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Friday, December 26, 2008

The Origins of Christmas Tree

The Grove Tree

The Christmas tree has an ancient history many centuries before Messiah was born. The veneration and worship of trees as reincarnated dead human beings is as ancient as Babylon, the beginning of false religion.

In the Bible, the worship of these sacred trees is called the worship of the grove. The pagans would build their temples on high places and then plant the sacred trees representing reincarnation near their altars. The *hex* or *hexagram* became a symbol of their high places and the ritual. It remains so among the occult to this very day who trace their emblems and rituals to this ancient religion.

In the book THE TWO BABYLONS, page 98, Hislop reports:

"The Christmas tree, as has been stated, was generally at Rome a different tree, even the fir; but the very same idea as was implied in the palm-tree was implied in the Christmas fir. . . .Now the Yule Log is the dead stock of Nimrod, deified as the sun-god, but cut down by his enemies; the Christmas tree is Nimrod redivivus-the slain god come to life again" (reincarnated).

The worship of the grove or sacred tree of Baal-Nimrod in Israel is rebuked numerous places in the Scriptures:
  • 2KI 23:6 And he brought out the idol (Baalmas tree) from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped it small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people (BJV).
  • 2KI 23:7 And he brake down the houses of the homosexuals and lesbians, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the idol (Baalmas tree).
Symbols of Nimrod and Baal-Berith

At the winter solstice, the sacred tree was cut down in remembrance of Nimrod's death and decorated, as a king would adorn himself. So, the tree represents Nimrod and decorating it is a symbol of adoring the pagan god with the beauty fit for a king. When the tree died (the needles fell and it was naked), all fires in the village were extinguished, ...put out. The worshipers would gather and the Baalmas tree was set on fire. A "holy meal" was cooked upon the flames. Sacred fire from this sacrifice was taken back home to re-fire the hearth, as a reminder of Nimrod's rebirth (reincarnation) and sovereignty over the home. This is the meaning of the Yule log fire. The pagans would take the residue of the burned tree and carve an idol out of it. Part of this practice is even mentioned in the Scriptures:

  • ISA 44:16 He burneth part of the idol in the fire; with part thereof he eateth flesh; he roasteth his meat, and is satisfied: yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the god-fire:
  • ISA 44:17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even a graven image of him: he falleth down before it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Save me; for thou art my god (BJV).

Although the heathen reported that anyone who did not venerate or worship the Nimrod Bush was in danger of disease or death, the Prophets calmed the fears of God's people by predicting that avoiding these Baal idols would bring them no curse or harm. Because there is no danger of idols bringing upon God's people disease and death, some modern liberals are now teaching it is permissible to have these Nimrod Bushes (groves), in the home and in the house of God. They are teaching that since no curse of the tree can harm us (we being protected by the Spirit of God), it is acceptable to decorate the Nimrod Baalmas Bush with gold and silver like the pagans, exactly what Jeremiah warned the Jews NOT TO MIMIC OR FOLLOW. Read carefully what the Prophet Jeremiah wrote concerning the ancient practice of decorating the Baalmas tree. Remember it was not called the Christmas tree until the Catholic Church gave it that name:

  • JER 10:1 Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O people of Israel:
  • JER 10:2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the Gentiles, and be not afraid of the signs of the zodiac; for the Gentiles are afraid of them.
  • JER 10:3 For the customs of the Gentiles are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
  • JER 10:4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it not fall down.
  • JER 10:5 These idols are upright as the palm tree, but can not speak: they must be carried, because they cannot walk. Be not afraid of them; for these idols can do no evil against you, neither also is it in them to do any you good (BJV).
The above verses identify the ancient practice of the Baalmas bush worshipers. This practice is exactly reproduced with the Christmas tree today. If the Christmas tree was not at the birth of Messiah and was not used by the Apostles and the first Christians, how did this pagan practice of having or commemorating a false god come into the Churches? It came via the Catholic Church and everyone knows this. This idolatry is far worse than the trinity doctrine, yet it receives little or no attention from alleged scholars and writers of Church doctrine. Why?

It is claimed that Martin Luther was first to bring the Baalmas tree celebration out of paganism of the German people and bring it into the Protestant Church. This cannot be proven and is indeed false. The Baalmas tree was used in Catholic celebrations centuries before Martin Luther. The first traces of using the evergreen tree among the Catholics is when they adopted the fc of the ancient Latin pagans. The word * Saturnalia* comes from the planet Saturn for which our day *Saturday* was named. Saturn was also Nimrod according to Alexander Hislop in his book on pages 31 and 32. Saturday is Nimrod's day. While the first day of the week is Messiah's Day! Saturnalia, the Latin feast of Nimrod, was celebrated at the winter solstice. It lasted five days and included December the 25, the great Baalmas day.

The tree appears to be a triangle and the Egyptians worshiped triangle and pyramid figures. Bill McLain wrote "On Demember 21st, the shortest day of the year, ancient Egyptians decorated their homes with green branches to symbolize life's triumph over death."

The Pagan story says that Saint Boniface found a group of Pagans worshiping an oak tree and became angry. He cut the tree down and a small fir tree sprouted from the stump and reached to the sky. Thus, Saint Boniface told everyone to worship the tree because it is holy, evergreen and a symbol of everlasting life.




Related Links
  1. http://jesus-messiah.com/html/christmas2.html#Zoganes%20The%20Red-Robed%20Lord%20Of%20Misrule
  2. http://www.blowthetrumpet.org/
  3. http://www.mail-archive.com/ctrl@listserv.aol.com/msg00112.html
  4. http://www.agministries.org/2008/11/merry-paganism.html

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Pagan History of December 25 - Jesus Christ Was NOT Born On December 25th (Christmas Day)

Did you know that Jesus Christ was not born on December 25th?

Did you know that we can prove from the Scriptures that Jesus was not born in the winter?

Did you know that there is a holiday that was instituted over a thousand years before Jesus was born that prophetically foreshadowed the circumstances of His birth?

So why do we celebrate Christmas on December 25th?

The truth is that there was a late December pagan holiday that was celebrated long before Jesus was ever born. The Roman Catholics decided to "christianize" that pagan holiday starting in 336 A.D. as a celebration of the birth of Christ. The Christian Church and much of Judaism is entrenched deep in the ancient Babylonian mystery religion, only today it is referred to as 'culture' or 'traditions.' Most Christians and Jews either don't know or care to know the truth of these pagan ties.

A recent news article from the Scripps Howard News Service states in their article, "Christmas Celebration Crosses All Faiths."
  • "Christmas remains America's favorite holiday-a religious celebration that transcends the nation's increasingly multicultural society. Eighty-three percent of the adult residents of the United States-including Jews, Muslims and atheists-say they put a decorated tree in their homes. Fifty-nine percent say there is no holiday they love more than Christmas."
What is Christmas and from where did it originate? Yule is the Chaldean name for 'infant' or 'little child.' In ancient Babylon, the 25th of December was known as Yule day or the birth of the promised child day. This was the day of the birth of the incarnate sun, who appeared as a baby child to redeem a world bound in darkness. It was an essential belief of the Babylonian religious system, that the sun god, also known as Baal, was the chief god in a polytheistic system. Tammuz was also worshipped as the god incarnate, or promised baby son of Baal, who was to be the Savior of the world.

We find in the Catholic encyclopedia that Christmas was not even among the earliest church festivals. It was not until the latter part of the fourth century that the Roman Church began observing December 25th as Jesus' birthday. By the fifth century A.D., the Roman Church ordered the birth of Messiah to be forever observed on December 25th. At the time of this decree, the Roman Church knew full well that the pagan religious cults throughout the Roman and Greek worlds celebrated the pagan sun god, Mithra, on this self same day. This winter festival was known as the Nativity of the Sun. It was also known in the Roman Empire as Saturnalia [another name for sun worship].

Note: In 46 BC, when the Roman "Julian Calendar" was adopted, December 24th was the shortest day of the year. Therefore, December 25th was the first annual day that daylight began to increase. Thus, the origin of the REBIRTH or Annual Birthday of the Invincible SUN.

In accordance with the Roman "Julian calendar," the "Saturnalia" festival appears to have taken place on December 17th; it was preceded by the "Consualia" near December 15th, and followed by the "Opalia" on December 19th. These pagan celebrations typically lasted for a week, ending just before the late Roman Imperial Festival for "Sol Invictus" (Invincible Sun) on December 25th.

In 1582 AD. Roman Catholic Pope Gregory the XIII caused the current "Gregorian Calendar" to be adopted, in order to eliminate the solar time shift error introduced by the "Julian Calendar."

By December 1582 AD the shortest day of the year had shifted 12 days on the Roman "Julian Calendar" to Wednesday, December 12, 1582.

However, the Original December 25th 'Birth Date' was retained for all pagan Sun gods by the Roman "Saturnalia" and "Sol Invictus" traditions; which were now called the "Twelve Days of Christ Mass."

On the new Roman Catholic Gregorian calendar the shortest annual day was numerically shifted back 10 days to the 22nd of December, where it remains to this day; while the original order of the days of the week remained unchanged.

Therefore, Wednesday, December 12th, 1582 AD, became Wednesday, December 22nd, 1582 AD, and the True Sabbath Day remained unchanged.

Yahweh, the Only True Self-existent Eternal Creator, would never have allowed The True Messiah to be born on or near the December 25th birthday period of the pagan Sun gods; during the time in which virgins were sacrificed, murder was commonplace, and orgies the norm. This would be an entirely unacceptable association.

The winter festival was very popular in ancient times, and marked a time of rejoicing and festivity. Much of our present day customs involved in the Christmas season are a direct inheritance of the Roman winter festival of Saturnalia. These days involved gift giving, colored lights to ward off evil spirits, festive meals, and of course, decorated trees.

The present day Christmas tree also goes back to the worship of sacred trees in the ancient Babylonian system. The green evergreen symbolized the incarnate Baal coming to life through the incarnate baby Tammuz. The custom of decorating and worshipping trees spread throughout the known world, with the variety of tree used selected according to the natural growth of each area of the world. The Druids worshipped the oak tree, the Egyptians worshipped the palm tree, while in Rome it was the fir tree.

There are at least ten references in the Bible warning that these green trees were associated with idolatry and pagan worship. Jeremiah 10:1-4 details the Israelites following the very pagan customs practiced today.
The very term, Christmas, comes from the sacred Christ-mass, where the Pope in the role of the High Priest of the mystery Babylon religion introduces the people to the concept of trans-substantiation. Using the wine and round wafers to reflect the life of Baal, the sun god, the name of Jesus replaces the ancient pagan custom. The wine and wafers are now said to be the transformation of the actual blood and body of Messiah within the person who ingests them. People, thereby, relive again and again the death and resurrection of the incarnate god.

Israelites performed this same ritual in their worship to the Queen of heaven and the incarnate god Tammuz.

Calvin, in 1550, instigated an edict concerning church holidays. A ban was passed against observing various church festivals, which included Christmas. In a tract on the necessity of reforming the church, Calvin exclaimed: "I know how difficult it is to persuade the world that Yahweh disapproves of all modes of worship not expressly sanctioned by His Word." John Knox, in the Scottish reformation, repeatedly confronted the Catholic Church, contending that true worship must be instituted by God, not derived from the traditions of men. At the heart of his argument was an appeal to Torah, especially, references to Deuteronomy 4 and 12, which states that one must not add to nor subtract from God's word.

John Knox, History of the Reformation in Scotland, 1950, Vol. 1, page 91 states the following: "That Yahweh's word damns your ceremonies it is evident; for the plain and straight commandment of Yahweh is, 'Not that thing which appears good in thy eyes, shalt thou do to the LORD thy Yahweh, but what the LORD thy Yahweh has commanded thee, that do thou; add nothing to it; diminish nothing from it.' Now unless that ye are able to prove that Yahweh has commanded your ceremonies, this His former commandment will damn both you and them."

The holidays of Christmas and Easter were banned from the Church of Scotland.
David Calderwood [1511-1651], representing the Scottish ministries, asserted in reference to Christmas and Easter: "The Judaical days had once that honor, as to be appointed by Yahweh Himself; but the anniversary days appointed by men have not like honor. This opinion of Christ's nativity on the 25th day of December was bred at Rome."

David Calderwood then exposed the Roman claims made for the 25th of December as the day of Messiah's birth. He argues that the Apostles never ordained it. He said the following: "Nay, let us utter the truth, December-Christmas is a just imitation of the December-Saturnalia of the ethnic [heathen] Romans, and so used as if Bacchus [another name for the sun god], and not Messiah, were the Yahweh of Christians."

George Gillespie [1613-1649], a premier Scottish theologian, wrote in a book published in 1637 called A Dispute Against the English Popish Ceremonies Obtruded Upon the Church of Scotland. "The holidays [reference to Christmas and Easter] take a severe beating on a number of accounts. Sacred significant ceremonies devised by man are to be reckoned among images forbidden in the second commandment in regards to worshipping idols."

It is certainly clear from all that we have read, that an end time apostasy has come upon both Jews and Gentiles. Both have strayed far from the original precepts of the faith, and there will be a heavy accounting before the LORD for this. These holidays represent only part of the great apostasy that has come upon God's people in the latter days.



Watch this video with an open mind - perhaps it is time for all of us to learn the truth.

Asatru
MandMEvangelists
Paganism/XmasHistory

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

The Faces of Santa Claus

It seems that Santa Claus has been with us a long, long time, continually changing as people shared their traditions, adding and discarding as their societies changed. As you scroll down the page, you are moving backwards in time, seeing the many faces of Santa Claus that contributed to the Santa Claus that we know and love today.

Santa Claus


Appearance: Full white beard, fat, jovial, ruddy cheeked
Clothing: White fur trimmed red Jacket, red cap and red trousers, dark boots
Travel: Reindeer sleigh
Customs: Comes down the chimney and fills stockings
Companions: Elves. Mrs. Claus
Home: Nast established Santa's official residence at the North Pole in 1885 when he sketched two children looking at a map of the world and tracing Santa's journey from the North Pole to the United States. The following year, the American writer, George P. Webster, took up this idea, explaining that Santa's toy factory and "his house, during the long summer months, was hidden in the ice and snow of the North Pole"


Pere Noel

Clothing: Long red hooded robe, edged with white fur. His presents are carried not in a sack, but in a basket on his back.
Customs: Children put out shoes in front of the fireplace
Gifts: Candy, fruit, nuts and small toys are hung on the le sapin de noël: Christmas tree, For some good children, he gifts twice; once on December 6th, St. Nicholas Eve (December 6th), and once on Christmas Eve, December 24th.
Companions: Is accompanied by Père Fouettard, a sinister figure dressed in black, who gives out spankings to bad children.


Kriss Kringle


Known As: Christ Kindl (Christ-child). The German name of the Christ Child is Christkind
Appearance: His messenger is a young child with a golden crown who holds a tiny "Tree of Light."
Customs: Brings the gifts of the Christ Child.


Sinterklaas


Known As: De Goede Sint - The Friendly Saint
Appearance: A kind and wise old man with a white beard
Clothing: White dress, red cloak, a crosier
Travel: Rides the skies and roofs of houses on his white horse
Home: Spain
Customs: Visits on his birthday, December 5th or 6th
Gifts: Various gifts, if you were good
Companions: Zwarte Piet ("Black Peter"), also called Black Jacks
Notes: The Black Jacks gather information about your behavior for the year. If you were good, you get presents.. If you were bad, the Black Jacks will beat you with their rods or put you in a bag and take you back to Spain


Knecht Ruprecht (meaning Servant Rupert)

Known As:
Black Peter, Pelznickle, Aschen (Ash Nicholas), Rider of the White Horse
Appearance: Fur clad, blackened with soot
Travel: Traveled with St. Nicholas
Visits: Delivered the presents down the chimney for St. Nicholas
Customs: Carried a sack of ashes as well as a bundle of switches
Notes: He was called Black Peter because he delivered the presents down the chimney for St. Nicholas and became blackened with soot. Over time, Knecht Ruprecht and St. Nicholas merged to form Ru Klaus (Rough Nicholas) because of his rugged appearance, Aschen Klaus (meaning Ash Nicholas) because he carried a sack of ashes as well as a bundle of switches and Pelznickle (Furry Nicholas)

Saint Nicholas


Appearance: A kindly saint, not overweight
Clothing: Wears the robes of a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church.
Customs: Hands out presents to the children. Children also put their shoes in front of the fireplace to be filled with candy and presents by morning.
Travels; Sometimes travels with a donkey.
Companions: Angels that help St. Nicholas to keep his book of good and bad deeds and help to protect the chldren fom Krampus, the Devil, Père Fouettard who accompany St. Nicholas and punish bad children.

Joulupukki


Companions: Joulupukki has a wife, Joulumuori - Old Lady Christmas
Known As: Yule Goat or Christmas Goat
Appearance: Wears warm red clothes and uses a walking stick
Travel: Travels in a sleigh driven by a number of reindeer (but the reindeer don't fly)
Home: Korvatunturi, Lapland, Finland
Customs: Knocks on the front door during the Christmas eve celebration. When he comes in, his first words are traditionally "Are there (any) nice children here?"
Notes: In an old Finnish tradition, people dressed in goat hides, (as nuuttipukki), and went around from house to house after Christmas eating leftover food.

Tomte


Known As: Nisse, Tonttu
Appearance: A small, elderly man (varies from a few inches to about half the height of an adult man), often with a full beard. He is not overweight.
Clothing: Dresses in the everyday clothing of a farmer - typically attired in grey woolen clothes, a red cap. Later turned into the white-bearded, red-capped friendly figure associated with Christmas when a poem illustrated by Jenny Nyström was created.
Travel: Sometimes rides in a sleigh drawn by reindeer or walks around with his sack. His reindeer don't fly
Home: In Sweden he's thought to live in a forest nearby, in Denmark he lives on Greenland, and in Finland he lives in Lapland
Customs: He doesn't come down the chimney at night, but through the front door, delivering the presents directly to the children
Companions: Often with a horse or cat, or riding on a goat or in a sled pulled by a goat

Grandfather Frost


Known As: Ded Moroz
Clothing: Long fur coat covered by bright beautiful cloth (blue or red) trimmed in fur
Travel: Troika of white horses
Home: Grandfather Frost lives in the town Veliky Ustug
Customs: Visits on New Year
Gifts: Puts on a New Year party for children as well as bringing them gifts
Companions: Always accompanied by his granddaughter Snegurochka (Snow girl)


Yule King


Known As: Lord of Misrule, King Winter, Winter King, Holly King, Yule Spirit, King Frost
Appearance: A jolly giant, has a well-fed belly, and sports a burly beard
Clothing: Fur hat or crown, he wears red or green, and a crown of leaves. The Lord of Misrule was a red or green-robed jester
Customs: The Yule King visits at firesides. As Lord of Misrule, he presides over the Yuletide festivities

Father Christmas


Known As: Old Winter, Old Christmas
Appearance: Well-nourished bearded man, typified the spirit of good cheer
Clothing: Long, green, fur-lined robe, representing the return of spring, fur-lined hood (not a cap)
Customs: An elder man from the community dressed in furs and visited each dwelling. At each house, in the guise of "Old Winter" he would be plied with food and drink before moving on to the next. It was thought he carried the spirit of the winter with him, and that the winter would be kind to anyone hospitable to Old Winter.
Notes: Father Christmas did not bear gifts until he merged with the American version of Santa Claus in the late 1800s

Yule God


Real Name: Thor, a Norse God
Temperament: Cheerful and friendly, never harming humans but rather helping and protecting them
Appearance: Elderly man, heavy build, long white beard
Travel: Chariot pulled by two white goats, Cracker and Gnashwer
Home: In the Northland, among icebergs
Customs: Comes down the chimney - visits in front of the fireplace
Symbols: The color red, fire


Odin


Real Name: Odin, the chief of the Norse Gods
Known As: Pelznickle, meaning Furry Nicholas, and as Rider of the White Horse
Appearance: Old, mysterious man with a beard, may be shown with one eye missing
Clothing: Long blue hooded cloak, carrying a staff and sometimes a satchel of bread
Travel: Rides Sleipnir, a flying horse with eight legs
Customs: Children leave straw filled shoes by the chimney to feed Sleipnir
Gifts: He would sometimes leave the bread as a gift at poor homesteads
Companions: Either a Raven or Crow
Notes: The Vikings believed that Odin visited Earth during Jultid (Yuletide) on Sleipnir


Related Links
www.24kvintageart.com

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Saint Nicholas: the Truth Behind Santa Claus X of X


Take a trip to the local mall at Christmas time. Go watch Santa sitting on his royal throne. Kids are lined up to sit on his lap of judgement. What does Santa ask them, "Have you been a good little boy?" "Have you been a good little girl?’ Ever read Psalm 11:4?
The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. Psalm 11:4
There’s no question Santa is sitting on his throne. There is no question it is a mockery and pretender of the judgement of a Holy God.
And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the LORD: I saw the LORD sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. 1 King 22:19

11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Revelation 20:11-12

Let us not forget the Bible says Satan has a throne.
  • For thou [Lucifer] hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: Isaiah 14:13
In Acts 12, Herod is playing Santa, dressed in his Santa suit (royal apparel), on his throne, and the people saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And the angel of the Lord kills him for his blasphemy.

21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.

22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.
24 But the
word of God grew and multiplied. Acts 12:21-24


He's making a list
!!!!!

Right on schedule. . . Santa also has a list to judge who's "naughty or nice"
He's making a list, He's checking it twice
He's gonna find out Who's naughty or nice
Over and over, scripture after scripture, Santa grants Satan's ultimate wish, ". . . I will be like the most High. . ."
Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. Mal. 3:16

And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. Rev 5:1

And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Rev 20:12, 15

I wonder how many children this Christmas will be asked, "Do you BELIEVE in Santa?" I know one thing – it will be more tha n all the Christians of the world asking "Do you BELIEVE in Jesus?". Santa's witnesses will happily witness for him – faithfully, day and night – around the world. Do you really believe it’s just a coincidence that Santn (a.k.a. Satan), over and over, is counterfeiting the Lord Jesus Christ? The heart of the Christian faith is "believing" in the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the very core of the Christian faith. It is not works. It is not sacraments. It is not doing this or doing that. It is belief in the Lord Jesus Christ.
And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Acts 16:31
Belief and faith – is the essence and heartbeat of the Christian faith. It all hinges on believing. Salvation is BELIEVING IN Jesus Christ.

"Little Boy, Little Girl, DO YOU BELIEVE IN SANTA?"

What happens when these children put so much false hope into a lie? What happens when that deceived child learns that wonderful Santa is a BIG LIE? Not only is it a false hope, not only is total deception – but it counterfeits the person of Jesus Christ! To confuse matters even worse the Lord Jesus is mixed into the lie by supposedly celebrating his birth. Tom Clancy, in his novel, The Sum of All Fears, states the lifelong disappointment and skepticism after the deception of Santa is realized:
"After you stop believing in Santa Claus,
The whole world just goes downhill."
(Tom Clancy, The Sum of All Fears, p. 481)
Who that has ever seen the Christmas classic movie The Miracle on the 34th Street can ever forget the child-like faith of young Susan Walker (played by the cute Natalie Wood). Little Susie a skeptic, who doesn't believe in Santa Claus is "converted" by the loveable Kriss Kringle (played by Edmund Gwenn). The main plot of the movie is – faith and belief in Kriss Kringle or Santa. Remember the highlight of the movie when Susan's mother, Doris (played by Maureen O'Hara) tells young Susan, " You must believe in Mr Kingle–and keep right on believing. You must have faith in him." And young Susie begins repeating over and over, "I believe, I believe. . ." Here's how the original author Valentine Davies describes the above scene:
"Susan thought it over for a moment and then began muttering with firm conviction: 'I believe, I believe, I believe–'
(Valentine Davies, Miracle on 34th Street, p. 116)
Towards the end of the movie, Santa gives Susie the "desires of her heart" and little Susie is saying, "You were right mommy, I do believe. I do believe. Mr Kingle is Santa Claus." Wow! It is also worth mentioning what Santa gives to Susan. Not the typical child's gift of a doll, etc. But a house. . . . Sound familiar?
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. John 14:2
The movie ends as Santa (Kriss Kringle) "prepares a place" for little Susie. And they surprisingly see Santa's cane standing in the corner showing he had been there and did indeed – "prepare a place" for little Susie. By the way, did you notice the shape of Santa's cane standing in the corner? It looks like a "shepherd's" hook? Hmmm. . . Who was it that said, "I am the good shepherd. . ."? (Hint. see John 10:11) Some reviewers wrote about The Miracle on 34th Street:
"I guess the reason I, and all the other reviewers, think this film is so great is that it brings back the time when we could 'believe in Santa Claus.'"
Who has ever seen "Miracle on 34th Street" can ever forget cute, little "Natalie Wood" says "when things don't turn out just right you still have to believe, and oh mommy I do believe, I do."
Another reviewer writes, ". . . this is a beautiful movie, that can make anyone believe in Santa Claus."
The name of the movie is The MIRACLE on 34th Street. Now who is it that does miracles?
This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. John 2:11

"Ho! Ho! Ho! I Am God".
In 1994, the satire magazine The Onion carried a parody of Santa Claus titled "Ho! Ho! Ho! I Am God". Even though, it was written as a blasphemous parody much truth rings from the article. The article says:
"I love visiting each and every one of your homes, stuffing your stockings with toys, and enjoying the milk and cookies you leave for me. But mostly I love Christmas because it's the celebration of the birth of my son, Jesus the Christ. You see, I'm God. . . Don't I look familiar? I'm old, I have a white beard, I love everyone. I'm the same God as the one you and your mommy and daddy worship on Sundays. . .

Okay, I admit it. I'm not God. But I'm better than God. I'm jollier, and I give you real toys, not boring old psalms and empty promises you can only collect on when you die. Worship me, not Him! Worship Santa! I am God!"
(Santa Claus, "Ho! Ho! Ho! I Am God!" The Onion, 29 Nov. - 5 Dec., 1994, p. 7)

And that is EXACTLY the message being preached to these little children! And they believe it!

You have to be blind to not see the possible connection. And you have to be spiritually blind to not see the possible spiritual damage such a massive, false-faith, God-like, LIE is doing to the faith and trust of that young child.






Friday, December 19, 2008

Saint Nicholas: the Truth Behind Santa Claus IX of X


Santa is All-Powerful – He is Omnipotent

To the average child - Santa can do anything. The following are actual letters to Santa from children, taken from a local newspaper. Read these letters and look at the faith these children have in their god: (Knox 6)
"Dear Santa. . . If I could have one Christmas wish, it would be for my mom to get better. She has bad arthritis. Would you please heal her?"

"Dear Santa. . . For Christmas would you please give humanity a cure for cancer and a cure for AIDS, and would you please give us a new solar system where people live right?"

"Dear Santa. . . My mom and I both have disabilities. Would you please give both of us new bodies?"

"Dear Santa. . . Please bring peace on earth."

Is anything too hard for Santa?
Is anything too hard for the LORD? Genesis 18:14

And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Matthew 28:18

Come rain, sleet, snow, storm, hurricane, the darkest and dreariest of nights – Santa comes. Their Santa NEVER fails! In one night, the all-powerful, Santa delivers millions and millions of gifts to children all around the world. Who could do that? Now, who REALLY believes that? That little child who has been preached to about Santa. That is who. They believe it. Just ask one. Nothing is too hard for their Santa. If the Christian world had, even a small drop of the faith the average child has in Santa – we’d have revival overnight!

These little kids believe and have more faith in their Santa than all the Christians of the world. If the Christians of the world could just catch a spark of that faith these kids have in Santa – we would have a world-wide revival. Have you ever considered how unbelievable and powerful Santa is? The scientific journal SPY magazine (January 1990) constructed a scientific analysis of Santa. Here’s some of there conclusions:
Santa has 31 hours of Christmas to work with, thanks to the different time zones and the rotation of the earth, assuming he travels east to west (which seems logical). This works out to 822.6 visits per second. This is to say that for each house, Santa has 1/1000th of a second to park, hop out of the sleigh, jump down the chimney, fill the stockings, distribute the remaining presents under the tree, eat whatever snacks have been left, get back up the chimney, get back into the sleigh and move on to the next house.

. . . a total trip of 75-1/2 million miles, not counting stops to do what most of us must do at least once every 31 hours, plus feeding and etc. This means that Santa's sleigh is moving at 650 miles per second, 3,000 times the speed of sound.

The payload on the sleigh adds another interesting element. Assuming that each child gets nothing more than a medium-sized lego set (2 pounds), the sleigh is carrying 321,300 tons.

This increases the payload - not even counting the weight of the sleigh - to 353,430 tons. 353,000 tons traveling at 650 miles per second creates enormous air resistance - The lead pair of reindeer will absorb 14.3 QUINTILLION joules [jewels-measurement of energy] of energy. Per second.

In short, they will burst into flame almost instantaneously and create deafening sonic booms in their wake. The entire reindeer team will be vaporized within 4.26 thousandths of a second. Santa, meanwhile, will be subjected to centrifugal forces 17,500.06 times greater than gravity. A 250-pound Santa (which seems ludicrously slim) would be pinned to the back of his sleigh by 4,315,015 pounds of force.
(SPY Magazine, January 1990)

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. . ." (1 Cor. 15:52) – Santa appears – all over the world! He just quietly "tip-toes" in – and "tip-toes" out. You hear nothing. You see nothing. He appears like a "thief in the night". (1 Thess. 5:2). And we expect our children to believe in a supernatural being that can do all that? And you know what – THEY DO! And they believe it with all their little heart, soul and mind!
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
Matthew 22:35-38


Where did Santa come from? How did Santa get here? When did Santa magically appear? Like, Melchisedec (which most Bible students believe to be a reference to the incarnate Jesus Christ), Santa Claus is like the Son of God: "Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God;. . ." Hebrews 7:3 Santa is from everlasting to everlasting. His "years are throughout all generations". Possessing the attribute of an eternal God, Santa ". . . thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end." He has no beginning. He has no end. Like God Almighty, Santa is eternal. The famous editorial, Yes, Virginia There is a Santa Claus, written by Francis P. Church and published in The New York Sun on September 21, 1897 to 8-year-old Virginia O'Hanlon, ends with the following words:
"No Santa Claus! Thank God, he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood."
(Francis P. Church Yes, Virginia There is a Santa Claus, The New York Sun, September 21, 1897)
1 The LORD reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; the LORD is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: the world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.
2 Thy throne is established of old: thou art from everlasting. Psalm 93:1-2

Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. Habakkuk 1:12

24 I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.
25 Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
26 They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:
27 But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end. Psalm 102:24-27


The Christmas "Spirit"? And yes, Santa has his own "spirit." The "Spirit of Christmas." Isn’t that a little strange? Gene Autry’s famous song "Here Comes Santa Claus" begins with the words, "Speakin' of Christmas spirit." Ring a bell? . . .
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. John 14:16-17 I wonder what John thinks of the "spirit of Christmas"?

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 1 John 4:1-3

SANTA

You better watch out,
You better not cry
You better not pout,
I'm telling you why Santa Claus is comin' to town
He's making a list,
He's checking it twice
He's gonna find out
Who's naughty or nice
Children the world over are taught to FEAR Santa. You’d better go to bed little boy – Santa is watching. Millions of fearful children are told, "You’d better behave. Santa is watching. You might not get anything for Christmas."

The fear of the Lord is the "beginning" of the Christian faith. And the fear of Santa is the beginning of the Santa faith – and possibly the destruction of their Christian faith!
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom:. . . Psalms 111:10
While our children should be taught the fear of the Lord, most are taught the sacrilegious fear of the false god of Santa.
Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Psalm 34:11

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Saint Nicholas: the Truth Behind Santa Claus VIII of X


Oh, how he loves the little children.
All the children of the world.
Red and yellow, black and white,
They are precious in his site.
Santa loves the little children of the world.
They stand in line to sit in his loving lap. They get their picture with Santa. They tell Santa their most intimate secrets. They love their Santa – because he first loved them. Is there something slightly familiar with this picture?
13 And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them.
14 But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Mark 10:13-14
We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19
. . . Ask, and it shall be given you. . . (Matthew 7:7)

Millions of young children will anxiously climb into the loving lap of their Santa Claus. They will whisper in his ear their little hearts desire. Then they will jump out of bed Christmas morning, with eyes shimmering, and hearts pounding — and there is all the wonderful gifts Santa brought them. At least, that is how they see it. . .
Jolly old Saint Nick,
Lean your ear this way!
Don't you tell a
single soul
What I'm going to say;
Christmas Eve is coming soon;
Now, you dear old man,
Whisper what you'll bring to me;
Tell me if you can.
"Jolly Old St. Nick"
Here comes Santa Claus!
Here comes Santa Claus!
Right down Santa Claus Lane. . .
Bells are ringing, children singing;
All is merry and bright.
Hang your stockings and say your prayers,
'Cause Santa Claus comes tonight.
Millions of children worldwide will be asking their Santa for presents. And here’s the kicker – come Christmas morning – they will believe in Santa lovingly gave them all their presents. Who is telling these children these lies? Santa has replaced God as the gracious giver of gifts and the one who answers their prayers. He is Mr. Everything to these kids at Christmas time. They just need to believe. The key to getting your gifts is "believing" in Santa. Millions of kids will be asked this Christmas, "Do you still believe in Santa?"
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive. Matthew 21:22

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalm 37:4

7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. . . .

11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Matthew 7:7-8, 11

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

Isn’t it amazing the power Santa has? Is there anyone like Santa Claus?
He sees you when you're sleeping, He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good So be good for goodness sake

Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Santa is All Knowing – He is Omniscient

He knows. . .ALL
He KNOWS when you’re awake
He KNOWS if you've been good or bad."
Bobby wants a pair of skates,
Suzy wants a sled
Nellie wants a picture book,
yellow, blue, and red
Now I think I'll leave to you
what to give the rest
Choose for me, dear Santa Claus;
you will know the best.

"Jolly Old St. Nick"

Santa knows everything.Children are taught, religiously, that Santa knows everything. He knows when they’re awake. He knows when they’re sleeping. He knows what they want for Christmas. Remember that child-like faith? That faith that belongs to God.Satan is robbing that precious faith with the false god of Santa! Santa has all the attributes of God. Santa has replaced God in the lives of Santa-worshipping children. Just mention the name of Santa to the average child – and watch their little face light up. They love Santa with "all their heart, and with all their soul, and with all their strength, and with all their mind." They stand in line to sit in his loving lap. They leave him milk and cookies. It may be a fable to the grown-ups, but those little kids – they believe and love Santa with all their little heart! And why not? Why shouldn’t they believe in Santa? They are taught, heartily, by the people they love and trust more than anyone on earth that Santa is a god. Santa knows things that are known only by an Omniscient God.

If you doubt the sincerity of the "Santa Claus-as-god-worship" – according to Encyclopedia Americana, during the Middle Ages, over 400 churches in England alone were named after "Santa Claus":
"His cult [Santa Clause] and his representation in art achieved their greatest popularity in the Middle Ages, and in England alone more than 400 churches are named after him."
(John E. Lynch., "Santa Claus", Encyclopedia Americana, 1988 ed., cited in Saint Who by Dr. Paul E. Heaton)

Santa is Everywhere – He is Omnipresent

He’s at the mall. He’s at the parade. He’s on the TV. He’s at the ball-park. He is EVERYWHERE. David’s testimony to the Omnipresence of God Almighty sounds much like the average child’s omnipresence faith in Santa.
7 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8 If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. Psalm 139:7-8
Santa miraculously visits millions of children, all across the world, in one "quick as a wink" night. "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. . ." (1 Cor. 15:52) – Santa appears – all over the world! The poem The Night Before Christmas says of Old St. Nick: ". . . And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof. . ." Where did that come from? – "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. . ." (1 Cor. 15:52)
He sees you when you're sleeping, He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good So be good for goodness sake
Sound familiar. . .?
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Proverbs 15:3

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. 2 Chronicles 16:9