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X-Mas - is that a proper term?

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Salty, Dec 5, 2022.

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  1. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    I started a thread back in 1986 with several questions -
    but on this thread - lets consider if we should use the term X-mas.

    I am linking the 2016 thread - to see what people said back some 6 years ago
    Christmas Questions
     
    #1 Salty, Dec 5, 2022
  2. RighteousnessTemperance&

    RighteousnessTemperance& Well-Known Member

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    It's no worse than Christmas.
     
    #2 RighteousnessTemperance&, Dec 5, 2022
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  3. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Can you expound on that?
    Are you implying something is wrong with Christmas?
     
    #3 Salty, Dec 5, 2022
  4. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    It's exactly the same as Christmas. It is even pronounced the same way.

    If someone says, "ex-mas," they are simply revealing their ignorance.
     
    #4 Baptist Believer, Dec 5, 2022
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  5. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Christ·mas
    /ˈkrisməs/

    Xmas (also X-mas) is a common abbreviation of the word Christmas. It is sometimes pronounced /ˈɛksməs/, but Xmas, and variants such as Xtemass, originated as handwriting abbreviations for the typical pronunciation /ˈkrɪsməs/. The "X" comes from the Greek letter Chi, which is the first letter of the Greek word Christós (Greek: Χριστός), which became Christ in English.[1] The suffix -mas is from the Latin-derived Old English word for Mass.[2]

    There is a common misconception that the word Xmas stems from a secularizing tendency to de-emphasize the religious tradition from Christmas,[3] by "taking the Christ out of Christmas"; nevertheless, this usage dates back to the 16th century, with the "X" deriving from the New-Testament Greek spelling of "christos" (meaning roughly "[the] anointed [one]"), and corresponds to Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Church of England, and Episcopalian[citation needed] liturgical use of various forms of chi-rho monogram.
     
    #5 Salty, Dec 5, 2022
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  6. just-want-peace

    just-want-peace Well-Known Member
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    My only objection is that this is just one more subtle omission of CHRIST from our vocabulary!
     
    #6 just-want-peace, Dec 5, 2022
  7. Marooncat79

    Marooncat79 Well-Known Member
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    Early Christian’s used the X for Christ

    the actual name of Christ in Koine starts with the letter X
     
    #7 Marooncat79, Dec 5, 2022
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  8. Marooncat79

    Marooncat79 Well-Known Member
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    Christmas has its roots in Catholicism. As in Christs Mass
     
    #8 Marooncat79, Dec 5, 2022
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  9. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Is that a problem?
     
    #9 Salty, Dec 5, 2022
  10. RighteousnessTemperance&

    RighteousnessTemperance& Well-Known Member

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    Yes. No. If one is OK with Christmas, then he should have no problem with Xmas.

    BB has already explained it quite well, and you’ve now posted more detail.
     
    #10 RighteousnessTemperance&, Dec 5, 2022
  11. Deacon

    Deacon Well-Known Member
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    English - Christ
    Greek (transliterated) - Christos
    Greek - Χριστοῦ
     
    #11 Deacon, Dec 5, 2022
  12. Keith Mullins

    Keith Mullins Member

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    I personally never use it. I completely understand the original use and it's use. However, I am an Appalachia and the vast majority of locals are not and they would see it as a secular replacement of Christ.
     
    #12 Keith Mullins, Dec 5, 2022
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  13. Baptist Believer

    Baptist Believer Well-Known Member
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    That's fair. You know your audience.

    However, whenever the issue comes up, you can use the conversation to disciple Christians in the faith.
     
    #13 Baptist Believer, Dec 6, 2022
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