It’s not where you come from, but what you choose to do now.
Is Christmas, Halloween, and Easter Pagan?
Many people say that holidays like Christmas, Halloween, and Easter are pagan because of their origins—and in some ways, they’re right. These celebrations have roots in older, non-Christian traditions. But does origin really define meaning? If we judged everything solely by where it came from, we’d have to reject a lot more than just holidays.
Take treadmills, for example. They were originally devices used to punish prisoners. Sports began as brutal gladiator fights, where people and animals battled to the death. Even dating is often dismissed by some because it’s said to have started with the invention of the automobile and is sometimes linked to immorality.
Yet today, these things have transformed:
- Treadmills help us stay healthy.
- Sports build community and teach discipline.
- Dating is simply two people spending time together to get to know one another.
What truly matters is not the origin of these things but the intent and actions we bring to them now.
What About Dating?
Some Christian voices warn against modern dating, saying it’s a relatively recent invention—only about 120 years old—and that it began because of the automobile. Pastor Jonathan Pokluda said on the Bryce Crawford podcast:
“Dating didn’t exist until cars were invented 120 years ago. It’s a man-made idea, and we should move through it quickly.”
If we look at the dictionary definition, dating is simply a social engagement between two people with romantic interest (Merriam-Webster). Considering this, can we really believe that in biblical or medieval times no one ever shared a walk, a meal, or a conversation with someone they liked?
Dating is a great tool for connection. Telling men to, “Get through this phase quickly” is horrible advice. Women initiate 75% of the divorces and majority of the breakups. Women are more in tune with their emotions. Men should plan dates and get off the phone. A man doesn’t need to push things too quickly. Men need to go slower than the woman. Ladies develop feelings slowly over time. A man can fall in love quickly and ruin the love story.
In the 2025 Superman Movie, Superman’s biological father’s (Jor-El) gave bad dating advice saying, “Spread your seed and gather a haram”. What Superman practically does is wonderful, he finds Lois Lane. He dates her. He cooks for her. They kiss. They banter back and forth. The majority of Christian dating advice concludes that it is purgatory. The truth is that dating should be fun. It should be a shared time where you learn from someone. I’m a better man because of the women God placed in my life. If we want families, the church needs to help men with practical relationship advice.
What Superman (2025) Teaches Us
In Superman: Legacy (2025), Lex Luthor uncovers an old message from Superman’s biological father, Jor-El, instructing him to conquer Earth and rule with power and spread his seed with a haram. The world is shocked and confused, but Superman rejects that path.
Instead, he listens to Jonathan Kent, his adoptive father, who tells him:
“It’s not about where you come from. It’s about who you decide to be.”
This moment is powerful because it reminds us that we all have voices from our past—biological, cultural, or historical—that try to shape us. But the voice that truly matters is the one calling us toward love, purpose, and grace. Like Superman, we must decide who we want to be, not just what our origins say.
What Matters Most
So is Christmas pagan? Is dating unbiblical? Maybe some traditions and practices do have complicated beginnings. But what truly matters is what we choose to do with those messages today.
For me, my father wasn’t perfect, but he always told me he loved me. That simple affirmation shaped my identity and gave me strength.
And that’s the truth for all of us:
“It doesn’t matter where you come from; what matters is what you do today.”
Some content in this article was refined with the assistance of AI tools, including ChatGPT.
Courage With Grace Ministries 