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Christ & Mass

When Jesus was born, He taught what His birth meant for Christians. Jesus was born in the flesh, so that we could be born again in Spirit. [1] 

Where did Christmas come from?

It wasn’t until the 4th and 5th centuries when the Roman Catholic Church (not to be confused with the Ante-Nicene Fathers) combined Roman traditions with the celebration of the physical birth of Jesus. According to the pagans, the tradition of Christmas is called Yule. These traditions of Yule or the Yule Log include the celebration of Saturnalia, Mithra, and other gods, surrounding the date of December 25th. When the Roman Catholic Church was established in 325 A.D., they moved Jesus’ birth and the sun god Saturn’s birthday to December 25th in hopes of “Christianizing” the Romans and their religion. This is what the holiday we know today as Christ-mas. [2]

Pagans believe in many gods, which includes traditions with their own unique origins. Scarlet Ravenswood, a devout pagan, said, “I really love Yule [Christmas], because it’s the one time of year where everyone is celebrating a pagan holiday, whether they know it or not.” [3]

“I really love Yule [Christmas], because it’s the one time of year where everyone is celebrating a pagan holiday, whether they know it or not.”

The origins of the Christmas tree, wreath, and Santa Claus:

In Roman and pagan religion, the evergreen tree is a phallic symbol of the male genitals, while the wreath symbolizes a women’s genitals for fertility. A red bow is put on the tree to symbolize childbirth. [4]  The traditions of Yule pre-date the birth of Jesus and the Christian church. During the Winter Solstice, the Yule Log (a phallic symbol) was lit by fire for 12 days. Sacrifices were made, including animal and human sacrifice. [2] Although many gods are celebrated during this time, a god named Odin is called “The Father of Yule.” The story of this pagan god is one of the origins of Santa Claus. [5]

The characteristics of Odin can be traced back to Molech of the Canaanites. Much like the Yule Log, a Molech statue was lit red-hot but used specifically for child sacrifice. These traditions of Molech have been passed on for many generations, including into the Roman culture. The remains of these traditions symbolize the Santa Claus many celebrate today. [6]

In the Bible, God had to give a commandment to the children of Israel that states: “You shall not let any of your descendants pass through the fire to Molech, nor shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD your God,” – Leviticus 18:21. The children of Israel represent the church (Romans 11), and Molech symbolizes the customs of Christmas today.

Despite these different origins of Christmas, many may say, “We celebrate these things for Jesus!” As Christians, a question to reflect on is: Do I want to know the fullness of why Jesus was born or focus on the traditions of other gods? Jesus never commanded to take pagan rituals and attempt to transform them for other purposes.

Do I want to know the fullness of why Jesus was born or focus on the traditions of other gods?

Jesus never commanded to take pagan rituals and attempt to transform them for other purposes.

Instead, Jesus says to let His Word transform our hearts and minds into a regenerated soul.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. – John 3:16 

Blessings,
The Harvesters

References:
1.  The Harvesters, Celebrating the Birth of Christ
2.   Jeremiah Films, Retrieved from https://youtu.be/hWtpXXMjIXw
3.   Scarlet Ravenswood, Retrieved from https://youtu.be/CqxNAuxCAe0
4.   Fort Fairfield Journal, The Christmas Tree isn’t Christian
5.   History Daily, Retrieved from historydaily.org/odin-and-santa
6.   Britannica, www.britannica.com/topic/Moloch-ancient-god
7.   All Scripture is from the NKJV of the Bible


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