christianity

Oh dear that is a sad comment on the true Christmas story. Of course not everyone has Christian beliefs but ........

Way things are now

I think the real meaning of Christmas has gone

My cousin has a lot of Muslim neighbours and a Mosque was erected near to her house. A family had a problem when their dad was very poorly and my cousin helped to look after the two little boys.
As the boys grew up, they would go to the Mosque every evening but in December, they would stop off (with their Korans under their arms) at my cousin's house to open their Advent Calendars!
When she got married, in a Baptist Church, the little boys were guests of honour in the front row with their Mum. She dressed them up beautifully. Tolerance is good.

Jordana, it hasn't gone completely yet but I think s few more years and it will because Christianity is on the way out in this country, unless we have another war then there will be a revival

I think another war would probably finish it off completely!

Quite !

In the same vein - lady goes into a jewellers and asks for a cross and chain. Lass behind counter asks "Do you want a plain one, or one with a little man on it?" Supposed to be true.

I have a friend who is a true believer and a regular attender at the village church. She says it brings her much comfort in times of difficulty and I envy her that. I do think Anniebach may be right when she says that another war could revive Christianity. Not that we want another war but in dangerous times we look for deliverance in all sorts of places. It's an interesting idea. Does anyone know if church attendance increased during WW2? I imagine it did in WW1 when churchgoing was more the norm.

Wouldn't it have decreased with so many men away? Can't quite work out the rationale behind the likelihood of increased attendance if we had a war.

People question all religions much more these days.

I don't see why they'd suddenly turn (or return) to Christianity because the powers-that-be have committed our country to a war that no one wanted.

Yes, there was an increase in church attendance in WW2 , extra services too .

Because Ana, it's what people do , when there is disaster more people attend church , doubt they all suddenly become Christian, fact is when in fear or despair there is a need in some people to reach out to God , there is also a feeling of coming together

Midwinter feasting and celebrations preceded Christianity. The early church purloined the old festivals and gave them new 'meanings'.

I think quite a lot of people now celebrate what we call Christmas simply as a midwinter festival with no religious connections for them at all. And why shouldn't they? Christianity does not own it.

So possibly some of them didn't actually believe, but just attended Church services for the social aspect.

Can't see it happening in any future war. For a start, there isn't likely to be conscription and women won't be left keeping the home fires burning.

Not a believer but I'd have cringed too. Something Christmassy with the Simpsons on it ....omg lol.

I celebrate mid-winter because it's the time of year when we need a festival to raise our spirits and help keep us going until the coming of Spring. However I still call it Christmas because that's what this time of year is known as in this country. I also realise that it's an important time for believers (it used to be for me when I was one) so I treat the Christmas part of it with respect. Also bits of the Christmas religious stuff is lovely regardless of whether you share that faith. Children singing carols, nativity plays, Sally Army bands...who wouldn't enjoy that.

I wish it wasn't so commercial.

It reminds me of the story about someone looking at crucifixes on a jewellery stall and being asked if she wanted a plain cross or one with the little man on it.

Just said that upthread Deeda! - great minds and all that!

Ana, I did not say for the social aspect

Thstbags, Christmas means Christ's Mass do it dfies belong to Christians , as Yule really belongs to pagans

Suppose atheists call it Christmas but this is tradition , really it's just Mid Winter festival

Yes, ab, I know, but it's the same festival whatever it's called and the winter festival existed before Christians called it Christ's Mass and told a new story about its meaning. They did the same with the Spring festival that we now call Easter, and Hallowe'en amd several other things. I'm not complaining, just repeating what are given as historical facts by people who have done the relevant research.

My point is simply that people can, and do, and always have, made Christmas mean whatever they like. So if Christmas means the Simpsons to someone that's allright however weird some of us may think it.

'A feeling of coming together' sounds like a social aspect to me Annie.

Not to me Ana, I think of social coming together Harvest etc. I do not consider a vigil a social coming together, it's uniting in grief, prayer , sorrow .

Suppose if you look up the definition of social it may support your view but not mine

No thatbags, impossible to be the same festival, two festivals in the same month but not the same festival

This years Spring Equinox was 20th March, I went to a pagan dressing of trees festival, Easter was a week later , again two seperate festivals

Wars tend to last for years, so people wouldn't go to church for just a one-off vigil, surely?

Well, some might, but that wouldn't indicate a Christian revival.

You are nit picking Ana, try Vigils are not social comings together