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If you all will excuse me for a bit, while I leave this forum. I think that I need to check to see if there is a Jesuit hiding under my bed. I think I heard some strange noises from that area, recently.

So, we might be concerned that we might have some sort of a celebration on a day dedicated to an alleged birthday of a pagan god? Well, every day of the year has been estimated to be dedicated to the birthday of some 1,000,000 pagan gods/goddesses. And that is only based upon one religion--Hinduism. Ah, that tells us not to celebrate on Saturday which has been dedicated to a Roman god in addition to the some 1,000,000 Hindu gods and goddesses. And not your birthday which also has been dedicated to some 1,000,000 Hindu gods/goddesses. NOTE: My source for my statement about Hinduism is myself. In Hinduism there are some 360,000,000 gods and goddesses. In a 365 day year, on the average 1,000,000 would have their birthday on each day of the year. In addition within the context that Hinduism is a religion with a concept of god that is founded in Kathenotheism.

For most of the people on the earth, come late fall we enter a period of short days and long cold dark nights. Month after month people freeze and are hungry. So, for many many people the Christmas season is like a shining light in the misery of winter. In fact, if it were not for the Christmas season to remind people to be more loving and caring through charitable giving, many many people would be in serious trouble. I would not like to see what life for the poor would be like without a Christmas season. In the temple services of the desert, once a year they had the Day of Atonement, which symbolized the Investigative Judgement and the end of this age. But it happened every year. Only one time was Jesus born into this world, but we celebrate it every year. As EGW wrote, "... You can make it like the world if you have a disposition to do so, or you can make it as unlike the world as possible." While she may have been writing about Christmas trees, you can extend it to the entire Christmas season. So what if at one point in time, December 25 was the birthday of some heathen figure. Like some social justice movements we can say Jesus "took back the day." All days belong to God anyway. Most people are aware that December 25 is not the birthday of Jesus. So, perhaps it is even a blessing from Heaven that we celebrate it in the dead of winter, after the shortest day of the year and days only get longer and spring is coming. Christmas is a reminder that Spring is coming like Jesus' life on this earth is a reminder that there is a life after this earth. Guaranteed after the lake of fire, no one will remember the original figure born on December 25. (Sorry, to those who live in the southern hemisphere!) But some people seem to have this hatred of Christmas, even those who claim to be Christians. People who see the blessing of Christmas are also criticized. And sorry to say, they even make reference to people being liars by saying Jesus was not born on December 25. Truth does not always need to be spot on exact. Jesus told a story of a man in hell, but we know there is no hell (yet!). In fact the Bible says so. So, was Jesus a liar for telling the story of Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham? So, I will accept the ideas promoted by Martin Luther and Ellen White before I will listen to those who will criticize Christmas for whatever reason they got their shorts in a knot over.

Respectful blessings to you Pastor Matthews!

Dona Gracia Nasi & the Spanish Inquisition’s Underground Railroad Dona Gracia Nasi was a great Jewish hero. For decades she ran an underground railroad for Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition and single-handedly supported Jewish communities in Italy, Turkey and Israel. Praised during her lifetime as “the heart of her people”, Dona Gracia Nasi’s story is hardly remembered today. That should change; her remarkable story deserves to be known. http://www.aish.com/jw/s/Dona-Gracia-Nasi--the-Spanish-Inquisitions-Underground-Railroad.html?

If God values nothing higher than our freedom, why has He placed right in the heart of the “royal law of liberty” (James) a command to remember the Sabbath? Is this possibly one instance where God has imposed an arbitrary requirement upon His people, just to show His authority and test their willingness to obey? […] The post Conversations About God: Summary of Chapter Ten, “The Reminder of the Evidence” appeared first on Jon Paulien's Blog. View the full article

See: https://atoday.org/adventism-in-encyclopedia-of-politics-and-religion/ Regardless of whether or not you agree with everything in the above article, there is much in it to inform.

Please forgive me, Joe, I forgot to say blessings! To me, it is very important to bless everyone because I feel bless as well! Blessings!

thanks JoeMo, Glory to God, In the Highest are two great additions to the list... wait for them

Wise seeketh knowledge

Wishing all a Blessed Christmas with family and friends!!

Merry Christmas to all!! and I'll post this for a bit of Christmas laughter ~

... in the highest!

Glory to God ...

Shloimie, who was struggling with his weight, went into Yitz’s Bakery, marveling at the delicious looking pastries displayed on trays in the glass cases. When a clerk approached him and asked, "What would you like?" Shloimie answered, "I'd like that chocolate-covered, cream-filled doughnut, that jelly-filled doughnut and that cheese Danish." Then with a sigh he added, "But I'll take an oat-bran muffin."

PHKRAUSE dgrimm60

Abraham Lincoln and the Jews: 10 Fascinating Facts President Abraham Lincoln maintained the Union and freed America’s slaves. Less known is that he also championed the rights of Jewish Americans, even when it was difficult and unfashionable to do so. http://www.aish.com/ci/s/Abraham-Lincoln-and-the-Jews-10-Fascinating-Facts.html?

Dear Pastor Matthew: We can find every excuse in the world concerning paganism. It did not start with Creation. Secondly, YAHSHUA did not give you a date of HIS birth, but the season. Thirdly, if the Bible says do not follow the ways of the pagans, then it would appear that HE knew that man would honor Christmas. This was a warning! Here is the big thing people make the statement of hungry around the world. Every day people go hungry and homeless and this should be an ongoing thing of giving. When I was able to work, I ran a non-profit organization and I provided year round. Yes, I gave out baskets on Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas for the neediest with children. I did not celebrate it, they did not understand what I knew and some, later on, join the church. This is what the Bible says to do to aid the widows, the elderly, the children not one or two months out of the year but all the time. We are just like Israel because we won't follow YAHWEH, instead, just like them, we follow the world In closing, Samuel came to Saul, who did not follow YAHWEH'S Instruction to destroy everything, including the animals of the Amalek. Saul tells Samuel how he is sacrificing to YAHWEH the best sheep/ram that the people got from the Amalek. Sound like I am hearing the same thing today with Adventist. Here is what Samuel said: And Samuel said, Hath YAHWEH as GREAT delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying THE VOICE of YAHWEH? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 1Sa 15:22 No Scripture is given to celebrate HIS birthday, what was given to remember is HIS death! Scriptures are given over and over not to follow the ways of the heathen. Again, Mithras comes from Persia and Saturnalia from Rome. The Roman's adopted the worship of Mithras with Saturnalia on Dec 25. I close with all pagan religions have a connection and Christmas is celebrated all over the world even Hindu, Buddhist, and Communist etc. all celebrate the day! I remember my birthday because I know the date I was born. I do not worship my birthday, I thank YAHWEH for creating me! Blessings!

Martin Luther, E.G. White, and the Christmas Tree Germany is credited with starting the Christmas tree tradition as we now know it in the 16th century when devout Christians brought decorated trees into their homes. Legend has it that Martin Luther, the 16th-century Protestant reformer, first added lighted candles to a tree. Walking toward his home one winter evening, composing a sermon, he was awed by the brilliance of stars twinkling amid evergreens. To recapture the scene for his family, he erected a tree in the main room and wired its branches with lighted candles. “Letters of inquiry have come to us asking, Shall we have a Christmas tree? will it not be like the world? We answer, You can make it like the world if you have a disposition to do so, or you can make it as unlike the world as possible. There is no particular sin in selecting a fragrant evergreen, and placing it in our churches; but the sin lies in the motive which prompts to action, and the use which is made of the gifts placed upon the tree. “The tree may be as tall and its branches as wide as shall best suit the occasion; but let its boughs be laden with the golden and silver fruit of your beneficence, and present this to Him as your Christmas gift. Let your donations be sanctified by prayer.”—The Review and Herald, December 11, 1879. – {EGWE 254.2,3}