Bastra, Anca Meilani (2015) THE CHRISTIANITY ADOPTION OF RITUAL OF PAGANISM IN CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION. S1 Undergraduate thesis, Universitas Darussalam Gontor.

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Abstract

Christianity is one of the majority religion in this century. Developed since twenty centuries ago. This religion based on the teaching of Isa Peace be upon him and as times goes by this religion changed from monotheistic belief into polytheistic religion. Their belief in three personal of God: the God Father, the God Son and the Holy Spirit. Christianity also has many of celebration to celebrate their sacred-day among the most popular is Christmas celebration to celebrated the birth of Jesus every 25th of December. This celebration is become the commercial holiday every year. Many customs display in the home or public such as Christmas tree, mistletoe, Santa Clause, holly berries, Yule Log and gifts. The problem began when some of Biblical and theological scholars realize that 25th of December is not the birth date of Jesus while it is winter. They also realize that none verses in the Bible nor Jesus told them to celebrate it. It means that the entire customs that become commercial every year among Christianity does not exist in that religion. Its appearance is recorded to have some unique connections with other religions in the same era. Those religions, except Jews and Christianity, is called by Paganism. The word "pagan" derived from the latin word paganus, means village or country dweller, because most of their ancient religion and worship appeared and performed in the village. Christianity now as new religion started to grow and met this ancient beliefs, with creating some pattern of assimilation between them. It was a phenomenon for finding the similarities in belief, ritual and customs between Christianity and pagan. From the description above, the writer attempts to discover the further evidences, Focused on pagan beliefs, rituals and customs which founded in Christianity related to Christmas celebration. This is a literature research, the writer collecting data's from books related to the chapter. From this study, the writer uses the historical approach, to know the historical background of paganism and Christianity. And to analyze and critical method, especially the data related to Christianity adoption from Pagan in belief, ritual or customs. By using the fore mentioned methods, the writer comes to conclude that Christianity adopting from paganism in Christmas Celebration. The clear reality found, as Christianity was built on the foundation of pagan belief. The solar myth, or the deity of sun, or namely sun-god, is wide world spread tell about gods which had similar characteristics, in different cults. Christmas as the birth of Christ is similar with the birth of Mithra, the Persian god of light. Or it is similar in Rome with Sol Invictus or "the Invincible Sun." in Egypt, the son of Isis, the queen of Heaven also birth in 25th of December. The Christmas customs as Mistletoe was considered consid sacred to the Sun, it was used at the December festival of the winter solstice, when the sun was lowest in the noon sky. The Holly berries were also considered sacred to the sun-god. And it featured parts of the festival. The Christmas tree or evergreen fir tree has traditionally been used to celebrate in winter festivals for thousand years. Pagan used branches of it to decorate their homes during the winter solstice. The Romans used fir trees to decorate their temples at the festival of Saturnalia which held from 17 to 25 of December. Santa Clause It is a corruption of the name "St. Nicholas", a Roman Catholic bishop who lived in the 5th century. Yule log also comes from the paganism as the dead stock of Nimrod, deified as the Sun god and also commonly used in a rite of Teutonic nature worship. Finally, the writer believes that this humble research is incomplete and not perfectly enough. So the writer suggest for further researcher to discuss and write this matter more widely and perfectly from different view.

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