Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Doug Shaver · 08-26-2009, 07:28 AM

Time after time, I have seen skeptics make a big deal of debunking the notion that Jesus was born on Dec. 25, but I do not recall ever seeing an apologist try to defend the notion.

So far as I'm aware, every Christian believes one of two things about Jesus' date of birth. (1) It probably was not Dec. 25, and in any case it doesn't make a bit of difference when it was. (2) It probably was Dec. 25, but it doesn't make a bit of difference whether it was or not.

Does this not imply that "Jesus was not born on Dec. 25" is a straw-man argument?

spin · 08-26-2009, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Shaver

Does this not imply that "Jesus was not born on Dec. 25" is a straw-man argument?

Yup.

spin

Deus Ex · 08-26-2009, 07:34 AM

I have never met a skeptic or a Christian that actually believed that Jesus was born on Dec. 25.

Steven Carr · 08-26-2009, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Shaver

Time after time, I have seen skeptics make a big deal of debunking the notion that Jesus was born on Dec. 25, but I do not recall ever seeing an apologist try to defend the notion.

Could you give a link to these 'big deal' debunkings of the notion that Jesus was born on Dec.25th?

I have only seen it from people trying to dispell myths which some people hold.

Steven Avery · 08-26-2009, 07:50 AM

Hi Folks,

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Carr

Could you give a link to these 'big deal' debunkings of the notion that Jesus was born on Dec.25th? I have only seen it from people trying to dispell myths which some people hold.

I have heard Tovia Singer (Jewish anti-missionary) make a big deal about, supposedly, not just Jesus, but all the pagan folks .. buddha .. krishna .. and more .. being born on December 25 (although he may have been thinking winter solstice). Whether he actually writes that, I dunno, he spoke that in Roslyn, NY in a presentation. It was to a synagogue audience, so he may have decided to streetchhh a bit extra, thinking that there would not be much scholarly challenge in that environment.

Shalom,
Steven Avery

semiopen · 08-26-2009, 07:52 AM

I'm usually on thin ice in Jewish discussions but in Christian ones I'm really walking on water...

The most reasonable thing I've read is that he was born and died on the same day; like Moses.

I thiink I ran across this doing some research on Purim and the Magi.

dog-on · 08-26-2009, 08:24 AM

Personally, I use the date given in Mark.

Epesse · 08-26-2009, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dog-on

Personally, I use the date given in Mark.

Which is, for us (me) ignorant fools?

bacht · 08-26-2009, 08:35 AM

Dec 25: Winter solstice, birth of the new year, mythological dating, original date unknown (assuming some real guy behind the NT stories)

show_no_mercy · 08-26-2009, 08:37 AM

Following the etymology of the word, wouldn't "Christmas" just be the day assigned for Jesus' "feast day", just like other saints get "mass" days? I don't think it implies that Jesus was born on Dec 25th any more than it means that James the Just was born on May 3rd.

08-26-2009, 07:28 AM	#1
Doug Shaver Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: San Bernardino, Calif. Posts: 5,435	Jesus' birth date Time after time, I have seen skeptics make a big deal of debunking the notion that Jesus was born on Dec. 25, but I do not recall ever seeing an apologist try to defend the notion. So far as I'm aware, every Christian believes one of two things about Jesus' date of birth. (1) It probably was not Dec. 25, and in any case it doesn't make a bit of difference when it was. (2) It probably was Dec. 25, but it doesn't make a bit of difference whether it was or not. Does this not imply that "Jesus was not born on Dec. 25" is a straw-man argument?

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08-26-2009, 07:34 AM	#3
Deus Ex Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,348	I have never met a skeptic or a Christian that actually believed that Jesus was born on Dec. 25.

08-26-2009, 07:52 AM	#6
semiopen Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Hillsborough, NJ Posts: 3,551	I'm usually on thin ice in Jewish discussions but in Christian ones I'm really walking on water... The most reasonable thing I've read is that he was born and died on the same day; like Moses. I thiink I ran across this doing some research on Purim and the Magi.

08-26-2009, 08:24 AM	#7
dog-on Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 3,397	Personally, I use the date given in Mark.

08-26-2009, 08:35 AM	#9
bacht Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 2,305	Dec 25: Winter solstice, birth of the new year, mythological dating, original date unknown (assuming some real guy behind the NT stories)

08-26-2009, 08:37 AM	#10
show_no_mercy Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Dancing Posts: 9,940	Following the etymology of the word, wouldn't "Christmas" just be the day assigned for Jesus' "feast day", just like other saints get "mass" days? I don't think it implies that Jesus was born on Dec 25th any more than it means that James the Just was born on May 3rd.

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