Angela’s comment on the Christmas, or Yule post got me to thinking about a similar problem the first church faced. Idol worship was the norm in those days, and if you went to the butcher to get a cut of meat for your dinner, the odds were 99% that the animal had been sacrificed to an idol first. Some Christians ate meat anyway, thinking that the idol was no god; others wouldn’t dream of eating meat because of the idols.
Paul’s solution applies to us too:
As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 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. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. Romans 14:1-6
So, we can celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25th, and give honor to God, no matter what the origin of the winter holiday was. However, since pagans are using Christmas traditions to draw in children to the pagan religion, it would be good to know the origin of those traditions. Then we may choose what to use, or not use, in our Christmas celebration.
Thanks to the new system here on homeschool blogger I just saw your blog for the first time…I only read your last two entries but I will search thru more…Jeanne