UNLEARNThe Lies We Have Inherited

Issue 1ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS LIKE:

What is the Christ-Mass?

Why was ChristmasOutlawed in America?

Who is Santa Claus?

WWas Jesus really born in December?

Where do many of ourTraditions come from?

YULE WANTTO READ IT

“My Last Christmas Letter”Page 2

Winter 2013 | The Christmas Issue | lexmeyer.com

Pray that Messiah will never say these words to us:

"ALL TOO WELL YOU REJECT

THE COMMANDMENT OF GOD,

THAT YOU MAY KEEP

YOUR TRADITION.” MARK 7:9

THIS FREE PUBLICATION IS NOT TO BE SOLDThis is a free educational resource in the public interest.You are permitted to print and redistribute it freely, but you are prohibited from charging for it.

CHARLES SPURGEONQUOTES ON CHRISTMAS

Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon (June 19, 1834 - January 31, 1892)

Although he was a Baptist preacher, Spurgeon remains highly influential among Christians of many denominations, among whom he is known as the "Prince of Preachers". whom he is known as the "Prince of Preachers".

Spurgeon was a prolific author of many types of works including sermons, an autobiography, commentaries, books on prayer, devotionals, magazines, poetry, hymns and more.

“We have no superstitious regard for times and seasons. Certainly we do not believe in the present ecclesiastical arrangement called Christmas: first, because we do not believe in the mass at all, but abhor it, whether it be said or sung in Latin or in at all, but abhor it, whether it be said or sung in Latin or in English; and, secondly, because we find no Scriptural warrant whatever for observing any day as the birthday of the Savior; and, consequently, its observance is a superstition, because not of divine authority.” (Charles Spurgeon, Sermon on Dec. 24, 1871).

“When it can be proved that the observance of Christmas, Whitsuntide, and other Popish festivals was ever instituted by a Whitsuntide, and other Popish festivals was ever instituted by a divine statute, we also will attend to them, but not till then. It is as much our duty to reject the traditions of men, as to observe the ordinances of the Lord. We ask concerning every rite and rubric, "Is this a law of the God of Jacob?" and if it be not clearly so, it is of no authority with us, who walk in Christian liberty.” (from Charles Spu(from Charles Spurgeon's Treasury of David on Psalm 81:4.)

Thank you Charles for your words of wisdom and conviction about such things. Thank you for your boldnessto proclaim the Scriptures, and for your life that was devoted to ministry. We need more preachers like youwho are not afraid to speak the truth and stand against the status-quo. You fought the good fight, and yourwords of wisdom are still changing lives today.

My last Christmas Letter By: Lex Meyer

Dear Family and Friends, I have decided to write you a Christmas letter this year to let you know about some changes that are taking place in my life. You know that I have always had a love for the Bible and have studied it my entire life, but recently I have been studying early Church history, which has led me to make some startling discoveries that will affect my life forever. As I began to study the roots of many of our Christian Traditions, I was shocked to find out that many of the things we do have absolutely no connection to Jesus or the Bible. In fact, many of them come straight out of Paganism. Each year at this time we celebrate the birthday of Jesus, but according to the Bible he was not born at this time of year. The bible tells us that Jesus was born in a warm month, when the Shepherds had their flocks out at night. This would put his birth sometime between March and October (not the end of December). Also, the Bible never tells us to celebrate the birth of Jesus, and for nearly 300 years none of his followers celebrated His birth. We were only told to celebrate his death and resurrection each year at Passover. Whose birthday is on December 25th? As I began to study more about this date, I found out that this birthday celebration was around for thousands of years before Jesus was

ever born. In fact, it dates all the way back to Nimrod in the book of Genesis. Every pagan sun-god has been celebrated during this time of year. Some of these pagan gods include Tammuz, Dionysus, Bacchus, Saturn, Mithra, Sol Invictus, and various others. All of these gods were said to have been born at the Winter Solstice. The celebration is based on superstition that in the winter the sun gets weaker and dies, which is why the days get shorter, but after the solstice the sun is reborn and begins to gain strength again and the days get longer. Today this winter solstice festival is still celebrated by Wiccans and other pagans as the festival of "Yule" (which is where we get the Yule log, Yule ham, and Yuletide carols). It was a Germanic celebration of the god Odin. They would eat roasted pork in honor of the god of the hunt. This is where our tradition of eating "Christmas Ham" originates. Saturnalia, was celebrated approximately 200 years before Jesus was born. This December 25th celebration was in honor of the Pagan god Saturn, and before that it was celebrated as "Brumalia" in honor of the Pagan god Bacchus, and also celebrated as "Lenaia" or "Dionysia" in honor of the Greek god Dionysus. The Persians celebrated it as the birth of their sun god, Mithra, and at the turn of the century the Romans, under Constantine, celebrated it as the birthday of their sun god, Sol Invictus.

All of these celebrations took place on or near December 25th. All of these celebrations were in honor of the "birth" of pagan gods. Why did they start celebrating the birthday of Jesus on December 25th? During the 4th century, Emperor Constantine decided that it would be beneficial for his Kingdom if he merged Christianity with the worship of Sol Invictus. As a result, all of the formerly pagan cathedrals and temples were converted to churches and renamed with "Christian" names, and all of the Pagan celebrations were adopted as "Christian" and given new names as well, while many of their practices and traditions remained unchanged. This political move of Constantine was very beneficial for expanding his Empire, but it was devastating to the Church. What does this mean? Well, it means that this will be my last Christmas letter, because I will no longer be celebrating Christmas. Our family has decided to celebrate Hanukkah this year instead. Hanukkah is a Biblical celebration that honors God. The Bible indicates that Jesus made a special trip to Jerusalem for Hanukkah,

"Now it was the Feast of Dedication (Hanukkah) in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon's

porch." (John 10:22-23) What does Hanukkah celebrate? It is a celebration of God's deliverance for his people from Pagan oppression and assimilation. About 150 years before Jesus was born, a Greek ruler named Antiochus gained power over Israel. He tried to force the Jewish people to assimilate into the Pagan religion, and during

the festival of Dionysia (December 25th), he sacrificed a pig in the Temple, desecrating the altar. He outlawed circumcision and the Sabbath, and he also destroyed every Bible he could find. In response, a group of Jewish priests started a revolt against Antiochus. They fought for three years, and finally gained control of the Temple again. They immediately cleansed the Temple and dedicated it back to God. That is why it is called Hanukkah, which means “dedication”. It is important to note that December 25th was the day that the Temple was defiled by the pig on the altar as part of the birthday celebration of their god. They roasted a ham and tried to force the Jews to eat it. This alone should make us think twice before eating a Christmas ham. What is wrong with celebrating Christmas? Nearly everything associated with Christmas finds its roots in Paganism. Trees, wreaths, holly, ham, caroling, Santa Claus, and many other things all come from Pagan traditions. Even stories of a god born on December 25th are rooted in Pagan folklore. Many of the leaders during the Protestant reformation wanted to end Christmas, but tradition kept it going in spite of convincing arguments from teachers and preachers who tried to explain the perversion and idolatry that was associated with this holiday. It was even outlawed in America until the mid 1800’s. Remember that we are the Temple of the Holy Spirit, and we should consider the message of Hanukkah this time of year – that we should cleanse our Temple of pagan things, and dedicate it back to God as a Holy and pure vessel that honors Him. I love you all very much, and I pray that you will seek the truth about these things as I have.

The Light Before ChristmasTwas the night before Christmas and strange as it seemsI wasn't indulging in covetous dreams;But reading my Bible, I searched for a clueWhy Christians take part in this holiday too.

I plainly could see that it carried His name,But the spirit behind it just wasn't the same.But the spirit behind it just wasn't the same.The songs spoke of wise men, of virgin and child,Of shepherds, of God, and all men reconciled;

But nothing was said of the blood and the cross;Of repentance, and faith, and of counting the cost.They sang of the babe, His miraculous birth,But not of the day when He'll judge the whole earth.

My Bible said nothing of Santa, or toys,My Bible said nothing of Santa, or toys,Of Frosty the Snowman, and small drummer boys.A reference to Rudolph not once did I see.But it seems Jeremiah did mention the tree.

I sat and I pondered this curious matter,When out on the roof there arose such a clatterThat I knew in a moment he soon would be here;So I prayed in the Spirit and stood without feaSo I prayed in the Spirit and stood without fear.

He slipped down the chimney, quick as a flash,And stepped from the fireplace all covered with ash.There stood St. Nick with his bag and his beard,He looked at the Bible I held, and he sneered,

"Another fanatical Christian, I see;No stockings; no holly, no pictures of me."I asked him if Jesus was God in the flesh,I asked him if Jesus was God in the flesh,He said that was something he couldn't confess.

He said, "I am Santa, I come from afar."I stood in the truth - "The Devil you are.That suit and that beard doesn't fool me one bit.Your jolly deception is straight from the pit.

Beneath all your Ho Ho Ho's Lucifer lurks;With your all-seeing eyes and your gospel of worksLike a thief in the night you impersonate Christ,Like a thief in the night you impersonate Christ,Returning to judge the naughty and nice."

"So call Christmas pagan," he said, "That's O.K.'Cause that's what my sons at the Watchtower say.You'll look like a pagan or like a deceiver,But none will suspect you to be a believer."

I said, "I don't care what your servants will say,My loyalty lies with theMy loyalty lies with the Ancient of Days.No matter how many abuses are hurled,My Bible says be not conformed to this world.

You have no power, and no part of me,So I stand on God's Word, and command you to flee."He squealed like a pig that was stuck with a knife.He ran to the chimney and climbed for his life.

And I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,And I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,"Merry Xmas to all, and a long, dark night."

- Author Unknown

When was Jesus really born? By Isaac Stropes

Christmas is the day that the birth of Christ

is celebrated all around the world, so what

better time than this to find out when Jesus

could have been born. After all, if Jesus is

indeed ‘the reason for the season’ then we

should find that He was born on Christmas

day, or at least near it. Let’s start by

examining what Scripture tells us about His

birth and then we will proceed in finding the

most likely times of His birth.

The most important thing to realize is that

the New Testament does not give us an

exact day that Jesus was born. In fact, it

does not give us a year or a month, but we

can track down the approximate season He

was born.

The first step in finding out when Jesus was

born is to find when John the Baptist was

born, since we know that Jesus was about

six months younger than John (Luke 1:36,

Luke 1:56). Thankfully scripture gives us

some details about the birth of John. The

Gospel of Luke tells us that John’s father

Zacharias was a priest of the division of

Abijah (Luke 1:5). The two houses of the

priesthood were divided into 24 divisions by

King David (1 Chronicles 24:10), each

division served twice a year plus the three

feasts of Passover, the Feast of Weeks, and

Tabernacles. Each division served from

Sabbath to Sabbath, and since the Feasts and

the beginning of the year did not always fall

on a Sabbath, the service date of a division

varied slightly.

Zacharias division, Abijah, was the eighth

one. Using this information it is possible to

map out when Zacharias would have been

serving each year, and thus we can estimate

when John would have been born. It is

important to note however that it is not

possible to say for certainty when John was

conceived. However since Zacharias was

not able to talk until John was born, it is

likely that John was conceived soon after

Zacharias arrived home from his service.

The chart below shows the date according to

the Hebrew calendar when Jesus might have

been born and the corresponding date on the

Gregorian calendar, as well as the possibility

that his birth might have been on or near

December 25 in that year. I have given

more than one year since we do not know

for sure which year he was born.

Year Hebrew Calendar Gregorian Calendar Christmas

7 BC Av 17 - Elul 15 Aug. 10 - Sep. 7 No 6 BC Shvat 15 - Adar 13 Feb. 1 - Mar. 1 No 6 BC Elul 18 - Tishri 17 Aug. 30 - Sep. 27 No 5 BC Adar 15 - Nisan 14 Feb. 21 - March 20 No 5 BC Elul 6 - Tishri 5 Aug. 7 - Sep. 4 No 4 BC Adar I 3 - Adar II 1 Jan. 29 - Feb. 26 No 4 BC Av 15 - Elul 13 Aug. 6 - Sep. 3 No 3 BC Shvat 14 - Adar 12 Jan 28 - Feb. 25 No 3 BC Elul 17 - Tishri 16 Aug. 26 - Sep. 23 No 2 BC Adar 15 - Nisan 14 Feb. 17 - Mar. 17 No 2 BC Elul 20 - Tishri 19 Aug. 2 - Sep. 15 No 1 BC Adar 17 - Adar II 15 Feb. 9 - March 8 No

As you can see from the dates laid out

above, it is highly unlikely that Jesus was

born in December. It is almost certain

however that He was born in either the

spring or fall. What makes that so

significant is that the Feasts of Passover,

Unleavened bread, and the Feast of Weeks

are in the spring and the Day of Atonement,

as well as the Feasts of Trumpets and the

Feast of Sukkot are in the fall. Although we

cannot say for certain if Jesus was born on a

Feast day, we can say with confidence that

He was not born on December 25th.

And so the question remains, if Jesus is not

‘the reason for the season’ then why do we

celebrate Christmas?

Did you know that Pagans used Trees to worship their gods?Tree worship refers to the tendency of many societies throughout history to worship or otherwise mythologize trees. Trees have played an important role in many of the world's mythologies and religions, and have been given deep and sacred meanings throughout the ages.

Many ancient Pagan religions viewed the evergreen tree as a symbol of the essence of life and was regarded as a phallic symbol in fertility worship.phallic symbol in fertility worship. The Celtic Druids venerated evergreen trees as manifestations of deity. To the Celts, these trees were sacred because they did not die from year to year like deciduous trees, and their greenery was symbolic of their hope for the sun's return.

During the Winter Solstice, Celtic and pagan civilizations throughout Northern Europe would celebrate and sacrifice to the Norse god, Yule, as they celebrated their Yuletide festival. This is the tradition from which we get many of our Christmas traditions including th Yule log and yuletide carols. The Yule festival involved bringing entire eveentire evergreen trees into their homes, and it was believed that the spirits of the trees would inhabit their home and bless its inhabitants. The Druids even decorated these evergreen trees at Yule with all the images of the things they wished the waxing year to bring them.

“You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree.” (Deuteronomy 12:2)

“Only acknowledge your iniquity, That you have transgressed against the Lord yyour God, And have scattered your charms To alien deities under every green tree, And you have not obeyed My voice,' says the Lord.” (Jeremiah 3:13)

“the customs of the peoples are futile; for one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple.” (Jeremiah 10:3-4)

But people don’t worship trees anymore... doe they? Yes, actually Wiccan witches and neo-pagans proudly worship trees as fertility symbols in their Yule festivals.

And let us not foAnd let us not forget this beloved Christmas carol...

“O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree, How lovely are your branches!”And people sing this song while kneeling down to receive gifts from beneath the tree.

This Man is a Thief and a Robber

"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.” (John 10:1)

And A false messiah1. Comes like a theif in the night

2. Omnipresent – sees you sleeping and knows when you’re awake

3. Omniscient – knows if you’ve been bad or good

4. 4. Omnipotent – visits every house in the world in a single night

5. Eternal - lives forever

6. Wants Children to believe in him

7. Judge - deciding who is “naughty” and “Nice”

8. Giver of gifts

9. Called “Kris Kr9. Called “Kris Kringle” - means “Christ Child”

10. Known as “Father Christmas” - an impostor of the Heavenly Father

Other things to consider

1. He enters homes through fire and ash

2. Called “Old Nick” - another name of satan

4. Lord over a host of Elves (in druidic rel religion, elves are demons)

5. He is the most iconic Image of Christmas

6. SANTA is an anagram of SATAN

Christmas Cheer or Pagan Revere By: David Washam

Every year at this time, all the stores start putting out red and green wrapping paper, Santa Claus figurines, and episodes of A Christmas Story are played back to back for days. Everyone is excited for the coming day of gifts, big dinners, and of course family fun. Whether they believe in Jesus or not, people are coming together for merriment and celebration. The “good will towards man”, the warmth of a home full of family when it’s snowing outside and the excitement of gift giving all make Christmas a beloved time of the year. Every year we also see slogans such as “He is the reason for the season” and “Put Christ back into Christmas”, why are they saying these things and why are they concerned with this? Has Christmas been hijacked by consumerism and fictional icons? Why are people who do not believe in Christ still taking part in Christmas? At the core of every believer in Christ, the true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of the greatest gift ever given, which is Jesus Himself. If you take any Christian and ask them what the most important aspect of Christmas is, they will almost always say “Christ”. The holiday of Christmas is about giving thanks to the Father for giving His only begotten son. So, December 25th is about

Him, right? But have we inquired about how He wants to be worshipped? If we examine scripture He has set some pretty exacting guidelines as to how we are to come near Him and how to love Him. Have we looked at His words to understand what it is that He wants? Right before the Israelites went into the Promised Land God had some very specific instructions on how to worship Him. “You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods, on the high mountains and on the hills and under every green tree. And you shall destroy their altars, break their sacred pillars, and burn their wooden images with fire; you shall cut down the carved images of their gods and destroy their names from that place. You shall not worship the Lord your God with such things... take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.” (Deuteronomy 12:2-4,30) God is clear that He does not want to be worshipped in the ways that pagans worship their gods. That is why it is important for us to evaluate our worship, and make sure it does not resemble the ways of pagans. First let us look at the Christmas tree. Each year many homes have the tradition to go out as a family and search the forest or tree farm to find the perfect tree. The same is true even if the family loads up and goes to a

store to purchase a fake tree that can be used year after year and even handed down through the family. Where did this tradition come from? Did you know that pagans would bring evergreen trees and wreaths into their homes to invoke blessings from the spirits living in the forest? Evergreens were also a sign of fertility, and were used to worship their gods. This was done for thousands of years before Christ was even born. “Hear the word which the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the Lord: ‘Do not learn the way of the Gentiles; Do not be dismayed at the signs of heaven, For the Gentiles are dismayed at them. For the customs of the peoples are futile; For one cuts a tree from the forest, The work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. They decorate it with silver and gold; They fasten it with nails and hammers So that it will not topple.’” (Jeremiah 10:1-4) These works of paganism are not old and dead but rather still being done today. Wiccans and other variants of witchcraft or paganism still place their decorated evergreen Yule trees in the living room of their house and place gifts for one another underneath. They hang mistletoe in doorways, place boughs of holly near their door and hang a wreath on their front doors. According to the Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Wicca is the fifth largest religion in the world and estimates some 750,000 members in the United States alone. This begs the question: why are we practicing the same traditions that pagan witches do? Some people will say, “That’s not what it means to me”, and while it is true that Christians are not coming together to worship other gods, we are still using pagan traditions to try to honor God. Will God be pleased with our worship when it is polluted with pagan tradition?

“Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord's table and of the table of demons.” (1 Corinthians 10:20-21) It can be hard to accept these truths and move away from the traditions we have grown up with, but it is what our Creator longs for us to do. Remember that the “truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32) The statement, “That’s not what it means to me” is really a proclamation that I am doing what is right in my own eyes, and in my own opinion. “You shall not do according to all that we are doing here today, everyone doing whatever is right in his own eyes,” (Deuteronomy 12:8) Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what Christmas means to us, it matters what it means to God. So, find out what pleases Him, and do those things. “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” (Ephesians 5:8-11) I want to encourage you to make a commitment that you and your house will serve the Lord by making His will more of a priority than your own. "Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord! And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:14-15)

Izzy& Chrisby: L. Meyer

Jesus is the reason for the season!

I finished my gift shopping,and I am ready for Christmas!

Perhaps we should justcall it “Giftmas” instead

Did you know that in older mythSanta’s helper was the Krampus?He is a demonic creaturethat eats bad children.

That is horrifying! Why would parents tell their kids such things?

Did you know that Wiccans,Atheists, and PagansCelebrate Christmas?In fact, nearly all of ourChristmas traditions comefrom Paganism.

No, I didn’t realize that.

I don’t understand why peoplewould want to lie to their kids.Santa Claus is not real,

Jesus wasn’t born in December,and the Wise Men were notpresent at his birth.

I never thought about it like that before.

Are you sure about that?How do trees, wreaths, mistletoe,snowmen, reindeer, elves, and Santa connect to Messiah?

Santa’s Little HelperBefore he had elves, Santa had a helper named Krampus, a beast-like creature from Alpine folklore thought to punish children during the Yule season who had misbehaved, in contrast with Saint Nicholas, who rewards well-behaved ones with gifts. Krampus is said to capture particularly naughty children in his sack and carry them away to his lair.

Represented as a beast-like demonic creature, Krampus also shares characteristics with the satyrs of Greek mythologmythology, as a mixture of man and goat. He is depicted as hairy, usually brown or black, and has the cloven hooves and horns of a goat. His long pointed tongue lolls out. His terrifying figure appears to be an unholy mixture of man and beast. The way he is depicted is very similar to that of Satan or a demon. He is also said to carry a whip, chains, bells, and ruten (bundles of birch branches) used to swat children with. Strapped to his back is a large sack to cart off evil children for drowning, eating, or transporting to Hell.

The Krampus figure predates Christianity, and has roots in Germanic cult mythology, and although the early Catholic Church discouraged celebrations based around wild goat-like creatures, the Krampus figure persisted, Catholic Church discouraged celebrations based around wild goat-like creatures, the Krampus figure persisted, and by the 17th century Krampus had been incorporated into Christmas by pairing him with St. Nicholas.

In many countries young men still dress up as the Krampus and roam the streets frightening children with rusty chains and bells.

Europeans have been exchanging greeting cards featuring Krampus since the 1800s. Sometimes introduced with “Gruß vom Krampus” (Greetings from the Krampus), the cards usually have humorous rhymes and poems. Krampus is often featured looming menacingly over children. He is also shown sometimes as having one human foot and one cloven hoof. In some depictions, Krampus has sexual overtones, and is pictured pursuing one human foot and one cloven hoof. In some depictions, Krampus has sexual overtones, and is pictured pursuing buxom women. Older cards appear to have a more frightening Krampus, while modern versions have a cuter, more Cupid-like creature. Krampus has also adorned postcards and candy containers.

Pictured below are holiday wine labels featuring Saint Nicholas and Krampus.

You Know My HeartA Parable by Isaac Stropes

I attended a wedding on June 1st one year for a pastor friend. He was getting married to the love of his life. He was so excited and couldn’t wait to spend the rest of his life with her. Ten years later I sat with him as he related a story to me.

It all started in NovembeIt all started in November, when he was planning their anniversary he said. He wanted to make it special to her, so he went to her and asked her what she wanted to do next June to celebrate their love. Her answer surprised him. She said that she wanted to celebrate their anniversary a little early, on May 5th. This puzzled him but he really loved His wife, and so he decided that a month early was ok. Then he asked her what she would like to do, to which she replied that she would what she would like to do, to which she replied that she would like to stay at a certain hotel, eat at a certain restaurant, and even sit at a certain table at that restaurant. That seemed very specific, but he figured that she must have been thinking about this more than him, and done all the research early to find the best spot. So he agreed.

For 10 years they celebrated their anniversary a little early, not too early he said, after all, it was less than a month. not too early he said, after all, it was less than a month. They went to that hotel, ate at that restaurant and at that table. For ten years every day was better than the last. Then one day he was talking with a friend of theirs, who had been her friend before he met him. “You know” said the man, “you’re a better man than I am”. Puzzled by that statement, the pastor asked for him to clarify. “Well, I mean, you’re anniversary” the man seemed to stumble over it, as if confused. “Donseemed to stumble over it, as if confused. “Don’t you know?” he asked. Even more confused the pastor asked what he should know, thinking that this was something that he did know but could not think of. Feeling awkward the man continued “I mean that your wife married her ex-husband on May 5th, they stayed at that hotel, and ate at that restaurant at that table. Doesn’t that bother you?” The look on the man’s face should have given it all away; he was so stunned and hurt. How have given it all away; he was so stunned and hurt. How could this be true.

Thinking it must be a lie he went to his wife that night and asked her. How she responded shocked him even more, because she didn’t seem embarrassed, nor did she deny it, instead she simply said, “Don’t you know my heart?”

The War on Christmas By Lex Meyer

Have you ever wondered how the first

American settlers celebrated Christmas? It

might surprise you to find out that they didn’t.

The original war on Christmas was waged

during the sixteenth and seventeenth century by

Protestant Christians who opposed the pagan

traditions of the Catholic church. The Pilgrims

who came to America in 1620 were strict

Puritans, with firm views against holidays such

as Christmas and Easter, rejecting them

because of their pagan origins. They were

particularly contemptuous of Christmas,

nicknaming it "Foolstide”.

"Shocking as it sounds, followers of

Jesus Christ in both America and

England helped pass laws making it

illegal to observe Christmas, believing it

was an insult to God to honor a day

associated with ancient paganism" - Shocked by the Bible (Thomas Nelson Inc, 2008)

Christmas decorations were considered to be

unholy pagan rituals, traditional foods such as

mince pies and pudding were banned, and

businesses were required to remain open all day

on Christmas. They made it illegal to mention

the name of St. Nicolas, exchange gifts, or sing

carols, and anyone caught ditching their work

duties or feasting was fined five shillings.

"Men dishonor Christ more in the 12

days of Christmas, than in all the 12

months besides.”

- Hugh Latimer, 16th century clergyman

Around the time of the American Revolution

anti-Christmas sentiment flared up again

because Christmas had become associated with

England for so many years. In fact, after the

U.S. Constitution came into effect, the Senate

assembled on Christmas Day in 1797, as did

the House in 1802.

It might surprise you to learn that one of the

issues during the Civil War was the celebration

of Christmas. The North and South were

divided over the issue of slavery, as well as

Christmas. As an early act of psychological

warfare, President Lincoln asked Thomas Nast

to create a drawing of Santa Claus with some

Union soldiers. This image of Santa supporting

the North had a demoralizing influence on the

Confederate army. Many people in the North

considered it a sin to celebrate Christmas, while

Christmas was an important celebration in the

South. This is why it is no surprise that the first

states to legalize Christmas were the southern

states of Alabama, Louisiana and Arkansas.

The ban on Christmas remained in New

England until 1856 when Christmas became a

legal holiday. Even then, some schools

continued to hold classes on December 25 until

1870 when President Ulysses S. Grant declared

it a federal holiday. Although the change was

gradual, people eventually began to embrace

the holiday in all of its fullness, complete with

trees, wreaths, mistletoe, and Santa Claus.

In more recent years, another interesting war on

Christmas has come to the surface, involving

Wiccans and Atheists who celebrate the

holiday in all of its festivities and traditions, but

reject Christ. These people are trying to bring

back awareness that Christmas traditions come

from ancient pagan celebrations, and actually

have nothing to do with Christ or the Bible. I

have met several practicing pagans who

actually laugh at Christians for celebrating

Christmas, because of its deeply pagan roots.

These same people have caused many

businesses and government offices to feel

pressure to remove the word “Christmas” and

replace it with “Holiday” or “Season”, so that

they might avoid offending people. This is

what people today refer to as the “war on

Christmas”.

Sadly, this brings to light a shift among

Christians, who were once boycotting

Christmas celebrations, and are now boycotting

retail stores who refuse to greet their customers

with the phrase “Merry Christmas”.

Many claim they are trying to put “Christ back

into Christmas”, however this stands in stark

contrast to the early Protestants who claimed

that Christmas has nothing to do with Christ.

If Christmas is really a religious holiday about

Christ, then why are people upset when secular

retail stores greet people with “Happy

Holidays” or “Season’s Greetings”? It sounds

like Christmas might have more to do with

consumerism than Christians care to admit.

I find it very disturbing that many Christians

today are fighting to reclaim those deeply

pagan traditions that early American Christians

once fought so hard to remove.

I hope this puts things into perspective.

Graven Images

"You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (Exodus 20:4)

PlacePostageHereUNLEARNThe Lies We Ha

ve Inherited

© LexMeyer.com

If you really LOVE someonegive them something special this year

Tell them the TRUTHabout the pagan tradition called “Christmas”

Mail to:

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________