Goodbye to Christmas (Part II): Why?

Welcome back!  This is the second installment to my multi-post series about our family saying "Goodbye to Christmas".  If you are just joining in, I recommend you first read my last post, "Goodbye to Christmas (Part I)",  which I think pretty much explains my heart for these posts. ♥  It's the story of our family's journey in making opposite-world changes and how we celebrate the holidays.

A Confession

How many times have I wished I knew then what I know now; and I'm sure I'll think the same thing about now in a few more years. It's embarrassing to think back on the errors of my past.  I blush at the thought of some of the things I have said in the past (or at least thought)! (a moment of blushing)

I must confess that there has been more than one time in the past that I have probably been too judgemental of those who never seem to acknowledge that "Jesus is the Reason for the Season"; who treated Christmas in a secular fashion -- perhaps via Christmas cards or a store policy where saying "Merry Christmas" was banned from employees.

    

  So now here I am eating crow -- I was terribly wrong!  I thought Jesus was the reason for the season, at least that is what I was always taught, only to find out that He is NOT, not originally, nor should He be now.

A Prompting of Change

Now I understand the arguments... I had them too.
Here are some of the top arguments that I once had and the Bible verses that prompted me to leave Christmas behind.  After all, who can argue with God?
(Special Thanks to 119 Ministries for such cool graphics that fit nicely with what I'm trying to say ~ I like pictures :)). 

1. One might say it was a pagan holiday, but the pagan associations were lost long ago. 

It is widely known and published in hundreds of sources and encyclopedias (both Christian & secular) that December 25th was a pagan holiday rooted in cultic sun god worship; celebrating the "Birth of the Sun" to sun god Mithra worshipers as well as the time of the Saturnalia festivities to Rome's pagan god, Saturn. It's a big day steeped in pagan roots.  And although it may seem a bit out-there around our circle of friends, believe it or not, some pagans still do worship the sun and Mithra worship is now having a rebirth.  Yes, it is very good to think on the LORD any and every day, but to specifically celebrate Christ on a day that was set aside for heathen worship, adopting pagan sun god ways and traditions to worship & celebrate the One True God is totally contrary to God's Word.

"You shall not behave thus toward the Lord your God, for every abominable act which the Lord hates they have done for their gods; for they even burn their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods."  Deuteronomy 12:31

 "You shall not act like this [copy the pagan's worshiped of their idols] toward the Lord your God. But you shall seek the Lord at the place which the Lord your God will choose..." Deuteronomy 12:4-5a  The LORD is very specific throughout His Word as to how and even where we should worship Him!

^"Thus says the Lord, “Do not learn the way of the nations, And do not be terrified by the signs of the heavens, Although the nations are terrified by them;" Jeremiah 10:2

Our same LORD that said He does not change (Malachi 3:6) and Jesus who is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8) does not change His mind.  What was an abomination back then is still an abomination today, God detests it! 

2. We Christianized it long ago -- Jesus is the reason for the season!

Not really.  Here is what happened in a nutshell...The Church of Rome was unable to eradicate the heathen celebration of Saturnalia, so the Church of Rome, sometime in the 4th century (before 336 A.D.), designated a fest of the Nativity to be observed, an assimilation with the Mithraic festival of the birth of the sun.  Basically all the heathen practices in worshiping their false gods were retained; the Catholic Church just decided to label it Jesus' birthday to make it okay -- if you can't beat them, join them, right?  Christmas is an adaptation of a pagan festival and "what hath light to do with darkness?"  But in 1555 it was forbidden again due to such pagan practices.  The Pilgrims who came to America in 1620 were strict Puritans and didn't celebrate Christmas.  Christmas was outlawed in Boston from 1659-1681.  The great reform pastor, C.H. Spurgeon, spoke of Christmas in several of his sermons, "There are no probabilities whatever that our Savior Jesus Christ was born on that day [Dec. 25th] and the observance of it is purely of Popish origin" (1855); "the "holy" days were arranged to fit in with the heathen festivals" (1871).

Another thing worth mentioning is that the world LOVES Christmas, yet Jesus even warned that the world hates Him. Why does the world love Christmas, because of course, it has all to do with the vanity and greed of mankind. Just pay attention to all the ads now days... "Merry Moolah, Happy Honda Days", etc., and then there's Joe Boxer of course (rolling eyes).  One might be hard pressed to find anything that speaks of a Christian holy day because we all know we don't want to offend an Atheist or Muslim with the mention of Christ on a so-called Christian holiday, yet the stores sure don't mind your sales. 

3. The pagan thing, that's not what it means to me...

No, I'm sure it doesn't.  But what we think doesn't mean a hill of beans.  The important thing is what God sees.  If we say we are doing Bible/God things, then we must do them Bible/God's way.  God specifically warns against taking what He calls an abomination and using it to worship Him.

4. Besides, I don't worship a tree...

AnneElliott.com/The Day We Took the Christmas Tree Down

Perhaps not (although just suggest removing it from some homes and you might hear some protest), but why even bring one into our homes and decorate it?  What does a tree have to do with the birth of Christ?  This practice was a carryover from heathen worship.  The One True God of the Bible tells us to not worship & celebrate Him in the same way the heathens worship & celebrate their false gods.    

5. God knows my heart, I'm sincere.

Shall we obey our heart or the Word of God?  Remember what the Bible says about our hearts... "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9

6. We celebrate the birthday of baby Jesus, "Jesus it the Reason for the Season".

If Jesus is the Reason, why is it not mentioned in the Bible?

Nowhere in the Bible does it state the date of Jesus' birth, but it is well known that it was NOT on December 25 nor in winter for that matter, but in the fall, believed to be at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles (The LORD's Feasts are perfect).  Jesus never instructed us to celebrate His or anyones' birthday.  In fact, birthday celebration only seemed to be the practice of the heathen as seen in the Bible with Pharaoh (Genesis 40:20) and Herod (Matthew 14:6 & Mark 6:21).  The Bible tells us, "A good name is better than a good ointment, And the day of one’s death is better than the day of one’s birth." Ecclesiastes 7:1    

7. Does God care how I worship Him as long as I worship Him?

Yes, God does care very much and it should care to us as well.  All our Christmas traditions are adopted from pagan customs from the worship of their false gods (the tree, evergreens, wreath, yule log, holly, mistletoe, Santa & elves, everything!).  None of it is rooted in truth; but false gods.

"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.  God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”  John 4:23-24  

We can't pick & choose what parts of God's Word we should obey or ignore, nor can we worship God any way we choose.  The Bible repeatedly admonishes us against everyone doing what is right in their own eyes.  These words are not just for the "bad guys" but to Christians as well.  The Bible is our Owner's Manual for Life!

8. But it's tradition!  What will our family & friends say?

I know, this is the toughy.  But what is more important, to obey our heart, which remember is deceitful; and family traditions, which are here today and gone in a vapor, or our eternal God? 

"And he said unto them, Full well do ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your tradition.  ...making void the Word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do."  Mark 7:9,13

So after reading all this some may be thinking like I did, "Oh Bummer, now what do I do?" 

Well, that's between you and God, but one thing is for certain, you cannot ignore the Truth.  We are all accountable before God.

One thing I might suggest is don't just take my word for it, but be a Berean...

 "Now these were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of the mind, examining the Scriptures daily, whether these things were so" Acts 17:11

There's a ton of sources on the internet and in hard print that can take you into further study about the subject and far more eloquently than I.

One source that I particularly like is the 2-part online video series (also in transcript) called "Sunburned" by 119 Ministries.  

  

 

 Sunburned - Part 1 | 119 Ministries
http://119ministries.com/sunburned-part-2

Another SUPER one is "Truth or Tradition" by Passion for Truth Ministries.
This teaching on symbols of Christmas, Easter, and Churches will SHOCK You as it did me!
I wish everybody would watch this one.

http://passionfortruth.com/media/video/ouf86082/j4a7qg1g

   I guess for me personally, it wasn't what any one person said, but what the Word of God said that was so convincing to me.  If I truly say that I wish to take God at His Word, then I better put my words into action.  After all, it's all for Him, right?  If people reject me for this, well then, that's nothing compared to what He went through for me. ♥




Family, friends, and strangers won't understand such a 180°.  Some may be offended thinking we just want to appear holier than Thou, which is far from our intent.  Seriously, I wouldn't care if anyone knew what we were doing (it sure would be easier), but I wanted to share as I know some of my readers are traveling down this same road or thinking about it.  And I have to say, I am certainly not anyone's Holy Spirit, nor do I want to be.  I'm too busy trying to get my own life straight to worry about yours.  (uh, that sounded uncaring didn't it?  But I hope you know what I mean.  I'm not preaching at anyone.)

Just because we don't do Christmas doesn't mean we don't LOVE the LORD, nor does it mean that we don't love those that do Christmas.  I don't go crazy over it -- if someone wishes me a Merry Christmas, I'll still smile big and return a hearty greeting.  We still love joining the extended family for food and fellowship, just don't expect me to initiate a "Christmas-themed tea", as fun as that might be :).

Alright, I've went on way too long.
Next time I'll post about what we do -- Hanukkah.

Love you guys!
jane