This content has been archived. It may no longer be relevant
Of Holidays & Holy Days
You knew this was coming… sooner or later, it had to be addressed.
Do you recall that list of ‘sun-gods‘ we talked about last week? Did you know that there were many various celebrations associated with these so-called gods in ages past? Care to take a stab at what time of year this was generally done?
The simple fact is that, despite being celebrated today on December 25th, the origins of this festival being rooted in pagan sun-god worship is utterly beyond dispute. I mean, literally no knowledgeable person – academic, theologian or otherwise – would dare dispute this… because they know it to be a matter of fact.
There isn’t a debate to be had folks.
Now, in the past I’ve noted that this topic is invariably met with some level of hostility, even among believers. People simply don’t like the idea that we – as a society – could be doing something that God specifically said not to do. I’ll even go so far as to share that, until I came to my present understanding of the literal nature of much of scripture, I’d never had a need to apply the principle of Colossians 2:16. Not once.
Therefore do not let anyone judge you with respect to food or drink, or in the matter of a feast, new moon, or Sabbath days
Colossians 2:16
Ironically, when this issue does come up, I often find that very scripture being invoked by those who are more than happy to celebrate this festival and call it “holy“… and this not infrequently from the same mouths that have said things to me like “you know you’re not Jewish, right?” or that I’m trying to “crawl back under the law“.
That last one is my favorite.
The irony here is palpable. Those who would readily pass judgement on myself and those like me, for doing our best to adhere to the actual instructions of scripture, decrying us as judging them… well, you just can’t even make that up.
Perhaps the conviction on such matters comes, not from the mouth of the one speaking, but from the Spirit of the Living God? I mean… could it be? Yeah, it’s entirely inconvenient when God shows up your life in with some massive truth that you have to do something about… trust me. I am well aware. I am also aware that the greatest blessings you’ll ever know await you on the other side of your obedient response to that very event.
The Lord says:
Jeremiah 10:2 – 4
“Do not start following pagan religious practices. Do not be in awe of signs that occur in the sky even though the nations hold them in awe. For the religion of these people is worthless. They cut down a tree in the forest, and a craftsman makes it into an idol with his tools. He decorates it with overlays of silver and gold. He uses hammer and nails to fasten it together so that it will not fall over. …”
Now, you’re certainly free to insist that this scripture is not referring to Christmas Trees – there are certainly many who do – but damned if the similarity isn’t palpable
I mean, if it looks like a duck…
Then there’s that fat-man in red who possess God-like powers and knowledge. Should that be a huge red-flag to believers? I mean, scripture tells us that the God is unique and there are none who possess His attributes in any real measure… but that shouldn’t matter when it’s make-believe right? Consider for a moment that the subject we’re discussing is that of ‘old gods’ – while they were certainly also make-believe by our standards, I’d remind you that significant atrocities were committed in the name of these so-called gods – real, imagined or otherwise.
Now, what if I told you that some of the oldest known source-material from which we derive our modern “Santa”, actually came form the Norse Odin… some of those God-like attributes certainly come more clearly into focus when you consider this. The following is a list of similarities derived from Norse folklore:
- Odin crossed the skies during the nights of Yule, rewarding the good and punishing the bad.
- Odin traveled the skies on a flying, eight-legged horse named Sleipnir.
- Sleipnir was said to have had magical runes carved into his teeth… and into his sleigh.
- Odin was considered a gift-giver and wish-granter.
- Odin had elves, known as “Odin’s men” who made his gifts for him.
- The Norse held that Odin knew if they’d been bad or good.
- Odin lived in an inaccesible place (Asgard).
- Odin was known as the Allfather.
- Santa crossing the night skies of the whole world on Christmas night.
- The original Santa rode on a horse. The reindeer drawn sleigh was introduced later.
- There’s your sleigh. Eight legs, eight reindeer… you don’t need this spelled-out do you?
- Santa is a gift-giver and wish-granter.
- Santa has elves who make his gifts for him from their workshop at the North Pole.
- Santa supposedly knows if we’ve been bad or good.
- Santa lives in a (previously) inaccessible place.
- Santa was originally known as Father Christmas.
I mean… dude…. We haven’t even got to Krampus yet and it’s like shooting fish in a barrell.
Make no mistake ~ that demon has been associated with this winter-festival far longer than the colloquial fat-man in a red suit who adorns our Coca-Cola cans this time of year. Not only was he an integral part of the festivities in ages past, in many cultures, he still is.
So you tell me; how exactly do you “Christianize” that? Seems to me that this has just been largely ignored within American culture, but many within the European nations are well aware that this is, part and parcel, a fundamental element of yuletide.
Merry – Freaking – Christmas.
I know, I know – “but that’s not what it means to me!” right?
Here’s a thing; you aren’t being worshiped. What’s more – the one who IS being worshipped weighed in on such matters, long, long ago:
You must by all means destroy all the places where the nations you are about to dispossess worship their gods—on the high mountains and hills and under every leafy tree. You must tear down their altars, shatter their sacred pillars, burn up their sacred Asherah poles, and cut down the images of their gods; you must eliminate their very memory from that place. You must not worship the Lord your God the way they worship.
Deuteronomy 12:2 – 4
When the Lord your God eliminates the nations from the place where you are headed and you dispossess them, you will settle down in their land. After they have been destroyed from your presence, be careful not to be ensnared like they are; do not pursue their gods and say, “How do these nations serve their gods? I will do the same.” You must not worship the Lord your God the way they do! For everything that is abhorrent to him, everything he hates, they have done when worshiping their gods. They even burn up their sons and daughters before their gods!
Deuteronomy 12:29 – 31
At some point, we as believers and disciples of the King need to lay hold of the simple fact that we cannot maybe anything Holy. All that happens when we attempt to do so, is that we actually profane the Holy thing. The Messiah Himself – the one we claim to worship during this season – had something to say about human traditions, and frankly, none of it was good. The truth is, it’s not His birthday anyway – Jesus was born during Sukkot.
Until next time,
שלום עליכם – Shalom Aleichem – Peace Be Upon You