Hi
I read through the article on the watchtower's official site about Christmas. The usual "christmas has pagan roots and so is wrong" argument was presented. However, I noticed another point that was made which I think is unbelievably ridiculous. I quote (I've bolded for emphasis)
http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2000/12/15/article_01.htm
In Latin America, the three wise men replace the idea of Santa Claus. Still, as is done in other lands, many parents hide toys in the home. Then on the morning of January 6, the children look for them, as if the three wise men brought them. This is a money-making time for toy sellers, and some have made a fortune on what many honesthearted people recognize is just a fantasy. The myth of the three wise men is losing credibility among a goodly number, even among little children. Though some are displeased that this myth is losing believers, what can anyone expect of a fantasy maintained only for the sake of tradition and for commercial convenience?
I have some questions:
1. Is the Watchtower suggesting that Toy-sellers are wrong to sell toys that relate to Fantasy themes? How many JW children have toys from Fantasy films like Pocahontas or The Lion King? Presumably we are supposed to avoid all forms of fantasy for children and keep things 100% fact-based?
2. What the heck is wrong with "Tradition" anyway?
The rest of the article makes no sense either:
SOME WOULD BE SURPRISED
In his book The Trouble With Christmas, author Tom Flynn set out conclusions reached after years spent researching Christmas:
"An enormous number of traditions we now associate with Christmas have their roots in pre-Christian pagan religious traditions. Some of these have social, sexual, or cosmological connotations that might lead educated, culturally sensitive moderns to discard the traditions once they have understood their roots more clearly."?Page 19.After presenting a mass of supporting information, Flynn returns to the basic point: "One of the great ironies of Christmas is how little of its content is truly Christian. Once we dispose of the pre-Christian elements, most of what remains is post-Christian, rather than authentically Christian, in origin."?Page 155.
In my opinion, all Christian belief is at least a little bit influenced by "pagan" ideas. There isn't one Christian belief that I can think of that is 100% original. Plus, our whole society is influenced by the ancient traditions, which were then adopted by the Christians.
And as far as this goes:
Some of these have social, sexual, or cosmological connotations that might lead educated, culturally sensitive moderns to discard the traditions once they have understood their roots more clearly
What doesn't have social, sexual or cosmological connotations? Go on, tell me one thing that people collectively do that doesn't have social connotations? Are the Watchtower going to prohibit watching TV ads because of their "sexual connotations"?
Sirona