Archive for the ‘jesus’ Tag
Paul Gauguin’s ‘paradise’
Just in the USA about 50,000 people died by suicide in 2025, many being youths. How incredibly sad is that!? No doubt prospects for youths and even adults was severely impacted by the Covid-19 virus and variants – just one cause for some to give up on life.
My point in addressing this tragic issue is somewhat related to John Milton’s epic poems; ‘from paradise lost to paradise regained’ * but not entirely…please read on;
No doubt the absence of hope is the root cause of many if not most suicides! Clearly then, what is needed is real hope for the future based on solid facts.
Where can we find such real hope in a world that consistently engenders economic greed; government corruption; destruction of the environment; crime and violence; and the list goes on!?
The promise of ‘a return to paradise’ is a main theme of scripture. And scripture has been proven to be just as reliable as the rising of the sun. How can this be said? To begin with most scripture is recorded history of God’s dealings with man. That being the case, it’s possible to compare the biblical record with the known facts of history. Does it meet that litmus test, indeed it does! In fact many times the previously doubted Bible record has been proven correct when new archaeological and/or other factual historical evidence comes to light.
Indeed scriptures have shamed critics and proven to be accurate beyond any contradiction time and again, including references to known science; for one example the Psalmist said ‘his makeup was written down in a book before he was born’! ** A perfectly clear reference to only recently known DNA! And again, the scriptures refer to the ‘circle of the earth hanging on nothing‘, *** a fact we have only visually confirmed in recent times! But these words were written thousands of years before science confirmed them. Obviously the Bible was ‘inspired’ by the one who created these wonders we have only begun to appreciate!
The answer my friends is ‘written on the wind’, in a manor of speaking. The rotten conditions that exist on our beautiful planet are not in keeping with its purpose at all. **** Little wonder so many people feel hopeless. We naturally and rightly wish for a better world, a united world of mankind living in peace and security with plenty for all! And that is exactly what is promised for those who exercise faith in our Creator’s promise to regain paradise lost!
‘And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away,’…. ‘And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away’…. ‘And the One seated on the throne said: “Look! I am making all things new.’….’Also he says: “Write, for these words are faithful and true.'(see Revelation 21:1-5)
For more information on John Milton’s poems:
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradise_Lost
** Psalm 139:16 *** Isaiah 40:22
**** “For too long, we have been waging a senseless and suicidal war on nature. The result is three interlinked environmental crises: climate disruption, biodiversity loss and pollution that threaten our viability as a species.” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres
Please also visit post: Our Creators’ Art!
The popular concept that Christmas is based on the birth of the most significant human to have ever lived is actually an ‘anti-Christian belief… how can this be so?
There’s no better explanation than that the principal religions of Christendom have themselves been party to the misinformation guiding their flocks into this amazing dilution. Why this was undertaken could be summed up in one word; politics.
Whether we agree or disagree about the reasons, shortly after the last of the faithful followers of Christ died, there was a major secular movement to incorporate pagan religion into the actual teaching of Christ, and it has been highly successful.
Indeed, the majority of Church-goers today are taught the outrageous untruth that Christmas is based on the birth of Christ. How sad that is!
Please note: the following information is only for truth seekers!
A Historical Timeline of Christmas celebration;
1513 BCE – 60 CE (1600 years of recorded Bible History)
Period of inspired Biblical writings and prophecies, many concerning Jesus Christ. No mention of his date of birth; nor its being celebrated by his 12 apostles.
No mention of Christmas. No mention of any holy person celebrating a birthday – only sinners (like Pharaoh and Herod). (Gen. 40:20; Matt. 14:6; Mark 6:21-28; John 18:36)
2269-2030 B.C.E.
History of Sun worship. Began in ancient Babylonia by worshiping the sun god Shamash & Nimrod – parallels exist between Babylonian New Years & Christmas celebrations. (historian Pimlott in ‘The Englishman’s Christmas‘).
500 BCE
Celtic Druids used mistletoe winter solstice celebrations due to it being viewed as magical, mysterious, and sacred.
150 BCE
Romans began celebrating Saturnalia (where many Christmas traditions find
their origin)
45 BCE
Julius Caesar introduced the Julian Calendar making December 25 (not today’s 21 or 22) the date of the winter solstice (shortest day of the year).
33 CE
Jesus was Killed. The Apostle Paul warned Timothy that “wicked men & impostors” would slip into the congregation and mislead many. (2 Timothy 3:1
Josephus popular 1st Century Jewish Historian reported that Jews did not celebrate birthdays, 1st century Christians (former Jews) continued the tradition of NOT celebrating them.
The foretold apostasy began after the death of the apostles (Acts 20:29, 30)
A period where Mithraism (syncratic Hellenistic mystery religion) was practiced in the Roman Empire. Mithras was a Roman soldiers god whose legendary birth (as some stories go) resembles the birth of Christ (being born of a virgin in the presence of shepherds). Devotees of Mithra (says the Catholic Encyclopedia) celebrated the birthday of the invincible sun (dies natalis Solis Invicti) on December 25. L.M. Wright, author of “Christianity, Astrology, And Myth” 2002; suggests that the early Christian Church was influenced by much of the myth and symbolism of Mithraism. The cult of Sol Invictius was the Roman Empire’s leading official cult of the fourth century – (Wikipedia)
4th Century
Christmas began being celebrated as Christ’s Birthday. Early Catholic Church Fathers banned the use of Mistletoe in Christmas celebrations due to their pagan origin. Origen & Tertullian Catholic ecclesiastical writers of the 2nd & 3rd centuries spoke against Birthday celebrations. Tertullian made no mention of Christmas in his thorough lists of celebrations.
218 – 222
Roman Emperor Elagabalus introduced the holiday of Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, “birthday of the unconquered sun” was to be celebrated on Dec. 25 (where many Christmas traditions find their origin), and promoted it empire-wide when it reached its height in popularity.
Pope Gregory I wrote to Mellitus, his missionary in England, telling him “not to stop such ancient pagan festivities, but to adapt them to the rites of the Church, only changing the reason of them from a heathen to a Christian impulse.” Thus reports Arthur Weigall, who once was inspector general of antiquities for the Egyptian government.
313
All religions, even Christianity were legalized in Roman
territory.
325
In the 1st counsel of Nicaea, Roman Emperor Constantine standardized Christian beliefs. According to the Catholic Church, Catholics began adopting pagan customs into Christianity. By the end of the century, Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire.
336 CE
1st historical record of December 25 as the assigned date of Jesus Birth
All Religions (including formerly persecuted Christianity) in Roman territory were legalized. It took nearly the entire 4th century for the Roman empire to transition State Religion from pagan cults to Christianity. The Merging of cultic tradition with Christianity greatly assisted in this transition.
567
The Council of Tours “proclaimed the 12 days from Christmas to Epiphany as
a sacred and festive season.”—The Catholic Encyclopedia for School and
Home.
10th Century
Christmas, along with Christianity, spread to Russia, where it became fused with the winter celebration of the ancient Slavs, honoring the spirits of the ancestors. (The Great Soviet Encyclopedia)
16th Century
Christmas traditions spread to branches of Protestants during the
Protestant Reformation.
1644
In England, Parliament discouraged Christmas feasting due to its heathen origin
1652
Parliament banned Christmas by law
1659 – 1681
In North America, Massachusetts Bay Colony banned Christmas n which violators were subject to fine.
1772
The Baptist Church of Newport [Rhode Island] observed Christmas for the
first time. This was about 130 years after the founding of the first Baptist church in New England.
1836
Alabama became 1st U.S. state to legalize Christmas
1843
Commercialism revived Christmas, Charles Dickens wrote “A Christmas Carol” and Christmas Cards originated in London.
1907
Oklahoma became the last U.S. state to legalize Christmas.
1927
Jehovah’s Witnesses abandoned Christmas celebrations after learning of its pagan origins.
Summary:
An overwhelming majority of sources agree that Christmas was almost entirely influenced by pre-Christian pagan celebrations.
There was no mention of Christmas nor any celebration of Christ’s birthday for hundreds of years after Jesus & his apostles died. The book Sacred Origins of Profound Things states: “For two centuries after Christ’s birth, no one knew, and few people cared, exactly when he was born.” Thus birthday celebrations, even of gods and leaders, were condemned as far as the late third century even by Roman Catholic leaders.
I’ve written about many subjects on this blog but there is none that equals the significance of this one considering the uncounted millions of human lives lost in the 20th and now the 21st Century!
Very often we hear the expression ‘they made the supreme sacrifice’, usually meaning humans have sacrificed their life for some political objective as determined by government’s led by emperor, dictator, monarch, president, prime minister, etc., etc, elected or not.
I suggest this scenario is little changed throughout thousands of years of human history, i.e. the projection of a nations power, or defense, via the sacrifice of their human population! *
Therefore the question that I believe may fairly be asked then is this; Are such human sacrifices not in reality ‘religious perversion’?!
For example; historian’s well discern that in the Mayan culture human sacrifices were often made to ensure the success of crops or other untold various interests. Interestingly, in our day, those ancient human sacrifices, be they men, women, or children, are often regarded as atrocities, perverted abuses of the populace by their rulers, supported by their religious representatives, in other words the ruling elements of their society!
“politics and nationalism…exalted the state as divine…or identified it with the march of God in history.” For some, the “worship of the state as the personification of the spirit of the nation was essential for realization of the national destiny.” (Ideas in Conflict, Edward Burns) *
My question is; what has changed today? Modern day governments may regard themselves as well informed and progressive, but doesn’t the sacrifice of human lives for one national purpose or another simply reflect all those ancient sacrifices made in the Mayan culture, or in hundreds of other cultures throughout thousands of years of human history?
When young men and women are encouraged, even trained, to make the ‘ultimate sacrifice’ of their lives for some national, or dare I say ‘cultural’ cause, what difference is there to all those ancient societies? Societies that interestingly no longer exist in spite of those sacrifices.
How can it be said that ‘modern’ man is any more advanced in his thinking than historically significant societies like the Mayan’s and countless others?
The reality is that mankind is in darkness spiritually speaking. No amount of technological advances can overcome this fact. No matter how it may be couched in glowing terms, human sacrifice is still a common practice after thousands of years. In other words there has been no progress spiritually for the nations of mankind, in fact the scale of human lives lost in national conflicts is ever increasing, aided and abetted by religious elements as always. “Kill one man and you’re a murderer, kill a million and you’re a conqueror.” (Jean Rostand quote)
Why can’t it be understood that ‘God wants mercy and not sacrifice’? (Matt. 9:13) Make no mistake about it; sacrificing human lives for any national purpose is in no way the ‘will of God’! They have not and will not receive his blessing for doing so. On the contrary, they are condemned by him for doing so.
As the BeeGee’s song of decades ago said it… ‘the answer my friends is blowing on the wind’, the ‘scriptural wind’ imho.
* “Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind.”
(Albert Einstein)
