by Jane Daniels

Created on: October 25, 2010

The TRUE meaning of Christmas? Hmmm, now there's a can of worms to open up.

It is not really a Jesus vs. Santa situation as much as a, 'what the heck do we need to borrow another pagan celebration, rename it and pretend it's Christian' situation.

Look back in history and see what pattern emerges. Adoption of pagan religious practices by the Roman Catholic Church was intended to lure the heathen into 'Christian' worship. The trouble was, that was never a method used by Jesus or his apostles. (Neither was conversion at the point of a sword!) The preaching activity of the first Christians was meant to stir hearts to action. That action was supposed to prompt a person to vote with their feet in the matter of acceptable worship. To 'con' someone into becoming a Christian was dishonest. It did not involve an informed decision on the part of the worshipper. Pagans were tricked into becoming Catholic (as opposed to becoming Christian) by an Emperor who wanted to consolidate his religiously divided empire. He devised a way to make everybody happy. This man never became a "Christian" until on his deathbed. It appears from secular history that he had sacrificed to Zeus on the same day. This emperor who is responsible for much of church teachings even to this day, was a sun worshipper all his life. Sun worship is something we see featured in Catholic art. Where do we suppose all those halos come from? They are not Christian.

Christianity in the early centuries (after the death of the apostles,) was a hotbed of controversy. Jesus and the apostles had foretold that a "falling away" from the true faith would occur. Men would rise up from within the congregations and corrupt the teachings of the Christ.
By the time of Constantine, (4th century) apostate Christianity was ripe for the introduction of a state religion that claimed to be Christian.
The pagan citizens of the Roman Empire were happy to accept this new religion legislated by their emperor. They got to keep all their favorite festivals, renamed to keep the 'Christians' happy. This is what many accept as Christian worship even today.
They cleverly substituted the birth of the "Son of God" for the birth of the "sun god". Slight of hand really.

The truth is, the Christianity practised by the masses today bears little resemblance to the original teachings of Christ and his apostles. If Christ's birth was meant to be celebrated, then why is the date not recorded? We are commanded to commemorate his death, which is detailed

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