Mormons and Christmas Day

[utah_rose]

I live in Utah and don’t understand that if you believe Jesus is the son of God, why don’t you attend church on Christmas Day as most Christians do? You have a beautiful Nativity scene on Temple Square yet it seems to me that by not attending church that day, you’re denying that Jesus’ birthday isn’t a day you need to attend your services.

 

[thephilosopher6]

Mormons aren’t Christian anyway.

 

[Horton]

I live in Utah and don’t understand that if you believe Jesus is the son of God, why don’t you attend church on Christmas Day as most Christians do? You have a beautiful Nativity scene on Temple Square yet it seems to me that by not attending church that day, you’re denying that Jesus’ birthday isn’t a day you need to attend your services.

My understanding is that Christmas is just another holiday with no significance to the LDS. They feel is that December 25 wasn’t actually the birthdate of Jesus, it’s not a religious holiday.

 

[Padres1969]

My understanding is that Christmas is just another holiday with no significance to the LDS. They feel is that December 25 wasn’t actually the birthdate of Jesus, it’s not a religious holiday.

Well it very likely wasn’t the actual birthday of Jesus, so in that regard they’re not wrong. That said, it’s been the designated day we celebrate Christ’s birth for the better part of 2 millennia (with the obvious exceptions for changes in the Julian/Gregorian calendar and such). Of course being that they’re a Restorationist church that believes in the Great Apostacy it’s not surprising they’d deny the significance of celebrating Christ’s birth on the day that the Western church designated.

 

[jane_doe]

I live in Utah and don’t understand that if you believe Jesus is the son of God, why don’t you attend church on Christmas Day as most Christians do? You have a beautiful Nativity scene on Temple Square yet it seems to me that by not attending church that day, you’re denying that Jesus’ birthday isn’t a day you need to attend your services.

Mormons do believe that Christ is the Son of God, and do very passionately celebrate His birth. Mormons will traditionally celebrate His birth both at church and at home. The celebration at church will be the Sunday before Dec 25th, and the celebration at home with the family on Dec 25th.

 

[Usige]

Well it very likely wasn’t the actual birthday of Jesus, so in that regard they’re not wrong. That said, it’s been the designated day we celebrate Christ’s birth for the better part of 2 millennia (with the obvious exceptions for changes in the Julian/Gregorian calendar and such). Of course being that they’re a Restorationist church that believes in the Great Apostacy it’s not surprising they’d deny the significance of celebrating Christ’s birth on the day that the Western church designated.

I wonder if it goes more to what LDS actually beleive about Christ more than just not thinking it’'s actually his day of birth. The incarnation is so central to most Christians that it is something most think needs to be memorialized like his death and resurrection. I don’t know if LDS cosmology/theology considers the incarnation to be a central element. I’ve read conflicting accounts, so it’s not really clear the importance of the incarnation.

 

[Marie5890]

My understanding is that Christmas is just another holiday with no significance to the LDS. They feel is that December 25 wasn’t actually the birthdate of Jesus, it’s not a religious holiday.

That is not really accurate. Though they don’t believe the Dec 25th was the actual birthdate (and it’s not like as Catholics, we are sure either), Christmas is important to Mormons, and is very much a religious holiday.

Some of my most favorite Christmas Days memories were spent with a variety of different LDS families when I was LDS and living in UT.

Very much a religious holiday to them.

 

[jane_doe]

That is not really accurate. Though they don’t believe the Dec 25th was the actual birthdate (and it’s not like as Catholics, we are sure either), Christmas is important to Mormons, and is very much a religious holiday.

Some of my most favorite Christmas Days memories were spent with a variety of different LDS families when I was LDS and living in UT.

Very much a religious holiday to them.

 

[Marie5890]

Mormons do believe that Christ is the Son of God, and do very passionately celebrate His birth. Mormons will traditionally celebrate His birth both at church and at home. The celebration at church will be the Sunday before Dec 25th, and the celebration at home with the family on Dec 25th.

That was my experience when I was LDS. The celebration of Christmas was a very BIG deal.

Wonderful memories of the celebration of Christmas when I lived in UT.

 

[Marie5890]

I wonder if it goes more to what LDS actually beleive about Christ more than just not thinking it’'s actually his day of birth. The incarnation is so central to most Christians that it is something most think needs to be memorialized like his death and resurrection. I don’t know if LDS cosmology/theology considers the incarnation to be a central element. I’ve read conflicting accounts, so it’s not really clear the importance of the incarnation.

The doctrine of the incarnation really doesn’t apply because LDS theology is so different.

That said, Christ coming to earth to gain a mortal body is vital as it is for any “spirit child” of God. In LDS theology, Christ needed to gain his mortal body as much as anyone else.

Part of what they call the “Plan of salvation” is the coming from the “pre-existence” and gaining a mortal body. It’s an essential part of their dogma.

 

[RebeccaJ]

That is not really accurate. Though they don’t believe the Dec 25th was the actual birthdate (and it’s not like as Catholics, we are sure either), Christmas is important to Mormons, and is very much a religious holiday.

Some of my most favorite Christmas Days memories were spent with a variety of different LDS families when I was LDS and living in UT.

Very much a religious holiday to them.

It’s different though. Our main activity was going to temple square to look at the lights, weeks before Christmas. Christmas Day was a family holiday. A day for families, where we hopped from one house to the next to visit family, eat and open presents. It was really secular.

Funny thing is, every Mormon I know believes the 12 days of Christmas are BEFORE Christmas. I was shocked to learn that the Christmas Season starts on Christmas Eve, and goes for 12 days.

 

[Marie5890]

Funny thing is, every Mormon I know believes the 12 days of Christmas are BEFORE Christmas. I was shocked to learn that the Christmas Season starts on Christmas Eve, and goes for 12 days.

Most people I know think that about the 12 days of Christmas, to be honest. The exception are those who have an understanding of liturgical seasons.

My experience with the families that I spent Christmas with over that decade + was, yes a family holiday, but far from secular. It was very religious oriented.

 

[RebeccaJ]

Most people I know think that about the 12 days of Christmas, to be honest. The exception are those who have an understanding of liturgical seasons.

My experience with the families that I spent Christmas with over that decade + was, yes a family holiday, but far from secular. It was very religious oriented.

Other than a blessing on the food, that might include a mention of Jesus’ birth, there is nothing religious in the celebration. It is just like every other family gathering during the year, only the gifts making it different.

Where, at my parish I see whole families, extended and large, attend Mass, which is a part of their Christmas celebration. Many of those families are Mormon. I hear it is not just Catholic Churches with many Mormon visitors at Mass on Christmas, but is the same throughout the city at any Christian church. I think, because they are looking to other religions to experience something at Christmas that their own religion doesn’t provide.

 

[superwimp]

The Catholic church has a list of things to do in order not to have any mortal sins and therefore get to heaven, one of which is attending church on Christmas day. The LDS have a list of things for their members to do to get to go to the celestial kingdom which just so happens doesn’t include services on Christmas day. If I had to choose between the two lists of which one to follow I would probably choose the Catholic list but that’s just a personal preference. It doesn’t mean that one list is better than the other.

 

[Usige]

The doctrine of the incarnation really doesn’t apply because LDS theology is so different.

That said, Christ coming to earth to gain a mortal body is vital as it is for any “spirit child” of God. In LDS theology, Christ needed to gain his mortal body as much as anyone else.

Part of what they call the “Plan of salvation” is the coming from the “pre-existence” and gaining a mortal body. It’s an essential part of their dogma.

That’s kinda what I was getting at though.

For most mainline Christians, the incarnation is a unique event. Christ did not have to become incarnate for his own sake even if he did for mankind’s sake.

This is very different from LDS theology where Christ is like mankind and both Christ and mankind must be incarnated for their own sake.

I guess what I was getting at is that my (admittedly limited) understanding of LDS views on Christmas is that Christ being born into a human body is important, but not necessarily a completely unique event in all of time and space. If He was once like we are, and we may be like He is then it puts a very different spin on the meaning of Christ’s birth.

I would not say that LDS do not see Christmas as a religious observance, but I do think it has a very different basis than mainline Christians. LDS friends do not seem to hold the nativity of Christ in the same type of reverent awe (for lack of a better term) as my devout mainline Christian friends. I can only attribute that to a difference in the difference of understanding who Christ is.

 

[jane_doe]

Addressing a few things in regard to LDS theology–

I guess what I was getting at is that my (admittedly limited) understanding of LDS views on Christmas is that Christ being born into a human body is important, but not necessarily a completely unique event in all of time and space.

Christ was only born physically once, it is a unique event.

LDS friends do not seem to hold the nativity of Christ in the same type of reverent awe (for lack of a better term) as my devout mainline Christian friends. I can only attribute that to a difference in the difference of understanding who Christ is.

I’m guessing that the individual LDS you know happen to be very quiet about their awe and/or private about it. In contrast, I’m very vocal about my love for the nativity- so much so that my mainstream Christian friends get sick of hearing about it

 

[kdbueno]

Mormons knows a reason for a fact, but they don’t know the reason for *its *existence.

 

[Marie5890]

Other than a blessing on the food, that might include a mention of Jesus’ birth, there is nothing religious in the celebration. It is just like every other family gathering during the year, only the gifts making it different.

Where, at my parish I see whole families, extended and large, attend Mass, which is a part of their Christmas celebration. Many of those families are Mormon. I hear it is not just Catholic Churches with many Mormon visitors at Mass on Christmas, but is the same throughout the city at any Christian church. I think, because they are looking to other religions to experience something at Christmas that their own religion doesn’t provide.

Well, my experience was different from yours then, but with that said, several of those Christmas’ that I experienced with with non-Utahan Mormons. IE, California, Washington St, WY, Colorado.

One thing that I did notice when I lived in UT is that was was a difference between UT Mormons and those in the so-called mission field.

I have heard that about Mormons attending the Christmas celebrations at other churches on Christmas. I think that is wonderful!

 

[Marie5890]

That’s kinda what I was getting at though.

For most mainline Christians, the incarnation is a unique event. Christ did not have to become incarnate for his own sake even if he did for mankind’s sake.

This is very different from LDS theology where Christ is like mankind and both Christ and mankind must be incarnated for their own sake.

I guess what I was getting at is that my (admittedly limited) understanding of LDS views on Christmas is that Christ being born into a human body is important, but not necessarily a completely unique event in all of time and space. If He was once like we are, and we may be like He is then it puts a very different spin on the meaning of Christ’s birth.

I would not say that LDS do not see Christmas as a religious observance, but I do think it has a very different basis than mainline Christians. LDS friends do not seem to hold the nativity of Christ in the same type of reverent awe (for lack of a better term) as my devout mainline Christian friends. I can only attribute that to a difference in the difference of understanding who Christ is.

(Bolding mine)

Yes, this is true. Since they don’t see Christ as incarnate the way we do, Christmas does take on a different flavor for sure.

 

[Marie5890]

Addressing a few things in regard to LDS theology–

Christ was only born physically once, it is a unique event.

I’m guessing that the individual LDS you know happen to be very quiet about their awe and/or private about it. In contrast, I’m very vocal about my love for the nativity- so much so that my mainstream Christian friends get sick of hearing about it

Usige does bring up a very fundamental point though. The Incarnation.
A lack of belief in the Incarnation for Mormons does not mean that they honor Christ’s birth less, but it does mean that it’s lacking the mystical element of understanding. A total and completely different understand of what happened. And why.

Christ’s birth in and of itself, in Mormon theology, is really not different that any other of “Heavenly Father’s spirit children coming to earth and getting a body”. The only difference being, in LDS theology, is that He was the first born of all of “Heavenly Father’s spirit children”

That is a radically different view of the nature of God.

For mainline Christians, the Incarnation, the member of the Trinity known as the Son, taking on our humanity, is mind blowing and very humbling. To see God’s condescension and mercy for us. His love for mere creatures.