Quote:
Originally posted by asaris
Because these festivals are jewish in origin, and the early Christians decided that converts were not required to follow Jewish Law. As Christianity slowly ceased to be a Jewish sect, any Jewish trappings that may have originally been present eventually withered away.
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Thank you for pointing out that those festivals are Jewish in origin. I'd like to point out that christians are Jewish in origin
I can understand that some people interpret certain scriptures to mean that they don't have to abide by Jewish regulations. However, this isn't a regulation, it's a festival that stands for what christians claim to be celebrating.
In any case, while christians might rightly believe they don't need to abide by the Jewish customs (I don't believe it but that's my own understanding), there isn't any justification for replacing those customs with pagan ones.
If you don't want to do something because it creates a burden on you, then don't do it. But I don't think it's a very good idea to go and do something that you were explicitly told not to do in its stead. We know the origins of the current festivals are pagan in origin--we ought not to do them. My understanding is that doing something you know is wrong is sinful.
Now, I understand the human propensity to resist that logic and continue doing what what we know is wrong--because I understand the Bible to say that humans are sinful and will consistently choose to do what they want even if they know it is wrong, that's why they need salvation.
On a different note, even laying doctrine aside, why would a christian who claims to love his or her savior and deity continue to do something that offends them/she/he/it? It seems to me that to continue to do something out of habit or because one has the right to do so (i.e., somebody said converts don't have to follow the rules because they are too burdensome), even when the deity explicitly said that the practice angers him, is placing the self's desires over the deity's will. Again, this shouldn't surprise anyone since the Bible clearly states that humans consistently choose their own interests over those of the diety. It even states we have the right to do so, but it doesn't say we will not be punished if we don't stop. In fact, it says the opposite.
To me, this boils down to a test of fealty. Do you choose to do that which you know is wrong (worshipping and celebrating in ways intended to please false deities would fall under this, IMO), or do you choose to do that which you know pleases the Lord--even though you aren't commanded to?