Jethro Bodine
Member
Good answer except that we really don't know that our Christmas traditions were purposely transferred over from pagan rituals. Don't post anything to show that they were because then someone will post something equally authoritative that says they weren't. All that confusion and not knowing, plus the fact that whatever pagans used to worship that way and for that purpose don't exist anymore, makes it a non-issue for me.Someone will ask me whether I've put up my tree yet or whether I've finished decorating or buying Christmas presents, and I'll tell them that I don't do those things. People are always surprised and ask why. Then I tell them that it's because I'm a Christian and I want to obey God's commandment, where He tells us that we shouldn't learn the ways of the Heathen and do them for Him.
It would be more useful to witness by abstaining from that which the unclean foods merely illustrated. That way you may win converts over who then themselves abstain from the same things and not just converts who abstain from meaningless things like pork.I get the same opportunity when people find out I don't eat pork or other unclean meats (I had a really long conversation with a co-worker about this once) or that I follow various other biblical commandments and traditions.