Mike,

I have another question. I have recently read pages on your site which explain how Christmas, Easter, Halloween and Valentine’s Day are based on pagan practices. I see and agree. My question is how is one to respond to someone when they wish us Merry Christmas, Happy Halloween, etc? If we say Merry Christmas in response, are we wishing them God’s Speed? If we are not to respond in this manner, what should be our response? I fear that no response would be unloving, and overly responding by starting to explain why these practices are based on pagan practices may be like cutting the ear off with the sword, especially if the person does not want to hear it

 Once again, Thanks for taking the time

Your brother, S____

Hi S____,
Thanks for your question.
You ask:

“How is one to respond to someone when they wish us Merry Christmas, Happy Halloween, etc? If we say merry Christmas in response, are we wishing them God’s Speed. If we are not to respond in this manner, what should be our response. I fear that no response would be unloving and overly responding, by starting to explain why these practices are based on pagan practices may be like cutting the ear off with the sword, especially if the person does not want to hear it.”

God has blessed you with a very perceptive spirit. You are exactly right. If we reply in kind, we are doing nothing less than “partaking of their evil deeds.” But you are right again when you observe that ” no response would be unloving.” You are right again when you say:

“Overly responding, by starting to explain why these practices are based on pagan practices may be like cutting the ear off with the sword, especially if the person does not want to hear it.”

So the right and Godly thing to do when a “son of the bondwoman” brother, which we all were just yesterday, wishes us a ‘Merry Christmas,’ or ‘Happy Halloween,’ or ‘Happy Easter,” or ‘Happy Valentine’s Day,” or any other “day, month, time, or year,” is to respond with a heartfelt ‘ Thank you,’ and just leave it at that.

Gal 4:10  Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years.
Gal 4:11  I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.

It is hard to take offense at a hearty ‘Thank you.’ I have done this for many years now, and it has served me well. Very few people over the years have even noticed that I did not respond in kind. Or at least, I can truthfully say, that very few have ever let me know if they noticed that I had not responded in kind. If it sounds heart felt it will be much more effective. There is nothing at all wrong with accepting a person’s well wishes at any time, even at Christmas.
I hope this is of some help.
Your brother in Christ.
Mike