Did you know that Christ wasn't born on December 25th?
by 
BeautifulStranger
ANSWERS: 27
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More to the point, it isn't likely that he ever existed at all.
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Well it is a theory that he was born on the 25th but we don't know that. We also have theorized that he died at the age of 30, 31, 32, or maybe 33. Who knows really but what we can really depend upon is the ignorance of some to claim that they know "everything" and state that since the book knows everything that it is indeed on the 25th. So what the book said it was on the 25th. What if it is lying? I mean men who were obsessed with Jesus added their OPINIONS INTO IT. It is biased information!
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Right, it was really on April 1st wasn't it?
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Yes, I knew this. The Roman Catholic Church declared December 25 to be the birth date of Jesus for good reason. To get converts to Christianity. The date was already celebrated since very ancient times as the time of the winter solstice and Saturnalia. The solstice usually occurs around the 21st of December. There was also a very popular religious cult, the cult of Mithras, that was particularly loved by the Roman military. The devotees of Mithras celebrated his birthday on December 25 as the Natalis Solis Invincti (Birth of the Unconquered Sun) since at the solstice the days begin to get longer and the Sun is returning to strength after the waning of fall and winter. Putting Christian holy days on the former feast days of Pagan deities was a very popular device of the Church in the drive to gain converts and power. A side effect of this was that many of the Christian saints and holy figures "acquired" the attributes of the deities they were displacing. I find it a fascinating subject.
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Yea, it was sometime in the summer, right?
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Sure did. Christmas sure is a bit of a sham, haha.
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Yes, I was aware.
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A viscious lie perpetrated by anarchists! ;-)
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Yes I did!!
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The time of birth for Christ is calculated through Mary's cousin Elizabeth and her husband Zacharias (Luke 1). It is known what date Zacharias left the temple in Jerusalem after having served there. They know approx. how long it took him to travel home in Juda walking. Mary went to visit Elizabeth immediately after becoming pregnant with Jesus. Elizabeth was then in her 6th month of pregnancy with John the Baptist. This means Mary delivered 6 months later. The only factor not known was Elizabeth's menstrual cycle which greatly governed the time when Zacharias could have intercourse with Elizabeth by Jewish Law. From what I have been told from those who study this sort of thing, Jesus was born during either the last week in September or during the first week in October. Also the shepard would not have been in the fields tending their sheep in December as the sheep are brought in from open range feeding the last of October to the first of November. The Catholic Church chose December 25th as it coincides with the pagan calibration of the Winter Solstice to appease and bring pagans into the Catholic Church.
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Yes, I did know that. The Church chose that day to coincide with pagen holidays.
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To me it does not matter as to whether Christ was born on December 25th or any other day. The Bible is silent as to the actual day of Christ's birth. It is not important for us to know when but to know why. He came and He was given the name Jesus because He will save His people from their sins.
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Yes. I believe he was born sometime in the summer.
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Yes
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Yes I did. I also know why it was moved to Dec 25th. Do you?
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Yes, he would have been very chilled being born in a stable during the cold & rainy season.
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well, I never found any proof he was ever born at all but for arguments sake say he was born and did actually really exist at some point in the past, he more than likely wasn't born on the 25th, but his birthday was set on that day to coincide with Pagan holidays just as his resurrection was on Easter (another Pagan Holiday). The churches trying to convert people thought it would be easier for them to convert to christianity if their regular holidays they were used to celebrating coincided witht he same dates they already observed for their own pagan holidays and as planned over time the 2 were joined and now we have holidays with both christian and pagan symbology infused into it.
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Of course. No Christian Church claims that Jesus was actually born on December 25. Since we do not know the exact day, December 25 was just a convenient day on which to celebrate His birthday. With love in Christ.
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Yes. Revelation (e.g. Doctrine & Covenants 20:1, http://scriptures.lds.org/dc/20/1) seems to indicate that He was born on 6 April 1 BC, but astronomer John Pratt (http://www.johnpratt.com) makes a *very* compelling (albeit complex) argument that it was actually after sundown on 5 April 1 BC (which would still be the Hebrew date corresponding to our 6 April 1 BC, but would line up more appropriately with other ancient calendars). HTH!
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I am sure He wasnt, but it is good that the world can just mark a day to celebrate His birth, even if its the wrong day. Its one day we are all in agreement to celebrate it so it doesnt matter...right?
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yes,I knew that. They think it was sometime in the fall....
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Yes I do know that. Have you ever noticed that this whole Jesus' date of birth argument has been going on for years. I honestly wonder if anyone has ever come to blows over this? Personally I don't care "when" Jesus was born, I just care and am very thankful that He was born.
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Based on astral events, I would guess his birth to be in the first week of April of 1 BC. That particular week, Jupiter -- the king "star" -- rose through Aries (the sheep-shaped constellation) -- a symbol of Judah. Hence the Magi from the East recognized it as a sign of the birth of a new king of the Jews.
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It doesn't matter when he was born. All that matters is that he died for our sins.
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Yes
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HA! I'm answer number 26! Yes, I knew it is generally accepted that Christ's actual birthday is unclear and most likely not December 25th.
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Here we go again. Every year all the wonks come out with this bit of trivia, thinking they have a real 'gotcha' for the Christians. Let me set your mind at ease. We ALL know it's not His real birthday. But seeing as we don't know His actual one, Dec 25th was chosen as a celebration day for many reasons. This is not unusual. Lots of people who didn't know their b'day picked a number out of a hat, just to have a day to celebrate.
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