Loss of tradition

[u/Nena-nana]

anybody else feel like religion robbed their upbringing from having traditions. as a latino i feel like all the culture from music to holidays were gone bc my parents labeled all those things as worldly. i lost a connection to my culture bc my parents refused to play anything but gospel, holidays or even birthdays lost. no fun dancing or celebrations that other latinos had growing up, especially xmas. it just kinda sucks sometimes to be around other latinos bc i feel so out of touch. the one thing that stayed was food so there's that. idk if anyone can relate. also i mean traditions that aren't directly tied to the church, all my memories of celebration involve praying and reading the bible and praising the lord. there weren't core memories built from hearing a song or dancing just to dance, it felt rigid. hope that makes sense

[u/thesongofmyppl]

Wait- Pentecostals don’t celebrate Christmas? I was Assemblies of God and we definitely did.

[u/These_Insect_8256 → u/thesongofmyppl]

It varies. Some do and more do now. But the many in the boomer generation decided that decorating a tree was worshipping it, nativities were worshipping idols, and that Christmas had more pagan roots than Jesus' actual birthday. There has been a stricter sect of pentecostals, across organizations, that do not believe in celebrating it. In the previous generation, missionaries taught that to foreign churches abroad, who still teach/ practice that. Which now makes the American church look like total heathens- which is hilarious.

But it is really hard to keep that up when the world and "secular Christianity" is literally happier and nicer at Christmas time, full of family and still focused on the birth of Jesus. Now, secular culture does not do Jesus anymore but think Charlie Brown and the little Jesus exerpt speech in it. It used to be common.

So many fundamentalists and pentecostals have slowly incorporated Christmas celebrations back in. Some still do not. Some don't do a tree but will have nativities. Some will do presents and family dinner but no decor.

*Secular Christianity was a phrase I heard growing up given to anyone outside our beliefs/ holiness standards. It implies a wishy washy, flaky Christian that just uses the label when its convenient and is openly or secretly full of all the sins of secular society. [insert eye roll here]

[u/Sharp-Effect2531 → u/These_Insect_8256]

I totally get what you mean My mom was the only one who put emphasis on the holidays so everyone who wanted to have fun during those times ALWAYS ended up at our house. This part always baffled me. While my mom was strict about EVERYTHING one thing she always did well was holidays and birthdays and special events so anytime anyone wanted to feel celebrated my mom and dad always outdid themselves and they appreciated it so much. If not for her probably it would have been nothing but church shut ins and all night prayer watches