Birthday Celebrations
Everybody celebrates birthdays! No matter how sensitive you may be about religion, birthdays on the other hand, have to be celebrated. If not, you will be looked upon very strangely indeed!
Modern birthday parties and celebrations by children take their form mainly from Germany, where the birthday child received gifts, chose a menu and received a candle-ringed butter or jam cake. [CONTENTS]
The Superstitions of Birthdays
More and more, people the world over attach a certain magic to their actual date of birth…We may wear a ring with our birthstone in it for good luck. We may read our Horoscope. And when we blow out the candles on our birthday cake, we are careful to keep what we wished a secret. If we tell, of course, our wish won’t come true. Why do people say, “Happy birthday!” to each other? For the good wishes of our friends and relatives are supposed to protect us from evil spirits. In many parts of the world, it is a tradition to give the birthday child pinches, smacks, spanks, thumps, bumps, or punches. Even though they may hurt a little, they are said to be very lucky. The reason for birthday spanks is to spank away any evil spirits and send them scurrying far into the distance. Party snappers, horns, bursting balloons, firecrackers, and other noisemakers are just one more way of trying to scare off any bad-luck spirits that may be hovering about. [CONTENTS]
The Superstitious Need
There is a need to believe in something above the material world in human beings. This is built in our nature, and we can never escape it. Therefore, whenever wishing people well, we want to leave them with something good, a little extra, as an act of kindness. It is a 'nice' thing to do. Therefore, above what we can offer materially, we always 'pray' for each other, by way of saying 'good luck'. When one thinks soberly about another, he says "good luck" as truly as a form of prayer as any other.
All these customs and traditions connected with the observance of birthdays have to do with guessing the future, good wishes for the future, good luck charms against evil spirits, and the like. All the birthday rituals, games, and ceremonies are a form of well-wishing toward the birthday child, which are supposed to work their magic in the year ahead. Birthday celebrations are superstitious in origin, tone, and attitude toward the individual.
However, there is a better way to offer good wishes to a person you care about, which I will show at the end of this article. [CONTENTS]
Candles on the Birthday Cake
The idea of putting candles on birthday cakes goes back to ancient Greece. The Greeks worshipped many gods and goddesses. Among them was one called Artemis. Artemis was the goddess of the moon. The Greeks celebrated her birthday once each month by bringing special cakes to her temple. The cakes were round like a full moon. And, because the moon glows with light, the cakes were decorated with lighted candles. The custom of lighting candles comes from ancient times, when people were known to pray over the open fire. They were convinced that the smoke from the flames carried their thoughts, prayers, and unsaid desires to the gods. Nowadays, one blows out the candles with a specific wish in mind, hoping that it will come true. [CONTENTS]
Origin of Birthdays
The Egyptians invented birthdays as we know them today, as they were the first to come up with the 365-day year. The Egyptians were also heavily involved in magic and Astrology. Astrology and birthdays came to the Western world through Julius Caesar when he adopted the 365-day year in 45 BC. An Egyptian sorcerer called Sosigenes persuaded Julius Caesar to do so. Birthdays are based on the Julian Calendar which we use in the West today, and are therefore based PURELY on Astrology. (Western Astrology follows the twelve signs of the zodiac and the horoscope. Chinese Astrology is also popular with different signs relating to the Chinese Calendar.)
Before the Julian Calendar, the month was lunar, and the year was marked by the seasons, so you could never 'lose' a year. Spring would always come round, but the year never had the exact number of days, as the months were guided by a 30-day new moon, and occasionally there was an 'extra' month in the year. The Julian Calendar therefore, is a system to make annual astrological celebration more convenient. We have gotten so used to it that we do not realise that anniversaries go against the more obvious lunar calendar which every ancient civilization used to follow.
Moreover, anniversaries and birthdays developed and progressed in the middle ages, when people believed that on a birthday a person could be helped by good spirits, or hurt by evil spirits. So, when a person had a birthday, friends and relatives gathered to protect him or her. And that’s how birthday parties (and anniversaries) began. [CONTENTS]
Anniversaries - Halloween
EVERY anniversary uses the Julian Calendar and is based on Astrology. This includes 'wedding anniversaries' and many others you could think of. Halloween is an anniversary when the line between people and the spirit realm is particularly “thin”, according to pagans. The day after Halloween is a public holiday in several European countries. It is the time to reflect on lost loved ones and is considered by pagans to be the time at which the line between the world of the living and the world of the dead is at it’s thinest and thus is considered to be the best time to talk to the dead. This may be done through ritual, or just by going to someones grave and leaving a flower for them. [CONTENTS]
What is ‘Pagan’ ?
When we talk of ‘Pagan’ it means a belief which reveres nature. Pagan means ‘Country Dweller’ in Latin. There are different classifications of Paganism – polytheistic, spiritualist, animistic and shamanic – but they are all united under the same ancient Greek mythology elements of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water, which are symbolic of aspects of nature. And the fifth element is Spirit. Therefore the symbol used universally to represent paganism is a 5-pointed star, called the Pentagram. Paganism is an all encompassing term used to describe the worship practices of Ancient Rome, the ancestor worship of various ‘dark’ civilisations, even including Eastern religions such as Hinduism, and forms of Buddhist meditation and worship and even Islamic shamanism and Jewish shamanism. Modern accepted forms of paganism such as Druidism and Wicca are known as Neo-paganism. [CONTENTS]
Wicca
All these superstitions we mentioned in birthdays are based on Pagan or “nature” religions. These religions are being recently revived in the form of Neo-paganism such as Wicca. Wicca is one of the fastest growing religions in the Western world. For a brief summary of Wicca:
1. It encompasses many aspects of spiritualism often disguised in children’s stories – elves, fairies and many fantasy games and books such as Harry Porter
2. It involves casting spells, even those which allow the subject to levitate above the floor! It consists in members belonging to a coven where they practice “magick” from the “Book of shadows” – it is none other than witchcraft.
3. Astral projection is a hallmark of all forms of paganism, and is practiced in Wicca. This is when the spirit leaves the body and goes to another remote location temporarily. The picture of a witch on a broomstick symbolises Astral Projection. But a witch is not a cackling old woman wearing black on a broomstick. A man can also be a witch. At that remote location, the witch can inhabit people or rooms by spirit, and converse with them and listen to them and move objects, but for evil intent, as this is strictly forbidden in Holy Bible. And it can be stopped through a personal knowledge of and confession of the Holy Bible. None of the professing witches have a personal knowledge of the Holy Bible, as it stops their activities.
4. If one is “gifted” he or she can progress in Wicca. This “gifting” however, comes from the “help” or rather, being the possession of an evil spirit – as no “good” spirit will do anything against the Holy Bible. [CONTENTS]
The Stars of Hollywood
The stars in Hollywood are practitioners of Neo-paganism. This cannot be denied, but collectively, Hollywood represents ‘nature’ religions as a general thing. The Stars and the Horoscope are hallmarks of Hollywood. When visiting Madame Tussaudes in London, which contains wax sculptures of famous “stars”, the first thing that meets you in the entrance foyer are the twelve Zodiac signs. The word ‘the stars’ is the very same stars of the Zodiac. And professed witches use a magic wand made of holly-wood to cast spells. The Hollywood movie industry is one gigantic spell-casting enterprise on the people of the world to subtly engross them in various aspects of neo-paganism through subliminal messages. Especially through children’s fairy tales (which are supposed to be good spirits), and through fantasy and science fiction that many adults enjoy. Star Wars is one example. The ‘force’ is the same ‘force’ used in neo-paganism. [CONTENTS]
Christmas
Going back to the topic of birthdays, what about the birthday of Jesus, which we celebrate on Christmas day? Of late there has been a push to revive Christmas celebration by a seemingly unseen force. However, the wood spirits of the Christmas tree is the centre of the worship. The root cause is a revival of the spirit of paganism in the West, with the decline of Christianity. Christmas is not a revival of Christianity, but rather, Paganism. Witness to this is the five-pointed star, representing the five elements of Neo-paganism – Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Spirit. Count how many five-pointed stars you see in shops and in public places in the Christmas season and on top of the Christmas tree. Is not this a waste of public funds? The authorities do not see it that way, they see it as a Christian celebration, but it is purely and wholly pagan, disguised to be something good.
Few people realize that the origins of a form of Christmas was pagan and celebrated in Europe long before anyone there had heard of Christianity.
No one knows what day Jesus Christ was born on. From the biblical description, most historians believe that his birth probably occurred in September, approximately six months after Passover. One thing they agree on is that it is very unlikely that Jesus was born in December, since the bible records shepherds tending their sheep in the fields on that night. This is quite unlikely to have happened during a cold Judean winter. So why do we celebrate Christ’s birthday as Christmas, on December the 25th? [CONTENTS]
December 25th –Wreathes of Evergreen On The Front Door
The date of December 25th probably originated with the ancient “birthday” of the son-god, Mithra, a pagan deity whose religious influence became widespread in the Roman Empire during the first few centuries A.D. Mithra was related to the Semitic sun-god, Shamash, and his worship spread throughout Asia to Europe where he was called Deus Sol Invictus Mithras. Rome was well-known for absorbing the pagan religions and rituals of its widespread empire. As such, Rome converted this pagan legacy to a celebration of the god, Saturn, and the rebirth of the sun god during the winter solstice period. The winter holiday became known as Saturnalia and began the month prior to December 25th. The festival was characterized by gift-giving, feasting, singing and downright debauchery, as the priests of Saturn carried wreaths of evergreen boughs in procession throughout the Roman temples. Does this satisfy you why people put wreaths on the front door during the season? [CONTENTS]
Giving Gifts
In pre-Christian Rome, the emperors compelled their most despised citizens to bring offerings and gifts during the Saturnalia (in December) and Kalends (in January). Later, this ritual expanded to include gift-giving among the general populace. [CONTENTS]
Christmas Carols
Many years ago the Romans called their winter holiday Saturnalia, honoring Saturn, the God of Agriculture. In January, they observed the Kalends of January, which represented the triumph of life over death. This whole season was called Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun. The festival season was marked by much merrymaking. It is in ancient Rome that the tradition of the Mummers was born. The Mummers were groups of costumed singers and dancers who traveled from house to house entertaining their neighbors. From this, the Christmas tradition of caroling was born. [CONTENTS]
Candle-lit Service
In northern Europe, many other traditions that we now consider part of Christian worship were begun long before the participants had ever heard of Christ. The pagans of northern Europe celebrated the their own winter solstice, known as Yule. Yule was symbolic of the pagan Sun God, Mithras, being born, and was observed on the shortest day of the year. As the Sun God grew and matured, the days became longer and warmer. It was customary to light a candle to encourage Mithras, and the sun, to reappear next year. Does this not resemble the candle-lit tradition continued in churches today? [CONTENTS]
The Mistletoe, The Holly and the Ivy
The mistletoe was regarded as a magical healing plant by the pagan Druids. It was even called “All heal.” As far as the “kissing” associated with mistletoe, an ancient Norse legend relates that Freya, the goddess of love, placed mistletoe in a tree between Heaven and earth, and decided that people who pass underneath it should kiss. There are traditions of its fertility enhancing properties and it is traditional for those who meet under mistletoe to kiss. It’s white berries have been seen to symbolise male fertility. While the red berries of the Holly represent the woman’s. [CONTENTS]
Jingle Bells
The use of jingling balls is an Old Norse custom to drive away the evil spirits, at a time where night was longer than day and so spirits had more time to get around and cause trouble. Yule trees tended to be Fir or Pine as such evergreens were cherished as a natural symbol of rebirth and life amid winter whiteness. Holly was particularly prized to decorate doors, windows and fireplaces because of its prickliness which could either ward off or snag and capture evil spirits before they could enter and harm a household, rather like flypaper for nasty sprites!
Huge Yule logs were burned in honor of the sun. The word Yule itself means “wheel,” the wheel being a pagan symbol for the sun. Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual. Hollyberries were thought to be a food of the gods. [CONTENTS]
Yule and Saturnalia (Brumalia)
The Pre-Christian Germanic peoples celebrated Yule from late December to early January on a date determined by the lunar Germanic calendar. When the Julian calendar was adopted in northern Europe, Yule was placed on December 25, the date of the Roman winter solstice, Bruma. Brumalia (or Saturnalia) 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.” In Roman festivals, the Brumalia (which became Saturnalia) was a feast of Bacchus (the god of wine), celebrated during the space of thirty days, commencing on November 24. It was instituted by Romulus, who entertained the Senate during this time. During this feast, prophetic indications were taken of the prospects for the remaining part of the winter. They decked their houses with boughs of evergreen trees and bushes in pots. People gave each other presents, and all normal business was suspended. Servants and slaves were given a feast by their masters who waited on them at table. References can be found to the evergreen tree in the Roman celebrations of Saturnalia where a pine tree was hung with little masks of Bacchus. It may even pre-date these celebrations. The Roman god Bacchus, the god of wine, wore ivy in his crown. [CONTENTS]
Wood Spirits of the Christmas Tree
The tradition of a Christmas tree developed in Northern Europe in the pagan Yule celebration. Pagan families would bring a live tree into the home so the wood spirits would have a place to keep warm during the cold winter months and bells were hung in the limbs so you could tell when a spirit was present. Food and treats were hung on the branches for the spirits to eat and a five-pointed star, the pentagram, symbol of the five elements, was placed atop the tree. The colours of the season, red and green, also are of pagan origin, as is the custom of exchanging gifts.
The tree is the one symbol that unites almost all the northern European winter solstices. Live evergreen trees were often brought into homes during the harsh winters as a reminder to inhabitants that soon their crops would grow again. Evergreen boughs were sometimes carried as totems of good luck and were often present at weddings, representing fertility. The Druids used the tree as a religious symbol, holding their sacred ceremonies while surrounding and worshipping huge trees. [CONTENTS]
The Superstitions of Christmas
Early Christmas trees had, in place of angels, figures of fairies – the good spirits – and horns and bells were once used to frighten off evil spirits.
Mainly, people who do not profess Christianity celebrate Christmas because it is supposed to bring them good luck. It is such a widespread superstition, and yet it does not bring any such luck. More families are broken up at Christmas than at any other time of the year. [CONTENTS]
The Christian Confusion
The only reason why Christians have been confused to celebrate Christmas is because in 350 AD, Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25. There is speculation that he was trying to make it as painless as possible for pagan Romans to convert to Christianity. Either that, or the Pope himself was engrossed in the pagan nature of the festivities.
The Christmas decorations as we know them today, most historians agree, began in Germany, by both Catholics and Lutherans. The earliest record of an evergreen being decorated in a Christian celebration was in 1521 in the Alsace region of Germany. A prominent Lutheran minister of the day cried blasphemy: “Better that they should look to the true tree of life, Christ.”
Because of its known pagan origin, Christmas was banned by the Puritans (strict Christians who greatly influenced society) and its observance was illegal in Massachusetts between 1659 and 1681.
Germany is credited with starting the modern Christmas tree tradition in the 16th century when 'devout' Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. Some built Christmas pyramids of wood and decorated them with evergreens and candles if wood was scarce.
The Christmas tree custom gradually became popular in other parts of Europe. In England Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria made Christmas trees fashionable by decorating the first English Christmas tree at Windsor castle with candles and a variety of sweets, fruits and gingerbread in 1841. Of course, soon other wealthy English families followed suit, using all kinds of extravagant items as decorations. Charles Dickens described such a tree as being covered with dolls, miniature furniture, tiny musical instruments, costume jewelry, toy guns and swords, fruit and candy, in the 1850s.
Most of the 19th century Americans found Christmas trees an oddity. The first record of one being on display was in the 1830s by the German settlers of Pennsylvania. They put one on show to raise money for a local church. In 1851 a tree was set up outside of a church. The people of the parish thought it such an outrage and a return to paganism and asked the minister to take it down.
By the 1890s Christmas ornaments were arriving from Germany and Christmas tree popularity was on the rise around the U.S. It was noted that Europeans used small trees about four feet in height, while Americans liked their Christmas to reach from floor to ceiling.
The early 20th century saw Americans decorating their trees mainly with homemade ornaments, while the German-American sect continued to use apples, nuts, and marzipan cookies. Popcorn joined in after being dyed bright colors and interlaced with berries and nuts.
Electricity helped introduce Christmas lights making it possible for Christmas trees to glow for days on end. With this, Christmas trees began to appear in town squares across the country. All important buildings, private and public, signaled the beginning of the Christmas holiday with the tree ceremony.
In Poland, Christmas trees used to be decked with angels, peacocks and other birds as well as many, many stars. In Sweden, trees are decorated with brightly painted wooden ornaments and straw figures of animals and children. In Denmark, tiny Danish flags along with mobiles of bells stars, snowflakes and hearts are hung on Christmas trees. Japanese Christians prefer tiny fans and paper lanterns. Lithuanians cover their trees with straw bird cages, stars, and geometric shapes. The straw sends a wish for good crops in the coming year. Czechoslovakian trees display ornaments made from painted egg shells.
A Ukrainian Christmas tree has a spider and web for good luck. Legend has it that a poor woman with nothing to put on her children’s tree woke on Christmas morning to find the branches covered with spider webs turned to silver by the rising sun. [CONTENTS]
Saint Nicholas - Santa Claus
Nicholas was born in Parara, Turkey in 270 AD and later became Bishop of Myra. He died in 345 AD on December 6th. He was only named a saint in the 19th century.
Nicholas was among the most senior bishops who convened the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD.
In 1087, a group of sailors who idolized Nicholas moved his bones from Turkey to a sanctuary in Bari, Italy. There Nicholas supplanted a female boon-giving deity called The Grandmother, or Pasqua Epiphania, who used to fill the children's stockings with her gifts. The Grandmother was ousted from her shrine at Bari, which became the center of the Nicholas cult. Members of this group gave each other gifts during a pageant they conducted annually on the anniversary of Nicholas’ death, December 6.
The Nicholas cult spread north until it was adopted by German and Celtic pagans. These groups worshipped a pantheon led by Woden –their chief god (the father of Thor, Balder, and Tiw). Woden had a long, white beard and rode a horse through the heavens one evening each Autumn. When Nicholas merged with Woden, he shed his Mediterranean appearance, grew a beard, mounted a flying horse, rescheduled his flight for December, and donned heavy winter clothing.
In a bid for pagan adherents in Northern Europe, the Catholic Church adopted the Nicholas cult and taught that he did distribute gifts on December 25th instead of December 6th.
In 1809, the novelist Washington Irving (who wrote The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle) wrote a satire of Dutch culture entitled Knickerbocker History. The satire refers several times to the white bearded, flying-horse riding Saint Nicholas using his Dutch name, Santa Claus.
Dr. Clement Moore, a professor at Union Seminary, read Knickerbocker History, and in 1822 he published a poem based on the character Santa Claus: “Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in the hope that Saint Nicholas soon would be there…” Moore innovated by portraying a Santa with eight reindeer who descended through chimneys.
The Bavarian illustrator Thomas Nast almost completed the modern picture of Santa Claus. From 1862 through 1886, based on Moore’s poem, Nast drew more than 2,200 cartoon images of Santa for Harper’s Weekly. Before Nast, Saint Nicholas had been pictured as everything from a stern looking bishop to a gnome-like figure in a frock. Nast also gave Santa a home at the North Pole, his workshop filled with elves, and his list of the good and bad children of the world. All Santa was missing was his red outfit.
In 1931, the Coca Cola Corporation contracted the Swedish commercial artist Haddon Sundblom to create a coke-drinking Santa. Sundblom modeled his Santa on his friend Lou Prentice, chosen for his cheerful, chubby face. The corporation insisted that Santa’s fur-trimmed suit be bright, Coca Cola red. And Santa was born – a blend of Christian crusader, pagan god, and commercial idol. [CONTENTS]
Why Satan?
Many Christians worldwide are adamant that they are celebrating the birth of Christ at Christmas, and not an idol... or worse. Why? Could it be that they are being deceived by Satan in such an obvious thing? As can be seen from the above, no matter which way you look at it, Christmas is Idolatry. Why is this Satan’s handiwork? Because Christmas is made to be something that it is not. It is not a Christian celebration, and yet it receives all the honours of the Christian Church. This is a master deception typical of Satan – “…For Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light”. [CONTENTS]
Cursed with a Curse?
What are the implications of following customs like these? Why would Satan (who really wants to harm us) want us to follow something so 'harmless'? For one thing, Satan KNOWS the word of God, and he knows that idolatry is the first sin. In the garden of Eden he tempted Eve with a form of Idolatry. Moses solemnly warns, "Thou shalt have no other gods..." Moreover, the law of Moses warns us against witchcraft in the strongest terms, and also against practising curious arts. Satan must know somthing, which some of us wish to blind our eyes about. It is as though all the glamour and gifts of Christmas are to encourage us to sell our souls to idolatry, debauchery, and even pagan witchcraft. After reading this, is it innocent? Are Christians who willingly go on and celebrate these historically dark and cruel practices, REALLY GOING TO BE PURE AND HOLY BEFORE GOD? Not in a thousand years -- unless they are delivered, and break free from these practices by the power of Christ. [CONTENTS]
The Dark History of Christmas
Christmas (although not directly related to Halloween) still has similar themes of elves and spirits and witches - and a similar dark history too.
I earlier mentioned the month long festival called Saturnalia. The "Christmas season" lasts about a month, and really is Saturnalia. In the past, during this period, between December 17-25, Roman courts were closed, and Roman law dictated that no one could be punished for damaging property or injuring people during the weeklong celebration. The festival began when Roman authorities chose “an enemy of the Roman people” to represent the “Lord of Misrule.” Each Roman community selected a victim whom they forced to indulge in food and other physical pleasures throughout the week. At the festival’s conclusion, December 25th, Roman authorities believed they were destroying the forces of darkness by brutally murdering this innocent man or woman.
[CONTENTS]
What is a Better Way to show that you Care?
A better way to show that you care for people, is to offer them real prayer, and not just some superstitious garb through some half-baked birthday party, and the occasional "good luck". That is not sincere, and means absolutely nothing. It is really quite evil, and shows up our bad characters to 'make up for it' on their birthdays or at Christmas! Real prayer is offered to the one true God, who created you and me, and who says he always hears us if we come to him humbly. And he cares for us more than anybody else does. Not only does he really care, but he has the power to set you COMPLETELY FREE from any bad thing that happened to you in the past, NO MATTER WHAT IT IS. By coming to Jesus Christ, God will set you completely free from every curse, and all your past. I ask you to sincerely now ask God to make himself real to you. Just pray, "God if you are real, show yourself to me. In the name of Jesus." There is only one way to God, and that is through coming to him on your own, in humility and trust.
If you were helped by this letter, I would like to hear from you. Send me an email,
God Bless,
Tony Clayton
March 17, 2009
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