Christmas or Easter?

which is bigger?

Published on March 28, 2005 By Danny Bassette In Religion

Another Easter has past, as I'm sure most of you have noticed. Yet you might have missed it. Unlike Christmas, it doesn't dominate the market and make headlines for weeks on end (or maybe it does but I've missed it). I can buy that it's that way for economic reasons, but religiously, shouldn't it be the other way around? Not to say Christmas isn't important, is good to celebrate the birth of Jesus and all. But shouldn't his rebirth (resurrection) be even more important? I mean, everyone is born (even if that isn't technically true you should get the idea), and everyone is going to die (unless they have already). But very few people come back to life after they die (especially three days later, I've heard stories about people that have been dead for a few minute at the hospital but 'get better'). And since the religion is based upon his coming back to life, you'd think that day would be the biggest celebration.
So why does the church seem to make a bigger deal about the birth then the rebirth?

Comments

Marvin Cooley

on Mar 28, 2005

DANNY!!! Are you not aware of the fact that both christmas and easter are PAGAN??

Danny Bassette

on Mar 28, 2005

They are? Well that shows what I know then...

preacherman

on Mar 28, 2005

Danny thanks for the post. Marvin is correct; most of the external trappings of Christmas and Easter have their origin from pagan celebrations. It is really sad that something intended to lift up Jesus has pagan overtones, but in this, we see the heart of man giving place to the flesh while attempting to have some spiritual link with God and His Word. This is played out in the gospel of Matthew- 15 chpt. They had replaced the Word of God with the tradition of men, and sadly enough never realized what was going on. “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked, who can know it?”

A good example of this is at Christmas the focus is on the flesh/material. Economic prosperity is the priority (Acts19 Demetrius’ trinkets), so the Santa Claus deal is promoted and contends for the celebration of the birth of Christ, yes even in most Christian homes. Easter well you got it, the season, and 4o days of lent, Easter egg, all of this stems from the worship of the Babylonian Goddess Ishtar (Easter). The only time it is mentioned in the New Testament is When Herod imprisoned Peter and intended on killing him after Easter. It appears from this reference is that the Pagan King Herod is the one who was observing the holiday. Doesn’t sound very Christian, does it.

I think for the Christian the birth of Christ is very important (God taking on flesh and blood that ultimately He might die for the sin of His creation) as well as the resurrection of Christ (Is the acknowledgement of this atonement). I am not sure that I can see one as being more important than the other.

What is important for the Christian community, and I don’t mean the church (reference aeryck’s article on Church or church?). I am talking about those who are born again and placed in to the Body of Christ by the Spirit of God. For them, His birth and resurrection should be celebrated, not only once a year but every day.

His Birth
The fact that God sent His son to dye for sin gives us the opportunity to hook up with the True and Living God…. “for as many as believeth on His name to them gave he power to become the sons of God”.

His Resurrection
His resurrection provides His people with power to live a life that pleases Him; “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life”.

Pretty important, huh?

preacherman

InBloom

on Mar 29, 2005

Maybe because the events leading up to Easter are more solemn? I guess Christmas is just more happy go lucky for many...I view both with much significance...nice to see you writing an article, danny...

haven't seen much of you around lately.

Ravenblack

on Mar 30, 2005

Christmas seems more widely celebrated.

From my viewpoint as a Christian, I really can't say for sure which is more significant, they are both equally so - you can't have one without the other.

As for pagan overtones, I think the reason why those dates were used was so that the converted ex-pagans can use dates that they can remember to honor and celebrate Christ instead of having their pagan rituals.

Cordelia

on Mar 30, 2005

I wrote something much longer, but was afraid I'd insult some of the more religious folks here. Not my intention. Suffice it to say that perhaps Christmas has become so commercialized that people "can't see the forest for the trees" so to speak.

Just for the record; Easter has better candy.

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