Posted on 12/09/2006 7:11:54 AM PST by DouglasKC
Christmas is a hugely popular holiday celebrated by some 2 billion people worldwide. It's become such an ingrained part of modern culture that even people in nations with little or no Christian history or tradition are celebrating it in increasing numbers.
Christmas is so big that it plays a key role in the economies of many nations. In the U.S. retail industry, the day after the Thanksgiving holiday is commonly known as "Black Friday"—not because it's bad, but because this marks the beginning of the Christmas shopping season and stores that have been "in the red"—operating at a loss all year—suddenly see their sales shoot up so fast that they are now operating in the black (at a profit) the rest of the year. "Black Friday" is the biggest shopping day of the year due to its Christmas sales.
Christmas is big—very big. Schools and colleges commonly take a week or longer break at this time, some businesses shut down to give their employees time off, many families plan trips and get-togethers, and some people darken the door of a church for perhaps the first time all year.
So it's not surprising that I get some pretty shocked looks when I tell people I don't celebrate Christmas. That's pretty unusual for anyone, much less someone who's been an ordained minister for 15 years and edits a Christian magazine.
So what's up with this? Why would anyone not want to celebrate Christmas like nearly everybody else? Are there valid reasons for not participating in all the holiday hoopla?
American Late Show television program host David Letterman is famous for his "top 10" lists in which he offers pointed commentary about popular culture and current events. So here I offer my top 10 reasons for not celebrating Christmas!
1. Christmas is driven by commercialism.
It's not that difficult to recognize what really drives the holiday in our age. Cal Thomas, an American syndicated columnist who often writes from a Christian perspective, acknowledged uncomfortable truths about Christmas in a December 2003 column.
"I'm not sure it's worth keeping Christmas anymore," he began, lamenting that the holiday has become a "road show of reindeer, winter scenes, elves and the God substitute, Santa Claus, who serves as a front for merchants seeking to play on the guilt some parents bear for ignoring their kids the rest of the year."
He asks a great question: "Why participate any longer in this charade where the focal point of worship has shifted from a babe in a manger to a babe in the Victoria 's Secret window? . . . No room in the inn has been replaced by no room in the mall parking lot."
But perhaps his most insightful statement is this: "It's instructive how just one season away from lusting after material things can break the habit. It's something like liberation from an addiction or lifestyle choice. Being away from it can cause one to realize the behavior is neither missed nor needed for fulfillment and enjoyment."
Having said good-bye to the Christmas habit several decades ago, I couldn't have said it better myself!
2. Christmas is nowhere mentioned in the Bible.
This is rather obvious, but most people never give it a second thought. The books of the New Testament cover 30+ years of Jesus Christ's life, then another 30+ years of the early Church following His death and resurrection, but nowhere do we find any hint of a Christmas celebration or anything remotely like it.
Yes, the Bible does give us quite a few details of His birth—the angelic appearance to Mary and then Joseph, the conditions surrounding His birth in a stable in Bethlehem, the heavenly choir's performance for the shepherds in the fields outside the town. But nowhere in the Bible is there any record of anyone observing Christmas or any hint that God the Father or Jesus Christ expects us to do so.
3. Jesus wasn't born on or near Dec. 25.
Surprising but true! Remember those shepherds who were "living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night"? (Luke 2:8). December weather around Bethlehem is often miserably cold, wet and rainy. No shepherd in his right mind would have kept his flocks outside at night at that time of year!
The Interpreter's One-Volume Commentary says this passage argues "against the birth [of Christ] occurring on Dec. 25 since the weather would not have permitted" shepherds to be out in the fields with their flocks then.
And Celebrations: The Complete Book of American Holidays tells us that Luke's account of Christ's birth "suggests that Jesus may have been born in summer or early fall. Since December is cold and rainy in Judea, it is likely the shepherds would have sought shelter for their flocks at night" (p. 309) rather than keeping them outdoors.
Also, Luke 2:1-4 tells us that Jesus was born in Bethlehem because his parents came to that town to register in a Roman census. The Romans were well known as highly efficient administrators. It would have made no sense to have conducted a census in the dead of winter, when temperatures often dropped below freezing and traveling was difficult due to poor road conditions. Taking a census under such conditions would have been self-defeating!
4. The Christmas holiday is largely a recycled pagan celebration.
Again, surprising but true! Read it for yourself in just about any encyclopedia.
Consider the customs associated with Christmas. What do decorated evergreen trees, holly, mistletoe, yule logs, a jolly plump man in a fur-lined red suit, sleighs and flying reindeer have to do with the birth of Jesus Christ?
None of these things have anything to do with Him, but they have a lot to do with ancient pagan festivals. (Read the eye-opening details in our free booklet Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Keep?)
And what about the date of Dec. 25? How did it come to be assigned as the supposed date of Jesus Christ's birth? Historians Gerard and Patricia Del Re explain:
"The tradition of celebrating December 25 as Christ's birthday came to the Romans from Persia. Mithra, the Persian god of light and sacred contracts, was born out of a rock on December 25. Rome was famous for its flirtations with strange gods and cults, and in the third century the unchristian emperor Aurelian established the festival of Dies Invicti Solis, the Day of the Invincible Sun, on December 25.
"Mithra was an embodiment of the sun, so this period of its rebirth was a major day in Mithraism, which had become Rome's latest official religion . . . It is believed that the emperor Constantine adhered to Mithraism up to the time of his conversion to Christianity. He was probably instrumental in seeing that the major feast of his old religion was carried over to his new faith" (The Christmas Almanac, 1979, p. 17).
It's difficult to determine the first time anyone celebrated Dec. 25 as Christmas, but historians generally agree that it was sometime during the fourth century—some 300 years after Christ's death. And then a contrived date was chosen because it was already a popular pagan holiday celebrating the birth of the sun god!
Similarly, virtually all of the customs associated with Christmas are recycled from ancient pagan festivals honoring other gods.
5. God condemns using pagan customs to worship Him.
Since Christmas is supposedly a day to worship and celebrate God the Father and Jesus Christ, wouldn't it be a good idea to look into the Bible to see what it says about how we should worship God?
The answer is quite clear. God gives specific instruction about using pagan practices to worship Him—the exact thing Christmas does! Notice what He says in Deuteronomy 12:30-32: ". . . Do not inquire after their gods, saying, 'How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.' You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way . . . Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it" (emphasis added throughout).
And lest some think this is simply an Old Testament command that no longer applies, the apostle Paul makes the same point in 2 Corinthians 6, where he addresses whether unbiblical religious customs and practices have any place in the worship of God's people:
"What fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial [the devil and/or demons]? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God . . .
"Therefore 'Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you.' 'I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty.' Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 6:14-18; 7:1).
Rather than relabeling pagan customs as Christian, or allowing members of the Church to continue their old pagan practices, the apostle Paul told them in no uncertain terms to leave behind all these forms of worship and worship God in true holiness as He commands. Jesus likewise says His true followers "must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24)—not revel in recycled pagan customs and symbolism.
6. Christmas is worshipping God in vain.
Since Christmas is a jumble of ancient pagan customs invented by men, and a holiday found nowhere in the Bible, does God honor or accept such worship?
Jesus provides the answer in His stern rebuke of the religious teachers of His day, men who had substituted human traditions and teachings for God's divine truths and commands: "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites . . . 'in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' . . . All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition" (Mark 7:6-9).
In the 17th century Christmas was actually outlawed in England and some parts of the American colonies because of its unbiblical and pagan origins. They knew something most people today have forgotten or have never known!
7. You can't put Christ back into something He was never in.
Some people admit the many problems with Christmas. But rather than face up to those problems, some assert that we should "put Christ back in Christmas."
However, it's impossible to "put Christ back in Christmas" since He never was in Christmas in the first place! He never so much as heard the word "Christmas" during His lifetime on earth, nor did His apostles after Him. You can search the Bible cover to cover but you won't find the words "Christmas," "Christmas tree," "mistletoe," "holly," "Santa Claus" or "flying reindeer."
Putting Christ back in Christmas may sound like a nice sentiment, but it's really only a misguided effort to try to justify a long-standing human tradition rather than what the Bible tells us we should do.
8. The Bible nowhere tells us to observe a holiday celebrating Jesus Christ's birth—but it clearly does tell us to commemorate His death.
As noted earlier, the Bible nowhere mentions Christmas or tells us to celebrate Christ's birth.
This is not to say that the Bible doesn't tell us to commemorate a highly significant event in Jesus Christ's life on earth. It does—but that event is His death, not His birth.
Notice what the apostle Paul, conveying the instructions of Jesus Himself, tells Christians: "For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.'
"In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.' For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes . . . Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup" (1 Corinthians 11:23-28).
And yes, many believers do what they consider a form of this today in taking communion or "the Lord's supper." They fail to realize, however, the full significance of these acts, or that what Paul is actually describing here is the Passover — which is what Jesus Himself called this observance (Matthew 26:18-19; Mark 14:14-16; Luke 22:8-13, 15).
And many have no idea of the real date of Christ's death and the annual Passover observance, but that's an issue for another time. (Hint: It isn't "Good Friday" prior to Easter as so many mistakenly believe. See our booklet Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Keep? for details.) The point is: Jesus clearly expects His true followers to commemorate His death—not His birth—by observing the Passover.
9. Christmas obscures God's plan for mankind.
Passover, mentioned above, has enormous significance in God's plan for humanity. The Old Testament Passover, described in Exodus 12, was symbolic of Jesus Christ's future role and sacrifice. As the blood of the slain Passover lambs on the Israelites' houses spared them while the firstborn of the Egyptians were slain, so does Jesus Christ's sacrificial death on our behalf spare us from death— eternal death.
Paul alluded to this great truth when he wrote in 1 Corinthians 5:7 that "Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us." Similarly John the Baptist, speaking under divine inspiration, said of Jesus, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).
Peter wrote that we are redeemed "with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1:19)—a clear reference to the Passover lambs (Exodus 12:5).
A central key to God's plan for humanity is Jesus Christ's sacrificial death on our behalf. He is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Revelation 13:8)—meaning His death for our sins was planned before the first human beings were ever created (1 Peter 1:18-20). Only through His death to pay the penalty for our sins can human beings receive God's gift of eternal life (John 3:14-17; Acts 4:12; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22).
Christmas, in contrast, teaches us none of this. Regrettably, because it is a hodgepodge of unbiblical customs and beliefs thrown together with a few elements of biblical truth, it only obscures the incredible purpose of Jesus Christ's coming—as well as why He must return to earth a second time! (For more details, request our free booklets Jesus Christ: The Real Story and The Gospel of the Kingdom.)
10. I'd rather celebrate the Holy Days Jesus Christ and the apostles observed.
God in His Word sets out many choices for us. Will we do things His way or our own? Will we worship Him as He tells us to, or expect Him to honor whatever religious practices we choose regardless of what His Word says?
It's always good to ask the question, What would Jesus do? The answer, from the Scriptures, is quite clear as to what Jesus did. Jesus didn't allow His followers the option of adopting pagan practices in their worship. He and the apostles plainly kept God's Holy Days and festivals that we find recorded in Leviticus 23.
As noted above, they kept the Passover (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Scripture shows they also observed the Days of Unleavened Bread (Acts 20:6; 1 Corinthians 5:7-8). The New Testament Church itself was founded on the Feast of Pentecost (Acts 2:1), another biblical festival they clearly observed (Acts 20:16). They likewise kept the Day of Atonement (called "the Fast" in Acts 27:9) and the Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:2, 10).
Christmas, meanwhile, is totally missing from the biblical record.
Most people don't know that the Bible includes a whole list of festivals that God commanded, that Jesus Himself observed and that the apostles and early Church were still keeping decades after Christ's death and resurrection. And unlike Christmas, these reveal a great deal about Jesus Christ's role and mission.
Each one teaches us a vital lesson in what Jesus has done, is doing and will yet do in carrying out God's great plan for humankind. The differences between these and the tired old paganism and crass commercialism of Christmas is truly like the difference between day and night. Why not look into them for yourself?
I've given you my top 10 reasons for not celebrating Christmas. What do you suppose God thinks of your reasons for continuing to observe it? GN
This is silly. What shall we do? Ignore Christmas, and Advent? He doesn't mention the Holy preparation in Advent.
True... we don't know the exact date of the birth of Christ, so we what, just forget it?
The meaning of God becoming man truly seems to be lost on the author.
Thank you for that scripture Diego. I had never noticed it before, but clearly wintertime in Judea wasn't a cakewalk.
Although Hannukah (feast of dedication) is not a God created holy day, it is mentioned in the bible in a fashion that is not condemned. If Christ were born in 4 BC then I would also bet that he was conceived during the feast of dedication. But still that's a far cry from observing Christmas with it's problematic pagan origins, customs and practices.
It's a little late, but I hope you enjoyed a wonderful feast of tabernacles this year!
On the contrary. The author, as do I, celebrate the biblical feast days created by Jesus Christ and observed by him when he became a man. These feast days teach wonderful truths about our Lord and saviour. Passover observes his sacrificial death, the feast of unleavened bread pictures him leading us out of sin, Pentecost pictures the formation of his church, the feast of trumpets pictures his second coming, the day of atonement pictures his binding and putting away of Satan, the feast of tabernacles pictures his millennial rule and the last great day pictures the general resurrection he presides over.
These days that Jesus Christ created are there for a reason.
What does tabernacle taste like? Please don't tell me, "like chikin'".
Isaiah 55:13 records: "Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off".
The fir and the myrtle trees are evergreens, which literally means everliving or everlasting or never dying because they were evergreen all year round, especially during the time when everything else was dead in the dead of winter. And those red berries at Christmas time --- several kinds of evergreen myrtle trees have them. Not everything is what it appears on the face of it.
While I obviously don't agree with the Judaeo-chr*stian syncretism of the author I nevertheless applaud him for his stand based on the Word of G-d. This time of year the liberals' war on chr*stmas tends to completely obscure the issue as to whether the observance of that holiday is pleasing to G-d. This time of year Fundamentalist Protestants tend to return to the Catholic womb, forgetting all about the hostility of the Catholic Church toward them (and toward Biblical inerrancy). Sentimentalism and liberal hostility by themselves cause Fundamentalist Protestants to switch dance partners during this time of year.
For the record, I do not believe in political correctness or multiculturalism. I regard the notion that the majority religion must be suppressed while minority religions must be openly celebrated is hypocritical in the extreme and smacks of patronization as well. Furthermore, the liberal "multicultural" assault on chr*stmas completely ignores the issue of what G-d has to say about the matter. Quite frankly, I believe chr*stmas should not be celebrated--not because it is "politically incorrect" but because it is forbidden by G-d. But then, I believe all false religions and their holidays should be abandoned in favor of the One True G-d.
We should not base our beliefs on positions on what the liberals are doing.
Because something is mentioned in the bible doesn't mean that it's automatically sanctioned to be part of religious worship of God. The problem with evergreens at Christmas IS that they were used in the same fashion in pagan origins.
King Tut never saw a Christmas tree, but he would have understood the tradition which traces back long before the first Christmas, says David Robson, Extension Educator, Horticulture with the Springfield Extension Center.
The Egyptians were part of a long line of cultures that treasured and worshipped evergreens. When the winter solstice arrive, they brought green date palm leaves into their homes to symbolize life's triumph over death.
The Romans celebrated the winter solstice with a fest called Saturnalia in honor of Saturnus, the god of agriculture. They decorated their houses with greens and lights and exchanged gifts. They gave coins for prosperity, pastries for happiness, and lamps to light one's journey through life.
Centuries ago in Great Britain, woods priests called Druids used evergreens during mysterious winter solstice rituals. The Druids used holly and mistletoe as symbols of eternal life, and place evergreen branches over doors to keep away evil spirits.
The fact that traditional Christianity later used these same symbols and practices doesn't make it okay.
What would Jesus do? What did Jesus do? The practice of using evergreens in worship was ancient? Do we ever read where Jesus commanded his disciples to go and collect evergreens and use them in worship toward God? No, and the thought to me is ludicrous.
Rom 1:25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Doesn't this about sum up Christmas? We have the truth of God exchanged for the lie of Santa. We have those who don't know God practicing the same things as those who profess to worship God.
Ba HumBug!
The heathen recognize the truth of the evergreen that God put into it --- something that is everliving all year long. Even the coming of the Son of God to man during the darkest days of the winter solstice at Christmas is one of those truths found in nature.
The Jews celebrated Channukah during Jesus' ministry and you never heard him complain about it. He even went to Jerusalem and walked amidst the Temple during the celebration in John 10.
While the Santa stuff is a bit much, the redeeming value of Christmas tradition far outweighs anything else about it.
Even if they did, God still condemns their practices and certainly doesn't want his followers to do the same.
2Ki 17:9 And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.
2Ki 17:10 And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:
2Ki 17:11 And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger:
2Ki 17:12 For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.
How different in practice is the red highlighted scene above from a nativity scene under a Christmas tree? Or presents under Christmas trees?
Isa 57:5 Inflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clefts of the rocks?
Eze 6:13 Then shall ye know that I am the LORD, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savor to all their idols.
Putting things, offerings, gifts, under trees, to honor "gods". It's the same today. Most people are just unaware that they're emulating those very same pagan practices that God condemns.
You're right, he didn't object to it. Hanukkah for Jews is kind of like Thanksgiving for Americans. There's nothing wrong with it because it's origins were in thankfulness to the true God. I personally don't celebrate it because I'm not Jewish.
Joh 10:22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter.
Joh 10:23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon's porch.
BTW, many commentators say that the reason he was on "Solomon's Porch" was that the weather was too inclement for his normal methods of preaching...which of course is another argument against sheep and shepherds being out in the fields.
****Centuries ago in Great Britain, woods priests called Druids used evergreens during mysterious winter solstice rituals. ***
But, Wait! There are some who believe the Druids were part of the Ten Lost Tribes and claim druid beliefs are really Hebrew beliefs. does that make it OK with you?
Do you realize that Christmas celebrations grew out of Channukah celebrations? that the early Jewish Christians recognized the connection between Channukah and the angel's visit to Mary? Do you consider the eight candle menorah also an idol --- a pagan idol? Is there anything at Christmastime that is not pagan to you?
Do you have trees in your yard? You better cut them down and clear your land? Is planting a tree a pagan practice of putting up an idol? Are all of those millions of evergreen trees that Jews planted throughout the land of Israel pagan idols? Your position needs some rethinking.
The "groves" that idolatrous Israel was worshipping in those days were groves of trees that had their branches cut off and everything green removed --- they were symbols of the dead not the living. It was the same with the Druids. They carved up the natural groves of natural trees --- something entirely different from taking natural rocks and making an altar or natural branches and making tents with them or appreciating natural things. It was the engraving by the hand of man that made those things verboten.
Isaiah 55:13 records: "Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the Lord for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off". The fir and the myrtle trees are evergreens, which literally means everliving or everlasting or never dying because they were evergreen all year round, especially during the time when everything else was dead in the dead of winter. And those red berries at Christmas time --- several kinds of evergreen myrtle trees have them. Not everything is what it appears on the face of it.
Because something is mentioned in the bible doesn't mean that it's automatically sanctioned to be part of religious worship of God. The problem with evergreens at Christmas IS that they were used in the same fashion in pagan origins.
Evergeens are not used in Christian worship.
They are decoration ... just like other types of plants are used indoors in other seasons (other than winter).
Most christians worship God together in their christian gatherings ... where evergreens are not even present.
Someone who worships a tree ... is rightly called an idolator.
Merely having greenery in your home doesn't cut it.
Romans 1:25 For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.
Doesn't this about sum up Christmas? We have the truth of God exchanged for the lie of Santa. We have those who don't know God practicing the same things as those who profess to worship God.
This would only sum up Christmas ... for those who worship the created, ... rather than the Creator.
And those that do this ... do it year-round, not just at Christmas.
The truth is that there are idolators ... but that those which worship the true and living God above all ... who live their lives in relationship with Him ... simply aren't among those.
Paul was speaking of idolatry in the cited scripture.
Paul also speaks that ... christians should realize ... that practice does not make belief ... but, rather, ... belief makes practice.
Paul warns us not to judge our brethren ... because of issues of practice.Romans 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.Christianity is about a real relationship ... with a real God ... Who was really born into human history.
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.
8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's.
9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
11 For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
That chrisitans would celebrate this fact ... should come as no surprise.
It really exposes a lot of CINO (Christians in Name Only) for what they are.
Oh, baby....if I was Jewish, they'd show respect...and if I was Muslim...they'd make sure not to offend me!
But when they find out that I don't celebrate Xmas for most of the reasons in the posted article, WOW! I've received nasty "joke" cards, scorn, ridicule, etc. instead of respecting my choice to not observe a 'christianized' pagan holy day.
Now mind you, if I was going around playing wet blanket and preaching to everyone then I'd deserve the scorn, but I don't, I just mostly stay silent or partake politely on the edges of celebrations.
It is the CINOs that really get nasty about it!
If Truth is light, then the opposite might also be true.
There are few times of the year where more lies and fables are told that supplant the truth of God's Word. Xmas may be the most spiritually dark times of the entire year.
But it does get CINO to act for two weeks the way they should act all year long!
Some interesting information there. I have another reason for not celebrating it in the future however. I went out shopping this weekend and found a lack of Christ or "Christmas" anywhere I went, surley store clerks and bad attitudes displayed by those I wished a Merry Christmas to.
This used to be a fun time of year, but no more.
Guess I'll be another Grinch in the future, no Christ, no Christmas. End of story.
Sept 11, 3 BC. It was the Day of Trumpets.
As I recall, somewhere around 6:30 am.
The Magi's followed Jupiter in its helical rising. They noticed the series of planetary conjunctions, like the one this last weekend, that foretold the coming of the new King.
And I believe that they were following the teachings of Daniel when he was in captivity and rose to a prominent position among the 'wise men' due to his ability to listen to God and interpret dreams.
Seems that God used Daniel and the magi to help preserve the Christ from being nurdered as a young child at the hands of Herod.
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