Jesus's Birthday

[DougShrapnel]

When I was much younger I had one of the first doubts regarding the nature of xtianity. I had read something by some historian that mentioned that historians now put jesus's birth day some time in september or october. I asked those knowledgable about xtianity, about changing the day we celebrate to a more factual day. Those that had no idea that jesus was not actually born on Dec 25th. Denied, in the face of evidence, and said that is not what they believed. They were insulting that anyone would dare call into question the actual birthday. As if his actual birthday was a matter of opinion that demanded respect, and Dec 25th was the only acceptable opinion of a christain. I wondered what other truths later discovered by evidence they are dening. I did run into a few brave souls that admited that we could be wrong about his bday, but insisted that it didn't matter to change the tradition. So how bout it. Was the son of god born on Dec 25th?

[Duke]

I just read this, and want to change my answer to "Jesus did not exist." The last line of the paragraph implies a correlation between Jesus and the Son of God, which I obviously don't agree with.

[RayBornert]

some of the better opinions i've read claim that the historical record would indicate that jesus was born on or about the jewish new year - rosh hashana (sep/oct)

ray

[Silent A]

I think it's an historical objective fact that no one in the early church knew when Jesus (assuming for a moment that he ever existed) was born. In fact I'd argue that it's silly to even entertain the idea that they might have known the date.

It's pretty obvious they just picked the 25th to co-opt pagan solstice festivals. Most well educated Roman Catholics will readily admit this.

Anyone who can't accept this isn't worth being taken seriously. They're no better than flat earthers.

[bigpooch]

Likely to be right after Rosh Hashanah.

I think Yeshua (Jesus) was born on Sukkot in the Jewish
year 3757. (A hint is given in John 1:14 that it was on
Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles.)

This would correspond to either September or October, and
clearly not December according to the Julian calendar
(technically, the Gregorian calendar is used instead now).

[DougShrapnel]

[ QUOTE ]
I just read this, and want to change my answer to "Jesus did not exist." The last line of the paragraph implies a correlation between Jesus and the Son of God, which I obviously don't agree with.

[/ QUOTE ]You have voted in the correct category. It wasn't meant to be a poll involving the divinity, only the actual birthday.

[JackWhite]

Why do you use "xtian" and "christian?" What does "xtian" even mean?

[ShakeZula06]

When did people actually start celebrating the birth of Jesus? I've read before (probably on this forum) that in that day they typically didn't celebrate birthdays of important figures, but did for their death. What about easter, did they start calling that a holy day or whatever immediately?

[arahant]

[ QUOTE ]
Why do you use "xtian" and "christian?" What does "xtian" even mean?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's a shorthand term for 'christian' dating to the 1500's, but especially prominent on the web, where we can't be bothered with all those extra letters...

[valenzuela]

A theory:
As winter time was aproaching people realized that each day night lasted longer, each day there would be less and less daylight. When winter finally arrived, the next day would last a bit longer. That was really good news, so ppl would party and stuff.
Thats why we celebrate xmas on this date, xmas just took over a pagan festivity, the other major xtan holiday just got bumped together with a jew festivity.