December 27, 2005: If you landed here through a Google search, please see the update post on Kwanzaa.
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While I’m working on a Christmas-is-not-pagan post, I’m re-running an op-ed I wrote in 2002. It’s gone through a few title changes: “Tis the Season to be Pagans,” “Why Black Christians Shouldn’t Celebrate Kwanzaa,” and now “Kwanzaa is for Pagans.” The underlying point of the piece is that all Christians need to be careful with spiritualized “celebrations” lest they become caught up with occultic and other forbidden doctrines.
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“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines.” Hebrews 13:8&9
America — the greatest country in the world — was founded on the concept of religious freedom. In America, you can be a Christian, Jew, Muslim, atheist or pagan, without fear of persecution. While government cannot endorse one religion over the other, individuals can.
For decades, the media have given credence to many a self-appointed black “leader,” no matter how outrageous. Now they’re doing the same with a pagan ritual called Kwanzaa, a so-called African-American holiday.
A made-up, anti-Christian observance, Kwanzaa is celebrated by blacks who profess Christ. In our politically correct climate, even President George Bush, a believer in Christ, feels obligated to praise this ritual.
Kwanzaa was invented in 1966 by Dr. Maulana “Ron” Karenga, a former black militant, Marxist and convicted felon. Claiming to have the unity of black people in mind, Karenga committed most of his crimes against blacks.
Just five years after his invention, he was convicted of torturing two black women by stripping them naked, beating them with electrical cords, placing a hot iron into the mouth of one and mangling the toe of the other in a vise. During the ordeal, he forced them to drink detergent.
But I digress.
Observed from December 26 to January 1, this “alternative” to Christmas is based on a mixture of East African harvest rituals called first fruits — according to Karenga — and 1960s radicalism, although most ancestors of black Americans were from West Africa.
Participants acknowledge their African roots and promote seven, harmless-sounding principles — unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.
While they sound commendable, the guiding principle behind Kwanzaa is based on race, not on faith in the one true living God and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Paganism is a “religion of nature.” Those who practice it and other New Age fallacies see the divine in the created — humans, sun, moon, stars, trees — instead of the Creator. Christians who worship created beings are acting like pagans. It’s that simple.
Karenga and his followers worship the created, their African ancestors, in a “libation” ceremony, and believe these dead ancestors to be spiritual intercessors between humans and God. But Christians know (or should) that only Christ is the intercessor between us and God.
Attention Christians: Kwanzaa is a made-up creed cobbled together by a man hostile to the very God you claim to worship! According to Karenga, Christianity is a myth. He does not believe in the God of the Bible. He says this about Christianity: “Belief in spooks who threaten us if we don’t worship them and demand we turn over our destiny and daily lives must be categorized as spookism and condemned.” He believes that the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, the whole rationale behind Christianity, is a myth.
Over the years, Karenga has altered his pagan intentions to attract more black Christians into the fold. He now claims that Kwanzaa is a time of giving “reverence to the Creator.” Just what creator he refers to is unclear. Red flags should jump out at any Bible-believing Christian when someone reveres a “Creator” but denies the deity of Christ.
Christians must understand that Karenga intends Kwanzaa to be an alternative to Christmas so that blacks can celebrate themselves rather than the birth of Christ.
Kwanzaa is not an innocuous celebration of black history. It attempts to spiritualize that history, replacing Christ-centered theology with pagan principles. For Christians, the only principles by which to live are found in God’s word, the Bible.
Pagans have argued that Christ was not born on December 25. Insignificant. While no one knows exactly when Christ was born, the fact remains that He was born. Christmas is a time for Christians to celebrate this joyous fact.
Christ became a man to save men, not to lift up one race or culture in worship. As with any man-made religion, Kwanzaa is just another attempt to make gods of men. All Christians must be discerning when faced with these false doctrines.
The Fall of Man was the direct result of our determination to become gods. The pagan ritual of Kwanzaa is merely the old Lie wearing a new disguise.
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Sources and articles: The Truth About Kwanzaa, The Story of Kwanzaa, Kwanzaa: The Path To Blackness, Happy Kwanzaa, The True Spirit of Kwanzaa, Kwanzaa: A Holiday From The FBI, The Kwanzaa Hoax
Great article,
I’m with you. I will send this out to some of my server lists! Keep up the good work. Also Rep. Mike Pence will be on Fox news at noon today if you can check him out. He is from my hometown and is a TRUE conservative.
God Bless
Comment by aaronjhankins — 12.18.04 @ 10:24 am
La Shawn,
I have quite a few nice pagan friends. You’d probably love them if you met them. While the pagans behind Kwanzaa seem to possess evil, my pagan friends are quite peaceful.
Very nice op-ed, though. This is definitely something I didn’t know. I think I want to learn more about it.
Aaron,
I wonder what your definition of a TRUE conservative is? Because I don’t believe any of those in the Bush administration are true conservatives. I’m not attacking your point. I suppose I just don’t know this Mike Pence guy.
I’m a liberal and I’ve always thought true conservativism revolved around ensuring a balanced budget and modest deficit along with no interference in the affairs of other states…unless absolutely necessary. When I hear Pat Buchanan speak or John McCain speak, I hear true conservatism. Not the neocon crap that is so pervasive in this current administration.
I’d just be interested in reading more on this topic.
Comment by Mike M. — 12.18.04 @ 10:43 am
God Bless you La Shawn Barber for speaking the Truth and following your Lord and mine, Jesus Christ. Keep up the great work!
Comment by Tru — 12.18.04 @ 10:50 am
Thanks, Aaron and Tru.
Mike - Who said pagans weren’t nice or peaceful? I have a few pagan friends of my own. But we certainly don’t have spiritual things in common, which is the point of my post.
Comment by La Shawn — 12.18.04 @ 10:51 am
Sorry about that, La Shawn.
I didn’t mean to infer that because you said the Kwanzaa pagans were so cruel that you thought others were as well.
Note on Christmas:
As I don’t currently participate in any religion (though I’ve been baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church), I must say I find the Christmas season to be one of immense fun.
Sure, Christianity is the main reason behind the holiday, but I have so many non-Christian friends who love it as well. I feel even when the religious aspect is removed, it can bring non-believers together as sort-of a “national” holiday, which it essentially is. It’s just such a great time of year.
Now that I’m older, I particularly enjoying giving gifts to people. Receiving just isn’t as important as it once was. Gathering with friends and family during this time is a great way to close out a year and start a new one.
Comment by Mike M. — 12.18.04 @ 10:59 am
What I’m saying is that people who profess Christ need to be careful with stuff like this. If unbelievers want to follow things like Kwanzaa, it’s not really OK, but I’m less concerned because they aren’t calling themselves Christians and giving a warped view of what being a Christians is. Those who claim to follow Christ, however, ought not to be involved with “celebrations” that involve praying to or speaking to dead people.
I’m not jumping on you, Mike, and I apologize if it seems that I am. Unbelievers aren’t freakish, evil monsters; they’re fallen human beings, just as I am. It’s their unbelief that is a problem, not the flesh and blood person. We all start out as rebellious sinners, and Christ calls those he came to save in different ways. I pray for the salvation of my unbelieving friends, the same way my Christian family and friends once prayed for mine.
Comment by La Shawn — 12.18.04 @ 11:07 am
No, no La Shawn…I didn’t feel you were jumping on me.
I agree with your “‘celebration’ that purports to pray to or speak to dead people” comment.
I did a research project on Voodoo several years back. I enlisted the help of some of my Christian friends to give me their perspectives on Voodoo. After interviewing them and doing my own research, I came to the conclusion that this sect of Christianity (as many Voodooans would like to consider themselves) is pretty whacked out. I’m not attacking their right to practice how they choose…I just think any religion that places their fates in the hands of “gods of the earth” and praying TO the dead (rather than FOR them) is somewhat out of tune.
Comment by Mike M. — 12.18.04 @ 11:17 am
La Shawn,
I have just found your blog, and really enjoy it.
I was wondering if you think that man has the ability to choose Christ as his savior, without Christ first coming into his heart.
“We all start out as rebellious sinners, and Christ calls those he came to save in different ways. I pray for the salvation of my unbelieving friends, the same way my Christian family and friends once prayed for mine.”
Comment by Tom M — 12.18.04 @ 12:49 pm
Mike M.
Conservative is a label that has lost its intrinsic meaning, just like liberal or, in the field of music, classical.
Comment by CCR — 12.18.04 @ 12:56 pm
I am sympathetic to those who celebrate Kwanzaa because the truth behind this pagan mishmash is rarely, if ever, told. It is taught as an innocent alternative to Christmas to grade-school kids throughout the nation. Pushed by Leftist elites as an example of “diversity,” it is an easy sell to those who fail to look deeper.
Thanks for using your forum to educate people concerning the roots of Kwanzaa. I posted a link to your piece days ago. It is certainly appropriate for this time of year.
Comment by Jeff Blogworthy — 12.18.04 @ 1:02 pm
I’ll be the first to admit that the idea of Kwanza leaves a bad taste in my mouth. When my son was in the sixth grade, he attended a predominantly black public school and volunteered to participate in the school’s holiday program. At this school, there were three grades and each grade was assigned a holiday, Christmas, Chanukah and Kwanzaa. The sixth grade worked on the Kwanzaa program that year. As an active parent I received my first lessons about Kwanzaa.
Honestly, it wasn’t the pageantry-invented-in-the-sixties-out-of-whole-cloth part that bothered me. If you read about how our modern Christmas pageantry evolved, the tree and red-suited Santa Claus actually only became popularized in the late 1800’s. Though it was all cobbled together out of bits and pieces of old pagan rituals, I still regard what we go about enacting today as a created thing, not much different than the Kwanzaa holiday/pageantry. My problem was with what the children were reciting on stage, and I agree with you Ms. Barber it was all about race and all about setting that race apart from others. It left a bad taste in my mouth; at least Christmas as we know it invites and includes everyone, doesn’t set one group of people entrenched against another.
And none of this addresses what we are actually celebrating, only the pageantry surrounding it.
When we begin to address that, La Shawn you shrugged off the date argument rather quickly, but I feel poorly about that as well. From what material I have read, there is no argument over when Christ was born; from the text in the bible it is proposed to be quite clear that he was born some time in the spring. The Roman Catholic Church freely admits that they chose that date in order to more easily convert the pagans in the British Isles, at least the Roman Catholic Priest/Historians that I have spoken with admit so unabashedly. Like you, La Shawn, they do not believe that it matters, either.
Personally, I would rather celebrate the Birth of Christ more honestly than the way we do, surrounded by a cornucopia of pagan pageantry and on a date that was chosen to appease pagans. It’s not that I would advocate the overhaul of a global celebration that focuses on peace, goodwill, and charity – It’s just that the homogenous observance seems to have eclipsed what inspired the very holiday. Even then, it seems as if we compromised in the very beginning.
Comment by Michael E. Cummins — 12.18.04 @ 1:09 pm
Tom M. - I do believe that Christ must first enter a man’s heart. As we are powerless to save ourselves and tainted with sin through and through, we are slaves to sin and can’t “choose” to follow Christ unless we are freed from the bondage of sin. As you know, this belief has caused much debate and discussion among Christians.
Comment by La Shawn — 12.18.04 @ 1:24 pm
While I know very little about Kwanza, I, also, am not sure that Jesus was born on Dec. 25. The important fact is that God was incarnate as Jesus the Christ, did enter the human history, really lived, really died, really rose from the dead, lives now and lives forever and so will all who place their trust in Him. The date discrepancy doesn’t bother me because I’m happy to celebrate the date with other Christians. Merry Christmas everyone!
Comment by Evon Bachaus — 12.18.04 @ 2:41 pm
Well said.
Comment by Rod Stanton — 12.18.04 @ 3:42 pm
Man-Made, Kwanzaa Is for Pagans
Attention Christians: Kwanzaa is a made-up creed cobbled together by a man hostile to the very God you claim to worship! According to Karenga, Christianity is a myth. He does not believe in the God of the Bible. He says…
Trackback by bLogicus — 12.18.04 @ 3:45 pm
“Amen” is the most appropriate thing I can think of to say, other than that I think the Great Pumpkin from “Peanuts” has more legitimacy…
Despite the implications, I can’t help but roar with laughter when I hear someone actually say “Happy Kwanzaa” with a straight face. They must figure I’m nuts.
Comment by Erik Rush — 12.18.04 @ 4:30 pm
[…] f Kwanzaa
La Shawn, who is one of the best conservative bloggers around, has put up a post about the roots of Kwanzaa and why all Christians should stay away from this pagan hol […]
Pingback by Thinking Right — 12.18.04 @ 4:54 pm
La Shawn, I loved that last line! What a zinger!
Comment by Shannon — 12.18.04 @ 5:26 pm
For Your Edification
La Shawn Barber wrote a great piece on the pitfalls of Kwanzaa, and it’s pagan history. Good stuff. Read up….
Trackback by A Peck of Gold — 12.18.04 @ 5:33 pm
I didn’t know about Karenga’s criminal history, but I rejected Kwanzaa outright because the concept of black Americans - most of whom’s (correct?) ancestors were stolen from West Africa - embracing a made up holiday with traditions and language from East Africa didn’t make any sense to me. Thank you for pointing this out in your blog! I’m looked at like I have two heads when I’m asked about Kwanzaa and give the above answer.
Comment by Rosalind Gash — 12.18.04 @ 6:29 pm
In general:
It was always said to be a collection of “celebrations” that was “inspired” by “African traditions.” The “attack” saying there is no such African celebration is a red herring.
One year, I went to a Kwanzaa celebration in Philly that was lead by Karanga. There were white people in the audience who he welcomed.
Kwanzaa is a made up celebration. All celebrations are made up. There is not one celebration that comes about “naturally.” To “attack” it under the guise of being “made up” is silly. Shall we talk about St. Patrick’s day?
Finally, I see no good reason why Kwanzaa receives more attacks than does Mardi Gras.
Mardi Gras is debauchery prior to lent. Now point to me the yearly articles attacking Mardi Gras that equal or surpasses the attacks against Kwanzaa.
For the record: I don’t celebrate it.
Comment by DarkStar — 12.18.04 @ 7:01 pm
From what material I have read, there is no argument over when Christ was born; from the text in the bible it is proposed to be quite clear that he was born some time in the spring. The Roman Catholic Church freely admits that they chose that date in order to more easily convert the pagans in the British Isles, at least the Roman Catholic Priest/Historians that I have spoken with admit so unabashedly.
I think Michael’s comments were side stepped. People focused on the date only. No one focused on the reason the date was chosen. It was chosen to replace the pagean ritual of winter celebration.
Now, Christians celebrate Santa (and the forgotten Moor Pete).
And then there’s still that issue of Mardi Gras….
Comment by DarkStar — 12.18.04 @ 7:10 pm
It’s as if you don’t even understand the point I’m getting at in my posts. Perhaps I’m unclear or not explaining myself very well. Comparing Mardi Gras or St. Patrick’s Day, etc., to Kwanzaa is a red herring. My target audience for that article are blacks who consider themselves Christians who observe, celebrate, participate in - whatever verb you want to use - an event, ritual, whatever…purporting to pay homage to “our” dead ancestors. I couldn’t care less about Mardi Gras or any other event you name. Totally beside the point. I have problems with a lot of things, DarkStar, but the subject of this post is KWANZAA.
Please, please, please don’t go off on a tangent and miss COMPLETELY the troubling spiritual elements of Kwanzaa. I don’t know if you’re a Christian, but those who are will immediately recognize the gist of the post. In fact, most of the blacks who observe it and purport to be Christians try desperately to justify themselves in the e-mails I’m still getting.
One thing I won’t do is spend time re-hashing the post all over again. If you don’t understand why Christians following false doctrine is a dangerous and heretical idea, flip through a Bible to understand why.
And the crack about Christians celebrating Santa isn’t even worthy of a reply. You’ve been hanging around the wrong kind of Christians.
Comment by La Shawn — 12.18.04 @ 7:12 pm
Just found your blog LaShawn and wanted to tell you I’m impressed, really enjoyed it. I may not be conservative or a Christian but you make some great points in your posts. I’ll be back.
Comment by Dibosai — 12.18.04 @ 8:07 pm
purporting to pay homage to “our” dead ancestors.
Then I don’t understand.
Seriously. I want to be clear. I’m not being confrontational “for the fun of it.”
I see inconsistancies that bother me when it comes to how Kwanzaa is treated.
I don’t want to side track you. Honestly.
purporting to pay homage to “our” dead ancestors
Isn’t that what Memorial day is used as? People visit the graves of family members and friends on that day.
I understand your points about Kwanzaa. But it troubles me that I don’t see the same concerns raised about other celebrations.
And the crack about Christians celebrating Santa isn’t even worthy of a reply.
It should be a post onto itself.
Really.
I’m hearing more and more pastors speaking out against the current “celebration of Christmas.”
Comment by DarkStar — 12.18.04 @ 9:00 pm
This is what I deserve for being imprecise. The homage I’m referring to is not simply remembering the dead but believing the dead African ancestors act as intercessors between the living and God, praying to the dead and other unbiblical nonsense. But even if I had made myself clearer, I doubt it would’ve made that much difference.
I’ve participated in a Kwanzaa ritual back in the day, so I know what I’m talking about. If you’re really interested in finding out about Kwanzaa and what’s wrong with it, check out some of the links, especially the first one.
Comment by La Shawn — 12.18.04 @ 9:10 pm
Kwanzaa Madness
LaShawn Barber is commenting on Kwanzaa. She isn’t the only one and this is not a direct response to her, except in one instance. Every year around this time, there are a flurry of comments about Kwanzaa, what it is,…
Trackback by Vision Circle — 12.18.04 @ 9:32 pm
I have checked out the background of it. I did it years ago.
I could be wrong, but the criticism of Kwanzaa is way overblown. It’s not practiced that much.
And, as I was trying to say, if there is going to be criticism of it, there’s more that should be addressed as well. But I don’t see that happening.
And I, personally, see that as troubling.
Comment by DarkStar — 12.18.04 @ 9:41 pm
Then you should address whatever it is and stop complaining about what others don’t do. You’re blogging now. Knock yourself out. My post and comments stand as they are: Christians should stay away from Kwanzaa and any other occult-like practice.
Comment by La Shawn — 12.18.04 @ 10:45 pm
Great Post!
I agree with you whole-heartedly. I too cannot understand a Christian observing Kwanzaa but then again Christians luv paganism - as evidenced by Christians religiously setting up a “Christmas” tree.
I wonder why are Christians so tolerant of pagan religions (Kwanzaa, etc.), false gods (Islam, buddhism, etc.) and heretics.
Comment by ZIPLA — 12.18.04 @ 11:37 pm
LaShawn,
You are a wonderful representative of Christianity. You have the patience of Job in dealing with DS.
(It shows me I still have a long way to go)
Comment by Dave in AZ — 12.19.04 @ 9:13 am
I could be wrong, but the criticism of Kwanzaa is way overblown. It’s not practiced that much. — Dark Star
Here in South Florida it receives the same emphasis as Christmas and Chanukah in the public schools, as I mentioned above. Elementary School children don’t know any better, and they swallow it hook line and sinker.
I don’t imagine that the South Florida public schools are that different from other regions, so I’ll politely beg to differ.
Comment by Michael E. Cummins — 12.19.04 @ 9:26 am
[…] doing the same with a pagan ritual called Kwanzaa, a so-called African-American holiday. A made-up, anti-Christian observance, Kwanzaa is celebrated by blacks who profess Christ. I […]
Pingback by SmartChristian Blog — 12.19.04 @ 9:43 am
La Shawn,
Great Post! Thank you for having the courage to ignore the influence of political correctness and speak the truth. While many of your regular readers don’t seem to have gotten the gist of what you were saying, I certainly did.
Many of my black Christian friends participate in Kwanzaa simply out of a sense of obligation to the Black community. A couple have expressed reservations to me about certain aspects of it. I am going to direct them to your site so they can see what you have to say about it.
Comment by Montie — 12.19.04 @ 10:13 am
Kwanzaa is for Pagans
Interesting op ed from LaShawn Barber.
“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines.” Hebrews 13:8 & 9
America — the greatest country in the world — was founded on the c…
Trackback by Agape - Muncie Indiana — 12.19.04 @ 10:37 am
Here in South Florida it receives the same emphasis as Christmas and Chanukah in the public schools, as I mentioned above
In my area, it doesn’t. Neither does Chanukah except in Jewish schools. So, we have different perceptions.
My post and comments stand as they are: Christians should stay away from Kwanzaa and any other occult-like practice.
I didn’t expect otherwise.
You have the patience of Job in dealing with DS.
Even when I agree, which I do in some of her entries, but that gets over looked.
Comment by DarkStar — 12.19.04 @ 10:56 am
Season’s greasings
We’re at a flashpoint, says Bruce Prescott of the Oklahoma chapter of Americans United for Separation of Church and State: We’ve got a lot of people who are much more…
Trackback by dustbury.com — 12.19.04 @ 11:00 am
In its between-programs holiday greetings, the Disney Channel wishes its viewers “Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Kwanzaa” (the order varies, but it’s always just those three). This doesn’t prove that Kwanzaa is observed that much, but it does show that the MSM has accepted this holiday as legitimate. Scary. . .
Comment by Funky Ph.D. — 12.19.04 @ 12:08 pm
I think that I’ve read this editorial before, but always good to be reminded. I’m pretty sure my hubby read this before, and he’s never forgotten it. Good one, La Shawn!
Comment by RepJ — 12.19.04 @ 2:47 pm
Aural Six–Here Cometh Mergers & Acquisitions
Got my M&A final on Monday–so this site is more uninformative than usual–but if *I* can’t post anything worthwhile, other people sure can. Here are some of them…
Trackback by Legal XXX — 12.19.04 @ 3:28 pm
La Shawn,
Well, amen to that!
Dark Star,
Unless I’m totally mistaken, the point of LB’s post is that Christianity and Kwanzaa don’t mix. Just like Christianity and Satanism don’t. Or Christianity and Islam. Or whatever.
To say that isn’t to target blacks unfairly. It’s to be straight about the irreconcilable differences between two incompatible religions.
Adrian
Comment by adrian — 12.19.04 @ 5:27 pm
La Shawn:
Thanks for opening my eyes to what this celebration is all about. I am really full up with the anti Christian comments this year.
Comment by Ramrod — 12.19.04 @ 6:04 pm
Hi La Shawn..
Trying to see if what I did works. Hope you have the Merriest Christmas ever..Always a fan..Ray..
Comment by Rainmaker — 12.19.04 @ 6:26 pm
Unless I’m totally mistaken, the point of LB’s post is that Christianity and Kwanzaa don’t mix. Just like Christianity and Satanism don’t. Or Christianity and Islam. Or whatever.
I got that part.
She provides some strong points, some points that I think are not relevant. But to the relevant points, if I take that and apply it to other things, then there should also be criticisms to the other things as well.
I find the effort to “debunk” Kwanzaa, troubling in that no such effort appears to be done for other things that occur on a much grander scale.
Comment by DarkStar — 12.19.04 @ 8:01 pm
I was waiting on LaShawn’s post about Christmas to see what she had to write, but I will write this now.
Christians are trying to claim, some say reclaim, Halloween.
I’ve heard Black pastors say that things created of the world, can be claimed by the children of God. IF you believe that “Kwanzaa is for Pagans”, why not claim it for the children of God and turn it around?
Lastly(?), the issue raised concerning the celebration of the birth of Christ to coincide with a pagan ritual, is one that is being seriously discussed by theologins, pastors, and lay people.
For the past few years, I’ve heard different pastors reference this in sermons. They aren’t backing away. A couple have said that the pagan celebration has been claimed by God. Others have said that the date of Christ’s birth is not really important. Nor is the celebration of his birth that important. The MOST important thing is his death because he died for our sins.
Comment by DarkStar — 12.19.04 @ 8:16 pm
Thank you La Shawn for explaining this to an old white woman
I did not understand it when it came on the scene and while
it does not directly influence me it does indirectly if it is a means to deny Christ and to cause another way to divide us by race. We are all God’s children and one Savior
was sent to redeem us. I always enjoy your posts and you have my utmost respect for your willingness to post truths.
Comment by Pat in NC — 12.19.04 @ 9:09 pm
Hi LaShawn,
I started reading your blog right before the election and have enjoyed your point of view. I had no idea of the actual origins of Kwanzaa.
“In its between-programs holiday greetings, the Disney Channel wishes its viewers “Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Kwanzaa” (the order varies, but it’s always just those three). This doesn’t prove that Kwanzaa is observed that much, but it does show that the MSM has accepted this holiday as legitimate. Scary. . .
Comment by Funky Ph.D. — 12.19.04 @ 12:08″
I’ve seen the same things. They also feature a very nice family who explains their Kwanzaa celebration very innocuosly so millions of children across the country see this and think it’s ok.
DarkStar does make a point about those other things he/she brought up, but I agree with LaShawn that they should be addressed as the main idea(s) of a separate post rather than here in the comments of this one.
Comment by FL Mom — 12.19.04 @ 9:41 pm
Hear, hear. Well-said, LaShawn. You rock.
Comment by IowaSoccerMom — 12.19.04 @ 10:34 pm
Great post. Thanks for the history lesson.
Comment by ken — 12.19.04 @ 10:57 pm
The true meaning of Kwanzaa
La Shawn does a great job exposing Kwanzaa for what it really is. “Participants acknowledge their African roots and promote seven, harmless-sounding principles — unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, p…
Trackback by Radio Brian Scott — 12.19.04 @ 10:58 pm
Thanks for enlightening us, LaShawn.
OT, (sorta)
WHAT IS THE TRUE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS?
http://www.equip.org/free/CP9005.htm
I posted it on my blog also.
God bless all of you, and Merry Christ-mas!
Comment by Joshua — 12.20.04 @ 12:49 am
LaShawn: Kwanzaa is for Pagans
LaShawn Barber has rerun a piece from 2002 which has seen a couple of title changes since it’s first posting.“Tis the Season to be Pagans,” “Why Black Christians Shouldn’t Celebrate Kwanzaa,” and now “Kwanzaa is for Pagans.” The underlying point…
Trackback by Ramblings' Journal — 12.20.04 @ 8:56 am
DarkStar,
The two Christian celebrations honor real, divinely ordained events that are unique to Christianity: Christmas = birth of Christ, Easter = death & resurrection of Christ. They’re not merely rituals and neither are they the absconding of pagan rituals. Sure, people have adopted trees and other symbols to brighten their surroundings, but even if you get rid of those, the original events happened and are still cause to celebrate. With made-up “holidays,” if you strip away the trappings, what’s left behind is either nothing or something terrible. Am I over-generalizing? Possibly. Anyway, I don’t think it’s Biblical to go around “claiming rituals.” I, for one, certainly have no desire and see no need to “claim” Halloween.
Comment by FL Mom — 12.20.04 @ 9:53 am
Kwanzaa Is for Pagans
Fellow Blogs-About buddy LaShawn Barber has a wonderful posting about the made-up holiday of “Kwanzaa”. Don’t be fooled by this pagan holiday. Go and read the full story.
Trackback by More Sense Than Money — 12.20.04 @ 10:56 am
Great post, LaShawn. I’ve linked to it. But while your point that Christmas is not pagan is important, I want to put in a good word for a related point with which you agree: Christ himself is for everybody.
Comment by Patrick O'Hannigan — 12.20.04 @ 11:38 am
Interesting…There always seem to be more to the story. But damn, are those crimes he was convicted of true?? I wouldn’t doubt it but I am weary of sources written about us by white men trying to justify their societal power. I have not read any of your sources. So I am guessing at least one of your sources was written by white hands. It’s not a bad thing but from the outsiders perspective something can always be changed into anything. I like the article! Keep pushin’.
Comment by Jaebadiah — 12.20.04 @ 7:04 pm
Great post! As a white boy, you should see the looks I get when I poopoo Kwanzaa. It brings back memories of when I was a kid and thought Hanukah was just an excuse for Jews to get more presents. Of course, the latter is a legitimate holiday…
Just found your site. Awesome!
Merry Christmas!
Comment by jim — 12.20.04 @ 11:48 pm
Thanks for a great post, as usual! Heard someone say today “Happy Mithra” today as a substitute for Merry Christmas. Have no idea what that is…Maybe she meant to say “mothra”, like the giant moth on the Japanese monster films?
Comment by Laurie — 12.21.04 @ 1:12 am
I typed “mithra” into Google, and the results showed that it’s apparently a Persian god. Didn’t look any further into it.
Personally, I think “happy mothra” would be a much funnier greeting.
Comment by FL Mom — 12.21.04 @ 10:15 am
Not Rejecting Kwanza Allows Evil to Have it’s Way.
‘Tis the Season. - Being a Christian, I always found the Kwanza celebration to be rather hollow spiritually so I never paid it any mind. Now I know why. La Shawn Barber enlightened me in her posting of an op-ed
Trackback by The Great Separation — 12.21.04 @ 10:48 am
Kwanzaa
An interesting article for Christians about Kwanzaa.
Mostly this post is a blog mark. I’ve always thought Kwanzaa was dumb, but I entertained the idea I just didn’t understand it. After reading t…
Trackback by Reactuate — 12.21.04 @ 11:04 am
Lashawn & Tom M-
No! “Behold, I stand at the door and knock…”
Christ comes to us where we are, as we are, and he will pursue us. But he does not come in until we open the door. That is the only action required, that we open the door and let him in. So, to answer Tom’s original question, no Christ will not come into our heart before we choose. He will come to us and reach for us, but we must make the choice to take His hand. Christ will not force himself on us. That is why God created with free will.
Anyway, great post LB. Thank you for calling to task those of us who would turn a blind eye to such activities among brothers and sisters, and reminding us that sometimes we have to admonish each other with patience & love, followed by unconditional forgiveness for those who repent.
Comment by michael — 12.21.04 @ 1:12 pm
Great post La Shawn! I was recently invited to a Kwanzaa celebration at my son’s school. Thanks, but no thanks. I’ll take the zero.
Laurie, funny post…Maybe she meant to say “mothra”…HAHA!
Comment by Troy — 12.21.04 @ 1:18 pm
“I wonder why are Christians so tolerant of pagan religions (Kwanzaa, etc.), false gods (Islam, buddhism, etc.) and heretics.”
Just a nit-pick, but the Buddha was not a god (and therefore cannot be a false one). He was a man who attained enlightenment about the cause of human suffering. In his analysis, it is the attachment to material things (greed) that causes conflict and strife leading to suffering.
The misconception is due to the early Christian missionaries thinking that Buddhists were praying to an idol (a statue of the Buddha) and mistook the activity as being prayer to a diety. A subtle and sophisticated philosophy was mischaracterized by an arrogant, ethnocentric and racist colonialism.
This message is not to imply that Buddhism is correct or that Christianity is incorrect, but merely to point out how misunderstood Buddhism is in the West and why.
Comment by nobody important — 12.21.04 @ 4:14 pm
About time Kwanzaa was deconstructed and dumped in the ashheap of pop history. Ever since I first heard of it, it stuck me as pyschobabble. Especially the Swahili culure vis a vis W African heritage, such as that is/was.
Comment by Andy — 12.21.04 @ 11:09 pm
All:
Not wanting to pick nits, but isnt saying that Kwanza is a pagan holiday casting a stone, albeit a small stone but a stone just the same.
Who cares what someone wants to worship, is it not their first amendment right, just because OURS is being impeded by the American Communists Lawyers Union, are we not doing the same thing to whoever wants to celebrate Kwanza?
Whether it was a holiday started in the 60’s or not if someone believes dont they have that right, but we as Christians have the right to chastise them for it because we Dont think its the right way to go, how arrogant of us.
Merry Christmas
Mark
Comment by Mark — 12.22.04 @ 3:14 pm
Thanks, Mark, but don’t miss the point of my post: the spiritual element, its anti-Christian intentions, etc. Those things are VERY important for Christians. When speaking of spiritual things, we know there are only two kingdoms: one of God and one of Satan. Invoking spirits or some other nonsense is occultic. If they are not praying or appealing to Christ, who’s the only other “spirit” they’re appealing to?
Comment by LB — 12.22.04 @ 3:28 pm
Wow, LaShawn! How informative! It’s shocking that in just a few short years, this pseudo-holiday achieved PARITY with Christmas, at least in terms of the ridiculous amount of attention it gets from the so called ‘mainstream media’ and in our ‘totally sold-out to political correctness’ mis-education system. I always had a vague feeling that it was ‘racist’ to not be on board with Kwanzaa. (vestigages of white-middle-class guilt?) Thank you for making me THINK!
Comment by JaneLovesJesus — 12.23.04 @ 3:04 am
Many environmentalists wackos are pagans themselves they have rejected the traditional JUDEO/CHRISTAIN religions and have turned to paganism worship of the earth and the creature upon it and they have gone to try and force their paganism on kids with their rituals they have turned to using the term THE EARTH IS YOUR MOTHER which is a pagan concept its time to end what their doing
Comment by firebird — 12.23.04 @ 8:47 am
Hi…found you from Jim’s Thinking Right blog while surfing BE. Wonderful article…thanks for posting. Very enlightening!
Comment by Donna — 12.23.04 @ 11:05 am
Mark
I think you missed LB’s point. She was not saying (not that I read anyway) that Christians should prevent others from celebrating anyhting. She was, as I read it, saying that Christians (esp black Christians) should not be celebrating something that is basically pagan in it’s form and substance. Most do this out of ignorance of the origin and intent of the celebration, and her intent was to point out both for thinking Christians to understand just what they are buying into when they celebrate Kwanzaa. I don’t think she was saying others shouldn’t be able to celebrate their own traditions or holidays. Hers was a message for Christians, albeit with some good education for all.
Comment by michael — 12.23.04 @ 2:51 pm
Notes about Kwanzaa
La Shawn Barber is a new addition to my feed list, and offers quite a revealing history on Kwanzaa.
Trackback by Nobody asked me, but... — 12.26.04 @ 1:30 am
Laurie,
I usally don’t post to thread this old, but:
Mithra was a god worshipped in parts of Europe and the mideast before Christ, and into the ‘formative’ years of Christianity. Mithraism was one of early Judaism’s primary rivals in the monotheistic religion business.
Many smarmy intellectual types like to draw comparisions to Christian faiths and practices to those of Mithraism, esp the symbology of the Lamb (though to Mithrans it was the Bull) and the timing of Christmas (but everyone had a holiday at that time of a year, so theres no great link there).
Comment by SCSIwuzzy — 12.27.04 @ 11:05 am
The US Post Office has a “Kwanzaa” stamp. Folks, Kwanza is a made-up holiday. Here’s LaShawn Barber’s excellent discussion. It’s easy to understand […]
Comment by Mostly Cajun, All American and Opinionated — 12.28.04 @ 12:44 am