Christmas is pagan

[Aquila]

Correction...

Originally Posted by Esaias

Here are the facts:

Christmas WAS wholly a pagan holy day in celebration of Saturn.[/COLOR][/SIZE][/B]

We've essentially taken back that day from that devil. Praise God.

It should also be noted that the original celebration in honor of Saturn was on December 21st (the Solstice). It wasn't until Aurelius moved it to December 25th to try and revive paganism on the very day that Christians were already choosing to honor Christ's birth.

[Aquila]

Every day belongs to Jesus. Every blade of grace and branch of Holly.

Is it the one who has taken these things from Satan or the one who argues for Satan to maintain his authority over these things who is serving the goals and intentions of the enemy?

Take dominion. Take it... all.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Esaias

When are you guys going to "take dominion" and repurpose the pentagram?

Actually, I'll have to go back into some of the books I have in the attic, but I remember reading how the five pointed star was used to teach pagans about Christ. Yes, the pagans had the pentagram and were using it first. However, when Christians first encountered it they used it to teach about the five wounds of Christ (thorns of the head, and the nails driven through both hands and both feet). Of course, they didn't maintain this symbol in Christian practice. However, it was used as a teaching tool to reach an illiterate pagan people.

I also read a story of how a missionary watched as a tribal people sacrificed a chicken for their "taboos" to avoid bad luck the coming year. The missionary had opportunity to talk to the tribal chief about this and asked to understand how the "taboos" were vanquished. The chief explained that the blood of the chicken appeased their ancestor's spirits. The missionary began to explain who God was and how He was manifest in Christ, and how Christ died for us on the cross... the chief began crying and the missionary asked him, "What is it dear friend?" And the chief said, "I understand it. I now understand it. Jesus is my chicken!"

When dealing with pagan peoples you have to sometimes get down on their level and speak their language. That's what Paul did when he saw the altar to the Unknown God. Is it not?

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Esaias

Who created the tree?

What offends God is when we use what is His to glorify another.

Every tree on earth belongs to Christ. And if we turn one into a seasonal decoration to symbolize the "Tree of Life" (Jesus), we do no harm.

We mustn't become so superstitious. I vote we take back EVERYTHING Satan claims is his and use it to glorify the risen Christ.

[Aquila]

Originally Posted by Esaias

Did you hit reply before finishing your post?

Anyway, the Feasts of Jehovah are just that - HIS feasts, not "Jewish" feasts. Jews are Pharisees, following Pharisaism. The feasts weren't given to the Jews, they were given to Israel.

I don't understand why so many professing Christians would balk at celebrating God's holy days but have no problem with and in fact WANT to keep pagan devil-worship rites "in Jesus' name". It literally is proof of the cognitive dissonance afflicting most people nowadays.

Because we aren't Israelites or Jews.

I'm Scott-Irish. As it relates to my cultural heritage, I wish to see my people and my culture redeemed. I don't want to play dress up and pretend to be a Hebrew several times a year. lol

[Aquila]

The Quakers, a people I greatly respect, also went down this road to purify their faith of paganism. They ceased using the names of the months, for they honor pagan gods. They also ceased using the names of the days of the week because they honored pagan gods. Their arguments were:

Whenever one says, "Monday", they declare that the day is to honor the moon.
When one says, "Tuesday", they declare that the day is to honor the god Tyr.
When one says, "Wednesday", they declare that the day is to honor the god Woden (Odin).
When one says, "Thursday", they declare that the day is to honor the god Thor.
When one says, "Friday", they declare that the day is to honor the goddess Freya.
When one says, "Saturday", they declare that the day is to honor the god Saturn.
When one says, "Sunday", they declare that the day is to honor the sun.

And so they began calling the days by number, Sunday became, "First Day". And Monday became, "Second Day", and so forth. They also called the months by number.

What most don't realize is that we are not Hebrews and our culture is FULL of pagan influences and traditions. Everything from weddings to birthday parties. Now, our choices are:

We can forsake all these things and act like OT Hebrews.
We can forsake all these things and live by number, like the early Quakers.
We can take dominion and declare that all these things will be used to honor God.

How can "Wednesday" or "Woden's Day" be used to honor God? Well, whenever we say it most don't even know its origin. So, we honor God by reminding Him that Woden means nothing in our culture any longer. So much so, we can say a day with his name in it and nobody realizes it. It becomes a testimony of having defeated the cult of Woden.

Just surrendering all this stuff to Satan seems to serve Satan's purposes more than God's. All things belong to God... or they don't.

[FlamingZword]

OK we are having our annual Christmas bashing.

Yes I agree Christmas is pagan, but can we destroy the works of the devil and turn that which was evil into that which is now good?

Can Christmas be redeemed for the glory of God?

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by FlamingZword

OK we are having our annual Christmas bashing.

Yes I agree Christmas is pagan, but can we destroy the works of the devil and turn that which was evil into that which is now good?

Can Christmas be redeemed for the glory of God?

But what does the BIBLE say?

Deuteronomy 12:30-32 KJV (30) Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? even so will I do likewise. (31) Thou shalt not do so unto the LORD thy God: for every abomination to the LORD, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods; for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods. (32) What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it.

It is expressly forbidden to worship God using pagan rites and customs!

[Esaias]

[Esaias]