Christmas, Halloween and other Pagan Holidays
I. WARNINGS
-We have to watch HOW we judge other believers. Oh yes, WE ARE TO JUDGE and there are MANY scriptures to prove that point, but we must BE CAREFUL in our judging.
-Some believers in this congregation are STRONGLY against celebrating December 25th and other such holidays, while there are some in this congregation who take no such stand.
-WE DO NOT BREAK FELLOWSHIP OVER IT. We give all believers the right to come to such convictions at their own time. All believers are at DIFFERENT STAGES OF GROWTH and some who are now the strongest against these things, weren’t always so. God had to bring them to their own conviction against them. This paper is written to give the REASONS WHY BELIEVERS INCLUDING MYSELF DO TAKE STRONG STANDS AGAINST SUCH CELEBRATION.
-As mentioned above, not every believer in the Lord Jesus takes such a stand. WE DO, but this is an EDUCATED CONVICTION. After reading the history of Christmas, and God’s Word about idolatry, worshiping of devils, etc. we could EASILY SEE what Christmas really is, and how dangerous and wicked it could be. That same understanding (whether ignorantly or willfully) is not in every believer, and we must not judge their convictions by our knowledge. We can teach what we know in a loving, edifying way and pray for them but let us BEWARE of judging THEIR HEARTS in these matters. That can turn into SLANDER which is SIN. I was a Christian for quite a few years before I gave up Christ Mass, Hallow E’en, etc. and I allow others this same privilege without my condemnation on their actions or convictions. I believe it would be wise for ALL CHRISTIANS to forego those “celebrations” and I preach this strongly and openly, but I do NOT say that they aren’t saved or that they don’t love Jesus if they continue in them. I most certainly loved Jesus when I did these same things, therefore I know that the same is possible for others.
There are MANY REASONS for NOT CELEBRATING these days:
1) They ARE NOT Christian nor Biblical.
2) They were and are PAGAN HOLIDAYS.
3) The Roman Catholic church took these pagan days and incorporated them into their church calendar.
-They ORIGINATED with paganism; the pagan catholic church adopted them in order to appease the pagans they were baptizing into their church; they are a carry over into some protestant groups; and are celebrated worldwide by people of various religions, and even by people who hate God, do not believe His Word, and deny Him openly.
Christmas, Halloween and other Pagan Holidays
Easter & Halloween
II. TESTIMONIES:
Lyndell Kincaid has a message on this subject, and a tape is available. Here are some thoughts from the tape:
The very name given to one of these pagan holidays is Christmas, which means the mass of Christ. That in itself is an abomination to God. We do not, we do not, we do not sacrifice Christ over and over again. His sacrifice was a once for all thing and if you don’t think God hates the name “mass of Christ”, you do not know your Bible or else you don’t know the meaning of words. To accept and use that name in your Christian life is not “reasonable”. If you sincerely and honestly want to celebrate the birth of Christ, then be sure and do it another day, and by all means do not call it the sacrifice of Christ. Why not do it on Dec. 25th? Because the day the Catholics adopted for their “sacrifice” was already a big day in the pagan religions – who worship devils and not God. We should refuse to honor that day for that reason. But when you add to that, that it is called by the whole world “the mass of Christ”, you have two very strong reasons to not partake of that day. If you research enough, you will find out that these things are true, and if you study your Bible, you know that God does not take such things lightly. Although we are not under law, this does not mean that the laws of God nor the mind of Christ have nothinng whatsoever to do with us (1 Cor. 9:21).
Why don’t I celebrate Christmas? I can count the reasons:”
1. It is not a Christian “holy day”. It is a pagan holiday brought into the “Christian religion” by Catholicism and since I am neither pagan nor Roman Catholic (and very anti both) I do not honor December 25th.
2. It is not the birthday of Jesus. He was not born on December 25th. It was a pagan holiday long before Jesus was born. Jesus was not born in the middle of winter. These are facts that even educated pagans know.
3. Jesus never told us to “do this in remembrance of me” about His birthday. Oh, yes, he was born. Praise God – he had to be born, but he was born to die. His death is what He told us to remember. If you really love Jesus, why not do as he says and not what tradition teaches. You should remember His death (oft), but you have no scriptural reason whatever to celebrate his birthday, much less to celebrate the mass of Christ on the traditional birthday of a pagan god. 4. Tradition is no reason to keep on doing something which we know is not according to truth. Stephen said: “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart & ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost; as your fathers did, so do ye.” Let not that be said of us. We don’t have to keep doing what our fathers did.
Don Welborn:
I do not celebrate December 25th for several reasons:
1. He was certainly not born on that date. (When, I don’t know.)
2. Its heathen origin makes me suspect.
3. The modern commercialization makes me sick.
4. The let down afterwards.
5. Christians in the first century did not do it.
6. God said nothing about it.
William Kincaid:
I believe it is wrong for a Christian to celebrate Christmas. To celebrate it is at worst, rebellion, at best, ignorance. The ironic thing in what follows is that a few years ago, I was on the other side of this argument.
Some consider the Christmas tree to be setting up a “birthday tree” for the Lord. The truth is that in the U.S. such a thing might be considered trivial but in Mexico, where idolatry is both prevalent and vigourously denied, the very same thing would be unwise. I know that the idol is nothing, and that there is only one God, but for the sake of the other’s conscience I would not allow the sacred tree, decked with silver and gold, to grace the presence of my trash can, much less my living room. I don’t believe that a Christian who has one is necessarily sinning, but I believe the Devil who caused it is grinning. Perhaps you don’t worship the lifeless thing, but most Catholics don’t know they worship theirs, and I can’t expect them to know I don’t worship mine and at the same time know that they do worship theirs.
Nativity scenes are practically indistinguishable from the average parade of idols we find in any back country Catholic chapel. Then it comes to names: like St. Nicholas, otherwise known as Santa Claus, who closely resembles the god of this world, the god appropriately denounced by God – a god who laughs and gives gifts, but does not avenge, a god who loves but doesn’t hate, etc. Or Christmas, which means the sacrifice of Christ (Mass of Christ). A false Christ perhaps?
What about the date? What could be so important about the winter solstice unless we attached some religious importance to the sun? And why would the Devil go to so much trouble to resurrect December 24-25th from its ancient babylonian sepulchre? I don’t know – it’s a mystery, you know: “Mystery Babylon, the mother of harlots….” (Rev.) And why would Christ’s birth be so important to a Christian? It is obviously important to a Babylonian whose trinity was god the sun, god the virgin mother (Semiramis or Ashtarte, Queen of Heaven), and god the son, the “Child god” (Tammuz). And what about the mistletoe, the yule log, the reindeer, the holly branch, or the evergreen, all being purely Teutonic in origin. Why was Dec. 24-25th important to them? Why does the little one in the manger have the sun behind his head? And why does the Devil care about such silly relics of an ancient religion? That, I don’t know, but I decided that until I do, and until the holiday was completely acquitted, I and my house, would never celebrate it, no matter how much it cost me, or how much the “children miss it”. Just a personal stand, mind you.
Many recognize that we who preach the gospel among Roman Catholics, must preach against their idolatry and not partake with them in ancient Romano-pagan feast days. But I want to point out that my conviction against Christmas goes much deeper than that. My stand is not simply a practical one. My stand is primarily spiritual. I celebrated Christmas with a degree of boldness, considering that my family downplayed it most of my life. I remember arguing many times with Dale West, who has stood against it for years, and just to make him uncomfortable, would sing him and Nelda carols in the street in front of their house in Mexico. This was not more than a few years ago. All of the arguments I now use were in vain against me because I knew we could not avoid everything carried over from an idolatrous past, therefore, I could draw no line at Christmas. At that time, I also underestimated the depth of Roman idolatry, and the extent of the paganism of Christmas. It does not surprise me that most Christians celebrate it. It does surprise me when someone dedicated to the truth can prove conclusively that Christmas is not only pagan in origin, but is openly idolatrous and evil in our day among Roman Catholics, and yet can defend its celebration by true Christians.
Do not make the same assumptions that most contemporary Christians make:
1. That historical Christianity is the history of the Roman Catholic church – which it obviously is not.
2. That the Apostles were “tolerant” people, in the general sense of the word – which they most certainly were not.
3. That idolatry consists only of worshipping “strange” gods, or that the idolatry condemned in the New Testament (as opposed to the old) is primarily a “spiritual” sin – which it is not.
4. That the primary sin of Catholicism is her doctrine – her legalism, her works salvation.
These assumptions are wrong:
1. No real Christian ever trusted his works to save him. No real Christian ever became so by baptism. No real Christian ever accepted Christ in the Host (Eucharist). No real Christian depended on the authority of a celibate priest to ensure his forgiveness. The Roman Catholic religion teaches all of these undeniably heretical doctrines. Their history is not the history of Christianity. Thousands of true Christians were slaughtered by Catholics since the Catholic religion sprouted out of the Roman-Babylonian, sun-worshipping religious system. The Donatists, Montanists, Waldenses, Albignesis, Hussites, Paulicians, and the ever hated Anabaptists (and many more) preached the gospel essentially as you and I do, and they are the true historical Christianity – not mentioned in modern history books. The history of Catholic persecution of heresy is very enlightening when one is trying to find the true church in history. One thing is evident: The truth has always been championed, but never, in all of its history, by the Roman Catholic institution. Martin Luther was but one light in the midst of the whore, and she cast him out. All before him, she simply burned alive.
2. Surely you don’t need proof that the apostles were intolerant (as was Jesus) of variant doctrines – even “non-essential” ones. Paul said, “but though we, or an angel of heaven preach any other gospel, let him be accursed”. Peter calls it “forsaking the right way and going astray, following the way of Balaam ….to whom is reserved the mist of darkness forever”. Jude calls them “ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ. Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame…to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever”. Our beloved brother John says, “If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed.” Jesus says He hates the deeds of the Nicolaitans and to underscore it, he repeats it.
3. Jesus also rails against Jezebel who teaches his servants to commit fornication (obviously the spiritual kind), and to eat things sacrificed to idols. He calls it the “depths of Satan”. Paul says, “touch not the unclean thing”, and says the pagan idols represent devils. The apostles all agreed to limit the demands on Gentile believers to four, but one of these was: “abstain from pollutions of idols and from meats offered to idols.” Idolatry in the N.T. was just as condemned as in the O.T. Image worship is not so visible in stateside Catholicism, however it is not the only kind of idolatry to be found in Catholicism. Catholics in every country pray to the saints and to the virgin. My first wife, being a devoted North American caucasian Catholic (before she was saved), prayed to saints and the virgin, confessed her sins to a priest, was openly and shamelessly taught that the Pope is the vicar of Christ and called him “most holy father”, fingered the rosary and carried scapulars and crucifixes.
4. That brings us to one last assumption – that the primary sin of Catholicism is her doctrine – her legalism, her works salvation. Roman Catholicism is not legalistic. She is not teetering on the brink of error. She is not “immature Christianity”. The outstanding sin of Roman Catholicism is the rampant, unrelenting idolatry in every phase of its existence, in every culture it spans, and in every doctrine it propagates. Roman Catholicism is pagan, not “erring Christianity”. Proof of this is abundant, ranging from its priesthood (1 Tm.4:1-3) to the prophecy of its doom (Rev.17 & 18). This is proof enough that Catholic customs are not equivalent to Christian customs. Even if Christmas and other Catholic holidays (Easter, All Saints Day, All Souls Day) could not be traced beyond the days of Constantine, or beyond the Apostles, or beyond the O.T. prophets, even to the very gates of ancient Babylon, this would not condone their celebration by Christians. No religion on earth today is more idolatrous than the mother of harlots. What animist in the world could not learn far better the depths of Satan by merely becoming Roman Catholic?
But the truth is that Christmas, under different names, that is the 25th of December, has its beginnings in the very heart of every pagan, idolatrous religion on the globe: Babylon, the city obsessed with the heavens. The sun was their symbol for god and a ray of light from that sun caused Ashtarte (or Istar, or Easter, or Diana, or the Virgin Mary, or call her what you like) to conceive and she brought forth the “child god” (to this day called “Nino Dios” here in Mexico) Tammuz, whose symbol was the first letter in his name, that’s right, the cross. The Romans ate up the ancient lore, they loved it so; they venerated the virgin long before Constantine. They were fascinated by the cross long before the crucifixion, and they celebrated the sun’s birthday long before the “Sun of Righteousness” appeared to save us from such idolatry.
It was a drunken holiday then, as it is today, but that is not its condemnation. Rather the architect and preserver of the sun’s birthday, Satan himself, (or the variant spelling of Santa if you prefer) shall be its condemnation. It is very interesting how that in almost all of the Caucasian and Mongoloid cultures on earth, the remnants of the Babylonian religion remain, altered with time, but easily recognizable.
This is only the foundation. The tower is also impressive. The tree was an idol to your forest dwelling ancestors of 1200 years ago; yes, the evergreen, as well as the yule log, and the mistletoe. The druids worshipped trees. Obviously, someone in Jeremiah’s time worshipped trees too, in spite of some pretending it is a carved image: They cut it with an axe, fastened it with nails in the home, and decked it with silver and gold. The tree is not Christian. The tree is an idol, worshipped by a variety of pagans. You don’t worship it, but you love it, and you won’t disclaim it. This is no more than Catholics do with Mary – just ask them.
Some accuse us “overzealous fanatics” of “legalism” in our opposition to Christmas. In exposing the error of the “legalists” who don’t celebrate Christmas as a matter of principle, Gal. 4:9-10 is said to apply only if Christmas is celebrated as a means of obtaining grace. But it must be admitted that this very thing happens all over the world today. For them it is sin. But notice that the days and months and times and years mentioned in Galatians are Jewish feast days, commanded by the law and demanded by the prophets. Paul says Christians were in error for observing holy days established by God. How can Christians now say they are “right” to observe holy days established by the ancient pagans, yea, by Satan himself, embraced and propagated by the most idolatrous religion on earth today; still sacred to almost one billion souls of men, not counting “Protestants” and Greek Orthodox, who don’t happen to seek God’s favor through it. Is it legalism to not observe Christmas? Could the bondage Paul talks of in verse nine really mean the conviction against observing pagan feast days? I think not. Paul is talking about perfectly legitimate Jewish days, and he calls it bondage to observe these days. What would he call observing the birthday of the Babylonian Sun God? I wonder. Wasn’t it Paul that said God winked at man’s idolatry – for indeed, they thought that the Godhead is like unto gold, silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device – but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent? Has our liberty in Christ given us license to ignore our idols? Has it freed us to ignore other’s idols? Paul says flee idolatry – and that doesn’t mean court it, love it, and play with it.
Some defend their observance of Christmas using Romans 14:5, which teaches the tolerance of opposing practices, and the care not to offend by our actions. If Paul was insisting that we surrender our legitimate liberty to overlook God’s feast days, in order to care for the weak brother, do you derive from this that God expects me to tolerate quietly the liberty you take in observing the Devil’s birthday? Do you use the passage to teach that the weak brother (in your mind, those that for tender conscience cannot celebrate Christmas) ought to forego their conscience in order to care for your liberty? I’d say that is stretching the passage a tad – in fact turning it upside down. The conclusion of the chapter is that we give up things that cause others to stumble; not that we hang onto them because we have the liberty to do so.
In 1 Cor. 8, in which it is easily conceded that the conviction of not celebrating Christmas is perfectly necessary in a Roman Catholic atmosphere, two things are evident. One – that the weak brother who eats that which is sacrificed to idols perishes. Now if idolatry is really quite innocent, and if our liberty gives us license to partake of idolatrous practices (which it doesn’t – Acts 15:20,29; 21:25), then why doesn’t Paul deal with the weak man and strengthen his conscience? Why doesn’t he tell the weak man to not worry about such things? No, he confesses that if the weak be emboldened to eat the meat sacrificed to idols, he will perish. The parallel here is the Roman Catholic who is considering the gospel, seeing us celebrating Christmas, he will be emboldened to continue in the idolatrous system, and thereby perish, never to experience our freedom which we defend with all our might. Paul says that if any man see us do it, not just a “specific” man. That cannot mean that this passage only applies to the person who has close friends or relatives who observe Christmas as a means of grace. Verse 13 clarifies Paul’s meaning: He did not say that after someone close to him became offended he would quit. He said he would not eat it lest he make them to offend. Paul – as all Christians should – cared more for the souls of men than he did for his own rights.
You may think that the day, the tree, the symbols, the nativity scenes, and the observance of the day are harmless and helpless. But Paul says that the idols of the Gentiles represent devils. He says you cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. You cannot be partaker of the Lord’s table and the table of devils. The conclusion is this: “Come out from among them and be ye separate…and touch not the unclean thing”. Simple! Idols are devils, Christmas is an idolatrous holy day, those that partake of Christmas partake of its significance, exactly as those that partook of the Jewish sacrifices partook of the altar. Idolatry is called “worshipping devils” (Rev.9:20; 1 Cor.10:20) and Paul says not to touch it.
Some say there are good reasons to celebrate Christmas, such as:
1) Families get together at Christmas.
2) The opportunity to sing carols.
3) It reminds us to share with those in need.
4) It gives opportunity to witness.
These arguments are very weak:
1) No family was made stronger by celebrating Christmas, plus they can get together as a family without “celebrating” Christmas.
2) Very few carols have any real meat to them – the exceptions proving the rule – and you can sing these exceptions any time of the year.
3) Sharing with those in need? Wouldn’t it be kinder to free them from such an “expensive” observance as Christmas? Also – you can share anytime of the year.
4) A good witness? It would not surprise me to find out that I alone witnessed to more people today than all of the average Christians in Texas combined did on Christmas of last year. You don’t have to “celebrate” Halloween to pass out tracts to those who knock on your door, anymore than you have to “celebrate” Christmas to witness to those who are in “bondage” to it. What is more, Christmas brings more accidents, more drunkenness, more unfaithfulness to the job, more debt, and more suicides than all other holidays put together. And if we are reduced to speculation as to what caused that Russian Jew to get saved after hearing Christmas carols on the radio, why not speculate as to how much gospel he would have been hearing if Russian Orthodox “Christianity” had been more like the Puritans in their “legalistic zeal” against idolatry. To this day the Russians might have been free to preach the gospel in the streets, not reduced to sneaking carols over the airwaves.
Don’t mistakenly believe that I am foregoing something legitimate, in order to be more effective in my preaching. In truth, I am foregoing a Roman Catholic, Babylonian, idolatrous holy day, as a testimony to all those who call it and themselves “Christian”, in order to withstand the Devil in his desire to counterfeit Christianity, and thereby receive worship to himself. The reasons for celebrating the birthday of Tammuz are weak and beggarly, and the real reason people cling to such traditions was very elegantly proposed by the man who stated: “I happen to like Christmas… even if it is pagan.”
For the average nominal Christian, Christmas might not be so evil, for he is happily ignorant of the design of Satan against us. But for a sincere teacher of the Scriptures, what pretext do we have for not acting on the overwhelming evidence? I can understand the sentimental, the simple-minded, the “don’t complicate things” attitude, but as soldiers we ought to be thorough in our obedience, firm in our convictions, resolute in our defense of Truth. Can we joyfully partake of the table of devils, once we learn the truth about Christ’s mass being celebrated on a pagan holy day?
I did not reject Christmas as a legal measure, but as an expedience demanded by the heightened measure of confusion we live in today. I chose, before I was convinced of its evil, to cease observing Christmas until it was completely acquitted of its indictment. I considered it to be disrespectful to God to continue observing the 25th of December when there so much doubt about its legitimacy. Since then, everyone who has set out to advocate in its behalf, has added to its evil in my estimation. And I truly enjoyed Christmas, and would have loved to see its vindication. But it was not to be!
Betty Davis (saved out of witchcraft):
I think that the celebration of Christmas is a blatant example of lack of spiritual discernment and it has allowed the Devil to “blend” doctrines of demons into the church, and the average church person is too ignorant of the Word and lukewarm in heart to be concerned. When someone tries to warn them that they may be involved in something not pure, they tend to become angry and reject the person as a crank. Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments”. Not in order to be saved, but because we love him. Many people say that they believe the Bible and love the Lord, and yet they live as if God had never spoken. Dt. 12:29-32 speaks very strongly about worshipping God in the same manner that pagans worship their gods. Jer. 10 talks about trees and men’s use of them in idolatry. Satan has taught men to use trees as religious symbols and actually worship them. Witchcraft is the worship of nature and trees are a contact between men and spirits. I was six years old when I learned that. For years I had continuous seances at Christmas time because of the tree in my house.
There are many reference and history books that describe the use of trees in religious ceremonies. It was a symbol of reincarnation. The young green tree was decorated while the old log burned, symbolizing the passing of the same life from an old body to a new one. You can make a word study on “green tree” (or groves) in the Bible. The tree itself is an idol in many religions. It is decorated with shiny ornaments symbolizing gods. In some countries they are round orbs for the sun, moon, and planets. Lights in the form of burning candles were then added. Many people say they put up a tree merely as a decoration and place no religious meaning to it.
The meaning is already there. They have placed an idol in their home. When they add the shiny baubles and turn on the lights, they have created the most powerful spiritist’s idol in existence. A ouija board, Tarot cards, crystal ball, and TM require willful submission before they can work. A Christmas tree only requires your presence. Satan will use any opportunity given him to enter into any area of your life.
After I was saved, God dealt with me to throw out the things of witchcraft. The tree was one of the first things to go. I prayed and God said, “touch not the unclean thing”. It wasn’t unclean to me, it was unclean to God. People tell me that God took it from me because of my past, but since they weren’t involved in witchcraft it’s alright for them. He gave the commandment long before I came along, and he gave it to all of his people – not just those who had been in witchcraft. Another thing frequently heard is this: Yes, I know that the Christmas tree came out of paganism, but….” When did it come out? and who said that it did? If it came out, then why does it still work so well for spiritists? Where does God say that he changed his mind about trees in worship? Where does God instruct anyone to use a tree for His honor? The only tree God ever pointed to is the one on Calvary – and then He points to the One Who died there – not to the tree (except in the sense that Jesus Had to be hung on a tree – it was a curse to be hung on a tree: Dt.21:23; Gal.3:13).
The tree is used during Saturnalia. It has to do with the completion of the sun’s cycle and a new beginning. The “Queen of Heaven” supposedly gave birth to the “deliverer” at this time. The celebrations consist of wild parties and total abandonment of morals. How can we believe that the customs of Christmas come from God? It seems obvious that the world celebrates this time of the year in a way that is very consistent with its history. Jesus told us to remember his death, not his birthday. Something has been added to worship – and Not by God. Maybe we should find out who is really worshipped on that day.
III. ANSWERS to the Scriptures used to defend celebrating Christmas:
A) We know the idol is nothing (1 Cor. 8:4). But we also know that idolatry is worshipping of devils (1 Cor.10:20-21)
B) We know nothing is unclean of itself (Rom.14:14). But we also know that God says some things are unclean to us (2 Cor.6:17).
C) We know ordinances of men are foolishness and we waste no time on them (Col.2:21-22). But we also know that when God says touch not – that is different (2 cor.6:17).
D) We know that he that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord (Rom.14:6). But we also know that Paul was afraid of those who observed days (Gal.4:10-11).
E) We know all things are lawful for us (1 Cor.6:12). But we also know that all things are not expedient (1 Cor. 6:12). And that all things edify not (1 Cor.10:23).
We are not going back under law or into bondage by refusing to do certain things – especially if His Word says not to do them. If I tell you to not eat meat because the meat itself is unclean, I would be wrong – But if I tell you not to eat meat offered to idols, I would only be telling you what God’s word says (Acts 15). If I tell you to not eat meat on a certain day of the week in order to make yourself right with God, I would be wrong – but if I tell you to not eat meat offered to idols because it hurts weaker brothers, I would only be telling you what God’s word says (Rom.14:21; 1 Cor.8:9-13).
We must learn to discern between 1) doing something because we are in bondage and under the law for righteousness, and 2) doing something out of obedience to our Lord because we love him and love the brethren.
Our desire should be to please Him – not in bondage – but in love. Although we truly are bondservants to Him, we serve Him because we love Him.
IV. FACTS:
A) Encyclopedia Americana: “Christmas: The feast commemorating the birth of Jesus, observed by the Christian church annually on Dec. 25th. The name is derived from the mass of Christ. The celebration was not observed in the first centuries of the Christian church. A feast was established in the fourth century; and in the fifth century the western church ordered the feast to be celebrated on the day of the mitraic rites of the birth of the sun and at the close of the saturnalia, as no certain knowledge of the day of Christ’s birth existed. Among the German & Celtic tribes the winter solstice commemorated the return of the sun and they held their chief festival of yule, which, like other pagan celebrations became adapted to Christmas. Most of the customs now associated with Christmas were not originally Christian customs, but were pre- Christian and non-Christian customs taken up by the Christian church. Saturnalia, a Roman feast provided the model for many of the merry-making customs of Christmas. From this celebration were derived the elaborate feasting, the giving of gifts, and the burning of candles. Lights played an important part in most winter solstice festivals. The Teutonic yule feast also provided customs – such as the yule log and wassail bowl. The Saxons made use of ivy and holly, and mistletoe is a Celtic remnant.”
B) interest Magazine: “In the U.S. as in England, traditional Christmas customs were at first suppressed, because the Puritans objected to them as pagan in origin, but since the middle of the 19th century, the celebrations have become increasingly popular and commercialized. The Christmas season for many is a mixture of anticipation, anxiety, and despair. It is the most popular holiday of the American year. Yet this observance is accompanied by secular customs drawn from pagan sources.”
C) United Press: Atheist Madalyn O’hair will be decorating her tree, singing “Jingle Bells” and exchanging gifts this holiday season (Christmas, 1986). What makes this non-believer so merry? Winter solstice. O’hair, along with thousands of atheists and agnostics share the pagan fascination with the shortest day of the year. We have one *#@$ of a good time, said O’hair. We have a time of merry making, of giving presents, because nature has given man the ultimate present – the sun. O’hair said atheists even buy solstice trees because in pagan antiquity they were used. Anne Gaylor, President of Freedom From Religion Foundation, says pagans deserve all the credit for the holiday called Christmas.”
D) Associated Press: Celebrating Christmas in Massachussets three centuries ago was risky; anyone who took the day off from work could be fined 5 shillings. When George Washington crossed the Delaware on Dec. 25, 1776, he could count on catching the Hessian soldiers drunk and sound asleep after a day of carousing, but for Washington’s men, Christmas was just another day. Americans like to think the modern Christmas celebration has deep Christian roots, but in fact it dates back no earlier than the 19th century in the united states. Visions of apple-cheeked colonial children hanging wreaths and singing carols are totally fictitious, because for two centuries Protestant America considered Christmas a “Popish” holiday. Christmas as we know it now, was a “conscious & deliberate” invention in the mid 19th century by several American authors of the day. “I’m not trying to debunk Christmas” says Calvert, a historian, “I’m trying to give credit where credit is due”. Nevertheless Calvert is a Scrooge-like figure to people who prefer to imagine that the Pilgrims decked the halls with boughs of holly. They get quite irate, she says. The inventors of American Christmas emphasized the pagan origins of the holiday because they wanted nothing to do with the Roman Catholic roots of the celebration. They felt if you had to choose between Catholic and pagan, pagan was the lesser of two evils. Around the turn of the century, Christmas became nearly universal when writers said that parents “owed it to their children”. And it worked beautifully. In the 1880’s sales of Christmas goods began on Dec. 23rd, but of course the commercialism of Christmas was too good a thing to pass up and it has been pushed harder and harder each year.
E) W. L. Liefeld in Interest Magazine: Is Christmas a pagan holiday? There are actually two questions here. Is Christmas pagan as presently celebrated in our society? To this there can be only one answer – of course. This is not only by default, it is by design. But what about Christmas viewed historically? Is Christmas pagan in its origin? Of course it is. Originally the Christians did not celebrate the birth of Christ at all!
F) International Bible Encyclopedia:
Baal (Belu or Bel) was the title of the supreme god among the Canaanites. In Babylonia it was the title specially applied to Merodach of Babylon and in time, came to be used in place of his actual name. He was a Sun-god. He is found worshipped in many areas, including the Phonecian colonies. Human victims were sacrificed to him. Collectively all of the terms he was known by were called Baalim or Baals, who took their place by the side of Astaroth and Asherim. Temples of Baal at Samaria and Jerusalem are mentioned in the Bible, where they had been erected at the time of Ahab. Altars on which incense was burned to Baal were set up in all the streets of Jerusalem at one time. (see Beelzebub).
Astoreth (or Ashtoreth): The name of the supreme goddess of Canaan and the female counterpart of Baal. The name and cult of the goddess were derived from Babylonia, where Istar represented the evening and morning stars. The cult of the Greek Aphrodite in Cyprus was borrowed from that of Astoreth. The chief seat of the worship of Istar in Babylonia was Erech, where prostitution was practised in her name, and she was served with immoral rites by bands of men and women. She had many other names in other cultures, but the sun, moon, and stars was what was represented.
Asherah (also meaning grove ): Was the name of a goddess whose worship was widely spread throughout Syria and Canaan. Plural: Asherim. Her “image” is mentioned in the O.T. as well as her prophets and the vessels used in her service. In Assyria the name appears under the two forms of Asratu and Sirtu. Like so much else in Canaan religion the name and worship of Asherah were borrowed from Assyria, and it was originally an epithet of Istar (Ashtoreth) of Nineveh. The tree-trunk or cone of stone symbolized Asherah. The trunk was forbidden to be erected by the side of the altar of Jehovah (Dt.16:21; Jgs.3:7;6:25-30; 2 Kg.23:6). Accordingly the symbol made for Asherah by his mother was “cut down” by Asa (1 Kg.15:13). The symbols of the goddess were also set up on the high places under the shade of a green tree (Jer.17:2; 2 Kg.17:8-17). Manasseh introduced one into the temple at Jerusalem (2 Kg.21:2-7).
Easter: The English word comes from the Eastre or Estera, a Teutonic goddess to whom sacrifice was offered in April. The word does not occur in Scripture except in Acts 12:4. There is no trace of Easter celebration in the New Testament though some would see an intimation of it in 1 Cor. 5:7.
G) Robert McCurry in Temple Times: Halloween: Where did this holiday originate? Why is this holiday celebrated? The earliest Halloween celebrations were held by the Druids in honor of Samhain, whose festival fell on Nov. 1. It was a Druid belief that on the eve of this festival, Samhain called together the wicked souls who came out to harm people. They thought that cats were sacred. These pagans believed that on that one night of the year all souls of the dead returned to their original homes. To exorcise these ghosts, you would have to set out food and if they were satisfied with your treat, they would leave you in peace. If not, they would cast an evil spell on you. The Celts had Oct. 31 as a celebration of everything wicked, evil and dead. They would gather around a fire and offer sacrifices – sometimes themselves. They would tell one another’s fortunes. The Catholic church realized that if a pagan practice or festival could not be stopped, then it should be “Christianized”. Let the recently baptized pagans keep their heathen festivals, but lable them “Christian”. Of course they could not pray to their ancient pagan gods on these days, but they could use this day to coommemorate the death of “saints”. The mass that was said on this day was All Hallow Mass. The evening before became known as All Hallow e’en, or Halloween. Bible believing Christians cringe and shudder at the thought of Satan worship or occult rites. But they allow their children to dress up as witches, ghosts, devils, etc. and go trick or treating, or have parties and haunted house activities. Can we give any scriptural reason for participation in that which is unmistakenly associated with paganism, devil-worship, witchcraft, and Romanism? (Dt.18:9-14). Don’t hold on to something just because you like it, or because you have the right to “do as you please” (Rom.14:7,13,15; 2 Cor.5:15; 6:17; 1 Ths.5:22; 1 Cor.9:21).
Do you really???
V. CONCLUSION:
We have no scriptural basis whatever to celebrate the birthday of Christ at all, much less to celebrate it on the PAGAN HOLIDAY that the PAGAN CATHOLIC CHURCH adopted to celebrate CHRIST MASS. If CHRISTMAS or these other holidays WERE REALLY CHRISTIAN the WORLD would not love them. Jesus says THE WORLD would hate him, his people, his word……therefore when the WORLD loves Christmas, or Halloween, etc. it makes them VERY SUSPECT (to say the least) in my eyes. WHY DO THEY LOVE THEM? That alone is enough to prove to me that they are not of Christ, nor for Christians.
I do not gather together in the name of Baptist like I used to, but I have never condemned anyone for gathering in that name. Nor have I condemned anyone for celebrating Christmas. But I preach and teach that both are unscriptural. I tried to make compromises with that “day” for the sake of my children – I should not have done so. I tried very hard for awhile to put Christ into Christmas, and finally concluded I couldn’t do so. I don’t think anyone can make their observance of it acceptable to God. This is my opinion – you can test yours at the judgment seat of Christ. That is where mine will be judged.
I cannot speak for you or your conscience, but for me, with the light I have, to ever again celebrate Christmas or to honor December 25th as the Lord’s birthday would be denying truth. I have way too much light to ever again have any fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness associated with this day.
L. Kincaid
SCRIPTURES: Be sure and read these:
Ex. 34:12-17;
Lev. 17:7; 18:3, 21; 19:8, 26,31;
Num. 25:1-5,18; 31:16;
Deut. 7:3-6, 25-26; 12:2-3, 29 32; 16:21-23; 18:9-14; 32:15-19;
Judges 2:13; 3:6-7; 6:25-32; 8:33; 9:4,46; 10:6; 16:23;
1 Sam. 7:3-4; 12:10;
1 Kings 11:5-13,33; 12:28-33; 14:15,23-24; 18:19;
2 Kings 1:2-3,16; 10:18-28; 11:18; 13:6; 16:3-4; 17:9-19,41; 18:4; 21:2-7; 23:4-24;
2 Chron. 11:15; 33:3-19; 16:31-33; 19:2; 34:3-7;
Psalm 78:58; 106:28-39; Is. 27:9; 45:20; 52:11;57:5;
Jer. 2:20; 3:6; 7:18-19,30-31; 10:2-4; 17:2; 32:29-35;
Ezek. 5:11; 6:13; 7:19-20; 11:12,21; 14:3-7; 16:16-43; 20:16-39; 44:12;
Amos 5:25-26; Micah 5:12-14;
Zeph. 1:3-5;
Matt. 3:8; Acts 7:39-43; 15:20, 29; 19:19; 21:25;
Rom. 12:1, 9, 12; 13:1-23; 14:13,15,21; 15:1-2;
1 Cor. 3:16-18; 5:3,10-13; 6:2-19; 1 Cor. 8; 9:12,19-27; 1 Cor. 10;
2 Cor. 6:14 18; 12:19;
Gal. 4:7-11; 5:13-14,19-21;
Eph. 5:5-17; 6:11-12; Col. 2:6-23;
Heb. 13:10 13;
James 4:4; 2 Pet. 2:1-3, 13-19; 2
Jn. 8-11; Rev. 2:14;
Rev. 18:4;
2 Pt. 2:13 19.
Anyone with a real desire to please God, should see the truth of these things, but – let us be careful not to judge too harshly those who do not act upon these truths. 2 Cor. 3:6; Gal. 5:1,13-16; Eph. 4:1-3; 1 Pet. 4:8; 1 Pet. 4:2-4.