THE  CHRISTMAS  "TRAP"

THE  CHRISTMAS  "TRAP"

SATAN  HAS  SET  THE  TRAP

CHRISTMAS is a well-laid TRAP.

"Christmas is a well-laid trap. In celebrating it,
the people of the land honor, worship, and glorify
a god, but not the God of the Bible. It is appealing
and attractive with all the ornamentation and catchy
music. There is also an appealing baby, born to be
the King of kings, and his lovely mother radiant in
her motherhood. In addition, what could be better
than giving gifts? Certainly giving is Christian.
And what about decorating evergreen trees, hanging
mistletoe and holly boughs, caroling, stuffing stockings,
and burning Yule logs? Everything just seems to go so
well together. Nevertheless, it is a trap because it is
not true."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

"do not be trapped
into following their example
in worshiping their gods.
Do not say,
`How do these nations worship their gods?
I want to follow their example.'
You must not do this to the LORD your God."
(Deuteronomy 12:30,31)(NLT)-BibleGateway

A  SNARE / A TRAP

"...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." You shall NOT worship
the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination
to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods;"
(Deuteronomy 12:29-31)

Notice that God says "that you are not ensnared."
In the Bible, a snare is a figurative expression
of destruction through deception.

The snare itself does not destroy,
but it leads to destruction.

"Christmas is a vivid illustration of the world's power
of attraction. It plays upon all of a person's senses
with pleasant music, lights, colors, foods, clothes,
gifts, and parties. Though it is a very attractive trap,
it nonetheless ensnares the person into destruction.
By itself, it does not destroy the person—
it is the snare, the trap!"
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001


"that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan,
who LEADS THE WHOLE WORLD ASTRAY."
-Revelation 12:9

He deceives and deludes the entire earth
and all its peoples into following HIS way,
HIS path, HIS time-honored "customs," traditions,
and religious practices!

"In the year 274 Aurelian declared the god --
now called Deus Sol Invictus -- the official
deity of the Roman Empire...and set the sun's
birthday celebration on December 25.
In the time of Constantine the cult of
Deus Sol Invictus was still at its height...
in A.D. 323 he became the uncontested ruler
of the Roman empire and was free to openly accept Christianity...
and with the intent to transform the significance of
an existing SACRED DATE of the pagan gods,
that the BIRTHDAY OF JESUS,
WAS PLACED ON DECEMBER 25,
THE exact DATE OF THE BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION
OF the pagan god SOL INVICTUS "
-(Finegan, Myth and Mystery, p.211-212).

"It was in the fifth century
that the Roman Catholic Church
commanded that the birth of Christ
be observed forever on December 25th,
the day of the old Pagan Roman feast
of the birth of Sol, one of the names
of their pagan sun-god ! "
- Encyclopedia Americana, Vol.6, p.623.

"LONG BEFORE THE CHRISTIAN ERA ITSELF,
A FESTIVAL WAS CELEBRATED AMONG THE HEATHEN,
AT THAT PRECISE TIME OF THE YEAR,
IN HONOR OF THE BIRTH OF Nimrod,
THE SON OF THE BABYLONIAN QUEEN OF HEAVEN,
and, IN ORDER TO CONCILATE THE HEATHEN,
AND TO SWELL THE NUMBER OF THE NOMINAL ADHERENTS
TO CHRISTIANITY, THE SAME FESTIVAL WAS ADOPTED BY
THE ROMAN CHURCH, giving it the name of Christ.
This tendency on the part of Christians
to MEET PAGANISM HALF-WAY
was very early developed"
-Alexander Hislop (The Two Babylons, p.92-93).

That's what happened!

"Apostatizing and corrupted Christianity
jumped in bed with paganism!"
-The Surprising Origin of CHRISTMAS!
 William F. Dankenbring and John D. Keyser

"The wicked apostate Church fornicated spiritually
with the heathen, pagan religions of the world,
and "ADOPTED" the date of December 25th
as the "birth-day" of Jesus the Messiah,
who was born nowhere NEAR that time of year!"
-The Surprising Origin of CHRISTMAS!
 William F. Dankenbring and John D. Keyser

"THE APOSTASY WENT ON, TILL THE CHURCH,
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A SMALL REMNANT,
WAS SUBMERGED UNDER PAGAN SUPERSTITION.
THAT CHRISTMAS WAS ORIGINALLY A PAGAN FESTIVAL,
IS BEYOND ALL DOUBT."
-Alexander Hislop (The Two Babylons, p.92-93).

"The morning after the Yule log was burned,
pagans would erect a tree and decorate it
and surround it with presents."
-The Surprising Origin of CHRISTMAS!
 William F. Dankenbring and John D. Keyser

This practice dates back to ancient Babylon
as Jeremiah states:

"Thus saith the Lord,
Learn NOT the way of the heathen...
for one cuts a tree out of the forest...
They deck it with silver and with gold.."
- Jeremiah 10:2-5

Leaving the milk and cookies to St. Nick under the tree
dates back far enough that Ezekiel warns against it:

"That they offered sweet savours to their idols
under every green tree."
- Ezekiel 6:13

The real origin of Christmas goes back to ancient Babylon.
It is bound up in the organized apostasy which has gripped
a deceived world these many centuries!

"The interchange of presents between friends is alike
characteristic of Christmas and the PAGAN Saturnalia,
and must have been adopted by Christians from the Pagans,
as the admonition of Tertullian plainly shows."
-Bibliotheca Sacra, volume 12, pages 153-155

"In 1980, the host of a Columbia, South Carolina,
radio talk show invited the pastor of a large
Baptist church onto his show to discuss Christmas
and some of its customs. The clergyman admitted to
the pagan origin of Christmas, but said that it
really did not matter.
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

Like the Baptist preacher,
can we afford to dismiss it so glibly?
Is Christmas really all that innocent?
Can we pass it off by saying,
"Oh, it really doesn't matter all that much"?
Should we be so careless?
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

"Christmas displays an excellent illustration
of the perversity of human nature...
both Jews and Christians profess to get their
teachings from the same book, the Bible.
Yet we find most Christians—and even some Jews!—
celebrating Christmas, a festival that is nowhere mentioned
in the Bible."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

"It’s just crazy the way we celebrate holidays
in the United States. I found out just recently
there are so many religious holidays we celebrate
here in this country that have nothing to do with
the Bible at all. Real famous holidays, like Christmas.
Christmas has nothing to do with the Bible...
It’s a pagan holiday that the Romans invented
that we just do."
-Drew Carey;
popular American comedian and actor
His speech At a White House
correspondents’ dinner on May 5, 2002.

SYNCRETISM

Zeal Without Knowledge

"...they have zeal for God,
but not according to knowledge..."
(Romans 10:1-3)

"Are those who celebrate Christmas really deceived?
Is the deception so strong that they cannot see it?
A self-deceived person is ignoring truth
rather than ignorant of it...Most are aware that
many of the Christmas traditions have no connection
with Christianity. Almost every year, articles on
the origins of various Christmas customs appear in
the newspapers...Thus, people cannot claim that such
knowledge was withheld from them."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

"But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived
by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow
be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion
to Christ."
(2Corinthians 11:3)(NIV)-Biblegateway

"...the devil, who deceived them..."
(Revelation 20:10)(NIV)-BibleGateway

"What God wants man to know, man willingly ignores
and suppresses through the addition of beliefs,
customs and traditions that cloak the truth.
The truth is still there, hidden behind a screen
of falsehoods that most never attempt to remove.
Theologians call this process syncretism.
According to Merriam Webster's Collegiate Dictionary,
syncretism is "the combination of different forms
of belief or practice."  In other words, those who
syncretize will frequently attach one belief
or practice to their religion without trying to
ascertain whether it is proper to do so."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

"Using Christmas as an excuse...They have combined
pagan ideas, beliefs and practices with Christianity
without examining whether God approves."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

"But what has happened through the centuries?
People have felt free to expand their religious
horizons into areas of thinking far removed from
the orthodox teachings of the Bible.
They say, "Isn't this idea interesting?
Wouldn't it be good if Christianity absorbed this?
Look at the benefits it would bring!"
Thus, they throw away the holy days and the Sabbath,
but accept pagan holidays, the trinity,
and heaven and hell. Through the centuries,
the truth is forgotten, and the false ideas
that sprang from human reason become a major part
of the religion."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

Does It Matter?

"Is it any wonder when the clergy
supposedly the guardians of religious purity
thinks so liberally, that the laity also acts
the way it does? The clergy shrugs off the paganism
in Christmas, claiming that it is harmless.
Is it? Does it really make any difference
whether we celebrate Christmas?"
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

LET THE BIBLE SPEAK ON THIS MATTER :

A  SNARE / A TRAP

"...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." You shall NOT worship
the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination
to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods;"
(Deuteronomy 12:29-31)

It certainly matters to God, the Lawgiver!

It was because of these heathen practices
that God was driving out the inhabitants of the land.

Notice that God says "that you are not ensnared."
In the Bible, a snare is a figurative expression
of destruction through deception.

The snare itself does not destroy,
but it leads to destruction.

"Christmas is a vivid illustration of the world's power
of attraction. It plays upon all of a person's senses
with pleasant music, lights, colors, foods, clothes,
gifts, and parties. Though it is a very attractive trap,
it nonetheless ensnares the person into destruction.
By itself, it does not destroy the person—
it is the snare, the trap ! "
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

"Anyone who has ever hunted a wild animal...
knows one cannot bag his prey by blundering through
the woods making noise and leaving his scent everywhere.
Instead, a hunter makes himself as invisible as
possible so that the deer wanders under his stand
where he can shoot it. The same holds true with
trapping smaller animals. A successful trapper makes
a trap that will entice the animal in without letting
it know that it will be caught."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

"Christmas is a well-laid trap. In celebrating it,
the people of the land honor, worship, and glorify
a god, but not the God of the Bible. It is appealing
and attractive with all the ornamentation and catchy
music. There is also an appealing baby, born to be
the King of kings, and his lovely mother radiant in
her motherhood. In addition, what could be better
than giving gifts? Certainly giving is Christian.
And what about decorating evergreen trees, hanging
mistletoe and holly boughs, caroling, stuffing stockings,
and burning Yule logs? Everything just seems to go so
well together. Nevertheless, it is a trap because it is
not true."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

"In all sincerity, men and women have gone to great
Lengths to try to please God. Without seeking His
permission, they presume to add things to the worship
of God because they are attractive and have a vague
attachment to the One whom they look upon as their Savior.
They think their sincerity in worship is more important
than the truth."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

But God thinks differently:
"Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it;
you shall not add to it nor take away from it"
-(Deuteronomy 12:32).

"Christmas is a festival that has been added.
It is syncretism, blending a practice from paganism
into the stream of Christianity. Only the revelation
of God shows how He will be worshipped, and He will
NOT be served in imitation of other gods.
God's way can NOT  be "improved" by human sincerity."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

"Subtly...the old gods had entered their churches...
And they live still in the festivals of Christianity."
-(Testament: The Bible and History,
   Romer, 1988, pp. 230-31)

"Deuteronomy 13 defines the law regarding apostasy.
Those who led others to worship other gods or adopt
the practices of the nations around them were to be
stoned!  God considers tampering with His truth
to be evil that must be eradicated!"
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

"Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name, and what is His Son's name, if you know?
Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those
who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words,
lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar."
(Proverbs 30:1-6)

"...you reject the commandment of God,
 that you may keep your tradition.
(Mark 7:6-9)

"Another suicidal trap is that of following
unbiblical tradition.  Pagan traditions such as
Christmas and Easter, can be just such a deadly trap
laid by the deceiver to cause our religion to become in vain."
-Robert Harris
The Midnight Cry: Chapter 17
A Prophetic Witness to the Church Today

"...For I testify to everyone who hears the words
of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these
things, God will add to him the plagues that are written
in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words
of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his
part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and
from the things which are written in this book."
- (Revelation 22:12-19)

"We have to apply the same kind of judgment to
modern Christianity and its use of Christmas.
God nowhere speaks of making Christmas a part of
Christianity, nor does He say to celebrate His Son's
birth. He does tell us, though, not to add to His
worship anything that is a tradition of the heathen."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

"When the so-called Christians added Christmas
to Christianity, it had nothing to do with true
Christianity at all. It was a ploy to win converts
from paganism. It was a deliberate grab for power.
From the beginning, Christmas, rather than promoting
the true God and His way of life, has only led people
away from the truth."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

"Because Christmas came into Christianity hundreds of
years ago, we may not be responsible for it, but we are
responsible—once we know the truth—to step away from it.
We cannot allow our minds to deceive us into thinking
that it will be okay to continue because in our hearts
we just want to worship God. Scripture clearly shows
Christmas is a snare (Deuteronomy 12:30), Christmas is
vanity (Mark 7:6-9), and spiritual death (Rev 22:15).
We should not let the human proclivity to add to the
worship of God lead us away from God and the wonderful
future He has prepared for us! We can conclude, then,
honestly and rightly, that it makes a great deal of
difference whether or not we keep Christmas."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

BUT WHERE DOES THE DEVIL PLAY A PART ?

I DON'T SEE ANY RED CLOAKED CREATURE
WITH HORNS, CLOVEN HOOFS, AND A LONG TAIL.

NO ?

LOOK AGAIN :

"Pope Gregory advised Saint Augustine to allow
his converts certain festivals...as Formerly they
had done this in Honor of the DEVIL...
Saint Augustine permitted their usual December
celebration under the new name...From these early
pagan ceremonies are derived many of the English
holiday customs that have survived to our day."
- The Evolution of Christmas;
     Published in 1909

"December 25th was a holyday in Mithraism,
the Persian form of demon worship.
Centuries before the birth of Christ,
the Egyptians likewise celebrated December 25
much as it is celebrated today."
-HEATHEN CUSTOMS
In the Christian Church;
By Murl Vance

"The Devil worshipping Druids sang chants
to create a harmonious atmosphere among the
celebrants. These chants entered into Christmas
tradition and became caroling."
-Star in the East, by Holzer, page 36

"The real origin of Christmas,
is in ancient Babylon,
history recording the sacredness
with which the winter solstice (December 25)
was celebrated in the cradle of demon worship."
-HEATHEN CUSTOMS
In the Christian Church;
By Murl Vance

"the Christian church has almost an innumerable
number of holydays, which she has accepted from
ancient demon worship. These days are not holy,
and never can be...particularly if it were a day
formerly dedicated to devil worship, and still kept
in the same manner as did the devil worshipers."
-HEATHEN CUSTOMS
In the Christian Church;
By Murl Vance

"Christmas and Easter - These spurious, counterfeit
holydays represent a compromise with paganism,
an attempt on the part of the church to convert
the heathen by meeting them halfway. But the
Scriptures clearly teach that there must be no
compromise with the evil one on any point.
Paul gives the warning: "Now the Spirit speaketh
expressly, that in the latter times some shall
depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing
spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies
in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with
a hot iron." 1 Timothy 4:1, 2."
-HEATHEN CUSTOMS
In the Christian Church;
By Murl Vance

"In Revelation 12:9 we read that the "great dragon,
that old serpent, called the devil, and Satan...
deceiveth the whole world." We have learned that
this deception came into the Christian church by way
of the open demon worship of the ancient Babylonians."
-HEATHEN CUSTOMS
In the Christian Church;
By Murl Vance

"Christmas"...a compromise with the heathen
Roman feast of Saturnalia. The Saturnalia was a festival
in honor of the pagan deity Saturn.  At the Saturnalia
"all classes exchanged gifts, the commonest being waxed
tapers [candles] and clay dolls...these dolls represented
original sacrifices of human beings to the infernal god."
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Ed., vol. 24, p. 231

"...But now that you know God...
how is it that you are turning back to those weak
and miserable principles?
Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again?
You are observing special days and months
and seasons and years - I fear for you,
that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you..."
(Galatians 4:8-11)(NIV)-BibleGateway 


 OLD  ST. NICK  IDENTIFIED :

Old Nick: "A well-known British name of the Devil.
It seems probable that this name is derived from
the Dutch Nikken, the devil..."
-(Encyclopedia of Occultism
 and Parapsychology, p.650)

Nick,  the devil.
-(Walter W. Sleay, Concise Dictionary
 of English Etymology, p. 304)

"Devil: Besides the name Satan, he is also called
Beelzebub, Lucifer . . . and in popular or rustic
speech by many familiar terms as Old Nick..."
-(Oxford English Dictionary Vol III D-E)

"Nick or Old Nick is a well-known
appellation of the Devil.
The name appears to have been derived from
the Dutch Nikken, the devil, which again comes from
the Anglo-Saxon nac-an, to slay--for as Wachter says
the devil was "a murderer from the beginning."
-  Spence, Lewis.-   An Encyclopedia of Occultism
 New York, Carol Publishing Group Edition, 1996
   [ISBN 0-8065-1401-9]

"Old Nick  - NOUN,  the devil or satan
- The American Heritage^® Dictionary of the English Language:
        Fourth Edition.  2000

"Another tradition...is that of the Krampus,
a little creature with hooves, horns and a tail.
In December the devilish figure accompanies
St Nicholas, who brings material rewards for all
the good children, and less desired presents for
misbehaved. In some places the Krampus even features
in his very own procession through the streets."
- Oxford Student Christmas Review;
  11th January 2001

"...Satanic apostasy...The celebration of December 25th,
originally proclaimed in honor of the birth of the
pagan sun god Mithra, can only be one of the final events
in the long continuing saga of Satanic sun worship."
- Two Long in the Sun, pp. 130-31.

"In the display window of Palmers lingerie store, meanwhile,
a leering devil reminds shoppers not to forget
their Krampus presents —
a reference to St. Nikolaus' evil counterpart,
a furry, chain-rattling character
who terrorizes misbehaving youngsters."
- Old World Christmas
By Laura Bly, USA TODAY
VIENNA - 12/11/2003 5:26 PM    

HOW  DID  THE  EARLY  CHRISTIANS  FEEL
ABOUT  COMPROMISE  WITH  PAGANISM ?
 

"We Christians neither cover our doorposts with wreaths,
nor...decorate our house like some new brothel.
We...do not celebrate along with you the holidays...
The pagan Romans clad their doorposts with green
and branching laurels...In the Saturnalia...Presents
come and go...There are...gifts...and Banquets...
yet Christians should have no acquaintance with
the festivals of the pagans."
- Tertullian, (A.D. 155-220),
  quoted by David Bercot,
A Dictionary of Early
Christian Beliefs, 1998, p. 342).

 "And have no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness,
but rather reprove them."
- (Ephesians 5:11)


"Don't team up with those who are unbelievers.
How can light live with darkness?
What harmony can there be between Christ
and the Devil ?...Therefore, come out from them
and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.
Don't touch their filthy things..."
(2Corinthians 6:14-17)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"And why do you break the command of God
for the sake of your tradition? 
Thus you nullify the word of God
for the sake of your tradition."
(Matthew 15:3,6)(NIV)-BibleGateway

"Christians of the first century did not celebrate
the festival honoring the birth of Jesus - for the same
reason they honored no other birthday anniversary.
It was the feeling at that time by all Christians
that the celebration of all birthdays (even the Lord's)
was a custom of the pagans."
- Dr. John C. McCollister's
 The Christian Book of Why

"...the real birthday of Christ is unknown.
December is the cold  rainy season in Judea,
and a time when shepherds would NOT have been
in the fields of Bethlehem.  Furthermore, the early
Christians did not celebrate birthdays..."
- Encyclopedia of Days;
 The origins of Christmas

"the earliest Christians simply weren't interested
in celebrating the Nativity...They 'viewed birthday
celebrations as heathen'. The third-century church
father - Origen had declared it a sin to even think
of keeping Christ's birthday 'as though he were a
king pharoah'."
- December 23,1996 issue of
US News & World Report

"Christmas is kept alive not only by Christians
who have been nurtured in a false belief dishonouring
to God, but also by the retail shopping centers around
the world.  Advertisements about the "season of goodwill"
and the "Christmas spirit" eulogise the pagan season.
Christians have become so inoculated by the Christmas
festival with all its pagan sources that they quickly
take offense when told the truth."
- Christmas -Birthday of a Pagan God; xmas2
   By Shmuel Golding;
  Jerusalem Institute of Biblical Polemics

 KRAMPUS AND SANTA -

An Old Austrian Christmas Card featuring Krampus
and Old St. Nick - Ca. 1920s: Large Austrian Die Cut
with Krampus and Santa (notice the horns on Krampus)

When Santa Claus / Saint Nicholas first began -
he had a companion that traveled with him everywhere.
Investigation into this partnership - reveals the
true origins of Santa Claus - and sheds light as to
the demonic origins of Christmas.

Santa’s little helper,
known in Europe as "Krampus"
or  "Knecht Ruprecht"

"Considering Santa you cannot miss his “alter ego”,
who has followed him like a dark shadow since ancient
times. There is a devil, called Percht,  Bartl,
Krampus, Knecht Ruprecht, or Rotsohler,
accompanying Santa Claus in the European Alps.
He shows the pre-Christian origin of this custom
as a daemon (demon) trabant, who wears a costume
with horseshoe, basket, and chains, acting as a traditional
symbol for the coming of winter. We should mention here
also another figure: Ruebezahl, a German mythical, giant-
like person, who is a mixture of Krampus and Santa."
- Santa's Origin ;  by Sepp Rothwangl

"Enter Krampus or Grampus, who is a hairy devil
with a long tongue, a tail, and is often in chains
and carrying a switch. Krampus accompanies Santa Claus
or Saint Nicholas and as Santa disperses justice on
good children by rewarding them with gifts, so does
Krampus reward the bad people by beating them
with his switch of sharp sticks."
-Ephemera; by Pamela Apkarian-Russell

"You know Santa: cheeks like a rose,
nose like a cherry. Now meet the Krampus,
a boozy goat-horned menace that whips children
around Europe. Santa... he’s got a list,
he’s checking it twice, and if you fall under the ‘naughty’
category it’s switches and coals for you.
Years ago St. Nick’s job was split –
while the jolly old elf delivered the goods,
an evil, goat-horned spirit called the Krampus
brought switches and bad dreams to the boys and
girls of Austria, southern Germany, Switzerland,
and far northern Italy."
-Santa's Not-So-Little Helper; by Clay Risen
   4-December-2002  The Morning News

The Christmas Compromise
It All Began With A Tree
And a Snake

The Christmas Compromise
It All Began With A Tree
And a Snake

Look at the garland
Look at the Tree
Imagine a snake
and what do you see ?

The snake drapes and slithers
and slips round the bend
Like garland that decorates
the tree in your den

Coiled around
in a slight curvy way
Like the garland on Fir Trees
that you see Christmas day

Oh but he's clever
in camoflauge wear
he'll wrap round your tree
but you won't see him there

He wrapped himself around a tree
like garland on a vine
pretending to be a Friend of hers
entangled and entwined

around the trunk and past the branch
and perched upon the leaves
He spoke his famous lies to her
in order to deceive

He feigned a voice that talked aloud
From the mouth of that old snake
the words he shared in trickery
were false with promise fake

And since those days of Eden Time
the serpent's still around
Still using trees and trickery
to take all mankind down

 

IT ALL BEGAN WITH A "TREE"

How ironic that the very first rebellion against
Jehovah God - involved a Tree.   In the Garden
of Eden - Satan perched himself upon a Tree
and performed a Ventiloquist Miracle - using
a snake as a puppet.

And over the next thousands of years, mankind
continued to rebel against Jehovah God, using
Trees in their Religious Services.

Peoples of many Lands have not only worshipped
Trees, but they have even worshipped the "Spirits"
that supposedly lived within these trees.

It is common for Witches and Pagans to perform
some of their most sacred ceremonies in the groves
of Trees.   There is ample historical evidence to show
how many different religious groups around the
World have used Trees in their worship.

The Bible has scriptures in which Jehovah God has
repeatedly condemned the use of Trees in idolatrous
worship.  He had commanded His people over the
ages - to pull the offensive trees down - that were
used in worship of the many gods and goddesses
of Pagandom.

And then we have "Christendom" - who has adopted
the "Tree Worship" of the pagans.   The origin of
why they place gifts at the foot of an evergreen
tree has been obscured from their minds.

And even now, around the world - people are making
gift offerings under a tinsel tree - every Dec. 25th.



Tree Worship Adopted by Christendom



Tree Worship

In wintertime they thought the gods
lived inside the trees
And so they placed their offerings
their pagan gods to please.

Now Christendom has followed them
to copy what they do
placing gifts beneath the branch
It's nothing all that new

The coldness of December
has caused most trees to freeze
in dormant hibernation
except for certain trees.

Yes certain fir-like evergreens
stay green the whole year round
The pagans thought that this must be
a place for holy ground

And so they take the evergreen
and place it in their home
to decorate and worship it
a custom so well known

There's nere a place around the world
that doesn't worship trees
and offer gifts beneath its bough
as placed on bended knees

It All Began With A Tree

IT ALL BEGAN WITH A "TREE"

Satan curled himself upon the limb of a
tree in his attempts to deceive Eve into
disobeying God.  He convinced her that the
fruit of a certain tree - was very desirable
to look upon.  In time, he succeeded in
tricking her into eating the fruit of that
tree.

All those who follow Satan's lead in rebellion
against Jehovah God have taken tree veneration
as one of their major forms of worship. 

"It was and still is in many parts of Europe
the custom to go out to the woods, cut down a
tree and bring it into the village, where it is
set up amid general rejoicings; or the people
cut branches in the woods, and fasten them on
every house. The intention of these customs is
to bring home to the village, and to each house,
the blessings which the tree-spirit has in its
power to bestow."
-Relics of Tree Worship in Modern Europe
The Golden Bough.  1922.
Sir James George Frazer (1854–1941). 

"Places for worship of Baal were often
high places in the hills consisting of an
altar and a sacred tree.  Teachings of
"Sacred Trees" were not exclusively limited
to Babylon, Assyria and Baal Worshippers.
These customs were widespread throughout
many ancient cultures."
-Source: Mythology by Edith Hamilton
New American Library, 1942, page 312

"The practice of tree worship has been found
in many ancient cultures. Often, trees were
brought indoors and decorated to ensure a good
crop for the coming year. Trees have also been
linked to divinity.  Egyptians associated a tree
with the god Baal-Tamar, while the Greeks and
Romans believed that the mother of Adonis was
changed into a fir tree. Adonis was one of her
branches brought to life."
-Winter Holiday Roundup
Origins and Meanings of Christmas Items
by David Johnson

"Part of Tammuz worship was to place
golden balls on the tree which were
representative of the testicles of Tammuz,
as he was also considered a god of sex."
-ALL ABOUT "CHRISTMAS"
2000 B.C.E. to 2007 C.E.
by Ed Stevens, James Trimm
  & Baruch Ben Daniel


"Tree-worship was rooted in the oldest
nature worship, which included offerings
to them or the placing of lights upon them."
-Tree and Plant Worship; Chpt XIII
Stat. Account, iii. 27; Moore, 151;
Sébillot, i. 262, 270



"The Christmas tree is specifically a Babylonian symbol.
On Christmas Eve the Yule Log is thrown onto the fire.
On Christmas Day there is the tree, covered in
decorations and surrounded with presents,
representing the resurrected Nimrod of Babylon."
-The True Meaning of Christmas
by Mike Gascoigne; 1996

"The Christmas tree custom is also a pagan
tradition stemming from Nimrod’s mother
in her attempt to immortalize her son."
-Seven Seals Publication
The True History of Christmas
An Excerpt From:
“The Biography of Noble Drew Ali
The Exhuming Of A Nation”

"Scandinavians celebrated the solstice as Yule.
In Norse mythology the first man sprang from an
evergreen tree.  During the Middle Ages the
Feast of Adam and Eve was celebrated on December 24.
Evergreens were decorated with red apples."
-The Christmas Tree
"A Modern Herbal" by Maud Grieve.

"Evergreen trees were important fertility
emblems for pre-Christian ceremonies marking
the winter solstice. The decoration of
Christmas trees is a survival of pagan tree
veneration."
-John Williamson,
in "Christmas Greenery"
The Dallas Morning News
(December 6, 1986)


The EVER-Green Tree

The evergreen was their favorite tree to use
for their idolatrous rites, since it remained
green all year round - which to them was indicative
that a god was living within it. 

Yes, while all the other trees appeared to die
in the bitter cold of winter, the evergreen
appeared unaffected by the freeze and remained
green and vibrant.

The cruel winters gave the pagans reason to
try to appease the tree gods.  They longed for
a mild winter, and looked to the tree dwelling
gods to help them.   Gifts were traded for these
favors or requests.

Thus, they decorated the evergreen trees
as a way of honoring the indwelling tree spirits. 
They also placed gift offerings beneath the branches
at the foot of the trees,  as tokens of good will
in their efforts to please the god of the tree.

Like a sacrifice upon an altar to their gods, the
gifts were offered as appeasement to the evil spirits.
But instead the altar was a "TREE".

Yes, the very object of rebellion was now being placed
in a position of honor and veneration..

Yes, they placed gifts at the foot of the evergreen
trees, in their form of worship, as offerings to
the spirit gods that lived within the tree.

And just as Satan had hoodwinked Eve into obeying
him, he also tricked the early pagans into doing
the same.

"Pagan Germans were tree worshipping people.
Like the old Romans they prized evergreen trees
as a sign of life in winter time. Branches were brought inside
to give shelter to the wood spirits who dwelled in these trees.
Sometimes small trees were brought inside."
- Merry Christmas, A History of the Holiday;
 by Patricia Bunning Stevens


The Tree is the "CENTER"
of Christmas -  Why ?


The Spirit Within The Tree

"evergreen tree worship survives
in the adoration of the Christmas Tree.
People the world over venerate the tree.
The veneration of tree spirits, has been
an important feature of Asian cultures."
-Pole-Spirits North and South
(Santa Claus and the Origin of
   the Christmas Tree)
   by Patrick Harrigan;
 researcher and journalist

"TO the Nordic people of Scandinavia,
any tree that did not ‘die’ by losing
its foliage through the bitter cold of
the long freezing winters was considered
to be harboring a tree-spirit of unfailing
life. Appropriately called ‘evergreens’,
it is not surprising, therefore, that
evergreen trees are adopted for use as
Christmas trees."
-Pole-Spirits North and South
(Santa Claus and the Origin of
   the Christmas Tree)
   by Patrick Harrigan;
 researcher and journalist

"Pre-Christian Europe, where trees and
forests were especially venerated, was
a veritable hotbed of tree worship,
and remains so to this day in one form
or another. The cult of the tree was
especially prevalent among the early
Celtic and Nordic peoples of western
and northern Europe respectively."
-Pole-Spirits North and South
(Santa Claus and the Origin of
   the Christmas Tree)
   by Patrick Harrigan;
 researcher and journalist

"Celtic wizards or magicians, called
druids, selected sacred tree groves
as the best sites for their esoteric
ritual performances. Oak and ash trees
were felt to be especially powerful as
bearers of magical wisdom."
-Pole-Spirits North and South
(Santa Claus and the Origin of
   the Christmas Tree)
   by Patrick Harrigan;
 researcher and journalist

"The proximity of Christmas to the
time of the winter solstice was no
accident and served to identify certain
pagan beliefs and practices with
Christian themes. Thus, winter
solstice-time rites of the evergreen
tree easily evolved into those of
the modern Christmas tree."
-Pole-Spirits North and South
(Santa Claus and the Origin of
   the Christmas Tree)
   by Patrick Harrigan;
 researcher and journalist

What about today ?


           

Has Satan once again tricked people
into giving gift offerings to a tree ?

Millions upon millions of human beings
delightedly gather around their "Christmas trees"
each year, without the slightest knowledge
whatsoever of the utterly pagan, and demoniacal
origin of the custom!


 A  Mockery


What a mockery upon God and what contempt
for mankind - that Satan has coerced
people to honor and venerate a tree !
Even in their ignorance, Christendom
gives glory to the very thing that caused
Adam and Eve to lose eternal life.

Yes, look at the Christmas tree with
it's sparking lights and glorious tinsel.
Even the star upon the top gives elegance
like a crown,  as if it were a King on
a pedestal to be exalted and glorified.
And the gifts which are said to be given
to Christ - are really being presented to a tree
beneath it's very Feet.




And those who place the gifts there, must
get upon their knees in order to place the gifts
beneath the spreading branches of this evergreen god.

As much as people may deny it - they are still acting out
an age-old custom of tree worship.  They never stop and
think of why the presents cannot go on a Table, or on
anwhere else - but they must be placed beneath the
tree - in much the same way that pagans have placed
their gift offereings to their pagan gods - beneath their
Feet.


 Ancient Proof

Ancient Proof of Tree Worship

"Tree worship was a common feature of
pagan religion among the Teutonic and
Scandinavian peoples of northern Europe
before their conversion to Christianity.
They decorated houses and barns with
evergreens to scare away demons."
-COMPTON'S INTERACTIVE ENCYCLOPEDIA,
1997 Edition; article on "Christmas"

"The Christmas tree, now so common among us,
was equally common in pagan Rome and pagan Egypt.
The Christmas tree is Nimrod - the slain god of
Babylon, come to life again."
-The Two Babylons
Alexander Hislop

"People in Scandinavia once worshipped trees.
When they became Christians, they made evergreen
trees part of Christian festivals."
- THE WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA, 1966 Edition
Article Titled - "Christmas"

"Tree worship was a common feature of
pagan religion among the Teutonic and
Scandinavian peoples of northern Europe
before their conversion to Christianity.
They decorated houses and barns with
evergreens to scare away demons."
-COMPTON'S INTERACTIVE ENCYCLOPEDIA,
1997 Edition; article on "Christmas"
 
 
"Since earliest times everygreen trees
have been worshipped as symbols of life,
fertility, sexual potency and reproduction,
and were often brought into the house and
set up as idols. The pagans of old have hung
apples and other fruit as a food offering
and would offer gifts to the tree, which is
where we get putting presents under the tree.
This was purely pagan in origin."
-- Holidays and Holy Days,
   by Tom C. McKenney 


 
Decorating A Tree -  Why ?

"Virgil, the Roman poet, speaks of decorating
pine trees in honor of Bacchus, the god of drinking
and revelry."
-The Origins of Christ-Mass
 By G.V. "Rene" Growcott

Customs have been preserved in practically
every part of the world of hanging objects
upon trees in order to establish some relationship
between the gift giver and the tree. Tree
worshipers, believed that their sacred trees
contained the spirits of all sorts of gods. 



"The decorating of an evergreen tree was part of
the worship of Tammuz or Baal, the Sun-god of ancient
Babylon. Through the Church of Rome – the Babylon of
the Apocalypse – this act of Baal-worship has been
handed down through the centuries. Deluded Protestants,
by setting up Christmas trees in their homes, schools
and churches, are guilty before God of upholding and
perpetuating a practice peculiar to the worship of Baal.
How can anything connected with the worship of Baal
be pleasing to the Lord?"
--The Pagan Origin of Christmas; A Reminder
Rev. William MacLean (1907-85)

"the male reproductive organ was of tremendous
importance in the Mystery Religions representing,
no doubt, power and fertility. Trees were common
phallic symbols connected with the sun god.
the Ball shaped ornaments, representing the womb
were hung all around the phallus. Today, families
gather together in breathless anticipation and delight
when the obelisk (tree‑top ornament) is placed in its
position of honor. When you learn that it represents
the sexual union between the Babylonian mother-goddess
and her sun‑god, son/husband (Nimrod), it becomes an
object of disgust."
--(The Encyclopedia Britannica, 14th edition, 1973)

"Part of Tammuz worship was to place
golden balls on the tree which were
representative of the testicles of Tammuz,
as he was also considered a god of sex."
-ALL ABOUT "CHRISTMAS"
2000 B.C.E. to 2007 C.E.
by Ed Stevens, James Trimm
  & Baruch Ben Daniel

In this fashion, the growing universal(catholic)
church allowed massive numbers of pagans to come
right into the so-called "Christian" religion,
while retaining their ancient superstitions,
festivals and objects of worship!

"The modern Christmas tree was born in
the 8th century, when St. Boniface was
converting the Germanic tribes. The tribes
worshipped trees, decorating them for the
winter solstice."
-Winter Holiday Roundup
Origins and Meanings of Christmas Items
by David Johnson



Gift Offerings
Beneath a Gilded Tree

"Since earliest times evergreen trees
have been worshipped as symbols of life,
fertility, sexual potency and reproduction,
and were often brought into the house and
set up as idols. The pagans of old have hung
apples and other fruit as a food offering
and would offer gifts to the tree, which is
where we get putting presents under the tree.
This was purely pagan in origin."
-- Holidays and Holy Days,
   by Tom C. McKenney

"Offerings were placed by the folk
on sacred trees, because the trees were
the abode of spirits or divinities."
-Tree and Plant Worship; Chpt XIII
D'Arbois, Les Celtes, 52.




"Pagan families would bring a live tree
into the home so the wood spirits would
have a place to keep warm during the cold
winter months.  Bells were hung in the
branches so they could tell when a spirit
was present.  Food and treats were hung
on the branches for the spirits to eat
and a five-pointed star, the pentagram,
was placed atop the tree."
-Christmas Legends
Spider's Christmas Gifs

"Pagan Germans were tree worshipping people.
Like the old Romans they prized evergreen trees
as a sign of life in winter time. Branches were brought inside
to give shelter to the wood spirits who dwelled in these trees.
Sometimes small trees were brought inside."
- Merry Christmas, A History of the Holiday;
 by Patricia Bunning Stevens



"It was and still is in many parts of Europe the
custom to go out to the woods, cut down a tree
and bring it into the village, where it is set up
amid general rejoicings; or the people cut branches
in the woods, and fasten them on every house.
The intention of these customs is to bring home
to the village, and to each house, the blessings
which the tree-spirit has in its power to bestow."
-The Golden Bough
by Sir James George Frazer; [1922]
Relics of Tree Worship in Modern Europe
Chapter 10

"In pagan Roman times trees were decorated
with trinkets. In the celebration of the pagan
Yule season, the ancient sun-worshiping Teutons
are said to have decorated fir trees."
-Christ and Christmas ;
  the Truth and the Lie
  by Robert A. Grove

"Tree worship was common among the pagan
Europeans and survived their conversion to
Christianity in the Scandinavian customs of
decorating the house with evergreens."
-Encyclopedia Britannica
article; "Christmas Tree"

 A Compromise 

"This compromise between paganism
and Christianity resulted in the
development of "the man of sin"
as foretold in prophecy as opposing
and exalting himself above God.
That gigantic system of false religion
is a masterpiece of Satan's power--
a monument of his efforts to seat himself
upon the throne to rule the earth
according to his will."
-The Great Controversy,
page 50, paragraph 1 -
Chapter Title: An Era of Spiritual Darkness

"The Church often effected a compromise.
Images of the gods affixed to trees were
replaced by those of the Virgin."
--Tree and Plant Worship; Chpt XIII
Grimm, Teut. Myth. 76; Maury, 13, 299

"The Romans called their December celebration
'Saturnalia' - in honor of their god, Saturn.
The Romans celebrated using evergreens to
decorate their homes. As you can see the
Christian tradition of honoring and decorating
a Christmas tree is nothing new."
-The Christmas Tree
"A Modern Herbal" by Maud Grieve.

"So leave the corruption
and  DO NOT COMPROMISE ;
leave it for good," says God.
"Don't link up with those who will pollute you.
I want you all for myself."
(2Corinthians 6:17)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"Historians have found evidence of tree decoration
and tree worship in places such as ancient Rome
and Egypt. The Old Testament also records God's
displeasure with his own people for following pagan
practices involving trees."
-FAITH UNDER FIRE
Christmas in America becomes battleground
WorldNetDaily Exclusive
December 14, 2002


Would Christ be honored
by This "TREE" ?


Of Course NOT  !

Early Christian Attitude

"The gospel required men to reject
every false religion."
-Noel, Union of Church and State,
      pg. 39

"The early Christians discouraged the use of
evergreen decorations in Christian homes and
assemblies, because their display had long been
associated with heathen festivals."
-Campbell ; The Story of Christmas

"During the days of the apostles in the first century,
the early Christians had no knowledge of Christmas...
But, as a part of the Roman Empire, they may have noted
the Roman observance of the pagan Saturnalia
on Dec 25th..."
-Christmas: The Untold Story

"In the days of Christ, December 25th
was sacred to the pagan Romans..."
-The Xmas Story Part 4
 "Heathen Holidays" by Denise Snodgrass
CHRISTMAS AND PAGANISM; The Winter Solstice

"Familiar to early Christians was the Saturnalia,
an ancient Roman festival celebrated during the
last days of December in honour of Saturn, the god
of agriculture. The Saturnalia...was diametrically
opposed to the teachings of Christ."
- Hidden Truths About Christmas
  UCG; Australia

"To the pagans, the Saturnalia was fun.
To the Christians, the Saturnalia was an
abomination in homage to a disreputable god
who had no existence anyway."
-4,000 Years of Christmas:
A Gift from the Ages (1997)
Earl Count

"About Christmas...As for the first believers,
they had NOT THE SLIGHTEST INTEREST
IN ANYTHING OF THE KIND.
Hope in the Lord's imminent return from heaven
in great power and glory was the flame
that fired their devotion."
-Abbott-Conant Dictionary of Religious Knowledge

"At the time of persecution,
Christians were detected
by NOT decorating their houses
at the Saturnalia. The ancient Christians
were puritanically jealous of anything that
might seem like coqueting with idolatry. "
-Crippen

"It was customary to hold great feasts
in honor of the birth of HEATHEN GODS.
The early teachers of Christianity
PROHIBITED THESE FESTIVALS as unsuited
to the character of Christ."
-The Customs of Mankind

"Down to the fourth century
Christianity rejected BIRTHDAY celebrations
as a pagan custom."
-Schwäbische Zeitung
(magazine supplement Zeit und Welt),
 April 3/4, 1981, p. 4.

`
"the early church fathers frowned upon the
celebration of birthdays and thought them
a heathen custom."
-(The New Book of Knowledge.
New York: Grolier, 1979. P289)


"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."
-the Catholic Encyclopedia, 1911 edition
  Volume  X,   p. 709.
  under the heading  ' Natal Day '.

`
"the Christian usage in general was to
celebrate the death of remarkable persons
rather than their birth..."
-The Encyclopedia Americana,
   1944 edition

"...the day of one's death is better
than the day of one's birth.
The end of a matter is better
than its beginning..."
(Ecclesiastes 7:1,8)(NASB)-BibleGateway

`

 

"The apostles and early true Church never
celebrated Christ's birthday at any time.
There is no command or instruction to celebrate
it in the Bible – rather, the celebrating of
birthdays is pagan,  NOT a Christian custom."
– Herbert W. Armstrong, The Plain Truth
About Christmas (1974), pp. 8-9, 15.

`
 

"The Christian Jews in Christ's day
knew God's attitude toward birthday celebrations,
'Nay, indeed, the law does not permit us to make
festivals at the births of our children'
-(Flavius Josephus, Against Apion,
   Book II, section 26).

"The notion of a birthday festival was far from
the ideas of the Christians of this period."
-Historian Augustus Neander
(The History of the Christian Religion and Church,
  During th First Three Centuries,
  translated by Henry John Rose,
   New York 1848, p. 190).

the Jews and early christians -
"regarded birthday celebrations as part
of idolatrous worship..."
-M'Clintock & Strong's Cyclopedia
  (Vol. I, p. 817)

`
"birthday parties...were something disgusting
to the early Christians."
-Horst Fuhrmann, professor of medieval history
  at the University of Regensburg
in the German newspaper "Süddeutschen Zeitung"

"For quite a long time, December 25th had NOT been
marked at all by Christians, for the death of Jesus
was long considered much more important than the event
of his birth."
-How Christ Got into Christmas
 By Peter H. Samson, S.T.D.

"Gift Giving - during the Roman festival of Saturnalia,
gifts were given as good luck emblems and houses were
decorated with greenery.  The early Christians, however,
 frowned on this pagan ritual, and wouldn't have any part of it."
- Christmas Traditions & Trivia
1999 HFCWillcox

"the Church father Origen was proclaiming it
heathenish to celebrate Christ's birthday...
The day was not even known to be Christ's birthday.
It was merely an excuse to continue the customs
of the pagan Saturnalia."
-(Gerard and Patricia Del Re,
The Christmas Almanac p. 20).

"At first the ancient Church frowned upon
the intrusion of paganism...
- Campbell;
The Story of Christmas

"We Christians neither cover our doorposts with wreaths,
nor...decorate our house like some new brothel.
We...do not celebrate along with you the holidays...
The pagan Romans clad their doorposts with green
and branching laurels...In the Saturnalia...Presents
come and go...There are...gifts...and Banquets...
yet Christians should have no acquaintance with
the festivals of the pagans."
- Tertullian, (A.D. 155-220),
  quoted by David Bercot,
A Dictionary of Early
Christian Beliefs, 1998, p. 342).

 "And have no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness,
but rather reprove them."
- (Ephesians 5:11)

"Christians of the first century did not celebrate
the festival honoring the birth of Jesus - for the same
reason they honored no other birthday anniversary.
It was the feeling at that time by all Christians
that the celebration of all birthdays (even the Lord's)
was a custom of the pagans."
- Dr. John C. McCollister's
 The Christian Book of Why

 

"the earliest Christians simply weren't interested
in celebrating the Nativity...They 'viewed birthday
celebrations as heathen'. The third-century church
father - Origen had declared it a sin to even think
of keeping Christ's birthday 'as though he were a
king pharoah'."
- December 23,1996 issue of
US News & World Report

"The Christians, strong in their faith,
would make no such compromises."
- The Book of Culture, by Ethel Rose Peyser,
     1934, p. 549.

"But what makes you Christian people so offensive
is your stubbornness. You are antisocial snobs.
You will not show proper respect for our festivals."
--- Glimpses Issue #139 :
Why Early Christians Were So Despised;
Ken Curtis PH.D., Beth Jacobson,
Diana Severance Ph.D.,
Ann T. Snyder and Dan Graves. ©2003
by Christian History Institute.
"The Octavius of Minicius Felix" ;
2nd century A.D.

"December 25th is not the birthday of Jesus...
The apostles and early true Church never celebrated
Christ's birthday at any time. There is no command
or instruction to celebrate it in the Bible.
The celebrating of birthdays is a pagan,
not a Christian custom."
-The Plain Truth About Christmas
by Herbert W. Armstrong; 1974

"Faithful men of God who knew and loved
the Scriptures of truth fought against
the mingling of paganism with the name of Christ.
They were valiant in opposing the entry of
Christmas and its festivals among the believers."
-The Truth about CHRISTMAS
Flee from Idolatry
by R. F. Becker

"...In the Scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept
a feast or held a great banquet on Jesus birthday.
It is only sinners who make great rejoicings over
the day in which they were born into this world."
-Catholic Encyclopedia, 1911 Edition

 

"Christmas... It was not celebrated in the first
centuries of the Christian church..."
-Encyclopedia Britannica, 1946 edition

 

 

"Christmas...was not instituted by Christ
or the apostles, nor by Bible authority.
It was picked up afterward from paganism.”
-Encyclopedia Britannica, 1946 edition

 

"During the first two centuries after Christ's death,
Christmas was NOT celebrated."
-A Short History of the Christmas Holiday
Victor M. Parachin
Christian Reader. Nov/Dec 1995.
Vol. 33, No. 6, p. 27


Warnings From the Bible


"...I will punish those who....
introduce pagan....practices;
And I'll punish all who import
pagan superstitions...."
(Zephaniah 1:7)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"Thus says the Lord: 'Learn NOT the way
of the heathen nations...For the customs
and ordinances of the peoples are false,
empty, and futile; it is but a tree which
one cuts out of the forest, the work of the
hands of the craftsman with the ax or other tool.
They deck the idol with silver and with gold;
they fasten it with nails and with hammers
so it will not fall apart or move around."
(Jeremiah 10:2-4)(AMP)-BibleGateway

"Do not bring a detestable thing into your house
or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction.
Utterly abhor and detest it, for it is set apart
for destruction."
(Deut 6:26)(NIV)-BibleGateway

There is a condemnation in the Bible - of those
who cut down a tree for any kind of worship service.
(Jeremiah 10:2-8)

"...An idol is nothing but a tree
chopped down....They trim it with
tinsel and balls, and use hammer
and nails to keep it upright."
(Jeremiah 10:3,4)(MSG)-BibleGateway

Idol worship under "green trees" is condemned
in the following Scriptures (1 Kings 14:22-23;
2 Kings 16:1-4; 2 Kings 17:9-10; Chronicles 28:4;
Isaiah 57:3-5; Jeremiah 2:20; 3:6-13; 17:1-2;
and Ezekiel 6:13)

"Their religion is worthless!
They chop down a tree....
cover it with silver and gold,
and then nail it down
so it won't fall over."
(Jeremiah 10:3,4)(CEV)-BibleGateway


"the origin of the "tree" with Nimrod (Baal),
which makes more significant the many times
"green tree" is mentioned in the Bible in relation
to heathen idol worship and heathen gods. Green trees
were part of Baal worship"
-Christmas
Parts 7 through 13
By Willie Martin


"thus saith Jehovah,
Learn NOT the way of the nations...
For the customs of the peoples
are vanity; for one cutteth a tree
out of the forest....They deck it
with silver and with gold;
they fasten it with nails
and with hammers, that it move not."
(Jeremiah 10:2-4)(ASV)-BibleGateway

"...I will punish those who....
introduce pagan....practices;
And I'll punish all who import
pagan superstitions...."
(Zephaniah 1:7)(MSG)-BibleGateway

Making Excuses

 

"The man...COMPROMISES with worldlings,
and to quiet his own conscience, he invents
a theory by which such compromises are justified,
even commended.  He receives the praises of the
judicious, but he has, in truth, gone over to the enemy."
-(C-H,S., 1888, Sword and the Trowel)

"Faithful men of God who knew and loved
the Scriptures of truth fought against the
mingling of paganism with the name of Christ.
They were valiant in opposing the entry of
Christmas and its festivals among the believers.
But in spite of their efforts, the lukewarm and
rapidly decaying church, with the exception of
a few faithful Christians, was overcome and
finally forced to submit."
-The Truth about CHRISTMAS
Flee from Idolatry
by R. F. Becker

"...they have no excuse whatsoever
for not knowing God."
(Romans 1:20)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"They have no excuse;
the way that God works is well-known."
(Psalm 9:16)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"...according to the hand of Jehovah...
Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven,
let it be done exactly..."
(Ezra 7:6,23)(ASV)-BibleGateway


"Formerly, when you did not know God,
you were slaves to those who by nature
are not "gods". But now that you know God--
or rather are known by God-- how is it that
you are turning back to those weak and
miserable principles?  Do you wish to be
enslaved by them all over again?
You are observing special days and
months and seasons and years.
I fear for you, that somehow
I have wasted my efforts on you. "
(Galatians 4:8-11)(NIV)-BibleGateway

"...in the last days...
Instead of loving God,
they will love pleasure.
Even though they will make a show
of being religious,
their religion won't be real.
(2Timothy 3:1-5)(CEV)-BibleGateway

Jesus Was NOT Born
in December - (click-here)

 

The "Nimrod" Tree
Nimrod - The Lord of XMAS
(click-here)

Who Are You Really Honoring
on December 25th ?
Nimrod and Babylon
(click-here)



Christmas - XMAS
What Would Christ Say ?
What Would Christ Do ?
(click-here)

 

"Christmas" - is a Betrayal of Christ
Following in the steps of Judas.
Betraying Christ - Just Like Judas
(click-here)

Santa Claus
and sun-god Worship
(click-here)



"Christmas" is a "Mockery"
of Christ - Why ?  (click-here)



A Christmas Comparison
A Parable to Consider
(click-here)



Christmas and Calf Worhip
What do they have in common ?
(click-here)



The Very First  XMAS
Began with Nimrod and Babylon
(click-here)



The Christmas "TRAP"
Have You Been Ensnared ?
(click-here)



"THOR"  says  "HO - HO - HO !"
and so does the Devil  (click-here)




"KRAMPUS"  Reveals the Evil Origins of XMAS
Why The "Warning Lyrics" in a Christmas Carol ?
(click-here)



Krampus and Santa
What is the Connection ?
The "CLAWS" (Claus) of Krampus
(click-here)



Who is Krampus ? -
Santa's Evil Helper
(click-here)



The MANY Faces of Santa Claws (Claus)
KRAMPUS - Santa's Alter Ego
(click-here)



"APOSTATE"  Christendom
Has Made a "PACT" with the Devil
HOW ? -  Krampus and Santa
(click-here)



CHRISTMAS - 
How "Un-Like" Christ
(click-here)



Christmas "EXCUSES"
Save Them For Christ
(click-here)



Do "Naughty" Children
Get Punished at Christmas ?
(click-here)

More discussions about Christmas.


The Snake - The Tree - and Christmas (click-here)

The "CULT" of Christmas (click-here)

Christmas is a Compromise With Pagans (click-here)

Christmas, Pope Gregory, and The Devil
That "Famous" Letter -  (click-here)

The "Holly god" of Christmas (click-here)

Bearing Witness to the Truth - (click-here)

CHRISTMAS - How "Un-Like" Christ (click-here)

Jesus Was NOT Born in December - (click-here)

Breaking The First of The Ten Commandments
with The Many gods of Christmas  (click-here)

Who Are You Really Honoring on December 25th ?
Nimrod and Babylon    (click-here)

Christmas - XMAS - What Would Christ Say ?
What Would Christ Do ?    (click-here)

Santa Claus and sun-god Worship (click-here)

A Christmas Comparison - A Parable to Consider
(click-here)

"Christmas" is a "Mockery" of Christ -
Why ?  (click-here)

Reindeer and Christmas
What is the Connection ? (click-here)

How Did The Early Christians View December 25th ? 
(click-here)

The "ELVES" of Christmas
What is the Connection ? (click-here)

The Christmas "Fireplace" - "Chimney" and "Hearth"
What is the Connection? (click-here)

"Santa" is Like "a god" - (click-here)

Does Christmas Have God's Approval ?
(click-here)

Who is Krampus ? - Santa's Evil Helper (click-here)

Christmas "EXCUSES"- Save Them For Christ
(click-here)

 

```````

Different Viewpoints
About Christmas

Different Viewpoints
About Christmas


While many people around the world enjoy the celebration
of Christmas - there are many Negative Viewpoints about
this most Cherished Holiday.   You might wonder - "How
could anyone not Like Christmas?"   Why is there more
than Just One Viewpoint Regarding Christmas ?



Lets Investigate and See
The Many Viewpoints of Christmas
Come Follow Me

It's so Difficult to figure out where to start
so let's start at the very beginning.

Did you know that the very First XMAS
was celebrated many thousands of years ago,
in Ancient Babylon.?  Well it was.

XMAS began with Nimrod and his mother.

Here are some great links that will give you
all the details about the very first XMAS
on December 25th.




THE  VIEWPOINT 
OF  NIMROD




The Very First "XMAS"
was December 25th -
with Nimrod and Babylon

Click on These Links Directly Below
to Read about Nimrod's Birth
on December 25th -------



Nimrod - the "Lord"
of Christmas (click-here)


Christmas
and "Babylon The Great"
 (click-here)

Who Are You Honoring
on December 25th ?  (click-here)

Nimrod - The "LORD" of Christmas
The "Nimrod TREE"  (click-here)

THE  VIEWPOINT 
OF  THOR


And what about "Thor" who yells - "HO - Ho - Ho"
Thor is a jovial old god with a long white beard.
He drives thru the sky on a chariot pulled by goats.
The Fireplace is sacred to Thor.
Thor slides down the Chimney each year to
leave presents.



"THOR" says -  HO -HO - HO !
(click-here)

THE  VIEWPOINT
OF  KRAMPUS

Krampus helps to show the evil origins
of the Holiday celebrated on Dec 25
Below are Links that will tell your the
sordid details about Santa and Krampus



Krampus -
Santa's Evil Helper
(click-here)

Satan is the Invisible god
of Christmas (click-here)

And what about Christ Himself ???
What is His Viewpoint about XMAS ?


THE  VIEWPOINT
OF  CHRIST

The Links Below Might Give You
an Idea of How Jesus Views XMAS

Jesus Was NOT Born
in December - (click-here)



Christmas -
How "Un-Like" Christ
(click-here)

Christmas -
A Compromise with Paganism
(click-here)

Betraying Christ -
Just Like Judas
(click-here)

Christmas - XMAS
What Would Christ Say ?
What Would Christ Do ?
(click-here)

A "Warning" About Christmas

A "Warning" About Christmas

“On that day of judgment,”says the Lord,“
I will punish...all those following
pagan customs."
(Zephaniah 1:8) (NLT)-BibleGateway

“Do not worship the Lord your God
in the way these pagan peoples
worship their gods."
(Deuteronomy 12:4)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"Subtly...the old gods had entered their churches...
And they live still in the festivals of Christianity."
-(Testament: The Bible and History,
   Romer, 1988, pp. 230-31)



A "Warning" About Christmas

Many people enjoy celebrating Christmas even though they
know about its pagan origins.  Even after reading about
Krampus and Nimrod and Babylon - they still Find a way
to justify it in their hearts.  But such justification indicates
that the celebrant doesn't really think that God cares.
Or perhaps that God will not hold him accountable for
his actions.  Or worse yet, he may not even believe that
there is a Creator at all.

When we look at the Bible and read God's viewpoints
about the celebration of Christmas - we are left with
the Knowledge that God does care - and that he is
very particular about the way that he wants to be
treated and worshipped.

We also are left with the knowledge that Jehovah God's
son - is very particular about how we treat his heavenly
Father.  Christ also made some rules and guidelines that
we are expected to Follow.

A List of warnings are recorded in the Bible for those
who ignore God's laws and principles.  Contrary to what
some religious leaders have told us -  God does punish
people who ignore him.  Christ is the executioner of
Jehovah God's will.  And the Bible is clear that we
will all pay for our deeds.


But what about The Gifts and Presents ?


"The modern practice of gift giving evolved
from the Pagan tradition of placing gifts
under the Yule tree as offerings to the
various Pagan Gods and Goddesses."
-Celtic Attic
Christmas Traditions

"The interchange of presents between friends
is alike characteristic of Christmas and the
PAGAN Saturnalia, and was adopted by
Christians from the Pagans, as the admonition
of Tertullian plainly shows."
-Bibliotheca Sacra,
volume 12, pages 153-155

"Since earliest times everygreen trees
have been worshipped and were brought
into the house and set up as idols.
The pagans would offer gifts to the tree,
which is where we get putting presents
under the tree."
-- Holidays and Holy Days,
   by Tom C. McKenney

"Tree-worship was rooted in the oldest
nature worship, which included "GIFT" offerings
to them or the placing of lights upon them."
-Tree and Plant Worship; Chpt XIII
Stat. Account, iii. 27; Moore, 151;
Sébillot, i. 262, 270

"The Christmas tree is specifically
a pagan Babylonian symbol. On Christmas Day
there is the tree, covered in decorations
and surrounded with presents (Gifts),
representing the resurrected Nimrod of
Ancient Babylon."
-The True Meaning of Christmas
 by Mike Gascoigne; 1996

"Offerings were placed beneath
sacred trees, because the trees were
the abode of spirits or divinities (gods)."
-Tree and Plant Worship; Chpt XIII
D'Arbois, Les Celtes, 52.



Warnings About Christmas



“On that day of judgment,”says the Lord,“
I will punish...all those following
pagan customs."
(Zephaniah 1:8) (NLT)-BibleGateway

“Do not worship the Lord your God
in the way these pagan peoples
worship their gods."
(Deuteronomy 12:4)(NLT)-BibleGateway



WARNINGS  FROM  JEHOVAH  !


"...according to the hand of Jehovah...
Whatsoever is commanded by the God of heaven,
let it be done exactly..."
(Ezra 7:6,23)(ASV)-BibleGateway

"Put away the strange gods that are among you,
and be clean" (Gen. 35:2).

"Inquire not after their gods,
saying, How do these nations serve their gods?
...You shall not do so unto Jehovah your God"
(Deut. 12:30-31).(ASV)

"Learn not the way of the heathen"
(Jer. 10:2).

"Thus saith Jehovah...This evil people,
that refuse to hear my words,
that walk in the stubbornness
of their heart, and are gone after
other gods to serve them...."
(Jeremiah 13:9,10)(ASV)-BibleGateway

God says, "...the mothers make bread
to be offered to 'the Queen of Heaven'!
And as if that weren't bad enough,
they go around pouring out libations
to any other gods they come across,
just to hurt me. No wonder I am so angry!.... "
(Jeremiah 7:16,18)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"I am Jehovah thy God.....
Thou shalt have no other gods before me."
(Exodus 20:2,3)(ASV)-BibleGateway

"...for I am a jealous God
who will not tolerate your affection
for any other gods."
(Exodus 20:5)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"...they've deserted me
and taken up with other gods;
they've made me thoroughly angry
by setting up their god-making businesses.
My anger is raging white-hot against this
place and nobody is going to put it out.'"
(2Chronicles 34:22)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"Troubles multiply for those
who chase after other gods..."
(Psalms 16:4)(NLT)-BibleGateway

...Don't follow other gods,
or they will ruin your lives."
(Jeremiah 7:6)(NCV)-BibleGateway

"thus saith Jehovah,
Learn NOT the way of the nations...
For the customs of the peoples
are vanity; for one cutteth a tree
out of the forest....They deck it
with silver and with gold;
they fasten it with nails
and with hammers, that it move not."
(Jeremiah 10:2-4)(ASV)-BibleGateway

"...I will punish those who....
introduce pagan....practices;
And I'll punish all who import
pagan superstitions...."
(Zephaniah 1:7)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"Thus says the Lord: 'Learn NOT the way
of the heathen nations...For the customs
and ordinances of the peoples are false,
empty, and futile; it is but a tree which
one cuts out of the forest, the work of
the hands of the craftsman with the ax or
other tool.  They deck the idol with silver
and with gold; they fasten it with nails
and with hammers so it will not fall apart
or move around.' "
(Jeremiah 10:2-4)(AMP)-BibleGateway

"Do not bring a detestable thing
into your house or you, like it,
will be set apart for destruction.
Utterly abhor and detest it,
for it is set apart for destruction."
(Deut 6:26)(NIV)-BibleGateway

“On that day of judgment,”says the Lord,“
I will punish...all those following
pagan customs."
(Zephaniah 1:8) (NLT)-BibleGateway

“Do not worship the Lord your God
in the way these pagan peoples
worship their gods."
(Deuteronomy 12:4)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"They have no excuse;
the way that God works is well-known."
(Psalm 9:16)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"do not be trapped into following their example
in worshiping their gods. Do not say,
`How do these nations worship their gods?
I want to follow their example.'
You must not do this to the LORD your God."
(Deuteronomy 12:30,31)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"Deuteronomy 13 defines the law regarding apostasy.
Those who led others to worship other gods or adopt
the practices of the nations around them were to be
stoned!  God considers tampering with His truth
to be evil that must be eradicated!"
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

"Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name, and what is His Son's name, if you know?
Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those
who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words,
lest he reprove you, and you be found a liar."
(Proverbs 30:1-6)

"be careful that you don't get curious
about them...Don't get fascinated with
their gods...GOD hates it all with a passion..."
(Deuteronomy 12:30-31)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"do not be TRAPPED into following their example
...You must NOT do this to the LORD your God."
(Deuteronomy 12:30,31)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"The people got up early the next morning...
After this, they celebrated with feasting
and drinking, and they indulged in pagan
revelry. Then the Lord said, “I have seen
how stubborn and rebellious these people are.
How quickly they have turned away from
the way I commanded them to live!
Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can
blaze against them, and I will destroy them."
(Exodus 32:6,8,10)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"...God requires obedience
to all of his commands."
(Romans 10:5)(NLT)-BibleGateway

Warnings From The Bible


"Do not worship the Lord your God
in the same way that these pagan peoples
worship their gods."
(Deteronomy 12:4)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"....the detestable practices
of the pagan nations...."
(1Kings 14:24)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"He did what was EVIL in the Lord’s sight,
following the detestable practices
of the pagan nations...."
(2Kings 21:2)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"...Hurry up, pagans!
Wherever you are,
get a move on!
Get your act together.
Prepare to be shattered by God!"
(Joel 3:9)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"....I will punish those....Who introduce
PAGAN prayers and practices; And I'll punish
all who import pagan superstitions....
Judgment Day!" God's Decree!
....Wail, you shopkeepers on Market Street!
Moneymaking has had its day.
The god Money is dead. On Judgment Day,
I'll search through every closet and alley
...I'll find and punish those who are
sitting it out, fat and lazy,
amusing themselves and taking it easy,
Who think, 'God doesn't do anything,
good or bad. He isn't involved,
so neither are we.'  But just wait.
They'll lose everything they have...."
(Zephaniah 1:7)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"On that day of judgment,”says the Lord,
“I will punish....all those following pagan
customs.
(Zephania 1:8)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"....God cleared the land of pagans....."
(Acts 7:44)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"Yet God was NOT pleased with most of them
....These things happened as a warning to us,
so that we would not crave evil things as they did
....As the Scriptures say, “The people celebrated
with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in
pagan revelry.”"
(1Corinthians 10:5-7)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"So leave the corruption
and  DO NOT COMPROMISE ;
leave it for good," says God.
"Don't link up with those who will pollute you.
I want you all for myself."
(2Corinthians 6:17)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"The gospel required men to reject
every false religion."
-Noel, Union of Church and State,
      pg. 39

 "If you do not stand firm in your faith,
you will not stand at all."
(Isaiah 7:9)(NIRV)-BibleGateway

"Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be steadfast, IMMOVABLE ...."
(1Corinthians 15:58)(NASB)-BibleGateway

"...the day of one's death is better
than the day of one's birth.
The end of a matter is better
than its beginning..."
(Ecclesiastes 7:1,8)(NASB)-BibleGateway

 "And have no fellowship
with the unfruitful works of darkness,
but rather reprove them."
- (Ephesians 5:11)

"...I will punish those who....
introduce pagan....practices;
And I'll punish all who import
pagan superstitions...."
(Zephaniah 1:7)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"...An idol is nothing but a tree
chopped down....They trim it with
tinsel and balls, and use hammer
and nails to keep it upright."
(Jeremiah 10:3,4)(MSG)-BibleGateway

Idol worship under "green trees" is condemned
in the following Scriptures (1 Kings 14:22-23;
2 Kings 16:1-4; 2 Kings 17:9-10; Chronicles 28:4;
Isaiah 57:3-5; Jeremiah 2:20; 3:6-13; 17:1-2;
and Ezekiel 6:13) 

"Their religion is worthless!
They chop down a tree....
cover it with silver and gold,
and then nail it down
so it won't fall over."
(Jeremiah 10:3,4)(CEV)-BibleGateway

"Formerly, when you did not know God,
you were slaves to those who by nature
are not "gods". But now that you know God--
or rather are known by God-- how is it that
you are turning back to those weak and
miserable principles?  Do you wish to be
enslaved by them all over again?
You are observing special days and
months and seasons and years.
I fear for you, that somehow
I have wasted my efforts on you. "
(Galatians 4:8-11)(NIV)-BibleGateway

"...in the last days...
Instead of loving God,
they will love pleasure.
Even though they will make a show
of being religious,
their religion won't be real.
(2Timothy 3:1-5)(CEV)-BibleGateway 

"...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." You shall NOT worship
the Lord your God in that way; for every abomination
to the Lord which He hates they have done to their gods;"
(Deuteronomy 12:29-31)

"that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan,
who LEADS THE WHOLE WORLD ASTRAY."
-Revelation 12:9

"That they offered sweet savours to their idols
under every green tree."
- Ezekiel 6:13

"...they have zeal for God,
but not according to knowledge..."
(Romans 10:1-3)

"But I am afraid that just as Eve
was deceived by the serpent's cunning,
your minds may somehow be led astray
from your sincere and pure devotion
to Christ."
(2Corinthians 11:3)(NIV)-Biblegateway

"Whatever I command you, be careful
to observe it; you shall not add to it nor
take away from it"
-(Deuteronomy 12:32).

"...For I testify to everyone who hears the words
of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these
things, God will add to him the plagues that are written
in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words
of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his
part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and
from the things which are written in this book."
- (Revelation 22:12-19)

"We have to apply the same kind of judgment to
modern Christianity and its use of Christmas.
God nowhere speaks of making Christmas a part of
Christianity, nor does He say to celebrate His Son's
birth. He does tell us, though, not to add to His
worship anything that is a tradition of the heathen."
-Christmas, Syncretism and Presumption
by John W. Ritenbaugh; December 2001

"True Christians NEVER compromise...
(Matt. 6:24; Acts 4:19, 20)
The Christians, strong in their faith,
would make no such compromises."
- The Book of Culture, by Ethel Rose Peyser, 
     1934, p. 549.

"Pure and undefiled religion in the sight
of our God and Father is...to keep oneself
unstained by the world."
(James 1:27)(NASB)-BibleGateway

"Those....who buy things should not be
absorbed...by their possessions.
Those who use the things of the world
should not become attached to them.
For this world as we know it will soon
pass away."
(1Corinthians 7:30,31)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"Don't team up with those who are unbelievers.
How can light live with darkness?
What harmony can there be between Christ
and the Devil ?...Therefore, come out from them
and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.
Don't touch their filthy things..."
(2Corinthians 6:14-17)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"Do not conform any longer
to the pattern of this world..."
(Romans 12:2)(NIV)-BibleGateway

"You adulterous people,
don't you know that
friendship with the world
is hatred toward God?
Anyone who chooses
to be a friend of the world
becomes an  ENEMY of God. "
(James 4:4)(NIV)-BibleGateway

"After this, they celebrated
with feasting and drinking,
and indulged themselves in pagan revelry."
(Exodus 32:6)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"Instead, you must break down
their pagan altars, smash the sacred
pillars they worship, and cut down
their carved images."
(Exodus 34:13)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"What harmony can there be
between Christ and the Devil ? "
(2Corinthians 6:15)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"He did what was evil in the LORD's sight,
imitating the detestable practices
of the pagan nations...."
(2Kings 21:2)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"Instead, they mingled among the pagans
and adopted their....customs."
(Psalm 106:35)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"They are full of superstitions from
the East....and clasp hands with pagans."
(Isaiah 2:6)(NIV)-BibleGateway

"...a grove of trees where
the sacred whores practiced,
they were there, buying into
the whole pagan system."
(Ezekiel 20:28)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"On that day of judgment," says the LORD,
"I will punish the leaders....and all those
following pagan customs."
(Zephaniah 1:8)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"Yes, I will punish those who participate
in pagan...ceremonies."
(Zephaniah 1:9)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"I'm going to make a clean sweep of the earth,
a thorough housecleaning." GOD's Decree.
Time's up. My Judgment Day is near...
the Holy Day, GOD's Judgment Day,
I will punish those who....introduce pagan
prayers and practices; And I'll punish all
who import pagan superstitions...   
Judgment Day!  GOD's Decree!
Cries of panic....Wail, you shopkeepers
on Market Street!  Moneymaking has had its day.
The god Money is dead.  On Judgment Day,
I'll search through every closet and alley...
I'll find and punish those who are sitting it out,
fat and lazy, amusing themselves and taking it easy,
Who think, "GOD doesn't do anything, good or bad.
He isn't involved, so neither are we.'
But just wait. They'll lose everything they have,
money and house and land. The Great Judgment Day
of GOD is almost here.  It's countdown time: . . .
seven, six, five, four. . .Bitter and noisy cries
on my Judgment Day, even strong men screaming
for help.  Judgment Day is payday--my anger
will be paid out... I'll make things so bad
they won't know what hit them. They'll walk
around groping like the blind.  They've sinned
against GOD!  Their blood will be poured out
like old dishwater, their guts shoveled into
slop buckets.  Don't plan on buying your way out.
Your money is worthless for this. This is the
Day of GOD's Judgment--my wrath!  I care about
sin with fiery passion--A fire to burn up the
corrupted world, a wildfire finish to the
corrupting people."
(Zephaniah 1:2,6,8-17)(MSG)-BibleGateway   


Warnings From Christ


"See, I have warned you beforehand."
(Matthew 24:25)(AMP)-BibleGateway

"I have told you this,
so that when the time comes
you will remember that I warned you."
(John 16:4)(NIV)-BibleGateway

"...The Lord will punish men for all such sins,
as we have already told you and warned you."
(1Thessalonians 4:6)(NIV)-BibleGateway

"On judgment day  many will tell me,
`Lord, Lord, we prophesied
in your name...and performed
many miracles in your name.'
But I will reply,  `I never knew you.
Go away;  the things you did
were unauthorized.' "
(Matthew 7:22,23)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"And why do you break the command of God
for the sake of your tradition? 
Thus you nullify the word of God
for the sake of your tradition."
(Matthew 15:3,6)(NIV)-BibleGateway

Jesus said - ".....he who  STANDS 
FIRM  to the end  will be saved.
At that time men will see (Me) -
the Son of Man - coming in clouds
with great power and glory."
(Mark 13:13,26)(NIV)-BibleGateway

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

Christ said,
"...Stop turning my Father's house
into a shopping mall ! "
(John 2:16)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"Be careful not to spend your time feasting,
drinking, or worrying about worldly things..."
(Luke 21:34)(NCV)-BibleGateway

"He taught us to give up...our worldly desires."
(Titus 2:12)(NIV)-BibleGateway

"For the world offers only a craving
for physical pleasure, a craving for
everything we see, and pride in our
achievements and possessions.
These are not from the Father,
but are from this world."
(1John 2:16)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"Then he (Jesus) said to them,
"Watch out! Be on your guard against
all kinds of greed; for a man's life
does not consist in the abundance
of his possessions."
(Luke 12:15)(NIV)-BibleGateway

"And this world is fading away,
along with everything it craves.
But if you do the will of God,
you will live forever."
(1John 2:17)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"For this cause I was born,
and for this cause I have come
into the world, that I should
bear witness to the truth"
(John 18:37, NKJV).

"Listen carefully.
I'm speaking sober truth to you.....
Yet instead of facing the evidence
and accepting it, you procrastinate
with questions (and excuses)."
(John 3:11)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"My friends, you were chosen to be free.
So don't use your freedom as an excuse
to do anything you want..."
(Galatians 5:13)(CEV)-BibleGateway

"...Live deeply in Christ.
Then we'll be ready for him when he appears,
ready to receive him with open arms,
with no cause for red-faced guilt
or lame excuses when he arrives.
(1John 2:28)(MSG)-BibleGateway

 
JEHOVAH  IS  WATCHING  US  !

"...Someone is watching you closely,
you know-- Someone who is not impressed
with weak excuses."
(Proverbs 24:12)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"They say, "God can't see!
He's got on a blindfold."
The wicked don't respect you.
In their hearts they say,
"God won't punish us!"
But you see the trouble
and the distress,
and you will do something..."
(Psalm 10:11,13,14)(CEV)-BibleGateway

"For God carefully watches
the way that people live;
he sees everything they do.
No darkness is thick enough
to hide the wicked from his eyes.
For it is not up to mortals to decide
when to come before God in judgment.
He will openly strike them down
for their wickedness. For they turned
aside from following him. They have no
respect for any of his ways."
(Job 34:21-23)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"From heaven the LORD looks down
and sees all mankind;
from his dwelling place he watches
all who live on earth-"
(Psalm 33:13,14)(NIV)-BibleGateway

Warning and Punishment


"God will give to each person
according to what he has done."
(Romans 2:6) (NIV) -BibleGateway

".... each will  receive his own reward
according to his own labor. "
(1Corinthians 3:8) (NASB) -BibleGateway

"....The dead were judged
according to what they had done ...."
(Revelation 20:12)(NIV)-BibleGateway

"You see that a man is justified -
pronounced righteous before God -
through what he does
and not alone through faith..."
(James 2:24)(AMP)-BibleGateway

"I, Jehovah, search the mind,
I try the heart,
even to give every man
according to his ways,
according to the fruit of his doings."
(Jeremiah 17:10)(ASV)-BibleGateway

".......Ye shall not be unpunished;
for I will call for a sword
upon all the inhabitants of the earth,
saith Jehovah of hosts......."
(Jeremiah 25:29) (ASV) -BibleGateway

"Do not be deceived:
God cannot be mocked.
A man reaps what he sows.
The one who sows to please his sinful nature,
from that nature will reap destruction;
the one who sows to please the Spirit,
from the Spirit will reap eternal life."
(Galatians 6:7,8) (NIV) -BibleGateway

"Do not merely listen to the word,
and so deceive yourselves.
Do what it says."
(James 1:22)(NIV) -BibleGateway

"I will pour out my vengeance
on all...that refuse to OBEY me."
(Micah 5:15)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"...For there is going to come a day of judgment
when God...will judge all people according to what
they have done. He will give eternal life to those
who persist in doing what is good...But he will pour
out his anger and wrath on those who live for
themselves, who refuse to obey the truth."
(Romans 2:5-8)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"But you...are well-warned.
Be on guard lest you lose your footing
and get swept off your feet by these lawless
and loose-talking teachers."
(2Peter 3:17)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"...saying "Master, Master,' for instance-
-isn't going to get you anywhere with me.
What is required is serious OBEDIENCE-
-doing what my Father wills."
(Matthew 7:21)(MSG)-BibleGateway

"...they do NOT listen to God's word
or OBEY it, and so they meet the fate
that has been planned for them."
(1Peter 2:8)(NLT)-BibleGateway

"...This will happen when the Lord Jesus
is revealed from heaven in blazing fire
with his powerful angels. He will punish
those who do NOT know God and
do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
They will be punished with everlasting destruction
and shut out from the presence of the Lord
and from the majesty of his power
on the day he comes to be glorified."
(2Thessalonians 1:7-10)(NIV)-BibleGateway

"And it shall come to pass,
that from one new moon to another,
and from one sabbath to another,
shall all flesh come to worship before me,
saith Jehovah.  And they shall go forth,
and look upon the dead bodies of the men
that have transgressed against me..."
(Isaiah 66:23,24) (ASV) -BibleGateway

"That men may know that thou,
whose name alone is JEHOVAH,
art the most high over all the earth."
(Psalm 83:18)(KJV) (King James Version)
----BibleGateway----

 "Then they that Feared Jehovah
 spoke often one to another;
and Jehovah observed it, and heard,
and a book of remembrance
was written before him
for them that feared Jehovah,
and that thought upon his name.
And they shall be unto me a peculiar
treasure,  saith Jehovah of hosts,
in the day that I prepare;  and I will spare
them as a man spareth his own son
that serveth him."
(Malachi 3:16,17) (Darby) -BibleGateway  

"...everyone who is found
written in the  book,
will be rescued. "
(Daniel 12:1) (NASB) -BibleGateway

"And it shall come to pass,
that whosoever shall call
on the name of Jehovah
shall be delivered...."
(Joel 2:32)(ASV)-BibleGateway

"...this is what was said
through the prophet Joel...
‘And in the last days...
everyone who calls on
the name of Jehovah
will be saved.’ "
(Acts 2:16,17,21)(NWT)

"...Ye shall NOT be unpunished;
for I will call for a sword
upon all the inhabitants of the earth,
saith Jehovah of hosts."
(Jeremiah 25:28)(ASV)-BibleGateway

"In the past God overlooked such ignorance,
but now he commands all people everywhere
to repent. For he has set a day when he will
judge the world with justice by the man he
has appointed. He has given proof of this
to all men by raising him from the dead."
(Acts 17:30,31)(NIV)-BibleGateway

"...This will happen when the Lord Jesus
is revealed from heaven in blazing fire
with his powerful angels.
He will punish those who do NOT know God
and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
They will be punished with everlasting destruction
and shut out from the presence of the Lord
and from the majesty of his power
on the day he comes to be glorified."
(2Thessalonians 1:7-10)(NIV)-BibleGateway

"the grand consummation when,
after crushing the opposition,
he hands over his kingdom to
God the Father. He won't let up
until the last enemy is down--
and the very last enemy is death!
When everything and everyone is
finally under God's rule,
then the Son will step down,
taking his place with everyone else,
showing that God's rule is absolutely
comprehensive- -a perfect ending!
(1Corinthians 15:24-26,28)
  (MSG)-BibleGateway

"And Jehovah shall be King
over all the earth:
in that day shall Jehovah be one,
and his name one."
(Zechariah 14:9)(ASV)-BibleGateway

"...for the earth shall be full
of the knowledge of Jehovah,
as the waters cover the sea."
(Isaiah 11:9) (ASV) -BibleGateway

"For the earth shall be filled
with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah,
as the waters cover the sea."
(Habakkuk 2:14) (ASV) -BibleGateway

“On that day of judgment,”says the Lord,“
I will punish...all those following
pagan customs."
(Zephaniah 1:8) (NLT)-BibleGateway


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