by Bob Sullivan
Did Christmas come from Saturnalia in honor of Saturnus, the pagan god of agriculture? Or was it the pagan celebration of the winter solstice, Brumalia? Or possibly, Christmas evolved from the pagan celebration for its god Mithras?
Around this time of year, you may have a relative or a friend who suggests that Christmas, and therefore much of Christianity, is nothing more than a rebranding of more ancient pagan beliefs and practices. In doing so, the challenger is suggesting that your Christian faith is a manmade fiction and has little or no basis in reality.
Strangely, this claim may come from a person who identifies as Christian just as much as it may come from an agnostic or an atheist. Agnostics and atheists are obviously skeptical of Christianity, yet people who identify as Christian are skeptical of certain traditions and practices they deem too “popish” or Catholic. This brand of Christian skepticism dates back to the roots of the Protestant revolt, then grew in popularity through Puritanism. Puritanism played a large role in the original colonies, primarily in the Northeast United States, hence a double dose of skepticism can invade our Christian holidays in the U.S., some from Protestantism, some from agnostics and atheists as well as secularists.
Even at the Christmas dinner table, do not let these claims go unanswered. However, the best way to handle the claim is not to answer it, but to question it. How can you question the claim that Christmas, any other Christian feast, or the Christian faith itself, is based in paganism? Ask some questions. In doing so, you will challenge the challenger.
You could start with something like these five questions. Don’t worry about being converted to skepticism. As usual, truth, history, and common sense is on our side:
Where did you learn this? In most cases the challenger probably has one or two sources at most. If they can give you the name of the source, such as the person, the publication, or the organization, I would be surprised. In most cases they will likely state that it was something they just read or heard on a secular radio show or website. This gives you the opportunity to give them the name of a much more reliable source, such as a Catholic apologist or even a non-Catholic who has done the actual research.
When was Christmas first celebrated by Christians? They probably won’t be able to offer a date to you. In some cases, they might try to claim Christmas celebrations did not happen until the last few hundred years. In other cases, they might claim it was when Constantine made Catholicism the official religion of the Roman Empire (which he never did). What they are actually referencing is the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D. which actually granted religious freedom throughout the Roman Empire. Whether they have a “start date” for Christmas celebrations or not, you can invite them to read something more accurate.
What would a pagan connection mean to you? This challenges the challenger to be less subtle and hopefully a lot more thoughtful about what they are claiming. This is a question to which they have an answer, but they may not be comfortable sharing it with you because it requires them to expose a lot of their own beliefs and feelings. It is much easier to make a blanket claim than to open your heart to someone. Yet, even though they might dodge this question with every ounce of their strength, it will invite them to think more deeply about what they intend their claim to do to you. Should it result in your exit from Christianity? Should it embarrass you? Should it hurt you?
It sounds like you doubt some of the realities of Christ’s birth. If so, why? This is another question to which the person has an answer. The answer may be, “I don’t know,” but whether or not they provide an answer, inviting them to think more deeply about it, may lead them to an eventual conversion. Do they find Christmas to be too secularized? Join the crowd. Many Catholics feel the same way. Do they have anxiety over the holidays? Once again, this is a byproduct of an overly secularized holiday. Preparing over Advent and making Christmas Mass the focal point of the feast does just the opposite of creating anxiety, it alleviates it. Your question may help them realize that gatherings, gift exchanges, office Christmas parties, and other events can be unnecessary or distracting. This may help them appreciate the truth of Christmas.
Do you have doubts about other historical events or documents as well? Even though other important, or at least interesting, historical events or documents may or may not have happened or been written when we think they were, or by whom we are told wrote them, very few people are concerned about the potential inaccuracies. It seems that the only events or documents which must pass all scrutiny are those involving the Christian faith. This is probably because most people are less interested in the accuracy of translations of The Odyssey than they are about the accuracy of translations of Scripture. One is known to be written by a man while the other is written by God through man. This question may help your challenger appreciate the fact that he or she is more interested in God than he or she thought.
Your challenger simply wanted to announce the flaws of your faith and go on about their day. Our main goal is to get the challenger talking and thinking, or at least thinking. In doing so, we offer them the truth, so they can break free from myth.
