Matthew Le God

Lots of evidence in the Bible Jesus was not born in late December. Events in the story do not match a winter birth. Saturnalia was a Roman pagan festival held December 17–23, full of feasting, gift-giving, and celebration. Sol Invictus (The Unconquered Sun) was celebrated on December 25—the date of the winter solstice in the Julian calendar. As Christianity spread in the Roman Empire, Church leaders may have chosen December 25th to provide a Christian alternative to popular pagan festivals—reframing the "birth of the sun" as the "birth of the Son." Absorbing older traditions helps spread a new cult quicker as existing followers have familiarity.

Is he outside of space and time?

Yes it was. You asked why at time of year and I pointed out Christianity absorbed a late December festival from older traditions.

If a methodology allows you to take contradictory positions it is not reliable. A reliable methodology to reach truth takes you to the truth, not to two or more contradictory positions.

Christianity absorbed traditions from older cultures—like virgin births, resurrections, gift-giving, December festivals, and decorated trees—to make its message more relatable and easier to adopt. These elements were already familiar in pagan religions and seasonal celebrations, so early Christians repurposed them with new meanings. This blending, known as cultural syncretism, helped the new faith spread by aligning with existing customs rather than replacing them entirely.

Before we can get onto if a God is making me do something. We'd first need to establish he exists. Existence requires being spatial and temporal and if he is outside space and time, then by definition he does not exist.

1) Argumentum ad populum fallacy (again) Plus even more flawed when those three religions you mention are not compatible with each other in terms of their accounts. 2) Do you agree that if a methodology allows you to support directly contradictory positions it is not a reliable path to truth?

Christianity absorbed traditions from older cultures—like virgin births, resurrections, gift-giving, December festivals, and decorated trees—to make its message more relatable and easier to adopt. These elements were already familiar in pagan religions and seasonal celebrations, so early Christians repurposed them with new meanings. This blending, known as cultural syncretism, helped the new faith spread by aligning with existing customs rather than replacing them entirely.

If faith can support directly contradictory positions then it is not a reliable path to truth as both cannot be correct.

Giving gifts in late December pre dates Christianity. Christianity magpies a lot of things from older traditions. Virgin births, resurrection, gift giving, trees on houses etc etc all pre date Christianity absorbing them into the cult.

Can faith be used to support any position? If so then it can be used to support directly contradictory positions. If it can support directly contradictory positions then it is not a reliable path to truth as both cannot be correct. You failed to give a reason why that is wrong! You agreed faith can be used to support 'any position'. So it is a deeply flawed path to truth.

Merry Saturnalia Turkish! What Christian religious element is there to giving gifts? Gift giving, eating lots of food in late December, having a tree in the house all pre date Christianity! Why can't you grasp that?

Yet again... you don't understand what demonstrable means. What is the demonstrable link between a tree and the God of the Bible rather than Odin or the thousands of other Gods?

I'm happy to say a literal word for word God of the Bible does not exist as the account of him is deeply flawed. I do not know if there another God or not. Saying you do not know is the rational position if there is not demonstrable evidence for it. This is a fundamental issue Turkish, admitting you do not know something due to a lack of evidence is rational. Using a God of the gaps fallacy...is irrational.

Winter festivals in late December, seeing friends and relatives giving presents and having a tree in your house pre date Christianity. As has been pointed out to you numerous times in this thread. Yet you still bring it up. No religious element is required for all those pre Christianity traditions. So no hypocritical element at all!

I said 'any position' and you have no agreed. So if faith can be used to support any position then it can be used to support directly contradictory positions. If it can support directly contradictory positions then it is not a reliable path to truth as both cannot be correct.

Saying “look at the trees” is based on personal wonder or intuition, not on empirical data or a testable hypothesis. It’s an emotional or aesthetic appeal, not a logical argument that is demonstrable.

Can faith be used to justify any position? For example can faith be used to support Viking Gods, Egyptian Gods, God of the Bible etc etc?

Even if I'm being deceived about everything, there must be a me to deceive.

Words in an old book is not demonstrable. You clearly do not understand what demonstrable means!

I think, therefore I am.

You have answered a question I did not ask. Try answering the one asked.

Which God?

Bullshit! What demonstrable evidence supported that? You also ise the word theory, but those religious claims are not a theory in a scientific sense.

Argumentum ad populum fallacy! Also, not merely an opinion it is demonstrably true. Lots of religious people say 'look at the trees' as evidence for God. But how does that connect to their God rather than another God? They've made an unsubstantiated leap.