Today is the day I upload my 100th post to this blog. Today is also the birthday of an incredible person, but not necessarily the one many Christians associate with December 25. Responsible for the discovery of the complex mathematical discipline called calculus, basic rules of motion, and information about gravity--and for writing literature about Biblical eschatology--Isaac Newton was indeed an impactful figure, born on December 25, the very day westerners celebrate Christmas on. Well, that date depends on the calendar used.
Anyway, most historians seem to concur that Jesus was not born on what is now referred to as Christmas Day. It appears he entered the world sometime in the spring, or even later according to some calculations. This need not prevent Christians from enjoying the cultural association of Christmas with Christianity, for it provides a recognized time to potentially celebrate Christ, but there is little to no historical or Biblical basis for thinking Jesus was actually born on the 25th of December. But Christians do need to stop believing that Jesus was born on the day that they exchange gifts in his name. Come to think of it, they also need to stop believing that there is anything intrinsically unchristian or disgusting about saying "Happy holidays!" instead of "Merry Christmas!" Really, Christians need to stop believing a lot of things. But that's for another time.
Merry Christmas!
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