What Day Is This Again?

Me:  Happy Hawaii Bowl Saturday to all.

We wrote that at the start of two online poker tournaments Saturday night.  We realized that might provoke a response from other players, given what weekend it is.  Sure enough....

payingbills:  merry christmas

Dealer:  dedmanshnd77 wins Main Pot ($365)

payingbills:  what a poker life we all lead lol

If you're "addicted" to poker, playing online at the expense of your family and friends could be a problem.  But then, you could have been like us....

Me:  I was at a church service during the afternoon.

Me:  Keeping the Sabbath, not Christmas.

Me:  The speakers preached against it.

Several Sabbath-keeping denominations believe Jesus was born -- only not on December 25.  They see the Sabbath as a Biblically-ordained day.  But the Bible nowhere mentions the word Christmas, or commands Christians to keep it.  But of course, that doesn't stop others people.  From a later table:

vegaspi:  merry CHRISTmas....

Me:  Was Jesus born on Dec. 25?

mamadog09:  nope never

vegaspi:  conceived on 25 bor sept

Me:  I agree with that - fall birth.

Why do we say that?  We base it on these verses:

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.  She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.  And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. - Luke 2:6-8

Global warming may have changed things in the 21st century, but many historians admit late December would have been the wrong season for Middle Eastern shepherds to be outside with flocks.  After around early November, it's too chilly and rainy for that.

(A birth during spring in the northern hemisphere doesn't seem out of the question as well.  The song Battle Hymn of the Republic includes the words: "In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea."  Lilies are more often associated with spring, as opposed to poinsettias in December.)

We've mentioned before here that there's more evidence Jesus kept Hanukkah than Christmas.  If you'd like to dig deeper into this holiday controversy, you're invited to explore an in-depth Bible study we posted several years -- actually in response to a book by a Christmas-keeper.  And in the meantime.... well, have a nice NBA Sunday.