Yahshua HaMoshiach was never born on December 25th.

Observance of the winter solstice was derived entirely from ancient pagan superstitions.

Christmas is not named in the Scriptures.

It has never been sanctified by Almighty Yahweh. Mankind cannot make it holy, however fervently the people observe it.

The Wrong Day

Christmas is alleged to be the birthday of 'Christ' and therefore a 'holy day' or 'holiday', however December 25 is not the correct day.

The Messiah was born in the fall, about the Feast of Tabernacles. John the Baptist's father, Zecheriah, was a Priest of the course of AbiYah, which is the eighth priestly section to serve in the Temple. These priests served eight weeks after the conclusion of the spring sacred season. "The first rain falls in the month of Marchesvan, which answers to the latter part of our October and the former part of November... from whence it appears that [the Messiah] must be born before the middle of October, since the first rain was not yet come."[2] 

So John would have been concieved two months after the feast of Unleavened bread, which occurs in the spring, The Messiah would have been concieved 6 months later, around December/January, placing his birth nine months later brings us to September/October; at about the time of the Feast of Tabernacles. [Luke 1:1-57]

Furthermore, as the oft mis-qouted passage goes:

Obviously no responsible shepherd would still be keeping sheep in the field, at night, in the dead of winter. It would be bitterly cold, predators would be particularly aggressive due to the temperature and lack of prey, and the ground would be cold-hardened and either snow-covered or subject to snow at any time. All of which the shepherds would be keenly aware of. Not to mention, there would be no grass to graze on in the dead of winter, which is the only reason to have flocks out in the first place.

1. The celebration is based solely on pagan practices
   1. the winter solstice
   2. Saturnalia
   3. Bacchus
2. It is not acceptable to mingle pagan practices with scripture

Christ is the wrong term.

The term 'Christ' is derived from the Greek word 'kristos' which means 'to rub or smear' or 'to erase'.
The intended meaning is 'Messiah' which is a Hebrew term, meaning 'Annointed of Yah'. Since the Greek language had no equivalent term, 'kristos' was substituted, rather than to just use the correct title 'Messiah'.

The two words have clearly different meanings. 'Messiah' means "Annointed of Yah" where the Heavenly Father, Yahweh annoints his chosen with oil. This is a clearly defined and hallowed practice in scripture and represents his choosing and sanctifying his holy one, the Messiah. There is no such practice in Grecian mythology and therefore the Grecian people in appropriating the message of the Messiah, used the word 'kristos' because of its association with oil, however this 'kristos' is the term one would use to describe any rubbing or smearing of oil, including a prostitute who rubs or smears her breasts with oil to make herself more alluring for the purpose of attracting more business. So this makes the term kristos entirely innapropriate on two accounts.

Thirdly, and whether this is intentional or not, by using 'kristos' instead of 'Messiah', the innapropriate term does in fact 'erase' the 'Messiah' from usage, which fourthly fulfills the prophecy of apostasy in John 5:43, II Thess. 2:3-, Matt 24:29-, Mark 13:24-, Rev 13:12

1) Christ is a substituted term.
2) It does not convey the meaning of a Heavenly Annointing.
3) Usage of the term Christ effectively removes or erases the truth, and
3) Fulfills prophecies of Apostasy.

I would also like to point out the similarity between Kristos and Krishna, another pagan deity. It seems more than likely that there would be some etymological connection. Whether or not I have the time and resources to research it is another matter. Since I cannot pursue this at the moment, and I do know that the correct term is HaMoshiach, and there is no compelling reason to discard HaMoshiach in favor of a known inferior term, and I am instructed to "abstain from every appearance of evil", it seems foolhardy to continue using a questionable title such as "Christ" or "Kristos". I know it, and so do you.

Lets table this one for a moment:

The substituted term is inferior in every way. Any single argument should overturn it, let alone the combined force of all arguments against it. Best case scenario for Kristos is that it is merely questionable. And since it is a questionable, consider:

I submit to you that removing the original in favor of a substitute, is in fact a clouding and obscuring of truth, which is evil.

Why would one continue using a lesser truth anyway? Is that what Yahweh means when he says:

Inasmuch as Yahweh has provided me with a greater light in revealing his name to me, I will not cling to the lesser. I will follow the truth wherever it leads, otherwise why should he continue to bless me with yet greater?

Birthday celebrations are not hallowed in any way.

This is well known to any novice bible student. Birthday celebrations are not sanctioned in any way, at any time, anywhere in the bible. On the contrary. There are three birthday celebrations mentioned in scripture and on each occasion a violent death occured.¹ Belshazzar, in the book of Daniel, chapter 5 is a fourth possibility. Belshazzar was killed following great feast, which is as likely to be a birthday celebration as any other.

1) Birthdays are not sanctioned as holidays, but rather the opposite.

2) The only time birthdays are mentioned in scripture, they are associated with death, including violent and multiple deaths:

• Genesis 40:9-22
• Job 1:4-19
• Matthew 4:3-12

The form of celebration is generally innapropriate.

Christmas generally involves excessive partying and expense. The accepted practice is to spend unreasonable amounts on lavish gifts which would not normally be purchased for any other reason, placing many people in debt for no other reason than the commercialization of the holiday. Christmas exists today as much due to retailers and advertisers as for any other reason. Furthermore, the Christmas season results in more fatalities from drunken drivers than any other time of the year. Christmas parties most often involve alcholic beverages and unrestrained revelry. Exactly how does this revelry, debauchery and murder honor our saviour and king? It should be remembered that the form of celebration is directly related to the origin of the festival. Saturnalia has always been celebrated with excess, feasting, drinking, revelry and gift-giving.

1) Partying is not appropriate
2) Drinking is not appropriate
3) Engaging in dangerous or questionable activities is not appropriate
4) Excess in any form is never appropriate
5) Gift giving is not directed by scripture

All of the associated rituals are derived from pagan customs and traditions

The Mother and Child

A frequent symbol you will see is the mother-and-child figures in the nativity scene. Almost every pagan culture, however, yields the historical record of the veneration of a mother and child. This traces back to Nimrod, who was said to be reincarnated in his new son(sun)( Tamuz.) Why make an idol our of the nativity scene anyway? The commandments of Exodus specifically direct against them as abomination. It was not the birth of the Messiah that brought salvation to us, but his death. Once again:

A good name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than the day of one's birth. Eccl. 7:1

The Yule Log and the Christmas tree

The burning of the Yule log was first practiced by pagans in their worship of Tammuz. The burning of the log represented the death of Nimrod, while the new (xmas) tree represented his re-incarnation as his own son, Tammuz. Thus death-and-rebirth or the victory of light over darkness. This is the essence of solstice observations, the dying of the light, the days getting shorter, the darkness increasing and the passing of life as winter approaches; then the fervent sacrifices to appease the gods to return the sun; and the unrestrained festivity and celebration as winter/darkness passes and spring returns, bringing longer days, warmth and renewed growth, therefore rebirth, as of the trees. Hence the spring equinox celebrations are invariably fertility rites and observations, thus the rabbit and egg symbols at easter, both of which represent fertility.

Nimrod was executed by Shem, Noah's son, for his apostasy against Yahweh. He was depicted in mythology as a dead tree that had been cut down. By the side of the stump, a new tree springs forth to life from the dead roots, thus the Christmas tree represents Tammuz.

Mistletoe

The Wreath

A wassailing we will go?

Spirit of Christmas or Christmas spirits? Another characteristic emblem of christmas is imbibing of spirits (alcohol). During the celebration is imperitive that one 'get in the spirit' and imbibe in the spirits. Many christmas bottles are given as gifts. As mentioned before in section V, this frequently leads to tragedy.

How does drinking alcohol, partying, giving gifts and making merry honor our Saviour? He died a horrible and torturous death at the hands of his own people for the sole purpose of saving us from the evil of the world. Shall we continue to party and make merry as if we are glad of it? To do so is to join those who rejoiced in his death.

Santa Clause

Do we really need an expose on this lie? Why do so many people become so emotionally enrapt in such a fabrication? At the mere reminder of the fact that the entire story is myth, many people become immediately obstinate, confrontational and even enraged. What is driving this dynamic? It is not as if there were any question at all about the entire story being a lie. Parents are more adamant about creating and supporting this absurd myth to thier children then they are about going to church, reading the bible or even the supposed 'true meaning of christmas'. Want to get excommunicated from a family? Its very easy. Just tell thier child the truth about Santa Claus. After the fight is over, it is unlikely you will be allowed any further communication with thier children for a very long time. Imagine that. For telling the simple truth that Santa is a myth.

We love our children and want them to be happy, secure and honest. And yet the FIRST thing and seemingly the MOST IMPORTANT thing most parents do, is to hypocritically lie to them, Telling a lie themselves, and telling the child to not lie about anything, summarily tossing honesty and ethics out the window. This places the child into a conditional situation: Be good and you get presents; Be bad and you don't. Essentially removing security from a vulnerable child, who should rather be aware that they are loved at all times and not conditionally.

Inevetibly the child grows past the age of eight and finds out there is no Santa. This is quite a dissapointment. Our parents, who previously were at least nearly infallible and represent our ultimate security, are now found to be liars and therefore unreliable. Regardless of the original "good' intentions. (and what's that they say about good intentions and some sort of a road?) The child now sees fault in his parents. What else have they lied about? The Easter Bunny? The Tooth Fairy? The sandman? What else?

This creates a crisis of faith in an environment where everything is questioned. It is no wonder there is so much doubt in the world about faith, the bible and the Messiah. It is no wonder so many don't believe. When they were at their most vulnerable and most trusting age they have been lied to about everything else, why should they believe some fantastic story about miracles and a Messiah rising from the dead? Or especially an Omnipotent Father in Heaven who can see everything you do and reward you accordingly? Almost exactly like Santa Claus, white beard and all? I firmly believe this is at least partly to account for the general perception that the bible is not to be believed entirely as written by the general populace.

How can anything that turns children away from truth, into believing fairytale be anything but evil? It is doomed to fail. Creating the myth absolutely sentences the child to the eventual disheartening reality. Once the child is confronted by other children who do know the difference, the child most often looks foolish for not knowing better. If the child has become emotionally invested this belief, which is common, divesting of the fantasy will invariable result in some emotional damage. Usually the child will either cry or become angry, the realization of being duped can easily damage self-esteem or trust, or security or even negate the necessity being honest in the first place. Why should the child have to be honest at all times, when the myth is universal. Absolutely everyone has lied about this Santa thing, as well as many others. Now the child's sense of fairness actually becomes a liability. And yet parents are still adamant about setting the child up for dissapoinment.

Psychological damages aside, obvious or not, we should look at where the problem originated.

Good old St. Nick?

It never ceases to amaze me how easily this is revealed for what it is, and yet the majority of would-be believers remain perfectly oblivious for simply not picking up a dictionary. Very nearly any dictionary will do.

From the final authority on the English language, the Oxford English Dictionary [3], the entry is simply:

And from Websters New English Dictionary :

Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary has:

From The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language we find:

Referring now to the Oxford English Dictionary, the definition for Santa is especially interesting when we look carefully at the etymology, which references 'Nicolas' which as we already have identified is 'Nick'.

Again, any reliable dictionary will support this. For now, I will reduce citations for the sake of conserving space, with the expectation that if the reader questions the conclusion, then a dictionary will be consulted.

Now we should consider the mythological description of Santa. He is supposed to live at the NORTH POLE. He is an ageless all-seeing, all-knowing white-bearded 'saint' who delivers rewards to the good children and a lump of coal to the 'bad' children.

In scripture and prophecy, the north has great significance. A place of worship is described as a "high place". The temple Solomon built for Yahweh was built on the highest point in all of Israel. When scripture refers to a 'high place' it always refers to a place of worship. When we refer to the north, we are referring to the highest place of all, since the north pole is at the top of the whole earth. One who inhabits a high place, or the north is one who inhabits a temple, a place of worship. The act of taking up residence in a place like this is the same as declaring oneself as "Most High", ie. Elohim, or Holy One.The logical question now is obviously does this apply to Santa Claus? Of course we have already answered this by showing that Kris Kringle is derived from KrissKindl which means "Christ Child".

Santa is a substitue for Christ in the most literal sense. Santa Claus, Kris Kringle, Old St. Nick and Christ are ALL one and the same, as we have plainly seen defined by authoritative reference.

We shall take this a step further and see what scripture has to say about this.

Here we see the reference to Lucifer, who is Satan the Devil, and the description of "cut down to the ground", which describes Nimrod(the yule log), and by extension, Tammuz,(the Christmas tree). The passage then describes the Devil as desiring to occupy the 'uttermost parts of the north, and be worshipped as most high. Now consider that St. Nick lives in the north pole and is also known as Kris Kringle/Christ Child.

Consider also that this passage in Isaiah was written more a thousand years before the Santa Claus myth was created. This is a perfect example of the validity of biblical prophetic accuracy. This should also impress on the reader that it is far from being a trivial matter. In point of fact, the entire apocalypse is centered around this precise issue. Satan the devil in any of his forms taking the place of Yahweh, in that he is worshiped as most high is the catalytic event of all apocalyptic prophecy.

14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;

Santa flies above the clouds in a sliegh carried aloft by flying reindeer.

I will make myself like Ha`Elyon.

Santa is an eternal, ageless, white bearded deliverer of recompense; Just as Yahweh is defined as '(the)Eternal' and ageless, and usually presumed to have a long, white beard. And promises eternal life in the name of his son, the Messiah Yahshua.

Now consider the usage of Nick as in 'nick-names'; A nickname is a substitute for an actual name. Just as "St.Nick"/Christ (from kristos - 'erase') is a substitute for Messiah. (and an innapropriate and unauthorized one at that.)

At the risk of repeating myself, let me say this again: Satan the devil in any of his forms taking the place of Yahweh, in that he is worshiped as most high is the catalytic event of all apocalyptic prophecy. Please refer to my study on "The Beast" for further research on this particular.

Birthdays in the Bible

There are three birthday celebrations mentioned in scripture, and on each occasion a violent death occured:

2

Historians are unsure exactly when Christians first began celebrating the Nativity of Christ. However, most scholars believe that Christmas originated in the 4th century as a Christian substitute for pagan celebrations of the winter solstice. Before the introduction of Christmas, each year beginning on December 17 Romans honored Saturn, the ancient god of agriculture, in a festival called Saturnalia. This festival lasted for seven days and included the winter solstice, which usually occurred around December 25 on the ancient Julian calendar. During Saturnalia the Romans feasted, postponed all business and warfare, exchanged gifts, and temporarily freed their slaves. Many Romans also celebrated the lengthening of daylight following the winter solstice by participating in rituals to glorify Mithra, the ancient Persian god of light (see Mithraism). These and other winter festivities continued through January 1, the festival of Kalends, when Romans marked the day of the new moon and the first day of the month and year.

Although the Gospels describe Jesus' birth in detail, they never mention the date, so historians do not know on what date he was born. The Roman Catholic Church chose December 25 as the day for the Feast of the Nativity in order to give Christian meaning to existing pagan rituals. For example, the Church replaced festivities honoring the birth of Mithra, the god of light, with festivities to commemorate the birth of Jesus, whom the Bible calls the light of the world. The Catholic Church hoped to draw pagans into its religion by allowing them to continue their revelry while simultaneously honoring the birthday of Jesus. The Eastern Orthodox Church took a slightly different course. By the end of the 4th century the Eastern Church in Constantinople had also begun to acknowledge December 25 as Jesus' birthday, but it emphasized the celebration of Christ's baptism on January 6 as the more important holiday.

Over the next 1000 years, the observance of Christmas followed the expansion of Christianity into the rest of Europe and into Egypt. Along the way, Christian beliefs combined with existing pagan feasts and winter rituals to create many long-standing traditions of Christmas celebrations. For example, ancient Europeans believed that the mistletoe plant held magic powers to bestow life and fertility, to bring about peace, and to protect against disease. Northern Europeans associated the plant with the Norse goddess of love, Freya, and developed the custom of kissing underneath mistletoe branches. Christians incorporated this custom into their Christmas celebrations, and kissing under a mistletoe branch eventually became a part of secular Christmas tradition.

During the Reformation of the 16th century, Protestants challenged the authority of the Catholic Church, including its toleration of surviving pagan traditions during Christmas festivities. For a brief time during the 17th century, Puritans banned Christmas in England and in some English colonies in North America because they felt it had become a season best known for gambling, flamboyant public behavior, and overindulgence in food and drink.[6]

Saturnalia

(s&t@"neIlI@) [L. SQturnQlia, neut. pl. of SaturnQlis saturnal a.]
1. Roman Antiq. The festival of Saturn, held in the middle of December, observed as a time of general unrestrained merrymaking, extending even to the slaves. (Also, the title of a work by Macrobius.) Now always with capital S.
2. transf. and fig. A period of unrestrained licence and revelry. Sometimes construed as sing.
In this sense not unfrequently with small initial. [3]

Saturnalia (sater nale e, -nalye) pl. -lias or -lia
n. 1 [occas. with pl. v.] the ancient Roman festival of Saturn, held about Dec. 17, with general feasting and revelry in celebration of the winter solstice
2 [s-] [occas. with pl. v.] any period or occasion of unrestrained, often orgiastic, revelry
Etymology
[L, neut. pl. of Saturnalis, of Saturn]
[4]

Saturnalia, n.pl. [L., neut. pl. of Saturnalis, of or belonging to Saturn.]
1 among the Romans, the festival of Saturn, held about December 17, as a period of unrestrained merriment in celebration of the winter solstice.
2. [s-][sometimes construed as sing.] a period or occasion of noisy or unconstrained, often orgiastic, revelry.
[5]

References

[1] Christmas As The Bible Teaches It, Jacob O. Meyer © 1982 Assemblies of Yahweh

[2] The Two Babylons'Alexander Hislop ©

[3] Oxford English Dictionary; © Oxford University Press, 1999}

[4] Websters New English Dictionary © 1995 ZCI Publishing, Inc. (C)1994, 1991, 1988 Simon & Schuster, Inc.

[5] Websters New Twentieth Century Dictionary, Unabridged Second Edition; © 1970 by The World Publishing Company}

[6] Microsoft Encarta 2000, ver 9.0.0.0702 © 1993-1999 Microsoft Corporation

[7]McClintock & Strong's Bible Cyclopedia "Christmas"©

[8] The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.