There is something different in the air. Frost covers the edges of the window panes. A dusting of snow is on the ground. In the city there is an extra bit of energy felt, as people rush here and there tending to last minute details. The tinsel is on the tree. Children anxiously await the day when they will be surrounded by their families sipping eggnog, and they, the children will be unwrapping presents. Yes, it is that time of year. The holiday season. A time when the churches are a little more full than usual and people quote scripture a little more often. It might be the one time a year that the dinner table is witness to bowed heads and the saying of grace. Emails circulate that cry out "Keep Christ in Christmas". Families travel across the country to be home for the holidays. What a magical time of year. This is how it has been in this country since its founding. Right? Well... not exactly. It was actually illegal to celebrate Christmas in Boston from 1659 - 1681. Why? Well, they knew something that many today, do not know. Keep reading and by the end of this, you will know what they knew. During the late 1700's Christmas was just another day in America, for the most part. A working day, even for Congress. Any celebration of Christmas that did take place in early America, would be unrecognizable by us today. In fact it wasn't until the year 1870 that Christmas was declared a federal holiday. The Christmas celebration traditions that are in place today have their origins in paganism. This is not an opinion, but is indeed fact and you can read more about it on the Christmas page.
Some of our founding fathers had the foresight to understand precisely what Christmas would become. One of those was Thomas Jefferson, who in 1823 wrote a letter to John Adams. In that letter, Mr. Jefferson stated: "The day will come when the mystical generation of Jesus, by the supreme being as his father in the womb of a virgin, will be classed with the fable of the generation of Minerva in the brain of Jupiter."
Copied from source on 9/19/2014.
Thomas Jefferson was a wise man with the keen ability to predict the future. He was not blessed with some supernatural power. He did have the uncommon ability to understand human nature and how the effects of human nature would shape future events. His prediction has indeed come to fruition. His statement can be looked at in two different ways. He could be saying that one day unbelievers would say "the miraculous birth of Christ Jesus from a virgin mother by the power of the Father is nothing more than a fable, just like the mythological goddess minerva or mythological god jupiter". If that was his intention, it has certainly come to that. Atheist all over the world say precisely that today.
One could also interpret his quote as meaning that one day the people will celebrate the birth of Christ in the same manner that they celebrate pagan holidays. If this was his intention, it has certainly come true also. Americans do indeed celebrate the birth of Christ just as the pagans celebrated their holidays. Either way Mr. Jefferson was correct.
Let's look at some facts. All of these facts are fully documented on the Christmas page. I encourage doubters and believers alike to read the document at that link.
1. Christ was not born on December 25.
2. ALL of the modern day customs for celebrating Christmas have their origins in paganism.
3. The traditions and customs of today's Christmas pre-date Christ's time on Earth. They could not have been invented for Christ's benefit.
4. The Catholic church made up a birth date for Christ to coincide with the dates of popular pagan holidays in an attempt to convert pagans to Christianity.
Whom do we serve?
Christians believe in the God of the Bible. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The one true God of Heaven. This is the God we claim to serve and the Bible is our only guide. Or so we say. Do our actions support our claim? Nowhere in the Bible are we instructed to keep Christmas. In fact there is one verse that specifically tells us to not learn the way of the heathen.
Jer 10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
The next two verses continue by clearly describing what we now call a Christmas tree.
Jer 10:3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
Jer 10:4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
Many will say that these verses are not speaking of the Christmas tree. This may be correct in the strictest sense. It wasn't called a Christmas tree when these words were originally written. However, these verses are clearly describing the forerunner of the Christmas tree. It is true that the term "Christmas tree" is a relatively new term. However, the practice of cutting down a tree, bringing it into a home, and decking it with silver and gold is a very old one. A practice which the word of God calls "vain" and tells us not to learn to do. We can read those verses to any five year old and they will quickly tell us what is being described. A Christmas tree. The following verses go on to tell us that these trees cannot do evil or good. The people that practice this doctrine are then called brutish and foolish. The stock or tree is called a doctrine of vanities.
Jer 10:8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.
The word "vanities" is defined in Strong's dictionary as: H1892 emptiness or vanity; figuratively something transitory and unsatisfactory; often used as an adverb: - X altogether, vain, vanity.
The Christmas tree as well as the whole Christmas celebration is empty. It doesn't glorify God. The word of God tells us so.
Keep Christ in Christmas
We often hear the phrase "keep Christ in Christmas". Actually, Christ was never in Christmas. On the contrary, the word Christmas actually means Christ dismissal. The word Christmas is a combination of two words; "Christ" and "Mass". We all understand the word "Christ", but do we understand the word "mass"?
The term "Mass" is derived from the Late Latin word missa (dismissal), a word used in the concluding formula of Mass in Latin: "Ite, missa est" ("Go; it is the dismissal"). Definition copied from source on 9/19/2014.
The origins of Christmas are pagan in every instance. The word of God tells us to not join ourselves together with unbelievers. Pagans are unbelievers. The Bible tells us to not mix the light with dark, the good with evil.
2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
We have seen that the forerunner of the Christmas tree was a pagan idol. The word of God tells us that there is no connection between Christ and Pagan idols. God tells us that there should be no connection between one who believes and one who does not.
2Co 6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
The word of God tells us that there should be no connection between us and false idols.
2Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Many "Christians" today allow a connection between themselves and pagan idols. They desecrate the sanctity of their home and their churches by bringing abominations into them. Namely the Christmas tree and other decorations. It goes much deeper than this though. Many go much further and desecrate their own temple (their body) by embracing the pagan rituals both mentally and spiritually. Have you ever kissed beneath the mistletoe toe? That is a pagan ritual. The yule tide log is pagan. The Christmas tree is pagan. This list can go on and on because all of the customs of Christmas have their origins in paganism.
What would happen if you didn't celebrate Christmas? Would you be ostracized? Would you be persecuted? God tells us to come out from among the world and be separate and to not touch unclean things.
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
What does God mean here when stating "unclean things"? Read it in context. We are being warned to stay away from idols, idol worship and any connection to those things. Will we submit to the will of God or to peer pressure? If we can't take the minor persecutions that would come from withdrawing from Christmas, how would we deal with real persecution for believing in Christ. That real persecution will come in the end times. The end times may come within our life time. Will we stand with Christ or will we denounce Christ and carry the banner of the masses?
I could go on and on with scripture that instructs us not to mix good and evil. Good and evil have certainly been combined in Christmas. I will refrain from listing verses in order to keep this as brief as possible. I purposefully chose the above scriptures from the New Testament because some people automatically discount the Old Testament. If you really want the in-depth version with absolute proof, complete with references and more scripture, then go to the holiday page and read each of the listed documents. Don't just take my word for it though. Go and research this on your own. Shouldn't you know what or who you are worshiping? May God Bless You.