Local Church Discussions - View Single Post - LSM: To observe Christmas, its doubtful you’re a new creation

GraceAlone · 11-21-2022, 09:50 AM

Thanks for posting those quotes, Zezima. As ridiculous as they are (yet very typical of WL's hyperbolic style), it does help me to better understand why not celebrating Christmas was a hill that so many, including my family, chose to die on. I've found that dogmatic anti-Christmas stance to be increasingly hard to grasp, especially given how very thin the scholarship is supporting the idea of pagan roots. But reading those quotes reminds me of why they might believe so strongly in abstaining from this and other holidays. I don't have to agree with it, but I can understand where the belief is coming from.

I have lots of thoughts on this as a "church kid," but I agree with your instinct not to get into a debate on the pros and cons of Christmas. I will say that part of my personal journey has been a dramatic shift over the years to where I see many aspects of the "old creation," i.e. the material world, not as distractions or "signs of the prostitute" but as conduits through which we, as incarnational creatures, can come to better appreciate and revel in the more spiritual realities of the new creation. Especially children.

It's like the point made in one of the Unchained videos about all the trees of the garden being available to eat (except one). We have much more freedom than we previously understood as part of our belonging to Christ and our being children of a joyful and generous Father.

11-21-2022, 09:50 AM	#3
GraceAlone Member Join Date: Jul 2021 Posts: 46	Re: LSM: To observe Christmas, its doubtful you’re a new creation Thanks for posting those quotes, Zezima. As ridiculous as they are (yet very typical of WL's hyperbolic style), it does help me to better understand why not celebrating Christmas was a hill that so many, including my family, chose to die on. I've found that dogmatic anti-Christmas stance to be increasingly hard to grasp, especially given how very thin the scholarship is supporting the idea of pagan roots. But reading those quotes reminds me of why they might believe so strongly in abstaining from this and other holidays. I don't have to agree with it, but I can understand where the belief is coming from. I have lots of thoughts on this as a "church kid," but I agree with your instinct not to get into a debate on the pros and cons of Christmas. I will say that part of my personal journey has been a dramatic shift over the years to where I see many aspects of the "old creation," i.e. the material world, not as distractions or "signs of the prostitute" but as conduits through which we, as incarnational creatures, can come to better appreciate and revel in the more spiritual realities of the new creation. Especially children. It's like the point made in one of the Unchained videos about all the trees of the garden being available to eat (except one). We have much more freedom than we previously understood as part of our belonging to Christ and our being children of a joyful and generous Father.