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Biblical Church of God

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Christmas:

The Greatest Story NEVER
Told

Editorial Staff:

Harold Cormany

Sherry Martin

K. L. Dye

Copyright 1997 (C)

Christian Biblical Church of God

Post
Office Box 1442

Hollister, California 95024-1442

All
rights reserved

Table of
Contents

Preface

Introduction

Chapter One:

The
Birth of Christ

What Day was Christ's
Birth?

Chapter Two:

Christmas Began When?

Pagan Origins

The Early Church

The
Nativity ‑ Role of Sun Worship in Choosing December
25

A Simple Solution

Chapter Three:

The
Christmas Trail

Yule Logs

Mistletoe

So What's the Tree About?

Was Christ Born in a Cave?

The Christmas Parties and Decorations

Giving of Gifts

Chapter
Four:

Santa
Claus

Chapter
Five:

Mother
and Child

Chapter
Six:

The
Christmas Spirit: Angelic or Demonic?

Satan's Deliberate Deceit

Chapter
Seven:

Our
Forefathers Knew Better!

Put Christ Back into Christmas

Chapter
Eight:

God
Issues a Strong Warning

Do We Honor God?

Chapter
Nine:

The
Next Step: More Courage! More Study!

Chapter
Ten:

Conclusion: Repentance!

Preface

"The true worshippers
shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh
such to worship Him. God is a spirit: and they that worship Him must
worship Him in spirit and in truth." John 4:23‑24 (King James Version)

Perhaps you have never heard
the true story, "Christmas ‑ the Greatest Story Never Told. " As
astounding as it may seem, what the religions of the world have told you
about Christmas is not true!

If you celebrate and love
Christmas, as the world celebrates and loves Christmas, the information in
this booklet will be most revealing. Most people who celebrate Christmas
believe they are honoring God the Father and Jesus Christ. But the truth
is that they are not. As you read this booklet, you will have to
ask yourself some difficult questions:

"If Christmas does not honor
God, who does it honor?" Most people claim that they desire to worship the
true God of creation, but they have been deluded into accepting practices
that, in fact, worship false gods. So we must ask ourselves, "Do we want
to worship the God of creation, or the gods which men have created for
themselves? Do we want to be justified by God, or do we want to justify
our own human ways, and thoughts?"

In order to solve this
dilemma, we need to do as the Scriptures admonish and prove what is "good
and acceptable before God" (I Tim 5:4). Indeed, if we are desiring to
follow and honor God, we should be willing to follow the example of Jesus
Christ. Notice what Jesus said: " 'The Father hath not left me alone; for
I do always those things that please Him.' As he spake these words,
many believed on him . . . 'If ye continue in my word, then are ye my
disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make
you free' " (John 8:29‑32). We must be willing to search the Scriptures
and history to find the real truth about Christmas. We must find out from
the word of God whether the celebration of Christmas is pleasing to God or
not.

However, in the world in
which we live, too many people feel that if they have good intentions in
whatever they are doing, then, in their view, everything is right. As many
religious people may say, "What's really important is what's in my heart."
Some claim that the origin of the celebration of Christmas on December 25
is of no importance. You may have heard it said, "We will make it
acceptable to God as long as we put Christ into the celebration with a
renewed and deep spiritual meaning!"

So that we are not misled by
our feelings, let's see God's righteous view about the human heart. In
Genesis 8:21 it is recorded: "The imagination of man's heart is evil
from his youth..." (emphasis ours throughout). Human rationale is
most deceptive because it seems so right. "There is a way which seems
right to a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death" (Proverbs
14:12). God inspired Jeremiah to write about the human heart of man, "The
heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who
can know it?" (Jeremiah. 17:9). Although we may think that our hearts are
pure, and our intentions right, we must not rely on our own deceitful
reasonings, but we must rely solely on the Truth of the Word of God.

Moreover, Jesus Christ
clearly denounced the religious traditions of men as vain. "Howbeit in
vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men!"
(Mark 7:7). Since Christmas is a tradition of men, in celebrating it, do
we worship God in vain? Listen, to what Jesus also said about the
observation of human traditions. "Full well you reject the commandments of
God that you may keep your own traditions" (verse 9).

You need to carefully read
this booklet and ask yourself, "Am I rejecting God by observing the
tradition of Christmas?" You are encouraged to look up all the scripture
references used in this booklet. Then you need to follow the example of
the Bereans who "searched the scriptures daily whether those things were
so" (Acts 17:11).

It's also important to
dispel the misconception that the Old Testament is old news ‑ not
applicable to us today. We need to realize that most of the scriptures the
apostles of Jesus Christ directly quoted and wrote about are the ones we
call "the Old Testament."

Furthermore, as each of the
Gospels and epistles were written, they were accepted by the New Testament
church as inspired, carrying the scriptural authority of Jesus Christ (II
Peter 3:16). Notice what the apostle Paul wrote about the scriptures we
now call the "Old Testament . He considered them the inspired Word of God
which we are to use today. "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God
and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for
instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect,
thoroughly furnished unto all good works" (II Tim. 3:16‑17). Remember,
neither God the Father nor Jesus Christ referred to the Scriptures as "Old
Testament" and "New Testament." These names were given later, by men.

Even knowing that, many may
think, and with conviction, "I just don't see how all these churches could
be wrong about Christmas ‑ it just doesn't make sense!" But remember, it
is well known by the facts of history and science that a majority of
people also held beliefs which were later proven to be wrong. How many
people believed that the world was flat? How many believed that the sun
revolved around the earth? As you read this booklet, you will come to
understand that those who celebrate Christmas, have been led to believe
and practice the lying traditions of men while intending to do good.

Notice what Jesus Christ
said about those well‑intended religious practices done in His name! "Not
everyone who says unto Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the kingdom of
heaven; but the one who is doing the will of My Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to Me in that day [the day of judgment], Lord, Lord, have we
not prophesied in Your name? and in Your name have cast out demons? and in
Your name have done many wonderful works? And then I will profess unto
them, 'I never knew you: Depart from Me you who are working iniquity'”
(Matthew. 7:21‑23).

We hope that God has given
you the desire to read this booklet to find out if Christmas worships
Christ or if not Christ, then whom? This is "The Greatest Story Never
Told."

Fred R.
Coulter

Deuteronomy
12:30‑31

"Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following
them, after that they be destroyed from before thee, and that thou enquire
not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even
so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for
every abomination to the Lord, which he hateth, have they done unto their
gods; for even their sons and daughters they have burnt in the fire to
their gods."

Jeremiah
10:2‑5

"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, 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."

Matthew 15:9

"In vain they do worship me, teaching for
doctrines the

commandments of men."

John 4:24

"God is a spirit: and they that worship Him must
worship Him in spirit and

in truth."

II Corinthians 11:13‑15

"For such are false apostles,
deceitful workers, transforming

themselves into the apostles
of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is

transformed into an angel of
light....; whose end shall be according to their works."

Introduction

The muffled sounds from the
TV were only a camouflage. Nathan's mom and dad were busily putting toys
together, wrapping presents and putting them under the tree, eating the
cookies the kids had put out for Santa Claus, and sneaking a quick kiss
under the mistletoe. They were as excited as the kids on this special
night. They felt a warm glow as they carried on the traditions that had
been so much fun for them when they were children.

At the other end of the
house, Nathan was too excited to sleep. It was Christmas Eve and he
couldn't stop thinking, "What will Santa bring me?" Nathan had visited
Santa at the mall earlier in December and told him what he wanted. On his
list was the latest and greatest video game because his parents said they
couldn't afford it. He knew it was getting late, but he couldn't resist
one more peek to look for Santa in his bright red suit flying to his
house. As he looked, he wondered how it was possible for Santa to get to
all those houses in one night. Well, no matter, Mom and Dad said he could,
so it must be true. He worried a little. He had been pretty mean to his
little sister lately. But he always got presents anyway, so maybe that
didn't count to Santa. Presents! Yeah!

Grandma and Grandpa were
coming too. More presents! Those would have to wait until after Grandma
went to church, even though it wasn't Sunday! Dad just said, "Grandma is
old fashioned." Grandma said, "Christmas is special because that was the
day Christ was born." "We don't go to church on my birthday," he thought.
Anyway, the people at the store had told Dad, "Christmas is for the
children. That's what it's all about."

And so it goes. A similar
scenario is played out in countless homes around the world with activities
planned and anticipated throughout the year. Most often they are carried
out without a thought given to the one whose life it claims to celebrate.
Although children are interested in the activity and the presents,
Christians who really study their Bible will have nagging questions: How
do Christmas traditions really celebrate the birthday of Jesus? Where is
the observance of Christ's birth taught in the Bible? How did Santa Claus
get involved with the birth of Christ? Where did we get Christmas trees,
Yule logs, wreaths, and mistletoe? Jesus was born on December 25,
wasn't He? Christmas is one of the most important Christian
holidays, isn't it?

We live in a world filled
with customs that most people grow up practicing without question. The
majority participate in the observance of Christmas believing it to be one
of the principal teachings of the New Testament. Since we look to Christ
as the author of our salvation, maybe we should take a deeper look into
the celebration of his birth. This booklet will answer those questions. We
can know the origins of these customs, and just how these traditions
became associated with Christmas.

The Bible Commands the
Observance of Christmas ‑

Doesn't
It?

The story of Christ's
miraculous birth is one of the most widely known and popularly embellished
stories from the Bible. Few realize that "Christmas" is never mentioned in
the Bible. How can it be determined whether or not the origins of
Christmas are important to Christians? If we uncover evidence that proves
Christmas is actually the unrighteous worship of Baal, or any false god,
it is imperative that we withdraw from such abominable traditions. We
would not want Christ to utter to us the words he spoke to the scribes and
Pharisees, "Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias (Isaiah) 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 ‑ King James Version throughout). If we consider ourselves
Christians, our worship must be to God the Father through Christ alone.
(See I Kings 18:21.) We cannot rely on our human intellect, feelings or
emotions because as Proverbs 14:12, states, "There is a way which seemeth
right unto a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death." We must
rely on the truth of God and His Word is accessible to us. We may have
great peace of mind in knowing that God provides for us, in the Bible, the
godly way to worship Him in a manner in which He approves and
delights.

Finally, did you know there
is not one word in the New Testament, nor for that matter, anywhere
in the whole Bible telling us that we should observe Christmas? The
Christians of the first century, under the inspired teachings of Paul and
Peter and the other apostles, never observed it. Just what do we
really know about Christmas? You will be surprised, maybe shocked! It just
may be The Greatest Story Never Told!

Chapter One

The Birth of
Christ

A great and important event
occurred nearly 2,000 years ago in ancient Palestine. It was the birth of
our Savior Jesus Christ. We have all heard of the story told in the
gospels. Joseph and Mary had gone to Bethlehem at the decree of Caesar
Augustus. "And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of
Nazareth into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem ...
to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child" (Luke
2:1‑5).

We remember, of course,
there was no room at the inn; they spent the night in what we would call a
barn, and there Mary gave birth to Jesus. His bed was a manger filled with
hay.

Out of town, in the open
fields around Bethlehem, shepherds were spending the night with their
flocks. As the shepherds watched their flocks, suddenly they saw angels
appear in the sky, and "the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the
glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And
the angels said unto them, fear not, for behold, I bring you tidings of
great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this
day in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this
shall be a sign unto you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling
clothes, lying in a manger" (Luke 2:8‑11).

This is the story of
Christ's birth. Those shepherds rejoiced that night, so we should also
rejoice because Christ, the Messiah, the Savior was born ‑ that same
Christ through Whom we have salvation!

What Day Was Christ's
Birth?

When did this event take
place? The actual date can only be estimated (Write for our booklet,
When Was Jesus Christ Born?). While people all over the world
commemorate His birth on December 25th, one thing we can know for sure is
that it was NOT in winter. The Bible states in the Song of Solomon
2:11, and Ezra 10:9& 13, that winter was a rainy season not allowing
shepherds to remain in open fields at night. The evidence of the shepherds
in the field shows it could not have been during the cold, rainy season of
December and January.

From the Adam Clark
Commentary, Volume 5, page 347, we learn "[i]t was an ancient custom
among the Jews of those days to send their sheep to the fields and deserts
about Passover (early spring) and bring them home at commencement of the
first rain." The authority continues, "during the time they were out, the
shepherds watched them night and day, as ... the first rains began early
in the month of Marchesvan, which answers to part of our October and
November (begins mid‑October), we find that the sheep were kept out in the
open country during the whole summer, and as these shepherds had not yet
brought home their flocks, it is a presumptive argument that October had
not yet commenced, and consequently, our Lord was not born on the
25th of December, when no flocks were out in the fields by night. On this
very ground, the nativity in December should be given up."

This is a profound statement
of truth. Nevertheless, it seems that the majority of people are willing
to ignore the facts. In all too many cases, when they do stumble onto the
truth, instead of believing it, they just get up, dust themselves off and
continue to believe all the same old myths and fables they have always
believed ‑ content in their deception.

Chapter Two

Christmas Began
When!?

We often hear the slogan:
"Let's put Christ back into Christmas!" Let's look at just how Christ got
into Christmas in the first place.

Earls W. Count, Professor of
Anthropology at Hamilton College, in his book 4,000 years of Christmas,
states:

"We do not know when
the Christ child it [Christmas] venerates was born or exactly how it was
that, over the centuries, a bishop saint of Asia Minor, and a pagan god of
the Germans merged to become Santa Claus.

"Although the
Christmas story centers on the Christ child of Bethlehem, it begins so
long before his coming that we find its hero arriving on the scene after
more than half the time of the story has gone by. Christmas began over
4.000 years ago, as the festival which renewed the world for another
year. The twelve days of Christmas, the bright fires and probably the Yule
log; the giving of presents; the carnivals with their floats; the merry
makings and clownings; the mummers who sing and play from house to house;
the feastings the church processions with their lights and song - all
these began three centuries before Christ was born. And they celebrated
the arrival of the new year"(ibid. page 18)..

"Taken altogether, the
coincidences of the Christian with the heathen festivals are too close and
too numerous to be accidental. They mark the compromise which the church
in the hour of its triumph was compelled to make with its vanquished yet
still dangerous rivals. The inflexible Protestantism of the primitive
missionaries, with their fiery denunciations of heathendom, had been
exchanged for the supple policy, the easy tolerance, the comprehensive
charity of shrewd ecclesiastics, who clearly perceived that if
Christianity was to conquer the world it could do so only by relaxing the
too rigid principles of its Founder, by widening a little the narrow gate
which leads to salvation" (The Golden Bough, page 419, by Sir
James George Frazer, emphasis added).

It is important to note that
the "Founder" of Christianity, referred to by Sir Frazer, is Almighty God,
the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, by whose authority we enter
into salvation. By accepting and promulgating these pagan celebrations
those "shrewd ecclesiastics" declared God's principles (by which we enter
into His Kingdom) to be too rigid, and His gate too narrow. Let us
remember that Christ Himself said, "Enter ye into the strait gate: for
wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and
many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow
is the way, which leadeth into life, and few there be that find it"
(Matthew 7:14).

Pagan
Origins

Most Bible scholars agree
that Christmas, as celebrated today, is of pagan origin. This is
documented in a broad variety of sources. William Muir Auld adds, "The
heathen contributions now are precisely those which lend to Christmas much
of its warm color and human charm." Auld goes into great depth showing the
connections of the festival of Saturnalia, or Sacaea, which were ancient
celebrations in honor of the pagan sun god Nimrod/Tammuz. He tracks its
observance from Babylonian Mystery Religion through the Roman Empire where
it eventually became connected with their worship of Mithra. "Schools were
closed, war was never declared on this day, and the practice of giving
gifts and receiving presents was almost as common then as it is now at
Christmas ... a sense of brotherhood prevailed" (Christmas Traditions,
page 45).

No, the warm feelings that
they enjoyed did not alter the debauchery that was the real attraction for
the celebrations. "For many a day the Church fought bitterly their
excesses (the pagan's spirited festivities) and superstitions, especially
those bound up with the Kalends and Yule. . . . But burning denunciations
and threats of excommunication failed to wean the barbarians from their
heathen modes of rejoicing. It was discovered they were far more ready to
abandon their gods and the dates of their festivals than to change their
habits and manners.... Christianizing work went on. What it could not
extricate itself from, it nobly sought to consecrate" (ibid. page 45).

The research becomes
complicated as these pagan festivals traveled from country to country. The
names and customs were adapted into yet other pagan religions. From the
Roman Empire, Auld shows the gradual acceptance of the festivities
starting in England in 592, and Germany in 813, from the Synod of Mainz.
It was as late as the tenth century that King Hakon the Good introduced
these pagan festivals to Norway.

The Early
Church

So we ask, "How did this
pagan custom get into Christian professing churches?" Most recognized
authorities show us that Christmas was not observed by the early church
for the first two or three hundred years, a period longer than the United
States has existed as a nation. It first appears in the western segment of
the Roman Church in the fourth century AD. However, it was not until the
fifth century that the Roman Church ordered it to be celebrated as an
official Christian festival.

Compton's Encyclopedia
comments, "Many of the customs now associated with Christmas go back
thousands of years to a time when the people of Europe worshipped pagan
gods. The early Christian Church took the ancient festival time and gave
new meaning to it ‑ the religious meaning of Christianity ‑ and made it a
holy season. Many of the customs can be traced back to the pagan midwinter
festival of the Teutonic people of Northern Europe." The World Book
Encyclopedia tells us, "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 (Saturnalia),
celebrating the birthday of the sun." This great compromise was made easy
by the fact that the real date of Jesus' birth wasn't known.

The Encyclopedia
Americana and others show how these customs became a part of
Catholicism. Indeed the name "Christmas" comes from the Mass of Christ,
instituted by the Catholic Church which, after failing to eradicate the
former heathen customs, tried to remake them into church celebrations.

Since it has come to us
through the Catholic Church, why not examine the Catholic Encyclopedia,
published by that church? Under the caption "Christmas" we find:
"Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the church! ... The
first evidence of the feast is from Egypt." It also remarks that, "in the
scriptures sinners alone, not saints celebrate their birthdays." (The
three Biblical examples of birthday celebrations are in fact ‑all evil!
You read these accounts in Gen. 40:20‑22; Job 1:4‑5; Matthew 14:6‑11).
"Pagan customs centering around the January Calends gravitated to
Christmas." This truth is further acknowledged in the Encyclopedia
Britannica, Compton's, and Americana (which adds that it was
"not celebrated in the first centuries of the Christian Church, as the
Christian's usage in general was to celebrate the death of
remarkable persons rather than their birth"). The New Testament Passover
was personally instituted by Jesus Christ as a memorial of His death. The
Encyclopedia Americana continues, "A feast was established in
memory of this event (Christ's birth) in the fourth century, and in the
fifth century the Western church ordered it to be celebrated forever on
the day of the old Roman feast of the birth of Sol, as no certain
knowledge of the day of Christ's birth existed."

The Nativity
‑

Sun
Worship's Role in Choosing December 25

The date of the Nativity
of the Unconquered Sun, however, was well known. We learn, again from
the Catholic Encyclopedia, that it was already being celebrated as
the feast honoring the sun god Mithra or Baal, in which the pagan priest
announced "the Virgin has brought forth!" during the midnight Mass on the
eve of December 25. The encyclopedia goes on to say this celebration "has
a strong claim on the responsibility for our December date." The pagans,
who were devoted to Mithraism, called their celebration DIES
NATALIS SOLIS INVICTI. The Catholic Church even kept
part of the name: "Natalis or Nativity." The cult that kept this "birthday
of the invincible sun" was very strong in Rome. To gain the acceptance and
supposed conversion of these people to Christianity, the [Catholic] Church
fathers were referring to Christ as the "Sun of Justice" by the
beginning of the third century.

A Simple
Solution

The Roman Catholic Church's
order to celebrate the "Nativity of the Sun," came in response to the
hoards of pagans coming into the church, bringing with them their old
idols and customs. This fact is recorded in the Encyclopedia Americana
and in many other sources. The church could not allow the open worship
of the pagan sun‑god, but at the same time did not wish to offend their
new "converts." They found a simple solution ‑ simple, that is, to an
apostate church: Substitute Christ's birth for that of the pagan sun‑god.
In other words, compromise the truth of God!

The church had already
reasoned that it was all right to accept many old pagan festivals, IF they
renamed them and made them appear Christian. In this way the heathens
could be "converted" en masse, without the tremendous problems of teaching
them the true Word of God, and demanding, AS GOD COMMANDS, that they
repent and give up their false deities. The Roman Church was interested in
gaining numbers, NOT the SPIRIT of GOD! Apparently the Catholic "fathers"
had never read Paul's warning in Galatians 1:8‑11 when he asked those
around him if he sought to please God or man by his teachings. Paul
plainly states if he sought to please man, then he WOULD NOT BE A SERVANT
OF JESUS CHRIST! Further, he pronounces a CURSE on anyone who would
pervert the worship of Christ! The Catholic Church clearly has sought to
please man, rather than God.

If that is not enough to
convince us of the pagan origins and influence, the Schaff‑Herzog
Encyclopedia offers this: "The pagan Brumalia (December 25th)
following the Saturnalia (December 17‑24), and celebrating the shortest
day of the year and the 'new sun' . . . were too deeply entrenched in
popular custom to be set aside by Christian influence. The pagan festival
with its riot and merry‑making was so popular that Christians were glad to
have an excuse to continue its celebration with little change in spirit
and manner. Christian teachers of the West and Near East protested against
the unseemly frivolity, while Christians of Mesopotamia accused their
western brethren of idolatry and sun worship for adopting as Christian the
pagan festival."

The Book of Christmas
Folklore, by Tristram Potter Coffin says the Saxons attempted to hold
out against the Holy Roman Empire. Though they called it "converted,"
Emperor Charlemagne and the church conquered the last and most powerful
holdout of the German tribes by the eighth century. In LeRay E. Froom's
book, Prophetic Faith of our Fathers Vol. 1,we may be educated
concerning Pope Gregory's instruction to Augustine in 596 AD regarding
conversion of the pagan Saxons in Britain. The direction was: "to retain
the customs of the heathen, idol temples ... rededicated as Christian
Churches and heathen festivals renamed as those of Christian Saints."

Louis Laravoire Morrow,
Bishop of Krishnagar, says in his book My Catholic Faith, "In the
history of the church we find that she often Christened pagan
festivals, making use of dates and ceremonies and endowing them with an
entirely new and Christian significance'' (page 416).

William Walsh in the
Story of Santa Claus, reveals, "This was no mere accident. It was a
necessary measure at a time when the new religion was forcing itself upon
a deeply superstitious people. In order to reconcile fresh converts to the
new faith, and to make the breaking of old ties as painless as possible,
these relics of paganism were retained under modified forms, in the same
way that antique columns, transferred from pagan temples, became parts of
the new church built by Christians in honor of their god and his saints"
(page 61).

This was made even more
acceptable to the superstitious sun‑worshipping "new converts of
Christianity" by the non‑Christian idea that their beloved sun gods were
one in the same with Christ the Son of God. This idea was encouraged by
Emperor Constantine, who, while sending out his armies under the symbol of
the cross, memorialized his victories with monuments to pagan gods.

It is interesting to note
that some, of the most documented and thorough history, supplied by the
Catholic Church, proves that the celebration of Christmas, including the
Dec. 25 date, is a pagan abomination. Reading the material that they have
recorded through the ages is enough to make us utter a repentant prayer,
"O merciful God, forgive me for my prior ignorant participation in
falsehood. Fill my heart with understanding and desire for your true holy
seasons. Let me abhor any inclination to return to Babylon, serving false
gods ‑May it never be again!"

Chapter Three

The
Christmas Trail

Over the centuries, the
origins of the Christmas festivities that are so much fun and make us
"feel" so good have become more and more obscure. People in the 20th
century give little thought to the origin of the popular celebration, but
rather take it for granted. Since the truth of God's Word is important, we
can't allow "feel‑good" sentiments to keep us in the darkness of
deception. Let's seek out the origins of many time‑honored customs of the
Christmas season.

Yule
Logs

The Yule log is in reality
the "sun log." Yule means "wheel," in this case, the pagan symbol of the
sun. It was a symbol, cut out of the trees sacred to the worship of
Nimrod, to be burned for a while on each of the twelve nights of
celebration culminating in his miraculous rebirth in the form of a tree
that appears on the twelfth night. These fires, and others in the form of
candles, represent his power in fire and light. Today, professing
Christians speak of the sacred Yuletide season. The only place it is
sacred is in the ancient Babylonian religions and her descendant pagan
religions. There is nothing sacred about it to God! The symbols come from
rank heathenism.

Mistletoe

In The Two Babylons,
Alexander Hislop takes a look at the practice of kissing under the
mistletoe. "That mistletoe bough in the Druidic superstition, derived from
Babylon, was a representation of their Messiah, 'the Man the branch.'
[This is Nimrod, whose Yule log was put into the fire to celebrate the sun
god's birth]. The mistletoe was regarded as a divine branch, a branch that
came from heaven and grew upon a tree that sprang out of the earth. Thus
by the engrafting of the celestial branch into the earthly tree, heaven
and earth, which sin had severed, were joined together."

Around the world, in many
eras, this plant was considered magical, sacred, or of the gods, because
it grew between the earth and heaven with no roots. When its deciduous
hosts were bare and brown, the mistletoe was green! Today, we understand
the reason. Mistletoe is a parasite. Also, it was thought to have
extraordinary healing powers which, according to recent medical research,
have proven unfounded.

How appropriate that Satan
should dupe professing Christians with symbolism that so accurately
depicts his very character ‑ parasitic with false claims of healing! He
attaches his destructive heresies, in what we assume to be Biblical
practices, and robs us of true spiritual nourishment, which the keeping of
God's true holy days provides (Leviticus 23).

What is the Christmas Tree All About?

If Christmas came from the
Roman Catholics and they got it from paganism, where then did the pagans
get it? What was the origin of the Christmas tree? Would you believe its
roots begin just after the flood?

Nimrod, the grandson of Ham
and the great‑ grandson of Noah, was the real founder of the Babylonian
system that has gripped the earth ever since. It was a system of organized
competition, of man‑ruled governments and empires, based on the
competitive and profit‑making economic system.

Ancient writings speak of
this man, Nimrod, who started a great, organized world apostasy against
God, which continues to dominate the world to this day. In Genesis 10:8‑9,
the Hebrew word translated "mighty" is GIBBOR, which means "tyrant"
over the people. The Hebrew word translated "before" in verse nine is
PANIYAM, which actually means "against." When properly translated,
these verses clearly reveal that Nimrod was a "tyrant against God, ruling
over the people."

He was so wicked, it is
said, that he married his own mother, Semiramis. After Nimrod was killed,
his mother‑wife propagated the doctrine of the survival of Nimrod as a
spirit‑being. She claimed a full grown evergreen tree sprang over
night from a dead tree stump which symbolized the springing forth into new
life of the dead Nimrod. On each anniversary of his birth, she claimed
Nimrod would visit the evergreen and leave gifts upon it. December 25th
was the supposed birthday of Nimrod. This is the real origin of the
Christmas tree!

Even in our current era of
open and graphic talk about sex, it is surprising to learn that the male
reproductive organ was of tremendous importance in the Mystery Religions
representing, no doubt, power and fertility. Trees were common phallic
symbols connected with the sun god. Ball ornaments, representing the womb
as well as the sun and moon, were hung all around the phallus. (Many
sources, from which we will spare you, actually boast as they expound on
the details concerning these symbolic representations which they practiced
in their religious beliefs!) Today, families gather together in breathless
anticipation and delight when the obelisk (tree‑top ornament) is placed in
its position of honor. When you learn that it represents the sexual union
between the Babylonian mother-goddess and her sun‑god, son/husband, it
becomes an object of disgust. (The Encyclopedia Britannica, 14th
edition, 1973.)

When we learn the stark
reality concerning the origin of the Christmas tree, we must squarely face
and admit to ourselves that we must not take part in this tradition. Those
who set up and adorn a Christmas tree, though they may have the best of
intentions and most wonderful feelings, they are actually bowing down and
worshipping Satan at the foot of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and
Evil!

Hear what God says in
Deuteronomy 12:30‑31:

"Take heed to thyself
that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed
from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How
did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt
not do so unto. the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD,
which He hateth, have they done unto their gods."

Yet, even with that warning
it seems the children of Israel carried the worship of the tree with them
out of Egypt. God specifically warned them again in Jeremiah 10:2‑4:

"Thus saith the LORD,
Learn not the way of the heathen ... For the customs of the people are
vain (futile!): for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work
of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They deck it with silver and
with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move
not."

Did you see that? Not only
is God condemning participation in any pagan custom and in particular this
tree worship.‑ just in case you've been under the misconception that
anything you choose to dedicate to God is acceptable to him ‑ He is
telling you that this kind of worship is vain, futile, useless! And He
Hates It!

Now we can see how it stands
to reason that God, pronounced the destruction of "Babylon the Great,"
meaning the whole world system at the end of this age. He inspired the
Apostle John to write: "Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen. .
."(Revelation 18:2).

Was Christ Born
in a Cave?

Every year, near Christmas,
documentaries are broadcast showing alternative explanations to the
Biblical accounts surrounding Christ's birth. They attempt to give equal
weight and authority to ancient folk lore and traditions which have
definite connections with ancient pagan myths.

One example that continues
to surface is an alternate possible site of Christ's birth in a cave.
While the Bible is specific in the New Testament as well as in prophecy
that Bethlehem would be the birthplace of the Messiah, the legend that
Christ may have been born in a cave in Jerusalem continues. It was in a
cave, myth has it, that the worshipped and much loved sun god, Mithra was
supposed to have been born of a "virgin goddess." Since we have seen how
the Catholic Church renamed other gods and their rituals to bring in
converts, it is not surprising to find that caves dedicated to various
gods have been rededicated to Christ. One such cave is in Jerusalem.
Formerly dedicated to Tammuz (Nimrod), it is now presented as the
birthplace of Christ. Another, on Vatican Hill, was rededicated to Christ
when Catholics attempted to thwart the worship of Mithra in 376 AD. When
do you suppose the rededication took place? Why, of course, the day the
sun‑god worshippers were accustomed to celebrating the rebirth of the sun
-  December 25th!

The Christmas
Parties and Decorations

Alfred Carl Hottes wrote in
his book, 1001 Christmas Facts and Fancies, about a winter
celebration going by two different festival names in the third and fourth
centuries BC. They were called Bacchanalia and Saturnalia.
The names may not be familiar, but many of the traditions would be.
"The people gave themselves up to wild joy." Part of their revelry
included processions, singing, lighting candles, decorating their houses
with green trees, drinking, partying, and giving presents. Sound
familiar?

When these practices first
appeared in Rome, they were met with great opposition. Ancient Roman
Religion, by Grant, tells us that the Roman Senate tried to eradicate
it by having 7,000 of its adherents killed. However, not to miss out on
the gaiety of the celebrations, Julius Caesar reintroduced it, but it was
combined with another pagan festival, the Kalends, from which we get many
of our popular Christmas customs.

Today, many believe that the
Apostle Peter was speaking of the Saturnalia when he wrote: "Let the time
that is past suffice for doing what the Gentiles like to do, living in
licentiousness, passions, drunkenness, revels, carousing and lawless
idolatry. They are surprised that you do not now join them in the same
wild profligacy, and they abuse you" (I Peter 4:3‑4, NKJ version).

The Giving of
Gifts

From The New Standard
Encyclopedia's entry on Christmas we find "[t]he custom of giving
gifts at Christmas time can be associated with the wise men (notice
"THE" wise men, not "THREE" wise men) of the East giving gifts to
Christ. The wise men did give their gifts to Christ. But in reality, at
least so far as the English speaking people are concerned, it [giving
gifts at Christmas] is derived from an old heathen custom."

As discussed in the
introduction, the wise men did give gifts to Christ, but they did not
exchange gifts with each other in the presence of our Lord! Neither is
it recorded anywhere that they presented gifts to anyone else or received
gifts themselves. The Adam Clarke Commentary explains it well: "He
[CHRIST] was a king and the people of the East never approached the
presence of a king without a present in their hands."

Notice this account in
Matthew: "There came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 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 2:1‑2). This was not a new
custom being introduced by the wise men to establish a Christmas
tradition. They were merely following a custom of presenting gifts to a
king when coming into his presence.

Today, the greed of
commercialism has especially contributed to shoving Christmas down the
throats of people worldwide. Our country's economy rises and wanes with
the Christmas season. We read of it every year. Businesses make it or
break it as a result of their Christmas profits or losses. Add to that the
psychology of "keeping up with the Jones's," and it is no wonder that the
merchants start advertising Christmas in October.

Merchandising religion was
also important in Paul's day. There was a great hue and cry by the
craftsmen who profited from the sale of idols that had been dedicated to
the worship of pagan gods. The truth of the gospel was turning people away
from idol worship, not only in Jerusalem but in all Asia. The conversion
of thousands was a threat to their livelihood. This is another example of
commercialism before truth. Are we willing to follow the truth of God or
the lies of this world?

Chapter Four

Santa
Claus

For those who even
contemplate a reason for the connection of Santa Claus to Christ's birth,
the most common belief about Santa Claus is as the historic good old Saint
Nick, the patron saint of children. Since the story comes from the
Catholic Church, we should find documentation of him in their records.
However, in fact we find the exact opposite. Pope Paul VI, in 1969,
approved a report discrediting the sainthood of Nicholas. Since that time
the church has not obligated Catholics to honor a man who they now say
probably never existed.

Nevertheless, many
traditions associated with him would be immediately recognizable to us
today. Do you wonder why Santa comes down the chimney? This is connected
with Hertha, a Germanic goddess of the hearth, the German version of Isis,
the "virgin" sister/mother of Osiris. Santa's sleigh is a representation
of Babylon's chariot pulling the sun god through the sky, but it was
originally pulled by winged griffins Over time, stags, so venerated in the
Babylonian Mysteries, replaced the winged griffins Eventually, the old
chariot and mythical animals were softened to the sleigh and cute little
reindeer we are all so familiar with today.

"From the German people were
to come those most universal of Christmas customs: the portly beneficent
Kris Kringle, known as Santa Claus. Gradually the Presbyterians, Quakers,
and Puritans accepted such customs as the Christmas tree, the giving of
small gifts, and the Christmas feast. But they spoke violently against the
corruption of the Christkindl (the Christ Child) into Kris Kringle. After
Kris Kringle was fully assimilated, there was much concern among all
religious groups about the non‑religious trend of the holiday"
(Christmas Day.‑ the Complete Book of American Holidays ‑ Myers,
pg. 316.

By now it is apparent that
this is just another example of the Catholic Church bringing the already
popular religious customs of their new "converts" into their Church. That
influence carried over into nearly all other Christian‑professing
denominations as well. Imagine the uproar and non‑compliance of people in
your town if told they could no longer celebrate Christmas? Think of all
the customs you enjoy so much. Well, that's how our superstitious pagan
ancestors felt about their festivals. Over the centuries and around the
world, their traditions were not changed or eliminated but were only
renamed. Hence, the people of the world's pagan religions were united in
the Roman Church. Together with the promises of acceptance by God and the
power of the "Vicar of Christ," the conversion of millions of these
"Christianized" pagans into the Catholic Church was not difficult. Their
old traditions were shared and assimilated into the melting pot of
traditions that we call Christmas.

"All of this is ancient
history," many may say. What is the real danger in teaching children to
believe in Santa? Well, first of all, notice in the Scriptures that
God does not say, "You shall not lie ‑ except when it's fun.
Little white lies are okay; after all, we are doing a good thing. The end
justifies the means." In Proverbs 6:16 &19, we learn that God
hates false witnesses who speak with lying tongues; indeed, they are an
abomination to Him! We see with absolute clarity the seriousness of the
matter when we read in Rev. 21:8, "And all liars shall have their part
in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second
death."

It is all too easy for some
people to reason, "Well, I'm just using Santa to bring my children to
Christ and to learn to do what is right. I'm teaching that God rewards us
when we do the right things ‑ and I teach them to always tell Mommy
and Daddy the truth! That's why I sing the song: Santa Claus is
Coming to Town

Let's look at the
lyrics:

"You better
watch out, You better not cry, You better not pout, I'm telling you

why, Santa
Claus is coming to town!

He's makin' a
list, He's checkin' it twice, Gonna find out who's naughty and nice,

Santa Claus is
coming to town!

He knows when
you've been sleeping, He knows when you're awake,

He knows if you've been bad or good, So be good
for goodness sake."

(or you won't get any toys, you little brats!)

If you think we should we
lighten up and get with the spirit of the tradition, think again! Look at
those lyrics again. Santa has been placed on the very throne of God, in
His stead, and with authority of supreme judgment! God did not place him
there of that we can be sure! Humanity did, and the results can be
disastrous!

Here is the reason: We all
know this from personal experience. Tragically, it is repeated in the
lives of millions of children every year. Somewhere, generally between the
ages of six and twelve, children begin to use the powers of reasoning.
They no longer just accept everything they're told as absolute fact. They
are learning about animals in school, from this and their own observations
they conclude, "It's not possible for reindeer to fly!" Even in their own
lives they can't fit all the things that they want to do in one day. Then
they begin to realize, "Santa couldn't possibly go to every house in the
world where good little boys and good little girls live in just
one night!"Then there's the problem of houses with no
chimneys, locked doors and steel bars.

What about that snack
everyone leaves out for Santa? After eating all those snacks from
thousands of houses, even a skinny man couldn't fit back up through a
narrow chimney even if he could have come down it in the first place.
After they think out these details or an older child tells them the truth,
they realize something that probably has never occurred to them before:
Their parents are lying to them! Their trust has been destroyed! This is
devastating to a child. Worse yet ‑ "If my parents taught me
to believe in Santa, that he knows every good or bad thing I've done or
thought or said, and he's not real ......”

Do you see where this leads?
Don't parents likewise teach their children that God knows everything
about them? Here is someone they can't see, hear, or touch, with a magical
image, who rewards for good behavior (eternal life) and punishes for bad
behavior (eternal death). AND, by the way children, God is spirit and
lives forever‑just like Santa (nobody worries about Santa getting too old
and forced to retire! He's ageless!). "They sound like the same lie,"
thinks the child. "I can't believe in God either. They probably made him
up so I'll think somebody's watching me, or so that I won't be afraid to
die." This loss of belief in God is confirmed in their minds each time a
parental lie is uncovered: the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy.... Think
about it!

It is plain to see, there is
nothing innocent or harmless about this ungodly practice of giving
children false hopes through deception. The loss YOU suffer when your
children no longer trust you, and the loss your children suffer when God
is no longer real to them, are voids that nothing else can fill.

Take heed that you do not
trivialize the great seriousness of this matter. Remember, God commands,
"You shall not bear false witness" (Exodus 20:16).

Chapter Five

Mother and Child

Just as those customs which
we have reviewed thus far are pagan and not Biblical, other elements of
this celebration, religious as they sound, are also counterfeits. For
instance, where did all the focus and worship of the "Mother and Child"
come from? The US Post Office seems to issue a new stamp with this image
every year. Would Mary be pleased to know that her son Jesus is always
pictured as a helpless babe in her arms, that she is pictured as
radiant and awesome, while God the Father is hardly mentioned whatsoever
concerning the birth of Christ?

Did Christ and the apostles
teach Mary‑worship? Did she remain a perpetual virgin? Was she, as the
Catholic church states, guarded from sin by divine grace? Was she taken up
into heaven when her life was finished?

Once again, to find the
historical origin of these practices that are made so visible at Christmas
time, we must travel to ancient Babylon. The Babylonian religion first and
foremost worshipped a goddess mother and a son. This popular religion,
with pictures and statutes of this infant in his mother's arms, have
spread worldwide. In Egypt, the mother is Isis and the child is Osiris
(you may have heard these names used in children's cartoons). In India
they still worship Isi and Iswara. In Asia, they are called Cyble and
Deoius. Pagan Rome, China and Japan all have religious histories which
include a counterfeit Messiah born of Mary, a virgin. Alexander Hislop's
book, The Two Babylons, contains excellent details of the Madonna
and child in its pre‑Christian era.

Neither Christ nor the
apostles ever spoke of worshipping Mary. In fact, she is only mentioned
four more times after Christ's ministry began! In one account, mentioned
in both Matthew 12:46‑50 and Mark 3:31‑35, Christ's mother and brothers
are seeking to speak with him. He receives the message and explains to
those around him that they, those who do God's will, are his
mother and brothers and sisters! If indeed Mary was worthy of worship,
could Christ have replied in this manner? Mary was a woman of humble
character, faithfully obedient to God and obviously an excellent parent
(chosen from among all women ever of the line of Judah to bear the
Messiah) ‑ but she was fully human! Scripture does not bear witness
to anything that indicates otherwise.

Did she remain a virgin
after the birth of Christ? No! God made no such requirement. Matthew
1:24‑25 states, "Then Joseph ... took unto him his wife: And knew her not
until she had brought forth her firstborn. son." Matthew 13:55‑56
and Mark 6:3 indicate that Mary and Joseph had a number of children, as
does Luke 2:41‑49. Every large family has at least one hilarious tale of
leaving a child in a gas station restroom or at the bowling alley ‑
because it's hard to keep track of so many. It was very similar with
Jesus' family. "And when they had fulfilled the days as they returned, the
child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew
not of it." (Parents don't forget an only child!) Furthermore is Mary in
heaven? The apostle John wrote, "No man [or woman] hath ascended up to
heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in
heaven" (John 3:13). You may think that this is because Jesus had not yet
died. Let's see what happened after the death and resurrection of
Christ.

In Acts 2:34, Peter affirms
that King David of ancient Israel still hasn't reached heaven! The Bible
teaches that there will be a resurrection of the dead. No one has gone to
heaven except Jesus Christ. In I Corinthians 15:50‑55 we read that we
shall "put on" immortality at the last trump. I Thessalonians 4:13‑18
speaks clearly concerning the resurrection of the dead., It happens at
Christ's second coming, "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God:
and the dead in Christ shall rise first:" (verse 16) ‑ except
for Mary who is the Queen of Heaven and never rested in the grave ‑
No! It doesn't say that!

Finally, the belief that
she was perfect and sinless, not needing the grace of God through the
sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and all of the fables mentioned above,
have come from the pre‑Christian, Babylonian counterfeit Madonna/Child
system of worship. Once again, we must grievously concede, "Alas, Babylon,
harlot of deception and falsehoods."

Chapter Six

The Christmas Spirit:

Angelic or
Demonic?

If we
embrace the spirit of Christmas,

what spirit are we embracing?

Just what is the Christmas
spirit? Is it joyous? Is it jolly? Does it bring out the best in people,
good will and peace? Let's take an honest look at some rather familiar,
albeit unpleasant, scenarios.

The Shopping,
The Mall, and The Traffic

Every year, friends, family,
and even casual acquaintances tell us how lucky we are that we don't
celebrate Christmas! They dread the shopping, and who can blame them? How
many times have grown women all but get into a knock‑down, drag‑out fight
over the last item on the shelf or racing to be first in line. People bark
at the poor cashiers, make terrible scenes, and then get in their cars ‑
angry! They drive off in a huff and straight into a traffic jam. If they
can manage to keep their minds on the road instead of their fury, just
maybe they'll avoid one of the many accidents in the Christmas rush. But
horns are blaring, vulgar gestures and inaudible rantings are shooting
like arrows from one vehicle to another. Did you see "Peace on earth and
mercy mild" here? We didn't.

In another sad commentary,
how do many people pay for all these gifts they can't afford, but by going
into debt with their charge cards? Then, in addition to the debt, they pay
high interest charges all year long. Others, who may already be in deep
financial trouble even before the holidays, purchase gifts on charge
cards, knowing they will soon file for bankruptcy. "Do not steal" Christ
reminds us in Luke 12:20 ‑ the eighth commandment. Some people stoop, in
desperation, to the out‑and‑out theft of toys for their children. Where is
the Christmas Spirit in these acts?

Then there are the get‑togethers and gift exchanges with people
we just don't like or get along with very well. We feel like hypocrites.
That assessment is accurate. We can't wait till the party's over, even
before it's begun. Will certain family members be able to keep a civil
tongue? After a few eggnogs or glasses of champagne, inhibitions fall and
tongues start wagging. Family gatherings sometimes end in tears, or worse
‑ there are always a few accounts of family fights while someone is in the
process of carving the Christmas ham.

"This is a little extreme, don't you think? We don't have
drunkenness or fights, much less murder in our house," you say
indignantly! No? Are you sure? How many people unknowingly murder at
Christmas? It is true, as Hebrews 9:28 and 10:10 clearly show, that Christ
died once for all, so that we could be reconciled to God (2
Corinthians 5:18‑20). But how, then, can you participate in such sinful
practices, works of the flesh, and idolatry and not "spiritually"
murder Christ? Is it not ironic to celebrate his birth by requiring his
death?

Picture this: A person
enters a hospital nursery and sings "Happy Birthday" to a newborn baby,
then proceeds to thrust a knife into the helpless and innocent child. The
world would be aghast and outraged! Those same people who could not
tolerate such obvious evil, don't put much thought into their own holiday
plans ‑ whether they are pure and godly or not! The Christmas party at
work is often a miserable example of sleazy conduct: drunkenness, even
leading to sexual immorality. Is this the Christmas spirit?

A boyfriend or girlfriend
tries to figure out the perfect gift and decides on Christmas Eve in a
hotel room for an exciting night of fornication. Is this the Christmas
Spirit? We once knew a man who said he was ready to break up with his
girlfriend, but he sure wouldn't do it before Christmas! Was it because he
didn't want to ruin her holidays? NO ‑ not really! He wanted the beautiful
pair of snow skis she had bought him for Christmas. He wanted to get the
skis first before he dropped her! Now there's the Christmas Spirit!

These are but a few of the
unfortunate but not so uncommon examples of hypocrisy, stealing,
drunkenness, wicked plans, adultery, fornication, party‑spirit, unbridled
tongue and yes, murder. As Hebrews 6:4‑6 reads, "For it is impossible for
those who were once enlightened ... And have tasted the good word of God
... If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance;
seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to
an open shame." Murderis not so uncommon after all; our sins are the
nails which crucified our Lord, Jesus Christ!

If Christ is really the
center and purpose of the holiday season, then surely the Christmas spirit
should be evident in the tithes and offerings to the various churches.
People should feel such gratitude for the gift of Christ, that they want
to give something back by supporting their "house of worship." Sadly
though, churches of all denominations suffer great financial
hardship during the Christmas season. It is the time when people give the
least. Financially strapped from fulfilling all their
holiday dreams, the Christmas Spirit is reflected in that most churches
are financially abandoned, like a fatherless child. "I have no gift to
bring, ba rum pa ta tum…”

"But, lots of people give
money, food, clothing and toys to poor families so that they may also
experience the joy of Christmas. This is certainly following the words of
Christ in Matthew 25:35‑40, which state that when you feed and clothe and
otherwise care for the least of the brethren, it is as though you did
these things for Christ." This time you're sure you've won the argument
for keeping Christmas! Well, of course, some good will come from feeding
the hungry and clothing the naked. But, it's too bad people don't continue
the charity all year.

Let's closely examine what
really happens. At Christmas time, people get a little nervous and feel a
lot of guilt about things like giving to charity and going to church
faithfully ‑ Well okay, Christmas and Easter. They then decide to
make up for the whole year, so that they "look good" before God and men.
Do good! Be recognized! Feel good about yourself' That's the ticket! Good
deeds are seldom anonymous. That "Christmas charity" is in the paper, on
the television and radio news, with stories and pictures of glowing
philanthropists basking in the praise they receive (plus the tax
deduction). Is this what Christ meant? For the purpose of self‑examination
and furthering your spiritual growth, try doing a good deed for someone
and then don't tell a single soul! You may find yourself embarrassed if
it's a difficult secret to keep. The Holy Spirit of God works quite
differently than the Christmas spirit of this world.

Let's read Matthew
6:1‑4,

"Take heed that ye do
not your alms (charitable deeds) before men, to be seen of them: otherwise
Ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven. Therefore when
thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee (telling
everyone of the wonderful things you've done!), as the hypocrites do
in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men.
Verily I say unto you, they have their reward. But when thou doest alms,
let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth. That thine
alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall
reward thee openly."

The words of Christ are
plain enough! If you can't resist declaring your own charitable deed, then
you are guilty of soliciting vain glory! Your priority and your purpose is
self‑serving. When you are given a benevolent opportunity, why should you
desire recognition? Instead of seeking praise from others, we should be
praising God for inspiring us and giving us the ability to serve another
human being.

The examples of the
Christmas spirit in this section reveal the lack of Christ‑like attitudes
and actions. Instead, they reveal the spirit of carnality. "Christmas is
the joy of giving," cleverly disguises Satan's attempt to have us exalt
ourselves ‑ rather than look to Christ's example of humble generosity.

Satan's Deliberate Deceit

Satan could never deceive
the world with customs that contained obvious evils. Christmas is
therefore filled with seemingly wonderful and exciting customs. In this
way Satan is transformed into an angel of light (II Corinthians 11:14).
Satan is entirely dedicated to the effort of deceiving the very elect
(Matthew 24:24). Few people are suspicious of a holiday which bears the
name of Christ. Neither do most people seem to notice Satan's success in
depicting Christ as either a helpless little baby or dead (hopeless) on a
cross. He does not want our focus to be on an Almighty Savior who is "KING
OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" (Revelation 19:16) and Who is "alive for
evermore" (Revelation 1:18).

This is not the Christ
the world pictures. Notice: "The assimilation of Christ into the sun god,
as sun of righteousness, was widespread in the fourth century and was
furthered by Constantine's legislation on Sunday, which is not unrelated
to the fact that the sun god was the tutelar [guardian /protector]
divinity of his family" (A History of
The Christian Church: Revised ‑ Walker, Section 13 pages 154‑155).
However, in this so‑called modem age, the Babylonian Mystery
Religion is forgotten history and is one of Satan's best kept secrets. His
intent is to keep mankind from having an eternal relationship with God the
Father and Jesus Christ. "And the great dragon was cast out, that old
serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world"
(Revelation 12:9). So good is this deception that it is certain that many
missionaries attempting to do a noble work would be shocked to realize
they did not bring Christianity to the world, but instead they have
affixed Christ's name on the superstitions of the Babylonian Mystery
Religion.

Chapter Seven

Our
Forefathers Knew Better!

There is no doubt that our
forefathers understood the Christmas festivities for what they truly are.
They realized the seriousness of the abridgment of God's commands
concerning the worshipping of idols. Their practices and the laws on their
books are a testimony which have been preserved for us in historical
writings and law books. Christmas had become a rowdy, frivolous excuse for
abandoning good sense and behavior. It had no ground in true Christianity.
In fact such practices mock Jesus Christ by abandoning the principals that
He taught and propagating the exact things He denounced.

"The Calvinists (in England)
declared that observing Christ's birthday was a human invention. They
disapproved of it not only because of [its pagan origin but also because
of] the excesses to which too many Christmas celebrants went." When the
Puritans came to power in 1642, the Calvinists preached strongly against
Xmas observance, rightly calling it a heathen practice. They continued to
preach strongly against it until as recent as the early part of this
present century. "They asserted that Christ would not have approved of it,
for it merely furnished excuse for wrong doing. England's Parliament
outlawed Christmas along with Easter in 1643. This comes to us from Mayme
R. Krythe's book, All About Christmas. She adds, "Town criers went
around and called out loudly so that all might hear, 'No Christmas! No
Christmas!'"

From the New
International Encyclopedia we gather insight into the Scotch
Presbyterian and English Nonconformists who "generally rejected all
religious observance of the day as a 'human invention' and savouring too
much of 'papistry.'"

In 1659, thirteen years
after England outlawed Christmas, the Puritans of Massachusetts (whom we
know as pilgrims) passed a law outlawing the observance of Christmas, in
what was to become the United States. That law remained on the books for
some time. It read: "Whosoever shall be found observing any such day as
Christmas or the like either by forbearing of labour, feasting, or in any
other way, shall be fined 5 shillings." Even after the holiday again
became lawful, the Puritans still insisted on calling Christmas
'Superstitious Man's Idol Day' or 'The Old Heathen's Festivity Day."

Alfred C. Hottes, whom we
have already quoted, gives us a peek into the thoughts of our early
colonists, "The Quakers near Philadelphia were not given to observing
holidays, and in New England the whole idea of Christmas was frowned
upon." He goes on to say that "the Puritans were bitterly opposed to it,
but being in the minority, their practices were not liked by their fellow
citizens." However, Robert H. Schauffler, in his book, Christmas
tells us that when Puritanism was on the rise the very existence of
Christmas was threatened. Later, Collier's Encyclopediacredits the
large wave of Irish and German immigrants in the 19th century for
importing a renewed enthusiasm for the feast into the United States. Many
books have been filled with examples and histories of the development of
and the fight against keeping Christmas in the United States and Britain.
Following Christ has never been the motivation behind the keeping of
Christmas. Our forefathers knew it. And now so do you.

Put Christ
Back Into Christmas?

Don't be deceived. It's impossible! Christmas is a borrowed
heirloom that was practiced by pagan heathens thousands of years before
Christ was born. It was taken from the heathen scene to be injected into
an apostate "Christianity" some 300 years after Jesus ascended into
heaven. Christ was never in the festival, nor has He ever condoned
it!

Chapter Eight

God Issues a
Strong Warning

Many centuries ago, God issued a strong warning to Israel about
inquiring after and serving heathen gods. We repeat it here because of its
importance. "Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following
them after that they be destroyed from before thee: and that thou enquire
not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even
so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God: for
every abomination to the Lord, which He hateth, have they done unto their
gods.... What things soever I command you observe to do it: Thou shalt not
add thereto, nor diminish from it" (Deuteronomy 12:30‑32). We would be
foolish to ignore such an admonition!

Jesus told his apostles to
go to the people of all nations "teaching them to do all things whatsoever
I have commanded you" (Matthew 28:19‑20). In John 13:15 Jesus tells
us, "for I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to
you." In Leviticus 23, we find the holy days that God commanded to be kept
forever. Christ and his apostles observed these holy days, and so
did the early New Testament Church. Christ kept the Passover with the
apostles (John 13). He preached at the Feast of Tabernacles and on the
Last Great Day (John 7).

Even after the death of
Christ, the epistles of Paul showed us that the early church continued
to observe these annual holy days. Check these examples: I Corinthians
5, "Therefore let us keep the feast" (of Unleavened Bread); Acts 2:1, "Now
when the day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in
one place." This is the record of the New Testament Church being founded
on one of God's holy days!; Acts 20:16, "[Paul] was hurrying to be
at Jerusalem, if possible, on the Day of Pentecost."; I Corinthians 16:8,
"But I will tarry in Ephesus unto Pentecost."; I Corinthians 11:26, gives
directions concerning the true Passover. Jesus says, "You proclaim the
Lord's death till He comes."; Acts 27:9, Paul says, "the fast was
already over," speaking about Atonement; in Acts 18:21 he says, "I must by
all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem." Nowhere in all the
Scriptures will you find any command by Jesus to observe his birth, or
Christmas. Actually, he commands us to observe his death, by keeping the
Passover, as shown in Matthew 26:26‑30, and John 13:1‑17. Mankind has
forgotten the holy days of God, choosing to worship with the ancient
festivals of their former gods.

As history reveals,
Catholicism gradually infiltrated what had been the true churches of God.
A few realized they must flee from the doctrine of Balaam (Acts 5:29);
others thought it would be possible to remain within their congregations
and privately keep the truth. They did try for a while ‑ but, how can one
sit at both the table of the Lord and the table of demons (I
Corinthians 10:14‑22)? In due time, most of them fell prey to the apostate
teachers, forgetting the knowledge of the Lord and embracing the doctrine
of doom (II Peter 2:15‑22)! Those who had courageously followed the Lamb
(Revelation 14:4), soon became a very small and persecuted minority. The
church of Rome sought to exterminate the few who remained loyal to God,
and succeeded in the martyrdom of many. People don't like being told that
their religion is wrong, especially those who have set themselves in
exalted religious positions. But God's promise is to those who repent and
endure. You can read about that in God's letters to the churches in the
book of Revelation, chapters two and three.

Do We Honor
God?

Once we put away the false
practices and traditions of the Christian professing world, then we can
learn about the true plan of God. His plan is wonderfully illustrated,
through the knowledge of His true scriptural Holy Days and commandments to
bring us His spiritual knowledge. His true Holy Days are virtually unknown
to those who think that they know the Lord and Savior. Remember, the only
name by which we are saved is the name Jesus Christ! It is not realistic
to think we can ignore what He says and still have the knowledge that
comes from what He teaches.

Please reader, don't be
among those who, with all good intentions, come to Christ expecting his
praise and eternal life, only to hear Christ declare (as God warns in
Matthew 7:23), "1 NEVER KNEW YOU. Depart from Me, you who practice
lawlessness!"

Let's do the right thing and take Christ OUT of Christmas ‑
actually ‑ in reality ‑ Xmas! Xmas and a host of other holidays have come
directly from paganism, but the annual Holy Days of Leviticus 23 have come
directly from God. Let's forsake the pagan holidays of the world and
observe the true holy days laid out for us by God.

Chapter Nine

The Next Step:

More Courage!
More Study!

What we have tried to
accomplish in this booklet is to help those who question commonly
practiced religious customs. In the quest for true worship of the
true God our Father and Christ our only Savior, you have by now
become disillusioned with Xmas. Still, you may not be completely
convinced, and we hope you will further research the subject. We applaud
you for not taking our word, or any man's word; but do as the Bereans did
in Acts 17:10-11 ‑ prove all things whether they be so.

We have, for this purpose,
quoted excerpts from many publications so that you would know where more
detailed information could be found. A word of warning must be given. The
authors have noticed, in the last few years, the unsettling practice of
changing history! That is to say, newer encyclopedias have removed many of
the unpleasant origins of holidays that are supposedly Christian
and replaced them with inoffensive, sweet or attractive beginnings. The
best thing we can advise is to go down in the basement and drag out those
old, dusty boxes with that old set you've been told to believe is
"out‑of‑date" and "useless." (You may find old encyclopedias at library
sales, used book stores, or your local flea market ‑ Cheap!)

But, even with the
information you have received here, you may say, "The pagan origins don't
bother me! I think it's great that Christianity has been able to cross
cultural bounds and incorporate the customs of different peoples' beliefs
to unite people around the world. No other religion does this. It helps
people to draw near to Christ. You must receive Christ to be saved!"

It certainly is true that
through Christ alone we may be saved (John 14:6). But, is any form
and all manner of worship acceptable to God the Father and Jesus
Christ the Son? Does the end justify the means? Can you ever reach that
destination by taking any road that suits you? As you may recall, Cain
thought that God ought to accept and even appreciate his offering.
Worshipping God in the way of Cain seemed sufficient to Cain. But notice
what the New Testament says about "the way of Cain": (Jude 11) "Woe unto
them! For they have gone in the way of Cain." Regardless of how Cain felt,
his ways were unrighteous before God (I John 3:12 and Genesis 4:7).

If "a rose by any other name
would smell as sweet," as Shakespeare said, then the more ominous is also
true. A wolf in sheep's clothing is still a wolf. It will devour you!
If your worship includes all of the rites of Baal, whom do you serve?
It doesn't matter what name you place on the celebration
(Christmas); it's still Baal you serve! If you celebrate the
feasts of other gods instead of the Feasts of the Lord, how can you say
that you worship God or know Jesus? Is it your desire merely to appear
religious or do you desire to worship in spirit and truth? Leviticus 23:2:
"The feasts of the Lord, which you shall proclaim to be holy convocations,
these are My feasts." Once again, let's look to the Bible to lead us into
all truth (John 17:17).

In Deuteronomy 12:2‑4, we
learn that the will of God, for each of us personally, is that we must
completely destroy the images, altars, names and ways of other gods
in our lives. In verse 8 we read, "Ye shall not do after all the things
that we do here this day, every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes."
Continuing in verse 30, "enquire not after their gods, saying, How
did these nations serve their gods? Even so I will do likewise.

Many will attempt, at this
point, to reason that God was only talking to the Israelites ‑ not us! But
this is simply not so; in Galatians 3:29 it is written, "And if ye be
Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and
heirs according to the promise." Even more to the heart of the matter, I
Corinthians 10: 11 speaks specifically of the Old Testament as examples
for us. Read carefully and see what God says, "Now all these things were
written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."
Similarly, in II Timothy 3:16‑17 we find, "All scripture is given
by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, and for
reproof, for correction for instruction in
righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly
furnished unto all good works."

Furthermore, the apostle
Paul makes it absolutely clear, "But I say, that the things which the
Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would
not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of
the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's
table, and the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we
stronger than. He?" (I Corinthians 10:20‑22).

Does Christ change his mind?
Hebrews 13:8 leaves no guess work: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and
today, and forever." I Peter 4:1‑3 leaves no doubt as to our instruction.
We must live for the will of God, not continuing in our former way of life
(practicing the will of the Gentiles), which included abominable
idolatries!

Now that you've learned that
just because something is found in the Old Testament, doesn't mean it
should be thrown out along with the garbage, let's turn back to
Deuteronomy 30:17‑20: "But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not
hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I
denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish. . . . I call
heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before
you life and death, blessing and cursing: That thou mayest love the
Lord thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou
mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life."

Please focus in on God's
message for you. Loving the Lord is obeying Him and cleaving to His
ways! This is restated in I John 5:3! His ways are life! What did Jesus
say was the greatest commandment? "THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH
ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND. THIS IS THE
FIRST AND GREAT COMMANDMENT AND THE SECOND IS LIKE UNTO IT, THOU SHALT
LOVE THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF. ON THESE TWO COMMANDMENTS HANG ALL THE
LAW AND THE PROPHETS. " (Matthew 22:37‑40).

Chapter Ten

Conclusion:
Repentance!

It may seem difficult to the
point of dread, the very thought of explaining to so many people that you
can no longer partake of the Xmas festivities. "Maybe it will be easier if
I put it off until next year," you may consider. But James 4:13‑17 says, "
Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city,
and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain. Whereas ye know
not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a
vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For
that ye ought to say, 'If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or
that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil.
Therefore, to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is
sin." This scripture explains the danger of procrastination. None of us
knows how long we shall live. You could die tomorrow. More importantly, we
must realize one thing: planned future repentance, is nothing less than
deliberate, present rebellion!

"As many as I love I rebuke
and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." (Revelation 3:19) Harsh
words indeed, but sometimes the truth is both painful and ugly ‑ the
truth, that is, concerning our human nature. God's truth is beautiful and
brings great joy! As Luke 15:7&10 plainly reveal, there is tremendous
joy in heaven over one sinner that repents, more than there would be over
ninety‑nine which don't need to repent. Be encouraged! The Spirit
of God will strengthen you in your Christian walk! Pray that God directs
your steps and you will surely be blessed, in that you will know
Him!

" For this cause
we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to
desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all
wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord
unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in
the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his
glorious power, unto all patience and long‑suffering with joyfulness;
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of
the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the
power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear
Son" (Colossians 1:9‑13).

A List of Myths, Fables and
Lies

Perpetuated
by the Counterfeit Christmas Story

1.
The Celebration of Christmas is Biblical

2.
The Place of Christ's Birth May Not Have Been in Bethlehem

3.
The Number and Occupation of the
"Wise Men" That Brought Gifts to Jesus

4.
The Date Of Christ's Birth is the 25th of December

5.
The Yule Logs

6.
Twelve Nights of the Yuletide Season

7.
Kissing Under the Mistletoe for Luck

8.
The Christmas Tree and Ornaments

9.
The Bible is Not the Ultimate Authority On God's Will

10.
Drinking Parties Somehow Honor the Birth of Our Savior

11.
Exchanging Gifts Imitates the Gifts of the Wise Men to Christ

12.
Three Kings of the Orient Brought Gifts to the Infant Jesus

13.
Santa Claus and All the Lies Associated With Him

Lives at the North Pole

Elves To Do All His Work

Knows All Children

Knows Who Does Bad or Good

Flies Around the World
Delivering Gifts To All the Children In One Night

Eats Treats At Each House

Goes Up and Down the
Chimney

Flying Reindeer

Magic Sleigh

14.
Mary, as Christ's Mother, is Worthy of Worship

15.
Mary Remained a Virgin

16.
Mary is Perfect and Sinless and Ascended to Heaven Without
Dying

17.
We Can Put Christ "Back Into Christmas"

18.
The Motives For and the Sources Behind the Celebration of
Christmas

19.
THE BIGGEST LIE OF ALL:

THE LIE THAT
SAYS WE CAN WORSHIP IN ANY

DECEITFUL,
SELF RIGHTEOUS, SELF‑SERVING OR PAGAN

WAY WE
CHOOSE AND GOD WILL ACCEPT IT AS HONORING

HIM!

If you believe any of
these lies, we suggest you read this booklet and read THE Book, the source
for the truth, the Holy Bible.

An Important
Note

One of the first things we need
to understand about God is that God does not lie ‑ EVER! Furthermore, "God
cannot lie " (Titus 1:2). The Scriptures state, "It is impossible for God
to lie! " (Hebrews 6:8.) The same thing is also true of Jesus Christ, who
was God before coming in the flesh as the "Son of God.”

The Passover night before He was crucified, Jesus
Christ emphatically taught His disciples a profound truth! Jesus said, "I
am the way, and the truth, and the life " (John 14:6). Jesus Christ not
only taught the truth of God's Word, but He is "THE TRUTH!" He is the
Truth personified, just as He is the "Word of God" personified "In the
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God"
(John 1:1‑3).

The Word of God, which is truth, and the gospel of Jesus
Christ, Who is THE TRUTH, do not need the support of cleverly
concocted myths, fables and lies about the so‑called Christmas story to
convey the truth about Jesus Christ's birth. The apostle John further
reinforced the fact that we are to believe and follow the truth of God and
that not a single lie comes from the Truth of God! John wrote, "I did not
write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know
it, and you know that not any lie comes from the
Truth" (I John 2:21, Ibid). That being so, it is clearly
evident that the Truth of God can never be supported by lies. Myths,
fables and lies about God, Christ and Christianity come from the father of
lies ‑ Satan the devil! (John 8:44). "What can the lies of Christmas
possibly add to our understanding and love of our God who is Truth? Is
God's truth not sufficient for us? What an insult to God!

For further study, on this and other subjects
concerning Christianity and Biblical

doctrine, request these
additional booklets:

When Was Jesus Christ Born?

Is it possible for us to know
when He was born?

Statement of Beliefs

of the

Christian Biblical Church of
God

Christian Biblical
Church of God

P.O. Box
1442-9524

Hollister,
California 95024-1442

USA

Phone:
1-831-637-1875

Fax:
1-831-637-9616

http://www.cbcg.org/