear of All Hallows Eve? Both had origins in pagan activity, but both don't remain that way (at least to most).

Plenty of people that disagree with me who I dont' call legalists. You are not one of them, though.

"Worldly institutions" :laugh:

 

Actually, I'm a Clevelander.

 

Read history, and culture.. you will find all of these...

Truth is not only found in Scripture....
There is truth in History also...

But your mind is made up, and like so many times here on BB, once you get something stuck in that trap of yours, you will never open it up to what someone is teaching you...

So, if you want to be ignorant of truth, then be so, I am done debating this... Thank you Helen and Barry for your work... I am sorry so many choose to be ignorant of truth...

Ignorance is bliss
To Study is hard work...

 

I also am sorry many choose to be ignorant to the truth.

 

And that is something to be proud of????:laugh:

See, we disagree, but he doesn't call me a legalist..

Maybe you moved from Laodicea...

So many are Ephesians here.. they have lost their first love, but love to talk Doctrine...

Oh to be a Philidelphian....
No wait, I wouldn't want to live in Pennsylvania...

I guess I could be a Sardine... But I really don't know how to swim...

So I guess I will have to be a Thyatiran.... what ever that is..
Or maybe a Pergamite.... Nah.. sounds to much like a teramite, and I hate those bugs...

Well, I guess I am stuck with a Smyrnaninian....Some say I smirk...

 

man, what's with the grumpy folk on the BB lately? Like mushrooms after a bad rain....

 

When raising our son, we did the santa bit. Having grown spiritually, I would not do that now. I don't think he suffered any psychological problems from it and I'm not judging others .

But, what would happen if the Church were to ban together to abandon santa and the worldly "Christmas"? What if we left out all that holiday, gift giving, going into debt stuff and celebrated Christmas as the birth of our Savior and nothing else?

Do you think the world would take notice? And maybe we would actually come out and be separate?

Just some thoughts.

 

Dead silence....

 

Santa Claus is a Roman Catholic myth:
"His popularity, already great, increased enormously in the West when his relics were brought to Bari in 1087, and his shrine was one of the great pilgrimage centers of medieval Europe. He is the patron of storm-beset sailors (for miraculously saving doomed mariners off the coast of Lycia), of prisoners, of children ... which led to the practice of children giving presents at Christmas in his name and the metamorphosis of his name, St. Nicholas, into Sint Klaes, into Santa Claus by the Dutch. It should be noted though that the figure of Santa Claus is really non-Christian and is based on the Germanic god Thor, who was associated with winter and the Yule log and rode on a chariot drawn by goats named Cracker and Gnasher" (Dictionary of Saints, pp. 369,370).

 

I think we would blow our testimony. We are commanded to be in the world, not of it (commiting sin as the world does). Pretending Santa brings your child presents is not sin, lest every time a child pretends he's a cowboy, superhero or race car driver they would be sinning. That doesn't even include actors, TV shows, movies, etc. Those would all have to be banned to. All Christians would be Amish.

 

Myths don't have birthdays, and dates of death (280 - 342 a.d.)

 

There was a real St. Nicholas. There is no doubt about that. However, the Catholics turned the real into a myth by spreading the insane belief that he visits millions of children all over the world in one night, going down chimneys, flying in sleighs pulled by flyinng reindeer, etc.

Santa Claus is a myth.

 

Folks, I got invited onto a basically pagan discussion area and I have been active there lately. I'm glad that they cannot see Baptist Board. I hope none of them do. They are nicer to each other, and to me, than folks here are to each other.

When I see nastiness and name-calling here which outstrips many other places, I am ashamed.

Where is Christ in the characters of the people here? If you belong to Him, Romans 8:9 says you are indwelt by His Spirit.

That should be evident in the words and actions of people here. For those of us who are born again Christians, we are siblings.

If my kids ever name-called the way I see siblings doing it here, they would have all been punished rather severely.

I am ashamed of some of what I have read on this thread and a reasonable amount of what I have read on BB in the debate and even discussion threads.

Barry and I did our best on the DVD. That's all. We found that history, astronomy and the Bible all came together like perfect pieces, with none needing to be 'bent' a bit!

As far as Santa Claus goes, let each person do as he thinks best for him or herself and children. Let the Holy Spirit lead us each.

Thank you.

Rant over.

 

Praise God for virtuous pagans!

 

StandingfirminChrist is only calling the Santa Claus you see in the malls a myth not the actual man. No one flies around delivering toys to every child on Earth.

It might be fine to think about it, but if it takes away from the true meaning of Christmas than it's not fine.

 

Vine's, Thayer's, Strong's, and the Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible all say the word is used of magicians and wise men. It's a proper noun "with no intrinsic meaning." None of them say that it means "magnificent."

If those who had a reputation of wisdom and honor told him that a Messianic prophecy had been fulfilled, he would have had much to fear.

1) The reason they were relegated to a stable was a crowded inn, not ceremonial uncleanness.

2)From Barnes New Testament Notes on Luke 2:7

I'll wait until I see reviews from well-known, universally respected authorities before shelling out any dough for it. It doesn't sound like you've really done your homework.

 

The gifts of Jesus Christ are sufficient to do all they were intended to do, but "sustain a holiday"? Where do we find this in God's Word? (You say yourself, "We know it’s not called for in scripture.")

Again, where in Scripture do you get the idea of celebrating the four weeks before 25th December as "Advent"?

 

Good question David Lamb.

And I still ask when did it change to man giving gifts to man? In Scripture the only one receiving gifts at the birth of our King, was the babe Himself.

 

So, would it be wrong then to let your children watch the Charlie Brown Christmas special because it promotes Santa Clause? I'm just asking because your avatar is Charlie Brown....

 

I entered this thread because I believe that even though Christmas celebrations are not called for anywhere in God's word, it is better to spend our time as Christians praising God for His wonderful gift to us and praising Jesus rather than glorifying a false fat man in a red suit and giving Jesus second best to what amounts to an idol. I never thought that on a Christian website I would get so much grief for that view.

I know I got a little gruff there for a while (I am human and anger management is not a gift I was blessed with) and for this I apologize, but my mind still can't wrap around the concept of why so many Christians are willing to spend hours upon hours this season paying homage to all the department stores, going into debt, and seeking out Santas for their children, and then only giving Jesus a couple of minutes a day at best. It makes me wonder why there is even a Christ in Christmas.

Well, you all have a blessed Christmas, regardless how you decide to spend it, and may God bless each and every one of you.

R/

282