Gerard, I was wondering...

Where you are.... how long does it usually take for the so-called 'spirit of christmas' to evaporate?

Do the neighbors keep the trees and lights and ornaments up for a long time????

Does the 'spirit of giving' manage to prevail for an extended period of time before it's 'business as usual'??

Just curious, Around here, it doesn't take very long... :)

Phil
...I wonder... what is the 'reason for the end of the season'?

I think most of the neighbors...start to not turn on the lights and take downt he tree after Jan.1

I live, I think you know...in Windsor/canada....we are a very Americanized city...a border town....

People CLAIM the real reson is Jesus...funny....why then is mostly what one sees...wreaths, holly, trees decoprated with lights and ornament etc....ALL pagan in orgin....but this is about as true(Jesus being the real reason) ...in as much as the Easter Bunny is a harmless token to celebrate at Ishtar...sorry..>Easter.

Gerard, You said, "<i>I think most of the neighbors...start to not turn on the lights and take down the tree after Jan.1...</i>"

Yeah, well I guess that would be the best time to turn off the flow of the xmas spirit... :) After the last of the pagan holidays are expended.. Of course, you'll notice that a lot of folks are still talking about their 'resolutions'... That, I understand, was also part and parcel of the pagan celebration of new years..

Well, I'm quite relieved that it's gonna be a while til xmas and new years rolls around again, and very pleased and thankful that God will, one day, set up His Government and Rule here on earth... That's what a lot of folks have been eager to attain, a "one world government"... hehe... it's just won't be the one they thought they would be getting.

God Bless you Gerard, keep the Book and both eyes open!

Phil

... 2008? The start of the Tribulation?

to keep helping me. I need the help.

Bless you Phil.

g

Jesus Christ is the reason for the season. Too bad you abandoned what you were taught when you were a little boy. You were a lot nicer and smarter then.

Funny how you or anyone cannot say or disprove the fact that paganism has been adopted into what is supposed to be worship to G-d.

Instead, and of course....attacking the person is an easier road than proving all things.

The traditions of men....hmm.

if you cannot respect what i believe then is it too much a stretch to ask you do not post to me if you cannot be edifying.

I may have been 'nicer' but was a helluva lot more deceived too. lol

It is not about trees, ornaments, lights and even presents. It is about Love. God is Love, and we are called to express that Love. Christmas is a reminder of the great Love that God has shown us in giving us the gift of His Son.

May the Christ live in our hearts everyday of the year. That is what it is all about.

However....when....all you see is people using all of those things....what they say and what their fruits are...

become clear.

Scripture is clear about mixing paganism and worship to G-d and how He feels about it.

Good intentions aside. Even though this is not a scriptural saying...it makes total sense...

'the path to hades is paved with good intentions'

Ask any child under 12 what THEY think christmas is about....REALLy about....

children are the most honest to others and themselves imv.

Hello Dennis and I want to thank you for taking the time to post on my board.

I know that you are a sincere and dedicated person and that your views on christmas are important to you.

I want to look at your statements and consider them:

You said, "It is not about trees, ornaments, lights and even presents. It is about Love."

Well, Dennis, I hope you will allow me to differ... Yes, I know that those who celebrate the christmas holidays, do so because the majority of them want to worship and honor Christ and to express their LOVE for Him. I'd guess that they also fervently believe that in doing so, they are somehow, conveying His LOVE to others and hopefully leading some to Christ.

You say that "it's not about trees, ornaments, lights and even presents."

Okay, then, I wonder WHY those things are ALWAYS extant in the holiday observance and that it is never celebrated without them? IF it's all about LOVE, then why not find another WAY to celebrate that LOVE without attempting to worship Him with all those heathenistic customs and accoutrements? Why not pick another day, other than the Winter Solstice to do that celebrating on? Why not worship and honor Christ WITHOUT using the very things that He warned His people NOT TO LEARN, and punished when they did not obey? If, in truth, it is not about those things, WHY NOT DELETE them from the celebration and be done with it? Why not stand up and PREACH AGAINST those things that God clearly HATES and calls abominations??

God is LOVE

You said, "God is Love, and we are called to express that Love. Christmas is a reminder of the great Love that God has shown us in giving us the gift of His Son."

I agree. God IS LOVE! But that is as far as I can go in my agreement!

You say that, "Christmas is a reminder of the great Love that God has shown us in giving us the gift of His Son."

I'm interested... HOW SO?? HOW is the christmas holiday a reminder of that? What is it about the holiday that reminds ANYONE about the gift of His Son? Is it the mistletoe? Does that do it for you? How about the Chessnuts roasting on an open fire?? Jingle Bells? Santa Claus? Rocking Around the Christmas Tree?

WHY does the 'reminder of the great love God has shown us' have to be infested with all that PAGAN stuff?? Why can't TRUE followers of Christ remember what the Father did for us without all that garbage?

Most people KNOW that it isn't really His Birthday, so why do they do it? Truth is, for the most part, they are just following the crowd like sheep following a shepherd.. doing what looks, and feels, good... and yes, they may have the most earnest and sincere desire to worship Christ and to honor Him, but they are being led directly into VAIN worship.

Dennis, I know you have read the scripture that says, "IN VAIN do they worship me, TEACHING for doctrines the commandments of men." Dennis, do you believe that statement? Is it TRUTH?

Dennis, I know what most would LIKE for christmas to be... but it simply isn't! It is what it is, but it isn't Christian, and it isn't expressing love for Christ... because it is simply the opposite! It is people, doing what they want to do, and calling it Christian.

Dennis, I realize that these things are offensive, but the TRUTH is often offensive to those who have been taught to think otherwise.

What it's REALLY all about.

What it's all about, is the continued deception of sincere people who truly want to worship the True God, but whose worship is being diverted and after all is said and done, that worship becomes VAIN and useless.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Comments?

Phil Barnes

Believe it or not, my Christmas times are fairly low keyed. I do give presents, and thank God for the gift of His Son. I do like a couple of the older movies.

My belief is that we should take any opportunity that is presented us to show God's Love.

It is all about Love. God has given us permission to regard a day or not regard a day. We are commanded not to condemn another over it.

What He is most concerned about is that we love one another.

"A new commandment I give you, that you love one another."

I mean....if G-d is unchanging...and what was an abomination to Him before ....mixing paganism and worship to Him.....suddenly doesn't bother Him now?

You seem to forget the FIRST and most important commandment...which is to love G-d with all your being...

How? Has he not shown us what pleases Him?


why then to we persist to do what WE think or FEEL is right....

'what seems right to a man is emnity to G-d'

I believe G-d.

I am just using the word Jesus used.

God has not changed. He has always been Infinite Love.

Paganism is in essence the materilizaton of worship. If we get hung up on what day we honor or do not honor, that in itself is a type of paganism.

We are in the Lord's sabbath. It is a spiritual concept not material.

God cares about Love. There is great freedom in Christ. You have a perfect right not to regard Christmas. I will defend your right not to. But others have the freedom in Christ to celebrate it.

It is all about Love. It is who God is. Remember when the religious leaders gave Jesus a hard time for healing on the sabbath. He said it is lawful to do good on the sabbath.

Christmas can be a time where we are reminded to not only honor the Christ being birthed in us, but to love and cherish and do good to others.

Certainly it is the one most modern christians profess.

However....if one studies carefully what the first century christians practiced....you will fuind they did not:

1. celebrate the birth of christ
2. DID still celebrate all the 'jewish' Holy days that G-d Himself ordained.
3. they observed the seventh day sabbath.

what people now profess is the traditions of men....things men changed over time....adopting pagain festivals and celebrations into so called 'new' christian holy days....

even Paul observed the sabbath.

good intentions aside....those who do understand are not trying to belittle or humiliate others who do not understand Dennis....we must howebver bear wittness to the truth. That is out commission from G-d Himself in scriptre.

I was raised a devote Catholic and ws one for some 35 years.....it was not easy to accept that which i was shown and I certainly did and maybe still do fight it and tryt o rationalize around his truth....i also as can be seen deal with attacks from my own family on what i believe.....

the truth is certainly a narrow path to walk and easy to stray from.

Gerard, just "walk the talk" and you will not be "attacked", or should I say...disagreed with.

like your story and hope you DO stick to it Phil.