Stringer/Bunch Debate on Christmas

 
 
 Proposition: 
 The Christian may celebrate December 25th as a 
 national holiday.
 
 Affirm:  Larry Bunch
 Deny:  Jason Stringer
 
 Greetings from Larry A. Bunch in Caneyville KY!
 
 1) Christian - 1 a: one who professes belief in the teachings of 
 Jesus Christ b (1): disciple (c)1996 Zane Publishing, Inc. and 
 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.  All rights reserved. [One who has 
 been baptized for the remission of sins and is therefore a member 
 in the body (church) of Christ.]
 
 2) May - b: have permission to : be free to (c)1996 Zane 
 Publishing, Inc. and Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.  All rights 
 reserved. [One who has God's approval in doing this.]
 
 3) Celebrate - 2 a: to honor (as a holiday) by solemn ceremonies 
 or by refraining from ordinary business (c)1996 Zane Publishing, 
 Inc. and Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.  All rights reserved.
 
 4) National - 1: of or relating to a nation (c)1996 Zane 
 Publishing, Inc. and Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.  All rights 
 reserved.
 
 5) Holiday - 1: holy day 2: a day on which one is exempt from 
 work; specif : a day marked by a general suspension of work in 
 commemoration of an event (c)1996 Zane Publishing, Inc. and 
 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.  All rights reserved.
 
 6) To be fair about the matter, we define "Christmas": [ME
 Christemasse, fr. OE Cristes męsse, lit., Christ's mass] 1: a 
 Christian feast on December 25 or among some Eastern Orthodox on 
 January 7 that commemorates the birth of Christ and is usu. 
 observed as a legal holiday (c) a festival or holiday 
 commemorating the birth of Christ (gave presents on Christmas>
 (c)1996 Zane Publishing, Inc. and Merriam-Webster, Incorporated.  
 All rights reserved.
 
 When I speak of celebrating the 25th of December, I am speaking 
 of doing so as a national holiday.
 
 In reference to the definitions:
 
 2): There is nothing in God's Word that would prohibit a 
 Christian from observing a national holiday. There is no 
 principle that is violated in so doing. While we do not have a 
 specific "thus saith the Lord" regarding the permissibility of 
 observing national holidays, we nonetheless affirm that such is 
 acceptable in His sight. There are many things of a general 
 nature that are not "spelled out" in the New Testament but are 
 nonetheless scriptural and may be done with God's approval 
 (horseback riding, mountain climbing, etc.).
 
 3): We do not intend for the "solemn ceremonies" to have 
 reference to anything done that would recognize Dec.25th as a 
 religious holiday. Sitting down to a family meal on Thanksgiving 
 might begin as a "solemn ceremony" but that does not mean we are 
 observing it as a religious holiday.
 
 5): We do not regard Dec.25th as a "Holy Day" and so we "observe" 
 it in the same manner as we observe the day of Thanksgiving or 
 July 4th. We observe it as a "day marked by a general suspension 
 of work" but (except for the date and non-religious things) not 
 "in commemoration of an event," specifically, Christ's birthday.
 
 6): We do not regard or observe Dec.25th as "Christ's mass." Nor 
 do we consider it a time for a "Christian feast." We simply 
 observe it as it is "usually observed," as a legal holiday. This 
 year, we will "celebrate" the event by a family get-together at 
 our oldest son's home in Garland TX on the weekend of Dec.30th.
 
 Summary: We observe the 25th of December in the same manner or 
 way that we observe the 4th of July or Thanksgiving or Veteran's 
 Day or any other holiday. To insist we cannot observe the 25th of 
 December in this manner is to deny us our liberty and the 
 privilege of observing any other holiday.
 
 I started to address some objections to the Christian observing 
 this day, but on further reflection it seems prudent to wait for 
 Jason's negative.
 
 --brotherly, Larry (628 words)