We have friends who do not celebrate Christmas because they say December 25th is really a pagan holiday. How do I respond to them? Well, in a sense, tell them they're right.
You see, the winter solstice a couple days later was the shortest day of the year, and the pagans had something called Saturnalia, and it was a time of lawlessness because all the laws were suspended. Christmas is celebrated on December 25th. It is said to be the birth of who the world calls Jesus and the most wonderful time of the year. But is this true according to scripture?
For many of us, our fondest childhood memories revolve around the Christmas traditions. If you've been good all year round, Santa Claus is going to bring you something. It is a time of love, generosity, excitement, and magic.
Throughout the years, this holiday has become a time of mass marketing and crass commercialism. Have you ever stopped to wonder about the origins of Christmas traditions? Why do we deck the halls with boughs of holly?
Why do we teach our children to believe in Santa Claus? And why do we decorate Christmas trees and partake in gift-giving feasts and parties? In a world overshadowed by the glittering facade of holiday festivities, the true origins of Christmas often remain wrapped in mystery. Join us on a captivating journey through time as we unravel the pagan roots of this celebrated occasion. In the next couple of minutes, you'll discover the surprising origins of your favorite holiday traditions, and you may never look at Christmas the same way again.
If you are new to our channel, you will hear us use the name Yahushua, for whom the world refers to as Jesus Christ. We must warn you up front, because your memories and emotions are attached to what makes up who you are. Some of this information will be shocking.
It may also be disturbing for some of you. If you love the Most High, Yahuwah, and you desire to serve Him in truth, we want to encourage you to fear not. As the scriptures teach, the truth will set you free. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Messiah. We have friends who do not celebrate Christmas because they say December 25th is really a pagan holiday.
How do I respond to them? Well, in a sense, tell them they're right. You see, the winter solstice a couple days later was the shortest day of the year, and the pagans had something called Saturnalia, and it was a time of lawlessness because all the laws were suspended, and people...
A bunch of singers actually wandered the streets naked singing and then they had orgies, sexual orgies. It was a mass thing. Well, when the Catholic Church came along in Italy, the Romans and others didn't want to give up their holidays. So they said, okay, we'll Christianize it.
And so they said, okay, we'll say the birth of Jesus was the 25th. As we continue to dive into the true origins behind the Christmas traditions, you will see that this holiday is a man-made tradition founded on pagan roots, and it is not based on the truth of our true Hebrew Messiah Yahushua, the one whom the world calls Jesus, the most high Yahuwah despised pagan worship. In Jeremiah 10-2 it reads, Thus saith Yahuwah, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven, for the heathen are dismayed at them. It's important to know who Yah was referring to as the heathen. The heathens were also known as the Gentiles, which is defined as any other nation outside of Israel.
The word heathens is also interchangeable with the word pagans. This can be found when studying different Bible translations. In the Old Covenant Scriptures, Heathens were always committed to the worshiping of false gods and partaking in sorcery. If we look throughout the entire scriptures, we will not find the birth of Yahushua anywhere. December 25th is the birthday of many false gods.
Christmas originated in the heart of ancient Rome, a bustling empire with a rich tapestry of pagan traditions and celebrations. But interestingly, the 25th of December wasn't always associated with the birth of who the world calls Jesus. People of ancient Europe celebrated the pagan gods Saturn and Odin at the end of December. around the shortest day of the year. It turns out, this date had significance long before Christianity entered the scene.
In Norse mythology and with the Norse civilization, we find another piece of the puzzle. December 25th also marked a key moment in the celebration of the pagan god Saturn. Imagine the Roman god Saturn and the Norse god Odin sharing the same calendar date.
an intriguing overlap that sets the stage for the Christmas holiday we know today. In the heart of ancient Rome, the festival that captured the spirit of the season was a celebration known as Saturnalia. This festive extravaganza stemmed from older midwinter and winter solstice rituals dedicated to the god Saturn. It transformed from a single day event to a week-long celebration.
including on December 25th, coinciding with the winter solstice on the Julian calendar. This festival involved gift-giving, feasting, and torchlight processions. Can you see how this connects with the holiday season, where Christmas begins days before December 25th? Christmas parties are held to celebrate the holiday. Presents are passed around.
And everyone enjoys their holiday feasting. People walk around in the Christmas spirit shouting, Merry Christmas! Hey!
Merry Christmas! All occurring days before December 25th. Constantine, a Roman emperor, was known as a skillful, Military and political strategist who contended to control an empire that was falling apart. This emperor, driven by a vision of restoring Rome to its former glory, faced a formidable challenge, a challenge named Christianity.
Picture this, a city where Constantine rises to power, the cult of Sol Invictus, linked to the sun god Helios, reigns supreme. And the followers of Yahushua greatly multiply. The coins of Constantine bear the sun god's image, reflecting a time when celestial beliefs shaped the very currency of the empire.
Amidst this grandeur, a subtle shift is happening. Followers of Yahushua find comfort in their beliefs, quietly coexisting with pagan rituals. As Constantine takes charge, He inherits an empire on the brink of a spiritual makeover. Now let's fast forward to a pivotal moment. Constantine, a strategic thinker, claims he saw a vision of a cross.
But this isn't just any vision. It's a turning point that will ripple through the ages. Imagine the scene as the emperor, not a devout believer in Yahushua, decides to convert all of Rome to Christianity.
Why? It wasn't born from a wellspring of deep faith, but rather a calculated move to pacify the brewing conflict between pagans and those emerging as Christians. Christians were experiencing severe persecution by the Romans.
In this delicate dance of power, belief systems collide, and Rome undergoes a transformation like never before. Envision the streets of Rome witnessing this synthesis. A tapestry where ancient traditions entwine with the emerging Christian faith.
It's more than a conversion, it's a cultural shift that echoes through centuries. Constantine, in a stroke of strategic genius, combines Rome's long-standing pagan beliefs with the rising Christian faith. Yahushua, once a humble figure, is seamlessly woven into the fabric of Rome As the sun god reborn while Mary takes her place as the mother goddess Therefore watch yourselves very carefully since you saw no form the day that Yahuwah spoke to you at Horeb out of the midst of the fire.
Beware lest you act corruptly by making a carved image for yourselves, in the form of any figure, the likeness of male or female, the likeness of any animal that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged bird that flies in the air, the likeness of anything that creeps on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the water under the earth. And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, All the host of heaven, you be drawn away, and bow down to them, and serve them, things that Yahuwah, your Elohim, has allotted to all the peoples under the whole heaven. Research on these holidays, and I found out that Christmas has nothing to do with Christ at all. It's all about the worshiping of the sun god.
During the time when Constantine was converting pagans into Christians, you know, the pagans didn't want to let go of their celebrations, so what they did to compromise was they married the two. They took pagan festivals and... Christian doctrine and put them together. That was in the fourth century.
But it doesn't matter because if we lived during the fourth century and we called ourselves Christians like the early Christians did, we would not have celebrated it. Can't you let your children enjoy the festivities, the festivities of the holidays, the music, the spirit of kind of giving and it doesn't have to be whether it's a pagan origin or a Christian origin or there's a real Santa Claus. Or you believe it was Christ's birthday or whatever. Can you not find a way to fold this in to the current world? Absolutely not.
Absolutely not. Because to me, it's a form of Satanism. If anybody know anything about pagans, they didn't believe in Christ.
They didn't believe in God. So would you let your children go to a seance and conjure up spirits? You know, of course not.
Always warned against idolatry and the worshiping of the sun, moon, and stars. Idolatry is something that he has always hated because he knew it separated Israel from him. Now we must ask this question. If Christmas comes from the pagan practices of the Romans, where did they get it from? Biblical history takes us back to ancient times, to a man named Nimrod.
The grandson of Ham and son of Noah, Nimrod was the founder of the Babylonish system, a system of organized competition, man-ruled governments, and empire. He built the Tower of Babel, the original Babylon, and organized the world's first kingdom. Nimrod, whose name means he rebelled in Hebrew, played a pivotal role in the organized apostasy. From the Most High that has shaped the world, Nimrod's legacy continued through his demonic marriage to his own mother, Semiramis, who after his death propagated the belief in Nimrod's survival as a spirit being. She claimed that an evergreen tree sprang from a dead tree stump overnight, symbolizing the rebirth of Nimrod.
December 25th became the birthday of Nimrod, marking the real origin of the Christmas tree tradition. Semiramis, through her scheming, became the Babylonian Queen of Heaven, and Nimrod, under various names, became the Divine Son of Heaven. This false Babylonish system worshipped the mother and child, Semiramis and Nimrod reborn, spreading across the world under different names like Isis and Osiris in Egypt, Sibelae and Dioeus in Asia.
and Fortuna and Jupiter Puer in pagan Rome. Again, as Christianity spread during the 4th and 5th centuries, this is when many pagans embraced the new faith, blending their old customs with Christian-sounding names. The mother and child theme became especially popular during Christmas, evident in hymns like Silent Night, Holy Night.
Silent Night. endures as long as the world is conflicted, restless, and at war, for as long as we need it. Shocking as it may be, the real origin of Christmas traces way back to ancient Babylon, intertwined with organized apostasy that has influenced the world for centuries. The celebration of December 25th as the birth of the divine son of the queen of heaven was not unique to Christianity, but existed in various forms. across pagan cultures long before the birth of who the world refers to.
as Christ. In the 17th century, the English anti-Christmas sentiment spread to Puritan territories in America. The Puritans were not fans of Christmas festivities.
Fast forward to the 1690s in Boston, Massachusetts, where the Catholic Church decided to establish special Christmas services in defiance of Puritan opposition. The clash between civil authorities and Christmas celebrations was real. In the early 1700s, German and Dutch settlers brought along the pagan customs of St. Nicholas and the Christmas tree. These traditions found a home in the settlements of these settlers, and even German mercenaries fighting in the War of Independence raised Christmas trees in their camps.
The holiday was taking on new shapes and forms. Jeremiah 10, 1-7 says, word that Yahuwah speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says Yahuwah, learn not the way of the nation, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens, because the nations are dismayed at them, for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman.
They decorate it with silver and gold. They fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move. Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field, and they cannot speak. They have to be carried, for they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.
There is none like you, O Yahuwah. You are great, and your name is great in might. Who would not fear you, O King of the Nations?
For this is your due. For among all the wise ones of the nations and in all their kingdoms there is none like you. As we can see, the pagan customs and idols of what we call today Christmas trees are nothing new under the sun. Pagans have always decorated trees with silver and gold, placed them upright so that they would not move, and created idols out of them.
Yahuwah detested idols and still today hates idolatry. In the New Covenant Scriptures, Believers are warned that idolaters will not inherit the kingdom. Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of Yah? Be not deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind.
Ever wondered why we hang mistletoe and deck the halls with boughs of holly during the holidays? The mistletoe. the seemingly innocent plant with a more intriguing past. In ancient times, pagans believed mistletoe held magical healing powers and used it in winter solstice celebrations. Imagine a night filled with revelry and the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe, marking the symbolic transition from the old sun to the birth of a new one during the darkest days of winter.
But Mistletoe isn't the only character in our festive tale. Holly berries take the stage, considered sacred to the sun god. And then there's the Yule log.
It's not just a log, it's the sun log. Yule itself means wheel, symbolizing the sun's journey. These ancient symbols, once pagan, have seamlessly integrated into our modern Christmas language.
with phrases like sacred Yuletide season still echoing through the centuries. Now, let's shed light on the act of lighting fires and candles during Christmas. It's not just about creating a cozy atmosphere.
It's a continuation of an age-old custom meant to uplift the waning sun god as it reaches the lowest point in the southern skies. These simple traditions, often taken for granted, Carry the weight of ancient beliefs as we gather around Mistletoe, Holly, and the warmth of the Yule Log. It's worth pondering the deeper meanings behind these customs. Our holiday traditions, rooted in pagan celebrations, tell tales of sun worship and the yearning for renewal during the darkest days of the year. In 1823, Santa Claus stepped into the spotlight in the United States, gaining national fame.
National fame thanks to a poem. St. Nicholas becomes a household name thanks to Clark Moore's The Night Before Christmas. The English Father Christmas, a minor character in a mummer's play, merges with his American counterpart, shaping the jolly figure we know today. The iconic Coca-Cola Corporation was on a mission to boost its sales.
They devised a marketing campaign that would change the way we see Santa forever. Enter Haddon Sundblom, a Swedish commercial artist with a vision. He set out to create a Santa who not only enjoyed Coca-Cola, but embodied the festive spirit. In his skilled hands, a chubby, rosy-cheeked Santa emerged, decked out in a vibrant Coca-Cola red outfit.
This wasn't just any Santa. This was the birth of the modern Santa Claus, a unique blend of Christian crusader, pagan god, and of course, a commercial idol. Picture it.
The world was introduced to a Santa who wasn't just delivering presents, but sipping on a Coke as he did so. It was a stroke of marketing genius that forever linked Santa Claus with the iconic red and white Coca-Cola brand. As historian Kellerman puts it, the modern Santa was born, a blend of Christian crusader, pagan god, and commercial idol. The fusion of these elements created an image that resonated with people worldwide, turning Santa into the universal symbol of holiday joy.
How you are fallen from heaven, O day star, son of dawn. How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low. You said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven.
Above the stars of Yah, I will set my throne on high. I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will make myself like the Most High. Isn't it a coincidence that Satan said he would make himself like Yahuwah and rise above the clouds?
Yet we see the idol of Santa Claus driving a sleigh in the clouds. How many people we know today that have lied to their children about Santa Claus, the gift giver, or dressed up themselves in Santa costumes for children or Christmas parties? Many children today worship Santa unknowingly because of the lies that have been handed down to them by their parents. There is only one Heavenly Father who supplies our needs and He said He will not give His esteem to no one. I am Yahuwah, that is my name.
I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. In 1836, Christmas officially became a legal holiday in Alabama, marking the start of its legal recognition in the United States. Soon, one state after another followed suit, legalizing this pagan festival.
Fast forward to today, and the U.S. celebrates this 4,000-year-old festival As a national holiday, gift-giving, feasting, and drinking echo the celebrations of the ancient world. The holiday season revolves around commercialism. Many people struggle with low wages and debt, yet they spend hundreds of dollars to buy Christmas gifts.
Everything nearly 8% more expensive than last year, shoppers like Sherry Sorrells are paying with plastic to buy gifts this holiday season. I got some things off of Amazon. The foot massager. I got a karaoke machine for one of my daughters and I got my son a bike. But with thousands of dollars in debt, the mother of three now faces a serious challenge.
Americans are headed into the peak holiday shopping season with record debt as they buy things like gifts or even Christmas trees. Scriptures warn believers in 1 John 2 15 through 17. Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires.
But whoever does the will of the Most High abides forever. According to an article in U.S. News and World Report titled, Commercialism Only Adds to Joy of the Holidays, Christmas often viewed as a spiritual time, is paradoxically intertwined with commercialism. The piece argues that the pursuit of personal pleasure and joy is the central theme of the season, and commercialism is an integral part of that joy. Ayn Rand even praised the commercialization of Christmas, lauding the dazzling lights and festive displays as a product of commercial greed.
That brings a much-needed spectacle of gaiety to the city. But let's take a step back and question the narratives we've come to accept. Is the supposed worship of Christ during this season based on truths or falsehoods? From the rebranding of pagan sun worship as devotion to the Son of God, to the age-old tale of Santa Claus managing a naughty or nice list.
It seems Christmas carries its fair share of fabrications. Can we truly make the unclean clean or the unholy holy through these narratives? It's a thought-provoking notion that challenges our understanding of the holiday's roots and traditions. 1 John 5 21 warns us. So, if one decides to celebrate Christmas, it's essential to reflect on its pagan historical roots and recognize the blend of traditions that have shaped this holiday.
Understanding the past allows us to reflect on the original will of the Most High Yahuwah and His commandments.