Natalis Solis Invicti

The Romans also held a festival on December 25 called Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, "the birthday of the unconquered sun." The use of the title Sol Invictus allowed several solar deities to be worshipped collectively, including Elah-Gabal, a Syrian sun god; Sol, the god of Emperor Aurelian (AD 270–274); and Mithras, a soldiers' god of Persian origin.[9] Emperor Elagabalus (218–222) introduced the festival, and it reached the height of its popularity under Aurelian, who promoted it as an empire-wide holiday.[10]

December 25 was also considered to be the date of the winter solstice, which the Romans called bruma.[6] It was therefore the day the Sun proved itself to be "unconquered" despite the shortening of daylight hours. (When Julius Caesar introduced the Julian Calendar in 45 BC, December 25 was approximately the date of the solstice. In modern times, the solstice falls on December 21 or 22.) T

Before the Romans, the Greeks called this time of year Brumalia:

Brumalia

Brumalia was an ancient Greek solstice festival honoring Dionysus, generally held on December 25. The festival included drinking and merriment. The name is derived from the Latin word bruma, meaning "shortest day."

On the great day, December 25th itself, came the Brumalia (from bruma: "shortest day"); the religious observance of the sun-worshipers. This was known also as Natalis Solus Invicti: the "Birth of the Unconquerable Sun"--the date when the day began again to lengthen.

This Greco/Roman "festival of Saturnalia and Brumalia" is really the celebration which was adopted by the early Christians and is now known as Christmas. With it have been accepted also ancient customs and superstitions from other nations.

It is significant that the Catholic Encyclopedia itself says--

"The well known solar feast of Natalis Invicti, celebrated on Dec. 25, has a strong claim for the responsibility of our Christmas date."

On this point, the Encyclopedia Americana says--

"In the fifth century the Western Church ordered Christmas to be celebrated forever on the day of the old Roman feast of the birth of Sol, (The Sun God)."

The decision to celebrate Christmas on December 25th was made sometime during the fourth century by church bishops in Rome (Some 400 years after the birth of Christ and approx. 300 years after the completion of the New Testament). They had a specific reason for doing so.


The Roman Church purposely chose December 25 with the intention that Christ’s birth would replace the birthday of the Sun. Thus, the 25th was chosen not because the date was confirmed to be the actual birth of Christ, but to replace the pagan holiday.

For the most part their efforts failed to make the people conform, and the heathen festivities continued. Today we find ourselves left with a bizarre mix of many ancient pagan customs and superstitions from other nations that characterizes our modern celebration of Christmas. Let’s look at just a few of them.

THE MISTLETOE
For example, the mistletoe bough is a remnant of an old ceremonial rite performed annually by the Druids, (The same people that gave us Halloween), by whom the mistletoe was not only held in reverence but also believed to possess wondrous curative powers. The ceremony consisted in the people's marching to the forest and gathering around the oak on which the mistletoe grew. The chief Druid clothed in white, climbed the tree and with a golden knife cut the plant; another priest standing with outstretched mantle caught it as it fell. Two white bulls brought for the purpose, and sometimes human beings as well, were then sacrificed as a propitiation to the savage god of the Druids.

The mistletoe cut by the priest was afterwards divided into small portions and distributed among the people, who hung the sprays over their doors to please and to protect their deities during the winter.

The ancient Celtics believed mistletoe to have magical healing powers and used it as an antidote for poison, infertility, and to ward off evil spirits.

Scandinavians associated the plant with Frigga, their goddess of love, and it may be from this that we derive the custom of kissing under the mistletoe.

HOLLY
In Northern Europe Christmas occurred during the middle of winter, when ghosts and demons could be heard howling in the winter winds. Boughs of holly, believed to have magical powers since they remained green through the harsh winter, were often placed over the doors of homes to drive evil away.

THE YULE LOG
The custom of burning the yule log has been transmitted from Scandinavian ancestors who kindled huge fires to their god Thor. The log was the center of the trunk of a tree that was dragged to a large fireplace where it was supposed to burn for twelve days. From this comes the twelve days of Christmas.

THE CHRISTMAS WREATH
The use of evergreens and wreaths as symbols of life was an ancient custom of the Egyptians, Chinese, and Hebrews, among other peoples. Tree worship was a common feature of religion among the Teutonic and Scandinavian peoples of northern Europe before their conversion to Christianity. They decorated houses and barns with evergreens at the new year to scare away demons, and they often set up trees for the birds in winter. For these northern Europeans, this winter celebration was the happiest time of the year because it signified that the shortest day of the year--about December 21--had passed.

CHRISTMAS GIFT GIVING
Gift giving is one of the oldest customs associated with Christmas: it is actually older than the holiday itself. The Romans, for example, celebrated the Saturnalia on December 17. It was a winter feast of merrymaking and gift exchanging. And two weeks later, on the Roman New Year--January 1, houses were decorated with greenery and lights, and gifts were given to children and the poor. As the Germanic tribes of Europe accepted Christianity and began to celebrate Christmas, they also gave gifts.

THE CHRISTMAS TREE
The origin of the Christmas tree is not definitely known, but it is believed to have come down to us from the Roman "Saturnalia," having been carried into Germany by the legions of Drusus, whose great exploits established Roman supremacy in Germany about 15 B.C. Thus we see that even the Christmas tree with its glittering pendants and pretty toys predates the birth of the Savior.


Starting with the day chosen to celebrate the birth of the Lord, Dec.25th, to ALL of the customs associated with X-mas….we find every last one of them are from ancient pagan practices.

When you get right down to it, there really is no difference between Halloween and X-mas. Both of these holidays originated from ancient pagan practices that predate the birth of Christ. Both call for worship to other god’s, Samhain, “Lord of Darkness” and, Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, "the birthday of the unconquered sun.". And both have customs and traditions that have absolutely nothing to do with the birth of Christ. If you don’t celebrate Halloween because of it’s association to pagan origins, HOW CAN YOU CONTINUE TO CELEBRATE X-MAS? The sad part is that some will continue to do so knowing the truth.

So….what will YOU be celebrating this coming Dec. 25th? Will you be comfortable exchanging gifts knowing this day was also the day the ancients worshiped their sun god? Will the singing and merry-making be just as enjoyable knowing that this day was originally devoted to a period or occasion of general license, in which the passions or vices have riotous indulgence which also included orgies? And how about all of the decoration that will be hung? Will the wreaths, hollies, Yule-log and mistletoe bring memories of the birth of our Lord or will they remind you of things originally thought to have magical powers, used to ward off evil spirits?

And what about the one symbol most associated with the X-mas season…..the beloved X-mas tree? Did you know God gave us a specific warning about the use of this item? Remember the verse at the very beginning of this lesson I said we would be coming back to, “the customs of the people…” Jer. 10:3? Well let’s read the whole passage and see just what God had to say about this ancient practice.




Jer.10
[1] Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
[2] Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
[3] For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
[4] They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
[5] They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

God, through the mouth of Jeremiah, tells us NOT to learn the ways of the heathen, for their customs are VAIN!!! And what has the whole world learned? Just what God warned us against. Out of all the pagan customs we practice, and we engage in a whole lot of them, God gave us an example of the one that would become the most poplar in all of the world…..THE X-MAS TREE!!!!!!

You can not get a more accurate description than the one He gave us in the 10th chapter of Jeremiah. And this was almost 500yrs before the birth of Jesus Christ. So saying this practice has anything to do with the birth of our savior is just not true. Let’s look at it again:

Cutting a tree out of the forest with an axe. (vs.3)
Decking it with Silver and Gold. (vs.4)
Fastening it with nails and a hammer so that it moves not. (vs.4)
And watering it because it cannot move. (vs.5)

Is that not a dead on, perfect picture of our modern day X-mas tree? How awesome is our Lord!! On the accuracy of that (1) prediction alone, over 2000 yrs old, I just can’t see how anyone can doubt the legitimacy of the Holy Bible.

Now that we know the origins of (2) of the most poplar holidays celebrated all over the world, let’s read what the almighty God has to say about engaging in such practices and how we should govern our lives:

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

God tell us to avoid anything that may even appear to be evil.

3 John 1:11
11 Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.

John tells us to not follow things that are evil.

Cutting a tree out of the forest with an axe. (vs.3)
Decking it with Silver and Gold. (vs.4)
Fastening it with nails and a hammer so that it moves not. (vs.4)
And watering it because it cannot move. (vs.5)

Is that not a dead on, perfect picture of our modern day X-mas tree? How awesome is our Lord!! On the accuracy of that (1) prediction alone, over 2000 yrs old, I just can’t see how anyone can doubt the legitimacy of the Holy Bible.

Those verses are speaking of carving out an idol and worshiping it. That is absolutely nothing at all to do with a Christmas tree.

Here is the proof in the very next verse that this article conveniently left out:

5 Their idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field,
and they cannot speak;
they have to be carried,
for they cannot walk.
Do not be afraid of them,
for they cannot do evil,
neither is it in them to do good.”

I didn't leave the next verse out....actually I'm glad you included it.

As you stated, the object is in fact an idol. And the reason why Jeremiah says not to fear them is because they are just that. It is not the true and living God, so it can not harm you nor can it do you any good. But the point that is missed is in the 2nd verse, "[2] Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them."

God instructs us not to learn their ways. He didn't say as long as you put Jesus name on it that it was ok.

So let me ask you, do you think the custom of bringing a tree into the house and decking it with silver and gold during x-mas time came from this ancient pagan practice? And if it did, did not God instruct us to, "Abstain from all appearance of evil. 1 Thes.5:22"?

So though you may cover the practice with the name of Jesus it still came from the worship of an idol god.

And as I say with all of my post, this information is for those seeking the true word of God. It is not me blinding the eyes of some and sending a delusion, "And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 2 Thes.2:11"

So by all means, do not let me stop you from following what you choose. I'm not trying to change minds.