The Pagan Influence of Christmas

In comparing the so-called great monotheistic religions one thing stands out about Judaism; it is the only religion of the three from which every single one of its holidays are Bible-based and are pagan-influenced free.1 This says a lot about all three religions when the question arises concerning the correct and true religion.

The standard Christmas Tree topper (like the ones found at the White House and the German Chancellery every year) is a "star" (usually five-pointed) representing the New Testament "Star of Bethlehem". Therefore, with the standard Christmas Trees among the Christian nations we have an astronomical symbol adoring the highest point of the tree. Now with this in mind let's take a look at what the Hebrew prophet Jeremiah states about the heathens:
"Thus saith YHVH, Learn not the way of the heathen, (goyim in Hebrew) and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. " - Jeremiah 10:2-4

It is here that the Hebrew prophet Jeremiah not only mentions two items that are associated with modern Christianity but actually ties them together as a unit. These two items of the heathen are astronomical signs and tree admiration. Is there any wonder why the Christmas Tree and the Star topper are symbolically tied together as a unit? Have many Christmas trees have you seen "decked" (as in "deck the halls"...) with silver and gold tinsels, icicles. and bulbs? Most stars at the top of the Christmas Trees are gold are silver themselves, and sometimes the very trees themselves are silver or gold.

Looking through the eyes of the Hebrew prophet Jeremiah, one can only image how that grand prophet of God would indeed blast the pagan Christmas Tree Gentile ritual just as he did during his own day. It is also worth spiritually noting that this Gentile-pagan ritual of gold and silver tree decoration was "revived" in the Gentile land of the future Holocaust - Germany. It makes me wonder how many Germans sang, the following verse from the song entitled "O Tannenbaum" while the Holocaust Jews and many others were freezing and starving in Nazi concentration camps;
"O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
How laden are your branches
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
Your presence here enhances
Your silver star does glisten bright
Reflecting all the candlelight
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree!
How laden are your branches "

As noted in the scripture above, the Hebrew prophet Jeremiah calls this whole Gentile tree custom thing "vain". Regarding this vanity issue of the Gentiles, it must be noted that it is just six chapters later from mentioning the "vain"Gentile astronomical-tree custom that this same Hebrew prophet, Jeremiah, describes the End of Days statements of the Gentiles concerning their beliefs and customs as being "vain" as well. "...the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit. " - Jeremiah 16:19

So why would the Gentiles take up a custom that the prophet Jeremiah so descriptively denounces? Is such a vain denounced custom "fulfilled" by the Gentile-based New Testament too, along with the forbidden non-kosher foods? Does this not show the scriptural-based difference between the two religions of Jewish Judaism and Gentile Christianity? It makes me hate even more what a Jewish convert to Christianity is asked to do. He is asked to avoid keeping his YHVH-given Law of Moses under the pretense that he is now absolved from keeping it, only to be Gentile-custom influenced with a Jeremiah-denounced Christmas tree even placing one inside his very family home this time of year. That's just spiritually sad!

December 25th.
Christians who have studied any history at all realize that Jesus wasn't born on December 25th. So where did this Gentile celebrated date come from, and how did it come to be the most celebrated day of the Gentile calender?2 The comparison pictures above shows a statue of the goddess Isis nursing her god-child Horus dating from around 300 BCE. The other is a fifteenth century medieval painting of the Virgin Mary (or should I say "Goddess Mary" since she is seen as co-redeemer in some Catholic church circles) holding the Christian god-child Jesus, known as the Madonna. Though they are 1700 years apart in age and are separated by the common era itself, notice the striking similarities each one has towards the other. There are even unseen similarities concerning these two similar Madonnas; both child images have the same exact birth date!

In fact, there are many pre-Christian mythological god-men who were born of December 25th such as Krishna, Attis, Osiris, Dionysus, Mithra, and Horus (pictured above ). There's even a inside Jewish and non-Christian joke, saying, "Merry Mithrus" to each other this time of year referring to the Persian god Mithra. My very own coined joke-saying is, "Mithra was the Reason for the Season". Very funny and historically accurate, right?

Mithra not only was born of December 25, but was a mediator between the Persian high god Ahura-Mazda and humanity, was considered to be "the light of the world" and slaughtered the "sacred bull" that would provide life by one consuming its "body and blood" known as the "Mithric sacred meal"3. Aside from have the same traditional birth day, does these attributes of Mithra sound Christian-doctrine familiar? In fact, the similarities between Mithra and Jesus are so great that early Church Father Justin Martyr (103 - 165 CE) complained that Satan (by having foreknowledge) had copied the Christian Eucharist.4

There is a recent controversial video on You Tube that is causing quite a stir. Though it does contain some historical errors, it does present an awesome display of how Christianity is pagan influenced. Here just are some of the facts from the video:

• The Twelve Zodiac signs were personified as gods and goddesses.
• The word "horizon" comes from the term "Horus has Risen".
• The word "hours" also comes from "Horus" that tracts the "sun" throughout the day.
• Horus represented light and life of the world (without the sun crops wouldn't grow) while Horus' evil brother named Set represented darkness hence come the term "sunset" or Set verses Horus, as Set would sent Horus into the underworld causing him to "resurrect" from underworld in the morning.
  
• Isis (goddess mother of Horus) was a virgin - though this is debated she is called the "Great Virgin," in a number of pre-Christian Egyptian writings.
• Mithra's day of worship was Sunday.
• The "Star in the East" was Sirius (the brightest star in the sky) aligns on December 24th. with the three bright stars of Orion's Belt, known in ancient times as "the Three Kings".
• "The Three Kings" (Orion's Belt) along with the "Star in the East" (Sirius) point to the "Sun Rise" on December 25th. bringing the birth or resurrection of the Sun god, and it's why the "Three Kings" "follow" the "Star in the East".
  
• The constellation Virgo represents the Virgin Mary. The constellation is known as "Virgo the Virgin". The ancient glyph for Virgo was the altered "M" as in "Mary". Other virgin goddess-mothers also began with the "M" such as Adonis' mother Myyra and Buddha's mother Maya.
• Virgo is also referred to as the "House of Bread" and the representation of Virgo is a virgin holding a sheaf of wheat. Bethlehem (where Jesus was born) translates as "House of Bread". Therefore, the Christian use of Bethlehem is a reference to the constellation Virgo.
• See full video > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NeTJWp06BxA
  

The Star and Human Deification:
It also must be noted too that the seven-day visitation of the Great Comet of 44 BCE was understood by the Romans to be the deification of Julius Caesar (100 - 44 BCE) who had recently died. This comet became known to ancient writers as Sidus Iulium ("Julian Star") or Caesaris Astrum ("Caesarian Star"). The Temple of Divus Iulius (Temple of Deified Julius) was built and dedicated by Augustus in 29 BCE which was also called the "Temple of the Comet Star".

A coin commemorating Julius Caesar was also created by Augustus in 19-18 BCE (very close to the time of Jesus' birth) that on its tail-side displayed the image of the comet-star with the words. "Divus Iulius" (Deified Julius). > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caesar's_Comet

It was during this time of associating stars with human deities that Rome occupied Israel causing Israel to be heavily influenced by Roman religious perceptions. The Romans even had a military complex called "Fort Antonia" adjacent to the Jewish Temple.
So it's not surprising that the first century New Testament writers would be influenced by the Roman-based star-human deity concept when writing: "
"Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." - Matthew 2:2 (found only in the Book of Matthew and in no other book of the four Gospels)

There is a saying, "Rome didn't convert to Christianity, but Christianity converted to Rome". Perhaps there is a connection between the star image found on the tail-side of the Caesar Roman coin and the star image placed upon top of the Christmas Tree?

Though modern Judaism has a lot of spiritual corrections to make regarding their Torah and Bible-based holidays, they are still holy sanctioned by the one true God of Israel through His Torah of Moses and prophetic writings of the Hebrew Bible.

Have you ever noticed that it is only the "religious" Gentile holidays like Christmas (Santa Clause who sees all things) Easter (the Easter Bunny that gives life in the form of a colorful egg) and Halloween (the eve of All Saints Day) that are the most pagan-influenced, where as the secular Gentile holidays such as, New Years Day, Presidents Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, are not pagan influenced at all? This fact alone speaks volumes about the religious Gentile world!

It is through such religious Gentile concepts that the Jews have been persecuted down through the ages unto this very day with the so-called Palestinians. The overall Gentile desire is to "replace" the Jewish nation that holds the most purest of holidays known to mankind, with their Gentile-pagan influenced religion and holidays.

However, the good news (gospel) is that the Gentiles (goyim) will see their grave religious errors (Jeremiah 16:19) then turn to the Jews for spiritual guidance (Zachariah 8:23) and from there follow in the footsteps according to the Jewish holidays (Zachariah 14: 16). With this lovely and Jewish thought in mind I'd like to wish most all of my fellow Gentiles in goyim land - with a wink and a smile - a "very Merry Mithras" and a Happy New Year!

Notes:
1. One exception would be the Jewish holiday of Purim which is Bible-based (see Easter 9:20-21) but has been heavily influenced by the Catholic celebration of "Mardi Gras" or "Carnival season" (both holidays being celebrated during the same time of the year) which started in sixteenth century Christian France. There are movements in Israel to restore this Biblical holiday to a more religious theme and to oust the Catholic pagan influence of it.
2. More businesses are closed on December 25 that any other day of the year. Even the secular businesses that stay open on other holidays such as Labor Day, New Year's Day, and Thanksgiving Day, they are usually closed on Christmas Day.
3. "Twenty-six Reasons Why Jews Don't Believe In Jesus" by Asher Norman - page 195.
4. Ibid