Christmas has always been pagan and always will be. Many don't care, you can free food and clothes, bonus money, shopping aka sales and a legitimate way to get off work to visit your family and friends or just get off work, its about getting holiday pay or vacations and with merchants its about the mighty dollar. There're ones who enjoy the hoola and fun of all holidays!
Let's say they were "Christianized". Most of the practice of Christianity was born this way. You keep what you conquer.
It's harmless enough and secular observations of holidays are overtaking the pastoral aspect more and more each year. Santa is more prominent than Jesus in December.
Simplest answer: Brainwashing.
Actually, there ARE some Christian sects that recognize the pagan roots of holidays and refuse to celebrate them. In fact, it was only within the last century or so that Christmas became a major holiday when it became commercialized.
IMO, that's the problem with other religious holidays ... They HAVEN'T been commercialized. If they were, the importance of them would be diluted - as would the importance of those religions - and then it wouldn't be so "important" that people kill each other for religions.
The Christians (and probably other religious movements too) have always adapted "things from the past" for their own use. It is thought that the greater number of ancient churches in the UK are sited upon what had previously been earlier "ritual sites", and for the same reason. The places are usually easily seen from their immediate neighbourhood on the highest ground available.
The invention of Christianity around 2000 years ago (and heavily modified since) merely changed the ritual. The next "big thing" in terms of faith will probably re-purpose the sites again.
As to the re-purposing of holidays, why not? Just change the perceived deity and carry on.
Christians don't do that, I think what you are referring to is something that the bible says would be happening after the death of the apostles. These scriptures explain it
2Tim 4: 3,4 - For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the wholesome teaching, but according to their own desires, they will surround themselves with teachers to have their ears tickled. 4 They will turn away from listening to the truth and give attention to false stories.
Acts 20:30 - From among you yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves
2Pet 2:1,2 - There will also be false teachers among you. These very ones will quietly bring in destructive sects and will disown even the owner that bought them…..Also, with covetousness they will exploit you with counterfeit words.
Well why would it matter, the entire religion has it's roots in what they call pagan religion. The OT is chock full of other religious beliefs, the creation myth is directly from ancient Egyptian beliefs, the flood from Sumerian religions, Most of the rest is rooted in the Canaanite religion of Ugrate. The messiah story is based on many other religions from around the region and given a new twist. So why would it surprise anyone that their holidays are pagan in origin?
Because when you are deep within the bubble of delusion as many christians are all things, especially the lie, become possible.
A small number do not celebrate pagan holiday's and follow the teachings of the bible. Still, Jesus did say his following would be few in number. The Roman Catholic Church (Catholic means universal, hence it incorporates all religion). Constantine worshipped Helios, other names are Apollo son of Saturn ie Chronos. The Jehovah witnesses were started by a freemason, and the freemason belief goes back to the widows son and Jubal and Jabal, "the craft" and two pillars represented in Solomons temple, Solomon turned to pagan worship envoking demons with the seal on his ring (see lesser keys of Solomon), nothing to do with the salvation of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ and his brother James taught "obedience."
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cUZ5xAVJhI0
http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/jesus/nonchristianaccounts.html
They do so because they like what those pagans do in their celebrations even though they are not in agreement with bible teachings. So to get around it they make the claim that those holidays like Christmas are Christian and are based on God's word, iwhch is not the truth. John 8:32, " and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free."
When Christ was born, the magic were so incredibly happy that they gave HIM gifts. We carry on in this tradition.
Your problem is most likely the shopping, ECT that has little if any to do with the Christ Child. I agree. Its just a tradition for us Christians, that's all I know.
Most celebrations were stemmed out of a dumb notions and made into festivities. An opportunists saw money in it and commercialised it.
The bible says Shepherds were watching their flocks by night, well sheep would not be out grazing in December, so yes Christmas was used to covert the pagan holiday saturnalia, or the birth of sol invictus the unconquered sun.
Well, I'll try to answer the "Why?" we Christians claim those holidays.
It's consistent with our understanding of reality.
To Christians, when Christ became man, He ushered in a new reality, not a new morality. Through Him, God entered into a new relationship with His creation and "reasserted" and "elevated" it.
Under that perspective, everything that is good now overtly belongs to Christianity and we like to celebrate that fact.
So whatever good there is in Wiccan ways tends to communicate itself (that what the "good" does), and we welcome it with open arms.
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