Guest Posted December 27, 2007 Posted December 27, 2007 If it wasnt for the nativity and the birth of Jesus there would be nothing to celebrate at Christmas time. I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday and getting a good rest. I sat on the sofa yesterday and ate chocs and watched telly .(It was so relaxing) and another week to go
AnonyMouse_1195 Posted December 27, 2007 Posted December 27, 2007 QUOTE (JacquieL @ Dec 27 2007, 13:39) Xianity I've never seen it written like this before! Text message language gets religion! Ah well X, it isn't actually text speak. It is chi which is the first letter, in Greek, of Christ's name, and is used within the Church as a symbol for Christ, as seen on church linen etc.
AnonyMouse_8466 Posted December 27, 2007 Posted December 27, 2007 QUOTE (JacquieL @ Dec 27 2007, 13:39) Ah well X, it isn't actually text speak. It is chi which is the first letter, in Greek, of Christ's name, and is used within the Church as a symbol for Christ, as seen on church linen etc. Well my education carries on apace! Can you explain the 'fish' symbol I see on the backs of cars as well please? I have always assumed it was something to do with the 'fisher of men' thing* but I do like to know the proper derivations of things... Maz *you can see by my confident use of religious terminology that my few attendances at Sunday school were completely wasted...
Guest Posted December 27, 2007 Posted December 27, 2007 The fish is a Christian symbol which got it's origin after Jesus was ascended into Heaven. The new Christians were being persecuted and even put to horrible deaths because of their faith. The story goes that they devised a way to secretly signal other Christians or, if just meeting someone, to find out if that person were also a believer by simply taking their foot and casually drawing an arc with their toe on the ground. Then, if the other person was a Christian, he, just as causally, would draw an ark with his toe to complete the fish. Now, they could speak to each other about their faith and pass along information without fear. Additionally, Jesus has asked His followers (Christians) to be fishers of men. I must admit I have just looked it up! Rosina
AnonyMouse_4544 Posted December 27, 2007 Posted December 27, 2007 The fish symbol is older than the cross to depict Christians The Greek word for fish Ichthys is an anagram of Jesus name and was used as an acrostic Jesus Christ God's Son Saviour. Christian's used the symbol to "reveal" their faith to other Christians during times of persecution.
AnonyMouse_4544 Posted December 27, 2007 Posted December 27, 2007 Another theory is that it looks like the Greek letter alpha (first letter of the alphabet) and Jesus said I am the beginning
AnonyMouse_8466 Posted December 27, 2007 Posted December 27, 2007 I must admit I have just looked it up! Rosina You say that as if it was a bad thing, Rosina! I'd call it research! Thanks Maz
AnonyMouse_1195 Posted December 27, 2007 Posted December 27, 2007 The Greek word for fish is ic(kx)thus and the 'i' stands for i(j)esus, x © for Christos, th is the greek theta, which is the first letter of theou, which means 'of God' the u stands for huios, which is the greek word for son, and the s is sowter, which means Saviour. So Jesus Christ son of God Saviour, is what the fish means. The rest of the ideas from wikipedia etc. are just other stories and perhaps the symbol was used in these ways, but why it was used not the reason behind this symbol in the first place. The above is actually what the fish means, and why it is used extensively as a Christian symbol.
AnonyMouse_1469 Posted December 27, 2007 Posted December 27, 2007 an interesting topic and i agree completely with the view that we SHOULD celebrate the whole notion of christmas being about the birth of christ, otherwise, please, what IS the point? a jolly fat man with presents for 'good girls and boys'?? ok, but, why???and,if we don't have the christmas event, then it follows we can't have Easter either! No, I'm firmly on the side of the angels here................(I LOVED those photos too, thankyou for posting!)happy christmas!!
AnonyMouse_1027 Posted December 27, 2007 Posted December 27, 2007 Maz have you never seen my logo for work ..thinking about it may not have its a fish...lol
AnonyMouse_8466 Posted December 28, 2007 Posted December 28, 2007 Maz have you never seen my logo for work ..thinking about it may not have its a fish...lol Of course - and you being such keen advocate of the Church of England (well at least their landlord qualities!)... But that's another thread, isn't it? Maz
Guest Posted December 29, 2007 Posted December 29, 2007 just to let you all know that just because we don't do a nativity play we do celebrate xmas with the children the same as we celebrate Eid and Divali with the chiildren that follow those faiths its just the play we don't do. We celebrate more the care and love that we give to one another regardless of what religion we are or believe in, that is what comes across in the play, and our parents always understand why we do the story and have congratulated us on it many times over the years. This year like many others we had nearly 150 parents and families come and see it I spoke to a youth worker the other day who was talking to a vicar and he told the vicar that alot of the youth he worked with were made to feel guilty that they did not have a faith, so he said he had his own and that he was a spiritual atheist,
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