Christians Fight Back in the War Against Christmas

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Abangyarudo
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16 Dec 2007, 7:06 pm

monty wrote:

Abangyarudo wrote:

I thought it was a popular religion in which the main text said something to that effect. Maybe I'm wrong cause I'm not a big religious buff. My Apologies for my wrong assumption or bad memory whichever it is then.

Some might interpret the Book of Revelations that way - it is kind of like a big Roscharch test or cloud - pretty much anything can be read from it.

One common interpretation (millenialism) is that Christ will rule the Earth for 1000 years before the final battle with Satan (or maybe before the final judgement of all souls, opinions differ).

Another common interpretation of the Book of Revelations is that the Anti-Christ will take over, and the only real Christians will fly up to heaven in the rapture. Then a final world war will break out, and Jesus will step in to straighten things out and dispense justice.

Here's a nice Christian end-times video game in case anyone is looking for that last minute gift:

Quote:

Imagine: you are a foot soldier in a paramilitary group whose purpose is to remake America as a Christian theocracy, and establish its worldly vision of the dominion of Christ over all aspects of life. You are issued high-tech military weaponry, and instructed to engage the infidel on the streets of New York City. You are on a mission - both a religious mission and a military mission -- to convert or kill Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, gays, and anyone who advocates the separation of church and state - especially moderate, mainstream Christians. Your mission is "to conduct physical and spiritual warfare"; all who resist must be taken out with extreme prejudice. You have never felt so powerful, so driven by a purpose: you are 13 years old. You are playing a real-time strategy video game whose creators are linked to the empire of mega-church pastor Rick Warren, best selling author of The Purpose Driven Life.

interesting I think I have heard about some video game like that if you aren't joking. I know it was about religion and it was realtime strategy I forgot the whole plot behind it.

monty
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16 Dec 2007, 7:16 pm

Unfortunately, it is not a joke. The book series that promotes those ideas sold many millions of copies.

Attention, fellow Christians: there is something rotten in Denmark. Fundamentalist Christians in the US are espousing hateful and violent heresies in His name.

Abangyarudo
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16 Dec 2007, 8:36 pm

monty wrote:

ok I remember more of the one I was thinking of it was supposed to be in a certain biblical time and you were supposed to spread faith whch allowed you to build new units and everything. It was a weird game but honestly not saying I like those things but atleast christians have their games for them I think every niche should be available honestly so it gives them their outlet.

techstepgenr8tion
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16 Dec 2007, 8:46 pm

monty wrote:

The whole "war on Christmas" myth is an attempt to make Christians feel persecuted - not to make Christians feel more tolerant or Christ-like. Fox (O'Reilly in particular) have played a key role in amplifying the idea that if department stores try to become inclusive by calling it the holidays (ie, both Christian and Jewish), that is in fact an Attack on Christianity. According to their Christian Identity Movement philosophy, people who wish others "happy holidays" are trying to bring down Christmas, and deserve scorn and hatred.

Is that really saying to do so at the exclusion of everything else though? It may be an inferred thing but even if it were true, that sort of reaction from people is not at all what they'd condone. Mind you, I'm not usually in agreement with the Christian element of the republican party, more the economics and foreign policy end of things; but I do trip a little when I people saying something like this where I have a feeling that had it been a different religion or especially been something that incidentally favored conservative of GWB's PR, it would have gotten either wholly different or even almost opposite reactions.

techstepgenr8tion
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16 Dec 2007, 8:50 pm

Abangyarudo wrote:

forgive me if I'm rong but aren't the christians the one that have in their bible that Jesus Christ will only return if everybody in the world believes. Which seems to mean that its perfectly ok to force your beliefs on others because they are in fact holding you back from the ultimate divine moment ? I see alot of things in christianity that use things like that to advance that agenda.

Supposedly Armageddon, if read literally from the book of Revelation (I tend to view it myself more as a call to arms against the Romans at Harmaghida) it talks about the living forces of good vs. the living forces of evil - the battle rages, seems to be very equal and neither side seems to take advantage until all the forces of good who have ever lived come out and crush them (seems really spineless to me but whatever, I didn't write it and by the more historical interpretation of John's book - that would have probably just meant that Rome's other conquered people would rise up).

That said though, you really can't have much of a battle if everyone believes.

Lonelybonesey
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17 Dec 2007, 12:20 am

Quote:

Christmas doesn't have anything to do with Christianity

But christmas is celebrating Jesus birthday. Another word for Jesus is Christ. The whole X is offensive to me because we usally say ex boyfriend or ex girlfriend therefor x-christ is xmas. umm do you see what i mean?

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Lonelybonesey
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17 Dec 2007, 12:24 am

ohhh i just found this on yahoo answers it really justifies how i feel about the term xmas

Twas the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.

Why the Politically Correct Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.

It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say
December 25th is just a 'Holiday'.
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit
Pushing folks down to the floor, just to get it!

CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod ,
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa
In hopes to sell books by Franken and Fonda.

But as Target was hanging their trees upside down
At Lowe's the word Christmas - was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears
You won't hear the word Christmas; it won't touch your ears.

At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter
To eliminate Jesus, in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith
Forbidden to speak of Salvation and Grace.

The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded
The Reason for the Season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Holiday Tree'
While sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.

Shout 'MERRY CHRISTMAS', not Happy Holiday,
Our Country was founded under the Christian way
And to those who don't like it, we'll just have to say,
Take your hate elsewhere, you don't have to stay!!"
this sums up xmas/christmas nowadays

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The_Chosen_One
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17 Dec 2007, 9:05 am

But the Xians screwed up big time with the date of Jesus' birth anyway. It's actually been said that he was born at the sight of a comet in the eastern sky over Bethlehem in March of 6 BCE, which makes the Xian idea of Xmas even more out of kilter with reality. Yule was celebrated on the winter solstice by the pagan followers centuries if not millenia before Christ's birth; it was only until years after he died and his following gained more support that the date changed from March to Dec. Probably mainly to kill off the pagan belief and celebration of Yule.

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17 Dec 2007, 11:18 am

As my Political Philosophy professor would say...

"Merry Christmas. I'm sick of all this politically correct BS. It's a free country. You shouldn't get sued for trying to be nice and saying Merry Christmas."

I think he would also say that those ten "christians" that knocked on some other people for having a different religion should be locked up and the key should be thrown away.

I'm a Christian and sometimes the way the holiday is 'celebrated' in America bothers me. I can't say Merry Christmas at work because the company could get sued. There can't be any "religion-related" words, signs, exhibits, etc. on government property. Oh God, they recognize a religious holiday. SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE! BURN THE CHRISTIANS!...er...yeah.

I completely recognize the right of other religions to publicize their own holidays in the same time as Christmas. It doesn't bother me at all. When people say Happy Hanukkah to me, I smile and wave or something.

In this Christian's opinion, Jesus would have done the same thing. He wouldn't have beat the crap out of someone for being nice in their own way. A lot of Christ's ways were about how he treated people. Yes, I believe is one true way to get to God but it doesn't mean I must disrespect everyone else. I want my voice to be heard, and to do that I have to protect everyone else's right to have the same.

As for Christmas not having roots in Christianity...that's true to a point, I suppose. The thing I believe is that it's not when or how you celebrate, but for what reason. If the holiday were in July it wouldn't matter to me, because the reason I celebrate is because of Jesus Christ's birth- not because I get presents, or because it's December 25th, or whatever else.

monty
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17 Dec 2007, 3:16 pm

Lonelybonesey wrote:

Quote:

Christmas doesn't have anything to do with Christianity

Sure - you are interpreting the X based on your experience, and are offended because other people have different experiences and interpret it differently. Some interpret Xs and Ts as different crosses used to crucify people, and the cross is a symbol of Christ.

Quote:

In ancient Christian art, χ and χρ are abbreviations for Christ's name. In many manuscripts of the New Testament and icons, X is an abbreviation for Christos, as is XC (the first and last letters in Greek, using the lunate sigma);

Why do you spell it Christmas instead of Christmass? It is the Mass of Christ.

techstepgenr8tion
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17 Dec 2007, 5:29 pm

The_Chosen_One wrote:

Yule was celebrated on the winter solstice by the pagan followers centuries if not millenia before Christ's birth; it was only until years after he died and his following gained more support that the date changed from March to Dec. Probably mainly to kill off the pagan belief and celebration of Yule.

Supposedly that was exactly it, to make it a bit easier for the Pagan's to relate to. Isn't the real birthday somewhere earlier in December or something like that?

Rjaye
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18 Dec 2007, 2:18 am

techstepgenr8tion wrote:

The_Chosen_One wrote:

Supposedly that was exactly it, to make it a bit easier for the Pagan's to relate to. Isn't the real birthday somewhere earlier in December or something like that?

Actually, Yeshu was born during the spring...so, March or April.

Happy SOLSTICE!! !!

Delirium
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18 Dec 2007, 4:35 pm

The_Chosen_One wrote:

They stuck his birthday around those times to appeal to the pagans and the Mithraists (worshippers of the Persian god Mithras, whose birthday was December 25). Seriously, read up on Mithras. Jesus is basically Mithras with Jewish trappings.

BazzaMcKenzie
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18 Dec 2007, 5:08 pm

Locke wrote:

... As for Christmas not having roots in Christianity...that's true to a point, I suppose. The thing I believe is that it's not when or how you celebrate, but for what reason. If the holiday were in July it wouldn't matter to me, because the reason I celebrate is because of Jesus Christ's birth- not because I get presents, or because it's December 25th, or whatever else.

yes.

Which also made me remember we have a public holiday for Queen Elizabeth's birthday. It's not actually on her birthday, but the date is chosen because its a convenient time in the calendar.

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Lonelybonesey
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18 Dec 2007, 9:02 pm

Quote:

Why should we be thinking about the crucefix at christmas? thats Easter when the symbol is actually symbolic. That would be sad to be reminded about the cross on christmas

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monty
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19 Dec 2007, 11:46 am

Lonelybonesey wrote:

Why should we be thinking about the crucefix at christmas? thats Easter when the symbol is actually symbolic. That would be sad to be reminded about the cross on christmas

To Orthodox Christians, Christmas is a minor holiday. The fact that Jesus was born is not such a huge deal, even if there was a miraculous virgin birth. What is really significant is the resurrection - that is the basis of salvation. So the cross is a symbol that is equated with Christ, all year. It is in the iconography, it is in the writing.

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