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Showing posts with label st valentine day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label st valentine day. Show all posts

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Who is that "angelical" Cupid? Tammuz? Nimrod?

Babylon and the Cupid Connection
(Nimrod, Semiramis, Tammuz)

"Cupid, the son of Venus, is really Tammuz, son of Semiramis. -Occult Holidays and Sabbats
The Cutting Edge

"Cupid is a Roman name (also called Amor) associated with his lover Venus. They are the god and goddess of love whose stories ill the mythologies. Venus and Cupid were known by many other names. In Babylon they were Semiramis and Tammuz. In Egypt they were Isis and Osiris. In Phoenicia they were Ashteroth and Baal. In Greece they were Aphrodite and Adonis (Eros). In Iceland they were Frigga and Balder. Even in the far East, Cupid was known as Zoroaster (zoro, ‘‘seed of’’ and aster or ‘‘ashteroth’’)
Aletheia Archives; The Bookshelf
February 1994; Vol. 2, No. 2

Biblically, Cupid was the same tradition as Nimrod (Gen 10:8), the mighty hunter; Baal (Num 22:41), the ‘‘Winged One;’’ Tammuz (Ez 8:14), and ‘‘Ishtar,’’ was the mother of Tammuz." In Rome, this tradition was Venus and Cupid. Cupid was the winged youth who shot arrows (like Nimrod the mighty hunter). Thus the world worships daily at the altar of Cupid and carries on the lusts to which they are slaves,"

"The whole tradition goes something like this Semiramis and Tammuz were husband and wife, lovers. Semiramis was seen as a goddess (in Babylon, she was ‘‘Ishtar’’ i.e. ‘‘star’’ and hence ‘‘Venus’’ in Roman times, the feast of Easter in Saxon times. Semiramis became the Queen of Heaven and Tammuz her son as well as lover. This lurid relationship became the basis for the cult being a fertility cult as is seen in all its variations. In Greece, Tammuz is Eros, the son and lover of Aphrodite. I saw a statue of him in the Athens museum (looking exactly as Cupid would look) and it was not something you would hang on your family room wall. Of the four Greek words for love, eros means ‘‘erotic’’. "
Aletheia Archives; The Bookshelf
February 1994; Vol. 2, No. 2

The religion of Babylon (Baal worship) is the most false religions and its influence is still felt world wide, including in today's churches.

Nimrod - The First "Valentine"

That famous man was Lupercus, the HUNTER. But who was Lupercus? -- and why should he have also borne the name Valentine among the heathen Romans? The Greeks called Lupercus by the name of "Pan". The Semites called Pan "Baal," according to the "Classical Dictionaries". Baal -- mentioned so often in the Bible -- was merely another name for Nimrod, "the mighty HUNTER" (Genesis 10:9). The hunter Nimrod was the Lupercus -- or wolf hunter -- of the Romans. And St. Valentine's Day was originally a day set aside by the pagans in his honor!"

Cupid

"Venus was the mother of Cupid. He was believed to bring about love and also to make it cease. The name Cupid means "desire". Nimrod's mother, Venus (Semiramis) desired and lusted her own son. That is why she is called the goddess of sexual immorality - she married her own son. They and their twisted sexuality are the object of Valentine's Day."

"LUPERCALIA {the feast of Lupercus, the mighty wolf hunter}. The ancient Roman celebration of Lupercalia was held in honor of Lupercus, the deified great hunter of Rome. This celebration also included worship of the goddess of fertility, Venus. In Roman mythology this goddess of fertility and sexual immortality, had a son called Cupid. Cupid was said to have attended to her and was given power to cause love to begin and to cease. This celebration was held from the 14th through the 15th of February. Some of the events of this pagan holiday included the choosing of partners by chance; in which teenaged girls would place their names into a box. The names were then drawn out by young men. The girl whose name was drawn then became the sexual partner with the man for the upcoming year; beginning in March during the Fertility rites of the Spring Equinox."

"NIMROD (Baal) and Semiramis (ASHTORETH)-- The Greek called Lupercus by the name of "Pan", the Semites called Pan "Baal". Baal which is mentioned several times in the bible, is merely another name for Nimrod "the mighty hunter" (Genesis 10:8-9). Nimrod was the original Lupercus,and we know that Nimrod was a mighty man who built great cities, including Babel. Later when Queen Semiramis gave birth to an illegitimate son, she claimed that he was Nimrod reborn, calling him - "Nimrod-Tammuz" by name. Another name for Nimrod-Tammuz was "Cupid", which means "Desire". Queen Semaramis lusted after her son, and soon they were married. Nimrod-Tammuz was forever known as the child "god". In the Babylonian tongue the word 'heart' was pronounced "Bal". In the depictions of Tammuz the "heart shaped" fruit of Persea was often found in his hand. Thus Tammuz became known as the god of the heart."

"Tammuz, which comes from the Sumerian, is synonymous with "Bacchus" and the Greek
"Adonis" both gods associated with sexuality, fertility and beauty. Tammuz was the god of Mesopotamian (Babylonian) myth who was worshipped as "The Quickener of the Child". Also god of fertility - this god thus had a special significance for women. Tammuz was the demon-god with whom the Prostitute of Babylon (a real woman) ritually copulated."
-THE FEMALE CULT OF TAMMUZ

Cupid and The "Sacred" Heart

"Cupid, the winged baby with a bow and arrows and a heart is tied directly to Nimrod and the Babylonian Mysteries. Alexander Hislop in The Two Babylons pp 188, 189 states this about Cupid and the symbol of the heart: The "Heart" was one of the sacred symbols of Osiris [Nimrod] when he was born again, and appeared as [Tammuz] or the infant divinity,"

Hislop goes on about Cupid, 'Speaking of a statue of Cupid, it is a fair, full, fleshly, round boy, in fine and sportive action, tossing back a heart.' Thus the boy-god came to be regarded as the 'god of the heart', in other words, as Cupid, or the god of love. To identify this infant divinity, with hi father 'the mighty hunter' [Nimrod], he was equipped with 'bow and arrows'. He was the woman's seed. Venus and her son Cupid,(Semiramis and Tammuz) were none other than the Madonna and the child (bearing the sacred heart)

"The worship of the "Sacred Heart" was introduced into Rome. It was so in ancient Babylon, as is evident from the Babylonian system as it appeared in Egypt. There also a "Sacred Heart" was venerated. The "Heart" was one of the sacred symbols of Osiris when he was born again, and appeared as Harpocrates, or the infant divinity, borne in the arms of his mother Isis. Therefore, the fruit of the Egyptian Persea was peculiarly sacred to him, from its resemblance to the "HUMAN HEART." Hence this infant divinity was frequently represented with a heart, or the heart-shaped fruit of the Persea, in one of his hands."

Source:

Friday, February 13, 2009

Who is Saint Valentine?

Saint Valentine: Holy Priest of Rome

The date of this Saint Valentine's birth is not known. Along with Saint Marius and his family, Saint Valentine assisted the martyrs during the persecution they suffered under the rule of Claudius II (also known as Claudius the Goth and Claudius the Cruel). In addition, since Rome was at the time involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns, the emperor found it difficult to recruit the male populace into joining his military leagues. Believing this to be because Roman men were adverse to leaving their loved ones or their familes, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements within the City of Rome.

Saint Valentine and Saint Marius, however, continued to perform wedding ceremonies in secret. When is was discovered that Saint Valentine was defying the emperor's decree, he was apprehended and dispatched by Claudius to the Prefect of Rome who, being unable to force the saint to renounce Christianity, ordered that Valentine be clubbed, stoned and then beheaded.

According to tradition, while Valentine waited in prison for his execution, he corresponded with those under his care by sending letters and love notes to his parishioners. It is also believed that while incarcerated, the Bishop fell in love with a young woman who visited him during his confinement. According to some sources, this was the blind daughter (whose name may have been Julia) of Asterius, the jailer. It is said that God enabled Valentine to miraculously restore the girl's sight. Popular belief indicates that Valentine's farewell message to his love contained a closing that has now transcended time: "From Your Valentine."

The saint was executed on February 14 in either 269 A.D. or 270 A.D. In 270 A.D., Pope Julius I is said to have built a church near Ponte Mole in the saint's memory at a location once known as Porta Valentini and now called Porta del Popolo. The relic bones of this Saint Valentine, who may also have been a physician, are now housed within the Church of Saint Praxed in Rome.

Saint Valentine: Bishop of Interamna

This Saint Valentine is said to have been scourged, imprisoned and beheaded by Placidus, Prefect of Interanma. The relic bones of this Saint Valentine are housed in a basilica in Terni, a town in Italy which hails Saint Valentine as its Patron Saint. It is believed that the saint, who lived in the Third Century, dedicated his life to the Christian community of Terni, becoming the first Bishop of the town. Adored by the populace, the fame of Saint Valentine's holiness and miracles reached Rome, his name being linked with love because, according to legend, he was the first religious personage to oversee the celebration of marriage between a pagan man and a Christian woman.

Sentenced to death in Rome, he was martyred on February 14 along the Via Flaminia and swiftly buried in order to prevent rioting by the Christians. It is said that three of Saint Valentine's disciples managed to find the body, transferring it to Terni, where the remains were interred within a sacred place. The Basilica of Saint Valentino was later erected in the same location to honor the saint and invoke his protection and blessing. Every year on February 14, the town of Terni now hosts exhibitions, fairs and cultural events which attract many tourists to the area.

In 496 A.D., Pope Gelasius declared February 14 to be the Feast Day of Saint Valentine...Patron Saint of Lovers and Engaged Couples, with particular jurisdiction over the quarrels which arise between sweethearts. The patronage of Saint Valentine also extends to epilepsy (from which he is believed to have suffered), bee-keepers, plague, greetings, travellers and young people. His representations include: birds, roses, a bishop with a crippled or epileptic child at his feet; a bishop with a rooster nearby; a bishop refusing to adore an idol; a bishop being beheaded; a priest bearing a sword; a priest holding a sun; and a priest bestowing sight upon a blind girl. Throughout the world, there are several special resorts that exhibit a romantic year-round theme (but particularly on February 14 with elaborate celebrations) and which are named in honor of Saint Valentine...Saint-Valentin in France (also known as "le village pour les Amoureux"), Saint-Valentin in Austria, Saint-Valentin in Quebec, Canada (founded in 1835 and granted the unique distinction of being the only location in the world with permission to use a heart-shaped date stamp on outgoing mail) and Sakuto Cho in Japan, for example.


Source:

St. Valentines Day: The Origins of Valentine's Day

Origin of Valentines Day
The Festival of Lupercus: Lupercalia
It was during the reign of Pope Gelasius, that this festival of Lupercus: Lupercalia became a Christian custom: "As far back as about 496AD, Pope Gelasius changed Lupercalia from February 15 to St. Valentine's Day on February 14" (source: Customs and Holidays Around the World, Lavinia Dobler, p.172). The Emperor Constantine had made "Christianity" the official religion of the Roman Empire in the fourth century. By this time, much of God's holy truth had been discarded and replaced by pagan philosophy. Constantine himself, was a sun-worshipper. The Roman Catholic church's main concern was to convert the pagans as quickly as possible. These conversions were to be made at any and all costs. This included allowing their pagan customs to continue - ONLY, "Christian" names were to be placed upon them. Hence Lupercalia became St Valentines Day.

First, we should understand that Valentine's Day began when the early Roman Catholic Church tried to Christianize an ancient pagan Roman holiday called Lupercalia. That celebration was a licentious festival that honored Lupercus, the hero-hunter of wolves. This festival was so immensely popular among the Roman people that church leaders included it in their calendar, hoping to retain their new parishioners and turn them from sexual licentiousness to morality by linking it to a saint.

Saint Valentine?
Valentines Days has no relation to Saints. Researching Saint Valentines Day in most reference works would lead to a third-century Catholic martyr named Saint Valentine. However, the Encyclopedia Britannica states in its 15th ed., vol 10, p.336: "St. Valentine's Day as a lovers' festival and the modern tradition of sending valentine cards have no relation to the saints but, rather seem to be connected either with the Roman fertility festival of Lupercus: the Lupercalia (kept on the evening of Feb.14th and the day of the 15th) or with the mating season of birds." This information is reiterated by the Encyclopedia Americana (article: "ST. Valentine's Day"): The customs of Valentine's Day "have been handed down from the Roman festival of the Lupercalia, celebrated in the month of February, when the names of young women were put into a box and drawn out by men as chance directed." This (of this/that) is the origin of valentines day - cards linking men and women together for sexual purposes.

Who Is Lupercus?
Lupercus - The Roman god of agriculture and shepherds, also an epithet of Faunus. The Luperci sacrificed two goats and a dog on the festival of the Lupercalia, celebrated on February 15. This took place in the Lupercal, a cave were, according to tradition, the twins Romulus and Remus were reared by a wolf. This cave is located at the base of the Palatin Hill. Goats were used since Lupercus was a god of shepherds, and the dog as protector of the flock.

The Ritual of Lupercalia


The festival began with the sacrifice by the Luperci (or the flamen dialis) of two male goats and a dog. Next two young patrician Luperci were led to the altar, to be anointed on their foreheads with the sacrificial blood, which was wiped off the bloody knife with wool soaked in milk, after which they were expected to smile and laugh. The sacrificial feast followed, after which the Luperci cut thongs from the skins of the victims, which were called Februa, dressed themselves in the skins of the sacrificed goats, in imitation of Lupercus, and ran round the walls of the old Palatine city, the line of which was marked with stones, with the thongs in their hands in two bands, striking the people who crowded near. Girls and young women would line up on their route to receive lashes from these whips. This was supposed to ensure fertility, prevent sterility in women and ease the pains of childbirth. This tradition itself may survive (Christianised, and shifted to Spring) in certain ritual Easter Monday whippings.

History of Valentines Day

Valentine's Day began to be popular around the 17th century in Great Britain. By the middle of the 18th century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.

Who Still Celebrates Saint Valentines Day?
Saint Valentines Day is actively celebrated in these Six Countries: Canada, United Kingdom, United States, Australia, Mexico, France. Two called United may have also began the mother of all wars in Iraq. So perhaps what they are United in is pre-emptive law law vengeance. Valentines Day Got Canceled in 1969 for being an orgy of consumerism The Roman Catholic Church, which originally made this pagan feast of Lupercus: Lupercalia into a religious Saint Valentines Day holiday, also canceled it in 1969 when they realized it had gone from an intended festival of love to an orgy of consumerism.

Officially there has been no Saint Valentines Day for 40 years
Officially there's no Saint Valentines Day since 1969. But since many people remain traditionally ignorant, St Valentines Day seems to continue on being on calendars in 2009, forty years after it got canceled; And in stores Valentines Day continues being an orgy of consumerism, a profitable windfall for flower shops, card makers, chocolate makers, and jewelers who windfall profit as makers and lovers of lies, since there never really was a Saint Valentine, and the origin of Valentines Day was a pagan festival of Lupercus called Lupercalia.

Valentines Day Trivia
  • Valentines Day got canceled in 1969 for being an orgy of commercialism.
  • Over 75% of valentines for Saint Valentines Day are purchased by women.
  • The Greeting Card Association expects Americans to buy 190 million Valentine's Day cards in 2009. That figure shoots way up to 1 billion when cards sold in packages for schoolchildren are included.
  • Saint Valentines Day: It's the second biggest day for cards. Besides chocolates and flowers Saint Valentines Day is big on cards, second biggest card selling day of the year (next to nearly Billion at Christmas).
  • It's a windfall for card shops, flower shops, chocolate retailers, jewelers.
Source:

Friday, November 07, 2008

PAGAN HOLIDAYS: Halloween, Easter, St Patricks day, St Valentines day


NON-BIBLICAL HOLIDAYS

Easter, Halloween, and Christmas observances are among the most commonly observed religious and secular holidays (a word perverted from Holy Days) that many people believe are a part of the worship system of the God; however, basic research into the origin of these holidays shows them to be unacceptable to God the Father and Jesus Christ.

Anyone who wishes to worship the true God and his Son correctly should understand the seriousness of celebrating these religious and secular holidays, because their origin and practice involved fertility rites, sexual licentiousness, and the worship of false gods as the central focus of their celebration.

God the Father and the Creator God (Jesus Christ) give this instruction to those who are serious about following their way of life and serving them:

"Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you" (Deut.6:14 NIV).

"Be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, "How do these nations serve their gods? We will do the same." You must not worship the Lord your God in their way, . . ." (Deut.12:30-31 NIV).

"Do not learn the ways of the nations [heathens] . . ." (Jer.10:2 NIV). "Do not follow other gods to serve and worship them; . . ." (Jer.25:6 NIV). "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever" (Heb.13:8 NIV).

The following study will review some of the more popular religious and secular holidays that are observed around the world by professing Christianity and show that these non-biblical observances are a violation of the law of God and should not be celebrated by the elect of God.


THE TRUTH ABOUT EASTER
Each year in the spring, masses of worshipers celebrate Easter. Around the world, Easter Sunrise Worship services are held on the tops of hills and mountains, while priests chant and utter incantations, devotees kneel and bow in worship towards the east as the sun crests the horizon.

The places of worship overflow with people dressed in their new Easter clothes. Bells ring from cathedrals and stirring hymns fill the air to inspire and uplift the worshipers. Ministers and priests announce the resurrection of Jesus Christ with great acclaim and joy. And, after the religious rites are over, the children are treated to an Easter egg hunt.

This is a description of a modern-day celebration of Easter. But, as strange as it may seem, a similar description applies to the Easter celebrations in Babylon over 4,000 years ago, in Asia Minor over 2,500 years ago, and in pagan Rome in 100 A.D..

This paper presents several studies into the celebration of Easter, which prove that Easter originated from pagan worship of false gods, and it should not be observed by anyone who wishes to honor and worship God the Father.

Easter Eggs: Ancient and Modern

"The origin of the Pasch [Easter] eggs is just as clear [as the origin of Easter]. The ancient druids bore an egg, as the sacred emblem of their order. In the Dionysiaca, or mysteries of Bacchus, as celebrated in Athens, one part of the nocturnal ceremony consisted in the consecration of an egg. The Hindu fables celebrate their mundane egg as of a golden color. The people of Japan make their sacred egg to have been brazen. In China, at this hour, dyed or painted eggs are used on sacred festivals, even as in this country [England]. In ancient times eggs were used in the religious rites of the Egyptians and the Greeks, and were hung up for mystic purposes in their temples. From Egypt these sacred eggs can be distinctly traced to the banks of the Euphrates. The classic poets are full of the fable of the mystic egg of the Babylonians.

"An egg of wondrous size is said to have fallen from heaven into the river Euphrates. The fishes rolled it to the bank, where the doves having settled upon it, and hatched it, out came Venus, who afterwards was called the Syrian Goddess—that is, Astarte. Hence the egg became one of the symbols of Astarte or Easter; and accordingly, in Cyprus, one of the chosen seats of the worship of Venus, or Astarte, the egg of wondrous size was represented on a grand scale." (The Two Babylons, pp. 108-109).

The True Origin of Easter

"What means the term Easter itself? It is not a Christian name. It bears its Chaldean [Babylonian] origin on its very forehead. Easter is nothing else than Astarte [Isthar], one of the titles of Beltis, the queen of heaven . . ." (The Two Babylons, p. 103).

"The religious solemnities of April, as now practiced, are called by the name of Easter—that month, among our Pagan [British] ancestors, having been called Easter month. The festival, of which we read in Church history under the name of Easter, in the third or fourth centuries, was quite a different festival from that now observed in the Romish Church, and at that time was not known by any such name as Easter. It was called Pasch, or the Passover, and though not of Apostolic institution, was very early observed by many professing Christians; in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Christ" (ibid. p. 104).

The Passover was instituted by God when he brought the children of Israel out of Egypt. Moreover, one of the main reasons for killing the Egyptians' firstborn children and animals was God's judgment against the gods of the Egyptians:

"For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord" (Ex.12:12).

The God who went to those lengths to show his power and might over the gods of the Egyptians would never sanction the worship of him by the means of the pagan religious ceremonies or pagan holidays:

"That festival agreed originally with the time of the Jewish Passover, when Christ was crucified. . . that festival [of the Passover and feast of Unleavened Bread] was not idolatrous, and was preceded by no Lent . . ." (The Two Babylons, p. 104).

"The forty days' abstinence of Lent was directly borrowed from the worshipers of the Babylonian goddess [the queen of heaven]. Such a Lent of forty days, 'in the spring of the year,' is still observed by the Yezidis or Pagan Devil worshipers of Koordistan, who have inherited it from their early masters, the Babylonians" (Ibid., p. 104). Moreover, the pagan Mexican Baal sun-worshipers observed a solemn fast like Lent for forty days in honor of the sun beginning three days after the vernal equinox.

"Such a Lent of forty days was observed in Egypt . . . was held expressly in commemoration of Adonis or Osiris, the great mediatorial god. . . among the Pagans this Lent seems to have been an indispensable preliminary to the great annual festival in commemoration of the [supposed] death and resurrection of Tammuz [Babylonian name for Adonis or Osiris], which was celebrated by alternate weeping and rejoicing . . ." (Ibid., p. 105). The Death and Resurrection for Adonis—The Pagan Savior The pagan counterfeit, which was inspired by Satan, has been substituted for the true Christian Passover and has been accepted as the authentic Christian observance. There are variations in the rituals from country to country, but the death on a Friday and a resurrection on Sunday is a consistent theme.

"We have seen that the rites of Tammuz or Adonis were commonly celebrated . . . In the gardens of Adonis are still sown in spring as well as in summer, from which we may perhaps infer that Sicily as well as Syria celebrated of old a vernal festival of the dead and risen god. At the approach of Easter, Sicilian women sow wheat, lentils, and canary seed in plates . . . the plants soon shoot up; the stalks are tied together with red ribbons, and the plates containing them are placed on the sepulchers which, with the effigies of the dead Christ, are made up in Catholic and Greek churches on Good Friday, just as the gardens of Adonis were placed on the grave for the dead Adonis.

"The practice is not confined to Sicily . . . The whole custom—the sepulchers as well as plates of sprouting grain—may be nothing but a continuation, under a different name, [the name of Jesus Christ], of the worship of Adonis" (The Golden Bough, p. 400).

"During the whole of Good Friday a waxen effigy of the dead Christ is exposed to view in the middle of the Greek churches and is covered with fervent kisses by the thronging crowd, while the whole church rings with melancholy, monotonous dirges. Late in the evening, when it has grown quite dark, this waxen image is carried by the priests into the street on a bier . . ." (Ibid., p. 401).

"This is followed by the ritual mourning by the whole town as the priests slowly carry the wax image, and a great multitude follows. Thus, the community solemnly buries its Christ as if he had just died. At last the waxen image is again deposited in the church, and the same lugubrious chants echo anew.

"These lamentations, accompanied by a strict fast, continue till midnight on Saturday. As the clock strikes twelve, the bishop appears and announces the glad tidings that 'Christ is risen,' to which the crowd replies, 'He is risen indeed' . . . in the same hour people plunge from the extremity of the fast into the enjoyment of the Easter lamb and neat wine'" (Ibid., p. 401).

This kind of vain and idolatrous mockery of the true death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is an example of how far paganism has penetrated Christianity. Only the names were changed, not the religion. Yet, this pagan, Christian, Babylonian religion with some variations has been embraced as the universal Christianity by the world—Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant. They all observe Easter, which was previously a pagan day of worship and celebration in commemoration of false gods.

The Myth and Ritual of Attis

"Another of those gods whose supposed death and resurrection struck such deep roots into the faith and ritual of Western Asia is Attis. He was to Phrygia what Adonis was to Syria . . . Attis was said to have been a fair young shepherd or herdsman beloved by Cybele, the Mother of the Gods, a great Asiatic goddess of fertility, who had her chief home in Phrygia. Some held that Attis was her son. His birth, like that of many other heroes, is said to have been miraculous" (Ibid., p. 407).

The mother and son pagan counterfeit religion along with its rites and worship system was deeply entrenched within ancient historical tradition as the established religion. People everywhere in the civilized world believed this was the way to worship God.

God's Teachings Concerning Pagan Practices

"Take heed to yourself that you be not snared by following them . . . and that you inquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so I will do likewise. You shall not do to the Lord your God: for every abomination to the Lord, which he hates, have they done to their gods . . .What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: you shall not add thereto, nor diminish from it" (Deut.12:30-32).

"Sirs, why do you these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach to you that you should turn from these vanities to the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: Who in times past allowed the nations to walk in their own ways . . .And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men every where to repent!" (Acts 14:15-16; 17:30).

The Bible shows that the New Testament church opposed the pagan religious practices and the blending of these pagan practices with the worship of the true God.

"But I say, the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God: and I would not that you should have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. . ." (1 Cor.10:20-21).

God has never given his church any authority to accept and assimilate pagan religious practices as a means of worshiping him. Any person, organization, or church which does this, rejects the word of God and teaches doctrines that are contrary to the word of God. Therefore, anyone who teaches and preaches such practices is teaching a false savior, and a counterfeit Christianity.

Catholic Admissions and Practices

The Catholic church has always used its power and authority to enforce the acceptance of teachings that are contrary to the Biblical teachings.

"In like manner the Catholic Church has been accustomed to bring before its followers in a visible form the death and resurrection of the Redeemer . . . When we reflect how often the Church has skillfully contrived to plant the seeds of the new faith on the stock of paganism, we may surmise that the Easter celebration of the dead and risen Christ was grafted upon the similar celebration of the dead and risen Adonis . . ." (The Golden Bough, p. 401).

"To conciliate the Pagans to nominal Christianity, Rome, pursuing its usual policy, took measures to get the Christian and Pagan festivals amalgamated, and, by a complicated but skillful adjustment of the calendar, it was found no difficult matter, in general, to get Paganism and Christianity—now far sunk in idolatry—in this as in so many other areas, to shake hands" (The Two Babylons, p. 105).

"Taken altogether, the coincidences of the Christian with the heathen festivals are too close and too numerous to be accidental. They mark the compromise which the [Catholic] Church in the hour of its triumph was compelled to make with its vanquished yet still dangerous rivals. The inflexible Protestantism of the primitive missionaries, with their fiery denunciations of heathendom, had been exchanged for the supple policy, the easy tolerance, the comprehensive charity of shrewd ecclesiastics, who clearly perceived that if Christianity was to conquer the world it could do so only by relaxing the too rigid principles of its Founder, by widening a little the narrow gate which leads to salvation" (The Golden Bough, p. 419).

Granting the practice of pagan beliefs in direct opposition to the clear commandments of God has always been the policy of the Catholic Church.

"In the history of the Church we find that she often christened pagan festivals, making use of dates and ceremonies, and endowing them with an entirely new and Christian significance" (My Catholic Faith, p. 416).

"Today the entire of Christendom celebrates Easter Sunday in memory of the Resurrection. It is the Feast of feasts . . . Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday following the first full moon of spring; the feast is moveable, and can fall between March 22 and April 25" (Ibed., p.81).

This variance in the date of Easter was devised to more closely counterfeit the dates of the true Christian Passover and make it easier to replace the Passover with Easter. Also, the observance of the Passover ceremony, as commanded be Jesus Christ himself, was substituted with the Catholic holy eucharist (communion), which is of pagan derivation, by edict of the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D.

Attendance and taking of the Mass on Easter Sunday is obligatory for all Catholics. Even though the leaders of the Catholic Church have the Holy Bible and claim to teach it, they insist that "under pain of grievous sin" all are to observe this holiday. However, God Almighty commands Christians not to observe such feasts.

"We are obligated to receive Holy Communion during Easter time each year . . .The Church enforces this command by requiring us under pain of grievous sin to communicate [take communion] at least at Easter time" (My Catholic Faith, p.311).

God's Indictment and Condemnation of Pagan Practices

Throughout the Bible, God shows that he has never allowed his people to worship him by means of pagan ceremonies and rituals. In the Old Testament, the children of Israel cut themselves off from God whenever they left the true worship of God. Today, the same spiritual principle applies for the elect of God who are to worship God the Father in spirit and truth (Jn.4:23-24). If, as Jesus Christ commands, the elect of God worship him in spirit and truth and are sanctified by the truth, which is God's word (Jn.15:16;17:17), why would God accept any pagan form of worship?

The apostle Peter wrote to true Christians and strongly condemned pagan practices and false prophets:

"For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty . . . But there were false prophets, also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious way; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of " (2.Pet.1:16; 2:1-2).

The truth of God was buried under an avalanche of propaganda that denounced God's way as Jewish. Hence, Jesus' castigation of Judaism—a form of Jewish rejection of God's truth—was cleverly and deceptively used to attack true Christianity. The seventh day Sabbath (on Saturday), the true Christian Passover, and the annual festivals of God were labeled Jewish. The truth is that the Passover, the Sabbath, and the annual festivals were instituted by God and not the Jews.

It is true that, during the days of Jesus Christ, only the Jews were observing these days; however, it does not mean that the Jews originated these commanded days of worship. They were originally commanded by God in the holy scriptures in Exodus chapters 12, 16, 20, 23, 32; Leviticus chapter 23; Numbers 9, 28; Deuteronomy 5, 16. Moreover, they were observed by Jesus Christ and the apostles in the New Testament. The true Festivals of God are found in the Bible, not pagan religions. In fact, history shows that many times the Israelites and Jews were just as paganized with Babylonian religions and forms of worship as professing Christians are today. God's condemnation of these practices is still valid today:

"Do you not see what they are doing in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem? The Children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough to make cakes [the hot cross buns of Easter] for the queen of heaven [the great mother goddess of fertility]; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods in order to spite Me. Do they spite Me?, declares the Lord. Is it not themselves they spite to their own shame? Therefore thus saying the Lord God, Behold My anger and My wrath will be poured out on this place, on man and on beast and on the trees of the field and on the fruit of the ground; and it will burn and not be quenched" (Jer.7:17-20, New American Standard Bible).

These idolatrous practices are violations of the first and second commandments. The New Testament, also reveals that idolaters will not be in the kingdom of God (Rev.21:8).

Ezekiel chapter 8 contains God's indictment and stinging rebuke against idolatry and pagan religions.

"Then said he to me, Son of man, lift up your eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up my eyes the way toward the north, and behold the northward gate of the altar this image of jealousy in the entry. He said furthermore to me, Son of man, do you see what they are doing? even the great abominations that the house of Israel commits here, that I should go far off from my sanctuary?. . ." (Ezk.8:5-6).

The same is true today. Even the churches that claim to be Christian, have driven God away by their idolatry.

Greater Abominations

"Then he said to me, Son of man, have you seen what the ancients of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The Lord sees us not; the Lord has forsaken the earth. He said also to me, Turn you yet again, and you shall see greater abominations that they do. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord's house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz!" (Ezk.8:12-14).

Tammuz was the Babylonian name for Adonis, who was also called Attis and Osiris. All such heathen practices are considered abominable to God the Father.














Sunrise Worship Condemned

"Then he said to me, Have you seen this, O son of man? turn you yet again, and you shall see greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord [symbolic of rejecting God], and their faces toward the east; and they worshiped the sun toward the east" (Ezk.8:15-16).

This is exactly what people are doing when they participate in Easter sunrise services. They think that they are worshiping and honoring God, but in reality they are dishonoring him.

Because most people have been deceived into observing the pseudo-christian pagan holidays, they believe they are doing what is right. They believe that they are serving God and are convinced that they are true Christians:

"Woe to them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight. Woe to them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink" (Isa.5:20-22).

"Come here; I will show you the judgment of the great whore that sits upon many waters [peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages]: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have made drunk with the wine of her fornication . . . and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of the names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

"And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, and having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written Mystery, Babylon The Great, Mother Of Harlots [all the religions of the world, except the true religion of God] And The Abominations Of The Earth [all the pagan religious holidays and practices]" (Rev.17:1-5).

This is the same evil religious system that God condemns throughout the entire Bible; it is the same satanic system which has rejected the laws of God.

"Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him! Therefore as the fire devours the stubble, and the flame consumes the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel" (Isa.5:23-24).

They Put the Golden Bough to Their Nose

"Then he said to me, Have you seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations that they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch of their nose" (Ezk.8:17). The Branch or Golden Bough is the symbol of pagan religions.

SUMMARY

The historical record and the word of God clearly show the following things about the practice of Easter:

  • Easter celebrations did not begin when Christianity began
  • The Bible does not command Easter observance
  • Early New Testament Christians did not celebrate Easter
  • Easter was celebrated by pagans in their worship of evil spirits thousands of years before Jesus Christ was born
  • God condemns the practice of Easter-type worship and calls it an abomination
  • True Christians are commanded to observe the Christian Passover, not Easter

Many of the leaders of the Christian world know the truth about the pagan practice of Easter, but they refuse to repent. Those who practice this abomination will suffer the wrath of Almighty God as prophesied in Ezekiel 8 and in the Book of Revelation:

"Therefore will I also deal in furry: my eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: and though they cry in my ears with a loud voice, yet I will not hear them" (Ezk.8:18).

THE ORIGIN OF HALLOWEEN

Few have taken the time to ask about the origin of Halloween and whether or not Christians should participate in this holiday. The truth is that Halloween is not Christian and should not be celebrated by true Christians:

"The principal fire-festivals of the Celts . . . May Day and the other on Allhallow Even or Halloween, as it is now commonly called, that is, on the thirty-first of October, the day preceding All Saints' or Allhallows Day . . . the feast of all souls. At the beginning of November, which under a thin Christian cloak conceals an ancient pagan festival of the dead . . . in the manner of their celebration and in the superstitions associated with them, and alike, by the antique character impressed upon both, betray a remote and purely pagan origin" (The Golden Bough, p. 733-34).

"Do not pursue after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? I will do likewise. You shall not likewise to the Lord your God: for every abomination that the Lord hates, they have done to their gods. They have even burned their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. Whatever I command you, be sure to do it: you shall not add to it, or take away from it" (Deut.12:30-32 Para.).

God of the Dead

The following sources show that Halloween was originally a holiday celebrated in honor of the god of the dead:

"The earliest Hallowe'en celebrations [in the British Isles] were held by the Druids in honour of Samhain, Lord of the dead, whose festival fell on November 1" (Halloween Through Twenty Centuries).

"It was a Druidical belief that on the eve of this festival [Hallowe'en], Saman, Lord of the Dead, called together the wicked spirits . . . (Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th edition, "Halloween").

In the ancient pagan world, it was believed that the souls of good people would rise to heaven and the souls of evil people would be turned over to the lord of the dead. And once a year, the spirits of the dead people would be let out.

"Hallows' is an old word for a saint and Allhallows' Eve (31 October) is the vigil of All Saints (1 November), the Christian festival corresponding to an ancient feast of the dead. In many European countries it is traditionally a time when the spirits of the departed visit their former homes; a fire, food and drink are put ready for them.

"In Sicily the ghostly visitors bring gifts for the children – toys, sweets and clothes stolen from the shops. The Welch believe that a ghost came and sat on every stile when the clock struck twelve. In some parts of Wales the wandering shades [ghosts] appeared as a white lady, while in north Wales and Scotland people feared the spectral Black Sow" (Encyclopedia of Witchcraft and Magic, Venetia Newal, p. 16).

"In Wales until the eighteenth century it was customary to burn a candle in church to see what the future held. A bright flame meant a prosperous, happy year. An irregular flame foretold trouble, and if it went out this signified one's own death. Hallowe'en divination probably derives from Samhain . . ." (Ibid, p. 16).

Halloween is a purely pagan, occult holiday. The symbols of Halloween tell the true meaning of the day. The Jack-O-latern is an idol to the Lord of the Dead (Satan). The lighted candle within is a remnant of Halloween Fires to light the way for the returning spirits of the dead. The witch represents the high priestess of Satan worship. The full moon is the Sabat night on which witches perform their ritual worship of the spirits and Satan. The black cat is associated with witchcraft and symbolizes a witches' spirit guide (demon).

The skeleton depicts Ankou, Lord of the Dead who allegedly traveled in the dead of night to claim his victims. Superstitious beliefs portray Ankou as living in an underground palace filled with thousand of candles. Each candle is supposed to represent a human life. He claims his victims by blowing out the candles.

Satan Worship

The truth is that when people observe and commemorate pagan holidays, they actually worship Satan who wants to be worshiped as God:

"Taken altogether, the coincidences of the Christian with the heathen festivals are too close and too numerous to be accidental. They mark the compromise which the church [not the Church of God] in the hour of its triumph was compelled to make . . ." (The Golden Bough, Frazer, p. 419).

The Bible shows what God has commanded his people to do and not do. He commands his children not to learn the way of the Heathen (Jer.10:2). Moreover, God allows no way to sanctify a pagan festival as Christian:

"But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God: and I would not that you should have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons: you cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of demons" (1 Cor.10:20-21 KJV).

Incredible as it may seem, the Catholic church, which professes to worship Christ, admittedly has accepted pagan practices into their worship of God.

"On this day the Church honors the Angels and Saints in heaven. It is a holyday of obligation. This day is a great family feast. It has its origin in the year 610, when [Pope] Boniface IV dedicated the [pagan] Pantheon of Rome to the Blessed Virgin and all the martyrs. It is in special commemoration of the millions of Saints in heaven who have not been officially cannonized by the Church, and thus have no special commemoration during the year.

"This day commemorates all the souls in Purgatory. It is a day for pious remembrance of the dead, and for offering Masses and prayers for them. On this day as on Christmas, priests are allowed to say three Masses, for the souls of the departed, that they may be free from Purgatory.

"From noon of All Saints' Day till midnight of the next day (All Soul's Day), all those who have confessed and received Holy Communion on either of the two days may gain the 'toties quoties' indulgence: a plenary indulgence applicable to the souls in Purgatory every time they visit a church or public chapel, and pray six 'Our Fathers', six 'Hail Marys', and 'six glorias' for the intention of the Holy Father [the Pope]" (My Catholic Faith, 1963, p. 417).

Along with being part of the Catholic system of worship, Halloween is also the high Sabat for witches around the world. And the practices of witchcraft are condemned in the Bible (Deut.18:9-14).

True Christians should have absolutely nothing to do with such evil and abominable satanic practices, customs, and days. Additionally, the children of Christians should not be involved nor participate in these holidays and events.


ST. VALENTINES DAY




ST. PATRICKS DAY




HALLOWEEN HISTORY



THE MEANING OF HALLOWEEN




PAGAN ORIGINS OF THE DAYS OF THE WEEK





PAGAN ORIGINS OF EASTER




EASTER: CHRISTIAN OR PAGAN?




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