• Where did the world get Christmas?
  
• From Bible or paganism?
• What is the origin of Christmas tree decorated with tinsel, Santa Claus, mistletoe, holly wreath, and exchanging gifts, hanging stockings, Christmas Eve. small toys, candies and nuts, presents hung on the tree and underneath the tree,
• Parents tell their children the myth that Santa Claus came down the chimney and brought the presents
• do we question these customs? Does the Bible command us to keep these customs? These customs just existed when we were born and never question them
• Few people even research why they believe the things they believe, nor question the customs they keep and where they come from
• by nature we tend to follow the crowd
• does Christmas really celebrate the birth of Yeshua (Jesus)? Was Yeshua really born on December 25th?
• Did the Apostles celebrate Yeshua's (Jesus') birthday on December 25? Did they celebrate Yeshua's birthday at all?
• If Christmas is the Chief of all Christian holidays then why didn't the Apostles nor the first century Congregation observe it?
• Why do people exchange gifts on Christmas? was it because of the example of the wise men or Magi giving gifts to the child Yeshua (Jesus)? Did they give gifts to the child Yeshua (Jesus) or the baby Yeshua (Jesus)? How old was Yeshua (Jesus)?
• Most people assume a lot of stuff about Christmas so lets stop assuming and look at the facts
• What do encyclopedias say about Christmas?
• The word "Christmas" means "Mass of Christ," or, as it came to be shortened, "Christ-Mass."
• The protestant denominations got Christmas from the Catholic Church
• Catholics did not get Christmas from the Bible
• not instructed by Apostles nor first century Congregation
• Christmas crept into the Catholic Church out of paganism
• Catholic Encyclopedia, 1911 edition article "Christmas" writes, "Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church ... the first evidence of the feast is from Egypt." "Pagan customs centering around the January calends gravitated to Christmas."
• Catholic Encyclopedia, 1911 article "Natal Day," writes, ".. 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"
• Encyclopedia Britannica, 1946 edition writes, "Christmas (i.e., the Mass of Christ) ... Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the church ..."
• Encyclopedia Americana, 1944 edition writes, "Christmas .... It was, according to many authorities, not celebrated in the first centuries of the Christian church, as 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 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."
• these encyclopedias show that Christians did not observe Christmas for 2 to 3 hundred years after Yeshua's (Jesus') birth, death, resurrection and ascension
• note longer than the length of the history of the United States
• Christmas did not enter the Roman Church until fourth century A.D
• Remember we are to prove all things and hold fast to what is good: 1Th 5:21 - Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. So by the merit of the Bible you are commanded to prove all things. All things is ALL THINGS even including Christmas.
• Yeshua (Jesus) was not born on December 25th not even in the winter season
• (Luke 2:8) "there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night" This could not have happened in the month of December in Judea as the shepherds would corral their flock and bring them in before October 15th to protect their flock from the cold rainy season
• scriptures that prove this: Song of Solomon 2:11and Ezra 10:9, 13, proving the shepherds could not leave their flocks in fields in winter.
• Adam Clarke Commentary (Vol. 5, page 370, New York ed.) writes, "It was an ancient custom among Jews of those days to send out their sheep to the fields and deserts about the Passover (early spring), and bring them home at commencement of the first rain," During the time they were out, the shepherds watched them night and day. As ... the first rain began early in the month of Marchesvan, which answers to part of our October and November [begins sometime in 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 that, consequently, our Lord was not born on the 25th of December, when no flocks were out in the fields; nor could He have been born later than September, as the flocks were still in the fields by night. On this very ground, the nativity in December should be given up. The feeding of the flocks by night in the fields is a chronological fact ... See the quotations from the Talmudists in Lightfoot."
• The Catholic Encyclopedia states that Yeshua (Jesus) was not born on December 25th
• The exact date of Yeshua's (Jesus') birth is unknown probably September about six months after Passover.
• If YHWH (G_d) wanted us to observe Yeshua's (Jesus') birthday why would he completely hide its exact date?
• How this pagan celebration crept into the true Congregation: The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge in article "Christmas" writes, "How much the date of the festival depended upon the pagan Brumalia (Dec. 25) following the Saturnalia (Dec. 17-24), and celebrating the shortest day of the year and the 'new sun' ... cannot be accurately determined. The pagan Saturnalia and Brumalia were too deeply entrenched in popular custom to be set aside by Christian influence .... The pagan festival with its riot and merrymaking was so popular that Christians were glad of an excuse to continue its celebration with little change in spirit and in manner. Christian preachers of the West and the Near East protested against the unseemly frivolity with which Christ's birthday was celebrated, while Christians of Mesopotamia accused their Western brethren of idolatry and sun worship for adopting as Christian this pagan festival."
• before Yeshua's (Jesus') first advent the Roman world was pagan in belief and practice, Christians were few in number are were actually persecuted by pagans. Constantine put Christianity on equal footing with paganism adopting observances of paganism into Christianity and making this mix of religions Christianity the state religion of the Roman Empire in the fourth century. Hundreds of thousands of pagans were evangelized into the Roman Church bringing their pagan observances with them. One of the chief observances of the pagans was on December 25th. a festival of merrymaking, special spirit, and they enjoyed it and didn't want to give it up.
• The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge explains how Constantine adopted Sunday, the Sun G_d day of worship, into the Roman Church and how the pagan Manichaeism influenced the Roman Church to associate the Sun G_d with the Son of G_d. This logic lead to adopting the date of the birth date fo the Sun G_d with the birth date of the Son of G_d.
• That is how Christmas came to us all even in the West. We may call it Christmas but it still stems out of paganism. You can call a rabbit a "lion," but it's still a rabbit, just the same.
• The real origins of Christmas - If the Roman Catholic Church got Christmas out of paganism where did the pagans get it? Where, when and what was Christmas' origin?
• It is the chief observance of a corrupt worship system called in the Bible "Babylon" it originated from ancient Babylon and Nimrod whose beginning was shortly this side of the Flood!
• Nimrod, son of Noah's son Ham and was founder of this Babylonish system still present in the world sifted through all the ruling kingdoms of the world based on competition and profit creation system
• these ruling kingdoms based on competition handed down this competition system through each ruling kingdom
• Nimrod built the Tower of Babel as recorded in scripture Genesis 10, 10:10, 11:5-9 Nimrod organized the worlds first Kingdom building numerous cities which became the Kingdom of Babylon.
• The name Nimrod in Hebrew is "Marad" which means "He Rebelled"
• Nimrod married his own mother named Semiramis. after Nimrod died Semiramis, his mother/wife propagated the survival of Nimrod in the spirit, She claimed a full grown evergreen tree sprung out of a dead tree stump symbolizing Nimrod resurrecting from the dead. On the anniversary of his birth Nimrod would re-enter the evergreen tree and leave gifts on the evergreen tree. December 25th was the birthday of Nimrod. This is the origin of the Christmas tree.
• Semiramis deified herself as "Queen of Heaven" and deified Nimrod as "Divine Son of Heaven" reincarnated as Tammuz (Eze 8:14)
• Tammuz (Eze 8:14) became the false messiah son of Baal, the Sun G_d
• this whole myth started a false system of worship of "Mother and Child" starting from the original Semiramis and Nimrod/Tammuz (Eze 8:14) reborn.
• this corrupt system spread throughout the world under different names: Semiramis & Nimrod/Tammuz (Eze 8:14), Egypt - Isis and Osiris, Asia - Cybele and Deoius, Rome - Fortuna and Jupiterpuer,
• other names for Nimrod/Tammuz (Eze 8:14) was Ahura-Mazda, Astalluhi, Baal, Ballim, Bel, Enki, Haoma, Marduk, Mars, Melech, Merodach, Ninus, Adon, Adonai, Adonis, Aeneas, Attis, Bendis, Cupid, Mithra, Nabul, Nebo, Osiris & Serapis
• other names for Semiramis are Anaita, Aphrdite, Astarte, Ishtar (Easter in english), Ashtaroth, Ashtoroth, Atys, Ceres, Cybele, Demeter, Eostre, Eastre, Freya, Inanna, Ostera, Venus and wife of Baal
• counterparts of this Semiramis & Nimrod/Tammuz (Eze 8:14) "Mother and Child" corrupt worship system can be found also in Greece, China, Japan, and Tibet
• In the fourth and fifth centuries the pagans of the Roman world were being evangelized into the Roman Church by hundreds of thousands bringing their pagan customs into the Roman Church so the Roman Church began adopting these pagan customs into the Roman Church giving these pagan practices Christian names.
• There are similarities between the "Mother and Child" worship and the veneration of Miriam (Mary) and the child Yeshua (Jesus)
• The Roman Church in reality is reversing what YHWH (G_d) views as unholy and making them holy and sacred
• Sorry my friends YHWH (G_d) views these forms of worship as pagan idolatry; read further for proof
• some people take offence to the truth but the truth isn't always pleasant. here is YHWH's command: Isa 58:1 - Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins.
• this "Mystery" Religion (Revelations 17-18:4) has gripped the whole world since ancient Babylon and the Roman Church brought it into the Christian Church.
• always believed son of Isis (Egypt "Queen of Heaven") was born December 25th. This birthday has been celebrated through paganism for centuries before Yeshua (Jesus) was even born
• recap: Yeshua (Jesus) was not born on December 25th, the Apostles did not observe December 25th, did not celebrate Yeshua's (Jesus') birthday, nor did the first century Congregation celebrate December 25th nor Yeshua's (Jesus') birthday
• There is no command in scripture to observe December 25th nor celebrate Yeshua's (Jesus') birthday in fact observing birthdays is also pagan.
• What about Jude 3 - Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
• Logic should dictate that if the Apostles nor first century Congregation did not observe it then it is not part of the "Faith delivered to the Saints" so we should not observe it
• these pagan observances derived from Chaldean Mysteries have been sifted through the centuries and have found its way into the Christian Church
• Origins of Holly Wreath, Mistletoe, and Yule Logs:
• Mistletoe was used by the pagans in the Winter Solstice because it was considered sacred to the Sun, and because of its miraculous healing power. kissing under the Mistletoe was beginning stage of revelry and drunken debauchery . Winter Solstice in fact is the celebration of the death of the old sun and the birth of the new sun and Mistletoe is
  a parasite.
• Holly berries considered sacred to the Sun G_d
• Yule log in fact is a sun log. Yule means wheel a pagan symbol of the sun
• The Encyclopedia Americana writes, "The holly, the mistletoe, the Yule log ... are relics of pre-Christian times."
• The book "Answers to Questions", by Frederick J. Haskins writes, "The use of Christmas wreaths is believed by authorities to be traceable to the pagan customs of decorating buildings and places of worship at the feast which took place at the same time as Christmas. The Christmas tree is from Egypt, and its origin dates from a period long anterior to the Christian Era."
• Where did the Santa Claus tradition originate from?
• Santa's true character is not as benevolent and holy as many think. The name "Santa Claus" is a corruption of the name "St. Nicholas" a Roman Catholic Bishop from the 5th century.
• Encyclopedia Britannica, volume 19, pages 648-649, 11th edition writes, "St. Nicholas, bishop of Myra, a saint honored by the Greeks and Latins on the 6th of December .... A legend of his surreptitious bestowal of dowries on the three daughters of an impoverished citizen ... is said to have originated the old custom of giving presents in secret on the Eve of St. Nicholas [Dec. 6], subsequently transferred to Christmas day. Hence the association of Christmas with Santa Claus ...."
• during the year parents punish their children for telling lies yet at Christmas time tell their children the Santa Claus lie. Some children grow up and find out about the truth that Santa Claus is a myth and begin to question the reality about Yeshua (Jesus) and YHWH (G_d). What does YHWH (G_d) say about bearing false witness? Exodus 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. De 5:20 - Neither shalt thou bear false witness against thy neighbour. Mt 19:18 - He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Mr 10:19 - Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. Lu 18:20 - Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. Ro 13:9 - For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. To keep the Santa tradition may seem right to you and harmless but here is what YHWH says: Pr 14:12 - There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. Pr 16:25 - There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
• In England the term "Old Nick" is slang for Satan the devil. you can find that in any reliable dictionary. Also Satan appears as an angel of light: 2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
• What does the bible say about the Christmas Tree? Where the bible has been silent about the Apostles observing such customs certainly not silent about the Christmas Tree: Jeremiah 10:1 "Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: 2 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. 3 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. 4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5 They are upright as the palm tree, 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. 6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might. 7 Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee. 8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities." That is a perfect description of the Christmas Tree and YHWH (G_d) says not to learn the ways of the Heathen and calls it vain, brutish and doctrine of vanities.
• Is there a command in the bible to exchange Christmas gifts? Is exchanging Christmas gifts the continuation of a tradition that the wise men or Magi started when they gave gifts to the child Yeshua (Jesus)?
• Bibliotheca Sacra, volume 12, pages 153-155 writes, "The interchange of presents between friends is alike characteristic of Christmas and the Saturnalia, and must have been adopted by Christians from the Pagans, as the admonition of Tertullian plainly shows."
• Would you go to a party and exchange gifts with everyone but the person's who's birthday it is? So how does this honor Yeshua (Jesus)? That is what the majority of people do in the exchanging of Christmas gifts every year. They think they honor Yeshua's (Jesus') birthday by scrapeing together every dime, some people even steal Christmas gifts, get caught in the crowds and hustle bustle. Best thing is when the credit card bills come in after the festive season.Do many give much thought to Yeshua (Jesus) and his cause? Why do believers and unbelievers celebrate Christmas? Most Christians use the example of the wise men or Magi as the reason for exchanging gifts.
• Matthew 2:1-11. "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? ... And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto HIM gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."
• Notice king Herod inquired about Yeshua (Jesus) the King of the Jews. So did the Magi give gifts to Yeshua (Jesus) because it was his birthday? Absolutely not. They gave him gifts because he is a King. Was it Yeshua's (Jesus') birthday? Absolutely not. it took many days for the Magi to get there and actually Yeshua (Jesus) was 2 years old and was a child not a baby and was in a house not a manger. Were the Magi at the manger at the same time as the shepherds? Absolutely not. The Magi were never at the Manger but at a house and Yeshua was two years old.proof? Mt 2:16 - Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. Does the fact that the Magi gave gifts to the child Yeshua (Jesus) initiate a tradition of giving gifts at Christmas? Absolutely not, the Magi gave gifts to Yeshua (Jesus) not exchange gifts amongst themselves.
• Adam Clarke Commentary, volume 5, page 46 writes, "Verse 11. (They presented unto him gifts.) The people of the east never approach the presence of kings and great personages, without a present in their hands. The custom is often noticed in the Old Testament, and still prevails in the east, and in some of the newly discovered South Sea Islands."
• The Magi did not give birthday presents to Yeshua (Jesus) but rather were following an acient eastern custom to bring gifts to a King. Another example of this is when the Queen of Sheba brought gifts to Solomon 2Ch 9:12
• Does Christmas really Honor Yeshua (Jesus)? some say: "Even though we dont know Yeshua's (Jesus') birthday we should still pick a day to honor his birthday." Absolutely not! Catholic Encyclopedia writes "Sinners alone, not saints, celebrate their birthdays." So plainly the celebration of birthdays is a pagan custom observed by sinners. Some say: "Even though we understand that the pagans have had similar observances in the past but we do not worship Yeshua (Jesus) the same way the pagans worshipped the pagan gods like they did. We do it to worship the true G_d." What does YHWH G_d say? Deut. 12:30 "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.
• YHWH G_d clearly states he will not honor that kind of worship even if it is done in his honor. John 4:24 "God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." John 17:17 "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth." What does the Bible say about vain worship? Mt 15:9 - "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Mr 7:7 - "Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Mr 7:9 "And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition."
• sorry folks Christmas is a tradition of man with its origins based in paganism
  
• you can go ahead and keep your tradition but here is what YHWH (G_d) says Ga 6:7 - "Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
• Truth is Christmas is part of the Mystery Babylon worship system that YHWH (G_d) calls us out of Revelation 17:5 "And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH." Revelation 18:4 "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."

Shalom
Mike