Christmas is Not Christian
- Part 1
There are not many of the things we use to celebrate Christmas
that is not in violation of God's Laws. With this and many other celebrations
that we have, which are also in violation of God's Laws, with more Judeo-Christian
pastors, ministers, teachers and etc., who are teaching Jewish Fables and
other false teachings; is it any wonder that our country has more crime,
rapes, dishonesty, thieves, murderers, baby killers and etc., than at any
time in our history.
Although few 20th-Century American Christians seem to see any
significance in it, it is true the Christian founders of America not only
did NOT celebrate the December 25th 'Holiday,' but attempted to prevent
its observance by others in the Colonies.
Following are two reproductions of two newspaper clippings which
verify the Christian Colonists' action; articles which should make ever
modern Christian want to know WHY Early American Christians did NOT celebrate
"Christmas!" "IT'S A FACT! Christmas was not established as a legal holiday
throughout the U.S. until late in the 19th century. In 1659 the Puritan
colony in Massachusetts passed a law that anyone 'found observing any such
day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing labor, feasting or in
any other way, shall be fined five shillings.' Many early Americans who
refused to work on Christmas either went to jail or paid fines." (Arizona
Currents December, 1968, page 5)
CHRISTMAS WAS BANNED! Boston (AP) -- "Christmas was
once banned in Boston. The Puritans forbade the celebration of Christmas
because it was a 'pagan feast.' Episcopalians were the first in Boston
to observe the holiday. They were followed by increasing numbers of young
people who raised 18th century eyebrows with 'frolics, a reveling feast
and ball.' But it wasn't until 1856 that the legislature - recognizing
a losing battle when it saw it - gave in and made Christmas a legal holiday."
(The Phoenix Gazette, December 22, 1967)
The next few pages will illustrate "modern" Christmas; the rest
examines the "ancient" festival. You may be somewhat shocked, but we pray
it will help you understand what is happening to our beloved America. "Blessed
is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth
in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful." (Psalm
1:1)
IS CHRISTMAS CHRISTIAN?
From the preceding, and from a realistic observation of the strange
"going' on" during what is called "the Christmas Season," or "the Holidays,"
it is obvious that MOST of what passes for "Christmas" is decidedly NOT
Christian. But how can this be, if indeed the day itself to which all this
splendid and costly preparation leads is Biblical or of Christ?
The Bible teaches us that "the carnal [wordily] mind is enmity
against God,"(Romans 8:7) and that the "world," i.e., people who love the
world rather than God, actually hate Christ and Christians, as we read:
"Ye shall be hated of all nations for My Name's sake,"(Matthew 24:9; 10:22;
Mark 13:13; and Luke 21:17) and "because ye [disciples] are not of the
world [order], but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world
hateth you."(John 15:19) John wrote to the Christians not to be surprised
at being hated, "Marvel not, my brethren if the world hate you."(1 John
3:13)
World Thayer's Definition of Strong's #2889: kosmos-
1) an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government
2) ornament, decoration, adornment, that is, the arrangement of
the stars, `the heavenly hosts', as the ornament of the heavens. 1 Pet.
3:3
3) THE WORLD, THE UNIVERSE
4) THE CIRCLE OF THE EARTH, THE EARTH
5) THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH, MEN, THE HUMAN RACE
6) THE UNGODLY MULTITUDE; THE WHOLE MASS OF MEN ALIENATED FROM
GOD, AND THEREFORE HOSTILE TO THE CAUSE OF CHRIST
7) WORLD AFFAIRS, THE AGGREGATE OF THINGS EARTHLY THE WHOLE CIRCLE
OF EARTHLY GOODS, ENDOWMENTS RICHES, ADVANTAGES, PLEASURES, ETC., WHICH
ALTHOUGH HOLLOW AND FRAIL AND FLEETING, STIR DESIRE, SEDUCE FROM GOD AND
ARE OBSTACLES TO THE CAUSE OF CHRIST
8) any aggregate or general collection of particulars of any sort
a) the Gentiles as contrasted to the Jews (Rom. 11:12 etc)
a) used of believers only, John 1:29; 3:16; 3:17; 6:33; 12:47
1 Cor. 4:9; 2 Cor. 5:19
So that we should understand that that hatred was directed primarily
at Jesus Christ, He told His Disciples, "If the world hate you, ye know
that it hated Me before it hated you." (John 15:18)
Yet those who pay no attention to Christ or His Word all of the
rest of the year, those who fit the description of "the world," enter into
the activities and ritual of "Christmas" with a frenzy that borders on
a passion!
How can this be so? How can the unbelievers be so stirred at this
one time of the year to venerate a day proclaimed as the "very birthday"
of Jesus Christ, when they pay no attention to Him the rest of the year?
Christmas is Not Christian -
Part 2
WORSHIP OF A PAGAN GOD! BIRTH OF CHRIST NOT CELEBRATED UNTIL 5th
CENTURY
December 18, 1968, Phoenix Gazette:
"Tempe - The Christmas world did not commemorate the birth of
Christ until the 5th Century, according to Dr. Arnold Tilden, professor
of history at Arizona State University. Christians considered it to be
a pagan practice to celebrate birthdays, unless they occurred on the days
on which a person was born to eternal life - the day of martyrdom,' he
observed. 'Actually, it was the death-day which was celebrated, and most
of the Saints' days on the calendar mark the day on which they died.' Over
the years. Tilden has researched the history of Christmas customs, passing
along his observations to students at this time of the year.
'Actually, Christmas is the youngest of the Church holidays, although
it has outstripped all others in importance,' he commented. The Western
church was eminently practical, however. When it encountered pagan practices,
it either stamped them out or adapted the festival rites to the Christian
faith. In Germany, the church was successful in stamping out the eating
of horse flesh because of its sacramental significance to pagans, while
in Italy, it adopted the statues portraying Isis and the god- child Horus,
merely renaming them Mary and Jesus. This same system of assimilation,
the ASU historian explained, gave rise to Christmas as we know it...
Wherever the Christians went, they discovered that the latter
half of December was the high season for festivals. It was the time of
the winter solstice, when the days began to lengthen: the time when the
Sun-God turned in his path and started back to his people: it was Saturnalia,
a time for licentiousness, revelry, drunkenness and sensual pleasures.
The Romans marked the day by feasting friends. There was a general exchange
of presents (mostly wax dolls or tapers). Roman shops at this time resembled
our own stores during the Christmas season. The Church was anxious to distract
the attention of its new converts from these heathen feast days and assimilated
them, clothing them in a new and Christian significance.
'The date of the actual introduction of Christmas is disputed,'
Tilden states. 'However, in 354 A.D., Latins may have transferred the human
birth of Christ to Dec. 25. Certainly, by 400 A.D. Christmas, as a Christian
festival, was established in the West and gained some ground in the East.
Attempts by the church to wipe out the Manichean heresy in the first half
of the fifth century may have hastened the official adoption of the date.'
The Manicheans, he explained, believed God would not demean Himself
to become man, but only took the form of man. Therefore, the apparent life
and death of Christ were mere delusions. This belief was directly antagonistic
to accepted teachings, and in the hope of destroying the creed, the church
instituted Christmas, celebrating the actual, human birth of Christ. 'So
Christmas entered the official list of holy days, taking on the features
of the various nations among whom it was introduced, and adopting certain
pagan rites from the religions which it supplanted,' said Tilden.
The Romans gave it the Latin name 'Dies Natalis' (birthday of
God); The Italians 'Natale;' the Spanish 'Nadal;' and the French 'Noel.'
The Germans retained their old heathen designation of 'Weihnachten,' while
in Holland and England, it was referred to as 'the Mass of Christ,' or
as we say 'Christ's Mass' (Christmas)."
Almost all Bible scholars who have made attempts to ascertain
the actual birth day of Jesus, have admitted failure to find the "exact"
date, but all have estimated it to be no earlier than September 20th nor
later than November 6th on our present calendar.
This, coupled with the available evidence that neither the first
century Christians, nor those of early America, observed any "birthday
of Jesus," leads one to contemplate in wonder. Which is -- in spite of
all evidence AGAINST December 25th being at or even near the "birthday"
of Jesus, and in spite of the total lack of Scriptural admonition to Christians
to observe any day at all in commemoration of Jesus' birth, the Churches,
almost without exception, APPROVE, AND PARTICIPATE IN, ALMOST ALL OF THE
RITUALS BY WHICH NON-CHRISTIANS CELEBRATE "CHRISTMAS!"
THE WINTER FESTIVAL
Christmas - December 25 - is the day designated on our calendars
as the day of Christ's birth. But is this really the day upon which Christ
was born? Are today's customs at this season of the year of Christian origin?
Or is Christmas another result of a mixture between paganism and Christianity?
A look at the word "Christmas" indicates that it is a mixture.
Though it includes the name of Christ, it also mentions the "mass." Now
the mass - with its rituals, elaborate ceremony, pagan prayers for the
dead, transubstantiation rites, etc. is most assuredly a continuation of
paganism. Considering then that the name of these pagan rites, the Mass,
is connected with the name of Christ in the word "Christ-mas," we immediately
see an attempt to merge two conflicting system together! Actually, to attach
the name of Christ with the word "Mass," a pagan and heathenistic ritual,
is but to pollute the Holy name of our God! And God says: "Pollute ye my
holy name no more!" (Ezekiel 20:39)
The word "Christmas" is not found anywhere in the scriptures of
course, and - as we shall see - December 25 is definitely not the date
on which Christ was born. It is evident that our savior was not born during
the middle of winter, for at that time of His birth, the shepherds were
living out in the fields with their flocks. As the scriptures say: "There
were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch
over their flock by night." (Luke 2:8)
As is well known, the shepherds in Palestine did not "abide in
the fields" during the winter season. The shepherds always bring their
flocks in from the mountain slopes and fields not later than the fifteenth
of October!
It is quite evident then that Christ was not actually born in
the middle of the winter season. But, on the other hand, do the scriptures
tell us what season of the year he was born? Yes, the scriptures indicate
that He was born in the FALL of the year. For example, our Lord's public
ministry lasted for three and a half years. (Daniel 9:27 etc) His ministry
came to an end at the time of the Passover, (John 18:39) which was in the
spring of the year. And so three and a half years before this would mark
the beginning of His ministry in the FALL of the year. Now when Jesus began
His ministry, He was about thirty years of age. (Luke 3:23) This was the
recognized age for a priest before he could become an official minister
under the Old Testament. (Numbers 4:3) Therefore, since Christ began His
ministry at the age of about 30 - and since this was in the fall season
of the year - then thirty years BEFORE this would mark His birth as being
in the early FALL, not December 25.
