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Very good. and even though it did not go into detail as to why and when there were Christians believing that Jesus was conserved on March 25, I'm glad that he touched on the new information. Oh as to the missing details: Among intertestamental Jewish traditions included some rabbis thinking at a true prophet would die on his birthday. Another was that a true prophet would die on the anniversary not of his birthday but his conception. This got tied together with another tradition to expect good things on Passover and therefore it was Passover that Sarah became conserved with Isaac, and that it was another Passover that Abraham took Isaac to Mt. Moriah. Jews holding to this tradition saw Isaac as conserved on Passover and born 9 months later, which would be around this time of the year. In 135 AD the Christians separated from Judaism and they became two separate religions rather than being a sect of Judaism. This time was very much like a divorce. People from both sides having mixed emotions, saying things that hurt the other and being hurt by the other. Beliefs they use to hold in common were divided among them. And they would try to one up the other. This was indeed a sad time in the history of God's people and heaven shed many a tear. Among this was some Christians who looked at the above mentioned Jewish traditions. They said that Isaac was just a type of Jesus and that Jesus was the true antitype and greater. That like Isaac, Jesus was conserved on Passover. Like Isaac, Jesus was born 9 months after Isaac. And that Jesus was indeed true because he died on Passover, the anniversary of his conception. And while Isaac needed a substitute, Jesus is better than Isaac because he is the true sacrifice. The Christians who held to this view started celebrating the feast of the dedication every Passover. One year they decided to stop keeping the Jewish calendar and start keeping the Roman. That year the Roman churches celebrated Passover on March 25 and in Greek churches on April 5. Each year there after instead of keeping the feast of the dedication on Passover they kept it every March 25 or April 5. In the third century Christians started adding 9 months to March 25 or April 5 and got December 25 and January 5. The days that have become Christmas in the western and eastern churches. This occurred 100 years before the time that we use to think December 25 came into the church. It was believed by Christians who were hiding from Pagans in the catacombs. So by the time of Constantine in the 4th century there were already Christians who held the birth of Jesus be have been on December 25. Of the articles I've read about this (Mostly Bible Review and Bible Archaeology review) some have suggested that while there were different special days through out paganism around the time of the winter solstice, that they did not focus on December 25 as such. But that when the Christians were a legal religion and had December 25 as the birth of Jesus, that then the other pagans moved their days from around that time to December 25. If this is true, then we did not get December 25 from the Pagans but the took it from the Christians. Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah everyone!!!

HEY ALL WHAT will you be doing Christmas Day---Let us know 1. traveling to visiting family 2. visiting friends 3. visiting church members 4. family visiting your at your home 5. staying home going no place 6. other( explain) dgrimm60

See: http://atoday.org/hacksaw-ridge-wins-9-awards-at-the-australian-academy-of-cinema-and-television-arts-awards/

I looked over the study. While I think it was presented with the best of intentions, it really comes across to me as telling people to be afraid, be very afraid, if there is - or was - any connection of paganism to Christmas. That's not healthy. The only thing about the holiday season that is blessed by Satan is the commercialization. - Satan and his minions aren't dancing around for joy because someone has a Christmas tree, gives Christmas gifts, or tells their children about Santa Claus. He's more than happy when people are fearful and see nothing but evil in celebrating the birth of Christ (it doesn't matter if it's not really His birthdate.) And by the way, Wiccans do not believe in the devil — they are not devil worshippers. They are basically tree-huggers, the majority of whom do mere basic Magick, if any at all. Neither they nor any other pagans are interested in usurping the Christian notion of Christmas or injecting their pagan rituals into Christianity. If Satan has caused fear in someone of celebrating Christmas, then he is happy. Don't fall for that malarky.

I actually cringe when I see this subject... I have not read all the posts so this may have been covered. If people are not allowed to leave, by their own choice, without pressure and harassment, after checking out adventism, then we become like a cult.

No. This will not be what you are expecting. See: http://www.nadadventist.org/article/1073743403/news/current-and-archived-news-stories/2016-news-current-archives/12-20-16-make-me-a-servant-three-young-women-answer-god-s-call Be prepared, among other stories, to read how the angry graffiti scribbles of a woman saved the life of a person.

See: http://www.lodinews.com/news/article_93d30308-c1ca-11e6-a52d-279bcc5d8c80.html

That grieves me to know. There's this threat hanging in the air of your loosing her through death. But not knowing when. It would be nice to read about her in a topic devoted just to your wife. The way she is, some of her biography, her likes and dislikes, her love of God and how she gains spiritual strength in her bible studies and prayers. I suggest this so we could have a more plastic mental image of her. That makes praying for her more regular on our part, I hope.

We will also be spending a quiet Christmas this year. We'll do the family thing on Christmas Eve; and just hang out on Christmas. Ordering pizza, making a salad and eating myself sick on "goodies" (Christmas is my cheat day). Wife and I will spend a couple days at a mountain retreat and come home in time to take care of multiple neighbors' animals while they party on New Years' Eve. I have 11 consecutive days off that will only cost me 1 day of vacation. SWEET!! Wishing all my brothers and sisters here a Blessed Christmas and a Happy Prosperous New Year!