Michael Grant's blog

Pagan Roots of Halloween

messianicmdg — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:18:26 UT

Pagan Roots of Halloween

I am going through all the booklets I have on the topic
so you can read my resources. If you want to write
an article or book on the topic please feel free to use
as you like.

Rough Notes -WDHCF

* Where did Halloween originate from?
* How did we get it?
* Halloween was celebrated by pagans centuries before
the First Century Congregation was founded.
* Introduced into the First Century Congregation centuries
after the death of the Apostles, yet it was celebrated by the
pagans centuries before the First Century Congregation was
founded.
* From Halloween Through Twenty Centuries, by Ralph
Linton, page 4, it says, "The American celebration rests upon
Scotish and Irish folk customs which can be traced in direct
line from Pre-Christian times. Although Halloween has become
a night of rollicking fun, superstitious spells, and eerie games
which people take only half seriously, its beginnings were
quite otherwise. The earliest Halloween celebrations were
held by the Druids in honor of Samhain, Lord of the Dead,
whose festival fell on November 1."
* very distant from being righteous festival.
* pagan holiday masquerading as though it was a genuine
custom of the true Congregation of Yeshua / Jesus Christ.
* parents allow their children to get involved in the spirit
of the pagan custom.
* The Encyclopedia Americana states, "it's clearly a relic
of pagan times."
* The Encyclopedia Britannica states, "It long antedates
Christianity. The two chief characteristics of ancient
Halloween were the lighting of bonfires and the belief that
this is the one night in the year during which ghosts and
witches are most likely to wander about. History shows
that the main celebrations of Halloween were Druidical
and this is further provided by the fact that in parts of
Ireland October 31 is still known as Oidhch Shamhna,
"Virgil of Saman.'"
* Halloween celebrated by the pagans long before
Yeshua / Jesus Christ was even born.
* Halloween was celebrated by the Romans.
* Encyclopedia Britannica continues, "On the Druidic
ceremonies were grafted some of the characteristics of
the Roman festival in honor of Pomona held about
November 1, in which nuts and apples, representing the
winter store of fruits, played an important part."
* Halloween's pagan customs are widespread around
the world to celebrate this season.
* The Book of Halloween by Ruth Kelley writes,
"The pagan Druid priests taught the immortality of the
soul, that it passed from one body to another at death ...
They believed that on the last night of the old year
(October 31) the lord of death gathered together the
souls of all those who had died in the passing year and
had been condemned to live in the bodies of animals,
to decree what forms they should inhabit for the next
twelve months. He could be coaxed to give lighter sentence
by gifts and prayers. "
* Halloween Through Twenty Centuries page 5 writes,
"On the New Year, their sins being expiated, they were
released to go to the Druid Heaven."
* Wheel of the Year, picture found here
illustrates Pagan festivals such as Samhain (Halloween),
Yule (Saturnalia - Christmas), Imbolc, Ostara
(Ishtar - Easter) Beltane, Litha, Lammas, Mabon, which
some of their customs have been grafted into Christianity.
* Halloween / Samhain promoted the 'Doctrine of
Immortality of the Soul" that the dead are not really dead.
* almost all heathen countries had festivals or days set
aside to honor the dead.
* These festivals originated from the death of Nimrod,
(Genesis 10:8-10) whom Semiramis said had resurrected
from the dead when an evergreen tree grew out of a
dead tree stump which is the origins of the Christmas
tree associating Yule (Saturnalia - Christmas) to Samhain
(Halloween).
* The meaning of the word "Halloween" - Allhallows or
Hallowmas, or All Saints Day which is one of the festivals
of the Catholic Church says Lintons Halloween Through
Twenty Centuries, page 3.
* Samhain / Halloween was the evening celebration
commencing at sunset, in anticipation of November 1,
honoring the Lord of the Dead.
* Who is Lord of the Dead?
* Yeshua / Jesus Christ states in Matthew 22:31-32
"But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye
not read that which was spoken to you by God, saying,
I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the
God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living"
* God is not God of the dead but in reality and in
righteousness, Yeshua / Jesus Christ is Lord of the dead.
* the dead do not serve God (Psalm 6:5, 115:17), the
soul that sins dies (Ezekiel 18:4), the dead know nothing
(Ecclesiastes 9:5), the dead's thoughts perish
(Psalm 146:4), only God has immortality
(1 Timothy 1:17, 6:15-16), and only God can destroy a
persons soul (Matthew 10:28)
* to consult the dead is an abomination.
(Leviticus 19:31, Deuteronomy 18:9-12) and is part of the
abominations of the nations. (Deuteronomy 18:9,
1 Kings 14:24, Ezekiel 6:9)
* How is Yeshua / Jesus Christ Lord of the dead? He
defeated death as atonement for our sins but also to become
Lord of the dead (Romans 14:9)
* Yeshua / Jesus Christ through his resurrection obtained the
keys to
Hades or state of the dead. (Revelation 1:18)
* Who did Yeshua / Jesus take the authority of "Lord of the
Dead" from? Satan / Lucifer ofcourse. (Hebrews 2:14)
* What is Yeshua's / Jesus Christ's function as Lord of the
Living and the Dead?
* on the last day to change the righteous from mortal to
immortal (1 Corinthians 15:51-58, 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18),
to resurrect the righteous to eternal life (John 3:16) and the
unrighteous to resurrection of condemnation
(John 6:39, 40, 44, 54, 11:24-26, 12:48, 5:28-30)
* Paganism make the "Lord of the Dead" other than
Yeshua / Jesus Christ but give authority to deities such
as Samhain, Baal, Nimrod, Hercules, Tammuz, Adonis,
Achilles, Orion, Belial, Mithra, Horus, Osiris, Thor, Yule,
Cronos, Kronus, Saturn, Odin, Bacchus, Dionysus, Molech,
Deonius, Jupiter, Man the Branch, Wodan, Attes, Attis,
and many others depending which variation of paganism
the name derives from.
* Paganism really is worshiping Satan / Lucifer as
"Lord of the Dead" , as Satan deceives the whole world
(Revelation 12:9) and Satan / Lucifer is the Prince the power
of the air (Eph 2:2) and god of this world (2 Cor 4:4).
* Giving these deities the authority of "Lord of the Dead"
rather than Yeshua / Jesus Christ is glorifying Satan / Lucifer
and is a form of Idolatry.
* In my opinion Halloween is Satanic.
* people today are deceived into believing that Halloween
is harmless fun, but infact are honoring Satan on this day.
* most people know deep in their soul that Halloween is
Occult, sinful, and honors Satan / Lucifer
* Apostle Paul states that this kind of worship is worshiping
demons (Galatians 4:8)
* Halloween is not a righteous form of worship to worship
God
* The True God demands that worshipers worship him in Spirit
and in Truth. (John 4:23-24)
* What is the origins of All Saints Day?
* November 1st, derived from the pagans is celebrated by in
hundreds of Churches to honor the dead Saints
* Pope Urban IV states All Saints day is "to honor all the
saints, known and unknown, and to supply any deficiencies in the
faithful's celebration of saints' feasts during the year" according
to Reference Catholic Encyclopedia
* How did Christianity come to venerating saints come to be
observed on the day in honor of the devil?
* The Catholic Encyclopedia continues, "... The Church, feeling
that every martyr should be venerated, appointed a common
day for all."
* The Catholic Encyclopedia continues, "Gregory III (731-741)
consecrated a chapel in the basilica of St. Peter to all saints and
fixed the anniversary on November 1 ... Gregory IV (827-844)
extended the celebration on 1 November to the entire church.
The vigil (Halloween) seems to have been held as early as the
feast itself."
* From Halloween Through Twenty Centuries Ralph Linton says,
"All Saints' Day was introduced into the church calender because
the year was not long enough to make it possible to dedicate a
special day for each spirit of the Catholic Church, ... That the day
chosen was one already associated in the popular mind with a
thronging of spirits of the dead which was quite in line with
church policy of incorporating harmless pagan folk ideas. "
* Protestant Churches observe All Saints' Day "since it was on
this day in 1517, that Martin Luther posted his epoch-making
ninety-five theses on the door of the castle church at Wittenberg,
... He chose Halloween night because he knew that the
townsfolk ... would be coming to the church that night."
(Halloween pp 9-10)
* What is the origins of "Trick or Treat?"
* Where did the prank of children knocking on peoples doors
and shouting "Trick or Treat" come from?
* From Halloween Through Twenty Centuries Ralph Linton
says, "... certainly it comes from pagan times. ... led by a man
in a white robe wearing a horse mask. ... which indicated that this
custom was a survival of a Druid rite."
* The horse head was sacred to the Sun God.
* The procession levied a contribution from the farmers in the
perverted name of what probably was an old Druid god. Unless the
procession was treated liberally with gifts, the farmers were tricked
with the threat of a curse that would ruin following years crops.
* The custom of having processions at Halloween were further
derived by wealthy churches during the Middle Ages copying the
ancient Greek and Roman processions parading the relics of
patron saints.
* Poorer churches could not afford to buy relics so they used
caricatures of their patron saints
* Halloween Through Twenty Centuries page 103 states,
"Those who were not playing the parts of the holy ones also wanted
to get into the procession and so dressed up as angels or devils.
The Allhallows procession around the churchyard eventually
became a gay and motley parade."
* the "Trick or Treat" custom simply derived from these former
degenerate absurd customs which came out of paganism, grafting
them into Christianity labeling them with Christian names.

Shalom
Michael Grant

The Pagan Origins of Easter

messianicmdg — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 18:22:01 UT

What does the term Easter itself mean?

It is not a Christian name. It bears its Chaldean
Babylonian origin on its very forehead. The
popular observances that still attend the period
of it's celebration amply confirm the testimony
of history as to it's Babylonian character. The
hot cross buns of Good Friday and the dyed eggs
of Easter Sunday, figured in the Chaldean rites
just as they do now. The "buns" known too by that
identical name, were used in the worship of the
Queen of Heaven, the goddess of Easter. The
prophet Jeremiah takes notice of this kind of
offering when he says:

Jeremiah 7:18 The children gather wood, and the
fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead
their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven,
and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods,
that they may provoke me to anger.

From where comes the eggs?

The classic poets are full of the fable of the
mystic egg of the Babylonians and thus its tale
is told by Hyginus, the Egyptian, the learned
keeper of the Palatine library at Rome, in the
time of Augustus, who was skilled in all the
wisdom of his native country.

"An egg of wondrous size is said to have fallen
from heaven into the river Euphrates, the fishes
rolled it to the bank, where the doves having
settled upon it, and hatched it, out came Venus,
who afterwards was called the "Syrian Goddess"
-- that is, Astarte. Hence the egg became one of
the symbols of Astarte or Easter.

From where comes the "Easter Bunny"?

That a rabbit, or more accurately a hare, became
a holiday symbol can be traced to the origin of
the word "Easter". According to the Venerable
Bede, the English historian who lived from 672
to 735, "the goddess Eastre" was worshipped by the
Anglo-Saxons through her earthly symbol, the
hare." - Panati's Extraordinary Origins of
Everyday Things pg 55

Easter is another example of a Christianized
pagan festival. For hundreds of years before the
Messiah was crucified the pagans had a festival
which basically celebrated the "Queen of Heaven."
This spring equinox festival was known by
different names in different cultures (Eastre /
Ishtar / Astarte), but the same traditions
associated with it are pagan customs. YHWH (God)
commands us not to worship Him with pagan customs.

Deut. 12:30-31 says, "enquire not after their
gods, saying, How did these nations serve their
gods? even so will I do likewise."

You can choose the broad way (the way the world
/ crowd goes) that leadeth to destruction ...
(Matt 7:13) The pagan bunny fertility symbol -
Ishtar / Eostre to Easter - spring fertility
goddess worship rites. Or you can choose the
narrow way (of truth that few people find), which
leads to life eternal (Matt. 7:14)
- Leviticus 23 eternal feast days and Sabbaths
Obey Elohim's (God's) eternal holy days (Lev. 23)
for all Israel (including grafted in believers in
Yeshua / Jesus) (Rom. 3:31; 11:17, Eph. 2:12-13)
Check a good encyclopedia on Easter / Eastre /
Ishtar.

Shalom
Michael Grant

Ofra Haza - Yerushalaim Shel Zahav

messianicmdg — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 19:49:11 UT

Ofra Haza - Yerushalaim Shel Zahav
- Jerusalem of Gold

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8Co7IzOyhw

Shalom
Michael Grant

Messianic Dance - Baruch Adonai

messianicmdg — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:03:40 UT

Messianic Dance - Baruch Adonai

- Messianic dance Baruch Adonai by InnerCourtDancers. Song by Joel Chernoff.
Choregrapher Dawnita Carlson - Beth Messiah Congregation - Denver Colorado USA.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU7bwGDZdEA

Shalom
Michael Grant

Mass Prayer at the Western Wall

messianicmdg — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:55:28 UT

Mass Prayer at the Western Wall

- Mass Gathering at the Western Wall, Jerusalem. United Prayer
as a deep way to express sympathy and compassion with our
brothers living in the sealed and beleaguered Gush.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3jRq-r-L8c

Shalom
Michael Grant

Mass Prayer at the Western Wall, Part 2

messianicmdg — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:48:17 UT

Mass Prayer at the Western Wall, Part 2

- Unified and deep emotional prayers - this is what our world needs.
In the background one may hear one of the better known or even
"most famous Jewish Anthems": "I believe - Ani ma'amin". The
present melody was composed by a jewish fellow, who was
murdered during the Holocaust, while being captured in a (railway)
waggon. The notes he left us could be preserved...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbCvrTy7HbI

Shalom
Michael Grant

Messianic Dance - Ani Ma'amin

messianicmdg — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 06:33:52 UT

Messianic Dance - Ani Ma'amin

- InnerCourtDancers Messianic Dance Team, Ani Ma'amin By David Taylor,
Ahovah album. Choregrapher Dawnita Carlson - Beth Messiah Congregation http://www.innercourtdancers.vze.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_K03YNWjNY

Shalom
Michael Grant

Chaiyalim Adonai dances at Shavout

messianicmdg — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 05:36:00 UT

Chaiyalim Adonai dances at Shavout

- Adat's teens (Chaiyalim Adonai) dance preformance to Sos Asis
by Barry & Batya Segal during Shavout.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHpo-se8-uQ

Shalom
Michael Grant

On Your Walls O Jerusalem

messianicmdg — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 05:22:22 UT

On Your Walls O Jerusalem

- Song by Barry and Batya Segal - Isaiah 62:6-7, 10-11 "I have set watchmen
on your walls, O Jerusalem; they shall never hold their peace day or night.
You who make mention of the Lord, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest
till He establishes and till He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY3yisnyjz4

Shalom
Michael Grant

Carol Cantrell sings Shalom Aleichem in Jerusalem

messianicmdg — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 04:52:25 UT

Inspiring clips of the people of Israel as Carol Cantrell sings
the ancient Hebrew prayer invocation Shalom Aleichem.
Photos by my husband Ron Cantrell.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfdUG5ht4Xk

Shalom
Michael Grant

Kadosh - Ronny Daud Simeon

messianicmdg — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 03:04:57 UT

Kadosh - Ronny Daud Simeon

- Konser Sukacita Kemenangan
Bali Blessing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ET6aNi0KiOg

Shalom
Michael Grant

Sacred Names - What are acceptible uses of the Divine Name?

messianicmdg — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 02:28:31 UT

Sacred Names - What are acceptible uses of the Divine Name?
YHWH? Yahway? Yahweh? Yahuah? God? Adonai? Yeshua?
Yahshua? Yahushua? Jesus? Which?

Comprehensive Audio on the topic can be found here
http://ruthsheart.ning.com/profiles/blogs/sacred-names-what-are

Shalom
Michael Grant

Jew and Gentile

messianicmdg — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:33:28 UT

Jew and Gentile - Song by Joel Chernoff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZpIX8Sv9L4

Shalom
Michael Grant

Shabbat Shalom

messianicmdg — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:11:48 UT

Shabbat Shalom

- It's the seventh day...the day of rest!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmRoQ6BeGao

Shalom
Michael Grant

"Kadosh" Holy Unto You

messianicmdg — Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:01:15 UT

"Kadosh" Holy Unto You - Song by Joel Chernoff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xu_iQD_8SeM

Shalom
Michael Grant

Valentine's Day and The god of Love

messianicmdg — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:42:41 UT

This video exposes the pagan pederastic roots of St. Valentine's Day.
Originally, cupid and his mother were the Madonna and child of
ancient Babylon. He is always represented as a naked little boy with
wings. Cupid is Latin for Eros the god of Love from ancient Greece,
and Amor the Roman god of love, son of Venus and either Mercury
or Mars. This day is dedicated to the fertility worship of ancient Greece,
Rome and Babylon, but has nothing to do with God's Word.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SeIhUR-XA0

Shalom
Michael Grant

Pagan Roots of Valentine's Day

messianicmdg — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:35:51 UT

Where did St. Valentines day come from?

You might suppose that school teachers and
educators would know. But do they? How many of you
were taught the real origin of Valentines Day? Why
should you observe the custom of exchanging
valentines? The silence of educators!!! Teachers
are all too often silent about the origin of the
customs, they are forced to teach in today's
schools! If they were to speak out, many would
lose their jobs!

Isn't it time we examined why we encourage our
children to celebrate St. Valentines Day -- when it
is never so much as mentioned in the Holy Bible as
a practice of the New Testament Congregation?
Today, candy makers unload tons of heart-shaped red
boxes for February 14, while millions of the younger
set are annually exchanging valentines Florists
consider February 14, -- St. Valentines Day -- as
one of their best business days. And young lovers
pair off -- at least for a dance or two -- at St.
Valentines balls.

Why? Where did these customs originate? Where do
we find any such practices in the Holy Bible? How
did we come to inherit these customs? Did you know
that century before Christ, the pagan Romans
celebrated February 15 and the evening of February
14 as an idolatrous and sensuous festival in Honor
of Lupercus, the "Hunter of Wolves"? The Romans
called the festival the "Lupercalia". The custom
of exchanging valentines and all other traditions
in Honor of Lupercus (the deified hero-hunter of
Rome) was also linked anciently with the pagan
practice of teenagers "going steady". It usually
led to fornication.

Today, the custom of "going steady" is thought to
be very modern. It is not. It is merely a rebirth of
an old custom handed down from the Roman festival
of the Lupercalia, celebrated in the month of
February, when names of young women were put into
a box and drawn out by men as chance directed.
When Constantine made Christianity the official
religion of the Roman Empire there was some talk
in church circles of discarding this pagan
free-for-all.

But the Roman citizens wouldn't hear of it! So it
was agreed that the holiday would continue as it
was except for the more grossly sensual observances.
It was not until the reign of Pope Gelasius that
the holiday became a "Christian custom". As far
back as 496 Pope Gelasius changed Lupercalia on
February 15 to St. Valentines Day on February 14.

But how did this pagan festival acquire the name
of St. Valentines Day? And why is the little naked
Cupid of the pagan Romans so often associated today
with February 14? And why do little children and
young people still cut out hearts and send them on
a day in Honor of Lupercus the hunter of wolves?
Why have we supposed these pagan customs in Honor
of a false god are Christian? Who was the Original
St. Valentine?

Valentine was a common Roman name. Roman parents
often gave the name to their children in Honor of
the famous man who was first called Valentine in
antiquity. That famous man was Lupercus, the
Hunter. But who was Lupercus? -- and why should he
have also born the name Valentine among the heathen
Romans? The Greeks called Lupercus by the name of
"Pan". the Semites called Pan "Baal," according to
the "Classical Dictionaries".

Baal -- mentioned so often in the Bible -- was
merely another name for Nimrod, "the mighty Hunter"
(Genesis 10:9). The hunter Nimrod was the Lupercus
-- or Wolf Hunter -- of the Romans. And St.
Valentines Day was originally a day set aside by the
pagans in his Honor! But why should Nimrod have been
called "Valentine" by the Romans? And why should the
celebration of this day have been anciently limited
to the city of Rome before Pope Gelasius' time? What
part did the site of ancient Rome play in the life
of Nimrod?

Valentine comes from the Latin word "Valentinus", a
proper name derived from the word "valens", meaning
"to be strong," declares "Webster's Unabridged
Dictionary". It means literally "strong, powerful,
mighty." Any connection with Nimrod? We read in the
Bible that Nimrod was the "Mighty Hunter"
(Genesis 10:9). It was a common proverb of ancient
time that Nimrod was "the Mighty Hunter before the
Lord." Nimrod was their hero -- Their Strong Man --
Their Valentine!

How plain that the original Valentine was Nimrod,
the mighty hunter of wolves. Yet another of Nimrod's
names was "Sanctus" or "Santa", meaning "Saint". It
was a common title of any hero-god. No wonder that
the Roman Lupercalia is called "Saint Valentines Day"!
But why do we associate hearts on a day on Honor of
Nimrod -- the Baal of the Phoenicians and Semites?
The surprising answer is that the pagan Romans
acquired the symbol of the heart from the Babylonians.
In the Babylonian tongue the word for "heart" was
"bal". The heart --- "bal" was merely a symbol of
Nimrod -- the "Baal" or Lord of the Babylonians!"

Nimrod -- the original St. Valentine -- was also known
as Saturn, the Roman-Babylonian god Hid from his
pursuers in a secret place. The Latin word Saturn is
derived from the Semitic-speaking Babylonians. It
means "be hid", "hide self", "secret", "conceal". The
original Semitic (Hebrew) word, from which the Latin
Saturn is derived, is used used 83 times in the Old
Testament.

According to ancient tradition, Saturn (Nimrod) fled
from his pursuers to Italy. The Apennine Mountains of
Italy were anciently named the mountains of Nembrod
or Nimrod. Nimrod briefly hid out at the site where
Rome was later built. The ancient name of Rome, before
it was rebuilt in 753 B.C., was Saturnai -- the site
of Saturn's (Nimrod's) hiding. There he was found and
slain for his crimes.

Later, professing Christians in Constantine's day made
Nimrod -- the St. Valentine of the heathen -- a Saint
of the Church and continued to Honor him under the name
of a Christian martyr. Why February 14Th? But why
should the Romans have chosen February 15 and the
evening of February 14 to Honor Lupercus -- the Nimrod
of the Bible? (Remember that days in ancient times began
at sunset the evening before.)

Nimrod -- the Baal or sun god of the ancient pagans --
was said to have been born at the winter solstice. In
ancient times the solstice occurred on January 6 and his
birthday therefore was celebrated on January 6. Later,
as the solstice changed, it was celebrated on December
25 and is now called Christmas. It was the custom of
antiquity for the mother of a male child to present
herself for purification on the fortieth day after the
day of birth.

The fortieth day after January 6 -- Nimrod's original
birth date -- takes us to February 15, the celebration of
which began on the evening of February 14 -- the
Lupercalia or St. Valentines Day. On this day in
February, Semiramis, the mother of Nimrod, was said to
have been purified and to have appeared for the first
time in public with her son as the original "Mother and
Child". The Roman month February, in fact, derives its
name from "februa" which the Roman priests used in the
rites celebrated on St. Valentines Day.

The "febua" were thongs from the skins of sacrificial
animals used in rites of purification on the evening of
February 14. Cupid makes his appearance. Another name for
the child Nimrod was "Cupid" -- meaning "Desire". It is
said that when Nimrod's mother saw him, she lusted after
him -- she desired him. Nimrod became her Cupid -- her
desired one -- and later her Valentine! So evil was
Nimrod's mother that it is said she married her own son!

Inscribed on the monuments of ancient Egypt are
inscriptions that Nimrod (the Egyptians called him
Osiris) was "the husband of his mother." As Nimrod grew
up, he became the child-hero of many women who desired
him. He was their Cupid! In the book of Daniel he is
called the "Desire of woman" (Daniel 11:37). He provoked
so many women to Jealousy that an idol of him was often
called the "image of jealousy" (Ezekiel 8:5).

Nimrod, the hunter, was also their Valentine -- their
strong or mighty hero! No wonder the pagans commemorated
their hero-hunter Nimrod, or Baal, by sending heartshapped
love tokens to one another on the evening of February 14
as a symbol of him. Nimrod, the mulatto son of Cush the
Ethiopian, was later a source of embarrassment to the
pagans of Europe. They didn't want an African to worship.
Consequently, they substituted a supposed son of Nimrod,
a white child named Horus, born after the death of Nimrod.
This white child then became the "fair Cupid" of European
tradition.

It is about time we examined these foolish customs of the
pagans now falsely labeled Christian. It is about time we
quit this Roman and Babylonian foolishness -- this Idolatry
-- and get back to the faith of Yeshua /Jesus that he
delivered once for all time. Let's stop teaching our
children these pagan customs in memory of Baal the sun god
-- the original St. Valentine -- and teach them instead
what the Bible really says!

Shalom
Michael Grant

Pagan Roots of New Years

messianicmdg — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 12:07:16 UT

Isn't the beginning of spring a logical time to
start a new year? After all, it is the season
of rebirth, of planting new crops, and of
blossoming. January 1st, on the other hand, has
no astronomical or agricultural significance.
It is purely arbitrary. The celebration of the
new year is one of the oldest of all worldly
holidays.

It was first observed in ancient Babylon about
4000 years ago. The Babylonian New Year began
with the first new moon after the Vernal
Equinox (first day of Spring). The Romans
continued to observe the New Year in late March
but their calendar was continually tampered with
by various emperors so that it soon became out
of sync with the sun. In order to set the
calendar right, the Roman senate, in 153 BC
declared January 1st to be the beginning of
the New Year.

In 46 BC, Julius Caesar established January 1st
as the New Year after the god Janus (January).
Janus was the Roman god of doors and gates, and
had two faces, one looking forward and one back.
Caesar celebrated his first declared New Year
by ording the violent routing of revolutionary
Jewish forces in Galilee. Eye witnessess say
blood flowed in the streets.

In later years, Roman pagans observed the new
year by engaging in drunken orgies. The early
Catholic Church condemned New Years festivities
as pagan. But as Christianity became more
widespread, the early church began having its
own religious observances concurrently with
many of the pagan celebrations, and new years
day was no different.

The tradition of using a baby to signify the
new year began in Greece around 600 BC. It was
their tradition at that time to celebrate their
god of wine, Dionysus, by parading a baby in a
basket, representing the annual rebirth of that
god as the spirit of fertility. Early Egyptians
also used a baby as a symbol of rebirth.

Other traditions of the season include the
making of new year resolutions. That tradition
also dates back to the early Babylonians. The
early Babylonians' most popular resolution was
to return borrowed farm equipment.

Should we celebrate new year? Should we
participate in a festivity that has its roots
in paganism? False worship is unclean and
detestable in the eyes of YHWH / God, and we
should reject practices that have such origins.

"When you come into the land which the Adonai
(Lord) your Elohim (God) is giving you, you
shall not learn to follow the abominations of
those nations." Deuteronomy 18:9

The Apostle Paul wrote: "Do not be unequally
yoked together with unbelievers, For what
fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?
And What communion has light with darkness?"
2 Corinthians 6:14

"'Therefore, come out from amoung them and be
separate,' says the Adonai (Lord) . 'Do not
touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.
I shall be a father to you, and you will be
sons and daughters to me.'" 2 Corinthians 6:17-18

Indeed, YHWH (God) promises eternal blessings and
prosperity to those who are loyal to him.

"For the Adonai (Lord) loves justice, And does not
forsake His saints; The are preserved forever,
but the descendants of the wicked shall be cut
off." Psalms 37:28

Shalom
Michael Grant

Video: Christmas unWrapped- The History of Christmas [1-5]

messianicmdg — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:33:25 UT

this is a 5 part video on the origins and history of Christmas

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5T5ibb2E9I

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qAZDGKSveD8

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ3BvK1R6hI

Part 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvopeBfS89w

Part 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqjQpu3cctk

Shalom
Mike

Heathen Origins of Christmas

messianicmdg — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 07:38:51 UT

Heathen Origins of Christmas

I am going through all my booklets I have on the topic
so you can read my resources. If you want to write
an article or book on the topic please feel free to use
as you like.

Rough Notes -PAPC

- we acknowledge the details of Yeshua's (Jesus')
birth Luke 2:10, 11
-strangely no one knows the exact date of Yeshua's
(Jesus') birth - was it December 25th?
- is this birth date, December 25th taught in Bible?
- Christmas is not taught in the Bible nor even
celebrated by the Apostles nor the first century
Congregation
- What is the origin of Christmas and the December
25th date?
- What is the origin of the Christmas Tree, lights
decorations, and Santa Claus?
- Where did these traditions come from?
- Who authorized them and for what reason?
- New Standard Encyclopedia Volume 4 Article
"Christmas" (Chicago, Illinois: Standard Education
Corporation, 1989), C-320 writes, "Christians began
to celebrate Christmas about 200. But they
observed it on varying dates, because the exact date
of Christ's birth was unknown. In 354, December 25
was declared to be the birthday of Christ, and in
440 the pope decreed on that date. The Church at
Constantinople, however observed it for years on
January 6, and that date is still used in some Eastern
Orthodox churches." "December 25 comes only a
few days after the winter solstice (about December
22). the shortest day of the year in the Northern
Hemisphere. This season had long been a period of
celebration among the pagans in many parts of the
world because it symbolized the beginning of a
new year in nature. Christmas thus replaced a pagan
holiday with a Christian one, while keeping the same
symbolism - the birthday of Christ corresponds to the
birth of the year. Many of the pagans customs became
part of the Christmas Celebration."
- Earl W Count, 4000 Years of Christmas (New York,
New York: Henry Schuman, 1948, 18 writes,
"Mesopotamia is the very ancient Mother of
Civilization. Christmas began there, over 4000 years
ago, as the festival which renewed the world for
another year. The twelve days' of Christmas; the
bright fires and probably the Yule log; the giving of
presents: the carnivals with their floats, their
merrymakings and clownings, the mummers who
sing and play from house to house; the feastings;
the church processions with their lights and songs
- all these and more began there centuries before
Christ was born. And they celebrate the arrival of a
New Year." "For that day [December 25] was sacred,
not only to the pagan Romans but to a religion from
Persia which, in those days, was one of Christianity's
strongest rivals. This Persian religion was Mithraism,
whose followers worshiped the sun, and celebrated
its return to strength on that day. The church finally
succeeded in taking the merriment. the greenery,
the lights, and the gifts from Saturn and giving
them to the babe of Bethlehem." "It happened that
the date [December 25] did fall in the midst of the
Saturnalia. Far from being an invention to compete
against Roman and Persian paganism, the birthday
of Christ ran the danger of being swallowed up in
pagan merrymaking. The [church] Fathers tried
strenuously to keep Christmas strictly a church
celebration. It was part of their unremitting struggle
to break the grip of the pagan gods upon the people.
And they broke the grip -- after a battle of centuries.
The pagan Romans became Christians -- but the
Saturnalia remains."
- Here is the origin of the Christmas Tree:
R. Brasch, How did it Begin? (New York, New York:
David McKay Company, Inc., 1966) 332, 333 writes,
"It is a fact that the Christmas tree stems primitive
pagan customs. Its main features, green foliage and
candles, were associated with the winter solstice
when nature seemed dead, and green branches and
trees were used in a magical rite to insure the return
of vegetation and the victory of light over darkness."
New Standard Encyclopedia, Volume 4, C-320 writes,
"Nearly all American customs can be traced to other
countries -- the homeland of the many nationalities
represented in the United States. For instance, the
Christmas tree, usually an evergreen , was first used
in Germany.The mistletoe was sacred to the Druids,
priests of ancient Britain and Gaul. The Norse used
holly and yule log to keep away evil spirits."
- Here is the origin of the gift giving:
New Standard Encyclopedia, Volume 4, C-320 writes,
"Gifts were exchanged during the Roman celebration
of Saturnalia, a feast to the god of Saturn, held
December 17-23. Gift-giving came to symbolized the
gifts brought to the Christ Child by the Three Wise
Men or Magi." Note the wise men gave gifts to
Yeshua (Jesus) not exchange gifts among themselves.
Adam Clarke, Clarke's Commentary, Volume 3 writes,
"the people of the East never approach the presence
of kings and great personages without a present in
their hands."
- Here is the origin of Santa Claus:
originated from 2 Christmas traditions; 1. St Nicholas
2.Kris Kringle
- Saint Nicholas was a fourth century bishop of Myra
which is now in Turkey; Patron Saint of children; the
Dutch call him Sinterklaas
- In Germany reformers replaced Saint Nicholas with
the Christ Child or Kris Kringle and in North America
Kris Kringle became Santa Claus, in England he
became Father Christmas
- Santa Claus legendary figure who brings gifts to
children on Christmas pictured as Joly old elf who
knows if children have been naughty or nice
- Children are taught to write to Santa to tell him what
they want for Christmas or sit on his lap and tell him
their Christmas wishes
- Children are also taught it is Santa who brings the
gifts and that on one night, Christmas eve, Santa
encompasses the whole world to bring gifts to all
children everywhere in the world and that he is in
Sleigh drawn by reindeer whereby he goes from
rooftop to rooftop and even comes down every
ones chimney. Santa is a rival to Jesus in the
Christmas celebration, Children are taught to pay
attention to Santa Rather than Jesus
- Is Yeshua (Jesus) honored by all this myth and
deception?
- Was the real Yeshua (Jesus) part of Christmas in the
first place or is the Christmas Jesus a different
Jesus? Read this: 2 Corinthians 11:1 Would to God
ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed
bear with me. 2 For I am jealous over you with godly
jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband,
that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent
beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds
should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in
Christ. 4 For if he that cometh preacheth another
Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive
another spirit, which ye have not received, or another
gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well
bear with him.
- Santa is made to be a god knowing who's been
naughty or nice, actually knowing all our actions all
year long
- Santa is a Myth and the real Yeshua (Jesus) is not
- Yeshua (Jesus) is the giver of gifts and when he returns
he brings our rewards whether good or bad
Re 22:12 - And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward
is with me, to give every man according as his work
shall be. James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth
temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the
crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them
that love him.
- Mixing religious practices has never been acceptable
to YHWH. John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is,
when the true worshippers shall worship the Father
in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to
worship him. Jeremiah 10:2 Thus saith the LORD,
Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not
dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are
dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the people are
vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work
of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4 They
deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with
nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5 They are
upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must
needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid
of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in
them to do good. 2 Corinthians 6:4 Be ye not unequally
yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship
hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what
communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what
concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he
that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement
hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple
of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them,
and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall
be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among
them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch
not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And
will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. R. Brasch, How
Did it Begin, 324 writes, "It is interesting... to see how
the genius of the human mind has been able, through
the centuries to give them [heathen customs] a
different and sacred meaning" Ezekiel 23:29 And they
shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all
thy labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare: and
the nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be discovered,
both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms. 30 I will do
these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a
whoring after the heathen, and because thou art
polluted with their idols. 2 Corinthians 7:1 Having
therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us
cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and
spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
- Yeshua (Jesus) was never part of Christmas so we
cant put him back into something he was never in.
M. A. Smith, From Christ to Constantine (Dowers
Grove, Illinois: Inter-Varsity Press, 1971) 150, 151
writes, "Christmas was generally celebrated in the
West only after the triumph of Constantine, when
the time of Christ's birth was reckoned with the
day of the Unconquered Sun on December 25." The
New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious
Knowledge, Volume 3, (Grand Rapids, Michigan:
Baker Book House, 1908), 48 writes, "The pagan
Saturnalia and Brumalia were too deeply entrenched
in popular custom to be set aside by Christian
influence ... The pagan festival with its riot and
merrymaking was so popular that Christians were
glad of an excuse to continue its celebration with
little change in spirit and in manner."

Shalom
Mike

Video: The Truth Behind Christmas part 1, 2 & 3

messianicmdg — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 07:36:44 UT

Christmas Unpackaged. This vid explores the pagan holiday where Christmas gets most of it's traditions

Part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2JXDSl_z5U

Part 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8xzrb-O3sU

Part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wz9uFnBCGCI

Shalom
Michael Grant

Video: The pagan origins of... Christmas

messianicmdg — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 07:31:29 UT

who was really born on December 25th?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIogQSUCTnk

Shalom
Michael Grant

Pagan Roots of Christmas Resources

messianicmdg — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 18:52:49 UT

Pagan Roots of Christmas Resources

I am going through all my booklets I have on the topic
so you can read my resources. If you want to write
an article or book on the topic please feel free to use
as you like.

Rough Notes -PTAC

- who was born on December 25th?
- did the Apostles or the first century Congregation celebrate
Christmas?
- what does the Bible say about Christmas trees?
- few people know where Christmas customs come from?
- people are just born with these customs already existing and
don't ever question them.
- Most people assume that these customs to be chief
observances of the true Congregation of YHWH
- Assume that these customs were celebrated by the first
century Congregation and the foundation of the true faith.
- Assume Yeshua (Jesus) was born on December 25th
- assume we exchange gifts because the wise men presented
gifts to child Yeshua (Jesus)
- Christmas means "Mass of Christ" which came to us from the
Catholic Church
- Catholic Church got the customs of Christmas from the Heathen
celebration Sol the Sun God
- these customs came from Baalism which the Bible condemns
as the most abominable of all idolatrous worship
- Christmas is never observed by the Apostles nor the first
century Congregation
- it is one of the fables that Apostle Paul talked about in 2 Tim 4:4
that would deceive the world in the latter days
- Christmas is of Pagan Babylonish origin
- Yeshua (Jesus) not born on December 25th not even in the
winter
- "there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the fields,
keeping watch over their flock by night" Luke 2:8
- Shepherds could not be abiding in the fields nor could their flock
be in the field in December in Palestine
- the flocks would not be in fields in winter but no later than
October 15th would be corralled and brought out of the cold rainy
season and put in stalls
- scriptural proof winter was a rainy season not allowing shepherds
to abide in the fields: Song of Solomon 2:11, Ezra 10:9, 13
- It was an ancient custom among Jews of the day to send out their
sheep to the fields and deserts about the Passover (early-spring),
and bring them home at commencement of the first rain, says the
Adam Clarke Commentary Vol 5., page 386
- this authority also states, "during the time they were out, the
shepherds watched them night and day, As ... the first rain began
early in the month of Marchesvan, which answers to part of our
October and November [begins mid October], we find that the sheep
were kept out in the open country during the whole summer. And, as
these shepherds had not yet brought home their flocks , it is
presumptive argument that October had not yet commenced, and
that, consequently, Our Lord, was not born on the 25th of December,
when no flocks were in the fields; nor could He have been born later
than September, as the flocks were still in the fields by night. On this
very ground, the nativity in December should be given up. The
feeding of the flocks by night in the fields is a chronological fact."
- see quotations from the Talmudist in Lightfoot
- Catholic Encyclopedia states Yeshua (Jesus) was not born on
December 25th
- Yeshua's (Jesus') date of birth is unknown
- Scriptures indicate mostlikelyhood Yeshua (Jesus) was born in early
fall probably September.
- If YHWH wanted us to observe Yeshua's (Jesus') birthday He would
not so completely hidden the exact date
- not one word in New Testament or Old Testament telling us to
observe Christmas
- The Apostles nor the first century Congregation never observed
Christmas
- no bible authority for its observance
- Catholic Encyclopedia under caption of "Christmas" says "Christmas
was not among the earliest festivals of the Church ... The first evidence
of the feast is from Egypt"
- continued: "Pagan customs centering around the January calends
gravitated to Christmas." "...in the scriptures, sinners alone, not
saints, celebrated their birthday."
- From Encyclopedia Britannica "Christmas (i.e., the Mass of Christ)
Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the church..."
- From Encyclopedia Britannica "Christmas It was, according to many
authorities, not celebrated in the first centuries of the Christian
church, as the Christian usage in general was to celebrate the death
of remarkable persons rather than their birth..." "a feast was
established in memory of this event [Christ's birth] in the fourth
century. In the fifth century the Western Church ordered it to be
celebrated forever on the day of the old Roman feast of the birth
of Sol, as no certain knowledge of the day of Christ's birth existed."
- Roman Church ordered Christmas observance in fifth century
- Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia states in article on Christmas,
"How much the date of the festival depended upon the Pagan
Brumalia (Dec. 25) following the Saturnalia (Dec. 17-24), and
celebrating the shortest day of the year and the "new sun" ...
cannot be accurately determined. The pagan Saturnalia and
Brumalia were too deeply entrenched in popular custom to be set
aside by Christian influence... The pagan festival with its riot and
merrymaking was so popular that Christians were glad of an
excuse to continue its celebration with little change in spirit and
in manner. Christian preachers of the West and the Near East
protested against the unseemly fivolity with which Christ's birthday
was celebrated, while Christians of Mesopotamia accused their
Western brethren of idolatry and sun-worship for adopting as
Christian this pagan festival."
- Constantine made Christianity the state religion of the Roman
Empire in fourth century
- Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia also explains how Constantine
recognized Sunday as the new Christian sabbath which was
formerly Sunday day of Sun Worship and how influence of pagan
Manichaeism which identified the Son of God with the physical
Sun hence calling December 25th birthday of the Son of God
(birthday of the Sun-god)
- no matter what we call Christmas is still the sun-worshipping
festival
- from Encyclopedia Britannica "Certain Latins, as early as 354, may
have transferred the birthday from January 6th to December 25,
which was then a Mithraic feast, ...or birthday of the unconquered
Sun ... The Syrians and Armenians, who clung to January 6th,
accused the Romans of Sun worship and Idolatry, contending that
the feast of December 25th, had been invented by disciples of
Cerinthus..."
- We got Christmas from Roman Catholics, they got it from
paganism, where did it originally come from?
- it is chief custom of corrupt system denounced in Bible prophecies
and teachings under the name of Babylon which derived from
Nimrod
- Nimrod, grandson of Ham, son of Noah, real founder of Babylonish
corrupt worship system.
- a system of organized competition, man-ruled governments and
empires, based on competitive and profit-making economic system
- Gen 10:6, 8-12 records the story of Nimrod and the building of the
Tower of Babel, the original Babylon, Nineveh, and many other cities
and created the first world kingdom.
- Nimrod in Hebrew means "He Rebelled"
- Nimrod started the the great organized worldly apostacy from YHWH
which has dominated the world until now sifted through all the ruling
kingdoms
- Nimrod married his own mother named Semiramis.
- After Nimrods death his mother-wife propagated the doctrine of the
survival of Nimrod as a spirit being
- She claimed a full-grown evergreen tree sprang over night from a dead
tree stump which symbolized Nimrod being resurrected from the dead
- on the anniversary of Nimrod's birth Semiramis claimed Nimrod would
visit the evergreen tree and leave gifts upon it.
- December 25th was the birthday of Nimrod
- this is the real origin of the Christmas tree
- through scheming Semiramis became "Queen of Heaven" and Nimrod
under various names became the "divine son of Heaven"
- as generations went by Nimrod became the false Messiah the son of
Baal the Sun-god
- this false babylonish system - Mother and Child - Semiramis and
Nimrod reborn became chief objects of worship
- The "Mother and Child" false babylonish system spread throughout the
world under different names
- in Egypt - Iris and Osiris - in Asia - Cybele and Deoius - in Rome - Fortuna
and Jupiterpuer - in Greece, China, Japan, Tibet are found counterparts
of the original Madonna (Mother and child false babylonish system
- Rome was pagan before Christianity so the Roman pagans during the
fourth and fifth centuries were converting to Christianity by the hundreds
of thousands because they could observe their old pagan customs in
Christianity as Christianity adopted them changing their names to
Christian sounding names.
- it was the habit of Christianity to overtake and rename certain forms of
paganism and assimilate it into Christianity
- we just never questioned whether these customs came from the Bible
or from pagan idolatry
- this babylonish pagan idolatrous worship system Satan has used for
centuries to deceive the world
- in Egypt was always believed the son of Iris (Queen of Heaven) was
born on December 25th and paganism celebrated this famous birthday
over most of the known world for centuries before the birth of Yeshua
(Jesus)
- The Apostles did not celebrate this famous birthday, Yeshua (Jesus)
was not born on December 25th, there is no command in the Bible to
celebrate it, and the celebrating of birthdays is Heathen custom
- no where in the Bible does it command us to worship Mother and Child,
the Apostles did not worship this Mother and Child
- Sure Miriam (Mary) is written in the scriptures Luke 1:28, 42, 48 but no
where is it commanded that we worship Miriam (Mary)
- No where in Scripture is Miriam (Mary) commanded to be worshipped,
deified, made a divine being.
- erroneous doctrines about Miriam includes worshipping her as
Mother of God, doctrine of Immaculate conception, her as an
intercessor between God and Man,
- the deified Miriam (Mary) originated from Semiramis the Queen of
Heaven the wife/mother of Nimrod
- this Chaldean Mystery founded by wife of Nimrod was handed down to
Christianity renamed Christmas
- how did we get Holly Wreath, Mistletoe, and Yule Log - was used at
festival of Winter Solstice because was considered sacred to the Sun
because of its miraculous healing power
- kissing under the mistletoe was an early step in the night of revelry and
drunken debauchery
- celebrating the death of the old sun and the birth of the new sun at
the Winter Solstice
- Mistletoe, sacred in pagan festivals is a parasite
- Holly berries were also sacred to the Sun-god
- The Yule log is Sun log - Yule means wheel and is a pagan symbol for
the Sun this is the origin of the so called sacred Yuletide season
- The Americanna writes, "The holly, the mistletoe, the Yule log ... are
relics of pre-Christian times"
- Paganism the book, Answers to Questions by Frederick J Haskins
writes, "The use of Christmas wreaths is believed by authorities to
be traceable to the pagan customs of decorating buildings and places
of worship at the feast which took place at the same time as
Christmas. The Christmas Tree is from Egypt and its origin dates
from a period long anterior to the Christmas era."
- What about Santa Claus? - the name Santa Claus is a corruption of
the name St Nicholas, a Roman Catholic bishop from 5th century
- Encyclopedia Britannica Vol 19 11th edition pages 648-9 writes,
"St Nicholas, bishop of Myra ... a saint honored by the Greeks and
Latins on the sixth of December ... A legend of his surreptitious
bestowal of dowries on the three daughters of an impoverished citizen
... is said to have originated the old custom of giving presents in secret
of the eve of St Nicholas [Dec 6] subsequently transferred to
Christmas day. Hence the association of Christmas with
Santa Claus..."
- throughout the year parents punish their kids for telling falsehoods
but at Christmas they themselves tell their children the Santa Claus
lie
- Is it Biblical to teach your children Myths and Falsehoods?
- may seem right to man but here is what Bible says:
Pr 14:12 - There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the
way of death. Pr 16:25 - There is a way that seems right to a man, But
its end is the way of death.
- Old Nick is a term for the devil and Satan appears as an angel of light
so says scripture - 2Co 11:14 - And no marvel; for Satan himself is
transformed into an angel of light.
- What the Bible says about the Christmas Tree -
Jeremiah 10:1 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you,
O house of Israel: 2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the
heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen
are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the people are vain:
for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the
workman, with the axe. 4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they
fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5 They are
upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne,
because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil,
neither also is it in them to do good. 6 Forasmuch as there is none
like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in
might.
- We are told not to learn the way of the Heathen and this scripture
describes what YHWH views as Idolatry
- is exchanging gifts Biblical? - Christmas Shopping Season -
Bibliotheca Sacra, Vol 12 pages 153-155 writes, "The Interchange of
presents between friends is alike characteristic of Christmas and the
Saturnalia, and must have been adopted by Christians from the Pagans,
as the admonition of Tertullian plainly shows."
- exchanging gifts does not honor Yeshua's (Jesus') birthday or honor
him. how does exchanging gifts and ignoring the persons who's birthday
it is honor that person?
- People honor a birth date that is not Yeshua's (Jesus') scrape together
every dime they can buying presents to trade back and forth but do
people give gifts to Yeshua and his cause?
- consider this scripture - Matthew 2: 1 Now when Jesus was born in
Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came
wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 2 Saying, Where is he that is born
King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to
worship him. 3 When Herod the king had heard these things, he was
troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And when he had gathered all the
chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them
where Christ should be born. 5 And they said unto him, In Bethlehem
of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, 6 And thou Bethlehem,
in the land of Judah, art not the least among the princes of Judah: for
out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of
them diligently what time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to
Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child;
and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come
and worship him also. 9 When they had heard the king, they departed;
and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it
came and stood over where the young child was. 10 When they saw
the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 11 And when they were
come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother,
and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their
treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense,
and myrrh. - did they present gifts because it was his birthday? They
did not come on his birthday it took many days actually 2 years
(Matthew 2:16) it took the wise men to get there. The wise men
presented gifts to the Yeshua (Jesus) child not baby and did not
exchange gifts amongst themselves.
- Adam Clarke Commentary Vol 5, page 46 writes, "Verse 11, (They
presented unto him gifts). the people of the east never approach the
presence of kings and great personages, without a present in their
hands. The custom is often noticed in the Old Testament, and still
prevails in the east and in some of the newly discovered South Sea
Islands." They were not instituting the custom of exchanging
gifts for Christmas but rather following an old eastern custom to
present gifts to a King.
- Christmas is part of the Idolatrous Babylonish Worship System that
YHWH calls his people out of. Read Revelation 17-18:4
- The Christmas Spirit is created annually to sell Merchandise