Shalom Saints,

In this teaching, Arthur exposes the origins and spirit of Christmas.  Christmas is singularly different than all of the other religious holidays because it is not one day, it is a season.  We are continually confronted with Christmas for more than a month!  Arthur investigates the pagan origins of Christmas; discusses what is and what is not in the Bible; describes the roles of Nimrod, Semiramis, and Tammuz in Christmas; reveals the symbolism of the Christmas tree, the wreaths and mistletoe; and thoroughly expounds on how we are trapped by the many lures of Christmas.

ARTHUR FACT:  The world has not adopted any of YeHoVaH’s commanded Holy Days.  Not a one! When we as a people, who are supposed to be followers of YeHoVaH, are celebrating a holiday like the world, which is not religious at all, that should be a red flag for us.

Arthur challenges the traditions we hold dear.  This holiday tradition is all intertwined with family, gifts, merrymaking, and Jesus!  December 25th has become the holiest day on the Christian Church Calendar.  Ironically, the holiest day on the Christian Church calendar is also the most celebrated on the secular calendar around the world.  Is Christmas a worldly holiday or is it a Christian holy day?  Christmas is celebrated by Christians, some Jews, Muslims, and every other people on the planet, including atheists and non-believers.  Could that many people be wrong? 

Arthur lays out the truth of this pagan holiday and we are faced with a decision.  What if everything you thought you knew about one of the most popular world holidays was not exactly what you have been told?  Would you accept this new information or would you reject it? 

Like the teachings of Yeshua Messiah that were rejected by the majority, the origins of the world’s favorite holiday are typically met with disbelief or overt dismissal.  Nevertheless, the Almighty tells us in the Bible that manmade holidays or so-called “holy” days do not honor him.  So how did holidays that are not in the Bible and were never commanded by the Most High become incorporated into churches?  How has the entire world been deceived? 

Arthur delves into these issues:

• Christmas is so special that it is associated with a season, not just a day.  The Christmas decorations are brought out in mid-November and we see them through early January.  We all are aware of the “spirit of Christmas”.  Where did this spirit come from?

Cast off the inherited lies! Merry Christmas? (DVD)

Merry Christmas?

Sharon’s Reflection on the Teaching

As a child, only once, did I question the honesty and integrity of my maternal Grandma.  Even then, when I reflected on all the facts, Grandma was absolved.  I remember the incident as clear as if it were this morning.  I was playing in the front room (living room) and our German neighbor, Mrs. Raymond, came up on the enclosed porch.  The front door was open, so she just hollered in for my Grandma.  Grandma was tall and stout, but moved at a brisk pace to meet her neighbor. 

Mrs. Raymond gave my Grandma a large pot of spaghetti.  Grandma smiled, received the pot, and thanked her profusely for such a nice gesture.  Mrs. Raymond turned around to go back across the street and Grandma stepped back in the house, closed the door, went straight to the back door without stopping, and gave the spaghetti to the dog!! 

I was confused and in my mind I was about to accuse Grandma of fakery!  THEN the facts all stumbled into my head.  THE MONKEY!  THE MONKEY! 

Mrs. Raymond had a pet monkey that had free range of her home and THE KITCHEN.  I had seen its open cage sitting in the kitchen while it played all over the table and counters.  I liked the monkey, but I understood Grandma was not going to eat from a kitchen where the monkey roamed!  (I never understood the movie Ratatouille, where the rats were the cooks!!  Ugh!)

Ok, back to the point, I trusted Grandma.  When she celebrated and honored Little Baby Jesus and did the gift giving and all the rest of the merry making, I trusted her.  I believed that was what I was supposed to do.  It had to be in the Bible, after all, Grandma was the Mother at her Primitive Baptist Church.  She would know if it wasn’t! 

Christmas was a part of my life that I never ever questioned (other than the Santa bit when I got older).  Traditions and deceptions are passed down through loving and well-meaning people.  That is why inherited lies are so hard to extract from people’s lives.

Christmas is one of the holidays that people make excuses to continue to celebrate even when they know it is pagan.  I’m not pointing a finger.  I did it.  I had all kinds of “good” reasons:

• Jesus is the reason for the season.
• Christmas is a time for family and giving.
• It may be pagan, but I am celebrating the real God.
• I told my children Santa was make-believe, so we can do the rest of Christmas.
• I love the lights and the songs; they make me feel so warm and good inside.

Only when I came into Hebrew Roots did I have an attitude change, or renewing of my mind.  I faced the truth and nothing but the truth.  I came to realize that all my actions are my “fruit.” I cannot be an Ambassador of the Most High and then dabble a little in the parties; show up for the dinners, but not eat the ham; “accidentally on purpose” ride through the holiday light displays; or hum, very low, the holiday songs in the stores during the season. 

YeHoVaH commands that we keep the Holy Days in Scripture.  NOWHERE in Scripture did Yeshua or His disciples celebrate Christmas or even refer to Christmas.

The reason for the season is that we all have inherited LIES.

We will be held accountable for how we live this life according to the Almighty’s Law!

We gotta be real! 

Until next time…  Blessings to You and Yours,

Sharon