Easter ham or Passover lamb?

[ohio jones]

Take the Gospels. What percent of each Gospel is about Christmas? Easter? Pentecost? The Ascension?

That should tell us where to put the emphasis.

Good idea. Let's include Acts, though, to give the last two a chance.

[Sudsy]

The first Mennonite church to take these positions were the Holdemans about 160 years ago. We understand the reason for doing so but are not in agreement with them on this issue. I personally feel we make way too big a deal over Christmas, allowing the surrounding society to influence us greatly.

Perhaps it is time for some Christians to celebrate special days regarding our faith on completely separate days then the world has in their misuses of those special days. Christmas perhaps in June and Easter in October to keep as far removed as possible from the world's celebrations. Time to get radical as the attempts to keep Christ as the main focus in these days has been lost to the god of materialism. Do we really need to keep associating with santa, easter bunnies, huge spendings on gifts, Christmas trees, etc and all the other non-Christian practises at these times ? Bah Humbug !

[Josh]

Christmas perhaps in June and Easter in October to keep as far removed as possible from the world's celebrations.

And this would be even more convenient for those of us who grew up with Christmas in summer, as now I could retain my family's tradition of an outdoor picnic on Christmas day.

[Hats Off]

Perhaps as sincere Christians we could just work at removing the excesses of those holy days and restoring them to a remembrance of what was and what the significance is for us today.

[Sudsy]

Perhaps as sincere Christians we could just work at removing the excesses of those holy days and restoring them to a remembrance of what was and what the significance is for us today.

In my family we tried various ways to do that and they were short lived. When there was not a good substitute for fun times, we went back to our 'more fun' celebrating with the pagan customs. One year, no Christmas tree. Next year, can't miss out again on that decorating time and putting presents under a tree, so back comes the tree. One year getting gifts for the kids like a gift value put to getting a goat or cow for a child in a third world country. Next year, not enough fun, and other kids got gifts for themselves. Etc, etc. In my experience, without clean breakaways, the temptations were too much to resist. Christmas on Dec 25th will primarily remain a worship of mammon. Why would we want to associate with this worship is quite puzzling. I see this as one of the flesh's major strongholds on Christianity. A battle our family did not overcome. Perhaps others have been able to be free from this stronghold.

Not to say there are some good things that occur at these seasons - family contact, choir singing (sometimes), helping poor families, etc. but these can occur at another separate time of year and throughout the year.

O well, I don't have the faith that this will ever happen but I do think it would really be quite a testimony to the world about where Christians believe they should place their worship. Actually, I had a Jehovah Witness friend years ago and he and his family had nothing to do with the Dec 25th Christmas.

Whoops, back to Easter ham.

[Hats Off]

We just work at minimizing the mammon aspects of these days on a family level. When we meet those who don't keep the days, we try to validate them.

[Bootstrap]

Perhaps as sincere Christians we could just work at removing the excesses of those holy days and restoring them to a remembrance of what was and what the significance is for us today.

I've always wanted to cook fish over an open fire in the morning as part of Easter celebration ...

[Bootstrap]

The first Mennonite church to take these positions were the Holdemans about 160 years ago. We understand the reason for doing so but are not in agreement with them on this issue. I personally feel we make way too big a deal over Christmas, allowing the surrounding society to influence us greatly.

Perhaps it is time for some Christians to celebrate special days regarding our faith on completely separate days then the world has in their misuses of those special days. Christmas perhaps in June and Easter in October to keep as far removed as possible from the world's celebrations. Time to get radical as the attempts to keep Christ as the main focus in these days has been lost to the god of materialism. Do we really need to keep associating with santa, easter bunnies, huge spendings on gifts, Christmas trees, etc and all the other non-Christian practises at these times ? Bah Humbug !

We don't know when Christmas was, but we do know when Easter was. The association with Passover is significant in the Bible.

[Josh]

My life means I'm around people who observe only Passover, people who observe Easter (on different days, too), and a few who observe both.

I like the symbolism of the transition from the old to the new.

[Sudsy]

We don't know when Christmas was, but we do know when Easter was. The association with Passover is significant in the Bible.

"One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind." - Romans 14:5

I'm just not convinced yet that we do know the exact date. What I'm pretty convinced of though is that we are not told to have a separate day to celebrate the resurrection.