December 25th.

Interesting because we just discussed this at our last meeting. Every year witnesses go through issues because of the holidays. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Birthdays, etc.. Someone from my work had mentioned to me that their children felt as if it was torture not allowing my children to celebrate Christmas. For Children, it's hard because they don't understand the meaning behind Christmas. They are fooled by the World into thinking that Jesus was born that day.

When you find out that Jesus was not born that day, Oh it's all about Santa or it's the Christmas spirit or even family spirit. I try to explain why but most of the time it goes in one ear and out the other. Jehovah has standards. His Standards has not changed. It's our standards that have changed. Give man an inch, he takes a mile.

As mentioned Jesus was not born on December 25th. That was a lie but don't you wonder why you were even lied to in the first place? If his Birth was not on the 25th then how exactly did they come up with that date? Who came up with that date? Was there anything else on that date?

Someone might say " Yes Jesus was born on December 25h " I just ask, show me where in the bible it says the date of his birth? You won't find it because it isn't there. It never was there and there is scripture evidence to show that it wasn't in December.

December 25th, as is well known, was chosen by the Church of Rome in the fourth century. This date in pagan Rome was dedicated to the Sun god. Although Christianity had already been affirmed in Rome by an Edict of Constantine, the myth of the Sun god was still widespread, especially among soldiers. The above-mentioned festivities, centred on 25 December, were deeply rooted in popular tradition. This gave the Church of Rome the idea of impressing a Christian religious significance on the day by replacing the Sun god with the true Sun of Justice, Jesus Christ, choosing it as the day on which to celebrate his birth.

Another disturbing question arises with regard to the nature of Christmas celebrations. If Jesus returned to the earth today, what would he think about the rank commercialism of Christmas? Recall when Jesus visited the temple in Jerusalem. He was outraged by money changers and vendors who were taking advantage of a Jewish religious festival to make money. “Take these things away from here!” he said. “Stop making the house of my Father a house of merchandise!” (John 2:13-16) Clearly, Jesus did not approve of mixing commerce and religion. Do you not agree it's mixed today?

If traditional Christmas has little to do with Christ, how should true Christians remember the birth and life of Christ? Once we know Jesus well, we need no longer wonder how he would like us to remember him. Would it be by eating, drinking, and exchanging presents on the same date as an ancient pagan festival? That seems unlikely. The night before he died, Jesus told his disciples what he preferred. “He that has my commandments and observes them, that one is he who loves me. In turn he that loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him.” look at that up at John 14:21

So it's clear that Christmas or should I say December 25th is a pagan holiday. Also show me the scripture where any of Jesus's followers celebrated his birth? You won't find it. Matter of fact, show me where any of Jesus followers celebrated their own birth? You won't find it. Remember the bible does speak of Birthdays but both ended with bad results.

This is taken from Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas

That pretty much sums it up. We follow what is mentioned in the bible. We follow Jehovah's standards and not our own. If Jehovah wanted us to celebrate the birth of his son, he would have said so. He did not for there is no reason to celebrate a birth. Celebrate life itself each day that you have it for life itself is cause for celebration and do it daily while you have it. Each of us have our internal clocks that sooner or later stops. Every second that goes by is a second that we cannot get back. It's gone forever. Jehovah adds power to our clocks so that it keeps ticking.

So just to review. Would Jehovah want us to Celebrate a day that falls in a pagan holiday?

Principle: "'Get out from among them, and separate yourselves,' says Jehovah,
'and quit touching the unclean thing'; 'and I will take you in.' "-2 Corinthians 6:17.

Some questions to ask yourself about a popular celebration or custom:
• Does it clearly have roots in a false religious practice or teaching, including
spiritism? -Isaiah 52:11; 1 Corinthians 4:6; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18; Revelation 18:4.

• Does it give undue honor or adulation to a human, an organization, or a national
symbol? -Jeremiah 17:5-7; Acts 10:25, 26; 1 John 5:21.

• Does it elevate one nation or ethnic group over another? -Acts 10:34, 35; 17:26.

• Does it reflect "the spirit of the world," which works in opposition to God's holy
spirit? -1 Corinthians 2:12; Ephesians 2:2.

• Could my participation in it be a cause for stumbling? -Romans 14:21.

• If I choose not to participate, how would I respectfully explain my reasons to
others? -Romans 12:1, 2; Colossians 4:6.

Again the Bible makes no mention of a birthday celebration for Jesus. In fact, his
exact birth date is unknown. We can be sure, though, that he was not born on December 25 in the cold of winter in that part of the world. For one thing, Luke
recorded that when Jesus was born, "shepherds were living out of doors minding
their flocks. Luke 2:8-11. If "living out of doors" had been their habit year round, that would not have been noteworthy.

However, because Bethlehem is subject to cold rains and snow, flocks were wintered under cover and shepherds would not have been "living out of doors." Additionally, Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem because Caesar Augustus had ordered a census. Luke 2:1-7. It is highly unlikely that Caesar would have commanded a people who were resentful of Roman rule to travel to their ancestral cities in the dead of winter.

Christians give out of love, their giving is not tied to a date, and they
expect no gifts in return. But, some may argue, did not the astrologers present birthday gifts to Jesus? No. Their gift-giving was simply a way of paying their respects to a person of note, a common custom in Bible times. see 1st Kings 10:1, 2, 10, 13; Matthew 2:2, 11. In fact, they did not even come on the night that Jesus was born. Jesus was, not a babe in a manger, but many months old and living in a house when they arrived.

So see it's clear that Jesus was not born on that day and that December 25th is a pagan holiday turned religious. We will talk about Birthdays on Thursdays.