Christmas: an Oxymoron

"Therefore, though I might be very bold in Christ to command you what is fitting, yet for love’s sake I rather appeal to you." (Philemon 1:8,9)

We have been told, and believed for hundreds of years, that "Christmas" is a holiday celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's true that the second person of the Godhead took on a human form, and was born--"…became flesh and dwelt among us." However, the second person of the Godhead did not begin His existence at that point, for He existed before the foundations of the world. Amen? Even from eternity. (John 8:56-58; 17:5; Revelation 1:8; 13:8; 17:8) Is it wrong to believe Jesus was born into the world? No. Should we believe it was on December 25^th? No. Should we call it Christmas? No. Should we celebrate it? No.

Please continue to read. Don't just stop there!

There are hundreds of pages of material on the subject of why Christmas is not a Christian holiday. All of these pages pretty much say the same thing. One only need to look in some encyclopedias, or even do a search on the Internet under "Christmas pagan" which turns up a wealth of information. Many say they're open to instruction from God's Word; however, when it comes down to it they just don't care—they just want to have fun and feel good. Many will exclaim that we are stuff shirts, legalistic, scrooges, party crashers, part of a cult, or insensitive. All of these, are of course false, coming from individuals that are closed to God's truth.

"Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: 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." (Jeremiah 10:1,2)

"Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain." (Galatians 4:7-11)

"…my family always had a Christmas tree every year, because it was the popular thing to do. We had ornaments, mistletoe, holly wreaths, presents, and everything else that goes along with the Christmas celebration…people celebrate Christmas today, not because of Christ's birthday, but because it is a popular tradition and part of our present-day culture. It's as American as apple pie and hamburgers. " (Author Unknown)

I concur with the above statement, and found myself in such a place—until God opened my eyes to see this holiday for what it is. Christmas is not a Bible doctrine, nor are we commanded to observe it. We're commanded to keep and remember Jesus' death and resurrection; not His birthday. There are three dominate reasons why we should not celebrate Christmas.

1.  No date for His birth, and not a Biblical doctrine

We know from the Bible, and Church history that the apostles, nor the early Church, ever celebrated Jesus birthday. Christmas is not in God's Word. It's truly sad that a study like this needs to be done, for if it's not mentioned in the Bible that should be enough. We're to be conforming to God's Word to live right; not by our own rules and wishes. God help us when we put aside Bible truth in order to satisfy our own desires and traditions!

"[Ye] hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with [their] lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:7-9)

"And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition." (Mark 7:9)

"There is no historical evidence that our [Savior's] birthday was celebrated during the apostolic or early post-apostolic times." (The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Christmas, p. 47.)

"The day was not one of the early feasts of the Christian church. In fact the observance of birthdays was condemned as a heathen custom repugnant to Christians." (George W. Douglas, The American Book of Days, p. 658)

The early believers realized, observing of birthdays is not a Bible practice. Where birthdays are mentioned in the Scriptures, someone died. The chief baker was hanged during Pharaoh's birthday party in Genesis 40; Job's sons died from a windstorm while birthday partying in Job 1:19, and John the Baptist was beheaded at Herod's birthday celebration in Matthew 14:6-10.

Jesus was NOT born on December 25^th. No one knows the exact date, although many have speculated—the majority try and calculate between 7-1 B.C. The majority agree it was not December 25^th. Really, the date is unimportant; however, what is of significance is that He came into the world to save us. We do not worship an infant; we worship a risen Lord and King!

Matthew says,"now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise…." (Matthew 1:18) Here is a perfect time for Matthew (one that was trained to be very accurate—being a former tax collector) to tell us of a year and date, but there is no such information. "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." (Matthew 2:1) Again, a perfect time to tell us clearly the year and date, and again no such information is given. The gospel of Mark does not give the nativity narrative, but goes right into Jesus' ministry. Luke; however, provides information that is helpful in determining that it was not December 25^th.

"There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife [was] of the daughters of Aaron, and her name [was] Elisabeth." (Luke 1:5)

Notice, "..the course of Abia…" which Zacharias belonged to. According to Scripture, King David divided the number of priests into 24 "courses or divisions." They were to take turns, determined by a "lot," lasting a week—beginning on a Sabbath and ending on a Sabbath. (2 Kings 11:9; 1 Chronicles 24:1; 2 Chronicles 23:8) Abia or Abijah was the eighth course (1 Chronicles 24:10) with the help of the Jewish calendar, that this course of Abia fell on the seventeenth day of the third month, the month Sivan, answering to part of May and part of June, it's worth observing that the portions of the law and the prophets which were read this day in synagogues were very agreeable to that which was doing in the temple. The Sacred year began with the month Abib or Nisan, the eighth course would be the month Sivan eight or nine weeks into the year.

"And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense." (Luke 1:10)

It's indicated here "the whole multitude of the people" seeing this was the month Sivan—the time of Pentecost and the feast of weeks Jerusalem would have swelled with people. (Acts 2:1,6) The month Sivan corresponds to our May-June.

"And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house." (Luke 1:23)

Zacharias departs to his home the day following his administration, this would be a Sabbath, naturally he would not travel. The following day would be the day to return home. We are told he lived in the hill country (Luke 1:39) this would be to the south, possibly Hebron a city of Levites, a distance of about 30 miles. Remember, the priests have their own cities. Keep in mind he was an old man traveling afoot. Allow him a day's rest and the conception of John by Elisabeth would fall in Sivan (late June).

"And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying." (Luke 1:24)

At this time, Sivan (late June), Elisabeth hides herself for five months. Five months from Sivan (late June) would be late Tishri (Sept-Oct) or early Marchesvan (Oct-Nov). A month is added to the five (Luke 1:26) making it Chislev (Nov-Dec). At this time the angel Gabriel appears to Mary.

"And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name [was] Mary." (Luke 1:26,27)

This "sixth month" was not the sixth month on the calendar, but the sixth month of Elisabeth's pregnancy. (Luke 1:36) Mary must have conceived in this same month.

"And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her." (Luke 1:31,35-38)

"And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed [art] thou among women, and blessed [is] the fruit of thy womb." (Luke 1:42)

From those Biblical facts we know Jesus was not born in December. I'm not saying we know the exact month Jesus was born; however, we do know it was not December.  Even if we're off a month or two we can say Jesus was probably born in the spring—Sivan (May-June) or Tammuz (June-July). Again, let me stress it's not the day or the month, but that He came into the world for a reason—to save us! (Isaiah 7:14; 9:6)

"And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house." (Luke 1:56)

Mary would have left to return home before the spring rains. Mary is now three months pregnant.

"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. ([And] this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night." (Luke 2:1-8)

There's some interesting information let's take a look. First, And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. ([And] this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) Caesar Augustus would not have called for such a "taxing" in the winter. Travel would have been terrible due to the conditions, and such a decree would have be very foolish if his intention was to "number" the people for taxation. Jesus Himself testifies to the rigors of travel in the winter (Matthew 24:20).

Second, And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. It's true that Joseph and Mary had to travel to Bethlehem to be taxed certainly they would not have done so if it was winter. Who, even with modern ways to travel, likes to go out in the pouring rain, snow, or cold?

Finally, And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. This is the most glaring point as to why Jesus was not born in the winter. It's a known fact that December falls in the middle of the rainy season in Israel. The sheep were kept in the fold at that time of the year. The shepherds always corralled their flocks from October to April. They brought their sheep from the mountainsides, and the fields, to protect them from the cold rainy season that followed.

"It was an ancient custom among Jews of those days to send out their sheep to fields and deserts about Passover (early spring), and bring them home at commencement of the first rain," says the Adam Clarke Commentary (Vol. 5, pp. 370).

The Talmud mentions that flocks were put out to grass in March and brought in during the beginning of November. During the Jewish month of Heshvan (Oct-Nov) the fall rains hit, and the animals are penned up.

"This proves plainly that the flocks were not yet brought home from their pastures, when the angels visited the shepherds. Some have the idea that there is no winter in Palestine[Israel], but that is a mistake, because sometimes it is very cold there, so that the lives of both men and beasts are in danger of the cold rain and hail storms of the winter." (Horne's Introduction, Vol.II, pp. 23,24.)

"When the weather is mild, the sheep and goats are allowed to be in the enclosure during the night, but if the weather stormy, or the evenings are cold, then the flock is shut up in the interior part of the fold…." (Fred H. Wright, Manners and Customs of Bible Lands, p. 154)

"At the time that the angel announced His birth to the shepherds of Bethlehem, they were feeding their flocks by night in the open fields. Now, no doubt, the climate of Palestine is not so severe as the climate of this country; but even there, though the heat of the day be considerable, the cold of the night, from December to February, is very piercing, and it was not the custom for the shepherds of Judea to watch their flocks in the open fields later than about the end of October. It is in the last degree incredible, then, that the birth of Christ could have taken place at the end of December." (Alexander Hislop, "The Two Babylons," pp. 91,92)

The shepherds abiding in the fields during December? Ezra tells us what it was like.

"Then all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered themselves together unto Jerusalem within three days. It [was] the ninth month,[Chislev—Nov-Dec] on the twentieth [day] of the month; and all the people sat in the street of the house of God, trembling because of [this] matter, and for the great rain." (Ezra 10:9)

Rain! and Joseph and Mary can't find room, because of the multitude of the people that traveled to Bethlehem for taxing in this kind of weather? The shepherds are laying outside under the rain watching their sheep? (This is not plausible)

"Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." (Matthew 1:23)

"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." (Matthew 2:2)

"The "sign" Virgo, in the heavens, is stated to be "…the commencement of all prophecy in Genesis 3:15…" and "Virgo is represented as a woman with a branch in her right hand, and some ears of corn in her left hand. Thus giving a two-fold testimony of the Coming One. The name of this sign in Hebrew is Bethulah which means a virgin…we have first the sign Virgo, where the name points to her as the prominent subject…Virgo contains 110 stars, one of the 1^st magnitude. This "…the brightest star in Virgo, in which the Hebrew word htefe Tsemech is preserved. It is called in Arabic Al Zimach, which means the branch. So that this branch, this Son, is Jehovah Himself [of course meaning Jesus Christ]…the first "constellation in Virgo named Coma meaning the desired or the longed for…pictured as a woman with a child in her arms…it was in all probability the constellation of coma in which the "Star of Bethlehem" appeared. Thomas Hyde (1636-1703) quotes from Abulfaragius (a Christian Historian, 1226-1286) who says that Zerdusht, the Persian, was a pupil of Daniel the Prophet, and that he predicted to the Magians (who were the astronomers of Persia) that when they should see a new star appear it would notify the birth of a mysterious child, whom they were to adore." (E.W. Bullinger, "The Witness of the Stars," pp. 29-37)

I quoted the above to show that the "Star" was visible at Jesus' birth. Astronomers have tried to determine a date this star appeared, but have not seemed to come up with one.

"And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." (Luke 2:7)

We don't know the date Jesus was born. Many speculate, but we must understand that the Bible, nor Church history, give us an exact date. There is no historical evidence that our Lord's birthday was celebrated during the apostolic or early post-apostolic times.

"…when He fled from the persecution set on foot by Herod; and [since] this interpretation of these Scriptures was made prior to our Lord's descent [to earth], and came into being before the Christians appeared--for our Lord was born about the forty-first year of the reign of Augustus." (Irenaeus, Against Heresies, book 3, Chap. XXI, 3)

Tertullian, (born about 160 A.D.) stated that Augustus began to rule 41 years before the birth of Jesus and died 15 years after that event. Augustus' died on August 19, 14 A.D.

From the information supplied we know there was no date of Jesus' birth given to us from Scripture, church history, the stars, or secular. Knowing all that, especially that the Scriptures are silent, it should be enough! We should need no further information to prove that this is a false so-called Christian holiday. However, some puerile individuals need further proofs.

2.  It's Pagan and Heathen

What does the word "Christmas" mean? It's a compound word. First, Christ Christos–the anointed, the Messiah. Hebrew, mashiyach,-- the anointed one, the Messiah. The second word is mas short spelling of Mass, what is a mass? Well, lets let the originators of the term tell us.

" The word for Christmas in late Old English is Cristes Maesse, the Mass of Christ, first found in 1038, and Cristes-messe, in 1131. In Dutch it is Kerst-misse, in Latin Dies Natalis, whence comes the French Noël, and Italian Il natale; in German Weihnachtsfest, from the preceeding sacred vigil."

" The word Mass (missa) first established itself as the general designation for the Eucharistic Sacrifice in the West after the time of Pope Gregory the Great (d. 604), the early Church having used the expression the "breaking of bread" (fractio panis) or "liturgy" (Acts, xiii, 2, leitourgountes)… Of these the most important is that the Church intends the Mass to be regarded as a "true and proper sacrifice", and will not tolerate the idea that the sacrifice is identical with Holy Communion. That is the sense of a clause from the Council of Trent (Sess. XXII, can. 1): "If any one saith that in the Mass a true and proper sacrifice is not offered to God; or, that to be offered is nothing else but that Christ is given us to eat; let him be anathema (Denzinger, "Enchir.", 10th ed. 1908, n. 948)."

"First, we offer the Sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving; next, we plead and represent before the Father the Sacrifice of the Cross . . . and, lastly, we offer the Sacrifice of ourselves to the Creator of all things, which we have already signified by the oblation of His creatures. This whole action, in which the people has necessarily to take part with the priest, we are accustomed to call the communion the 'Eucharistic Sacrifice…on the other hand, in union with the whole Christian past, had in mind in the above-mentioned Bull nothing else than the Eucharistic "Sacrifice of the true Body and Blood of Christ" on the altar."

"The simple fact that numerous heretics, such as Wyclife and Luther, repudiated the Mass as "idolatry",…Furthermore, the unbloody Sacrifice of the Eucharistic Christ is in its nature a transient action, while the Sacrament of the Altar continues as something permanent after the sacrifice, and can even be preserved in monstrance and ciborium." (all four paragraphs are from the Catholic Encyclopedia, copyright © 1913 by the Encyclopedia Press, Inc. Electronic version copyright © 1997 by New Advent, Inc.)

The four paragraphs above have given us, from the original source, the definition of the mass. Notice the Roman Catholic cult admits it's the "…the Mass of Christ." Moreover, they admit it to be "…the general designation for the Eucharistic Sacrifice," and the "…true and proper sacrifice." They boldly and blasphemously contend that it's "…nothing else than the Eucharistic 'Sacrifice of the true Body and Blood of Christ' on the altar."

Did you get that? "…nothing else than the Eucharistic 'Sacrifice of the true Body and Blood of Christ' on the altar." That's blasphemy of the premiere kind! Look at what they define the "Eucharistic sacrifice" to be in the New Catholic Catechism:

1414 As sacrifice, the Eucharist is also offered in reparation for the sins of the living and the dead and to obtain spiritual or temporal benefits from God.

1365 Because it is the memorial of Christ's Passover, the Eucharist is also a sacrifice. ... In the Eucharist Christ gives us the very body which he gave up for us on the cross, the very blood which he "poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

1367 The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: ... "In this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and offered in an unbloody manner."

1376 The Council of Trent summarizes the Catholic faith by declaring "... by the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation."

1413 By the consecration the transubstantion of the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ is brought about. Under the consecrated species of bread and wine Christ himself, living and glorious, is present in a true, real and substantial manner: his Body and his Blood, with his soul and his divinity (cf. Council of Trent: DS 1640; 1651).

1374 ... In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist "the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained."

1375 It is by the conversion of the bread and wine into Christ's body and blood that Christ becomes present in this sacrament. ... The priest, in the role of Christ, pronounces these words, but their power and grace are God's. This is my body, he says. This word transforms the things offered. ... The power of the blessing prevails over that of nature, because by the blessing nature itself is changed.

1370 ... In communion with and commemorating the Blessed Virgin Mary and all the saints, the Church offers the Eucharistic sacrifice.

1418 Because Christ himself is present in the sacrament of the altar he is to be honored with the worship of adoration.

1378 Worship of the Eucharist. In the liturgy of the Mass we express our faith in the real presence of Christ under the species of bread and wine by, among other ways, genuflecting or bowing deeply as a sign of adoration of the Lord. ... reserving the consecrated hosts with the utmost care, exposing them to the solemn veneration of the faithful, and carrying them in procession." (The New Catholic Catechism, English translation, 1994)

Does that make you upset? It should, it should make you disgusted! It should cause you to never want to have anything to do with Christmas or the Roman catholic cult! This is why Christmas is an oxymoron—a word combined with another that is contradictory. Why?

"I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." (John 17:4)

"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." (John 19:30)

"…although the works were finished from the foundation of the world." (Hebrews 4:3)

"Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God." (Romans  6:9,10)

"Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself." (Hebrews 7:25)

"Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption [for us]." (Hebrews 9:12)

"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9:28)

"By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once [for all]." (Hebrews 10:10)

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit." (1 Peter 3:18)

They say, "The simple fact that numerous heretics, such as Wyclife and Luther, repudiated the Mass as idolatry." Amen! They sure did. My friends, it's not us that should be "anathema," but the pagan blasphemous Catholic cult!

How can anyone look at this proof and say Christmas is ok? Every time you say "Merry Christmas" you're saying in effect "happy Christ sacrifice" denying His single, complete, and eternal redemptive work! (Ezekiel 20:39). Christmas is not in the Holy Scriptures, it's not commanded to be observed, it's man made, it's Catholic blasphemy, it's pagan-heathen! (see also Exodus 34:13; Numbers 33:51,52; Deuteronomy 7:25,26; 12:2,3, 29,30; 1 Chronicles 10:21,22; Isaiah 3:12; 29:13; 2 Timothy 3:7; Matthew 15:14.)

Where did it originate?

Below are sources that will prove its origin to be pagan. A festival of Rome which is Babylonian in origin—heathen! I leave you the reader, to formulate, understand, and act accordingly. I quote them without comment.

"Christmas (i.e., the Mass of Christ) was not among the earliest festivals of the church." (Encyclopedia Britannica)

"The first mention of its observance on December 25 is in the time of Constantine about A. D. 325." (Southwestern, Pictorial Bible Dictionary, p. 163)

"Constantine was not aware of any mutual exclusiveness between Christianity and his faith in the unconquered Sun. The transition from solar monotheism to Christianity was not a difficult one. Moreover, early in the forth century there begins in the west the celebration of December 25, the birthday of the Sun-god at the winter solstice, as the date for the nativity of Christ." (Henry Chadwick, The Early Church, p. 126)

"In fact the emperor Constantine's Christianity was ambiguous. His family owned traditional allegiance to the Sun-god; the famous vision of the cross as he marched on Rome came to him from the sun; the sun continues to appear on his coins through the decade, and on his arch at Rome…." (Geoffrey Parrinder, World Religions, p. 175)

"The Christians were trying to get more converts so they adapted a pagan holiday to their worship to appease the pagans in 336 AD." (author unknown)

"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 a remarkable person rather than their birth. A feast was established in memory of the Savior in the forth century. In the Fifth Century the Western Church (Roman Catholic) ordered it to be celebrated forever on the day of the old Roman feast of the birth of Sol. The holly, the mistletoe, the yule log, and the wassail bowl are of pre-Christian times. The Christmas tree has been traced back the Romans. It went from Germany to Great Britain." (Encyclopedia Americana)

"And first, as to the festival in honor of the birth of Christ, or Christmas. How comes it that that festival was connected with the 25th of December? There is not a word in the Scriptures about the precise day of His birth, or the time of the year when He was born. What is recorded there, implies that at what time so ever His birth took place, it could not have been on the 25th of December. At the time that the angel announced His birth to the shepherds of Bethlehem, they were feeding their flocks by night in the open fields. Now, no doubt, the climate of Palestine is not so severe as the climate of this country; but even there, though the heat of the day be considerable, the cold of the night, from December to February, is very piercing, and it was not the custom for the shepherds of Judea to watch their flocks in the open fields later than about the end of October. It is in the last degree incredible, then, that the birth of Christ could have taken place at the end of December. There is great unanimity among commentators on this point." (Hislop, The Two Babylons, pp. 91-92)

"Long before the fourth century, and long before the Christian era itself, a festival was celebrated among the heathen, at that precise time of the year, in honor of the birth of the son of the Babylonian queen of heaven; and it may fairly be presumed that, in order to conciliate the heathen, and to swell the number of the nominal adherents of Christianity, the same festival was adopted by the Roman Church, giving it only the name of Christ. This tendency on the part of Christians to meet Paganism halfway was very early developed; and we find Tertullian, even in his day, about the year 230, bitterly lamenting the inconsistency of the disciples of Christ in this respect, and contrasting it with the strict fidelity of the Pagans to their own superstition." (Hislop, The Two Babylons, p. 93)

" No other Christian festival penetrated so deeply into the household as Christmas, probably because its character is essentially joy, such as it appears in the household. However, many features indicate that there were more Christian elements present in its origin. The giving the presents was a Roman custom. The Yuletide and the Yule log are remnants of old Teutonic nature worship. In the household also, the festival gradually sank down to a mere revelry." (Schaff-Hersog, Encyclopaedia)

"From the first institution of this festival, the Western nations seem to have transferred to it many of the follies and censurable practices which prevailed in the pagan festivals of the same season such as adorning the churches fantastically, mingling puppet-shows and dramas with worship, universal feasting and merrymaking, Christmas visits and salutations, Christmas presents and jocularity, and Christmas revelry and drunkenness.... The Christmas holy days, which by a law of Tehodosius the Greek (emperor A. D. 383-395) were to comprise fourteen days, ...have borne so close a resemblance wherever they have been observed to the Roman Saturnalia, Sigillaria, etc., and to the yule feast of the ancient Goths, as to afford strong presumption of an unhappy alliance between them from the first." (Ecclesiastical History, by Mosheim, Vol. 1, page 280)

"Upright men strove to stem the tide, but in spite of all their efforts the apostasy went on, till the church, with the exception of a small remnant, was submerged under pagan superstition. That Christmas was originally a pagan festival is beyond all doubt. The time of year, and the ceremonies with which it is still celebrated, prove its origin. In Egypt the son of Isis, the Egyptian title for the queen of heaven, was born at this very time, 'about the time of the winter solstice.' The very name by which Christmas is popularly known among ourselves-- Yule day-- proves at once its pagan and Babylonian origin. 'Yule' is the Chaldee name for an 'infant' or 'little child;' and as the twenty-fifth of December was called by our pagan Anglo-Saxon ancestors 'yule day,' or the 'child's day,' and the night that preceded it 'mother night,' long before they came in contact with Christianity, that sufficiently proves its real character. Far and wide in the realms of paganism was this birthday observed." (Hislop, The Two Babylons, pages 93, 94)

"It was an essential principle of the Babylonian system that the sun, or Baal, was the one only god. When, therefore, Tammuz was worshiped as God incarnate, that implied also that he was an incarnation of the sun." (Hislop, The Two Babylons, page 96)

"The reasons for establishing December 25th as Christmas is somewhat obscure, but it is usually held that the day chosen was to correspond to pagan festivals that took place around the time of the winter Solstice, when the days begin to lengthen, to celebrate the 'rebirth of the sun." (The Encyclopedia Americana, Vol. 6, 1826)

"Saturnalia and the Kalends were celebrations most familiar to early Christians, December 17-24 and January 1-3. But the tradition of celebrating December 25th as Christ's birthday came to the Romans from Persia. Mithra, the Persian god of light and sacred contacts, was born out of a rock on December 25th. Rome was famous for its flirtations with strange gods and cults, and in the third century the Aurelian established the festival of Dies Invicti Solis, The Day of the Invincible Sun, on December 25th. Mithra was an embodiment of the sun, so this period of rebirth was a major day in Mithraism, which had become Rome's latest official religion with the patronage of Aurelian. It is believed that the emperor Constantine adhered to Mithraism up to the time of his conversion to Christianity. He was probably instrumental in seeing that the major feast of his old religion was carried over to his new faith." (The Christmas Almanac, 1944)

"The great festival, the Saturnalia, became the most popular of Roman festivals, and its influence is still felt throughout the western world. Originally on December 17th, it was extended first to three and eventually seven days. The date has been connected with the winter sowing season, which in modern Italy varies from October-January, remarkably like the Greek Kronia (see Cronnus), it was the gayest festival of the year. All work and business was suspended. Slaves were given temporary freedom to say and do what they liked, and certain moral restrictions were eased. The streets were infected with a Mardi Gras madness, a mock king was chosen (Saturnalia pinceos). The seasonal greeting 'I O Saturnalia' was heard everywhere. Presents were freely exchanged, principally wax candles and little clay dolls (sigillaria). The cult statue of Saturn himself, traditionally bound at the feet with woolen bands, was untied, presumably to come out and enjoy the fun. The influence of the Saturnalia upon Christmas and the New Year has been direct." (The Encyclopedia Americana, 1826)

"Burning the Yule log was adapted to English custom by ancient Scandinavian practice of kindling huge bonfires in honor of the winter solstice. The idea of using evergreens at Christmas time also came to England from pre-Christian northern European beliefs. Celtic and Teutonic tribes honored these plants at their winter solstice festival, gave properties to the mistletoe (kiss under) in particular. The evergreen holly was worshiped as a promise of the sun's return." (The Encyclopedia Americana, 1826)

"Saturn was the youngest son of Uranus (heaven) and Gaea(earth) in Roman Mythology. The name probably comes from the Latin verb "serere" which means "to sow." The Greeks called him Kronos (where we get time-chronology-from) and to the Romans, Saturn was the god of harvest (Sound Familiar?). The festival called Saturnalia was held in Rome every year from December 17th to the 23rd in his honor. During Saturnalia, the Golden Age was supposedly returned to the earth. The Greek word "chronos" means time. Kronos or Saturn is usually depicted as a bent old man with the scythe (sickle) in the one hand. In the other hand, he holds a serpent which bites its own tail. The story of Saturn's swallowing his own children is a way of showing that time creates and then it destroys its creations." (World Book Encyclopedia)

"Saturnalia was the name of an ancient Roman festival given in honor of Saturn, the Roman harvest god. The festival began on Dec. 17th and lasted for seven days. On the first day, public religious ceremonies honoring Saturn took place. On the second day, many families offered sacrifices of young pigs. The festival Saturnalia was a gay occasion. Schools closed and all public business stopped. Courts of law closed their doors, and no criminals could be punished. Families held their banquets and even slaves were free to attend the festival. The last days of the festival were spent visiting and exchanging presents. Some of the gifts were little clay images called "sigillaria", which means small images." (World Book Encyclopedia)

"During the later periods of Roman history, sun worship gained in importance and ultimately led to what has been called a 'solar monotheism.' Nearly all the gods of the period were possessed of Solar qualities, and both Christ and Mithra acquired the traits of solar seities. The feast of Sol and Victus (open unconquered Sun) on December 25th was celebrated with great joy, and eventually this date was taken over by the Christians as Christmas, the birthday of Christ." (Encyclopaedia Britannica, Volume 11 ; page 390)

"The wassailing bowl of Christmas had its precise counterpart in the 'Drunken festival' of Babylon; and many of the other observances still kept up among ourselves at Christmas came from the very same quarter. The candles, in some parts of England, lighted on Christmas eve, and used so long as the festive season lasts, were equally lighted by the Pagans on the eve of the festival of the Babylonian god, to do honor to him: for it was one of the distinguishing peculiarities of his worship to have lighted wax-candles on his altars." (Hislop, The Two Babylons, pp. 96-97).

"Therefore, the 25th of December, the day that was observed at Rome as the day when the victorious god reappeared on earth, was held at the Natalis invicti solis, 'The birthday of the unconquered Sun.' Now the Yule Log is the dead stock of Nimrod, deified as the sun-god, but cut down by his enemies; the Christmas-tree is Nimrod redivivus -- the slain god come to life again." (Hislop, The Two Babylons, p. 98)

"Indeed, it is admitted by the most learned and candid writers of all parties that the day of our Lord's birth cannot be determined, and that within the Christian Church no such festival as Christmas was ever heard of until the third century, and that not till the fourth century was far advanced did it gain much observance." (Hislop, The two Babylons, pp. 92-93)

"The day was not one of the early feasts of the Christian church. In fact the observance of birthdays was condemned as a heathen custom repugnant to Christians." (The American Book of Days, George W. Douglas, p. 658.)

"'Christmas' is a contraction for 'Christ's Mass,' a Roman Catholic observance designed as a compromise with the heathen Roman feast of Saturnalia. The Saturnalia was a seven-day festival in honor of the deity Saturn. It began on December 17. At the Saturnalia "all classes exchanged gifts, the commonest being waxed tapers [candles] and clay dolls. These dolls were especially given to children. Varro thought these dolls represented original sacrifices of human beings to the infernal god." ( Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Ed., vol. 24, p. 231)

"…in [C.E.] 354, Bishop Liberius of Rome ordered the people to celebrate on December 25. He probably chose this date because the people of Rome already observed it as the Feast of Saturn, celebrating the birthday of the sun. Christians honored Christ instead of Saturn, as the Light of the world." (The World Book Encyclopedia (1962), Christmas, p. 416)

"Christmas was not among the earliest Festivals of the Church Irenaeus and Tertullian omit it from their lists of feasts; Origen, glancing perhaps at the discreditable imperial Natalitia, asserts (in Lev. Hom. viii in Migne, P.G., XII, 495) that in the Scriptures sinners alone, not saints, celebrate their birthday.

…Paul of Emesa preached before Cyril of Alexandria, and his sermons (see Mansi, IV, 293; appendix to Act. Conc. Eph.) show that the December celebration was then firmly established there, and calendars prove its permanence. The December feast therefore reached Egypt between 427 and 433.

…This checks the so-called correspondence between Cyril of Jerusalem (348-386) and Pope Julius I (337-352), quoted by John of Nikiu (c. 900) to convert Armenia to 25 December (see P.L., VIII, 964 sqq.). Cyril declares that his clergy cannot, on the single feast of Birth and Baptism, make a double procession to Bethlehem and Jordan. (This later practice is here an anachronism.) He asks Julius to assign the true date of the nativity "from census documents brought by Titus to Rome"; Julius assigns 25 December.

At Rome the earliest evidence is in the Philocalian Calendar (P. L., XIII, 675; it can be seen as a whole in J. Strzygowski, Kalenderbilder des Chron. von Jahre 354, Berlin, 1888), compiled in 354, which contains three important entries. In the civil calendar 25 December is marked "Natalis Invicti." In the "Depositio Martyrum" a list of Roman or early and universally venerated martyrs, under 25 December is found "VIII kal. ian. natus Christus in Betleem Iudeæ".

The well-known solar feast, however, of Natalis Invicti, celebrated on 25 December, has a strong claim on the responsibility for our December date. For the history of the solar cult, its position in the Roman Empire…

Already Tertullian (Apol., 16; cf. Ad. Nat., I, 13; Orig. c. Cels., VIII, 67, etc) had to assert that Sol was not the Christians' God; Augustine (Tract xxxiv, in Joan. In P. L., XXXV, 1652) denounces the heretical identification of Christ with Sol. Pope Leo I (Serm. xxxvii in nat. dom., VII, 4; xxii, II, 6 in P. L., LIV, 218 and 198) bitterly reproves solar survivals — Christians, on the very doorstep of the Apostles' basilica, turn to adore the rising sun. Sun-worship has bequeathed features to modern popular worship in Armenia, where Christians had once temporarily and externally conformed to the cult of the material sun (Cumont, op. cit., p. 356).

St. Francis of Assisi in 1223 originated the crib of today by laicizing a hitherto ecclesiastical custom, henceforward extra-liturgical and popular.

Pagan customs centering round the January calendars gravitated to Christmas.

"In England, Christmas was forbidden by Act of Parliament in 1644; the day was to be a fast and a market day; shops were compelled to be open; plum puddings and mince pies condemned as heathen. The conservatives resisted; at Canterbury blood was shed; but after the Restoration Dissenters continued to call Yuletide 'Fooltide.'" (the last nine quotes from, Catholic Encyclopedia)

"No evidence remains about the exact date of the birth of Christ. The December 25 date was chosen as much for practical reasons as for theological ones. Throughout the Roman Empire, various festivals were held in conjunction with the winter solstice. In Rome, the Feast of the Unconquerable Sun celebrated the beginning of the return of the sun. When Christianity became the religion of the Empire, the church either had to suppress the festivals or transform them. The winter solstice seemed an appropriate time to celebrate Christ's birth. Thus, the festival of the sun became a festival of the Son, the Light of the world." (Holman Bible Dictionary)

"Our Christian friends are often quite surprised at how enthusiastically we Pagans celebrate the "Christmas" season. Even though we prefer to use the word "Yule," and our celebrations may peak a few days before the 25th, we nonetheless follow many of the traditional customs of the season: decorated trees, caroling, presents, Yule logs, and mistletoe. We might even go so far as putting up a "Nativity set," though for us the three central characters are likely to be interpreted as Mother Nature, Father Time, and the Baby Sun-God. None of this will come as a surprise to anyone who knows the true history of the holiday, of course." (Yule: A Pagan's View of Christmas by Gwydion Cinhil Kirontin)

"The Romans celebrated the feast under the name "Saturnalia". The feast is basically the celebration of the rebirth of the sun, the day when the sun, at its weakest, begins to strengthen…This is the Saxon name for the night of Christmas Eve and means "the Night of the Mother", or "of mothering". It has also been called, in Latin, "Matrum Noctem." It is not only another celebration of the birth of the Sun at the Winter Solstice; it is also a day dedicated to the Goddess as Astarte. The day following the Night of the Mother was devoted to the Goddess as Sea-Mother, and the image of the Goddess was launched out to sea on that day. It was also a time for the giving of gifts. The Christmas tree was originally a pine taken from the sacred grove of the Goddess, and the decorations originated in the figures of subsidiary local deities placed in the branches, as well as in the feast of lights which takes place at this Solstice time, to encourage the Sun's rebirth and the renewing of day." (A Sabbat: Yule Winter Solstice [a pagan web site])

"The Winter Solstice. This is the day (or period of days) in winter when the days are shortest and the nights longest. This is generally a time of drunkenness, revelry and debauchery. The pagan Romans called this celebration Saturnalia, in honor of their god Saturn, and the festival lasted from the 17th to the 24th of December, with gifts exchanged, especially on the last two days. Then, on the 25th, they celebrated "The Birth of the Unconquerable Sun," as the days began to lengthen and the sun began to regain its dominance (it has been generally believed among pagans that the sun dies during winter solstice, and then rises from death).

"The name survives in the great festival of Befana at Rome (cf. Catholic Encyclopedia, art. Epiphany, Robert Appleton, NY, 1909, Vol. V, p. 504). The CE says: It is difficult to say how closely the practice then observed of buying all sorts of earthenware images, combined with whistles and representing some type of Roman life, is to be connected with the rather similar custom in vogue during the December feast of the Saturnalia." (Catholic Encyclopedia)

"One of the dominant religious ideas of the second and third centuries was the belief in the divinity of the Sun…This divinity is of especial interest for our inquiry, for his annual festival fell on the twenty-fifth of December and its relation to Christmas has been a matter of protracted discussion. Obviously the season of the winter solstice, when the strength of the sun begins to increase, is appropriate for the celebration of the festival of a sun-god. The day in a sense marks the birth of a new sun. But the reason for its being chosen as the day for the commemoration of Christ’s nativity is not so evident…The identity of date is more than a coincidence. To be sure the Church did not merely appropriate the festival of the popular sun-god. It was through a parallelism between Christ and the sun that the twenty-fifth of December came to be the date of the nativity…Even Epiphanius, the fourth century metropolitan of Cyprus, though giving the sixth of January as the date of birth, connects the event with the solstice. Moreover, the diversion of the significance of a popular pagan holiday was wholly in accord with the policy of the Church. Of the actual celebration of a festival of the nativity, it should be added, there is no satisfactory evidence earlier than the fourth century. Its first observance in Rome on December the twenty-fifth took place in 353 or 354 (Usener) or in 336 (Duchesne). In Constantinople it seems to have been introduced in 377 or 378." (Gordon J. Laing, Survivals of Roman Religion, New York: Longmans, 1931, pp. 150–153)

"The custom was forbidden by an act of parliament in 1555." (Unger's Bible Dictionary, p.196)

"…anyone who is found observing, by abstinence from labor, feasting, or any other way, any such days as Christmas Day, shall pay for every such offense five shillings." (The Puritans, General Court of Massachusetts, A.D. 1620)

"December 25 was by the forth century the date of the winter solstice, celebrated in antiquity as the birthday of Mithras and of Sol Invictus. Philocalian Calendar of 354, part of which reflects Roman practice in 336. Celebration of Christ's birthday was not general until the forth century." (Metzger, The Oxford Companion to the Bible, p. 112)

"December 25 has been celebrated as the date of Jesus' birth only since the 4^th century, when the Christian holiday came to supplant a Roman festival." (Reader's Digest, Atlas of the Bible, p. 172)

"…the date of Christmas Day may be due to the same instinct which placed on 25 December the Natalis Invicti of the solar cult." (Ralph Woodrow, Babylon Mystery Religion, p. 142)

"The Druids blessed it (the Yule log) with great ceremony at the winter feast. The Druids worshiped the same gods as the Greeks and Romans only under different names. They were wiped out by the Romans, when the Britons submitted to the Romans in A.D. 78." (The World Book Encyclopedia)

I don't know about you, but the above information is pretty compelling. The festival of Christmas is not in the Scriptures. It's not in early Church history, or early post-apostolic times. It was instituted by Constantine (325), and codified by the Roman Catholics. It's a pagan-heathen holiday from Christ's Mass a Roman Catholic observance designed as a compromise with the heathen Roman feast of Saturnalia. The word Mass (missa) first established itself as the general designation for the Eucharistic Sacrifice. What was the definition the Catholics gave the "Eucharistic Sacrifice"?

"The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice:...'In this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and offered in an unbloody manner.'" (Catholic Catechism, # 1367)

"…on the 25th, they celebrated "The Birth of the Unconquerable Sun. 25 December the Natalis Invicti of the solar cult…the Christian holiday came to supplant a Roman festival.

The Christians were trying to get more converts so they adapted a pagan holiday to their worship to appease the pagans in 336 AD.

"Celebration of Christ's birthday was not general until the forth century."

"This is generally a time of drunkenness, revelry and debauchery. The pagan Romans called this celebration Saturnalia, in honor of their god Saturn, and the festival lasted from the 17th to the 24th of December, with gifts exchanged, especially on the last two days. Then, on the 25th, they celebrated "The Birth of the Unconquerable Sun."

"But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, yea, and made his son to pass through the fire, according to the abominations of the heathen , whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel. And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree." (2 Kings 16:3,4)

"And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as [did] the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger: For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing." (2 Kings 17:11,12)

"For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them." (2 Kings 21:3)

"The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen [that] the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command [that] they should not enter into thy congregation." (Lamentations 1:10)

"And ye shall know that I [am] the LORD: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that [are] round about you." (Ezekiel 11:12)

"And when they entered unto the heathen , whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These [are] the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land." (Ezekiel 36:20)

The stuff it's made up of

"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. 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. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 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." (Jeremiah 10:2-5)

Jeremiah was speaking about something that was happening in his day, and that had been practiced long before him. He spoke in a "flat-line" meaning it was relevant for his day, the apostle's day, and our day! I could go into great detail about all the "trappings" of Christmas, but it would be wasted time. However, here are a few, and I would strongly recommend the book by Alexander Hislop, "The Two Babylons," for a fuller treatment.

The Christmas tree was always in ancient times for worship. God forbid the Israelites from having anything to do with the "groves." That does not mean just trees, but trees used in idol worship. Remember that when you wrongly sing, "Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree." God help you!

"The Yule Log tradition comes to us from Scandinavia, where the pagan sex and fertility god Jul, or Jule (pronounced 'yule'), was honored in a twelve-day celebration in December. A large, single log (generally considered to have been a phallic idol) was kept with a fire against it for twelve days, a different sacrifice to Jul being offered in the fire on each of the twelve days." "The Yule log was originally an entire tree, carefully chosen, and brought into the house with great ceremony. The butt end would be placed into the hearth while the rest of the tree stuck out into the room. The tree would be slowly fed into the fire and the entire process was carefully timed to last the entire Yule season." (Holidays and Holy Days, by Tom C. McKenney)

"Yuletide, meaning the turning of the sun or the winter solstice, has traditionally been a time of extreme importance in Scandinavia - a time when fortunes for the coming year were determined and when the dead were thought to walk the earth. For a long time, it was considered dangerous to sleep alone on Christmas Eve." (The History of Christmas)

"Santa Claus, "... the custom has many superstitious origins besides that associated with the Egyptian god Bes.…" (The Origins of Christmas Traditions)

"The legends of St. Nicholas bear many similarities to those of the ancient Egyptian god Bes, a rotund, gnome-like personage who was the patron of little children." (The Origins of Christmas Traditions)

Stockings, wreaths, etc. all have heathen origins.

"Everywhere may be seen...well-laden tables...The impulse to spend seizes everyone. He through the whole year has taken pleasure in saving...becomes suddenly extravagant...A stream of presents pours itself out on all sides." Sound familiar? It was written by, Libanius, 4^th century, "Christmas in Ritual and Traditions."

I would like you to remember all that we have learned about Christmas—trees, the mass, the date, etc. And compare that to an individual that echoes many Christians today. This individual is on radio nation wide. Listen to what he says about Christmas.

"By the way, the real meaning of Christmas is not giving and it is not love. The true meaning of Christmas is the birth of the Savior. And Easter celebrates His resurrection, which corresponds with other pagan rituals. The Church has had a habit over the years, growing up in a pagan environment, to try to rob the pagans of their holidays, in a sense, and reinvest them with religious content. Frankly, I think that's a great idea."

He says, "The true meaning of Christmas is the birth of the Savior. And Easter celebrates His resurrection, which corresponds with other pagan rituals." According to what we learned is the "true meaning of Christmas" the birth of the savior? I don't think so. Next he says,

"Jesus wasn't born on December 25. It's not His birthday. He was probably born some time in the spring. I don't even know if He rose from the dead in the spring around the time of Easter. That's probably not accurate either. But that's inconsequential. We're celebrating the event, not the date." (1994, Gregory Koukl, Stand To Reason, Posted: July 25, 1996)

Notice, how he contradicts himself? He says, "Jesus wasn't born on December 25. It's not His birthday…we're celebrating the event, not the date." Really? What if I was to celebrate Mr. Koukl's birthday on a date that was not the original? What would he think? He goes on,

"To be quite honest with you, when I think about Christmas, especially about the emotional significance it has for me, I think very little about Jesus." (Gregory Koukl, Stand To Reason, Posted: December 24, 1997)

Did you catch that? For him during Christmas he says, "I think very little about Jesus." However before he says, "The true meaning of Christmas is the birth of the Savior" and "we're celebrating the event, not the date." Really? How does Mr. Koukl do that? He goes on,

"I think the practice of Christmas is fully legitimate even though there may have some pagan elements that were originally associated with a celebration at this time. That doesn't make our celebration of Christmas the same as that old celebration. In fact, it's quite different. We are celebrating the birth of Jesus…If you listen to the words of the song "Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree," the original was written with the Christmas tree being a type of Jesus Christ. But this is why I can say, I have a Christmas tree not because the Christmas tree reminds me of Jesus, though I could imagine for some people it does, and if you were taught early on that the Christmas tree is representative of theological truth, then that becomes a theological meaning for you. But for me a tree and ornaments are just my cultural expression that has to do with the emotional impact with Christmas, and I think that's fine." (1994, Gregory Koukl, Stand To Reason, Posted: March 27, 1997)

Notice again, he says, "we are celebrating the birth of Jesus" do you remember what he said before? "Jesus wasn't born on December 25." This is the kind of silly nonsensical reasoning Christians are being fed about holidays. Don't believe it! We all know the story of Santa Claus is a lie, God says,

"Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another." (Leviticus 19:11)

"A faithful witness will not lie: but a false witness will utter lies." (Proverbs 14:5)

"Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds." (Colossians 3:9)

"Although Christmas sales over the period are forecast at R31,5 billion – an increase of 7,5 percent over last year's R29,3 billion sales – retailers project overall price increases of 6,7 percent. In volume terms, an 0,8 percent rise is expected over 1996."

"Figures released Tuesday by Wal-Mart showed that sales at those Wal-Mart stores that had been open for at least a year grew a healthy 7.6 percent and that Sam's Club stores showed a 5.8 percent increase for the Christmas season. …Family Dollar Stores Inc., a discount chain based in Matthews, reported record sales in December, up 14.9 percent from December 1995."

"Omaha, NE -- Retail sales for the upcoming Christmas season will increase to $209.7 billion, according to research from Data Transmission Network Corporation's Business Research Group."

"Woolworth's, with improved price competitiveness, stock availability and a more cohesive Christmas offer, achieved sales growth of 7.5% (7.3% like-for-like). Sales of toys and home essentials were particularly strong." (Kingfisher)

It's clear that by October people are rushing around by to buy gifts, and by the end of November to December 24, the stores are a madhouse with retailers raking in the bucks! If Christmas was so "Christian" people would have nothing to do with it. Evil sells the Harry Potter garbage is a good example.

It's of the world.

"Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world." (1 John 2:15,16)

"And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more…The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing." (Revelation 18:11,15)

God's Word says,

"And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves. And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth." (Revelation 11:9,10)

Christmas is wonderful to many people. God says,

"And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." (Luke 16:15)

It's a heathen tradition.

"Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye." (Mark 7:13)

"And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition." (Mark 7:9)

"… Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. [Ye] hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with [their] lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain they do worship me, teaching [for] doctrines the commandments of men." (Matthew 15:6-9)

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ." (Colossians 2:8)

"Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: [so do]." (1 Timothy 1:4)

"Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth." (Titus 1:14)

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables." (2 Timothy 4:3,4)

"But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain." (Galatians 4:9-11)

"Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20)

"Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, [even] the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to my law, but rejected it." (Jeremiah 6:19)

Christmas is a lie; not truth. God says we will know the truth.

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32)

"But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26)

We know this is a heathen holiday. We should do what God asks of us.

"Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." (Titus 2:12)

"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." (2 Corinthians 7:1)

"He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." (1 John 2:6)

"Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you." (1 Corinthians 6:17)

"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them]." (Ephesians 5:11)

It's of the world and the world loves Christmas; if it wasn't they wouldn't love it.

"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before [it hated] you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you." (John 15:18,19)

"For the time past of [our] life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with [them] to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of [you]." (1 Peter 4:3,4)

Let me remind you of some things. First, I did not compile this article to "tell" you not to celebrate Christmas. I'm not trying to be legalistic with you. I did it to show you what God has shown me, and pray you would be prompted by the Spirit of God to act on the information given you. Second, I affirm the virgin birth of Jesus of Nazareth, and uphold with all conviction the absolute truth of the incarnation. Jesus of Nazareth was born, but not on December 25^th.

Remember this, Christmas is not a Bible doctrine, nor are we commanded to observe it. We know from the Bible, and Church history, that the apostles, nor the early Church, ever celebrated Jesus birthday. Christmas is not in God's Word. Jesus was not born on December 25^th. We do not worship an infant; we worship a risen Lord and King!

From the information supplied we know there was no date of Jesus' birth given to us from Scripture, church history, the stars, or secular. Knowing all that, especially that the Scriptures are silent, it should be enough! We should need no further information to prove that this is a false so-called Christian holiday.

The word Mass (missa) first established itself as the general designation for the Eucharistic Sacrifice…the Eucharistic "Sacrifice of the true Body and Blood of Christ" on the altar.

Does that make you upset? It should, it should make you disgusted! It should cause you to never want to have anything to do with Christmas. This is why Christmas is an oxymoron—a word combined with another that is contradictory. My friends, it is not us that should be "anathema," but the pagan blasphemous Catholic religion! They stole it from the heathen, and give it to everyone else. The first mention of its observance on December 25th is in the time of Constantine about A. D. 325.

My friends, brothers and sisters, and companions in the faith; please take this information read it, check out the references, and pray for God to show you this information. Think before you give in to your children. Think before you celebrate something that God does not want you to. Remember, God is with us to bring us into all truth. Amen?

"ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips [shall be] right things. For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness [is] an abomination to my lips." (Proverbs 8:5-7)

"If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus." (Ephesians 4:21)

"But the Comforter, [which is] the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." (John 14:26)

Amen?

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