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Cal · 12-21-2016, 11:21 AM

Drake,

Your rendition of history is straight out of a Witness Lee message. I recognized it immediately. Have you learned nothing but what Lee told you? Are you satisfied with that level of knowledge?

I seriously doubt that the situation was as cut-and-dried as you say, as if Constantine did it all. I'm sure there are all kinds of variances of worship and nominal believers in the Church long before Constantine came along. From the very beginning the Church had variations in practices. It always has and always will. The attitude that you can identify some "pure" version of the Church and expect everyone else to live up to that is arrogant.

I understand having a problem with pagan influences that change the nature of the faith, such as worship of Mary, prayer to the dead, working for salvation, penance, etc.

But Christmas embodies none of those things. How do trees and nativity scenes and snowmen hurt or corrupt the Christian message? I don't see how you can make the case they do.

Christmas helps get the gospel out. Has anyone NOT seen Charlie Brown pleading "Can anyone tell me what Christmas is all about?!" and Linus responding "Lights please" and reciting the story of the birth of Jesus from Luke? "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!" Just about everyone in the western world who has a TV has seen that.

I don't need to make "an excuse" to celebrate Christmas because I honestly believe there isn't anything wrong with doing it. I believe at this point in history A LOT more good comes from have Christ in Christmas than would come by taking him out. I think that is what most Christians believe now.

You can practice as you like, but I haven't seen much if any good coming from having a Scroogish attitude toward Christmas. We are supposed to be different from the world. We are not supposed to be so strange that we make ourselves disappear, as the LCM has.

12-21-2016, 11:21 AM	#60
Cal Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: USA Posts: 4,333	Re: Tis the season Drake, Your rendition of history is straight out of a Witness Lee message. I recognized it immediately. Have you learned nothing but what Lee told you? Are you satisfied with that level of knowledge? I seriously doubt that the situation was as cut-and-dried as you say, as if Constantine did it all. I'm sure there are all kinds of variances of worship and nominal believers in the Church long before Constantine came along. From the very beginning the Church had variations in practices. It always has and always will. The attitude that you can identify some "pure" version of the Church and expect everyone else to live up to that is arrogant. I understand having a problem with pagan influences that change the nature of the faith, such as worship of Mary, prayer to the dead, working for salvation, penance, etc. But Christmas embodies none of those things. How do trees and nativity scenes and snowmen hurt or corrupt the Christian message? I don't see how you can make the case they do. Christmas helps get the gospel out. Has anyone NOT seen Charlie Brown pleading "Can anyone tell me what Christmas is all about?!" and Linus responding "Lights please" and reciting the story of the birth of Jesus from Luke? "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord!" Just about everyone in the western world who has a TV has seen that. I don't need to make "an excuse" to celebrate Christmas because I honestly believe there isn't anything wrong with doing it. I believe at this point in history A LOT more good comes from have Christ in Christmas than would come by taking him out. I think that is what most Christians believe now. You can practice as you like, but I haven't seen much if any good coming from having a Scroogish attitude toward Christmas. We are supposed to be different from the world. We are not supposed to be so strange that we make ourselves disappear, as the LCM has.