My Study of the Earth’s weather...

 

 

 

Lately I have enjoyed learning about the factors that affect the Earth’s weather in my science class. We are looking at the earth’s orbit and how it affects the amount of sun we get and how the days are longer or shorter depending on the season. Since my Science studies are from a Christian worldview, they include the history of how pagans viewed these changes each year and how Christians started celebrating what we now know as Christmas on the 25th of December. Very interesting and thought-provoking! Here’s an excerpt from my studies:

 

Spring Equinox - March 20 or 21
Summer Solstice – June 21 or 22
Autumnal Equinox – September 22 or 23
Winter Solstice – December 21 or 22

 

“All four of these particular events in earth’s orbit have been celebrated as holidays by different        pagan religions, because the pagans did not understand how all these things worked together according to God’s plan. For example, pagan sun worshipers in the Northern Hemisphere used to celebrate December 25th as the ‘birthday of the sun’. Despite the fact that the days in the Northern Hemisphere start getting longer after the Winter Solstice (December 21 or 22), the pagans didn’t actually notice it happening until December 25th ... a few days later.

Since they noticed the day length decreasing every day before the winter solstice and noticed them increasing again on December 25th, they actually thought that the sun was ‘reborn’ on that day. They celebrated the sun’s supposed new birth as a religious holiday. When Christians came to witness to these people, they changed that holiday into the ‘birthday of the Son’ (instead of sun), to try to make Christianity a little more directly relevant to their culture. That’s why we celebrate Christ’s birth (Christmas) on December 25th even though early church literature indicates that Christ was most likely born in early April.”

{Taken from pg.164 of Exploring Creation with Physical Science: Dr. Jay L. Wile }

 

 







Don't you find it interesting that we, as Christians celebrate a holiday that started out so pagan ?! 

Let me know what you think of it!

{Hannah} 

 

          “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your             
mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
                                                                                                                      Romans 12:2