Is it hypocritical for a Christian to condemn the pagan rituals of Halloween but embrace those associated with Christmas?

Answer 1

Although Halloween is a Pagan practice, it's time for people to lighten up and realize that it's just an evening for children to have fun and nothing else but. What many people don't know is witches or demons didn't practice pagan practices and the such right at the stroke of midnight, but actually after midnight. I went out on Halloween since the time I was 4 (with my parents of course at that young age) and it was made to be fun and there was absolutely nothing sinister about it. I am a Christian and I have learned long ago that Christians can do a lot of harm if they don't harness some of their religious beliefs and just let children be children during an occasion such as Halloween. What is the harm? None! Children haven't learned enough about religion and should learn a belief system and all they know is they are out with friends trick or treating. Society and yes that includes many Christians celebrate Christmas, but there is nothing in the Bible that indicates the season of Jesus' birthday (by studying plants scientists believe he was born in the spring), yet we spoil the children with gifts (if possible) and each other and many (including Christians) won't give the poor, the house-bound, the elderly living alone the time of day. My husband and I are Christians and although we give gifts in our family, we not only give gift certificates to poor families (for the children's sake so they don't think Santa has forgotten them) right down to visiting nursing homes and caroling. We all should give something back whether it be giving joy and fun with quality time taking our children around on Halloween, or giving just before Chistmas so Christmas has some heart-felt meaning and it's not all about taking. Here are more answers from WikiAnswers contributors: * Hypocrisy is in the heart, not so much in the actions. Therefore I cannot give a solid, in-all-cases answer to this question. I can, though, give my opinion. Halloween's origins are pagan in nature, though several Popes tried to redeem the day; see the Related Link section for more information. In general, though, Halloween is understood to be a day connected to the occult and paganism. Christmas, on the other hand, celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, even though the date of the celebration is commonly thought to be that of a pagan celebration rather than the actual birthdate of Jesus. The pagan origins of aspects of Christmas came about, in part, to assist persecuted Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus without drawing undue attention to the celebration, lest they find themselves beheaded. For many people in the US, Christmas trees, holly, mistletoe, yule logs, and the like have become a treasured tradition of the season, in spite of their pagan origins. So is one a hypocrite for condemning the paganism of one day but not the other? My opinion is that this isn't necessarily true. It really depends on what the days mean to the individual. On the other hand, one who condemns Halloween but not the pagan aspects of the Christmas celebration may need to pray about their stance, since it obviously seems hypocritical to some people. == == * Well being of Jehovah's Witnesses I would have to say yes, we do not celebrate ANY and ALL pagan celebrations, Halloween and Christmas are both of pagan origin. You may be surprised to know Christmas does not celebrate the birth of Christ,-- 1.History shows that it was not a celebration observed by the very early Christians. 2.Jesus told his followers to observe a memorial of his death, not of his birth. (1 Corinthians 11:24-26) 3.December 25 is not the date of Jesus� birth. It could not have been, since the Bible shows that at the time of his birth shepherds were still in the fields at night. They would not have been there in the cold, rainy season of winter. (Luke 2:8-12) 4.December 25 was chosen as the date to celebrate Jesus� birth because, as The World Book Encyclopedia explains: �The people of Rome already observed it as the Feast of Saturn, celebrating the birthday of the SUN.� A couple of additional points I would like to address-- 1. "People wanted to celebrate such a marvelous event". Did they? note--M�Clintock and Strong�s Cyclop�dia says: �The observance of Christmas is not of divine appointment, nor is it of New Testament origin" History shows that it was not a celebration observed by the very early Christians. Jesus told his followers to observe a memorial of his death, not of his birth. (1 Corinthians 11:24-26) 2.Didn't the Lord God the Father of Jesus not place a star in the sky? Did he? Matthew 2:1-16 shows that the star led the men first to King Herod and then to Jesus and that Herod then sought to have Jesus killed. No mention is made that anyone other than these men saw the �star.� After they left, God�s angel warned Joseph to flee to Egypt to safeguard the child. Was that �star� a sign from God or was it from someone who was seeking to have God�s Son destroyed? 3.Didn't angels sing his praises as he was born? Yes the bible tells us they did, however 19th-century Bible scholar Albert Barnes has this to say-" if God had wanted Christians to celebrate Jesus� birth, then the Bible would have provided the exact date. Does it?... God has concealed the time of [Jesus�] birth. . . . Nor was it of consequence to know the time; if it had been, God would have preserved the record of it. By contrast, the four Gospel writers clearly inform us of the day on which Jesus died. It happened on the day of the Passover, which was held on the 14th of the Jewish month Nisan, in the spring. Moreover, Jesus specifically commanded his followers to commemorate that day in remembrance of him. (Luke 22:19) The Bible contains no such command to celebrate Jesus� birthday, nor, for that matter, any other person�s birthday. 4.Didn't wise men travel many years to bring gifts to the Son of God? Mmm, we have all been told there were "3 wise men that visited Jesus in a manger" but is this in fact what the bible says-- Those Magi were actually astrologers from the east. (Matt. 2:1, 2,) Although astrology is popular among many people today, the practice is strongly disapproved in the Bible. Would God have led to the newborn Jesus persons whose practices He condemned? Also the Bible account does not say that they found the babe Jesus in a manger, as customarily depicted in Christmas art. When the astrologers arrived, Jesus and his parents were living in a house. As to Jesus� age at that time, remember that, based on what Herod had learned from the astrologers, he decreed that all the boys in the district of Bethlehem two years of age and under were to be destroyed.�Matt. 2:1, 11, 16.You can also note that the Bible does not say how many astrologers there were. The practice of Christmas gift giving is not based on what was done by the Magi. As shown above, they did not arrive at the time of Jesus� birth. Furthermore, they gave gifts, not to one another, but to the child Jesus, in accord with what was then customary when visiting notable persons. The most important thing is whether God veiws both Halloween and Christmas as pagan. If so how would he view a Christian who celebrates one and not the other? Surely both are equally pagan and equally repugnant in God's eyes. God says not to "embrace" either but the decision is left to us. == == * Well lets look at it this way. The Scriptures don't give us the exact date of Christ's birth. We all know it was probably nearer to the spring. However look at it like this, what has happened that was more important that the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. People wanted to celebrate such a marvelous event. Didn't the Lord God the Father of Jesus not place a star in the sky? Didn't angels sing his praises as he was born? Didn't wise men travel many years to bring gifts to the Son of God? When the truth was brought to our ancesters in Europe and England, they wanted to celabrate as well. They took they best ways that they had and used them. They dedicated the best ideas to celebrate his birth. It's not hypocritical. They gave the best they knew and had to him who provided the best gift ever given: your and my salvation. Each thing with a new and sacred meaning. Just as my wife and I have blended the traditions of our families and created our own to celabrate the humble and powerful birth of Christ our savior. Helping to fill such a wonderful event with meaning, memory and joy. So too did our ancestors take their best celabrations, and dedicate them to helping them to remember that wonderful Day of the Lord, forsaking the pagans gods of their past and following the true and living God. PS Our family celabrates holloween as a childrens day to remember how important they are to us. Not as a pagan holiday. remember the great conversion that Christianity brought to our for fathers. It changed a lot of the practices that were really awful i.e. human sacrfice etc. It really bettered our people. == == * Yes, it is hypocritical due to the fact that most of the Christian holidays and ceremonies were formed from Pagan celebrations and rituals. * It's not only hypocritical for Christians to ......, but it's totally Un-Christian to condemn (judge) others for whatever reason; ; Matthew 7 : 1 Judge not, that ye be not judged. ; Luke 6 : 37 Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. ; Romans 2 : 1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. ; James 4 : 12 Who art thou that judgest another?