The discussion of Halloween leads me to ask a question. If Halloween is not celebrated due to pagan origins would you feel the same about celebrating a holiday like Ramadan or Holi or any other holiday from another religion? While I'm sure most if not all of you don't celebrate holidays from other religions, I am wondering if you feel it is wrong to celebrate the Islamic Ramadan, the Hindu Holi, or some other holiday. Obviously, as a Christian it wouldn't be a meaningful religious experience. Do you think it would be wrong as a meaningful cultural experience?
I used to not celebrate Halloween with my boys, but then I got to thinking: If I carried my argument against Halloween out to every other holiday, we wouldn't celebrate Christmas or Easter, either. Because both of those days celebrations are rooted in pagan concepts. They were merely adapted into Christianity in order to tie new converts to old familiar ways. Of course, it also comes down to how the Holy Spirit convicts each family. I don't question that. But my argument against Halloween was based on 'logic', not Holy leading. (Oh, and I have no interest in celebrating Ramadan or any other Muslim holiday. We do observe Jewish holidays, but don't celebrate them, if that makes sense. But since I serve the God who kept the lamps burning in the temple long after the oil should have burned out, I feel a connection to Hanuka. etc, etc.)
Here's a calendar of actual holy days from the bible... http://www.keyway.ca/m2c.htm There are several in the fall. The Feast of Trumpets just passed.
Halloween is a currently celebrated satanic "holiday". It has not lost it's roots at all. You can't follow logic on this issue to any other correlation between the celebrating of halloween and Christmas or Easter. Halloween and it's intentions have not been eradicated. On the contrary, they are alive and well, just as many of those people still observe the solstices. In the other thread, Jackie summed it up nicely. For Christmas and Easter, we (Christians) have made these celebrations all their own, with no regard to the pagan roots associated with that day of the year. It would be like the overlapping of Ramadan, Hannukah or Christmas days. Just because one day of the year has more than one holiday celebrated on it doesn't mean I am celebrating the other holidays taking place.
Ramadan is going on right now. Perhaps you are thinking of Kwanzaa? I'll revise the OP. I'm not sure my question was clear.
Most people do not celebrate it as a satanic holiday. I don't believe it originally was a satanic holiday? Just a pagan (non Christian) one. The bible says to not celebrate Christmas... at least in the way that the majority of Christians celebrate it. Jeremiah 10:2-4 (New International Version) 2 This is what the LORD says: "Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by signs in the sky, though the nations are terrified by them. 3 For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. 4 They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. Christmas Trees Easter Eggs Easter Bunnies The above are just a few of the ways that the original holidays are still intertwined. How is that any different from a Christian family allowing their daughter to dress up as a princess, go to the church parking lot and go home with a bag of candy?
I stand by my original post in this thread. I think others have already said it nicely, but a)Halloween is not a satanic holiday.. never was. b) Christmas and Easter are still VERY much pagan in the way they are celebrated. They have not lost their roots, either.
Here is a thought ... make the holiday your OWN. We have made Easter into almost 2 different holidays. Saturday we have a little egg hunt and talk about spring and the birds new births of animals (connection to eggs) etc. Then on Sunday we only talk of Christ, but we also bring the theme of the newness of life in spring to relate to the resurrection. We do a similar thing with Christmas. We DO celebrate Halloween because like someone else said what is wrong with dressing up in a cute costume (nothing scary) and going to the church's fall festival, playing a few carnival games, and getting some candy! Keep these "pagan" holidays as a simple childhood activity ... hey my kids are homeschooled how are they going to know any different?
As far as the OP, as a Christian is would be blasphemous, IMO, for me to celebrate another religion's holiday that does not proclaim Christ/God. The only exception I have is for holidays such a Hannukah. Let me explain...I come from a long line of Jewish heritage. Not religiously, but through 'blood'. Hannukah is simply the Festival of Lights when God allowed light for so many more days than they had oil for (similar to the time Jesus fed thousands of His people with only a small amount of food). This is the same God us Christian's celebrate. So, to me, celebrating Hannukah would not be blasphemous. I'm sure others might feel differently, but coming from Jewish roots, I am proud of where I came from and like to tell my kids about their heritage. Do I like to "read" about other religions? Yes, religion in general facinates me. But, I do not "celebrate" them. If I celebrated a holiday that has something to do with a false idol or another "God", than I would feel like I was worshipping that false idol...and I only worship the One true God.
I should also add...many people think Kwanzaa is based on a religion. It's not. It's simply a week long celebration that honors African heritage. No different than having Black History Month, etc. Many Christian African Americans who celebrate Kwanzaa do so in addition to observing Christmas. Just an FYI, since there are so many people who think Kwanzaa comes from a specific religion.
I have several friends who are Messianic Jews. They remind me regularly that, as Christians, we are grafted into the vine of Judah. We are not a separate vine. As to what that means to me as a Christian, I don't fully know yet. I've been praying a lot and seeking understand about how the Father wants me to implement this concept. I'm sure change is coming, I just don't know what or to what extent. But it's a powerful thought, none-the-less.
Conversely, do you think a Muslim family participating in the western Christmas celebration is worshiping Christ?
I don't know what that means either Amie, but I know I can't bare to think that God would frown on us celebrating Him and the miracles that He has done.
Depends on how they celebrate it. Our culture has taken so much of the 'real meanings' out of things these days. If they are focused on Santa and presents, then no. But if they are observing the birth of Christ, than obviously yes I think they would be. However...now correct me if I'm wrong...doesn't the Muslim religion celebrate Christ...just in a different way because they don't use what we would consider the actual Bible/God's Word? I read something the other day...it was a translation from the Quaran (?), and it was talking about Christ and the virgin Mary. I could be way off, and I don't want to believe everything I read, but I found it interesting.
I don't think I was clear. lol. That was what I was getting at in a round-a-bout way. That as Christians, the Jewish heritage IS our heritage because we are grafted into the vine of Judah. That's why I said that I observe Hanuka: the same God who kept the lamps burning in the temple sent His son for me. His miracles are always worth observing. I feel like God is challenging me to ponder what it really should look like to be in the same vine as David and Abraham. Like, what should I do about that Jewish heritage. I'm sure it should be more evident in my life, but how and to what extent? That's what I'm praying about.
I agree. It is all about the intent of the heart. If a Christian participates in a holiday from another religion it isn't a matter of worship. Participating in a culturally rich activity is fine in my book, but I wouldn't participate in some activity that has me bowing down or giving allegiance. A Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu can attend a church service for a cultural experience without worshiping Christ. Sure, we can read about a holiday, but reading about something second hand is not the same as being there yourself. We are celebrating Holi and part of Diwali (bhaiya - dooj)this school year as well as another Hindu holiday that I don't remember the name. This is all part of our study of the country of India. Who wouldn't love throwing colored powder on each other? While the origins of the holiday are in Hindu gods and godesses, throwing powder has nothing to do with worshiping something that doesn't exist.
At least that's my understanding. I guess I shouldn't have spoken so confidently, but that's the way one Muslim explained it to me (I'm just assuming he was correct....).
