The darker side of Christmas

Without the revelries, pomp and merriment which accompanied Christmas, the Constantinian version of Christianity would have died out

(Note: I hope the reader will consider this topic with an open mind. I am referring to the phenomenon of ‘Universal Christmas’ in this commentary and I did not take much pleasure in writing it)

Christmas is around the corner, triggering a variety of longings, expectations and memories. For some, however, December can be the most forlorn month of the year. Many adults dread the approach of Christmas, even after experiencing its joys as children. Christmas somehow makes them feel inadequate, unwanted and worthless. It is on Dec 25 when they are particularly gripped by the sentiment that the voyage of life has moved on, leaving them forsaken on an island of inescapable helplessness.

This darker side of Christmas can be attributed to a complex interplay of societal expectations, financial pressures, strained relationships, and cultural factors. While psychologists often attribute "Christmas blues" to Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), this commentary explores the deeper spiritual reasons why Christmas might provoke a range of negative emotions and reactions.

Origins of Christmas

It is a known, incontrovertible fact that early Christians did not celebrate Christmas. It was entirely missing from the early Christian calendar. In a possible reference to the birth of Christ, one of the early church fathers, Origen of Alexandria (c. 185 — c. 253 AD), had famously remarked that sinners alone, and not saints, celebrated birthdays.

Birthdays were often associated with pagan customs and practices, especially in biblical Egypt and Babylon. For instance, the only birthday mentioned in the Old Testament was Pharaoh's birthday (Genesis 40:20), and it was not portrayed in a particularly positive light. This association may have arguably led to a cultural aversion to birthday celebrations among the continuum of believers from the Old to the New Covenant.

The celebration of Christ’s birthday was palpably nonexistent when the gospels and epistles were written down — despite the fact that all first century Christians would have known the remarkable day when Christ was born. That date has now been imprinted into the collective mindset as one denoting tragedy, terror and infamy. Satan is a master of counterfeiting and he may have guided unrepentant men to pick a fictitious date, replete with pagan traditions, to serve as Christ’s birthday anniversary.

The first Christians were also predominantly composed of ancient Jewish converts. According to their worldview, one's deeds and legacy, particularly at the time of death, were considered more significant than the day of birth. Ecclesiastes 7:1 reflects this perspective: "A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth." The gospels reiterate this necessity of "ending well" via the Parable of the Two Sons (Matthew 21:28-32) and in numerous other passages. Decisions made at the pivotal crossroads of eternity carry far greater weight than the circumstances of one's birth or the meandering paths taken through the maze of life. (Hebrews 12:1–2; Revelation 2:10).

So, how did Christmas come about? Many of us would be familiar with the popular account. It only became a formal celebration from 336 AD onwards, after Emperor Constantine decreed that Christianity was thereafter the official religion of the Roman Empire. December 25, which was originally the day dedicated to the festival Dies Natalis Solis Invicti — the celebration of the rebirth of the sun god Sol Invictus or the "Unconquered Sun" — was repurposed into a politically-convenient holiday to prop up the new state religion.

Organized churchianity was born in the process. Man-made hierarchies began to displace the promptings of the Holy Spirit and scriptural guardrails. Scripture itself was denied to the masses as it became the sole monopoly of a new priestly class. Organized religion and its myriad traditions would thereafter determine state-sanctioned dogmas and simultaneously eviscerate simple faith. Is it any wonder then that the so-called universal or catholic church would soon drag the Western world into the Dark Ages; one marked by intense superstition and extra-biblical savagery?

Was the celebration of Christmas a symptom of this spiritual downfall? It is my contention that without the revelries, pomp and merriment which accompanied Christmas, the Constantinian version of Christianity would have died out. It was therefore imperative for the organized church to promote the newly-established tradition of Christmas while denying salvational scriptures to the masses. Only Satan himself could have contrived a plot of such diabolical subtlety!

The word "Christmas" comes from the old term "Christ's Mass" (Crīstesmæsse in Olde English) and the word was first recorded in England in 1038. It was a season of wild revelry, debauchery and even violent deaths. It may be the reason why football (or soccer as it is known in the United States) retains an inordinate share of religiously-fanatical and violent fans among all sporting events. The norm was established in medieval Christmases! It was a mockery of what Christmas was supposed to mean.

If you are wondering why the modern church, with sparse exceptions, had universally capitulated to the demonic Covid-19 lockdowns and vaccine mandates, look no further than the spiritual fornication which began with Constantine’s so-called reforms. Two or three years after the global scam was irrefutably exposed, one would still be hard pressed to find a pastor or evangelist who has publicly and visibly condemned this shameful attempt at mass murder. (If you know of any such individual, name them in the comments box and include an appropriate link)

Rather coincidentally, Covid-19 was unleashed into the world exactly five Christmas seasons ago!

The Counterfeit Trees

How does one explain the pervasive spiritual regression that arguably began with the Christmases of yore? A theologian may proffer many causative reasons but I tend to use the metaphor of the scriptural tree. Christ, whose birth is ostensibly celebrated on Dec 25, had declared that a "good tree bears good fruit" while its bad counterpart will likewise produce ungodly fruit (Matthew 7:17-23). Furthermore, the Kingdom of Heaven was likened to the grain of a mustard seed.

It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches. (Matthew 13:31-32).

This is not the kind of tree favoured by a mighty empire and a subservient church. Godliness has always had humble origins and the story of Christ’s birth in a manger — the real Christmas — is a testament to this timeless principle.

The Protestant Reformation was supposed to remove unscriptural practices within organized Christendom but its leaders were either powerless or unwilling to extirpate a millennium of pagan traditions associated with Dec 25. Such was the popularity of Christmas. A new set of trees associated with these traditions had come to irrevocably symbolise Christmas.

The evergreen carol "O Tannenbaum" was originally a sad Germanic folk song centered on the theme of a faithless lover. It was only superficially Christianized in the 18th century — in keeping with the precedent laid down by Constantine. Today, most of us know the song by its English variant called "O’ Christmas Tree". But study the lyrics and you will realize that it was the fir tree that was celebrated instead of Christ. The Old Testament had expressly forbidden any sort of worship associated with trees.

The protagonists of the Protestant Reformation did indeed attempt a course correction by creating numerous biblically-themed carols such as Hark! The Herald Angels Sing by Charles Wesley, amongst others. However, the Wesley family, along with Methodism in particular and Protestantism in general, has historically been associated with Freemasonry. It is a connection that persists till today. With such a pedigree, a return to the original faith of the first century is next to impossible.

There are other trees associated with Christmas, the yule tree being one of the more conspicuous ones. In fact, the archaic name for Christmas is Yuletide. The Old Norse celebration of Yule, rooted in pagan midwinter traditions, was a 12-day festival honoring Norse gods and spirits, featuring feasting, sacrificial rites, drinking, and the burning of the Yule log. It marked the rebirth of the sun and hope-for prosperity in the coming year. This is where we get the tradition of the 12 days of Christmas, celebrated by the famous carol which has zero biblical themes. (I readily admit that the song invokes a welter of nostalgic musings). The origins of Yuletide and the 12 days of Christmas however are truly terrifying. According to Britttanica:

Some contend that the original festival (Yuletide) was a sort of Norse Day of the Dead, with the god Odin as a major player; among Odin’s many names was Jolnir, and among his many duties was acting as a god of the dead. (parenthesis added)

The ‘Spirit of Christmas’

While writing this article, I had requested ChatGPT to succinctly define the "Spirit of Christmas," and its response was spot on.

The oft-mentioned "Spirit of Christmas" embodies themes of generosity, compassion, and unity, reflecting the joy and hope associated with the birth of Jesus Christ. It also transcends religious boundaries to emphasize love, kindness, and goodwill among all people. This spirit is often expressed through acts of charity, spending time with loved ones, and fostering a sense of togetherness. Rooted in the Christian tradition, it also draws from cultural customs, creating a universal celebration of shared humanity and the renewal of hope during the darkest time of the year. (Emphasis added).

This was indeed a carefully calibrated and intelligent answer, spawned in milliseconds by the computational prowess of Artificial Intelligence. Yet, the response also sounds like a blueprint to a New World Order religion fostered by a global superstate.

The spiritual forces which inspired Constantine are still actively at work today. When the Antichrist emerges, he may not ban Christmas as is popularly theorised within evangelical circles. Instead, he may remove all lingering biblical themes associated with Dec 25. In fact, he does not need to do much as the forces of re-paganization are already well underway.

In 1990, when a school board in a Cleveland suburb banned all nativity and Christmas scenes on school property because they apparently violated the principle of separation of church and state, outraged parents appealed to the courts. The courts ruled in the parents favour but with an interesting caveat. As Rawgist contributor David C. Pack noted:

The court decision affirmed that Christmas has no Christian roots! However, the court’s opinion also noted that Bible reading and prayer obviously are associated with Christianity—a remarkable admission! The court concluded that Christmas-keeping and manger scenes could remain because they are not really part of either Christianity or religion—but prayer and Bible reading, which are, must remain excluded from schools! (Emphasis added)

Growing up in Muslim-majority Malaysia, I had witnessed a creeping ban on public presentations of traditional Christmas carols that had biblical themes or references. Christmas songs aired or sung in the public domain should strictly stick to themes like Santa Claus, mistletoes and winter wonderlands in tropical Malaysia. Anything but Jesus and the Bible! Hindu hymns aired during the festival of Deepavali/Diwali faced no such restrictions.

One of the most memorable Christmas themed chart-topping songs during my teenage years was the one incongruously patched by Band Aid, a supergroup composed of British and Irish music stars. Titled "Do They Know It's Christmas?" (1984), this catchy single managed to raise £8 million for victims of the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia.

Not to be outdone, an American supergroup, USA for Africa, released the hit single "We Are the World" the following year (1985) for the very same noble cause.

Co-written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, there were references to God, the need for charity and other nice things. The song seemed uplifting until one heard the following jaw-dropping line:

As God has shown us by turning stone to bread

This was outright blasphemy as God incarnate, Jesus Christ, had refused to turn stone to bread (Luke 4:1-4) when He was tested without food or water for 40 days in the wilderness. I doubt this was a case of "biblical illiteracy" as some politically-correct preachers continue to claim. The person who sang that line was none other than Willie Nelson who was also coincidentally known for his "gospel" repertoire. (Note: Lionel Richie, the co-writer of the song, is a high-ranking freemason).

When "we are the world" in the most literal sense, Satan has a directorial baton to conduct our songs, deeds, and speech." All our lofty undertakings will be turned on its head. We will become the anathema described by Isaiah 5:20:

Woe to those who call evil good

and good evil,

who put darkness for light

and light for darkness,

who put bitter for sweet

and sweet for bitter!

We should bear this warning in mind as one just cannot find a single Christmas tradition that is not rooted in ancient occult or witchcraft. Whether it is the Christmas wreath (linked to the Olympics no less), the gingerbread, the mistletoe or Santa Claus, among many other permanent festive fixtures, they can all be traced to Western pagan festivals and rituals.

Thus far, I have solely focused on Western Christmas traditions. There are two millennia-old Christian communities in the East as well. Just how was Christmas celebrated in the Eastern sphere of the ancient biblical world?

According to popular accounts, the Dec 25 celebration was introduced to Antioch (Syria) in the late 4th century AD by John Chrysostom. However, I couldn’t isolate any venerable Christmas traditions with a distinctly Eastern flavour. If they existed, we would have known about them in this age of real-time social media. Anything different always piques the mind and goes viral.

While writing this article, it had also occurred to me that I could not find a single vernacular word for Christmas in my native language. The terms used today appear to be latter-day inventions, and the celebration itself seems to have been introduced during the colonial era. Interestingly, our traditional names and terms are deeply rooted in Hebrew, Aramaic, Syriac, and Byzantine Greek, many of which were either anglicized or indigenized in recent centuries. Historically, the main Christian celebration in the East was the Paschal festivity, encompassing Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday (Easter). Unlike Christmas, the Paschal celebration retains terms and concepts derived from these ancient languages.

I have therefore come to the conclusion that the Universal Christmas is the ultimate tool of cultural colonialism; one which also serves as the high festival of Mystery Babylon.

Shall We Celebrate Then?

So, shall we cease celebrating Christmas altogether? When Christmas is celebrated within a biblical context, it serves as an indirect avenue for evangelism. The world is periodically reminded of the birth, role and mission of Jesus Christ through scriptural hymns that are sung during this season — even as the avenues of carolling are getting systematically throttled with each passing year. Besides, the most pharisaical and abhorrent church I had ever attended was a Bangalore-based "holiness" cult that eschewed Christmas in all its totality.

You may however consider jettisoning all pagan-inspired decorations, songs and practises associated with the season. Who knows, they may serve as a household channel for the yuletide spirits of yore?

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