Christians and fun seem to go hand in hand today. For the greater part of the past two thousand years, Christians and suffering or death went hand-in-hand. What changed? Christ or His followers?
I must admit I am more aware than ever why the masses of people who claim to follow Christ seem so confused about the basics of Christianity such as cross-bearing, idolatry, refraining from pagan practices, obeying GOD always, and refusing to disobey Him if it “makes sense to them” or the “end justifies the means”.
Have you wondered why persecution appears to erupt every few generations? Western believers, who have seen less persecution in recent years, say they love the LORD with their lips, but they assimilate the pagans with their lives. What will it take for them to begin emulating Jesus Christ instead of pagans?
In light of a recent article (found at this link) by Answers in Genesis, a ministry I usually admire for their research, knowledge, and doctrinal purity, one must ask why almost every large ministry or famous “pastor” seems to become weak in their research, historical knowledge, and Biblical practices as the suffering with Christ and the pain of obeying Him becomes heavier to bear.
In fact, only several years ago did I awaken to certain truths. Why? Not because of pastors, Christian educational institutes, and ministries – they refused to speak out on these matters. GOD used a senior in high school in Charleston, South Carolina. Didn’t Jesus use a young boy to feed thousands in the Bible? The young man handed me a very old book on the subject of ancient religions and history. I was amazed. GOD was able to “feed” my mind using the faithfulness of just a boy who had been saved out of Catholicism. After reading through that book, I dug into my ancient history and Scripture. Again, I was amazed. Why didn’t people teach me these things who claim to be Christian leaders? If they have ever attempted to evangelize atheists, pagans, or anyone intellectual outside of their sphere of religious belief, wouldn’t they have stumbled upon these historical truths? It’s amazing how people will appear ignorant or show forth weak research when the facts just might inconvenience their money purse, lifestyle, or relationships.
I have heard Christian missionaries say the same basic thing that I have read in books by secular sociologists – specifically, that culture is an outgrowth of religious belief. In one city, you may have a plethora of sub-cultures. For example, you may have a university campus with a culture that reflects atheism and across the street a seminary campus may exist with a culture that reflects Christian beliefs. I remember reading in the dictionary that the words “cult”, “philosophy”, and “religion” all shared the same definition, namely “a system of beliefs”. The difference was that a religion is a system of beliefs involving a deity, a philosophy is a system of beliefs in which a deity is absent, and a cult is a system of belief in which the adherents’ beliefs are outside of traditional norms. What are some of the elements of culture which reflect a person’s system of beliefs? Language, science, food, art, music, holidays, clothing, societal norms, gender roles, social structure and functions are a few of the areas through which our everyday living or culture is influenced by our beliefs. For example, a Muslim may refuse to eat pork, while a Christian may have no such dietary restriction. A Jew may refuse to marry a person who is not physically Jewish, while a Christian may refuse to marry someone who is not spiritually Christian. Are Christians allowed to assimilate pagans in their culture? What does the Bible say?
The GOD, who breathed out the very message of the Bible, forbids taking pagan practices such as shamanic music, risque dress, and other modern American culture, and adopting them as “Christian”. Christians are not allowed to take age-old cultural holidays of pagans and use them for Him either such as Easter or Halloween or Christmas. The theme of being set apart from the world and avoiding pagan practices is all throughout the Bible. Yet, so many ministries not only avoid speaking out on these matters, but instead seek to justify them and even do them in GOD’s name. Many ministries and issues could be named as fitting this category. The article I mentioned before by Answers in Genesis is just one example of this truth. They know their history, but choose to maintain a moderate stand on this issue. There are many other ministries who are far worse theologically. Their ministry is very credible, very theologically sound, and very exceptional in their research and conclusions with the exception of this issue of pagan assimilation. Thus, I have chosen their ministry, because they should know better than to assimilate paganism. To whom much is given, much will be required.
Acts 12:4 says “Easter” in the English translation, but the Greek says “passover”.
I was amazed by the incredibly inept historical research that was done by “Bodie” in an attempt to justify the unjustifiable. Why would he spend time trying to show that Jesus might have been born in December, but then concede he doesn’t know in the end?
Is he not aware of the hordes and hordes of historical documents stating that December the 25th was celebrated in honor of Tammuz (i.e. Tammuz is even mentioned in Scripture), and later after the confusion of languages at Babel, the names became varied (i.e. Mithras, etc).
Click to ENLARGE. A “tree” being placed before GOD started in the Garden of Eden.
“Bodie” attempts to use the calendar of Judaism and some other Catholic arguments to suggest the possibility that Christ could have been born on December 25th. But wait!! He doesn’t even prove it. Instead, he finally concedes that we can’t know the date for sure. However, even after conceding this truth, “Bodie” doesn’t seem to understand what December 25th really is. Does he not know his ancient, Medieval, or even modern history or at least the practices of pagans today?
There’s a reason for Playboy “bunnies”.
Still he tries to say that he doesn’t “worship a ‘pagan’ holiday or any holiday”. If that were the case, then he and the staff at Answers in Genesis would chunk the 25th of December from their lives to avoid any possible “stumbling-block” or association with paganism and move onward. However, that would cause waves, would it not, for the larger portion of their donors?
Isn’t it so much easier for the budget and for maintaining popular status quo to justify the 25th of December, and simply continue to “fit in” with family, friends, and the pagan world who might not be understanding? To read an excellent article about the birthday of Jesus, refer to this link.
What communion does Christ have with Belial?
His ignorance of the LORD’s Supper is also quite remarkable. Does he not realize that Jesus did not cast Passover into the waste basket, but actually re-established its meaning to be about Himself? Passover took place in the spring. That’s what Jesus was celebrating in the upper room on the Passover Eve before He was crucified. Why then does Bodie ask “do Christians refuse to take communion if it falls on a pagan holiday like Halloween?” Halloween takes place in October. Passover does not. I might also ask “Bodie” (if that’s his real name) the following question.
Sun worship, astrology, Baal sabbaths, and pagan symbolism all shown in one diagram known by pagans as the Wheel of the Year which charts their beloved sun’s course through the sky. Each major holiday is thirteen weeks apart, creating both a cross for the major witch celebrations and an “X” for the minor witch celebrations (or a wheel with eight spokes).
Why do Halloween and Christmas and Easter all happen to land on three of the eight witch sabbaths established by, not only witches worldwide today, and not only by witches for the past several thousands of years, but also by their mother religion, the ancient Baal worship of the sun. These eight sabbaths are divided into four cross units of thirteen weeks, marking the solstices, equinoxes, and other milestones of the sun’s path. Is this some great coincidence that has been practiced without fail for thousands of years by witches globally? We know not the birthday of Jesus, but we definitely know the ancient “Wheel of the Year” and its Satanic meanings. Has “Bodie” not heard of the pagan zodiac or astrology or divination or the religion of Baal? How does he hope to understand the enormous number of references to Baal throughout the Bible?
America’s false christ …shaped into their own image.
If he does understand these matters, then why would he want to coincide with these sabbaths which are celebrated by witches around the world without fail each year, a practice they have done for thousands of years? Is it to avoid standing alone in the break room at work or to avoid ridicule in the local congregation? Have local congregations stooped this low? Yes. In other words, Christians now no longer suffer for Christ, but they actually ridicule those who are willing to obey GOD. Is this love? How much love should “believers” show? How much do you think you’d get if you ban Christmas?
Re-purposing pagan festivals for GOD’s use or your own use is evil, not according to me, but according to GOD. Does it matter which day you do things? Absolutely, if by doing so you are aligning with the patterns of this world, and in particular witches. How are Protestants any different than Catholics if they are recycling paganism for their own practice, and adopting pagan holidays for their own pleasure?
As a way of justifying his conclusions, “Bodie” states “what should be of greater concern to Christians is the extent to which we have adopted some of the pagan practices during Christmas-time” and then “Bodie” goes on to talk about not emphasizing Santa and other things more than the birth of Christ. What?! I thought the birth of Christ was up for grabs according to “Bodie”? Why emphasize His birth on a pagan witch festival day at which time witches today still celebrate their sun god, emphasizing plenty of evil things, as they have for thousands of years? And why is “Bodie” concerned about using pagan implements on a pagan day? Why celebrate the day at all?
And why did Catholics choose to worship Jesus’ birth on this day, you may ask? Because they were mixing together the holy and the profane in order to satisfy the masses in Rome. In other words, they were doing what a lot of “good Christian” ministries are doing today – satisfying the masses by mixing the holy with the evil. While Rome didn’t need a Reformation, but an entirely new religion based upon the Bible, the American Christians actually do need a Reformation, one that only GOD’s Spirit can give them. The “Bodie” sermon is similar to many sermons given from many pulpits in this hedonistic land called America, a land which once stood pure in its beliefs and practices, and where its Puritan founders once banned Christmas and Easter due to their pagan associations.
Does “Bodie” know more than the Puritans? Some say the Puritan farmers knew more than our professors, and I have read that they valued their books more than other earthly possessions when they were choosing what they should bring over on the ship to the “New World”.
Bodie ends his sermon with stating how celebrating redemption is worth celebrating and weakly attempts to tie it back to Jesus’ birth, but wait! Didn’t Jesus tell us to remember His death at Passover time (not His birth)? That is His redemption, and yes it is worth celebrating … just not on pagan witch sabbaths to fit in with the pagan world, but instead on the day that Jesus celebrated His Supper each spring.
“When you enter the land which the LORD your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations.” – Deuteronomy 18:9
I might ask “Bodie” why not celebrate the LORD’s birth on a day in the summer if it’s not an idol in his life? If not, why not? Or better yet, since “Bodie” and “Answers in Genesis” seem to find good reasons to land all of their celebrations of Christ on witch sabbaths (just like the pagan Romans who first created Catholicism and its holidays and practices by mixing the holy religion of the Bible with the evil religion of Baal), why not find good reasons to celebrate the original festivals of the Bible which served as excellent physical interactive lessons of the important spiritual New Testament truths of Scripture? Would their kind, loving, understanding, devout and holy donors, family, congregations, and friends be okay with that?
There are five types of Christians today. Those who:
- Sin and repent.
- Sin and make excuses and repent.
- Sin and make excuses and therefore do not repent.
- Sin, but call their sin by the name of “good”, and who define good as “evil”.
- Sin, but call their sin by the name of “good”, and furthermore do the evil in the name of GOD.
In my opinion, this latter category is the most wicked of all in which people, who are reprobate concerning their evil, go the extra step to commit sacrilege and blasphemy by doing such evil in GOD’s name. A great example of this final category is the rock industry promoted by many in the name of Christ or perverts who claim to be Christian perverts. Another example is the recent appearance of Ken Ham of “Answers in Genesis” on Fox News quoting John 3:16 as seen at this link. This far right, conservative fundamentalist Christian is a man who I normally respect very highly for his “answers in Genesis”. However, he is now seen in the previous interview firmly endorsing a witch sabbath in Christ’s name just like the Roman Catholic empire has done, and his answers don’t seem to be emanating from Genesis or the Bible at all. The philosophy being presented by Ham, whether purposeful or not, says “it doesn’t really matter how you share the Gospel as long as you share it“. This not only is an encouragement of the Catholic sacrilege and blasphemy of Jesus’ name by associating His pure name with a witch sun sabbath of Baal and it is not only a slap in the face to the forefathers of this country, the Pilgrims, Puritans, Baptists, and others who fought so hard against its practice and whose laws banned it from the early half of American life, but it also exemplifies the “moral” theology, probabilism, and casuistry of the Jesuits, those Inquisitors of the Dark Ages known for their Satanic philosophy “the end justifies the means“.
The number of savage deeds done with that motto range from the skinning alive of human beings during the Inquisitions to the Crusades where Roman knights would massacre Jews and Muslims for sport in the holy land to the Holocaust where Jews were gassed to the burning at the stake of those who translated the Bible into English.
Today, one can look at every aspect of the majority of Christian culture and see this motto being practiced. To them, if a witch sabbath can be used for celebrating Jesus’ birth, then you can also use the witch sabbath to share the Gospel, even if it is a mockery of GOD, Scripture, and all their Protestant forefathers who banned Catholic holidays stolen from paganism, like Christmas and Easter, for the first two hundred years of American history.
I find some very interesting stats in Ken Ham’s interview with Catholic Fox News. First, Ken Ham said that the atheists are a very small minority in the population. Second, Fox News shared a Rasmussen Reports poll which stated that 67% of those surveyed believed that Christmas should be about Jesus, compared to 17% of those who believed that Christmas should be about Santa.
Why is this important? It shows the same trend in our culture that I have seen for some time. It’s not for lack of so-called “Christians” that the American republic has lost its Bill of Rights, its economy, and is headed toward very dark days. In my estimate, the reason they have lost their blessings is because they continue to tout Jesus’ name, but do the most evil deeds and justify them. In fact, oftentimes they do them in GOD’s name. Some of the greatest atrocities in history have been committed in Jesus’ name for “good reasons”. Does that mean GOD approves? Absolutely not! What if you can throw in a verse of Scripture on a national venue? The Word of GOD is clear. The end never justifies the means, regardless of how “great” the “good end” might be.
Some of the sluttiest, most outrageous, occult-promoting rock stars in the world today are those who claim to have grown up as “Christians”. The same can be said of many of the so-called “Christian” actors, models, and other celebrities who oftentimes act more wicked than their non-Christian peers. We also see how many politicians claim to “love Jesus”, yet they promote Marxism, communism, fascism, corporate greed, the CIA, and more. We see them claim Jesus’ name, then lie, shred our Constitutional rights, and commit all sorts of evil, while disobeying Jesus and His Word in the process. Isn’t it easy for mankind to justify why they are taking a certain political stand, cursing and drinking with the co-workers at the workplace, violating GOD’s laws for a job in the artsy community of movies, art, comedy, television, or music, or going along with a congregation or the financial backers of a ministry? Isn’t it easy to pretend that the reason is for the “advancement” of GOD’s kingdom or to win over the lost or some other noble cause? We love to live pragmatically instead of by faith.
Throughout the world, we see Christians and pagans alike who understand that the Mass of Christ is really a refurbished witch sabbath. The laws of England and America banned the practice when Protestants were in power. Only in recent years have Protestants turned back to the theological practices of Rome like a dog returned to its vomit. As the author of this Rense.com article states:
“It was not until 350 AD that the Bishop of Rome, Julius 1, chose December 25th as the observance of Christmas. This was obviously influenced by the ancient Romans year end festivities to honor Saturn, their harvest god and Mithras, the god of light. The Roman feast of Saturnalia was a seven-day festival in honor of the deity Saturn. It began on December 17. Saturnalia was considered a fun and festive time for the Romans. As Christianity spread, the Church became alarmed by the continuing practice among its flock of indulging in customs such as this Saturnalian feast. If you can’t beat ’em …join ’em. Slowly but surely, the pagan ritual of using greenery to decorate homes, moved from being prohibited as idolatry to becoming an accepted custom of the festivities. Another tradition at the Saturnalia, involved exchanging candles, clay dolls, and other small gifts.”
“To obey is better than sacrifice” is what Samuel told King Saul after he “did it his way” with an “end justifies the means” mentality
Most who know their history are aware of these facts. Sadly, many Christians don’t know history or at least they pretend not to know it (since they might have to get rid of their materialistic, self-centered traditions of frivolity and pagan assimilation or be shunned by others who assimilate paganism).
Do not sing “GOD bless America” or pray for revival if you plan to live out the philosophy “I did it my way“. Do you really expect GOD to bless your country or community or bring revival or protect a nation that lives by that philosophy? If you sin, then repent. Don’t exacerbate your evil further by redefining it or by doing it sacrilegiously “for GOD”.
Personally, I believe Americans deserve Obama and their other leaders, their economic mess, their crime rate, and whatever else that GOD sends their way. They have chosen the path of King Saul who thought he knew better than GOD. He chose a wrong means in order to achieve a “good end“. He rebelled and stubbornly committed his sins in GOD’s name and justified his evil by all the “good” he was supposedly doing for Israel. As a result, the Holy Spirit left him and an evil spirit began to trouble him. What happened to this individual can also happen to a nation.
Biblical Connection 