[mfblume]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

I don't see the statements as contradictory. I am stating that there is a difference between saying that christmas is a pagan holiday and saying that christmas has a pagan origin. A small but relevant difference.

The reason I stick with the origins side is that one can make the statement "Christmas is a pagan holiday" and people can just say "No it's not" because the answer to that question is a matter of opinion in many minds.

But... I can say "The traditions of Christmas are adapted from pagan traditions that predate Christ" and when someone says "No they aren't" we have moved from opinion versus opinion to arguing against fact.

It is a more stable position to take as it is centered less on opinion and more on fact.

Therefore, even though they mean the same thing, I remove myself from the "Christmas is pagan" camp and pitch my tent in the "The practices, dates etc of Christmas are adapted from pagan rituals that predate Christ".

While those stances are, essentially, the same statements one is viewed more as opinion based and is therefore more open to personal interpretation while the other is viewed more often as a statement of fact and is not as widely viewed as something someone can just disagree with because they disagree with it.

I think that is more wise than saying it is pagan. And I agree "The practices, dates etc of Christmas are adapted from pagan rituals that predate Christ". But when the heart intends no such pagan concern nor worship, I see it as innocent as calling a name of the week. Again, it all boils down to WHY we do things.