christmasEvery year after Thanksgiv

christmas
Every year after Thanksgiving, most people's thoughts turn to Christmas. It is the time when professing Christians are supposed to focus on Jesus Christ. After all, it is the “Christ-mass” season!
Christmas is thought by most to be a wonderful time, focusing the participants on giving, family togetherness, beautiful music and decorations, feasting on special foods and singing Christmas carols throughout the neighborhood (as my family did every year). All of this is supposedly centered around the worship of Christ. Surely the Bible instructs us to do all this—right?
The answers will shock you!
Why do people think that Christmas is wonderful? Most never reflect on why they believe what they believe or do what they do. We live in a world filled with customs, but few ever seek to understand their origin. We generally accept them without question. Most people basically do what everyone else does—because it is easy and natural!
Let's carefully examine the roots of Christmas. Let's look at why people follow the customs associated with it. Why is it kept on December 25th? Did the early New Testament Church keep it? This article is filled with facts from history that, when placed together, paint a complete picture. Let's avoid all assumptions and only accept what can be PROVEN!
Pagan Origin
In 1990, the Solon, Ohio (a Cleveland suburb) school board banned all nativity and other Christmas scenes on any school property because they felt it violated the separation of church and state. They were challenged in court when outraged parents opposed them, feeling that Christmas was being stolen from their children and the community. The board lost the case! The citizenry had contended that Christmas was a worldwide tradition that was not part of, and transcended, religion. It was deemed to be secular—a part of virtually all cultures worldwide.
The court decision affirmed that Christmas has no Christian roots! However, the court's opinion also noted that Bible reading and prayer obviously are associated with Christ-ianity—a remarkable admission! The court concluded that Christmas-keeping and manger scenes could remain because they are not really part of either Christianity or religion—but prayer and Bible reading, which are, must remain excluded from schools!
Nearly all aspects of Christmas observance have their roots in Roman custom and religion. Consider the following admission from a large American newspaper (The Buffalo News, Nov. 22, 1984): “The earliest reference to Christmas being marked on Dec. 25 comes from the second century after Jesus' birth. It is considered likely the first Christmas celebrations were in reaction to the Roman Saturnalia, a harvest festival that marked the winter solstice—the return of the sun—and honored Saturn, the god of sowing. Saturnalia was a rowdy time, much opposed by the more austere leaders among the still-minority Christian sect. Christmas developed, one scholar says, as a means of replacing worship of the sun with worship of the Son. By 529 A.D., after Christianity had become the official state religion of the Roman Empire, Emperor Justinian made Christmas a civic holiday. The celebration of Christmas reached its peak—some would say its worst moments—in the medieval period when it became a time for conspicuous consumption and unequaled revelry.”
Consider these quotes from the Catholic Encyclopedia, 1911 edition, under “Christmas”: “Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church…the first evidence of the feast is from Egypt.” Further, “Pagan customs centering around the January calends gravitated to Christmas.” Under “Natal Day,” Origen, an early Catholic writer, admitted, “…In the Scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birthday. It is only sinners (like Pharaoh and Herod) who make great rejoicings over the day in which they were born into this world” (emphasis mine).
The Encyclopedia Americana, 1956 edition, adds, “Christmas…was not observed in the first centuries of the Christian church, since the Christian usage in general was to celebrate the death of remarkable persons rather than their birth…a feast was established in memory of this event [Christ's birth] in the fourth century. In the fifth century the Western Church ordered the feast to be celebrated forever on the day of the Mithraic rites of the birth of the sun and at the close of the Saturnalia, as no certain knowledge of the day of Christ's birth existed.”
There is no mistaking the origin of the modern Christmas celebration. Many additional sources could be cited and we will return to this later. Let's begin to tie some other facts together.
It was 300 years after Christ before the Roman church kept Christmas, and not until the fifth century that it was mandated to be kept throughout the empire as an official festival honoring “Christ.”
Can Christ Be Honored by Christmas?
The most common justification that one will hear regarding Christmas is that people ha

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Christmas
Every year after Thanksgiving, Most people's thoughts turn to Christmas. It is the time when professing Christians are supposed to focus on Jesus Christ. After all, it is the "Christ-mass" Season!
Christmas is thought by Most to be a wonderful time, focusing the participants on giving, Family togetherness, Beautiful Music and decorations, feasting on special Foods and Singing Christmas Carols throughout the Neighborhood (. as my family did every year). All of this is supposedly centered around the worship of Christ. Surely the Bible instructs US to do all this-Right?
The Answers Will Shock You!
Why do people that Think Christmas is wonderful? Most never reflect on why they believe what they believe or do what they do. We live in a world filled with customs, but few ever seek to understand their origin. We generally accept them without question. Most people basically do what everyone else does-because it is Natural and Easy!
Let's carefully examine the Roots of Christmas. Let's look at why people follow the customs associated with it. Why is it kept on December 25th? Did the early New Testament Church keep it? This article is filled with facts from history that, when placed together, paint a complete picture. Let's Avoid all assumptions and only accept what Can be PROVEN!
Pagan Origin
In in 1990, the Solon, Ohio (a Cleveland Suburb) school board banned all Nativity and Other Christmas Scenes on any school Property because they felt it violated the Separation of Church and State. . They were challenged in court when outraged parents opposed them, feeling that Christmas was being stolen from their children and the community. The board lost the case! The citizenry had contended that Christmas was a worldwide tradition that was not part of, and transcended, religion. It was Deemed to be a Part of virtually all-Secular Cultures Worldwide.
The Court decision affirmed that Christmas has no Christian Roots! However, the court's opinion also noted that Bible reading and prayer obviously are associated with Christ-ianity-a remarkable admission! The Court concluded that Christmas-keeping and manger Scenes could remain because they are not Really Part of either Christianity or religion-but Prayer and Bible reading, which are, must remain excluded from schools!
Nearly all aspects of Christmas observance have their Roots in Roman. custom and religion. Consider the following admission from a large American newspaper (The Buffalo News, Nov. 22, 1984): "The earliest reference to Christmas being marked on Dec. 25 comes from the second century after Jesus' birth. It is considered likely the first Christmas celebrations were in reaction to the Roman Saturnalia, a harvest festival that marked the winter solstice-the return of the sun-and honored Saturn, the god of sowing. Saturnalia was a rowdy time, much opposed by the more austere leaders among the still-minority Christian sect. Christmas developed, one scholar says, as a means of replacing worship of the sun with worship of the Son. By 529 AD, after Christianity had become the official state religion of the Roman Empire, Emperor Justinian made ​​Christmas a civic holiday. The celebration of Christmas reached ITS Peak-Some would Say ITS worst moments-in the Medieval period when it became a time for conspicuous consumption and unequaled revelry. "
Consider these quotes from the Catholic Encyclopedia, one thousand nine hundred eleven Edition, under" Christmas ":" Christmas. was not among the earliest festivals of the Church ... the first evidence of the feast is from Egypt. "Further," Pagan customs centering around the January calends gravitated to Christmas. "Under" Natal Day, "Origen, an early Catholic writer, admitted. , "... In the Scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birthday. It is only Sinners (like Pharaoh and Herod) Who Make Great Rejoicings over the Day in which they were Born Into this World "(emphasis Mine).
The Encyclopedia Americana, 1,956 Edition, Adds," Christmas ... was not observed in the First centuries. of the Christian church, since the Christian usage in general was to celebrate the death of remarkable persons rather than their birth ... a feast was established in memory of this event [Christ's birth] in the fourth century. In the Fifth Century the Western Church ordered the feast to be celebrated Forever on the Day of the Mithraic rites of the birth of the Sun and at the close of the Saturnalia, as no certain Knowledge of the Day of Christ's birth existed. "
There is. no mistaking the origin of the modern Christmas celebration. Many additional sources could be cited and we will return to this later. Let's BEGIN to tie Some Other Facts Together.
It was 300 years after Christ before the Roman Church kept Christmas, and not until the Fifth Century that it was mandated to be kept throughout the Empire as an Official Festival honoring "Christ."
Can Christ Be. Honored by Christmas?
Will Hear The Most common justification that one regarding Christmas is that people ha.