D e c e m b e r 2004 T he C ollegian Pa g e 3 B

Christmas: A Pagan Holiday? Laura L. Richter figurines of Saint Nicholas in day on the calendar rather than They date back much further celebrating their god of rebirth. Staff Writer my yard, yet I think just the the daily observance that it than the birth of Jesus. Even the date chosen was opposite. should be. Rather than being Christian derived from pagan beliefs. s the end of the year I find it odd to think that by Everyday to me is these traditions are absolutely December 25 was the mythical approaches, one of the doing those things I am cele­ Christmas as everyday I wor­ pagan. The present form of date of the birth of the biggest holiday celebra­ brating the Lord Jesus. His ship God by following His Christmas that we know today Babylonian god Tammuz, the tionsA of the year begins. This teachings said the way to wor­ teachings, reading the Bible, and is a collection of various pagan son of the Babylonian sun-god holiday is Christmas. People ship Him is by following His putting Him above everything traditions wrapped up in one. Nimrod. The leaders of the around the world celebrate this rules and decrees, which dealt Christmas, or Christ’s Mass, Catholic Church adopted the day as the birthday of Jesus. It more with love and started way before Jesus’ birth date of the birth of the Son of is supposed to be a time to compassion than the as a pagan holiday celebrating the Sun-God as the date for the observe brotherly love and other decoration of trees or various gods of the sun, harvest, birth of Jesus, the Son of God. Christian values. flying reindeer. If the or rebirth. Usually this celebra­ In reality, December 25th repre­ However, what is the real Lord wanted us to tion fell on or near the winter sents the highest form of pagan­ meaning of this day? What are celebrate this day, solstice, as they believed that ism and idolatry. its origins? Does the Bible say as with the Holy because the days were become Most of what the secular and anything about celebrating the Supper, He would shorter, the sun god was being religious world does to celebrate birth of Jesus as a once a year have told us exactly reborn or renewed to bring Christmas has nothing whatso­ holiday? when and how to do about the upcoming spring. ever to do with the birth of the Many people do not know it. As well, Jesus Along with several pagan Savior of the World. He is the answer to these questions. taught that His teachings rituals, this winter solstice cele­ brushed aside in favor of Santa They just follow the herd; do as should be followed every bration usually included feast­ Claus, Christmas trees, gifts, others do. Which is how this moment of every day of ing, drunkenness, and orgies. feasting, merry-making, and day has evolved into what it is your life, not once a As time passed and the Catholic drinking. In Puritan England, today. I have done a little year. church began their control over under Oliver Cromwell, research on this matter and And with that, I am the people, they welcomed these Parliament passed a law, forbid­ would like to share with you a led to my second point. rituals in a "If you can’t beat ding the observance of little history about this day. A Christian should not get ‘em then join ’em" effort. Christmas, but under King 1 am a devoted Christian a heightened sense of their faith Christmas should be These rituals all got new names Charles II it was revived again. who has read the Bible from during this time because this redundant for the true Christian. such as Christ’s Mass. If you would like to investi­ cover to cover (literally) yet I only means that once Christmas Most of those who celebrate You can do whatever you gate the origin of Christmas fur­ will not be decking any halls or is over, this increase in faith Christmas are unaware of the want to do, but do it for Jesus ther for yourself you can check putting any presents under a goes back into hibernation until fact that many of the things, was the mentality they used. out "Christmas in Ritual and tree. You might think it’s odd it is awaken again the following which have come to be associat­ This is why we have the obvi­ Tradition, Christian and Pagan" for a Christian not to celebrate December. By limiting the cele­ ed with Christmas, have been ously unbiblical traditions such by Clement A. Miles or search the "birth of Christ" by decorat­ bration of God to once a year, around for a very long time, as the Christmas tree which was the web. ing a pine tree or putting plastic His glory is reduced to just a longer than Christmas has. started as a German tradition Christmas Season - Spotlight on Nigeria’s Boxing Day

Laura L. Richter important ceremonies are con­ that this year’s Christmas holi­ government’s removal of subsi­ kin. It is also a time for the peo­ Staff Writer ducted during this time. day season will not be a bleak dies. The government is threat­ ple to reflect and offer prayers The highlight of the season’s and gloomy one for the vast ening to release any worker who to their creator for sparing their he country of Nigeria has celebration, however, is Boxing majority of the Nigerian people. participates. lives. In the words of OluRemi the highest per capita of Day. The Central Labor Organization In essence, the Christmas Ayodele, Nigerian caterer and TChristians in the Africa Although, the name may (The Nigeria Labor Congress) is Holiday season in Nigeria is a Georgia resident, " Nigerians do (75 million out of 150 million suggest otherwise, it is not a day threatening to call the nation’s time when a vast majority of not joke with the Christmas hol­ citizens), with the remaining set aside for the sport of boxing. workers out on an indefinite city-dwellers visit their various iday season because of their half being mostly Muslim. It is Rather, it is a day set aside for strike to protest the escalating villages and hamlets to celebrate family values." also a former British colony, relaxation after the hullabaloo of cost of gas occasioned by the the long holiday with kith and which is why Boxing Day, a Christmas day. It is used by holiday the day after Christmas, Nigerians to cement family still adorns the official calendar bonds with people, dining with ofNigeria. family and friends in a peaceful India’s Beliefs Christmas celebrations are a and leisurely atmosphere. This weeklong affair that is marked day is much like the family C sandress Gantt In India, there are several people were so happy that they with pomp and pageantry, char­ reunion practiced in America. Decatur Staff Writer different religions such as, created a day of celebration. acterized in partying and merry­ On December 31 st, in major Islam, Hinduism, Christianity On this day (also known as making. Where people put on cities ofNigeria, like Lagos, o you belong to a cul­ and Sikhism. Sikhism, which is the festival of lights), people their best attire. The celebration Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kaduna, ture that does not cele­ a religion that combines ele­ light candles, display fireworks begins on the night of and Onitsha, the New Year cele­ brate Christmas? If not, ments of both the Hindu and and eat different kinds of December 24th and runs brations begin. Churches and doD you know of a culture that Islamic faith, is the religious sweets. There are also many through Christmas and Boxing prayer houses are filled to the doesn’t celebrate Christmas? creed that Karen and her family gifts that are given in which the Day, culminating a week later brim with Christians from all Well, second year Georgia abide by. people are able to take home on January 1st. denominations, praying their Perimeter College student, Although most religions in and share with their family. Christmas Day usually way into the New Year. One Karen Cheema not only belongs India do not celebrate On Christmas day, Karen begins with church services significant aspect of this cele­ to but knows all too well of a Christmas, they do celebrate a and her family go to church and throughout the nation where bration is that, because of the culture that do not observe this religious holiday called Diwali pray with each other, but there large numbers of Christians go celebrations galore in the cities, holiday. Day. are no exchanging of gifts, no and offer supplications to God people do not generally go to Karen is a 23 year old nurs­ Indian people celebrate Christmas trees and no Santa for being able to witness another sleep until the next night. ing major, originally from India. Diwali because of their belief in Claus. Even though Karen and Christmas. Mid-day is reserved At 12:01a.m, a major alarm It took 13 years for her and her gods. Some of these gods go by her family don’t commemorate for visits to friends and extend­ sounds for all to know that its family (a mother, a father, one the names of Ram and Sita. Christmas, they do respect ed family members where pres­ New Years Day and shouts of, brother and a sister) to get a They are considered to have other’s beliefs and those who ents are exchanged, while the "Happy New Year" fill the air. green card, but they have been been humans that came home do. For Karen and her family, night is reserved for special With the prevailing situation living in the United States for after thirteen years of living in a Christmas day is pretty much occasions. Marriages and other in the land, however, one hopes over eight years. forest. When they came back like any other day.