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JW's have relegated Jesus to the rank of highest of angels, Michael. That's how much you worship and think of Him. Complete utter unscriptural rubbish. You better read your bible again, carefully.
That actually is not unscriptural. There are various titles for Jesus Christ, based on all He has done and continues to do. One of His functions is as the Michael the Archangel.
DANIEL 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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Most people in the non denominational Church of Christ only celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday as the Bible says nothing about celebrating Christ's birthday but only to celebrate His death and resurrection on each first day of the week. I've know a few who open presents on New Year's Day so no one can accuse them of celebrating Christmas lol.
Most people in the non denominational Church of Christ only celebrate Christmas as a secular holiday as the Bible says nothing about celebrating Christ's birthday but only to celebrate His death and resurrection on each first day of the week. I've know a few who open presents on New Year's Day so no one can accuse them of celebrating Christmas lol.
I remember when the ex's family would get together each December. Mainly her family, her two uncles and their families, plus a few dragged up from various nursing homes and who knows where .
They would always do this early December. First they met for church together (I did not go, because I would only attend a church if they were observing Advent)
Then they would have lunch, exchange cheap presents, then leave. Not a fun party....kind of like how Vulcans would have gone through a ritual on Star Trek had the federation mandated it, but not required any emotional attachment to what had become a long standing family tradition.
Anyway Her one uncle Festus or whatever his name wan Did not have Christmas Tree, or ANY Christmas decorations in his house. And as a church of Christ member, refused to even recognize the holiday, save the fact that his brothers were present with gifts and family.......
They did see the holiday as a chance for a family gathering, but no religious significance at all.
Either way, I quit going altogether after someone in the non denominational c o c tried to discourage me from celebrating Christmas in the way that worked for me at the time. So, in a way, Christmas provided me a miracle: I could say that it liberated me from the bondage of Fundamentalism, but that is not really true. By that point, I had already begun to question and reject fundamentalism. My attendance at the coc was strictly tagging along with the ex's family. But through a Christmas Miracle, I was able to publicly denounce and reject it, thus at least making myself feel freer and liberating my mind 100%
Any religion which does not celebrate Christmas would b a deal killer for me. I am an Atheist and I still celebrate it, I will be at Midnight Mass tonight and will be enthralled by the beauty of the ceremony.
I am an atheist now, and love Christmas. I don't do Mass, or any other church service.
I remember when the ex's family would get together each December. Mainly her family, her two uncles and their families, plus a few dragged up from various nursing homes and who knows where .
They would always do this early December. First they met for church together (I did not go, because I would only attend a church if they were observing Advent)
Then they would have lunch, exchange cheap presents, then leave. Not a fun party....kind of like how Vulcans would have gone through a ritual on Star Trek had the federation mandated it, but not required any emotional attachment to what had become a long standing family tradition.
Anyway Her one uncle Festus or whatever his name wan Did not have Christmas Tree, or ANY Christmas decorations in his house. And as a church of Christ member, refused to even recognize the holiday, save the fact that his brothers were present with gifts and family.......
They did see the holiday as a chance for a family gathering, but no religious significance at all.
Either way, I quit going altogether after someone in the non denominational c o c tried to discourage me from celebrating Christmas in the way that worked for me at the time. So, in a way, Christmas provided me a miracle: I could say that it liberated me from the bondage of Fundamentalism, but that is not really true. By that point, I had already begun to question and reject fundamentalism. My attendance at the coc was strictly tagging along with the ex's family. But through a Christmas Miracle, I was able to publicly denounce and reject it, thus at least making myself feel freer and liberating my mind 100%
Vulcans. Never read/heard of CofC members being likened to Vulcans before. IME, a rather good analogy.
How did the 1st-century apostles celebrate Jesus' birth day ?
I don't really care how the first century apostles celebrated Jesus' birth day because I don't belong to a faith that tries to imitate first century Christian practice.
I don't really care how the first century apostles celebrated Jesus' birth day because I don't belong to a faith that tries to imitate first century Christian practice.
Exactly !
Some of us prefer to live in the 21st century instead.
Yes. Typically joyless, self-important whack jobs. Hey, if they simply said, "We don't emphasize Christmas in our worship," and left it at that, no problem. But when these folks start mouthing off with ill-informed, baseless rants about paganism, comparing our celebration of Christ's birth to a Roman bacchanal, then excuse me if I get a little annoyed.
In the liturgical traditions, there is no doubt that Christ's birth is the absolute center of Christmas. Advent is considered a time of anticipation and reflection and there is an entire spiritual discipline and instruction to support it. So what if we drag pine trees into our dens and dress them up in shiny lights and baubles? So what if we give gifts? So what if we celebrate? These are petty carpings by those whose primary desire in faith is to not build God's kingdom on earth, but rather to seek out flaws in others to make themselves look better. Yet they never realize that they themselves are too smitten with their pedantry to understand the motivations of those they criticize. For, by celebrating, we are remembering God's priceless gift to a broken world. And it is a joyous, festive thing indeed.
Excellent post! Most of the carping can be attributed to corrupt "precepts and doctrines of men" and a complete misunderstanding of Christ's Gospel and the true nature of God.
sorry, but I must respectfully disagree with your premise. that God would seriously CONDEMN anyone for doing something good for love of God and neighbor on Dec. 25 (or any other day)j---feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, to gathering together in public praise and thanksgiving, as a special remembrance of and in gratitude of the coming of Jesus into the world simply because it is the "wrong" day IMHO seems to seriously derail the meaning of Christ's message and mission as shown in scripture----from his working of healing miracles on the Sabbath (regarded as profaning the day) and saying that "the Sabbath (and thus by reasonable extension ANY religious observance) is "made for man NOT man for the Sabbath" to his declaration that "any one who gives even a cup of water in My Name shall not lack his REWARD" says otherwise.
may God bless you for your sincerity and give us both (and everybody else) the means to love and serve Him truly and well.
What about feeding the hungry everyday?
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