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THE
TRUE HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS "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). How did December 25 become the designated day and season of the
birth of Jesus Christ? Rather than being the time of our Savior's
birth, it was the very day and season on which the pagans for centuries had
celebrated the birth of the Sun-god. In the fifth
century, A.D., the Roman Catholic Church commanded that the birth
of Christ be observed on December 25 - the day of the old Roman feast of the
birth of Sol - one of the names of the sun-god. This winter festival was called 'the nativity' - the nativity of
the SUN as well as Osiris, Horus, Hercules, Bacchus, Adonis, Jupiter, Tammuz
and other sun-gods who were supposedly born at the time of the winter
solstice, which is now called - the 'Christmas' season. The pagan
winter solstice was celebrated with great feasts, revelry, and drunkenness;
the same way many celebrate it today! When this winter festival came to Rome, it was known as the
Saturnalia - Saturn being another name for the sun-god. The name of the
seventh day of our week, Saturday, also comes from a sun-god. How about
the first day of our week - Sun-day? This winter solstice was the most vile, immoral feast that ever
disgraced pagan Rome. And it was from this very feast at Rome that the
merry-making of this season passed into the Roman Catholic Church and on into
all Christendom, with few exceptions. The word Christmas derives from 'Christ Mass' which has its
origin in the Roman Catholic Church. The word catholic means universal.
The Roman Universal Church was founded by the Roman emperor Constantine about
313 A.D. Constantine was fighting in a civil war for the Roman
throne. On the day before the battle of Milvian Bridge,
Constantine prayed to his sun-god and we are told that a cross
appeared in the sky with the inscription; 'In hoc signo vinces', which
means, 'In this sign conquer.' The next day, Constantine went to battle
behind a standard portraying a cross. He was victorious and he then
professed conversion to "Christianity." After securing
his throne as emperor of the Roman empire, he declared that his
"Christianity" was the 'universal religion' of the Roman
empire. Pagan temples became 'churches.' Constantine's Roman
universal (catholic) church became a religion mixed with paganism
(Babylonianism) and given New Testament names. The old Babylonian
mother-son cult of Tammuz and Semiramis became known as Jesus and Mary, with
divinity also ascribed to Mary. Many years ago Alexander Hislop
wrote THE TWO BABYLONS which gives a detailed account
of the old Babylonian Pagan religion and its basic doctrines as the
foundation of the Roman Catholic "Church". The Holy Spirit, appropriately and with exactitude, calls
the universal harlot church of the last days, "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE
MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH" (Revelation 17:5). Needless to say, Christ Mass, which has been shortened to
Christmas, is not found anywhere in the Bible. According
to THE HISTORY OF CHRISTMAS, a very good presentation shown on the History
Channel; Christians in the United States only began
to celebrate Christmas in the mid 1800s. Recently Christmas day fell on a Sunday. On that
Sunday the "pastor" of a large Baptist
"church" delivered his Sunday sermon dressed as Santa
Claus! Truly, apostasy abounds in these last days! Nowhere in the New Testament are Christians ever told when
Christ was born, nor are we told to celebrate His birth. But
rather, we are explicitly commanded to celebrate His death; and we are
told how to do it: "And his disciples went forth, and came
into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the
passover. And in the evening he cometh with the twelve" (Mark 14:16 & 17). "And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed,
and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.
And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and
they all drank of it. And he said unto them. This is my
blood of the new testament, which is shed for many" (Mark 14:22-24). Christ's apostle Paul also wrote: "For I have received of the Lord that which also I
delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was
betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said,
Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance
of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped,
saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye
drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread,
and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's DEATH till he come" (I Corinthians 11:23-26). Also, water baptism by emersion, pictures the DEATH,
burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Should Christians celebrate 'Christmas' or the birth of the Lord
Jesus Christ? Do you want to obey our Lord Jesus or pagan tradition via
Romanism? The Scriptural answer is obvious. Christ Jesus
is not the reason for the season! "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). Retired Baptist pastor/teacher: James McCutchan |