A few people have written me about Christmas being a pagan holiday, etc. Here is what one of my readers wrote me today:
"Christmas is not about Jesus Christ. It's a pagan holiday that is steeped in gluttony, drunkenness and self worship. There was a time in America's history when Christmas was outlawed, by the leaders, because of what it represented. The Christmas tree is a phallic symbol that represents fertility and this is why balls are hung upon it. Christmas is the celebration of the winter solstice. Rearrange the letters of Santa Claus and you will find Satan and Lucas, Lucas being the root word of Lucifer. What does Santa sit upon when the children come to him to tell him what they want, a throne. Satan is the great imitator. Satan wishes he was on the throne but there is only One who sits upon The Throne and that is our Master, our Savior, our God, Jesus Christ. Little about the Christmas story is factual. Jesus does not appreciate His Holy manifestation into the World to be associated with a pagan holiday. Jesus said, "Be in the world and not of it." We are not to partake in the world's celebrations. Jesus said He is sanctifying a Holy people, therefore be Holy."
For me the important thing to remember is that Christmas is the celebration of Eashoa's birth. That He was born is the essential thing -- not all that was written by people arguing over the knowledge of how it happened, when it happened, what it resembled, what has been associated with it, etc.
During these arguments, the essential facts are forgotten, because everybody wants to prove that they are the most knowledgeable. If we look back in history, there are plenty of prophesies regarding the Coming of the Savior. The Magi who came from the East when Eashoa was born; how did they know about it? How did King Herod know about it?
In Matthew 2:1-6, we read, "Then as Eashoa was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, there came Magi from the East to Jerusalem; and they said, 'Where is the King of the Jews who was born? For we saw his star in the East and we have come to worship him.'
"When King Herod heard of this, he was shaken, and all Jerusalem with him. He gathered all the leaders of the high priests and the scribes of the people and asked them where would the Messiah be born? They said, 'In the Bethlehem of Judea, for thus the prophet wrote, "You too, Bethlehem of Judah, are not the lesser among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will emerge a King, who will shepherd my people Israel.'"
And even the Samaritan Woman in John, chapter 4, said to Eashoa, "When the Messiah comes, He will teach us everything." Also, in Zechariah, Isaiah, Malachi (where the name of Eashoa is mentioned verbatim), and in other Books of the Old Testament, there are references to the Coming of the Messiah, a Savior; and also the story of how it will happen is written about. So how did they all know about the Coming of the Lord? In my opinion, it is all a matter of believing in the prophesy. From the time of Adam, through Noah and all the kings of antiquity, the knowledge about the coming of the Savior has been written about and talked about. It's never been a secret.
Moreover, what I think is that we are all born with the knowledge that we have a Savior; we were not created to be abandoned by our Creator. He gave us life and He would come to save us someday. In fact, He always takes care of His Children. He said to his disciples, "I will never abandon you."
It is always natural for a parent to take care of his or her children. The mother nurtures them; the father disciplines them. They do it out of love, not for the sake of compensation or praise; but out of a sense of duty. That duty is also what the Lord has put in our hearts to love Him and worship Him.
Those of us who celebrate Christmas must never forget the meaning of what Christmas represents. It's a time when all the family gets together and we celebrate this wonderful holiday. It is a small feast, but it has a great meaning.
Dec. 23, 2011
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