Are Christmas trees pagan?

[Soldier4Christ]

Posted: December 7, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern

By Gary DeMar
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

One group of Christians is trying to keep the name "Christmas tree" rather than the non-descript "Holiday tree," while a small minority of Christians wants to say good riddance to the very idea of Christmas trees because their origin is pagan. Who's right?

Some time ago, my wife was asked by a national ministry to create a quilted backdrop of a large sweeping rainbow for its presentation booth that was used at various conventions around the country. I happened to attend one that was held in Atlanta. I went over to the booth and told the young lady behind the table that my wife had sewn the large background piece. With a frustrated look on her face, she told me that a woman had just left the booth angrily pointing out that the rainbow is the symbol of the homosexual movement and that Christians should not be using it.

I reminded her that the rainbow was God's creation, and that He had posted it in the heavens as a sign to Noah and future generations that He would never destroy all flesh by a flood (Genesis 9:12–17).

So then, who owns the rainbow? Homosexuals or the people of God? Just because homosexuals have misappropriated something of God's good creation does not mean we cannot continue to use it. In fact, we should work to restore the image to its original redemptive meaning. Instead, many Christians refuse to display the rainbow because it has been hijacked by a group who flaunts a particular lifestyle that is condemned by the Bible.

Should we stop using wood because some people seek out for themselves "a skillful craftsman to prepare an idol that will not totter" (Isaiah 40:20)? Are all trees pagan because pagans have used trees to create idols? Of course not. The Bible tells us, even in a post-fall world, "everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with gratitude" (1 Timothy 4:4; cf. Genesis 1:31).

For millennia idol worshippers have bowed down before heavenly bodies – sun, moon, and stars – calling them their gods. There were people in Isaiah's day who looked to "astrologers, those who prophesy by the stars, those who predict by the new moons" seeking guidance (Isaiah 47:13). The people of Israel were warned by God not to lift their "eyes to heaven and see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, and be drawn away and worship them and serve them, those which the LORD your God has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven" (Deuteronomy 4:19).

God created the heavenly bodies to "be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years," and to "be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the Earth" (Genesis 1:14). Even with the misuse of the heavenly bodies, this did not stop God from choosing the sun, moon, and stars to symbolize His chosen nation Israel (Genesis 37:9–11; Revelation 12:1–2). And neither did it stop Him from using a star to announce the birth of Jesus (Matthew 2:2).

Some will turn to Jeremiah 10:1-10 to make a case against "Christmas trees." Jeremiah is describing idol worship, and he ridicules it: "Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, and they cannot speak; they must be carried, because they cannot walk! Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, nor can they do any good" (10:5). Who among us believes that a "Christmas tree" is a god to be worshipped?

Just because pagans might have used trees to worship their gods does not mean that we can't use them to teach us something about God who has given us the "indescribable gift" of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 9:15). The Christmas tree, as it is now designated, is an evergreen that reminds us that we have "eternal life" in Jesus Christ (John 6:40). The shape of the tree reminds us that we are "born from above" (John 3:3). The needles on the branches remind us that Jesus was "pierced through for our transgressions" (Isaiah 53:5).

The lights hung on the tree remind us that Jesus is "the light of the world" (John 8:12) and through Him we are to be "the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14). The ornaments we hang on the tree and the presents we place under the tree remind us that "every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow" (James 1:17).

Instead of condemning the Christmas tree as some pagan object brought into our homes from the pagan cold, it can be used to remind us that God promises us "the right to the tree of life" (Revelation 22:14).

If the Bible tells us "to go to the ant ... to observe her ways and be wise" (Proverbs 6:6), certainly we can learn similar things from God's other good creations, even trees.

[DigitGen]

     As we go back into the dim twilight of history with Scripture, we learn that the founder of Bab-el, or Babylon, was Nimrod, of whose unholy achievements we read in the 10th chapter of Genesis.  He was the arch-apostate of the patriarchal age.  He is described as a "mighty hunter before the Lord"-"a hunter of the souls of men," the rabbis said.  Going out from the presence of the Lord, he impiously sought to gather a multitude about himself, and in defiance of the express command of God to spread abroad upon the face of the earth, he persuaded his associates and followers to join together in "building a city and a tower which should reach unto heaven."  Not surely as some of us were taught in our childhood a tower by which they might climb up into the skies to escape another possible flood, but a tower of renown, rising to a great height, to be recognized as a temple or rallying center for those who did not walk in obedience to the word of the Lord.  With all the effrontery of our modern apostates, they called their city and tower Bab-El, the gate of God; but it was soon changed by divine judgment into Babel, Confusion.  It bore the stamp of unreality from the first, for we are told, "they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar."  An imitation of that which is real and true has ever since characterized Babylon in all ages.

     Nimrod, or Nimroud-bar-Cush, as he is called on the monuments, was a grandson of Ham, the unworthy son of Noah, whose character is revealed in his exposure of his father's shame.  We know that Noah had brought through the flood the revelation of the true God, for he was a preacher of righteousness, and his utterances on more than one occasion show that he had the prophetic gift.  Ham on the other hand seems to have been all too readily affected by the apostasy that brought the flood, for he shows no evidence of self-judgment, but the very opposite.  His name, as spelled out upon Egyptian monuments is Khem, and this agrees with the literal sound of the Hebrew word rendered Ham in our Bibles.  It means "swarthy," "darkened," or more literally, "the sun-burnt."  The name indicates the state of the man's soul.  For what is a sun-burnt person?  One who is darkened by light from heaven.  Ham had been granted wonderful mercies; he was saved from the flood because of his father's faith, but he abused his privileges and "turned the grace of God into lasciviousness."  He was actually darkened by the burning rays of light that God caused to shine upon his soul.  Thus his conscience became seared as with a hot iron, and he became the founder of a race that departed from the living God and led the way into idolatry, worshipping and serving the creature more than the Creator.

[DigitGen]

     We know something of what this means.  We speak of people today who have become, as we say, gospel-hardened.  They too have been darkened by the light, and are often the ringleaders in apostasy: "If the light that is in thee becomes darkened, how great is the darkness."  There are many in the world tonight who used to listen with tears in their eyes to the story of the matchless grace of God as revealed in the cross of Christ, but are unmoved now though that story be told ever so tenderly; they have become hardened in their sins, and their seared consciences no longer feel the Spirit's breath.  It is a most dangerous thing to trifle with the light from heaven.

     But to proceed with our theme, Ham became darkened by the light.  We know his failure and sin.  But when Noah had recovered himself and knew what his son had done unto him he pronounced, by the spirit of prophecy, a curse upon Canaan, not on Ham.  Do you wonder at that?  I did, until I saw that God had already pronounced a blessing upon all three sons of Noah-Shem, Ham, and Japheth.  So Noah passes over his unworthy son and utters a curse upon Canaan, who we can well believe was, as we say, "a chip off the old block."  Ham begat a son named Cush, "the black one," and he became the father of Nimrod, the apostate leader of his generation.

   

[DigitGen]

 Ancient lore now comes to our assistance, and tells us that the wife of Nimrod-bar-Cush was the infamous Semiramis, the First.  She is reputed to have been the founder of the Babylonian mysteries and the first high-priestess of idolatry.  Thus Babylon became the fountainhead of idolatry, and the mother of every heathen and pagan system in the world.  The mystery-religion that was originated there spread in various forms throughout the whole earth, and as we shall see in a few minutes, it is with us today.  It is identical with the mystery of iniquity which wrought so energetically in Paul's day, and shall have its fullest development when the Holy Spirit has departed and the Babylon of the apocalypse holds sway.

     Building on the primeval promise of the woman's Seed who was to come, Semiramis bore a son whom she declared was miraculously conceived, and when she presented him to the people, he was hailed as the promised deliverer.  This was Tammuz, whose worship Ezekiel protested against in the days of the captivity.  Thus was introduced the mystery of the mother and the child, a form of idolatry that is older than any other known to man.  The rites of this worship were secret.  Only the initiated were permitted to know its mysteries.  It was Satan's effort to delude mankind with an imitation so like the truth of God that they would not know the true Seed of the woman when He came in the fullness of time.  To this Justin Martyr bears definite witness.

     From Babylon this mystery-religion spread to all the surrounding nations, as the years went on and the world was populated by the descendants of Noah.  Everywhere the symbols were the same, and everywhere the cult of the mother and child became the popular system.  Their worship was celebrated with the most disgusting and immoral practices.  The image of the queen of heaven with the babe in her arms was seen everywhere, though the names might differ as languages differed.  It became the mystery-religion of Phoenicia, and by the Phoenicians was carried to the ends of the earth.  Ashtoreth and Tammuz, the mother and child of these hardy adventurers, became Isis and Horus in Egypt, Aphrodite and Eros in Greece, Venus and Cupid in Italy, and bore many other names in more distant places.  Within 1,000 years, Babylonianism had become the religion of the world, which had rejected the Divine revelation.

     Linked with the central mystery were countless lesser mysteries, the hidden meaning of which was known only to the initiates, but the outward forms were practiced by all the people.  Among these were the doctrines of purgatorial purification after death, salvation by countless sacraments (such as priestly absolution), sprinkling with holy water, the offering of round cakes to the queen of heaven (as mentioned in the book of Jeremiah), dedication of virgins to the gods (which was literally sanctified prostitution), weeping for Tammuz for a period of 40 days prior to the great festival of Istar (who was said to have received her son back from the dead); for it was taught that Tammuz was slain by a wild boar and afterwards brought back to life.  To him the egg was sacred, as depicting the mystery of his resurrection even as the evergreen was his chosen symbol and was set up in honor of his birth at the winter solstice, when a boar's head was eaten in memory of his conflict and a yule log burned with many mysterious observances.  The sign of the cross was sacred to Tammuz, as symbolizing the life giving principle and as the first letter of his name.  It is represented upon vast numbers of the most ancient altars and temples, and did not, as many have supposed originate with Christianity.

     From this mystery-religion, the patriarch Abraham was separated by the divine call, and with this same evil cult the nation that sprang from him had constant conflict, until under Jezebel, a Phoenician princess, it was grafted onto what was left of the religion of Israel in the northern kingdom in the day of Ahab, and was the cause of their captivity at the last.  Judah was polluted by it, for Baal-worship was but the Canaanitish form of Babylonian mysteries, and only by being sent into captivity to Babylon itself did Judah become cured of her fondness for idolatry.  Baal was the Sun-God, the Life-giving One, identical with Tammuz.

     When Christ came into this world the mystery of iniquity was everywhere holding sway, save where the truth of God as revealed in the Old Testament was known.  Thus, when the early Christians set out upon the great task of carrying the gospel to the ends of the earth, they found themselves everywhere confronted by this system, in one form or another; for though Babylon as a city had long been but a mystery, her mysteries had not died with her.  When the city and temples were destroyed, the high-priest fled with a company of initiates and their sacred vessels and images to Pergamos, where the Symbol of the serpent was set up as the emblem of the hidden wisdom.  From there, they afterwards crossed the sea and immigrated to Italy, where, they settled on the Etruscan plain.  There the ancient cult was propagated under the name of the Etruscan Mysteries and eventually Rome became the headquarters of Babylonianism.  The chief priests wore mitres shaped like the head of a fish, in honor of Dagon, the fish-god, the Lord of life-another form of the Tammuz mystery, as developed among Israel's old enemies, the Philistines.  The chief priest when established in Rome took the title Pontifex Maximus, and this was imprinted in on his mitre.  When Julius Caesar (who was an initiate like all young Romans of good family) had become the head of the States, he was elected Pontifex Maximus, and this title was held henceforth by all the Roman emperors down to Constantine the Great, who was at one and the same time, head of the church, and high priest to the heathen.  The title was afterwards conferred upon the bishops of Rome, and is borne by the pope today, who is thus declared to be, not the successor of the fisherman-apostle Peter, but the direct successor of the high priest of the Babylonian mysteries, and the servant of the fish-god Dagon, for whom he wears, like his idolatrous predecessors, the fisherman's ring.

     During the early centuries of the church's history, the mystery of iniquity had wrought with such astounding effect, and the Babylonian practices and teachings had been so largely absorbed by that which bore the name of the church of Christ, that the truth of the Holy Scriptures on many points had been wholly obscured, while idolatrous practices had been foisted upon the people as Christian sacraments, and the heathen philosophies took the place of gospel instruction.  Thus was developed that amazing system which for a thousand years dominated Europe and trafficked in the bodies of souls of men, until the great Reformation of the 16th century brought in a measure of deliverance.


 (By Harry A. Ironside)

[Allinall]

I just thought the tree made your house smell good and looked pretty.    Nice post!

[Soldier4Christ]

I just thought the tree made your house smell good and looked pretty.

 

[Shammu]

Evergreen trees, because of their ability to remain green through-out the winter season when most other forms of vegetation are dormant, have long symbolized immortality, fertility, sexual potency, and reproduction, and were often brought into homes and set up as idols.

The full mystical significance of the evergreen can only be understood when one considers the profound reverence the ancient pagans had for all natural phenomena -- "To them, Nature was everywhere alive. Every fountain had its spirit, every mountain its deity, and every water, grove, and meadow, its supernatural association. The whispering of the trees ... was the subtle speech of the gods who dwelt within" (W.M. Auld, Christmas Traditions). This is nothing but nature worship or Animism.

The custom of bringing the tree into the home and decorating it as is done today has legendarily been attributed to Martin Luther. In truth, the modern custom has been lost in obscurity, but almost every culture has some such tradition. For ages, evergreen trees would be brought into the house during the winter as magic symbols of luck and hope for a fruitful year to come, It may also be that the star with which many of today's trees are topped did not originate as a representation of the star that the wise men followed, but rather a representation of the stars to which the ancient Chaldean astrologers looked for guidance.

The first decorating of an evergreen was done by pagans in honor of their god Adonis, who after being slain was brought to life by the serpent Aesculapius. The representation of the slain Adonis was a dead stump of a tree. Around this stump coiled the snake -- Aesculapius, symbol of life restoring. From the roots of the dead tree, then comes forth another and different tree -- an evergreen tree, symbolic to pagans of a god who cannot die! In Babylon, the evergreen tree came to represent the rebirth/reincarnation of Nimrod as his new son (Sun), Tammuz. In Egypt, this god was worshiped in a palm tree as Baal-Tamar. (Heathen people in the land of Canaan also adopted tree worship, calling it the Asherah -- a tree with its branches cut off was carved into a phallic symbol.) The fir tree was worshiped in Rome as the same new-born god, named Baal-Berith, who was restored to life by the same serpent. A feast was held in honor of him on December 25th, observed as the day on which the god reappeared on earth -- he had been killed, and was "reborn" on that day, victorious over death! It was called the "Birthday of the Unconquered Sun." Thus, the annual custom of erecting and decorating evergreen trees was brought down to us through the centuries by the pagan Roman Catholic Church -- the paganism of Tammuz and Baal, or the worship of the sun, mingled with the worship of Aesculapius the serpent. Whether erected in private homes or in churches, decorated or not, the evergreen tree is a glaring symbol of this false god.

In pagan mythology, evergreen means eternal life and a never-dying existence. Made from evergreens, Christmas wreaths were most frequently round, which symbolized the sun (just as do halos in most religious art). Hence, the round Xmas wreaths stand for an eternal sun, a never-dying or self-renewing sun. In addition, the round form can also relate to the sign of the female, which stands for the regeneration of life. Because of these pagan associations, the Christian church was initially hostile towards the use of wreaths and other evergreen derivatives. But in the same way it Christianized other pagan traditions, the church soon found a way to confer its own symbolic meanings. For example, the sharp pointed leaves of the "male" holly came to represent Christ's crown of thorns and the red berries His blood, while the "female" ivy symbolized immortality (Sulgrave Manor, "A Tudor Christmas," p. 6). Such wreaths now not only adorn churches at Christmas time, but are also appearing during the equally pagan Easter season.

Off of my webpage Christanity Rocks 2

[Pilgrim]

Dr. H.A. Ironside's Lectures on the Book of Revelation (1920: p. 301):

    "It is a lamentable fact that Babylon's principles and practices are rapidly but surely pervading the churches that escaped from Rome at the time of the Reformation. We may see evidences of it in the wide use of high-sounding ecclesiastical titles, once unknown in the reformed churches, in the revival of holy days and church feasts such as Lent, Good Friday, Easter, and Christ's Mass, or, as it is generally written, Christmas. ... some of these festivals ... when they are turned into church festivals, they certainly come under the condemnation of Galatians 4:9-11, where the Holy Spirit warns against the observance of days and months and times and seasons. All of them, and many more that might be added, are Babylonish in their origin, and were at one time linked with the Ashtoreth and Tammuz mystery-worship. It is through Rome that they have come down to us; and we do well to remember that Babylon is a mother, with daughters who are likely to partake of their mother's characteristics ..."


God's Word

Deu 12:28 “Observe and hear all these words which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God. 29  When the LORD thy God shall cut off the nations from before thee, whither thou goest to possess them, and thou succeedest them, and dwellest in their land; 30  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. 31  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 their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. 32  What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.”

Rom 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

Pilgrim
 

[Frederic Dalton]

Sorry but racist ramblings cut no ice with me, I sincerely hope that DigitGem doesn't hold them in higher esteem than the Bible itself. From Straight Dope

To emphasize, the bible never says that black-skinned people are descended from Ham, nor that black skin is a curse or a debasement. On the contrary, in the bible, black Africans are described as militarily powerful, tall, and good-looking, similar to images in Greco-Roman culture. There is no indication whatsoever of a negative view of black-skinned people. In fact, there is one episode (Numbers 12:1ff) that can be interpreted as God punishing Aaron and Miriam for being prejudiced against the dark-skinned Kugotcha2es. No matter--if your goal is to twist the bible to suit your political agenda, the actual text can be ignored.

Salvation through Christ's death and resurrection is available to everyone who has faith and who repents of their sins, regardless of the colour of their skin. Any suggestion that scripture supports a racist view is blasphemy.

[Soldier4Christ]

Sorry but racist ramblings cut no ice with me, I sincerely hope that DigitGem doesn't hold them in higher esteem than the Bible itself. From Straight Dope

To emphasize, the bible never says that black-skinned people are descended from Ham, nor that black skin is a curse or a debasement. On the contrary, in the bible, black Africans are described as militarily powerful, tall, and good-looking, similar to images in Greco-Roman culture. There is no indication whatsoever of a negative view of black-skinned people. In fact, there is one episode (Numbers 12:1ff) that can be interpreted as God punishing Aaron and Miriam for being prejudiced against the dark-skinned Ku****es. No matter--if your goal is to twist the bible to suit your political agenda, the actual text can be ignored.

Salvation through Christ's death and resurrection is available to everyone who has faith and who repents of their sins, regardless of the colour of their skin. Any suggestion that scripture supports a racist view is blasphemy.

While the Bible does not say diectly that black skinned people decended from Ham, we know that the Cush ites did decend from Cush the son of Ham.

The sin that Miriam commited was speaking out against Moses in disobedience to God. The basis of this sin was due to Moses having been married to an Ethiopian (Kush ite). There are many such examples in the Bible that teach against racism.

[2nd Timothy]

Are Christmas trees pagan?

Not mine...its a Christian!    

[Soldier4Christ]

Are Christmas trees pagan?

Not mine...its a Christian!    

So is mine ......

[Pilgrim]

Not mine...its a Christian!     



So is mine ......

Reminds me of the man who wanted some christian beer, christian cigarettes and christian wild women.

[nChrist]

Reminds me of the man who wanted some Christian beer, Christian cigarettes and Christian wild women.

Hello Pilgrim,

I love you in Christ, but I would say this is a very sad example of how some Christians foster needless divisions with other Brothers and Sisters in Christ. Comparing a Christmas tree to beer, cigarettes, and wild women might be a conviction for you. If so, follow that conviction for you and your house. For myself and my house, we will celebrate JESUS every day, including Christmas. We don't share your convictions about Christmas trees or Christmas.

If you wish to hide at Christmas and Easter because you think that pagans or the devil owns those days, follow your convictions and do so. BUT, don't ask me to hide with you, and don't attempt to judge or condemn me because I REFUSE to hide with you. JESUS CHRIST is the LORD over all days and all hours. You attempt to cause a big debate on theses same issues every year, and it just didn't work this year. I assume this is why you are attempting to insult Christians who had a Christmas tree over a month after Christmas. All of my family had Christmas trees, and we had a wonderful time in the LORD. We obviously don't share your convictions, nor do we agree with the stated reasons for your convictions. Further, we completely reject your judgment or condemnation.

I won't debate this issue with you again because I feel it is a waste of time and causes a needless division between Brothers and Sisters in Christ. I have debated with you in previous years, and nothing positive came out of it at all. So, I will simply say that you are welcome to your opinions, but I totally disagree with the reasons for your opinions.  Do whatever you feel convicted to do. If I feel like having a 1,000 foot Christmas tree and hanging lights on the mountains near my home, it will be NONE of your business. If there is any judgment or condemnation, it will be from GOD, NOT YOU.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
HAPPY EASTER!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
JESUS OWNS THEM ALL!
AND ALL DAYS IN BETWEEN!

Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 107:8-9 NASB  Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men!  For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.

Romans 10:3-4 NASB  For not knowing about God's righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.  For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

[Pilgrim]

Hello Pilgrim,

I love you in Christ,

Hello Tom,

Yes, I know you love me. It is obvious throughout your letter. How would anyone even dare to question it after reading your letter?

but I would say this is a very sad example of how some Christians foster needless divisions with other Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

This is your opinion and your entitled to it. Yet, my opinion is not the same. I do not consider telling people the truth about the evils of christmass to be divisive. If I did then I would have to hold our Lord to the same standards and say that He was making sinful divisions every time He rebuked the theologians of His day which were the Pharisees and Sadducees. Do you believe our Lord was making sinful divisions when He refuse to go along with the added traditions of the Pharisees? If not, then why do you accuse me of causing sinful divisions because I refuse to go along with those who add the traditions of christmass to the Word of God?

Comparing a Christmas tree to beer, cigarettes, and wild women might be a conviction for you.

Dear brother Tom, the point I was making was just because you call something Christian does not make it Christian. Yet, since you brought it up I will ask you what is the worse of two evils in the eyes of God. Committing adultery in the flesh with another person, or committing spiritual adultery against God by embracing the forms and traditions of heathen worship and foolishly trying to repackage under christian terminology it and offering it to God?

If you wish to hide at Christmas and Easter because you think that pagans or the devil owns those days, follow your convictions and do so.

I never understood strange statements like these Tom, do you think that I run to my basement and hide in fear and trembling on these days? If so, where did you get such strange ideas? Or, are you saying that anyone who speakes against these days and refuses to dishonor God by partaking in them are cowardly? Even you say I point out the evils of christmass every year, how is this twisted into running and hiding on theses days? You would think that if I lived in fear of these days the last thing I would do is go against them on a public forum.

You attempt to cause a big debate on theses same issues every year, and it just didn't work this year.

Dear brother Tom, did I start this topic? Was my post a reply to your post? Isn’t it one of the purposes of this forum to have debates? Just because I share what I know to be the truth, you accuse me of evil motives? You say I have no right to judge others in this matter. Then is it not just as wrong for you to judge me in this matter? Before you claim your not judging me, please go back and carefully read what you have written and notice you even judge my motives unrighteously. Do you believe your response to me in this manner is righteous before the Lord? I know your mind is made up over christmass and you don't want to be confused by the facts. I do not post on this topic to convince you of the truth becuase I know only the Lord will be able to convince you on this matter. Yet, I share because this is a forum and others read and pray and decide in light of the Scriptures the truth about christmass. On this forum alone I receive many responses form people who once partook in christmass, who are now convinced that it is not pleasing to the Lord. They encourage me to keep speaking openly about it for the sake of others unlike you who are still undecided in this matter. Many of them are fearful of posting publicly their joy in being delivered from the religious lies of christmass because of fear of receiving responses like the one you gave me. One person contacted me seeking forgiveness for being bitter at me when first reading my thoughts on christmass. This person later was convinced about the truth of christmas and thanked me for being brave and honest enough to keep posting even in light of all the opposition I receive form others who cling to the traditions of christmass.

You say I “foster needless division”. Yet, it is you who jumped in out of the blue and responded as if I was replying to one of your post. You even typed in red and big bold letters and if I remember right I believe it was you who said this is equivalent to forum screaming. Forgive me if I am wrong.  It takes at least two to divide, so who decides who brought “needless division”? Do you think that maybe you are the one causing “needless division” rather than I? If one person leads another person away from the truth of God to the religious lies of the devil, then who truly is causing division in the eyes of the Lord?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Dear brother Tom, would you please explain to me what is so merry about the false christ of the catholic mass? You do realize that this is what the term christmas means don’t you? You can say that this is not what it means to you all you want, but the fact of the matter is that you cannot change the meaning of words. You say you have many Catholic friends when you wish them a “MERRY CHRISTMAS!!” what christ do you think they are thinking of? The false christ of the Catholic mass or the true Christ of the scriptures?

Eph 4:25 “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.”

Dear brother Tom, do you realize that when you wish someone a “MERRY CHRISTMAS!!” that you are rebelling against the verse above which tells us to put away lying and speak truth with our neighbors?

The very term christmass itself is a lie. The word comes from christ and mass. The true Christ cannot be the false christ of the mass. To wish someone a “MERRY CHRISTMAS!!” is an offense to the truth itself.

Now dear brother Tom, I am going to ask you to do something that may be very hard and painful for you to do. I believe you knew from previous post of mine that I consider the very term “MERRY CHRISTMAS!!” used as you used it toward me to be offensive. In light of this I have to ask who is fostering needless divisions with other Brothers and Sisters in Christ? Did you know before you wrote this in big red bold letters that I would not accept this greeting and consider it offensive? If so, why are you treating me in such a manner, and more importantly is it righteous? You accused me of fostering needless divisions with other Brothers and Sisters in Christ, how is this any different? Why would it be wrong for me, yet okay for you?

I ask these things not to cause you grief, but because I really do care for you and count you as a friend. It seems to me you have a very hard time dealing with this matter honestly and in the spirit of a truth seeker. On other issues your understanding and discernment are very Sharpe and you use it skillfully as a mature Christian brother. On the issue of christmass it seems to me you do not apply the same skills and maturity of an older brother in examining this issue. It seems as if there are other extra Biblical reasons that get in the way of your discernment on this issue, perhaps family, friends, church traditions or maybe just a love for these traditions regardless the right or wrong of it. One thing you have convince me of though is that you will not listen to sound reason on this issue and it will take a work of the Lord to convince you. In the mean time when I post on the topic don’t get all worked up over it as is you are the one I am trying to reach. There are others out there who want to know the truth and will honestly examine the issue in the light of God’s Word and who will want to consider what I have to say on the subject. Yet, the majority will continue to follow the pied piper where ever he lead. God bless

In Christ,
pilgrim