Christianity – The Truth

CHRISTIANITY – THE TRUTH

(By: M. Javed Naseem)

يٰأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَابِ لِمَ تَلْبِسُونَ ٱلْحَقَّ بِٱلْبَاطِلِ

وَتَكْتُمُونَ ٱلْحَقَّ وَأَنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ

‘O followers of the Book! Why do you

confound the truth with the falsehood

and hide the truth while you know?

(Quran 3:71)

Is the Christianity, as we know it today, a true religion promoted and preached by Jesus, the son of Mary, or is it based on Paganism? To find out the truth, let us start with the biggest pillar (the cornerstone) of the modern Christian faith – the Trinity, and then we’ll look into their biggest religious festival Christmas.

Thomas Jefferson:

‘… The Trinity is an unintelligible proposition of Platonic mysticisms that three are one and one is three.’

Christadelphia Worldwide:

Christadelphia is a church organization in the USA. On their website, maintained by the San Francisco Ecclesia in San Rafael, California, USA, it says: ‘Christadelphia Worldwide – Proclaiming the impending establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth’.

It seems like a very ambitious but tough mission to accomplish (or mission impossible) – especially when you are divided into a million denominations most of which ignore the commandments of God, follow the pagan customs, change the Word of God and still try to establish the ‘Kingdom of God’! However, despite all that, the mission itself is a noble one.

Appeal to Trinitarian Christians, Jeff Rath:

In ‘An Appeal to Trinitarian Christians’ (by Jeff Rath, 11-97) the author explores the ‘Historical Background of the Trinity’. Here are the findings:

‘The current mainstream teaching in Christianity is that God is a coequal, coeternal, one-substance trinity, and that Jesus Christ is God. This doctrine is considered by many as the cornerstone of Christianity, but where did this doctrine come from? The historical record is overwhelming that the church of the first three centuries did not worship God as a coequal, coeternal, consubstantial, one-substance three in one mysterious godhead. The early church worshipped one God and believed in a subordinate Son. The trinity originated with Babylon, and was passed on to most of the world’s religions.’

‘This polytheistic (believing in more than one god) Trinitarian-ism was intertwined with Greek religion and philosophy and slowly worked its way into Christian thought and creeds some 300 years after Christ. The idea of “God the Son” is Babylonian paganism and mythology that was grafted into Christianity. Worshipping “God the Son” is idolatry, and idolatry is Biblically condemned; it breaks the first great commandment of God of not having any gods before him (Exodus 20:3).’

‘Then three centuries after Christ the corrupt emperor Constantine forced the minority opinion of the trinity upon the council of Nicaea. The Christian church went downward from there; in fact some of the creeds and councils actually contradict each other.’

‘The council of Nicaea 325 said that “Jesus Christ is God”; the council of Constantinople 381 said that “the Holy Spirit is God”; the council of Ephesus 431 said that “human beings are totally depraved”; the council of Chalcedon 451 said that “Jesus Christ is both man and God”. If you follow the logic here then first you have Jesus Christ as God, then you have man totally depraved, and then you have Jesus Christ as man and God. If Jesus is both man and God, does this mean that God is also totally depraved? Well, maybe the doctrine of the coequal, coeternal, one-substance, mysterious three in one triune godhead is deprived of any historical foundation tying it into the Christianity of the Bible and Christianity of the first three centuries.’

‘However, the historical information ties the trinity into various pagan origins.’

‘And yet most Christian churches continue to teach and believe the doctrine that God is a coequal, coeternal, one-substance, mysterious three in one triune godhead, and that Jesus Christ is God, and that the trinity is “the cornerstone of Christianity”.’

The Church of the First Three Centuries, 1865, Alvan Lamson:

‘… The modern doctrine of the Trinity is not found in any document or relic belonging to the Church of the first three centuries. … so far as any remains or any record of them are preserved, coming down from early times, are, as regards this doctrine an absolute blank. They testify, so far as they testify at all, to the supremacy of the father, the only true God; and to the inferior and derived nature of the Son. There is nowhere among these remains a coequal trinity … but no un-divided three, -- coequal, infinite, self-existent, and eternal. This was a conception to which the age had not arrived. It was of later origin.’

Note: I personally call such things ‘inventions’.

‘During the first three centuries, Christians did not believe that Jesus Christ was coequal, and coeternal with God, or that he was God the Son; they believed that Jesus Christ was subordinate to God, and that he had a beginning, that he was born. Those that believed otherwise were the exception.’

Let me mention here a verse from the Holy Quran in which God Himself has clarified this false belief:

لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوۤاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلاَثَةٍ

وَمَا مِنْ إِلَـٰهٍ إِلاَّ إِلَـٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ وَإِن لَّمْ يَنتَهُواْ

عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ

مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ

‘They do blaspheme who say: Allah is

one of three in a Trinity; for there is

no god except One Allah. If they

desist not from their word (of blasphemy),

verily a grievous penalty will befall the

blasphemers among them.’

(Quran 5:73)

And Allah also clarifies the status of Jesus, the son of Mary, in the Holy Quran. Jesus was a messenger of God, like many others before him, and he, as well as his mother Mary, was a human being. Here is the verse:

مَّا ٱلْمَسِيحُ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ إِلاَّ رَسُولٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ

مِن قَبْلِهِ ٱلرُّسُلُ وَأُمُّهُ صِدِّيقَةٌ كَانَا

يَأْكُلاَنِ ٱلطَّعَامَ ٱنْظُرْ كَيْفَ نُبَيِّنُ

لَهُمُ ٱلآيَاتِ ثُمَّ ٱنْظُرْ أَنَّىٰ يُؤْفَكُونَ

‘Christ the son of Mary was no

more than a messenger; many were

the messengers that passed away

before him. His mother was a woman

of truth. They had both to eat their

(daily) food. See how Allah doth

make His signs clear to them; yet

see in what ways they are deluded

away from the truth!’

(Quran 5:75)

So, Jesus Christ was a human being who, along with his mother Mary, had to eat daily food to survive. He was not a spirit. He was chosen from among the Jews of that time – like many other messengers of God who appeared in different eras but they were all chosen from their respective nations.

The irony about the Trinity is that Jesus himself condemned it and commanded his disciples and faithful followers to worship Allah alone, ascribing no partners to Him. In Islam it is called the concept of ‘Tawheed’, the first pillar of Islam. Jesus warned the violators of God’s punishment:

لَقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوۤاْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ

ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَقَالَ ٱلْمَسِيحُ يَابَنِيۤ إِسْرَائِيلَ

ٱعْبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّى وَرَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُ مَن يُشْرِكْ بِٱللَّهِ

فَقَدْ حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيهِ ٱلْجَنَّةَ وَمَأْوَاهُ ٱلنَّارُ

وَمَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ مِنْ أَنصَارٍ

‘They do blaspheme who say: Allah is

Christ the son of Mary. But said Christ:

O Children of Israel! Worship Allah,

my Lord and your Lord. Whoever joins

other gods with Allah, Allah will forbid

him the Garden, and the Fire will be his

abode. There will for the wrong-doers

be no one to help.’

(Quran 5:72)

Now, back to the Christian religious authorities:

The Doctrine of the Trinity, Christianity’s Self-Inflicted Wound, 1994, Anthony F. Buzzard, Charles F. Hunting:

‘Those Trinitarians who believe that the concept of a Triune God was such an established fact that it was not considered important enough to mention at the time the New Testament was written should be challenged by the remarks of another writer, Harold Brown:’

‘It is simple fact and an undeniable historical fact that several major doctrines that now seem central to the Christian Faith – such as the doctrine of the Trinity and the doctrine of the nature of Christ – were not present in a full and self-defined generally accepted form until the fourth and fifth centuries. If they are essential today – as all of the orthodox creeds and confessions assert – it must be because they are true. If they are true, then they must always have been true; they cannot have become true in the fourth and fifth century. But if they are both true and essential, how can it be that the early church took centuries to formulate them?’

A History of the Christian Church, 2nd Ed. 1985, Williston Walker:

‘AD 200 … Noetus had been expelled from the Smyrnaean church for teaching that Christ was the Father, and that the Father himself was born, and suffered, and died.’

Man’s Religions, 1968, John B. Noss:

‘The controversy first became heated when Apollinarius, a bishop in Syria … asserted that Christ could not have been perfect man united with complete God, for then there would not have been one Son of God, but two sons, one by nature and one by adoption, the first with a divine, the second with a human will. Such a thing seemed inconceivable, religiously abhorrent.’

‘Nestorius … preached a sermon against calling the virgin Mary ‘the mother of God’ declaring she did not bear a deity, she bore a man.’

‘Numbers 23:19 states that God is not a man. God was not born, and God certainly did not die, but when people deviate from what the Bible teaches, you can come up with the bizarre complexities of Trinitarian religious mysteries that contradict logic, common sense and God’s Word.’

New Bible Dictionary, 1982:

‘The word trinity is not found in the Bible …’

‘… it did not find a place formally in the theology of the church till the 4th century.’

‘… it is not a biblical doctrine in the sense that any formation of it can be found in the Bible, …’

‘Scripture does not give us a formulated doctrine of the trinity…’

The Harper Collins Encyclopedia of Catholicism, 1995:

‘… scholars generally agree that there is no doctrine of the trinity as such in either the Old Testament or the New Testament.’

‘If the trinity is the cornerstone of Christianity then how did the church of the first three centuries get along so well without it? If the trinity is the cornerstone of Christianity then why is it not mentioned in the Bible?’

The Encyclopedia Americana, 1956:

‘Christianity derived from Judaism and Judaism was strictly Unitarian (believing in one God). The road which led from Jerusalem to Nicea was scarcely a straight one. Fourth century Trinitarian-ism did not reflect accurately early Christian teaching regarding the nature of God; it was, on the contrary, a deviation from this teaching.’

‘The trinity is a deviation from believing in one God; it is a deviation from what the early church taught and it is a deviation from the Scripture.’

The New Catholic Encyclopedia, 1967:

‘The formulation ‘one God in three persons’ was not solidly established, certainly not fully assimilated into Christian life and its profession of faith, prior to the end of the 4th century.’

Who is Jesus? Anthony Buzzard

‘The Old Testament is a strictly monotheistic. God is a single personal being. The idea that a trinity is to be found there or even in any way shadowed forth, is an assumption that has long held sway in theology, but is utterly without foundation.’

The New Encyclopedia Britannica, 1976:

‘Neither the word trinity, nor the explicit doctrine as such, appears in the New Testament, nor did Jesus and his followers intend to contradict the Shema in the Old Testament: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord” (Deut. 6:4) … The doctrine developed gradually over several centuries and through many controversies … By the end of the 4th century … the doctrine of the trinity took substantially the form it has maintained ever since.’

‘The Shema consists of three sections of scripture Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 11:13-21, and Numbers 15:37-41. It is called the Shema after the Hebrew word ‘hear’, the first word in Deut. 6:4. The Shema was to be recited twice daily once upon arising and once when going to bed. So the Old Testament Jews would start and finish their day with ‘Hear O Israel: The Lord our God is one God’.

The Complete Word Study, Old Testament, 1994:

‘To the Jew, (Deut. 6:4-9) this is the most important text in the Old Testament. Jesus himself called the injunction in 6:5 “the first and great commandment” Matt. 22:36-38 … Moses is teaching not only the priority of belief in one God, but also a means to preserve that belief. As time went on the proper understanding of the Shema with its spiritual implications was no longer grasped by the people. This absence of saving knowledge became a factor in their spiritual downfall.’

‘Whenever God’s people forget that there is only one God and they follow after other gods this will result in their downfall. This can be seen time and time again in the Old Testament where God’s people forsook the Lord and then evil came upon them. God does not send this evil, but He warns us to stay away from the evil of worshipping more than one God.’

Dictionary of the Bible, 1995, John L. McKenzie:

‘The trinity of God is defined by the church as the belief that in God are three persons who subsist in one nature. The belief as so defined was reached only in the 4th and 5th centuries AD and hence is not explicitly and formally a biblical belief.’

Why You Should Believe in The Trinity, 1989, Robert M. Bowman Jr.:

‘The New Testament does not contain a formalized explanation of the trinity that uses such words as trinity, three persons, one substance, and the like.’

Exploring The Christian Faith, 1992:

‘Nowhere in the Bible do we find the doctrine of the trinity clearly formulated.’

‘People who are using the King James Version might be inclined to point to I John 5:7 “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost”. But it is now generally recognized that this verse does not belong to the original text of the letter; it is a later insertion.’

(Note: Another invention?)

- ‘The theological formulation took place later, after the days of

   the apostles.’

- ‘The doctrine of the trinity is not found in the Bible.’

- ‘The doctrine was to develop along mainly Greek lines.’

‘Take note of the words “explicitly and formally”, “formalized explanation”, “express declaration”, and “clearly formulated”. These words are indicative of the fact that all the clear verses on the subjects of God, Jesus Christ, and Holy Spirit do not even hint at a trinity.’

‘The first century apostles did not believe or teach, or write about God being a trinity, or Jesus Christ being God. But the pagan and Greek and Babylonian religions used those words.’

The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, 1976:

‘The Bible lacks the express declaration that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are of equal essence, (said Karl Barth).’

Dictionary of The Bible, 1995, John L. McKenzie:

‘The trinity of persons within the unity of nature is defined in terms of ‘persons’ and ‘nature’ which are Greek philosophical terms; actually the terms do not appear in the Bible. The Trinitarian definitions arose as the result of long controversies in which these terms and others such as ‘essence’ and ‘substance’ were erroneously applied to God by some theologians.’

The Doctrine of The Trinity, Christianity’s Self-Inflicted Wound, 1994, Anthony F. Buzzard, Charles F. Hunting:

‘Eberhard Griesebach, in an academic lecture on “Christianity and Humanism” delivered in 1938, observed that in its encounter with Greek philosophy, Christianity became theology. That was the fall of Christianity. The problem thus highlighted stems from the fact that traditional orthodoxy, while it claims to find its origins in scripture, in fact contains elements drawn from a synthesis of Scripture and Neo-Platonism. The mingling of Hebrew and Greek thinking set in motion first in the second century by an influx of Hellenism through the Church Fathers, whose theology was colored by the Platonists Plotinus and Porphyry. The effects of the Greek influence are widely recognized by theologians, though they go largely unnoticed by many believers.’

‘The Greek mythology and pagan religious beliefs were derived from Babylon.’

The Rise of Christianity, 1985, W.H.C. Frend:

‘For him (Clement) the trinity consisted of a hierarchy of three graded beings, and from that concept – derived from Platonism – depended much of the remainder of his theological teaching.’

Nouveau Dictionnaire Universel, 1870:

‘The Platonic trinity, itself merely a rearrangement of older trinities dating back to earlier peoples, appears to be the rational philosophic trinity of attributes that gave birth to the three hypostases or divine persons taught by the Christian churches … This Greek philosopher’s (Plato, 4th century BC) conception of the divine trinity … can be found in all ancient (pagan) religions.’

The Two Babylons, 1916, Rev. Alexander Hislop:

‘Egypt and Greece derived their religion from Babylon.’

Microsoft Encarta, 1994, Funk & Wagnalls:

‘The theologians Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and St. Augustine were early Christian exponents of a Platonic perspective. Platonic ideas have had a crucial role in the development of Christian theology.’

The Rise of Christianity, 1985, W.H.C. Frend:

‘We find Christianity tending to absorb Greek philosophical values, until by the end of the third century the line between the beliefs of educated Christian and educated pagan in the east would often be hard to draw.’

‘The early Christians began mixing Greek and pagan and Babylonian philosophical and religious Trinitarian concepts with their Christian doctrine which led them to begin considering the trinity, and after three centuries that thinking finally took hold. Acts 17:22 says that the Greeks were too superstitious, and I- Corinthians 1:22 says that the Jews require a sign and the Greeks seek after wisdom. The Greeks were too intellectual in their approach to God’s Word. They became wise in their own eyes and the truth of God’s Word became foolishness to them, so they grafted their own superstitious philosophical wisdom into God’s Word and changed the truth into a lie; they changed Son of God to God the Son.’

Catholic Encyclopedia, 1991:

‘The term “Trinity” does not appear in scripture.’

‘(The Doctrine of the Trinity) – hammered out over the course of three centuries of doctrinal controversy against modal-ism and subordination-ism.’

Why You Should Believe in The Trinity, 1989, Robert M. Bowman Jr.:

‘Roman Catholics … often claim that the trinity is not a biblical doctrine and was first revealed through the ministry of the church centuries after the Bible was written. This is in keeping with the Roman Catholic belief that Christian doctrine may be based either on the Bible or on church tradition.’

‘The Roman Catholic Church did not get the doctrine of the trinity from the Bible, they hammered out their own theology of what they wanted God to be over several hundred years, and mixed Greek philosophy with Babylonian mystery religion, and their own private interpretations of the Bible.’

I Peter 1:20-21:

‘Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.’

II Timothy 2:15:

‘Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.’

‘People don’t respect God’s Word, they are more interested in inventing their own theology by the will of man instead of believing the word of God, they are not interested in rightly dividing God’s word of truth. The trinity is private interpretation and wrong dividing of God’s word.’

Jesus Christ is Not God, 1975, Victor Paul Wierwille:

‘Long before the founding of Christianity the idea of a triune god or a god in three persons was a common belief in ancient religions. Although many of these religions had many minor deities, they distinctly acknowledged that there was one supreme God who consisted of three persons or essences. The Babylonians used an equilateral triangle to represent this three-in-one god, now the symbol of the modern three-in-one believers.’

‘The Hindu trinity was made up of the gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. The Greek triad was composed of Zeus, Athena and Apollo. These three were said by the pagans to ‘agree in one’. One of the largest pagan temples built by the Romans was constructed at Ballbek (situated in present day Lebanon) to their trinity of Jupiter, Mercury and Venus. In Babylon the planet Venus was revered as special and was worshipped as a trinity consisting of Venus, the moon and the sun. This triad became the Babylonian holy trinity in the 14th century before Christ.’

‘Although other religions for thousands of years, before Christ was born, worshipped a triune god, the trinity was not a part of Christian dogma and formal documents of the first three centuries after Christ.’

‘That there was no formal, established doctrine of the trinity until the fourth century is a fully documented historical fact.’

‘Clearly, historians of church dogma and systematic theologians agree that the idea of a Christian trinity was not a part of the first century church. The twelve apostles never subscribed to it or received revelation about it. So how then did a Trinitarian doctrine come about? It gradually evolved and gained momentum in late first, second and third centuries as pagans, who had converted to Christianity, brought to Christianity some of their pagan beliefs and practices.’

Who is Jesus? Anthony Buzzard:

‘… We shall find not a hint that Jesus believed himself to be an uncreated being who had existed from eternity. Matthew and Luke trace the origin of Jesus to a special act of creation by God when the Messiah’s conception took place in the womb of Mary. It was this miraculous event which marked the beginning – the GENESIS, or origin of Jesus of Nazareth.’

‘Arius and his followers believed that Jesus Christ was created, that he was not in the beginning with God. They believed that he had a beginning, whereas God has no beginning. This makes Jesus Christ substantially different from God, which means he cannot be of one-substance with God as the Trinitarians believe.’

Documents of the Christian Church, 2nd Ed. 1963, Henery Bettenson:

(Quotes from Arius and his followers)

‘If, said he, the Father begat the Son, he that was begotten had a beginning of existence; hence it is clear that there was (a time) when the son was not.’

‘The Son of God is from what is not and there was (a time) when he was not; saying also that the Son of God, in virtue of his free will, is capable of evil and good, and calling him a creature and a work.’

The Rise of Christianity, 1985, W.H.C. Frend:

‘If the Father begat the son, there must be when he was not. He could not therefore be coeternal with the Father’ (said by Arius).

Man’s Religions, 1968, John B. Noss:

‘Arius held that Christ … was a created being; he was made like other creatures out of nothing, … The Son, he argued, had a beginning, while God was without beginning.’

The Church in History, 1964, B.K. Kuiper:

‘The heathen believe in many gods. Arius thought that to believe that the Son is God as well as that the Father is God would mean that there are two Gods, and that therefore the Christians would be falling back into heathenism.’

‘Arius believed that Jesus Christ was born, that he had a beginning; he believed that Jesus Christ was the created Son, not the Creator, and for taking the Word of God literally he was ex-communicated and anathematized. Starting with Nimrod in ancient Babylon until today man has stubbornly rebelled against the doctrine of one God.’

Exodus 20:3:

‘Thou shalt have no other gods before me.’

Exodus 34:14a:

‘For thou shalt worship no other god.’

‘The trinity is idolatry, it puts Jesus Christ as a god before God.’

Forgers of The World, 1983, Victor Paul Wierwille:

‘To say Jesus Christ is God the Son is idolatry. To say Jesus is the Son of God is truth.’

I Samuel 15:23:

‘For Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.’

Deuteronomy 6:4:

‘Hear O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord.’

‘The Lord God Almighty, the Creator, the Father of Jesus Christ is one God not three, not three-in-one, not one-in-three, ONE! And only ONE! God is not a three-headed multi-personality trinity.’

‘God the Son is not a biblical term, it does not appear in the Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic texts. God the Son is however a Babylonian term. The Babylonians made Nimrod a god, and when he died they deified his son Tammuz as God the Son. Making God a man and man a god was invented in Babylon. This idolatry and false belief has been carried into pagan religions, and it has worked its way into Christianity as the doctrine of the trinity.’

Ravaged By The New Age, 1996, Texe Marrs:

‘Nimrod, the first of the great Babylonian rulers, was also declared to be the first of the man-gods.’

The Two Babylons, 1916, Rev. Alexander Hislop:

‘He was worshipped in Babylon under the name of El-Bar, or “God the Son”.’

‘It is clear that the trinity does not have a Biblical origin. It can be traced back to ancient Babylon, pagan Greeks and Romans. It was forced upon the Christian Church by the emperor Constantine. It was adhered to by bishops who were afraid to speak against it. Then when the Protestants broke away from the corrupt Roman Church most of them still carried the pagan doctrine of the trinity, because they had practiced error for so long that they accepted the Trinitarian doctrine.’

Encyclopedia Britannica, 1968:

The Council of Nicaea met on May20, 325. Constantine himself presiding, actively guiding the discussion, and personally proposed the crucial formula expressing the relation of Christ to God in the creed issued by the council: ‘of one substance with the father’. Over-awed by the emperor, the bishops, with two exceptions only, signed the creed, many of them against their inclination. Constantine regarded the decision of Nicaea as divinely inspired. As long as he lived, no one dared openly to challenge the creed of Nicaea.’

The Origins of Pagan and Christian Beliefs, 1920, 1996, Edward Carpenter:

‘And when at the Council of Nicaea (325 AD) it (the early church) endeavored to establish an official creed, the strife and bitterness only increased. … The Nicaea creed had nothing to propound except some extremely futile speculations about the relation to each other of the Father and the Son, and the relation of both to the Holy Ghost.’

Man’s Religions 1968, John B. Noss:

‘This creed, adopted under pressure from the emperor, who wanted peace, did not immediately solve the doctrinal difficulties or save the peace. The phrases (not made) and (of the same substance with the Father) were bitterly denounced by many.’

The Rise of Christianity, 1985, W.H.C. Frend:

‘The Emperor exerted all his influence toward winning unanimous acceptance and nearly succeeded. Only two bishops stood out against it; but two other senior bishops refused to sign the anathemas against Arius and were exiled.’

A History of  The Christian Church, 2nd Ed. 1985, Williston Walker:

‘He (Constantine) accepted the pagan title of Pontifex Maximus, and his coins still showed the emblems of the Sun-God.’

Forgers of The World, 1983, Victor Paul Wierwille:

‘The truth of Jesus Christ the Son of God was deliberately forged into the doctrine of God the Son. Seeds of Jesus Christ as God were planted and sprouted during the lifetime of Paul, continued growing during Timothy’s lifetime and flourished shortly thereafter, reaching full bloom for all future creeds by 325 AD’.

’The doctrine that Jesus Christ the Son of God was God the son was decreed by worldly and ecclesiastical powers. Men were forced to accept it at the point of the sword or else. Thus, the error of the trinity was propounded to the end that ultimately people believed it to be the truth. Thus Christianity became in essence like Babylonian heathenism, with only a veneer of Christian names.’

A History of Christianity, Vol. 1, 1997, Kenneth Scott Latourette:

‘To enforce the decisions of the Council of Nicaea, Constantine commanded, with the death penalty for disobedience, the burning of all books composed by Arius, banished Arius and his closest supporters, and deposed from their sees Eusebius of Nicomedia and another bishop who had been active in the support of Arius.’

Man’s Religions, 1968, John B. Noss:

‘The doctrine of the trinity he (Michael Servetus) felt to be a Catholic perversion and himself to be a good New Testament Christian in combating it … According to his conception, a trinity composed of three distinct persons in one God is a ration impossibility.’

‘Saying that Jesus Christ is not God does not degrade Jesus Christ; it merely sets things in their proper order so we can know God and worship Him in spirit and truth.’

John 14:6:

‘Jesus saith unto him, I am the way the truth and the life; no man cometh to the Father, but by me.’

John 14:13:

‘And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son.’

‘Satan the Devil strongly desires man to worship him instead of the One true God, and when he can’t achieve his primary goal then his next desire is to get man to worship anything other than the true God. Satan has been quite successful in tricking good Christians into worshipping Jesus Christ as God instead of worshipping the One true God …’

Eph 5:14:

‘Wherefore he saith Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.’

‘We can no longer be lulled to sleep by the bizarre, complex, confusing, ritualistic, mysterious Babylonian traditions of Trinitarian doctrines. We must come back to God’s Word and worship the one true God …’

I Corinthians 8:4b:

‘There is none other God but one.’

The Doctrine of The Trinity, Christianity’s Self-Inflicted Wound, 1994, Anthony F. Buzzard, Charles F. Hunting:

‘The God of Moses, Isaiah, Jesus, and the apostles was one person, the Father. One cannot be made equal to two or three. All that can be done with one is to fractionalize it. Divide it into smaller segments and it is no longer one. Expand, and in spite of prodigious mental gymnastics on the part of Trinitarians, it cannot be made into two or three and still remain one.’

‘… it is not uncommon for religious leaders to insist that you must believe in the trinity to be a Christian, or be branded a cultist. One of the great marvels of Christian history has been the ability of theologians to convince Christian people that three persons are really one God.’

A Statement of Reasons for Not Believing the Doctrine of The Trinitarians Concerning the Nature of God and the Person of Christ, 1833, Andrews Norton:

‘When we look back through the long ages of the reign of the Trinity … we shall perceive that few doctrines have produced more unmixed evil.’

‘The Bible does not give us a doctrine of trinity, the historical record shows that modern Christian Trinitarian beliefs were not formulated until about 300 years after the death of Jesus Christ, but in pagan religions Trinitarian beliefs date back to ancient Babylon, thousands of years before Jesus Christ. The coequal, coeternal, one substance, three in one trinity is not a Christian Biblical doctrine; yet there are those who insist that it is the cornerstone of Christianity.’

‘In our day and time, the doctrine of the trinity is a cornerstone of idolatry’ – Jeff Rath 4-97.

(End of the quotes.)

So, the Trinity is idolatry!

At least this is the majority opinion among the Christian religious authorities. And if a religion or faith is based on idolatry, can it be considered a true religion or faith promoted by the messengers of God, the Almighty?

Allah, the Creator of mankind, says in the Holy Quran:

وَإِنَّ مِنْهُمْ لَفَرِيقاً يَلْوُونَ أَلْسِنَتَهُمْ بِٱلْكِتَابِ

لِتَحْسَبُوهُ مِنَ ٱلْكِتَابِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنَ الْكِتَابِ

وَيَقُولُونَ هُوَ مِنْ عِنْدِ اللًّهِ وَمَا هُوَ مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ

وَيَقُولُونَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْكَذِبَ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ

‘And lo! There is a party of them who

distort the Scripture with their tongues,

that ye may think that what they say is

from the Scripture, when it is not from

the Scripture. And they say: It is from

Allah, when it is not from Allah; and they

speak a lie concerning Allah knowingly.

(Quran 3:78)

Gospel of Barnabas, Ch. 93-97:

Finally, we go to the Gospel of Barnabas. Barnabas was one of the twelve disciples of Jesus, the son of Mary. Some of his quotes/references seem very authentic. During the height of the controversy about the status of Jesus, people got divided into three main groups – those who believed that Jesus was God; those who believed that Jesus was son of God; and those who believed that Jesus was a prophet of God. There was a big turmoil as these groups started fighting with each other. Therefore, the Roman Governor of Judea, King Herod and the high priest sought a public meeting with Jesus. They asked Jesus to explain to the huge gathering of thousands, who he really was. Here are some excerpts from Chapters 93-97:

‘The priest answered: “Now is Judea so greatly moved over your signs and your teaching that they cry out that you are God; wherefore, constrained by the people, I am come here with the Roman governor and King Herod. We pray you therefore from our heart, that you will be content to remove the sedition which is arisen on your account. For some say you are God, some say you are son of God, and some say you are a prophet.”

‘Jesus answered: “And you, O high priest of God, why have you not quieted this sedition? Are you also perhaps, gone out of your mind? Have the prophecies, with the Law of God, so passed into oblivion, O wretched Judea, deceived of Satan!”

‘And having said this, Jesus said again: “I confess before heaven, and call to witness everything that dwells upon the earth, that I am a stranger to all that men have said of me, to wit, that I am more than man. For I am a man, born of woman, subject to the judgment of God; that live here like as other men, subject to the common miseries. As God lives, in whose presence my soul stands, you have greatly sinned, O priest, in saying what you have said. May it please God that there come not upon the holy city great vengeance for this sin”. Then said the priest: “May God pardon us, and do you pray for us”. Then said the governor and Herod: “Sir, it is impossible that man should do that which you do; wherefore we understand not that which you say”.

Jesus answered: “That which you say is true, for God works good in man, even as Satan works evil. For man is like a shop, wherein whoever enters with his consent works and sells therein. But tell me, O governor, and you O King, you say this because you are strangers to our Law; for if you read the testament and covenant of our God you would see that Moses with a rod made the water turn into blood, the dust into fleas, the dew into tempest, and the light into darkness. He made the frogs and mice to come into Egypt; which covered the ground, he slew the first-born, and opened the sea, wherein he drowned Pharaoh. Of these things I have wrought none”.

“And of Moses, every one confesses that he is a dead man at this present. Joshua made the sun to stand still, and opened the Jordan, which I have not yet done. And of Joshua every one confesses that he is a dead man at this present. Elijah made fire to come visibly down from heaven, and rain, which I have not done. And of Elijah every one confesses that he is a man. And (in like manner) very many other prophets, holy men, friends of God, who in the power of God have wrought things which cannot be grasped by the minds of those who know not our God, almighty and merciful, who is blessed for evermore”.

‘Accordingly the governor and the priest and the King prayed Jesus that in order to quiet the people he should mount up into a lofty place and speak to the people. Then went up Jesus on to one of the twelve stones …’. ‘Jesus said distinctly, so that everyone might hear: “It is written in the testament and covenant of the living God that our God has no beginning, neither shall he ever have an end”. The priest answered: “Even so is it written therein”.

Jesus said: “It is written there that our God by his word alone has created all things”. “Even so it is”, said the priest. Jesus said: “It is written there that God is invisible and hidden from the mind of man, seeing he is incorporeal and un-composed, without variableness”. “So is it, truly”, said the priest. Jesus said: “It is written there how that the heaven of heavens cannot contain him, seeing that our God is infinite”. “So said Solomon the prophet”, said the priest, “O Jesus”. Jesus said: “It is written there that God has no need, forasmuch as he eats not, sleeps not; and suffers not from any deficiency”. “So is it”, said the priest.’

Jesus said: “It is written there that our God is everywhere, and that there is not any other god but he, who strikes down and makes whole, and does all that pleases him”. “So is it written”, replied the priest. Then Jesus, having lifted up his hands, said: “Lord our God, this is my faith wherewith I shall come to your judgment; in testimony against every one that shall believe the contrary”.

‘… When the prayer was ended, the priest said with a loud voice: “Stay Jesus, for we need to know who you are, for the quieting of our nation”. Jesus answered: “I am Jesus, son of Mary, of the seed of David, a man that is mortal and fears God, and I seek that to God be given honour and glory”.   

The priest answered: “In the Book of Moses it is written that our God must send us the Messiah, who shall come to announce to us that which God wills, and shall bring to the world the mercy of God. Therefore I pray you tell us the truth, are you the Messiah of God whom we expect?”

Jesus answered: “It is true that God has so promised, but indeed I am not he, for he is made before me, and shall come after me”. The priest answered: “By your words and signs at any rate we believe you to be a prophet and an holy one of God, wherefore I pray you in the name of all Judea and Israel that you for love of God should tell us in what wise the Messiah will come”.

‘Jesus answered: As God lives, in whose presence my soul stands, I am not the Messiah whom all the tribes of the earth expect, even as God promised to our father Abraham, saying: “In your seed will I bless all the tribes of the earth”. But when God shall take me away from the world, Satan will raise again this accursed sedition, by making the impious believe that I am God and son of God, whence my words and my doctrine shall be contaminated, insomuch that scarcely shall there remain thirty faithful ones; whereupon God will have mercy upon the world, and will send his Messenger for whom he has made all things who shall come from the south with power, and shall destroy the idols with the idolaters who shall take away the dominion from Satan which he has over men. He shall bring with him the mercy of God for salvation of them that shall believe in him, and blessed is he who shall believe his words.’

‘Unworthy though I am to untie his hosen, I have received grace and mercy from God to see him. Then answered the priest, with the governor and the King, saying: “Distress not yourself, O Jesus, holy one of God, because in our time shall not this sedition be any more, seeing that we will write to the sacred Roman senate in such wise that by imperial decree none shall any more call you God or son of God”. The Jesus said: “With your words I am not consoled, because where you hope for light darkness shall come; but my consolation is in the coming of the Messenger, who shall destroy every false opinion of me, and his faith shall spread and shall take hold of the whole world, for so has God promised to Abraham our father. And that which gives me consolation is that his faith shall have no end, but shall be kept inviolate by God”.

‘… And having said this, the multitude departed with the priest and the governor with Herod, having great disputations concerning Jesus and concerning his doctrine. Whereupon the priest prayed the governor to write to Rome to the senate the whole matter, which thing the governor did; wherefore the senate had compassion on Israel, and decreed that on pain of death none should call Jesus the Nazarene, prophet of the Jews, either God or son of God. Which decree was posted up in the Temple, engraved upon copper.’

(End of the quotes.)

It’s ironic that People of the Book blame the Romans for every evil whereas the Roman senate did a great favor to the Jews and Christians by issuing an imperial decree regarding the status of Jesus, the son of Mary.

You saw the Christian authorities condemning and refuting the doctrine of Trinity because it is Babylonian. It is a centuries old pagan concept. Prophet Abraham and the subsequent messengers of Allah all campaigned against it; and promoted and preached the concept of Tawheed (worshipping One God, ascribing no partners to Him). There is only One God worthy of worship! And that’s the concept of Islam:

La ilaha illa-Allah – There is no god but Allah (God).

Now, as the major issue – the Trinity – (the cornerstone of Christianity) has been settled, and we agree that there is only One God, without partners, we move on to the next big thing in modern Christian faith – Christmas.

CHRISTMAS is not Christian! As a matter of fact it’s got nothing to do with Jesus Christ or Christianity. On the contrary, it is an anti-Christ, anti-God or anti-Lord tradition dating back to Nimrod or the period of Abraham (or even before?). It is a part (or ritual) of Pagan religion.

Since the whole affair is man-made, there is no reference to it in the Semetic religions and their holy Books/Scriptures. Christmas and its accessories (Santa Claus, red-nosed reindeer, mistletoe, holly wreath, tinsel-decorated tree, stockings full of gifts and candies, exchanging gifts, celebrating 25th of December, etc.) were added to Christianity three hundred years after the death of Jesus by those pagans who became believers and converted to Christianity. Most of them brought their pagan customs and rituals (or festivals) and ‘Christianized’ them as they did not want to abandon them. Later on, these customs/rituals were accepted by both Catholic and the Protestant Churches and became important part of Christian faith.

The pagan and polytheists, converted to Christianity almost two thousands years ago, thought that their pagan customs, traditions and rituals were harmless, as thought by the Christians of today. What they did not realize that by adding pagan rituals to their Faith, they had made the Christianity look ridiculous as a religion. They have made it look like a joke, fun! They have made it almost a pagan religion while Jesus delivered God’s message to mankind to alleviate paganism. The nations of all Prophets had been doing the same thing to their Faith. That shows the strong influence Satan has over humans.

Let us separate the facts from fiction! The word ‘Christmas’ was derived from the ‘Mass of Christ’ (Christ-Mass) and was given to the world by the Roman Catholic Church. It has no connection with the Bible or the original Apostles of Jesus.

As a matter of fact ‘Christ’ was not even the name of Jesus. He was always called ‘Jesus, the son of Mary’. The Greek, while translating the Gospel from Hebrew, added an attribute ‘Christo’ (meaning ‘the anointed one’) to Jesus, making it ‘Jesus, the anointed one’. The English translators, later, made ‘Jesus Christ’ of it.

Here is what Herbert W. Armstrong, a Christian minister and the founder/publisher of ‘The Plain Truth’ says about Christmas:

The Plain Truth:

‘Since the celebration of Christmas has come to the world from the Roman Catholic Church, and has no authority but that of the Catholic Church, let us examine the Catholic Encyclopedia, 1911 edition, published by that church. Under the heading ‘Christmas’ you will find:

‘Christmas was NOT among the earliest

festivals on the Church … the first

evidence of the feast is from Egypt.

Pagan customs centering around the

January calends gravitated to Christmas.’

Natal Day:

‘And in the same encyclopedia, under the heading ‘Natal Day’, we find that the early Catholic father, Origen, acknowledged this truth: ‘… In the Scriptures, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birthday. It is only SINNERS (like Pharaoh and Herod) who made great rejoicings over the day in which they were born into this world.’

Encyclopedia Britannica, 1946 edition, has this: ‘Christmas (i.e., the Mass of Christ)… Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the church… It was not instituted by Christ or the apostles, or by Bible authority. It was picked up afterward from paganism.’

The Encyclopedia Americana, 1944 edition, says: ‘Christmas … It was, according to many authorities, not celebrated in the first centuries of the Christian church, as the Christian usage in general was to celebrate the death of remarkable persons rather than their birth …’ (The ‘Communion’, which is instituted by New Testament Bible authority, is a memorial of the death of Christ). … A feast was established in memory of this event (Christ’s birth) in the FOURTH century. In the fifth century the Western Church ordered it to be celebrated forever on the Day of the Old Roman Feast of the Birth of Sol, as no certain knowledge of the day of Christ’s birth existed.’

These recognized historical authorities show that Christmas was not observed by Christians for the first three hundred years – a period longer than the entire history of the United States as a nation! It got into the Western, or Roman, Church by the fourth century A.D. It was not until the fifth century that the Roman Church ordered it to be celebrated as an official Christian festival!

THE BIRTH OF JESUS:

Jesus was not even born in the winter season. When the Christ-child was born, “there were in the same country shepherds ABIDING in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night” (Luke 2:8). This never could have occurred in Judaea in the month of December. The shepherds always brought their flocks from the mountainsides and fields and corralled them not later than October 15, to protect them from the cold, rainy season that followed that date. Notice that the Bible itself proves in Song of Solomon 2:11 and Ezra 10:9, 13, that winter was a rainy season not permitting shepherds to abide in open fields at night.

“It was an ancient custom among Jews of those days to send out their sheep to the fields and deserts about the Passover (early spring), and bring them home at commencement of the FIRST RAIN”, says the Adam Clarke Commentary (Vol. 5, page 370, New York ed.).

Clark continues: “During the time they were out, the shepherds watched them night and day. As the first rain began early in the month of Marchesvan, which answers to part of our October and November (begins sometimes in October), we find that the sheep were kept out in the open country during the whole SUMMER. And, as these shepherds had not YET brought home their flocks, it is presumptive argument that October had not yet commenced, and that, consequently, our Lord was not born on the 25th of December, when no flocks were out in the fields; nor could He have been born later than September, as the flocks were still in the fields BY NIGHT. On this very ground, the nativity in December should be given up. The feeding of the flocks by night in the fields is a CHRONOLOGICAL FACT … See the quotations from the Talmudists in Lightfoot.”

Any encyclopedia, or any other authority, will tell you that Christ was not born on December 25. The Catholic Encyclopedia frankly states this fact. The exact date of Jesus’ birth is entirely unknown, as all authorities acknowledge. But there is a strong indication in the scriptures that it was in the early fall – probably September – approximately six months after Passover.

CHURCH ACCEPTS PAGAN CUSTOM:

The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge explains in its article on ‘Christmas’: “How much the date of the festival depended upon the pagan Brumalia (Dec. 25) following the Saturnalia (Dec. 17-24), and celebrating the shortest day of the year and the ‘new sun’ … cannot be accurately determined. The pagan Saturnalia and Brumalia WERE TOO DEEPLY ENTRENCHED IN POPULAR CUSTOM TO BE SET ASIDE BY CHRISTIAN INFLUENCE … The pagan festival with its riot and merrymaking was so popular that Christians were glad of an excuse to continue its celebration with little change in spirit and manner. Christian preachers of the West and the Near East protested against the unseemly frivolity with which Christ’s birthday was celebrated, while Christians of Mesopotamia ACCUSED THEIR WESTERN BRETHREN OF IDOLATRY AND SUN WORSHIP FOR ADOPTING AS CHRISTIAN THIS PAGAN FESTIVAL.”

The Roman world had been pagan. Prior to the fourth century, Christians were few in number, though increasing, and were persecuted by the government and by pagans. But with the advent of Constantine as emperor, who made his profession of Christianity in the fourth century, placing Christianity on an equal footing with paganism, people of the Roman world began to accept this now-popular Christianity by the hundreds of thousands. But these people had grown up in pagan customs, chief of which was this idolatrous festival of December 25. They enjoyed it and did not want to give it up.

ADOPTING SON DAY (OR SUN DAY):

Sunday was actually the day of pagan sun worship. It was the birthday of Sun-god. The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge explains how the recognition by Constantine of Sunday, which had been the day of pagan sun worship, and how the influence of the pagan Manichaeism, which identified the SON OF GOD with the physical SUN, gave these pagans of the fourth century, now turning over wholesale to ‘Christianity’, their excuse for calling their pagan-festival date of December 25th (birthday of the SUN-god), the birthday of the SON OF GOD.

‘And that is how ‘Christmas’ became fastened on our Western world’, says Armstrong. ‘We may call it by another name, but it’s the same old pagan sun-worshipping festival still. The only change is in what we call it. You can call a rabbit a lion, but it’s still a rabbit, just the same’, says Armstrong.

Encyclopedia Britannica:

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica: ‘Certain Latins, as early as 354, may have transferred the birthday from January 6th to December 25, which was then a Mithraic feast … or birthday of the Unconquered Sun … The Syrians and Armenians, who clung to January 6th, accused the Romans of sun worship and idolatry, contending … that the feast of December 25, had been invented by disciples of Cerinthus …’

THE REAL ORIGIN:

We got Christmas from the Roman Catholics and they got it from paganism; but where did the pagans get it from?

According to the publication ‘The Plain Truth’: ‘It is a chief custom of the corrupt system denounced all through Bible prophecies and teachings under the name of Babylon. And it started and originated in the original Babylon of ancient Nimrod! Yes, it stems from roots whose beginning was shortly this side of the Floods! Nimrod, grandson of Ham, son of Noah, was the real founder of the Babylonian system that has gripped the world ever since – this system of organized competition – or man-ruled governments and empires, based upon the competitive and profit-making economic system. Nimrod built the tower of Babel, the original Babylon, ancient Nineveh, and many other cities. He organized the world’s first kingdom. The name ‘Nimrod’, in Hebrew is derived from “Marad”, meaning “he rebelled”.

According to Herbert Armstrong: ‘From many ancient writings, considerable is learned of this man, who started the great organized worldly apostasy from God that has dominated this world until now. Nimrod was so evil, it is said he married his own mother, whose name was Semiramis. After Nimrod’s untimely death, his so-called mother-wife, Semiramis, propagated the evil doctrine of the survival of Nimrod as a spirit being. She claimed a full-grown evergreen tree sprang overnight from a dead tree stump, which symbolized the springing forth unto new life of the dead Nimrod. On each anniversary of his birth, she claimed Nimrod would visit the evergreen tree and leave gifts upon it. December 25th was the birthday of Nimrod. This is the real origin of the Christmas tree.’

MOTHER AND CHILD SYMBOL:

Herbert Armstrong continues: ‘Through her scheming and designing, Semiramis became the Babylonian “Queen of Heaven”, and Nimrod, under various names, became the “divine son of heaven”. Through the generations, in this idolatrous worship, Nimrod also became the false Messiah, son of Baal the Sun-god. In this false Babylonian system, the “Mother and Child” (Semiramis and Nimrod reborn) became chief objects of worship. This worship of “Mother and Child” spread over the world. The names varied in different countries and languages. In Egypt it was Isis and Osiris; in Asia, Cybele and Deoius; in pagan Rome, Fortuna and Jupiterpuer. Even in Greece, China, Japan, Tibet is to be found the counterpart of the Madonna, LONG BEFORE THE BIRTH OF CHRIST!’

‘We, who have been born in such a Babylonian world, reared and steeped in these things all our lives, have been taught to revere these things as holy and sacred. We never questioned to see where they came from – whether they came from the Bible or from pagan idolatry!’

‘We are shocked to learn the truth – some, unfortunately, take offense at the plain truth! But God commands His faithful ministers, “Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression!”

Shocking as these facts are, they are the plain facts of history and the Bible. The real origin of Christmas goes back to ancient Babylon. It is bound up in the organized apostasy which has gripped a deceived world these many centuries. In Egypt, it was always believed that the son of Isis (Egyptian name for “Queen of Heaven”) was born December 25th. Paganism celebrated this famous birthday over most of the known world for centuries before the birth of Christ.

DECEMBER 25th:

December 25th is NOT the birthday of Jesus, the true Christ! The apostles and early true Church never celebrated Christ’s birthday at ANY time. There is no command or instruction to celebrate it in the Bible – rather, the celebrating of birthdays is a pagan, not a Christian custom, believe it or not. Thus the ancient idolatrous “Chaldean Mysteries”, founded by this wife of Nimrod, have been handed down through the pagan religions under new Christian-sounding names.

MISTLETOE, HOLLY, YULE LOG: Among the ancient pagans the mistletoe was used at this festival of the winter solstice because it was considered sacred to the sun, because of its supposed miraculous healing power. ‘The pagan custom of kissing under the mistletoe was an early step in the night of revelry and drunken debauchery – celebrating the death of the “old sun” and the birth of the new at the winter solstice. Mistletoe, sacred in pagan festivals, is a parasite’, says Armstrong.

Holly berries were also considered sacred to the sun-god. The Yule log is in reality the ‘sun log’. Yule means ‘wheel’, a pagan symbol of the sun. Yet today professing Christians speak of the ‘sacred Yule-tide season’!

Even the lighting of fires and candles as a Christian ceremony is merely a continuation of the pagan custom, encouraging the waning sun-god as he reached the lowest place in the southern skies.

The Encyclopedia Americana:

The Encyclopedia Americana says: ‘The holly, the mistletoe, the Yule log … are relics of pre-Christian times’. Of paganism!

SANTA CLAUS:

Santa is not holy as many suppose. The name ‘Santa Claus’ is a corruption of the name ‘St. Nicholas’, a Roman Catholic bishop who lived in the 5th century.  The Encyclopedia Britannica, 11th edition, Vol. 19, pp. 648-649 says:

‘St. Nicholas, bishop of Myra, a saint honored by the Greeks and Latins on the 6th of December … A legend of his surreptitious bestowal of dowries on the three daughters of an impoverished citizen … is said to have originated the old custom of giving presents in secret on the Eve of St. Nicholas (Dec. 6), subsequently transferred to Christmas day. Hence the association of Christmas with Santa Claus …’

Through the years, parents punish their children for telling lies. Then, at Christmas time, they themselves tell their little children this ‘Santa Claus’ lie! No wonder many of them, when they grow up and learn the truth, begin to believe God is a myth, too. God says, ‘Thou shalt not bear false witness’. And God also says: ‘There is a way that seemeth right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death’. ‘Old Nick’ also is a term for the devil! Is there a connection? Satan appears as an ‘angel of light’, to deceive (II Cor. 11:14; Rev. 12:9).

CHRISTMAS TREE:

Bible does not tell the Christians to observe Christmas, but it does have something to say about the Christmas tree. This will come as a real surprise to many, but here it is: Jeremiah 10:2-6: ‘Thus saith the Lord, LEARN NOT THE WAY OF THE HEATHEN … 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. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.’ The fifth verse says: ‘Be not afraid of them; for they (the trees) cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.’

EXCHANGING GIFTS:

From the Bibliotheca Sacra, Vol. 12, pages 153-155, we quote: ‘The interchange of presents between friends is alike characteristic of Christmas and the Saturnalia, and MUST HAVE BEEN ADOPTED BY THE CHRISTIANS FROM THE PAGANS, as the admonition of Tertullian plainly shows.’ The fact is, this custom has not a single trace of Christianity about it. This does not celebrate Christ’s birthday nor honor it or him. Suppose someone you love has a birthday. You want to honor that person on his/her birthday. Would you lavishly buy gifts for everyone else, trading gifts back and forth with all your other friends and loved ones, but ignore completely any gift for the one whose birthday you are honoring? Rather absurd, when viewed in that light.

Here is what the Bible says about the wise men giving gifts when Christ was born. It is in Matthew 2:1-11. ‘Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? … And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.’

Now, why did they present gifts to Jesus? Was it his birthday? Not at all, because they came several days or weeks after his birth. They did not exchange gifts among themselves or the family and friends. They gave gifts to Jesus, the King of the Jews.

Here is a quote from the Adam Clarke Commentary, Vol. 5, page 46: ‘Verse 11 (They presented unto him gifts). The people of the East never approach the presence of kings and great personages, without a present in their hands. The custom is often noticed in the Old Testament, and still prevails in the East, and in some of the newly discovered South Sea Islands’ – even as the Queen of Sheba brought gifts to Solomon.

The observance of pagan customs and traditions is for sinners. The custom of birthdays is not a Christian, but a pagan custom, observed by sinners! God says plainly in the Bible: ‘Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them (the pagans in their customs) … that thou enquire not after their gods, saying, How did these nations serve their gods? Even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto the Lord thy God; for every abomination to the Eternal, which he hateth, have they done unto their gods’ (Deut. 12:30-31).

Jesus says: ‘God is a spirit; and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth’ (John 4:24). And the Bible says God will not accept worship when people take a pagan custom or manner of worship and try to honor Jesus with it.

Again Jesus said: ‘In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men’ (Matt. 15:9). Jesus said further, ‘full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition’.

This is precisely what the millions are doing today. They ignore the commandment of God and follow pagan customs. According to Armstrong: ‘We have professed to be Christian nations, but we’re in Babylon, as Bible prophecy foretold, and we don’t know it’.

‘Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues’ – now soon to fall – is the warning of Revelation 18:4.

CHRISTMAS WAS OUTLAWED:

In England, as the authorized Bible became available to the common people by the decree of King James II in 1611, people began to discover the pagan roots of Christmas (Yule, its true name) which are clearly revealed in Scripture. The Puritans in England, and later in Massachusetts Colony, outlawed this holiday as witchcraft. Near the end of the nineteenth century, when other Bible versions began to appear, there was revival of the celebration of Christmas.

Last Trumpet Ministries Int’l.:

According to the Last Trumpet Ministries International, Beaver Dam, WI, USA, ‘In both witchcraft circles and contemporary Christian churches, the same things are going on. Can we worship and honor God by involving ourselves with (pagan) customs and traditions, which God Himself forbade as idolatry? Can we obey through disobedience?’

The Last Trumpet Ministries Int’l declares:

1. To say that Jesus was born on December 25th is a lie! The true date is sometime in September according to the Scriptures.
2. Trees, wreaths, holly, mistletoe and the like are strictly forbidden as pagan and heathen! To say that these are Christian or that they can be made Christian is a lie!
3. The Lord never spoke of commemorating his birth but rather commanded us to remember the sacrifice of His suffering and death, which purchased our salvation.

Jehovah’s Witnesses:

Now, let us see what The Watch Tower publishers, Jehovah’s Witnesses, have to say on the subject. On their website, they have posted a commentary under the title of ‘A Counterfeit!’ Here is a quote from it:

A COUNTERFEIT!

‘When examined in the light of the Bible, virtually every facet of Christmas is either pagan in origin or a distortion of the Bible accounts. Hence, Christmas customs are Christian in name only. How did this come about? Centuries after the death of Christ, many false teachers arose, just as the Bible had foretold (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Those unprincipled men were more interested in making Christianity fashionable to the pagan masses than they were in teaching truth. Hence, they gradually adopted popular pagan religious festivals and labeled them ‘Christian’.’

‘Such “false teachers”, the Bible warned, “will exploit you with counterfeit words. But as for them, the judgment from of old is not moving slowly, and the destruction of them is not slumbering” (2 Peter 2:1-3). Jehovah’s Witnesses take those words seriously – as they do the entire Bible, which they view as the written Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16). Hence, they reject false religious customs or celebrations. Has this stand deprived them of happiness? On the contrary! As we shall now see, they know from experience that “Bible Truth is Liberating!”

SOW WEEDS, REAP WEEDS:

This also is the viewpoint of Jehovah’s Witnesses: ‘At one time, church authorities fought “tooth and nail against (the) relics of heathenism”, says the book ‘Christmas Customs and Traditions – Their History and Significance. But in time, church leaders became more eager to fill pews than teach truth. Hence, they began to “wink at” those pagan practices. Later they embraced them.’ So, Christmas is imported!

‘What you sow, you reap’, the Bible says (Galatians 6:7). After sowing their fields with the seeds of paganism, the churches should not be surprised that “weeds” proliferate. A celebration allegedly honoring the birth of Jesus becomes an excuse for drunkenness and revelry, the shopping mall becomes more popular than the church, families go deeply into debt buying presents, and children confuse myth with reality and Santa Claus with Jesus Christ. Yes, for good reason, God said: “Quit touching the unclean thing” – (2 Corinthians 6:17).

‘It appears that Jesus was born during the ancient Jewish month of Ethanim (September-October).’ – See the reference work ‘Insight on the Scriptures’, Vol. 2, page 56, published by Jehovah’s Witnesses.

‘In some European lands, such as Austria, “Santa is still not as eagerly expected as Christkind” or the Christ child, says a BBC news report. Nevertheless, the visit is still about presents.’

That was the view point of Jehovah’s Witnesses whose volunteers are not very welcome at the doorsteps of many American homes.

It is funny that all the pagan teachings and traditions that have been included in the Faith, were brought in by the People of the Book. Most of the ideas they imported from paganism, were not based on logic or reason. They were sometimes absolutely absurd and stupid. But ignorant people accepted them and later on they became part of the faith; and everybody accepted them. Allah says in the Holy Quran:

يٰأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَابِ لاَ تَغْلُواْ فِى دِينِكُمْ وَلاَ تَقُولُواْ

عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلاَّ ٱلْحَقَّ إِنَّمَا ٱلْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ

رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ وَكَلِمَتُهُ أَلْقَاهَا إِلَىٰ مَرْيَمَ

وَرُوحٌ مِّنْهُ فَآمِنُواْ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِ

وَلاَ تَقُولُواْ ثَلاَثَةٌ ٱنتَهُواْ خَيْراً لَّكُمْ إِنَّمَا

ٱللَّهُ إِلَـٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ سُبْحَانَهُ أَن يَكُونَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ

لَّهُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلأَرْضِ

وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلاً

‘O People of the Book! Commit no

excesses in your religion; Nor say of

Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus

the son of Mary was (no more than)

a messenger of Allah, and His Word,

which He bestowed on Mary, and a

spirit proceeding from Him; so believe

in Allah and His messengers. Say

not ‘Trinity’: desist: it will be better

for you; for Allah is one Allah: Glory

be to Him: (far exalted is He) above

having a son. To Him belong all things

in the heavens and on earth. And enough

is Allah as a Disposer of Affairs.’

(Quran 4:171)

Allah has set the bounds; has drawn the line between Halal and Haram (permitted and not-permitted; right and wrong); and commands believers to respect those boundaries or limits. That’s the only way to separate the right from the wrong. When we start trespassing, we are going against His laws. And that’s where we self-destruct ourselves. We can’t blame anybody else for that. Allah warns us:

قُلْ يَـۤأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَابِ لاَ تَغْلُواْ فِى دِينِكُمْ

غَيْرَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُوۤاْ أَهْوَآءَ قَوْمٍ قَدْ ضَلُّواْ

مِن قَبْلُ وَأَضَلُّواْ كَثِيراً وَضَلُّواْ

عَن سَوَآءِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ

‘Say: O people of the Book! Exceed

not in your religion the bounds (of what

is proper), trespassing beyond the truth,

nor follow the vain desires of people

who went wrong in times gone by, who

misled many, and strayed (themselves)

from the even way.’

(Quran 5:77)

The Devil is very powerful and can influence humans easily. He puts silly ideas in human minds; whispers in their ears; and people accept them without questioning. When Devil was expelled from the heavens, he said that he’ll misguide humans and send the sons of Adam astray to prove his point that humans are evil-doers; they create mischief in the Earth. So far, he has been very successful. It has always been a small minority of humans who remain faithful servants to their Lord, the Creator. The majority get carried away. Allah says:

وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُجَادِلُ فِى ٱللَّهِ

بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ وَيَتَّبِعُ كُلَّ شَيْطَانٍ مَّرِيدٍ

كُتِبَ عَلَيْهِ أَنَّهُ مَن تَوَلاَّهُ فَأَنَّهُ يُضِلُّهُ

وَيَهْدِيهِ إِلَىٰ عَذَابِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ

‘And yet among men there are such

as dispute about Allah, without

knowledge, and follow every evil

one obstinate in rebellion! About

the (evil one) it is decreed that

whoever turns to him for friendship,

him will he lead astray, and he will

guide him to the penalty of the Fire.’

(Quran 22:3-4)

In the court of Pharaoh, when Moses had done presenting his case, Pharaoh rejected the message and announced that he would  punish Moses. One of his advisors, who was a believer but concealed his faith from Pharaoh for fear of persecution, tried to intervene and convince the audience that Moses was on the right path. As per Holy Quran, here is what he said:

وَيٰقَوْمِ مَا لِيۤ أَدْعُوكُـمْ إِلَى ٱلنَّجَاةِ

وَتَدْعُونَنِيۤ إِلَى ٱلنَّارِتَدْعُونَنِى لأَكْـفُرَ بِٱللَّهِ

وَأُشْرِكَ بِهِ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِهِ عِلْمٌ

وَأَنَاْ أَدْعُوكُمْ إِلَى ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْغَفَّارِ

لاَ جَرَمَ أَنَّمَا تَدْعُونَنِيۤ إِلَيْهِ لَيْسَ لَهُ

دَعْوَةٌ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا وَلاَ فِى ٱلآخِرَةِ وَأَنَّ مَرَدَّنَآ

إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَأَنَّ ٱلْمُسْرِفِينَ هُمْ أَصْحَابُ ٱلنَّارِ

‘O my people! How (strange) it is

for me to call you to Salvation while

ye call me to the Fire! Ye do call

upon me to blaspheme against Allah,

and to join with Him partners of

whom I have no knowledge; and I

call you to the Exalted in Power,

Who forgives again and again!

Without doubt ye do call me to one

who is not fit to be called to, whether

in this world, or in the Hereafter; our

return will be to Allah; and the

transgressors will be companions

of the Fire!’

(Quran 40:41-43)

Allah sent His Messengers to the world to guide humans to choose the right path. They all promoted and preached Islam – the Faith Allah chose for the mankind. Those who, after receiving the true guidance from the Prophets, knowingly make the wrong choices and defy Allah and His Messengers, they earn the wrath of Allah. All those people who follow the Pagan teachings and customs, make that category. They are not true believers. The Almighty warns us:

وَمَن يُشَاقِقِ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِن بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ

لَهُ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَيَتَّبِعْ غَيْرَ سَبِيلِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ نُوَلِّهِ

مَا تَوَلَّىٰ وَنُصْلِهِ جَهَنَّمَ وَسَآءَتْ مَصِيراً

‘If anyone contends with the Messenger

even after guidance has been plainly

conveyed to him, and follows a path

other than that becoming to men of

Faith, We shall leave him in the path

he has chosen, and land him in Hell –

what an evil refuge!’

(Quran 4:115)

Here’s a clear choice – either the ways of Allah or the ways of Devil! One path leads to Heaven and the other leads to Hell. You become the friend of Allah or the friend of Satan. There is no middle way, there is no grey area. It’s all black and white – clear, very clear! It is up to us to choose the ‘light’ or the ‘dark’. When we make our own choices, we have no right to complain or whine. Everything has been fully explained to us. It is our duty to investigate and research before making a choice. Still, if we call on our Creator, He guides us and helps us; Satan does not – and cannot- help us in any situation! Allah tells us clearly:

إِن يَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِهِ إِلاَّ إِنَاثاً

وَإِن يَدْعُونَ إِلاَّ شَيْطَاناً مَّرِيداً

لَّعَنَهُ ٱللَّهُ وَقَالَ لَـأَتَّخِذَنَّ مِنْ

عِبَادِكَ نَصِيباً مَّفْرُوضاً

وَلَـأُضِلَّنَّهُمْ وَلَـأُمَنِّيَنَّهُمْ وَلَـأَمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُبَتِّكُنَّ

آذَانَ ٱلأَنْعَامِ وَلَـأَمُرَنَّهُمْ فَلَيُغَيِّرُنَّ خَلْقَ ٱللَّهِ

وَمَن يَتَّخِذِ ٱلشَّيْطَانَ وَلِيّاً مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ

فَقَدْ خَسِرَ خُسْرَاناً مُّبِيناً

‘They invoke in His stead only

females; they pray to none else

than Satan, a rebel whom Allah

cursed, and he said: Surely I will

take of Thy bondmen an appointed

portion, and surely I will lead them

astray, and surely I will arouse

desires in them, and surely I will

command them and they will cut the

cattle’s ears, and surely I will command

them and they will change Allah’s

creation. Whoso chooses Satan for a

patron instead of Allah is verily a loser

and his loss is manifest.’

(Quran 4:117-119)

The term and the concept of ‘those who try to change Allah’s creation’ (reshape/deshape or reform/deform creatures) has a very large scope. It covers all those ‘masterpieces’ of genetic engineering and mutilated genes. All those scientists and engineers fooling around with human/animal DNA or genes and promoting stem-cell technology to serve humanity, fall into that category. They are trying to create a ‘super’ or a ‘perfect’ human being. And until they achieve this objective, they will keep lying to people about their true intentions. Just like those who developed ‘atom bomb for peace and service to humanity’, and were the first ones to use it too, to destroy humanity. Now they don’t want others to acquire that capability.

Man becomes a monster evil when befriended with Devil! He kills humans to serve humanity, and destroys God’s creation to establish God’s kingdom on earth! What logic?

One last question about Christianity! What faith/religion did Jesus, the son of Mary, preached? We have seen from the above mentioned documents that it was not this modern Christianity which is based on paganism and Babylonian customs. Then what was it?

IT WAS ISLAM!

Yes, Islam. That’s the faith Allah Himself chose for the mankind and that was the religion promoted by all messengers of God in every era. We humans changed the contents and gave different names to it. Allah mentions in the Holy Quran the instance when Jesus asks his disciples to help him in the cause of Allah. Here is the verse:

فَلَمَّآ أَحَسَّ عِيسَىٰ مِنْهُمُ ٱلْكُفْرَ

قَالَ مَنْ أَنصَارِىۤ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ

قَالَ ٱلْحَوَارِيُّونَ نَحْنُ أَنْصَارُ ٱللَّهِ

آمَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَٱشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ

‘When Jesus found unbelief on their

part he said: Who will be my helpers

to (the work of) Allah? Said the

disciples: We are Allah’s helpers;

we believe in Allah, and do thou

bear witness that we are Muslims.’

(Quran 3:52)

The disciples assured Jesus that they were his helpers in the cause of Allah but they also asked him to be a witness for them in front of Allah that they were ‘Muslims’. That’s the proof that Jesus and his disciples were following the faith of Islam and they were all Muslims.

It is the Faith alone that can save humanity from destruction and bring peace. And the only faith acceptable to Allah is Islam as it was the Creator Himself who designed that for us. Islam is the Truth from Allah and He created the universe in Truth. So, Islam has been declared as the Faith of the universe – the Faith of His Creation! He warns us:

وَمَن يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ ٱلإِسْلاَمِ دِيناً فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ

وَهُوَ فِى ٱلآخِرَةِ مِنَ ٱلْخَاسِرِينَ

‘And whoever seeks a religion other

than Islam, it will never be accepted

of him, and in the Hereafter

he will be one of the losers.’

(Quran 3:85)

We need to bring Allah back into our lives otherwise it is all lost. We are suffering not because the guidance did not reach us, but because we are ignorant and stubborn. We are reluctant to accept the truth and repent. Here is a very stern warning from our Lord:

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَصَدُّواْ عَن

سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ قَدْ ضَلُّواْ ضَلاَلاً بَعِيداً

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ وَظَلَمُواْ لَمْ يَكُنِ ٱللَّهُ

لِيَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ وَلاَ لِيَهْدِيَهُمْ طَرِيقاً

إِلاَّ طَرِيقَ جَهَنَّمَ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَداً

وَكَانَ ذٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيراً

‘Those who reject Faith and keep off

(men) from the way of Allah, have

verily strayed far, far away from the

Path. Those who reject Faith and do

wrong, Allah will not forgive them

nor guide them to any way – except

the way of Hell, to dwell therein

for ever. And this to Allah is easy.’

(Quran 4:167-169)

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