It's funny... The origin of the Christmas holiday and most of its traditions are not Christian at all. When Constantine converted the Roman Empire to Christianity in the 4th century, he worked with the Church to make Christianity palatable to the Roman Pagans. Part of that effort was to assimilate many of the Pagan traditions and rituals into the Christian tradition. Prior to then, most believed Christ was born in the spring given the details in the story - not in the middle of winter. As part of the assimilation the Pagan Solstice /Yuletide celebration where families gathered, feasted, exchanged gifts, decorated trees was transformed into Christmas.

So, I chuckle just a little when people get tweaked about taking Christ out of Christmas....

Gotta ritualize somehow. That was just as good as any other way. Still celebration of Christianity to Christians, which I am not.

Except they do it for completely different reasons than you've otherwise outlined.

That and it's become part of the faith.

Yup

I'm a Meist tho.

I'm a theist.

I grew up in Christian schools.

I just consider myself a theist.

Grew up Christian. Didn't take.

As a Christian...Christmas is a joke to me. It’s completely blasphemous

The church has only officially recognized the worship aspect of celebrating Christ's Mass. The rest of it all predates Christianity. Probably even the commercialization. 😉

Anything other than precisely what a person follows is blasphemous.

Grew up christian, started investigating. That did its job.

Lol same @Doc

Opposite happened to me.

I am a lapsed Catholic... Just couldn't get over the child sex abuse scandal.

@thebrodys accidents happen

no worries

This is getting off topic for the room

indeed

For sure.

but its thanksgiving now.

If they didn't put so much emphasis in the Catholic structure as a component of salvation, they would have done themselves a favor in a modern context, yes. @TaLoN132

"They started it..."

I grew up Christian.. I don’t know what I believe tbh but I like to believe in heaven, an lost love ones looking down on us... Randomly jumping in here 🙋🏼‍♀️

@TaLoN132 pedofiles are everywhere. More in sports than the catholic church, but noone is blaming soccer.

That would be super, for sure. @Beth

Catholicism is not a Christian religion..no matter how much people want to think it is

And Boy Scouts, apparently.

It’s a nice thought

@Beth Heaven sounds like hell to me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV5w262XvCU&t

Not sure it invalidates the precepts though. 'No true Scotsman'

Until the 16th Century, it was the only (western) Christian religion.

@thebrodys every christian claims their version is the right one. It seems to be a huge part of abrahamittic religions to be the one with the right understanding.

@Doc Valhalla, then?

Js behavior of authoritative adherents isn't the test. It fails spectacularly otherwise, anyway.

yes, please! @TaLoN132 '

If pedophilia were some property of the faith, then you'd have a beef on those grounds.

Ground beef, if you will.