home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
Unknown | 1989-05-17 | 27.4 KB |
open in:
MacOS 8.1
|
Win98
|
DOS
view JSON data
|
view as text
This file was not able to be converted.
This format is not currently supported by dexvert.
Confidence | Program | Detection | Match Type | Support
|
---|
100%
| file
| data
| default
| |
100%
| detectItEasy
| Format: plain text[LF]
| default (weak)
|
|
hex view+--------+-------------------------+-------------------------+--------+--------+
|00000000| 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | 20 20 20 20 20 94 54 48 | | .TH|
|00000010| 45 20 57 49 4e 54 45 52 | 20 46 45 53 54 49 56 41 |E WINTER| FESTIVA|
|00000020| 4c 95 20 62 79 20 4d 61 | 72 6b 20 41 62 62 6f 74 |L. by Ma|rk Abbot|
|00000030| 6f 79 0a 0a 28 74 61 6b | 65 6e 20 70 61 72 74 6c |oy..(tak|en partl|
|00000040| 79 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 94 | 42 61 62 79 6c 6f 6e 20 |y from .|Babylon |
|00000050| 4d 79 73 74 65 72 79 20 | 52 65 6c 69 67 69 6f 6e |Mystery |Religion|
|00000060| 95 2c 20 62 79 20 52 61 | 6c 70 68 20 57 6f 6f 64 |., by Ra|lph Wood|
|00000070| 72 6f 77 29 0a 20 20 20 | 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 |row). | |
|00000080| 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | 20 20 20 28 75 73 65 64 | | (used|
|00000090| 20 62 79 20 70 65 72 6d | 69 73 73 69 6f 6e 29 0a | by perm|ission).|
|000000a0| 0a 0a 9d 09 43 48 52 49 | 53 54 4d 41 53 2d 44 45 |....CHRI|STMAS-DE|
|000000b0| 43 45 4d 42 45 52 20 32 | 35 2d 9c 74 68 69 73 20 |CEMBER 2|5-.this |
|000000c0| 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 64 | 61 79 20 64 65 73 69 67 |is the d|ay desig|
|000000d0| 6e 61 74 65 64 20 6f 6e | 20 6f 75 72 0d 63 61 6c |nated on| our.cal|
|000000e0| 65 6e 64 61 72 73 20 61 | 6e 64 20 6f 6e 20 6f 75 |endars a|nd on ou|
|000000f0| 72 20 68 65 61 72 74 73 | 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 |r hearts| as the |
|00000100| 64 61 79 20 6f 66 20 43 | 68 72 69 73 74 27 73 20 |day of C|hrist's |
|00000110| 62 69 72 74 68 2e 20 20 | 42 75 74 20 69 73 0d 74 |birth. |But is.t|
|00000120| 68 69 73 20 72 65 61 6c | 6c 79 20 74 68 65 20 64 |his real|ly the d|
|00000130| 61 79 20 75 70 6f 6e 20 | 77 68 69 63 68 20 43 68 |ay upon |which Ch|
|00000140| 72 69 73 74 20 77 61 73 | 20 62 6f 72 6e 3f 20 20 |rist was| born? |
|00000150| 41 72 65 20 74 6f 64 61 | 79 27 73 0d 63 75 73 74 |Are toda|y's.cust|
|00000160| 6f 6d 73 20 64 75 72 69 | 6e 67 20 74 68 69 73 20 |oms duri|ng this |
|00000170| 73 65 61 73 6f 6e 20 6f | 66 20 43 68 72 69 73 74 |season o|f Christ|
|00000180| 69 61 6e 20 6f 72 69 67 | 69 6e 3f 20 20 4f 72 20 |ian orig|in? Or |
|00000190| 69 73 20 43 68 72 69 73 | 74 6d 61 73 0d 61 20 72 |is Chris|tmas.a r|
|000001a0| 65 73 75 6c 74 20 6f 66 | 20 61 20 6d 69 78 74 75 |esult of| a mixtu|
|000001b0| 72 65 20 62 65 74 77 65 | 65 6e 20 70 61 67 61 6e |re betwe|en pagan|
|000001c0| 69 73 6d 20 61 6e 64 20 | 43 68 72 69 73 74 69 61 |ism and |Christia|
|000001d0| 6e 69 74 79 3f 20 20 54 | 68 69 73 20 69 73 0d 61 |nity? T|his is.a|
|000001e0| 20 71 75 65 73 74 69 6f | 6e 20 74 68 61 74 20 73 | questio|n that s|
|000001f0| 6f 6d 65 20 77 69 6c 6c | 20 6e 6f 74 20 65 76 65 |ome will| not eve|
|00000200| 6e 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 | 6f 20 63 6f 6e 73 69 64 |n want t|o consid|
|00000210| 65 72 2e 20 20 4d 61 6e | 79 20 68 61 76 65 0d 68 |er. Man|y have.h|
|00000220| 65 61 72 64 20 74 68 65 | 20 72 75 6d 6f 72 2c 20 |eard the| rumor, |
|00000230| 6d 61 6e 79 20 68 61 76 | 65 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 |many hav|e though|
|00000240| 74 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 | 68 20 74 68 65 20 71 75 |t throug|h the qu|
|00000250| 65 73 74 69 6f 6e 20 61 | 6e 64 0d 6a 75 73 74 69 |estion a|nd.justi|
|00000260| 66 69 65 64 20 74 68 65 | 20 63 65 6c 65 62 72 61 |fied the| celebra|
|00000270| 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 | 74 68 65 20 68 6f 6c 69 |tion of |the holi|
|00000280| 64 61 79 20 61 6e 64 20 | 6d 61 6e 79 20 6a 75 73 |day and |many jus|
|00000290| 74 20 70 6c 61 69 6e 20 | 0d 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 77 |t plain |.don't w|
|000002a0| 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 68 | 65 61 72 20 61 62 6f 75 |ant to h|ear abou|
|000002b0| 74 20 69 74 2e 20 20 42 | 75 74 20 70 6c 65 61 73 |t it. B|ut pleas|
|000002c0| 65 2c 20 67 69 76 65 20 | 74 68 65 73 65 20 66 61 |e, give |these fa|
|000002d0| 63 74 73 20 73 6f 6d 65 | 0d 70 6c 61 63 65 20 69 |cts some|.place i|
|000002e0| 6e 20 79 6f 75 72 20 6d | 69 6e 64 20 73 6f 20 74 |n your m|ind so t|
|000002f0| 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 | 6d 61 79 20 6b 6e 6f 77 |hat you |may know|
|00000300| 20 74 68 65 20 74 72 75 | 74 68 20 61 6e 64 20 6c | the tru|th and l|
|00000310| 69 76 65 0d 61 63 63 6f | 72 64 69 6e 67 6c 79 2e |ive.acco|rdingly.|
|00000320| 20 0a 0a 0a c3 00 2a 23 | c3 9d 54 48 45 20 57 52 | .....*#|..THE WR|
|00000330| 4f 4e 47 20 44 41 54 45 | 9c 83 0a 0a 09 54 68 65 |ONG DATE|.....The|
|00000340| 20 77 6f 72 64 20 22 43 | 68 72 69 73 74 6d 61 73 | word "C|hristmas|
|00000350| 22 20 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 | 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 20 61 |" is not| found a|
|00000360| 6e 79 77 68 65 72 65 20 | 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 73 |nywhere |in the s|
|00000370| 63 72 69 70 74 75 72 65 | 73 0d 6f 66 20 63 6f 75 |cripture|s.of cou|
|00000380| 72 73 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 | 2c 20 61 73 20 77 65 20 |rse, and|, as we |
|00000390| 73 68 61 6c 6c 20 73 65 | 65 2c 20 44 65 63 65 6d |shall se|e, Decem|
|000003a0| 62 65 72 20 32 35 20 69 | 73 20 64 65 66 69 6e 69 |ber 25 i|s defini|
|000003b0| 74 65 6c 79 20 6e 6f 74 | 0d 74 68 65 20 64 61 74 |tely not|.the dat|
|000003c0| 65 20 6f 6e 20 77 68 69 | 63 68 20 43 68 72 69 73 |e on whi|ch Chris|
|000003d0| 74 20 77 61 73 20 62 6f | 72 6e 2e 20 20 49 74 20 |t was bo|rn. It |
|000003e0| 69 73 20 65 76 69 64 65 | 6e 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 |is evide|nt that |
|000003f0| 4a 65 73 75 73 20 77 61 | 73 0d 6e 6f 74 20 62 6f |Jesus wa|s.not bo|
|00000400| 72 6e 20 64 75 72 69 6e | 67 20 74 68 65 20 6d 69 |rn durin|g the mi|
|00000410| 64 64 6c 65 20 6f 66 20 | 77 69 6e 74 65 72 2c 20 |ddle of |winter, |
|00000420| 66 6f 72 20 61 74 20 74 | 68 65 20 74 69 6d 65 20 |for at t|he time |
|00000430| 6f 66 20 68 69 73 0d 62 | 69 72 74 68 2c 20 74 68 |of his.b|irth, th|
|00000440| 65 20 73 68 65 70 68 65 | 72 64 73 20 77 65 72 65 |e shephe|rds were|
|00000450| 20 6c 69 76 69 6e 67 20 | 6f 75 74 20 69 6e 20 74 | living |out in t|
|00000460| 68 65 20 66 69 65 6c 64 | 73 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 |he field|s with t|
|00000470| 68 65 69 72 0d 66 6c 6f | 63 6b 73 2e 20 20 41 73 |heir.flo|cks. As|
|00000480| 20 74 68 65 20 62 69 62 | 6c 65 20 73 61 79 73 3a | the bib|le says:|
|00000490| 20 22 54 68 65 72 65 20 | 77 65 72 65 20 69 6e 20 | "There |were in |
|000004a0| 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 | 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 72 79 |the same| country|
|000004b0| 0d 73 68 65 70 68 65 72 | 64 73 20 61 62 69 64 69 |.shepher|ds abidi|
|000004c0| 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 74 68 | 65 20 66 69 65 6c 64 2c |ng in th|e field,|
|000004d0| 20 6b 65 65 70 69 6e 67 | 20 77 61 74 63 68 20 6f | keeping| watch o|
|000004e0| 76 65 72 20 74 68 65 69 | 72 20 66 6c 6f 63 6b 20 |ver thei|r flock |
|000004f0| 62 79 0d 6e 69 67 68 74 | 22 20 28 4c 75 6b 65 20 |by.night|" (Luke |
|00000500| 32 3a 38 29 2e 20 20 41 | 73 20 69 73 20 77 65 6c |2:8). A|s is wel|
|00000510| 6c 20 6b 6e 6f 77 6e 2c | 20 74 68 65 20 73 68 65 |l known,| the she|
|00000520| 70 68 65 72 64 73 20 69 | 6e 20 50 61 6c 65 73 74 |pherds i|n Palest|
|00000530| 69 6e 65 0d 64 6f 20 6e | 6f 74 20 22 61 62 69 64 |ine.do n|ot "abid|
|00000540| 65 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 | 20 66 69 65 6c 64 73 22 |e in the| fields"|
|00000550| 20 64 75 72 69 6e 67 20 | 74 68 65 20 77 69 6e 74 | during |the wint|
|00000560| 65 72 20 73 65 61 73 6f | 6e 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 |er seaso|n becaus|
|00000570| 65 20 6f 66 0d 74 68 65 | 20 65 78 74 72 65 6d 65 |e of.the| extreme|
|00000580| 2c 20 63 6f 6c 64 20 74 | 65 6d 70 65 72 61 74 75 |, cold t|emperatu|
|00000590| 72 65 73 2e 20 20 54 68 | 65 20 73 68 65 70 68 65 |res. Th|e shephe|
|000005a0| 72 64 73 20 61 6c 77 61 | 79 73 20 62 72 69 6e 67 |rds alwa|ys bring|
|000005b0| 20 74 68 65 69 72 0d 66 | 6c 6f 63 6b 73 20 69 6e | their.f|locks in|
|000005c0| 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 | 65 20 6d 6f 75 6e 74 61 | from th|e mounta|
|000005d0| 69 6e 20 73 6c 6f 70 65 | 73 20 61 6e 64 20 66 69 |in slope|s and fi|
|000005e0| 65 6c 64 73 20 6e 6f 20 | 6c 61 74 65 72 20 74 68 |elds no |later th|
|000005f0| 61 6e 0d 4f 63 74 6f 62 | 65 72 20 31 35 74 68 21 |an.Octob|er 15th!|
|00000600| 0a 0a 09 46 75 72 74 68 | 65 72 20 70 72 6f 6f 66 |...Furth|er proof|
|00000610| 20 6f 66 20 74 68 69 73 | 20 63 6f 6e 63 6c 75 73 | of this| conclus|
|00000620| 69 6f 6e 20 6d 61 79 20 | 62 65 20 73 65 65 6e 20 |ion may |be seen |
|00000630| 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 | 20 66 61 63 74 0d 74 68 |from the| fact.th|
|00000640| 61 74 20 61 74 20 74 68 | 65 20 74 69 6d 65 20 4a |at at th|e time J|
|00000650| 65 73 75 73 20 77 61 73 | 20 62 6f 72 6e 2c 20 4a |esus was| born, J|
|00000660| 6f 73 65 70 68 20 61 6e | 64 20 4d 61 72 79 20 68 |oseph an|d Mary h|
|00000670| 61 64 20 67 6f 6e 65 20 | 74 6f 0d 42 65 74 68 6c |ad gone |to.Bethl|
|00000680| 65 68 65 6d 20 74 6f 20 | 62 65 20 74 61 78 65 64 |ehem to |be taxed|
|00000690| 20 28 4c 75 6b 65 20 32 | 3a 31 2d 35 29 2e 20 20 | (Luke 2|:1-5). |
|000006a0| 54 68 65 72 65 20 61 72 | 65 20 6e 6f 20 72 65 63 |There ar|e no rec|
|000006b0| 6f 72 64 73 20 6f 66 20 | 74 68 69 73 0d 70 65 72 |ords of |this.per|
|000006c0| 69 6f 64 20 77 68 61 74 | 73 6f 65 76 65 72 20 74 |iod what|soever t|
|000006d0| 68 61 74 20 77 6f 75 6c | 64 20 69 6e 64 69 63 61 |hat woul|d indica|
|000006e0| 74 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 | 74 68 65 20 6d 69 64 64 |te that |the midd|
|000006f0| 6c 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 | 65 0d 77 69 6e 74 65 72 |le of th|e.winter|
|00000700| 20 77 61 73 20 74 68 65 | 20 74 69 6d 65 20 6f 66 | was the| time of|
|00000710| 20 74 61 78 69 6e 67 2e | 20 20 45 76 65 6e 20 4a | taxing.| Even J|
|00000720| 65 73 75 73 20 73 61 69 | 64 2c 20 77 68 65 6e 20 |esus sai|d, when |
|00000730| 74 61 6c 6b 69 6e 67 20 | 6f 66 0d 74 68 65 20 65 |talking |of.the e|
|00000740| 6e 64 20 74 69 6d 65 73 | 2c 20 22 70 72 61 79 20 |nd times|, "pray |
|00000750| 74 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 | 72 20 66 6c 69 67 68 74 |that you|r flight|
|00000760| 20 6e 6f 74 20 62 65 20 | 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 77 | not be |in the w|
|00000770| 69 6e 74 65 72 22 0d 28 | 4d 61 74 74 2e 20 32 34 |inter".(|Matt. 24|
|00000780| 3a 32 30 29 2e 20 20 41 | 6e 64 20 73 6f 20 74 68 |:20). A|nd so th|
|00000790| 65 20 68 61 72 73 68 6e | 65 73 73 20 6f 66 20 74 |e harshn|ess of t|
|000007a0| 68 65 20 77 69 6e 74 65 | 72 20 73 65 61 73 6f 6e |he winte|r season|
|000007b0| 20 69 6e 0d 50 61 6c 65 | 73 74 69 6e 65 2c 20 65 | in.Pale|stine, e|
|000007c0| 76 65 6e 20 74 68 6f 75 | 67 68 20 69 74 20 69 73 |ven thou|gh it is|
|000007d0| 20 6c 65 73 73 20 68 61 | 72 73 68 20 74 68 61 6e | less ha|rsh than|
|000007e0| 20 77 68 61 74 20 69 73 | 20 65 78 70 65 72 69 65 | what is| experie|
|000007f0| 6e 63 65 64 0d 69 6e 20 | 6d 75 63 68 20 6f 66 20 |nced.in |much of |
|00000800| 74 68 65 20 55 6e 69 74 | 65 64 20 53 74 61 74 65 |the Unit|ed State|
|00000810| 73 2c 20 69 74 20 69 73 | 20 68 61 72 73 68 20 65 |s, it is| harsh e|
|00000820| 6e 6f 75 67 68 20 74 6f | 20 73 74 6f 70 20 70 65 |nough to| stop pe|
|00000830| 6f 70 6c 65 0d 66 72 6f | 6d 20 74 72 61 76 65 6c |ople.fro|m travel|
|00000840| 69 6e 67 20 61 6e 64 20 | 63 65 72 74 61 69 6e 6c |ing and |certainl|
|00000850| 79 20 74 6f 20 73 74 6f | 70 20 74 68 65 20 73 68 |y to sto|p the sh|
|00000860| 65 70 68 65 72 64 73 20 | 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 65 6e |epherds |from ten|
|00000870| 64 69 6e 67 0d 74 68 65 | 69 72 20 66 6c 6f 63 6b |ding.the|ir flock|
|00000880| 20 61 74 20 6e 69 67 68 | 74 2e 20 20 41 6e 64 20 | at nigh|t. And |
|00000890| 73 6f 20 77 65 20 73 65 | 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 43 |so we se|e that C|
|000008a0| 68 72 69 73 74 20 63 6f | 75 6c 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 |hrist co|uld not |
|000008b0| 68 61 76 65 0d 62 65 65 | 6e 20 62 6f 72 6e 20 69 |have.bee|n born i|
|000008c0| 6e 20 74 68 65 20 57 69 | 6e 74 65 72 2e 20 20 4f |n the Wi|nter. O|
|000008d0| 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6f 74 | 68 65 72 20 68 61 6e 64 |n the ot|her hand|
|000008e0| 2c 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 | 69 73 20 65 76 69 64 65 |, there |is evide|
|000008f0| 6e 63 65 0d 74 68 61 74 | 20 74 61 78 65 73 20 77 |nce.that| taxes w|
|00000900| 65 72 65 20 70 61 69 64 | 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 |ere paid| in the |
|00000910| 66 61 6c 6c 20 73 65 61 | 73 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 74 |fall sea|son of t|
|00000920| 68 65 20 79 65 61 72 2e | 20 20 54 68 69 73 20 77 |he year.| This w|
|00000930| 61 73 0d 74 68 65 20 6c | 6f 67 69 63 61 6c 20 74 |as.the l|ogical t|
|00000940| 69 6d 65 20 66 6f 72 20 | 74 68 65 20 74 61 78 65 |ime for |the taxe|
|00000950| 73 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 | 70 61 69 64 20 73 69 6e |s to be |paid sin|
|00000960| 63 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 | 77 61 73 20 61 74 20 74 |ce this |was at t|
|00000970| 68 65 0d 65 6e 64 20 6f | 66 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 |he.end o|f their |
|00000980| 68 61 72 76 65 73 74 2e | 20 20 54 68 65 72 65 20 |harvest.| There |
|00000990| 69 73 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 | 65 76 69 64 65 6e 63 65 |is also |evidence|
|000009a0| 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 68 | 65 6e 20 4a 6f 73 65 70 | that wh|en Josep|
|000009b0| 68 0d 61 6e 64 20 4d 61 | 72 79 20 6d 61 64 65 20 |h.and Ma|ry made |
|000009c0| 74 68 69 73 20 74 72 69 | 70 2c 20 69 74 20 77 61 |this tri|p, it wa|
|000009d0| 73 20 74 68 65 20 74 69 | 6d 65 20 6f 66 20 61 20 |s the ti|me of a |
|000009e0| 67 72 65 61 74 20 66 65 | 61 73 74 20 61 74 0d 4a |great fe|ast at.J|
|000009f0| 65 72 75 73 61 6c 65 6d | 2e 20 20 54 68 69 73 20 |erusalem|. This |
|00000a00| 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 6d | 6f 73 74 20 6c 6f 67 69 |is the m|ost logi|
|00000a10| 63 61 6c 20 72 65 61 73 | 6f 6e 20 77 68 79 20 4d |cal reas|on why M|
|00000a20| 61 72 79 20 77 65 6e 74 | 20 77 69 74 68 0d 4a 6f |ary went| with.Jo|
|00000a30| 73 65 70 68 2c 20 74 6f | 20 61 74 74 65 6e 64 20 |seph, to| attend |
|00000a40| 74 68 65 20 66 65 61 73 | 74 2c 20 61 73 20 74 68 |the feas|t, as th|
|00000a50| 65 79 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 | 64 69 64 20 6f 6e 20 6c |ey also |did on l|
|00000a60| 61 74 65 72 20 6f 63 63 | 61 73 69 6f 6e 73 0d 28 |ater occ|asions.(|
|00000a70| 73 65 65 20 4c 75 6b 65 | 20 32 3a 34 31 29 2c 20 |see Luke| 2:41), |
|00000a80| 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 72 | 65 20 77 61 73 20 6e 6f |for ther|e was no|
|00000a90| 20 6c 61 77 20 74 68 61 | 74 20 72 65 71 75 69 72 | law tha|t requir|
|00000aa0| 65 64 20 61 20 77 6f 6d | 61 6e 27 73 0d 70 72 65 |ed a wom|an's.pre|
|00000ab0| 73 65 6e 63 65 20 61 74 | 20 61 20 74 61 78 69 6e |sence at| a taxin|
|00000ac0| 67 2e 20 bc 31 dc 6a 00 | 00 00 00 02 00 dc 8c 0a |g. .1.j.|........|
|00000ad0| 09 57 65 20 6b 6e 6f 77 | 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 |.We know| that th|
|00000ae0| 65 20 74 69 6d 65 20 74 | 68 65 79 20 77 65 6e 74 |e time t|hey went|
|00000af0| 20 74 6f 20 70 61 79 20 | 74 61 78 65 73 20 77 61 | to pay |taxes wa|
|00000b00| 73 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 74 | 68 65 0d 74 69 6d 65 20 |s also t|he.time |
|00000b10| 6f 66 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f | 66 20 74 68 65 20 67 72 |of one o|f the gr|
|00000b20| 65 61 74 20 66 65 61 73 | 74 73 20 61 74 20 4a 65 |eat feas|ts at Je|
|00000b30| 72 75 73 61 6c 65 6d 20 | 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 |rusalem |because |
|00000b40| 6f 66 20 74 68 65 0d 65 | 6e 6f 72 6d 6f 75 73 20 |of the.e|normous |
|00000b50| 63 72 6f 77 64 2c 20 73 | 6f 20 65 6e 6f 72 6d 6f |crowd, s|o enormo|
|00000b60| 75 73 20 69 6e 20 66 61 | 63 74 2c 20 22 74 68 65 |us in fa|ct, "the|
|00000b70| 72 65 20 77 61 73 20 6e | 6f 20 72 6f 6f 6d 20 69 |re was n|o room i|
|00000b80| 6e 20 74 68 65 0d 69 6e | 6e 22 20 61 74 20 42 65 |n the.in|n" at Be|
|00000b90| 74 68 6c 65 68 65 6d 20 | 28 4c 75 6b 65 20 32 3a |thlehem |(Luke 2:|
|00000ba0| 37 29 2e 20 20 4a 65 72 | 75 73 61 6c 65 6d 20 77 |7). Jer|usalem w|
|00000bb0| 61 73 20 6e 6f 72 6d 61 | 6c 6c 79 20 61 20 63 69 |as norma|lly a ci|
|00000bc0| 74 79 20 6f 66 0d 6f 6e | 6c 79 20 31 32 30 2c 30 |ty of.on|ly 120,0|
|00000bd0| 30 30 20 69 6e 68 61 62 | 69 74 61 6e 74 73 2c 20 |00 inhab|itants, |
|00000be0| 62 75 74 20 28 61 63 63 | 6f 72 64 69 6e 67 20 74 |but (acc|ording t|
|00000bf0| 6f 20 74 68 65 20 4a 65 | 77 69 73 68 20 68 69 73 |o the Je|wish his|
|00000c00| 74 6f 72 69 61 6e 2c 0d | 4a 6f 73 65 70 68 75 73 |torian,.|Josephus|
|00000c10| 29 20 64 75 72 69 6e 67 | 20 74 68 65 20 66 65 61 |) during| the fea|
|00000c20| 73 74 73 2c 20 73 6f 6d | 65 74 69 6d 65 73 20 61 |sts, som|etimes a|
|00000c30| 73 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 61 | 73 20 74 77 6f 20 6d 69 |s many a|s two mi|
|00000c40| 6c 6c 69 6f 6e 0d 4a 65 | 77 73 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 |llion.Je|ws would|
|00000c50| 20 67 61 74 68 65 72 20 | 74 68 65 72 65 2e 20 20 | gather |there. |
|00000c60| 57 69 74 68 20 73 75 63 | 68 20 76 61 73 74 20 74 |With suc|h vast t|
|00000c70| 68 72 6f 6e 67 73 20 6f | 66 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 |hrongs o|f people|
|00000c80| 20 63 6f 6d 69 6e 67 0d | 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 66 | coming.|to the f|
|00000c90| 65 61 73 74 2c 20 6e 6f | 74 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 77 |east, no|t only w|
|00000ca0| 6f 75 6c 64 20 4a 65 72 | 75 73 61 6c 65 6d 20 62 |ould Jer|usalem b|
|00000cb0| 65 20 66 69 6c 6c 65 64 | 2c 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 |e filled|, but th|
|00000cc0| 65 0d 73 75 72 72 6f 75 | 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 74 6f |e.surrou|nding to|
|00000cd0| 77 6e 73 20 61 6c 73 6f | 2c 20 69 6e 63 6c 75 64 |wns also|, includ|
|00000ce0| 69 6e 67 20 42 65 74 68 | 6c 65 68 65 6d 2c 20 77 |ing Beth|lehem, w|
|00000cf0| 68 69 63 68 20 77 61 73 | 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 66 69 |hich was| only fi|
|00000d00| 76 65 0d 6d 69 6c 65 73 | 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 |ve.miles| to the |
|00000d10| 73 6f 75 74 68 2e 20 20 | 4d 65 72 65 20 74 61 78 |south. |Mere tax|
|00000d20| 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 77 6f | 75 6c 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 |ation wo|uld not |
|00000d30| 63 61 75 73 65 20 61 20 | 63 72 6f 77 64 20 74 68 |cause a |crowd th|
|00000d40| 69 73 0d 62 69 67 20 74 | 6f 20 62 65 20 69 6e 20 |is.big t|o be in |
|00000d50| 42 65 74 68 6c 65 68 65 | 6d 2c 20 66 6f 72 20 65 |Bethlehe|m, for e|
|00000d60| 61 63 68 20 70 65 72 73 | 6f 6e 20 72 65 74 75 72 |ach pers|on retur|
|00000d70| 6e 65 64 20 74 6f 20 68 | 69 73 20 6f 77 6e 20 63 |ned to h|is own c|
|00000d80| 69 74 79 0d 74 6f 20 62 | 65 20 74 61 78 65 64 2e |ity.to b|e taxed.|
|00000d90| 20 20 45 76 65 6e 20 6d | 6f 73 74 20 73 63 68 6f | Even m|ost scho|
|00000da0| 6c 61 72 73 2c 20 61 6d | 6f 6e 67 20 74 68 65 6d |lars, am|ong them|
|00000db0| 20 41 2e 54 2e 20 52 6f | 62 65 72 74 73 6f 6e 2c | A.T. Ro|bertson,|
|00000dc0| 20 61 0d 6c 61 74 65 20 | 70 72 6f 66 65 73 73 6f | a.late |professo|
|00000dd0| 72 20 6f 66 20 4e 65 77 | 20 54 65 73 74 61 6d 65 |r of New| Testame|
|00000de0| 6e 74 20 47 72 65 65 6b | 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 |nt Greek| at the |
|00000df0| 53 6f 75 74 68 65 72 6e | 20 42 61 70 74 69 73 74 |Southern| Baptist|
|00000e00| 0d 54 68 65 6f 6c 6f 67 | 69 63 61 6c 20 53 65 6d |.Theolog|ical Sem|
|00000e10| 69 6e 61 72 79 20 69 6e | 20 4c 6f 75 69 73 76 69 |inary in| Louisvi|
|00000e20| 6c 6c 65 2c 20 4b 65 6e | 74 75 63 6b 79 2c 20 73 |lle, Ken|tucky, s|
|00000e30| 65 74 73 20 74 68 65 20 | 74 69 6d 65 20 6f 66 0d |ets the |time of.|
|00000e40| 43 68 72 69 73 74 27 73 | 20 62 69 72 74 68 20 69 |Christ's| birth i|
|00000e50| 6e 20 74 68 65 20 73 75 | 6d 6d 65 72 20 6f 72 20 |n the su|mmer or |
|00000e60| 65 61 72 6c 79 20 66 61 | 6c 6c 2e 20 20 41 6e 64 |early fa|ll. And|
|00000e70| 20 73 6f 2c 20 74 61 6b | 69 6e 67 20 61 6c 6c 0d | so, tak|ing all.|
|00000e80| 6f 66 20 74 68 65 73 65 | 20 74 68 69 6e 67 73 20 |of these| things |
|00000e90| 69 6e 74 6f 20 63 6f 6e | 73 69 64 65 72 61 74 69 |into con|siderati|
|00000ea0| 6f 6e 2c 20 69 74 20 73 | 65 65 6d 73 20 65 76 69 |on, it s|eems evi|
|00000eb0| 64 65 6e 74 20 74 68 61 | 74 20 4a 6f 73 65 70 68 |dent tha|t Joseph|
|00000ec0| 0d 61 6e 64 20 4d 61 72 | 79 20 6d 61 64 65 20 74 |.and Mar|y made t|
|00000ed0| 68 65 20 6a 6f 75 72 6e | 65 79 2c 20 6e 6f 74 20 |he journ|ey, not |
|00000ee0| 6f 6e 6c 79 20 74 6f 20 | 70 61 79 20 74 68 65 69 |only to |pay thei|
|00000ef0| 72 20 74 61 78 65 73 2c | 20 62 75 74 20 61 6c 73 |r taxes,| but als|
|00000f00| 6f 0d 74 6f 20 61 74 74 | 65 6e 64 20 61 20 67 72 |o.to att|end a gr|
|00000f10| 65 61 74 20 66 65 61 73 | 74 20 61 74 20 4a 65 72 |eat feas|t at Jer|
|00000f20| 75 73 61 6c 65 6d 2e 20 | 20 54 68 69 73 20 77 61 |usalem. | This wa|
|00000f30| 73 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 | 20 65 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 |s at the| end of |
|00000f40| 74 68 65 0d 68 61 72 76 | 65 73 74 20 73 65 61 73 |the.harv|est seas|
|00000f50| 6f 6e 20 74 68 61 74 20 | 74 68 65 79 20 77 65 72 |on that |they wer|
|00000f60| 65 20 74 61 78 65 64 20 | 61 6e 64 20 74 68 69 73 |e taxed |and this|
|00000f70| 20 77 61 73 20 61 6c 73 | 6f 20 74 68 65 20 74 69 | was als|o the ti|
|00000f80| 6d 65 20 6f 66 0d 74 68 | 65 20 46 65 61 73 74 20 |me of.th|e Feast |
|00000f90| 6f 66 20 54 61 62 65 72 | 6e 61 63 6c 65 73 2e 20 |of Taber|nacles. |
|00000fa0| 20 41 6c 6c 20 6f 66 20 | 74 68 69 73 2c 20 61 73 | All of |this, as|
|00000fb0| 20 77 65 6c 6c 20 61 73 | 20 74 68 65 20 65 76 69 | well as| the evi|
|00000fc0| 64 65 6e 63 65 0d 61 6c | 72 65 61 64 79 20 67 69 |dence.al|ready gi|
|00000fd0| 76 65 6e 20 77 6f 75 6c | 64 20 6d 61 72 6b 20 74 |ven woul|d mark t|
|00000fe0| 68 65 20 62 69 72 74 68 | 20 6f 66 20 43 68 72 69 |he birth| of Chri|
|00000ff0| 73 74 20 6e 6f 74 20 69 | 6e 20 74 68 65 20 77 69 |st not i|n the wi|
|00001000| 6e 74 65 72 0d 61 6e 64 | 20 74 68 65 72 65 66 6f |nter.and| therefo|
|00001010| 72 65 20 6e 6f 74 20 44 | 65 63 65 6d 62 65 72 20 |re not D|ecember |
|00001020| 32 35 74 68 21 bc 32 0a | 0a 0a c3 00 2a 15 c3 9d |25th!.2.|....*...|
|00001030| 54 48 45 20 4d 45 52 47 | 49 4e 47 20 4f 46 20 50 |THE MERG|ING OF P|
|00001040| 41 47 41 4e 49 53 4d 20 | 57 49 54 48 20 22 43 48 |AGANISM |WITH "CH|
|00001050| 52 49 53 54 49 41 4e 49 | 54 59 22 9c 83 0a 0a 09 |RISTIANI|TY".....|
|00001060| 53 69 6e 63 65 20 43 68 | 72 69 73 74 20 77 61 73 |Since Ch|rist was|
|00001070| 20 6e 6f 74 20 62 6f 72 | 6e 20 6f 6e 20 44 65 63 | not bor|n on Dec|
|00001080| 65 6d 62 65 72 20 32 35 | 74 68 2c 20 74 68 65 6e |ember 25|th, then|
|00001090| 20 68 6f 77 20 64 69 64 | 0d 74 68 69 73 20 70 61 | how did|.this pa|
|000010a0| 72 74 69 63 75 6c 61 72 | 20 64 61 79 20 63 6f 6d |rticular| day com|
|000010b0| 65 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 | 61 20 70 61 72 74 20 6f |e to be |a part o|
|000010c0| 66 20 74 68 65 20 63 68 | 75 72 63 68 20 63 61 6c |f the ch|urch cal|
|000010d0| 65 6e 64 61 72 3f 20 0d | 48 69 73 74 6f 72 79 20 |endar? .|History |
|000010e0| 68 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 | 61 6e 73 77 65 72 2e 20 |has the |answer. |
|000010f0| 20 49 6e 73 74 65 61 64 | 20 6f 66 20 74 68 69 73 | Instead| of this|
|00001100| 20 64 61 79 20 62 65 69 | 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 74 | day bei|ng the t|
|00001110| 69 6d 65 20 6f 66 0d 43 | 68 72 69 73 74 27 73 20 |ime of.C|hrist's |
|00001120| 62 69 72 74 68 2c 20 69 | 74 20 77 61 73 20 74 68 |birth, i|t was th|
|00001130| 65 20 76 65 72 79 20 64 | 61 79 20 61 6e 64 20 73 |e very d|ay and s|
|00001140| 65 61 73 6f 6e 20 6f 6e | 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 74 |eason on| which t|
|00001150| 68 65 0d 70 61 67 61 6e | 73 20 66 6f 72 20 63 65 |he.pagan|s for ce|
|00001160| 6e 74 75 72 69 65 73 20 | 68 61 64 20 63 65 6c 65 |nturies |had cele|
|00001170| 62 72 61 74 65 64 20 74 | 68 65 20 62 69 72 74 68 |brated t|he birth|
|00001180| 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 | 53 75 6e 2d 67 6f 64 21 | of the |Sun-god!|
|00001190| 20 20 41 0d 73 74 75 64 | 79 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 68 | A.stud|y into h|
|000011a0| 69 73 74 6f 72 79 20 73 | 68 6f 77 73 20 68 6f 77 |istory s|hows how|
|000011b0| 20 66 61 72 20 61 70 6f | 73 74 61 74 65 20 63 68 | far apo|state ch|
|000011c0| 75 72 63 68 20 6c 65 61 | 64 65 72 73 20 77 65 6e |urch lea|ders wen|
|000011d0| 74 20 69 6e 0d 74 68 65 | 69 72 20 65 66 66 6f 72 |t in.the|ir effor|
|000011e0| 74 20 74 6f 20 6d 65 72 | 67 65 20 43 68 72 69 73 |t to mer|ge Chris|
|000011f0| 74 69 61 6e 69 74 79 20 | 61 6e 64 20 70 61 67 61 |tianity |and paga|
|00001200| 6e 69 73 6d 20 69 6e 74 | 6f 20 6f 6e 65 20 61 70 |nism int|o one ap|
|00001210| 6f 73 74 61 74 65 0d 72 | 65 6c 69 67 69 6f 6e 2c |ostate.r|eligion,|
|00001220| 20 65 76 65 6e 20 74 6f | 20 70 6c 61 63 69 6e 67 | even to| placing|
|00001230| 20 74 68 65 20 62 69 72 | 74 68 20 6f 66 20 43 68 | the bir|th of Ch|
|00001240| 72 69 73 74 20 6f 6e 20 | 61 20 64 61 74 65 20 74 |rist on |a date t|
|00001250| 6f 0d 68 61 72 6d 6f 6e | 69 7a 65 20 77 69 74 68 |o.harmon|ize with|
|00001260| 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 67 | 61 6e 20 62 69 72 74 68 | the pag|an birth|
|00001270| 64 61 79 20 63 65 6c 65 | 62 72 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 |day cele|bration |
|00001280| 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 73 | 75 6e 2d 67 6f 64 21 20 |of the s|un-god! |
|00001290| 20 0a 0a 09 54 68 65 72 | 65 20 61 72 65 20 66 6f | ...Ther|e are fo|
|000012a0| 75 72 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 | 73 20 69 6e 20 6f 75 72 |ur point|s in our|
|000012b0| 20 63 61 6c 65 6e 64 61 | 72 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 | calenda|r which |
|000012c0| 61 72 65 20 63 61 6c 6c | 65 64 0a 22 53 6f 6c 73 |are call|ed."Sols|
|000012d0| 74 69 63 65 22 20 6f 72 | 20 22 45 71 75 69 6e 6f |tice" or| "Equino|
|000012e0| 78 22 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 | 73 2c 20 74 77 6f 20 6f |x" point|s, two o|
|000012f0| 66 20 65 61 63 68 2e 20 | 20 54 68 65 20 65 71 75 |f each. | The equ|
|00001300| 69 6e 6f 78 20 6f 63 63 | 75 72 73 0d 77 68 65 6e |inox occ|urs.when|
|00001310| 20 74 68 65 20 73 75 6e | 20 63 72 6f 73 73 65 73 | the sun| crosses|
|00001320| 20 74 68 65 20 65 71 75 | 61 74 6f 72 20 6f 66 20 | the equ|ator of |
|00001330| 74 68 65 20 65 61 72 74 | 68 20 61 6e 64 20 64 61 |the eart|h and da|
|00001340| 79 20 61 6e 64 20 6e 69 | 67 68 74 0d 61 72 65 20 |y and ni|ght.are |
|00001350| 65 76 65 72 79 77 68 65 | 72 65 20 6f 66 20 65 71 |everywhe|re of eq|
|00001360| 75 61 6c 20 6c 65 6e 67 | 74 68 2e 20 20 54 68 65 |ual leng|th. The|
|00001370| 20 73 75 6e 20 64 6f 65 | 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 63 | sun doe|s not ac|
|00001380| 74 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 63 | 72 6f 73 73 0d 74 68 65 |tually c|ross.the|
|00001390| 20 65 71 75 61 74 6f 72 | 20 62 75 74 20 77 69 74 | equator| but wit|
|000013a0| 68 20 74 68 65 20 65 61 | 72 74 68 27 73 20 6e 61 |h the ea|rth's na|
|000013b0| 74 75 72 61 6c 20 74 69 | 70 20 6f 6e 20 69 74 73 |tural ti|p on its|
|000013c0| 20 6e 61 74 75 72 61 6c | 20 61 78 69 73 0d 61 73 | natural| axis.as|
|000013d0| 20 69 74 20 6f 72 62 69 | 74 73 20 61 72 6f 75 6e | it orbi|ts aroun|
|000013e0| 64 20 74 68 65 20 73 75 | 6e 20 69 74 20 73 65 65 |d the su|n it see|
|000013f0| 6d 73 20 74 6f 2e 20 20 | 54 68 65 6e 20 65 69 74 |ms to. |Then eit|
|00001400| 68 65 72 20 6f 6e 65 20 | 70 61 72 74 20 6f 66 0a |her one |part of.|
|00001410| 65 61 72 74 68 20 67 65 | 74 73 20 74 68 65 20 6d |earth ge|ts the m|
|00001420| 6f 73 74 20 73 75 6e 20 | 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 6f |ost sun |or the o|
|00001430| 74 68 65 72 20 70 61 72 | 74 20 64 6f 65 73 2e 20 |ther par|t does. |
|00001440| 20 42 75 74 20 6f 6e 20 | 74 68 65 73 65 20 74 77 | But on |these tw|
|00001450| 6f 0a 6f 63 63 61 73 69 | 6f 6e 73 2c 20 74 68 65 |o.occasi|ons, the|
|00001460| 20 64 61 79 73 20 61 72 | 65 20 65 71 75 61 6c 20 | days ar|e equal |
|00001470| 69 6e 20 6c 65 6e 67 74 | 68 20 65 76 65 72 79 77 |in lengt|h everyw|
|00001480| 68 65 72 65 20 61 6e 64 | 20 74 68 69 73 0d 6f 63 |here and| this.oc|
|00001490| 63 75 72 73 20 61 62 6f | 75 74 20 4d 61 72 63 68 |curs abo|ut March|
|000014a0| 20 32 31 73 74 20 61 6e | 64 20 53 65 70 74 65 6d | 21st an|d Septem|
|000014b0| 62 65 72 20 32 33 72 64 | 2e 0a 0a 09 54 68 65 20 |ber 23rd|....The |
|000014c0| 53 6f 6c 73 74 69 63 65 | 20 69 73 20 61 20 6c 69 |Solstice| is a li|
|000014d0| 74 74 6c 65 20 62 69 74 | 20 64 69 66 66 65 72 65 |ttle bit| differe|
|000014e0| 6e 74 2e 20 20 45 61 72 | 74 68 20 6f 72 62 69 74 |nt. Ear|th orbit|
|000014f0| 73 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 | 0d 74 68 65 20 73 75 6e |s around|.the sun|
|00001500| 20 69 6e 20 61 6e 20 65 | 6c 6c 69 70 73 65 2e 20 | in an e|llipse. |
|00001510| 20 57 68 65 6e 20 74 68 | 65 20 65 61 72 74 68 20 | When th|e earth |
|00001520| 69 73 20 66 61 72 74 68 | 65 73 74 20 66 72 6f 6d |is farth|est from|
|00001530| 20 74 68 65 20 73 75 6e | 2c 0d 77 65 20 68 61 76 | the sun|,.we hav|
|00001540| 65 20 74 68 65 20 74 77 | 6f 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 73 |e the tw|o points|
|00001550| 20 74 68 61 74 20 61 72 | 65 20 6b 6e 6f 77 6e 20 | that ar|e known |
|00001560| 61 73 20 53 6f 6c 73 74 | 69 63 65 2e 20 20 54 68 |as Solst|ice. Th|
|00001570| 65 79 20 6f 63 63 75 72 | 0d 77 68 65 6e 20 74 68 |ey occur|.when th|
|00001580| 65 20 73 75 6e 20 69 73 | 20 61 74 20 69 74 73 20 |e sun is| at its |
|00001590| 67 72 65 61 74 65 73 74 | 20 64 69 73 74 61 6e 63 |greatest| distanc|
|000015a0| 65 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 | 68 65 20 63 65 6c 65 73 |e from t|he celes|
|000015b0| 74 69 61 6c 0d 65 71 75 | 61 74 6f 72 2c 20 61 62 |tial.equ|ator, ab|
|000015c0| 6f 75 74 20 4a 75 6e 65 | 20 32 31 73 74 20 77 68 |out June| 21st wh|
|000015d0| 65 6e 20 74 68 65 20 73 | 75 6e 20 72 65 61 63 68 |en the s|un reach|
|000015e0| 65 73 20 69 74 73 20 6e | 6f 72 74 68 65 72 6e 6d |es its n|orthernm|
|000015f0| 6f 73 74 0d 70 6f 69 6e | 74 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 |ost.poin|t on the|
|00001600| 20 63 65 6c 65 73 74 69 | 61 6c 20 73 70 68 65 72 | celesti|al spher|
|00001610| 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 61 | 62 6f 75 74 20 44 65 63 |e, and a|bout Dec|
|00001620| 65 6d 62 65 72 20 32 32 | 6e 64 20 77 68 65 6e 20 |ember 22|nd when |
|00001630| 69 74 0d 72 65 61 63 68 | 65 73 20 69 74 73 20 73 |it.reach|es its s|
|00001640| 6f 75 74 68 65 72 6e 6d | 6f 73 74 20 70 6f 69 6e |outhernm|ost poin|
|00001650| 74 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 | 73 6f 6c 73 74 69 63 65 |t. The |solstice|
|00001660| 20 69 6e 20 44 65 63 65 | 6d 62 65 72 20 69 73 20 | in Dece|mber is |
|00001670| 74 68 65 dc 6a 00 00 00 | 00 02 00 dc 0b 74 69 6d |the.j...|.....tim|
|00001680| 65 20 77 68 65 6e 20 74 | 68 65 20 64 61 79 73 20 |e when t|he days |
|00001690| 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 79 | 65 61 72 2c 20 69 6e 20 |of the y|ear, in |
|000016a0| 6f 75 72 20 68 65 6d 69 | 73 70 68 65 72 65 2c 20 |our hemi|sphere, |
|000016b0| 61 72 65 20 74 68 65 0d | 73 68 6f 72 74 65 73 74 |are the.|shortest|
|000016c0| 2e 0a 0a 09 50 61 67 61 | 6e 20 6d 61 6e 20 73 61 |....Paga|n man sa|
|000016d0| 77 20 74 68 69 73 20 61 | 6e 64 20 66 65 61 72 65 |w this a|nd feare|
|000016e0| 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 | 68 65 20 64 61 79 73 20 |d that t|he days |
|000016f0| 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 67 65 | 74 0d 73 68 6f 72 74 65 |would ge|t.shorte|
|00001700| 72 20 61 6e 64 20 73 68 | 6f 72 74 65 72 20 61 6e |r and sh|orter an|
|00001710| 64 20 66 69 6e 61 6c 6c | 79 20 63 65 61 73 65 20 |d finall|y cease |
|00001720| 74 6f 20 65 78 69 73 74 | 2e 20 20 57 68 65 6e 20 |to exist|. When |
|00001730| 74 68 65 20 64 61 79 0d | 63 61 6d 65 20 66 6f 72 |the day.|came for|
|00001740| 20 74 68 65 20 73 75 6e | 20 74 6f 20 6f 76 65 72 | the sun| to over|
|00001750| 63 6f 6d 65 20 74 68 65 | 20 64 61 72 6b 6e 65 73 |come the| darknes|
|00001760| 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 66 | 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 73 |s, and f|or the s|
|00001770| 75 6e 20 74 6f 0d 63 61 | 75 73 65 20 74 68 65 20 |un to.ca|use the |
|00001780| 64 61 79 73 20 74 6f 20 | 62 65 20 6c 6f 6e 67 65 |days to |be longe|
|00001790| 72 20 69 74 20 6d 65 61 | 6e 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 |r it mea|nt that |
|000017a0| 74 68 65 72 65 20 77 61 | 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 67 6f |there wa|s not go|
|000017b0| 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 0d 62 | 65 20 65 74 65 72 6e 61 |ing to.b|e eterna|
|000017c0| 6c 20 6e 69 67 68 74 2e | 20 20 54 68 65 20 73 75 |l night.| The su|
|000017d0| 6e 20 68 61 64 20 77 6f | 6e 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 |n had wo|n anothe|
|000017e0| 72 20 66 69 67 68 74 20 | 61 6e 64 20 73 6f 20 70 |r fight |and so p|
|000017f0| 61 67 61 6e 0d 63 75 6c | 74 75 72 65 20 68 61 64 |agan.cul|ture had|
|00001800| 20 66 65 73 74 69 76 61 | 6c 73 20 61 6e 64 20 66 | festiva|ls and f|
|00001810| 65 61 73 74 73 20 6f 6e | 20 74 68 69 73 20 64 61 |easts on| this da|
|00001820| 79 2e 20 20 49 74 20 77 | 61 73 20 63 65 6c 65 62 |y. It w|as celeb|
|00001830| 72 61 74 65 64 0d 69 6e | 20 43 68 69 6e 61 2c 20 |rated.in| China, |
|00001840| 69 6e 20 49 6e 64 69 61 | 2c 20 69 6e 20 53 6f 75 |in India|, in Sou|
|00001850| 74 68 20 41 6d 65 72 69 | 63 61 2c 20 69 6e 20 4d |th Ameri|ca, in M|
|00001860| 65 78 69 63 6f 2c 20 69 | 6e 20 41 66 72 69 63 61 |exico, i|n Africa|
|00001870| 20 61 6e 64 20 69 6e 0a | 6d 61 6e 79 20 6f 74 68 | and in.|many oth|
|00001880| 65 72 20 63 75 6c 74 75 | 72 65 73 2e 20 20 54 68 |er cultu|res. Th|
|00001890| 65 72 65 20 77 65 72 65 | 20 70 72 65 73 65 6e 74 |ere were| present|
|000018a0| 73 20 65 78 63 68 61 6e | 67 65 64 2c 20 67 72 65 |s exchan|ged, gre|
|000018b0| 65 6e 20 74 72 65 65 73 | 0d 64 65 63 6f 72 61 74 |en trees|.decorat|
|000018c0| 65 64 20 69 6e 20 68 6f | 6e 6f 72 20 6f 66 20 74 |ed in ho|nor of t|
|000018d0| 68 65 20 73 75 6e a9 67 | 6f 64 20 61 6e 64 20 67 |he sun.g|od and g|
|000018e0| 72 65 61 74 20 63 65 6c | 65 62 72 61 74 69 6e 67 |reat cel|ebrating|
|000018f0| 2e 0a 0a 09 57 68 65 6e | 20 43 68 72 69 73 74 69 |....When| Christi|
|00001900| 61 6e 69 74 79 20 67 61 | 69 6e 65 64 20 69 6e 66 |anity ga|ined inf|
|00001910| 6c 75 65 6e 63 65 20 69 | 6e 20 74 68 65 20 66 69 |luence i|n the fi|
|00001920| 66 74 68 20 63 65 6e 74 | 75 72 79 20 74 68 65 79 |fth cent|ury they|
|00001930| 0a 6f 75 74 6c 61 77 65 | 64 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 |.outlawe|d the pa|
|00001940| 67 61 6e 20 68 6f 6c 69 | 64 61 79 20 77 69 74 68 |gan holi|day with|
|00001950| 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 | 73 75 63 63 65 73 73 2e | little |success.|
|00001960| 20 20 46 69 6e 61 6c 6c | 79 20 74 68 65 79 0d 61 | Finall|y they.a|
|00001970| 64 6f 70 74 65 64 20 74 | 68 65 20 68 6f 6c 69 64 |dopted t|he holid|
|00001980| 61 79 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 | 74 68 65 20 63 68 75 72 |ay into |the chur|
|00001990| 63 68 20 61 6e 64 20 63 | 68 61 6e 67 65 64 20 74 |ch and c|hanged t|
|000019a0| 68 65 20 77 6f 72 64 73 | 20 61 6e 64 0d 6d 65 61 |he words| and.mea|
|000019b0| 6e 69 6e 67 73 20 6f 66 | 20 74 68 65 20 66 65 73 |nings of| the fes|
|000019c0| 74 69 76 69 74 69 65 73 | 20 74 6f 20 66 69 74 20 |tivities| to fit |
|000019d0| 77 69 74 68 20 22 63 68 | 72 69 73 74 69 61 6e 69 |with "ch|ristiani|
|000019e0| 74 79 22 2e 20 20 49 74 | 20 74 6f 6f 6b 0d 6d 61 |ty". It| took.ma|
|000019f0| 6e 79 20 79 65 61 72 73 | 20 74 6f 20 65 66 66 65 |ny years| to effe|
|00001a00| 63 74 20 74 68 69 73 2e | 20 20 49 74 20 74 6f 6f |ct this.| It too|
|00001a10| 6b 20 6d 75 63 68 20 70 | 72 6f 70 61 67 61 6e 64 |k much p|ropagand|
|00001a20| 61 20 61 6e 64 20 69 74 | 20 74 6f 6f 6b 0d 6d 61 |a and it| took.ma|
|00001a30| 6e 79 20 70 65 6e 61 6c | 74 69 65 73 20 61 6e 64 |ny penal|ties and|
|00001a40| 20 72 65 70 72 69 73 61 | 6c 73 20 61 67 61 69 6e | reprisa|ls again|
|00001a50| 73 74 20 74 68 6f 73 65 | 20 77 68 6f 20 63 6f 6e |st those| who con|
|00001a60| 74 69 6e 75 65 64 20 77 | 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 0d |tinued w|ith the.|
|00001a70| 6f 6c 64 20 66 65 73 74 | 69 76 61 6c 20 62 75 74 |old fest|ival but|
|00001a80| 20 65 76 65 6e 74 75 61 | 6c 6c 79 20 74 68 65 20 | eventua|lly the |
|00001a90| 22 63 68 72 69 73 74 69 | 61 6e 22 20 63 6f 6d 6d |"christi|an" comm|
|00001aa0| 75 6e 69 74 79 20 77 6f | 6e 20 74 68 65 0d 64 61 |unity wo|n the.da|
|00001ab0| 79 2e 20 20 54 68 65 6e | 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 77 |y. Then| there w|
|00001ac0| 61 73 20 61 20 63 68 61 | 6e 67 65 20 66 72 6f 6d |as a cha|nge from|
|00001ad0| 20 74 68 65 20 47 72 65 | 67 6f 72 69 61 6e 20 63 | the Gre|gorian c|
|00001ae0| 61 6c 65 6e 64 61 72 20 | 74 6f 20 74 68 65 0d 70 |alendar |to the.p|
|00001af0| 72 65 73 65 6e 74 20 64 | 61 79 20 63 61 6c 65 6e |resent d|ay calen|
|00001b00| 64 61 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 | 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 |dar, and| with th|
|00001b10| 61 74 20 63 68 61 6e 67 | 65 20 43 68 72 69 73 74 |at chang|e Christ|
|00001b20| 6d 61 73 20 6f 72 20 74 | 68 65 0d 53 6f 6c 73 74 |mas or t|he.Solst|
|00001b30| 69 63 65 20 73 68 69 66 | 74 65 64 20 61 20 66 65 |ice shif|ted a fe|
|00001b40| 77 20 64 61 79 73 20 73 | 6f 20 74 68 61 74 20 44 |w days s|o that D|
|00001b50| 65 63 65 6d 62 65 72 20 | 32 35 74 68 20 62 65 63 |ecember |25th bec|
|00001b60| 61 6d 65 0d 6f 66 66 69 | 63 69 61 6c 6c 79 20 72 |ame.offi|cially r|
|00001b70| 65 63 6f 67 6e 69 7a 65 | 64 20 61 73 20 61 20 43 |ecognize|d as a C|
|00001b80| 68 72 69 73 74 69 61 6e | 20 64 61 79 2e 0a 0a 09 |hristian| day....|
|00001b90| 49 74 20 77 61 73 20 69 | 6e 20 74 68 65 20 66 69 |It was i|n the fi|
|00001ba0| 66 74 68 20 63 65 6e 74 | 75 72 79 20 74 68 61 74 |fth cent|ury that|
|00001bb0| 20 74 68 65 20 52 6f 6d | 61 6e 20 43 61 74 68 6f | the Rom|an Catho|
|00001bc0| 6c 69 63 20 43 68 75 72 | 63 68 0d 63 6f 6d 6d 61 |lic Chur|ch.comma|
|00001bd0| 6e 64 65 64 20 74 68 61 | 74 20 74 68 65 20 62 69 |nded tha|t the bi|
|00001be0| 72 74 68 20 6f 66 20 43 | 68 72 69 73 74 20 62 65 |rth of C|hrist be|
|00001bf0| 20 6f 62 73 65 72 76 65 | 64 20 66 6f 72 65 76 65 | observe|d foreve|
|00001c00| 72 20 6f 6e 0d 44 65 63 | 65 6d 62 65 72 20 32 35 |r on.Dec|ember 25|
|00001c10| 74 68 2c 20 74 68 65 20 | 64 61 79 20 6f 66 20 74 |th, the |day of t|
|00001c20| 68 65 20 6f 6c 64 20 52 | 6f 6d 61 6e 20 66 65 61 |he old R|oman fea|
|00001c30| 73 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 | 65 20 62 69 72 74 68 20 |st of th|e birth |
|00001c40| 6f 66 0d 53 6f 6c 2c 20 | 6f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 74 |of.Sol, |one of t|
|00001c50| 68 65 20 6e 61 6d 65 73 | 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 |he names| of the |
|00001c60| 73 75 6e 2d 67 6f 64 21 | bc 33 0a 0a 09 49 6e 20 |sun-god!|.3...In |
|00001c70| 70 61 67 61 6e 20 64 61 | 79 73 2c 20 74 68 69 73 |pagan da|ys, this|
|00001c80| 20 62 69 72 74 68 20 6f | 66 20 74 68 65 20 73 75 | birth o|f the su|
|00001c90| 6e 2d 67 6f 64 20 77 61 | 73 20 65 73 70 65 63 69 |n-god wa|s especi|
|00001ca0| 61 6c 6c 79 0d 70 6f 70 | 75 6c 61 72 20 61 6d 6f |ally.pop|ular amo|
|00001cb0| 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 62 | 72 61 6e 63 68 20 6f 66 |ng the b|ranch of|
|00001cc0| 20 74 68 65 20 22 6d 79 | 73 74 65 72 69 65 73 22 | the "my|steries"|
|00001cd0| 20 6b 6e 6f 77 6e 20 61 | 73 20 4d 69 74 68 72 61 | known a|s Mithra|
|00001ce0| 69 73 6d 2e 20 0d 43 6f | 6e 63 65 72 6e 69 6e 67 |ism. .Co|ncerning|
|00001cf0| 20 74 68 69 73 20 77 65 | 20 72 65 61 64 3a 20 22 | this we| read: "|
|00001d00| 54 68 65 20 6c 61 72 67 | 65 73 74 20 70 61 67 61 |The larg|est paga|
|00001d10| 6e 20 72 65 6c 69 67 69 | 6f 75 73 20 63 75 6c 74 |n religi|ous cult|
|00001d20| 20 77 68 69 63 68 0d 66 | 6f 73 74 65 72 65 64 20 | which.f|ostered |
|00001d30| 74 68 65 20 63 65 6c 65 | 62 72 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 |the cele|bration |
|00001d40| 6f 66 20 44 65 63 65 6d | 62 65 72 20 32 35 74 68 |of Decem|ber 25th|
|00001d50| 20 61 73 20 61 20 68 6f | 6c 69 64 61 79 20 74 68 | as a ho|liday th|
|00001d60| 72 6f 75 67 68 6f 75 74 | 0d 74 68 65 20 52 6f 6d |roughout|.the Rom|
|00001d70| 61 6e 20 61 6e 64 20 47 | 72 65 65 6b 20 77 6f 72 |an and G|reek wor|
|00001d80| 6c 64 73 20 77 61 73 20 | 74 68 65 20 70 61 67 61 |lds was |the paga|
|00001d90| 6e 20 73 75 6e 20 77 6f | 72 73 68 69 70 2c 20 4d |n sun wo|rship, M|
|00001da0| 69 74 68 72 61 69 73 6d | 2e 20 0d 54 68 65 69 72 |ithraism|. .Their|
|00001db0| 20 77 69 6e 74 65 72 20 | 66 65 73 74 69 76 61 6c | winter |festival|
|00001dc0| 20 77 61 73 20 63 61 6c | 6c 65 64 20 27 74 68 65 | was cal|led 'the|
|00001dd0| 20 4e 61 74 69 76 69 74 | 79 27 2c 20 74 68 65 20 | Nativit|y', the |
|00001de0| 22 6e 61 74 69 76 69 74 | 79 20 6f 66 0d 74 68 65 |"nativit|y of.the|
|00001df0| 20 53 55 4e 22 2e bc 34 | 20 20 41 6e 64 20 6e 6f | SUN"..4| And no|
|00001e00| 74 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 77 | 61 73 20 4d 69 74 68 72 |t only w|as Mithr|
|00001e10| 61 2c 20 74 68 65 20 73 | 75 6e 2d 67 6f 64 20 6f |a, the s|un-god o|
|00001e20| 66 20 4d 69 74 68 72 61 | 69 73 6d 2c 0d 73 61 69 |f Mithra|ism,.sai|
|00001e30| 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 | 62 6f 72 6e 20 61 74 20 |d to be |born at |
|00001e40| 74 68 69 73 20 74 69 6d | 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 |this tim|e of the|
|00001e50| 20 79 65 61 72 2c 20 62 | 75 74 20 4f 73 69 72 69 | year, b|ut Osiri|
|00001e60| 73 2c 20 48 6f 72 75 73 | 2c 0d 48 65 72 63 75 6c |s, Horus|,.Hercul|
|00001e70| 65 73 2c 20 42 61 63 63 | 68 75 73 2c 20 41 64 6f |es, Bacc|hus, Ado|
|00001e80| 6e 69 73 2c 20 4a 75 70 | 69 74 65 72 2c 20 54 61 |nis, Jup|iter, Ta|
|00001e90| 6d 6d 75 7a 2c 20 61 6e | 64 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 |mmuz, an|d other |
|00001ea0| 73 75 6e 2d 67 6f 64 73 | 0d 77 65 72 65 20 61 6c |sun-gods|.were al|
|00001eb0| 73 6f 20 73 75 70 70 6f | 73 65 64 6c 79 20 62 6f |so suppo|sedly bo|
|00001ec0| 72 6e 20 61 74 20 77 68 | 61 74 20 69 73 20 74 6f |rn at wh|at is to|
|00001ed0| 64 61 79 20 63 61 6c 6c | 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 22 |day call|ed the "|
|00001ee0| 43 68 72 69 73 74 6d 61 | 73 22 0d 73 65 61 73 6f |Christma|s".seaso|
|00001ef0| 6e 2c 20 74 68 65 20 77 | 69 6e 74 65 72 20 73 6f |n, the w|inter so|
|00001f00| 6c 73 74 69 63 65 21 bc | 35 0a 0a 09 53 61 79 73 |lstice!.|5...Says|
|00001f10| 20 61 20 6e 6f 74 65 64 | 20 77 72 69 74 65 3a 20 | a noted| write: |
|00001f20| 74 68 65 20 22 77 69 6e | 74 65 72 20 73 6f 6c 73 |the "win|ter sols|
|00001f30| 74 69 63 65 20 28 77 61 | 73 29 20 74 68 65 20 74 |tice (wa|s) the t|
|00001f40| 69 6d 65 20 61 74 0d 77 | 68 69 63 68 20 61 6c 6c |ime at.w|hich all|
|00001f50| 20 74 68 65 20 73 75 6e | 2d 67 6f 64 73 20 66 72 | the sun|-gods fr|
|00001f60| 6f 6d 20 4f 73 69 72 69 | 73 20 74 6f 20 4a 75 70 |om Osiri|s to Jup|
|00001f70| 69 74 65 72 20 61 6e 64 | 20 4d 69 74 68 72 61 20 |iter and| Mithra |
|00001f80| 68 61 64 0d 63 65 6c 65 | 62 72 61 74 65 64 20 74 |had.cele|brated t|
|00001f90| 68 65 69 72 20 28 62 69 | 72 74 68 64 61 79 73 29 |heir (bi|rthdays)|
|00001fa0| 2c 20 74 68 65 20 63 65 | 6c 65 62 72 61 74 69 6f |, the ce|lebratio|
|00001fb0| 6e 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 | 61 64 6f 72 6e 65 64 20 |n being |adorned |
|00001fc0| 77 69 74 68 0d 74 68 65 | 20 70 69 6e 65 20 74 72 |with.the| pine tr|
|00001fd0| 65 65 20 6f 66 20 41 64 | 6f 6e 69 73 2c 20 74 68 |ee of Ad|onis, th|
|00001fe0| 65 20 68 6f 6c 6c 79 20 | 6f 66 20 53 61 74 75 72 |e holly |of Satur|
|00001ff0| 6e 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 | 68 65 20 6d 69 73 74 6c |n, and t|he mistl|
|00002000| 65 74 6f 65 2e 2e 0d 2e | 2e 74 61 70 65 72 73 20 |etoe....|.tapers |
|00002010| 72 65 70 72 65 73 65 6e | 74 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 |represen|ted the |
|00002020| 6b 69 6e 64 6c 69 6e 67 | 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 |kindling| of the |
|00002030| 6e 65 77 62 6f 72 6e 20 | 73 75 6e 2d 20 67 6f 64 |newborn |sun- god|
|00002040| 27 73 0d 66 69 72 65 2e | 2e 2e 22 bc 36 0a 0a 09 |'s.fire.|..".6...|
|00002050| 4e 6f 77 20 74 68 65 20 | 66 61 63 74 20 74 68 61 |Now the |fact tha|
|00002060| 74 20 74 68 65 20 76 61 | 72 69 6f 75 73 20 73 75 |t the va|rious su|
|00002070| 6e 2d 67 6f 64 73 20 74 | 68 61 74 20 77 65 72 65 |n-gods t|hat were|
|00002080| 20 77 6f 72 73 68 69 70 | 70 65 64 0d 69 6e 20 64 | worship|ped.in d|
|00002090| 69 66 66 65 72 65 6e 74 | 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 72 69 |ifferent| countri|
|000020a0| 65 73 20 77 65 72 65 20 | 61 6c 6c 20 62 6f 72 6e |es were |all born|
|000020b0| 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 | 73 61 6d 65 20 73 65 61 | at the |same sea|
|000020c0| 73 6f 6e 20 28 69 6e 20 | 6f 6c 64 0d 66 61 62 6c |son (in |old.fabl|
|000020d0| 65 73 29 2c 20 69 6e 64 | 69 63 61 74 65 73 20 74 |es), ind|icates t|
|000020e0| 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 79 | 20 77 65 72 65 20 62 75 |hat they| were bu|
|000020f0| 74 20 64 69 66 66 65 72 | 65 6e 74 20 66 6f 72 6d |t differ|ent form|
|00002100| 73 20 28 75 6e 64 65 72 | 0d 64 69 66 66 65 72 65 |s (under|.differe|
|00002110| 6e 74 20 6e 61 6d 65 73 | 29 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 |nt names|) of the|
|00002120| 20 6f 72 69 67 69 6e 61 | 6c 20 73 6f 6e 20 6f 66 | origina|l son of|
|00002130| 20 74 68 65 20 73 75 6e | 2d 67 6f 64 2c 20 54 61 | the sun|-god, Ta|
|00002140| 6d 6d 75 7a 2c 20 6f 66 | 0d 42 61 62 79 6c 6f 6e |mmuz, of|.Babylon|
|00002150| 2c 20 74 68 65 20 6c 61 | 6e 64 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 |, the la|nd from |
|00002160| 77 68 69 63 68 20 73 75 | 6e 2d 77 6f 72 73 68 69 |which su|n-worshi|
|00002170| 70 20 6f 72 69 67 69 6e | 61 6c 6c 79 20 73 70 72 |p origin|ally spr|
|00002180| 65 61 64 2e bc 37 dc 6a | 00 00 00 00 02 00 dc 8c |ead..7.j|........|
|00002190| 09 49 6e 20 42 61 62 79 | 6c 6f 6e 2c 20 74 68 65 |.In Baby|lon, the|
|000021a0| 20 62 69 72 74 68 64 61 | 79 20 6f 66 20 54 61 6d | birthda|y of Tam|
|000021b0| 6d 75 7a 20 77 61 73 20 | 63 65 6c 65 62 72 61 74 |muz was |celebrat|
|000021c0| 65 64 20 61 74 20 74 68 | 65 0d 74 69 6d 65 20 6f |ed at th|e.time o|
|000021d0| 66 20 74 68 65 20 77 69 | 6e 74 65 72 20 73 6f 6c |f the wi|nter sol|
|000021e0| 73 74 69 63 65 20 77 69 | 74 68 20 67 72 65 61 74 |stice wi|th great|
|000021f0| 20 66 65 61 73 74 73 2c | 20 72 65 76 65 6c 72 79 | feasts,| revelry|
|00002200| 2c 20 61 6e 64 0d 64 72 | 75 6e 6b 65 6e 6e 65 73 |, and.dr|unkennes|
|00002210| 73 2c 20 74 68 65 20 73 | 61 6d 65 20 77 61 79 20 |s, the s|ame way |
|00002220| 6d 6f 73 74 20 70 65 6f | 70 6c 65 20 63 65 6c 65 |most peo|ple cele|
|00002230| 62 72 61 74 65 20 69 74 | 20 74 6f 64 61 79 21 20 |brate it| today! |
|00002240| 20 54 68 65 0d 61 6e 63 | 69 65 6e 74 20 63 65 6c | The.anc|ient cel|
|00002250| 65 62 72 61 74 69 6f 6e | 20 73 70 72 65 61 64 20 |ebration| spread |
|00002260| 61 6e 64 20 62 65 63 61 | 6d 65 20 73 6f 20 6d 75 |and beca|me so mu|
|00002270| 63 68 20 61 6e 20 65 73 | 74 61 62 6c 69 73 68 65 |ch an es|tablishe|
|00002280| 64 0d 63 75 73 74 6f 6d | 20 74 68 61 74 20 22 69 |d.custom| that "i|
|00002290| 6e 20 70 61 67 61 6e 20 | 52 6f 6d 65 20 61 6e 64 |n pagan |Rome and|
|000022a0| 20 47 72 65 65 63 65 2c | 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 | Greece,| in the |
|000022b0| 64 61 79 73 20 6f 66 20 | 74 68 65 0d 54 65 75 74 |days of |the.Teut|
|000022c0| 6f 6e 69 63 20 62 61 72 | 62 61 72 69 61 6e 73 2c |onic bar|barians,|
|000022d0| 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 | 72 65 6d 6f 74 65 20 74 | in the |remote t|
|000022e0| 69 6d 65 73 20 6f 66 20 | 61 6e 63 69 65 6e 74 20 |imes of |ancient |
|000022f0| 45 67 79 70 74 69 61 6e | 0d 63 69 76 69 6c 69 7a |Egyptian|.civiliz|
|00002300| 61 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 69 | 6e 20 74 68 65 20 69 6e |ation, i|n the in|
|00002310| 66 61 6e 63 79 20 6f 66 | 20 74 68 65 20 72 61 63 |fancy of| the rac|
|00002320| 65 20 45 61 73 74 20 61 | 6e 64 20 57 65 73 74 20 |e East a|nd West |
|00002330| 61 6e 64 20 4e 6f 72 74 | 68 0d 61 6e 64 20 53 6f |and Nort|h.and So|
|00002340| 75 74 68 2c 20 74 68 65 | 20 70 65 72 69 6f 64 20 |uth, the| period |
|00002350| 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 77 | 69 6e 74 65 72 20 73 6f |of the w|inter so|
|00002360| 6c 73 74 69 63 65 20 77 | 61 73 20 61 20 70 65 72 |lstice w|as a per|
|00002370| 69 6f 64 20 6f 66 0d 67 | 72 65 61 74 20 72 65 6a |iod of.g|reat rej|
|00002380| 6f 69 63 69 6e 67 20 61 | 6e 64 20 66 65 73 74 69 |oicing a|nd festi|
|00002390| 76 69 74 79 2e 22 bc 38 | 0a 0a 09 57 68 65 6e 20 |vity.".8|...When |
|000023a0| 74 68 69 73 20 6d 69 64 | 2d 77 69 6e 74 65 72 20 |this mid|-winter |
|000023b0| 66 65 73 74 69 76 61 6c | 20 63 61 6d 65 20 74 6f |festival| came to|
|000023c0| 20 52 6f 6d 65 2c 20 69 | 74 20 77 61 73 20 6b 6e | Rome, i|t was kn|
|000023d0| 6f 77 6e 20 61 73 0d 74 | 68 65 20 53 61 74 75 72 |own as.t|he Satur|
|000023e0| 6e 61 6c 69 61 2c 20 53 | 61 74 75 72 6e 20 62 65 |nalia, S|aturn be|
|000023f0| 69 6e 67 20 62 75 74 20 | 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 20 |ing but |another |
|00002400| 6e 61 6d 65 20 66 6f 72 | 20 4e 69 6d 72 6f 64 20 |name for| Nimrod |
|00002410| 6f 72 0d 54 61 6d 6d 75 | 7a 20 61 73 20 22 74 68 |or.Tammu|z as "th|
|00002420| 65 20 68 69 64 64 65 6e | 20 67 6f 64 22 2e 20 20 |e hidden| god". |
|00002430| 54 68 69 73 20 66 65 61 | 73 74 20 77 61 73 20 74 |This fea|st was t|
|00002440| 68 65 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 | 76 69 6c 65 2c 0d 69 6d |he most |vile,.im|
|00002450| 6d 6f 72 61 6c 20 66 65 | 61 73 74 20 74 68 61 74 |moral fe|ast that|
|00002460| 20 65 76 65 72 20 64 69 | 73 67 72 61 63 65 64 20 | ever di|sgraced |
|00002470| 70 61 67 61 6e 20 52 6f | 6d 65 2e 20 20 49 74 20 |pagan Ro|me. It |
|00002480| 77 61 73 20 61 20 73 65 | 61 73 6f 6e 20 6f 66 0d |was a se|ason of.|
|00002490| 6c 69 63 65 6e 73 65 2c | 20 64 72 75 6e 6b 65 6e |license,| drunken|
|000024a0| 6e 65 73 73 2c 20 61 6e | 64 20 64 65 62 61 75 63 |ness, an|d debauc|
|000024b0| 68 65 72 79 20 77 68 65 | 6e 20 61 6c 6c 20 72 65 |hery whe|n all re|
|000024c0| 73 74 72 61 69 6e 74 73 | 20 6f 66 20 6c 61 77 0d |straints| of law.|
|000024d0| 77 65 72 65 20 6c 61 69 | 64 20 61 73 69 64 65 2e |were lai|d aside.|
|000024e0| 20 20 41 6e 64 20 69 74 | 20 77 61 73 20 66 72 6f | And it| was fro|
|000024f0| 6d 20 74 68 69 73 20 76 | 65 72 79 20 66 65 61 73 |m this v|ery feas|
|00002500| 74 20 61 74 20 52 6f 6d | 65 20 74 68 61 74 0d 74 |t at Rom|e that.t|
|00002510| 68 65 20 6d 65 72 72 79 | 2d 6d 61 6b 69 6e 67 20 |he merry|-making |
|00002520| 6f 66 20 74 68 69 73 20 | 73 65 61 73 6f 6e 20 70 |of this |season p|
|00002530| 61 73 73 65 64 20 69 6e | 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 52 |assed in|to the R|
|00002540| 6f 6d 61 6e 20 43 61 74 | 68 6f 6c 69 63 0d 43 68 |oman Cat|holic.Ch|
|00002550| 75 72 63 68 20 61 6e 64 | 20 6f 6e 20 64 6f 77 6e |urch and| on down|
|00002560| 20 74 6f 20 6f 75 72 20 | 70 72 65 73 65 6e 74 20 | to our |present |
|00002570| 63 69 76 69 6c 69 7a 61 | 74 69 6f 6e 21 20 20 22 |civiliza|tion! "|
|00002580| 49 74 20 69 73 20 61 20 | 6d 61 74 74 65 72 0d 6f |It is a |matter.o|
|00002590| 66 20 63 6f 6d 6d 6f 6e | 20 6b 6e 6f 77 6c 65 64 |f common| knowled|
|000025a0| 67 65 22 2c 20 73 61 79 | 73 20 6f 6e 65 20 77 72 |ge", say|s one wr|
|000025b0| 69 74 65 72 2c 20 22 74 | 68 61 74 20 6d 75 63 68 |iter, "t|hat much|
|000025c0| 20 6f 66 20 6f 75 72 0d | 61 73 73 6f 63 69 61 74 | of our.|associat|
|000025d0| 69 6f 6e 20 77 69 74 68 | 20 74 68 65 20 43 68 72 |ion with| the Chr|
|000025e0| 69 73 74 6d 61 73 20 73 | 65 61 73 6f 6e 2c 20 74 |istmas s|eason, t|
|000025f0| 68 65 20 68 6f 6c 69 64 | 61 79 73 2c 20 74 68 65 |he holid|ays, the|
|00002600| 20 67 69 76 69 6e 67 0d | 6f 66 20 70 72 65 73 65 | giving.|of prese|
|00002610| 6e 74 73 20 61 6e 64 20 | 74 68 65 20 67 65 6e 65 |nts and |the gene|
|00002620| 72 61 6c 20 66 65 65 6c | 69 6e 67 20 6f 66 20 67 |ral feel|ing of g|
|00002630| 65 6e 69 61 6c 69 74 79 | 2c 20 69 73 20 62 75 74 |eniality|, is but|
|00002640| 20 74 68 65 0d 69 6e 68 | 65 72 69 74 61 6e 63 65 | the.inh|eritance|
|00002650| 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 | 65 20 52 6f 6d 61 6e 20 | from th|e Roman |
|00002660| 77 69 6e 74 65 72 20 66 | 65 73 74 69 76 61 6c 20 |winter f|estival |
|00002670| 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 53 | 61 74 75 72 6e 61 6c 69 |of the S|aturnali|
|00002680| 61 2d 0d 73 75 72 76 69 | 76 61 6c 73 20 6f 66 20 |a-.survi|vals of |
|00002690| 70 61 67 61 6e 69 73 6d | 2e 22 bc 39 0a 0a 09 54 |paganism|.".9...T|
|000026a0| 65 72 74 75 6c 6c 69 61 | 6e 2c 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f |ertullia|n, one o|
|000026b0| 66 20 74 68 65 20 65 61 | 72 6c 79 20 63 68 75 72 |f the ea|rly chur|
|000026c0| 63 68 20 66 61 74 68 65 | 72 73 2c 20 6d 65 6e 74 |ch fathe|rs, ment|
|000026d0| 69 6f 6e 73 20 74 68 61 | 74 0d 74 68 65 20 70 72 |ions tha|t.the pr|
|000026e0| 61 63 74 69 63 65 20 6f | 66 20 65 78 63 68 61 6e |actice o|f exchan|
|000026f0| 67 69 6e 67 20 67 69 66 | 74 73 20 61 74 20 74 68 |ging gif|ts at th|
|00002700| 69 73 20 73 65 61 73 6f | 6e 20 77 61 73 20 61 20 |is seaso|n was a |
|00002710| 70 61 72 74 20 6f 66 20 | 74 68 65 0d 70 61 67 61 |part of |the.paga|
|00002720| 6e 20 52 6f 6d 61 6e 20 | 53 61 74 75 72 6e 61 6c |n Roman |Saturnal|
|00002730| 69 61 2e 20 20 57 68 65 | 6e 20 74 68 69 73 20 6d |ia. Whe|n this m|
|00002740| 69 64 2d 77 69 6e 74 65 | 72 20 66 65 73 74 69 76 |id-winte|r festiv|
|00002750| 61 6c 20 77 61 73 0d 61 | 64 6f 70 74 65 64 20 69 |al was.a|dopted i|
|00002760| 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 | 52 6f 6d 61 6e 20 63 68 |nto the |Roman ch|
|00002770| 75 72 63 68 2c 20 74 68 | 69 73 20 63 75 73 74 6f |urch, th|is custo|
|00002780| 6d 20 77 61 73 20 61 6c | 73 6f 20 61 64 6f 70 74 |m was al|so adopt|
|00002790| 65 64 2e 20 20 41 73 0d | 75 73 75 61 6c 2c 20 68 |ed. As.|usual, h|
|000027a0| 6f 77 65 76 65 72 2c 20 | 61 70 6f 73 74 61 74 65 |owever, |apostate|
|000027b0| 20 6c 65 61 64 65 72 73 | 20 74 72 69 65 64 20 74 | leaders| tried t|
|000027c0| 6f 20 66 69 6e 64 20 73 | 6f 6d 65 20 70 6f 69 6e |o find s|ome poin|
|000027d0| 74 20 6f 66 0d 73 69 6d | 69 6c 61 72 69 74 79 20 |t of.sim|ilarity |
|000027e0| 62 65 74 77 65 65 6e 20 | 70 61 67 61 6e 69 73 6d |between |paganism|
|000027f0| 20 61 6e 64 20 43 68 72 | 69 73 74 69 61 6e 69 74 | and Chr|istianit|
|00002800| 79 20 2d 20 74 6f 20 6d | 61 6b 65 20 74 68 65 20 |y - to m|ake the |
|00002810| 6d 65 72 67 65 72 0d 73 | 65 65 6d 20 6c 65 73 73 |merger.s|eem less|
|00002820| 20 6f 62 76 69 6f 75 73 | 2e 20 20 49 6e 20 74 68 | obvious|. In th|
|00002830| 69 73 20 63 61 73 65 2c | 20 72 65 66 65 72 65 6e |is case,| referen|
|00002840| 63 65 20 77 61 73 20 6d | 61 64 65 20 74 6f 20 74 |ce was m|ade to t|
|00002850| 68 65 20 66 61 63 74 0d | 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 |he fact.|that the|
|00002860| 20 77 69 73 65 20 6d 65 | 6e 2c 20 77 68 65 6e 20 | wise me|n, when |
|00002870| 74 68 65 79 20 63 61 6d | 65 20 74 6f 20 73 65 65 |they cam|e to see|
|00002880| 20 74 68 65 20 43 68 72 | 69 73 74 2d 63 68 69 6c | the Chr|ist-chil|
|00002890| 64 2c 0d 70 72 65 73 65 | 6e 74 65 64 20 74 6f 20 |d,.prese|nted to |
|000028a0| 68 69 6d 20 67 69 66 74 | 73 2e 20 20 53 6f 6d 65 |him gift|s. Some|
|000028b0| 20 73 75 70 70 6f 73 65 | 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 | suppose| that th|
|000028c0| 69 73 20 69 73 20 77 68 | 65 72 65 20 74 68 65 0d |is is wh|ere the.|
|000028d0| 63 75 73 74 6f 6d 20 6f | 66 20 65 78 63 68 61 6e |custom o|f exchan|
|000028e0| 67 69 6e 67 20 67 69 66 | 74 73 20 61 74 20 43 68 |ging gif|ts at Ch|
|000028f0| 72 69 73 74 6d 61 73 20 | 74 69 6d 65 20 63 61 6d |ristmas |time cam|
|00002900| 65 2e 20 20 42 75 74 20 | 6e 6f 74 20 73 6f 21 20 |e. But |not so! |
|00002910| 0d 54 68 65 20 77 69 73 | 65 6d 65 6e 20 64 69 64 |.The wis|emen did|
|00002920| 20 6e 6f 74 20 65 78 63 | 68 61 6e 67 65 20 67 69 | not exc|hange gi|
|00002930| 66 74 73 20 61 6d 6f 6e | 67 20 74 68 65 6d 73 65 |fts amon|g themse|
|00002940| 6c 76 65 73 2e 20 20 54 | 68 65 79 0d 70 72 65 73 |lves. T|hey.pres|
|00002950| 65 6e 74 65 64 20 74 68 | 65 69 72 20 67 69 66 74 |ented th|eir gift|
|00002960| 73 20 74 6f 20 9d 4a 45 | 53 55 53 9c 20 77 68 6f |s to .JE|SUS. who|
|00002970| 20 77 61 73 20 62 6f 72 | 6e 20 6b 69 6e 67 20 6f | was bor|n king o|
|00002980| 66 20 74 68 65 20 4a 65 | 77 73 2e 20 0d 28 49 74 |f the Je|ws. .(It|
|00002990| 20 77 61 73 20 61 6e 20 | 45 61 73 74 65 72 6e 20 | was an |Eastern |
|000029a0| 63 75 73 74 6f 6d 20 74 | 6f 20 70 72 65 73 65 6e |custom t|o presen|
|000029b0| 74 20 67 69 66 74 73 20 | 77 68 65 6e 20 63 6f 6d |t gifts |when com|
|000029c0| 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 74 6f | 20 74 68 65 0d 70 72 65 |ing into| the.pre|
|000029d0| 73 65 6e 63 65 20 6f 66 | 20 74 68 65 20 4b 69 6e |sence of| the Kin|
|000029e0| 67 29 2e 20 20 42 75 74 | 20 74 68 65 73 65 20 67 |g). But| these g|
|000029f0| 69 66 74 73 20 77 65 72 | 65 20 6e 6f 74 20 62 69 |ifts wer|e not bi|
|00002a00| 72 74 68 64 61 79 20 67 | 69 66 74 73 2e 20 0d 57 |rthday g|ifts. .W|
|00002a10| 68 65 6e 20 74 68 65 20 | 77 69 73 65 6d 65 6e 20 |hen the |wisemen |
|00002a20| 61 72 72 69 76 65 64 2c | 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 20 |arrived,| it was |
|00002a30| 73 6f 6d 65 20 74 69 6d | 65 20 61 66 74 65 72 20 |some tim|e after |
|00002a40| 74 68 65 20 64 61 79 20 | 6f 6e 20 77 68 69 63 68 |the day |on which|
|00002a50| 0d 4a 65 73 75 73 20 77 | 61 73 20 62 6f 72 6e 2e |.Jesus w|as born.|
|00002a60| 20 20 42 79 20 74 68 69 | 73 20 74 69 6d 65 2c 20 | By thi|s time, |
|00002a70| 68 65 20 77 61 73 20 6e | 6f 20 6c 6f 6e 67 65 72 |he was n|o longer|
|00002a80| 20 69 6e 20 61 20 73 74 | 61 62 6c 65 2c 20 62 75 | in a st|able, bu|
|00002a90| 74 0d 69 6e 20 61 20 48 | 4f 55 53 45 20 28 4d 61 |t.in a H|OUSE (Ma|
|00002aa0| 74 74 2e 20 32 3a 39 2d | 31 31 29 2e 20 20 4f 62 |tt. 2:9-|11). Ob|
|00002ab0| 76 69 6f 75 73 6c 79 2c | 20 74 68 65 20 67 69 66 |viously,| the gif|
|00002ac0| 74 73 20 6f 66 20 74 68 | 65 20 77 69 73 65 6d 65 |ts of th|e wiseme|
|00002ad0| 6e 0d 77 65 72 65 20 6e | 6f 74 20 43 68 72 69 73 |n.were n|ot Chris|
|00002ae0| 74 6d 61 73 20 67 69 66 | 74 73 2e 0a 0a 09 4f 74 |tmas gif|ts....Ot|
|00002af0| 68 65 72 20 70 61 67 61 | 6e 20 70 72 61 63 74 69 |her paga|n practi|
|00002b00| 63 65 73 20 74 68 61 74 | 20 61 72 65 20 69 6e 63 |ces that| are inc|
|00002b10| 6c 75 64 65 64 20 69 6e | 20 74 68 65 20 68 6f 6c |luded in| the hol|
|00002b20| 69 64 61 79 20 6f 66 0d | 43 68 72 69 73 74 6d 61 |iday of.|Christma|
|00002b30| 73 20 61 72 65 20 74 68 | 65 20 75 73 65 20 6f 66 |s are th|e use of|
|00002b40| 20 74 68 65 20 72 6f 75 | 6e 64 20 77 72 65 61 74 | the rou|nd wreat|
|00002b50| 68 2c 20 74 68 65 20 6d | 69 73 74 6c 65 74 6f 65 |h, the m|istletoe|
|00002b60| 2c 20 74 68 65 20 75 73 | 65 0d 6f 66 20 74 68 65 |, the us|e.of the|
|00002b70| 20 59 75 6c 65 20 6c 6f | 67 2c 20 74 68 65 20 77 | Yule lo|g, the w|
|00002b80| 61 73 73 61 69 6c 20 62 | 6f 77 6c 2c 20 68 6f 6c |assail b|owl, hol|
|00002b90| 6c 79 2c 20 72 65 64 20 | 62 65 72 72 69 65 73 2c |ly, red |berries,|
|00002ba0| 20 53 61 6e 74 61 0d 43 | 6c 61 75 73 2c 20 74 68 | Santa.C|laus, th|
|00002bb0| 65 20 75 6e 64 75 65 20 | 63 6f 6d 6d 65 72 63 69 |e undue |commerci|
|00002bc0| 61 6c 69 73 6d 20 6f 66 | 20 74 68 65 20 73 65 61 |alism of| the sea|
|00002bd0| 73 6f 6e 2c 20 74 68 65 | 20 75 73 65 20 6f 66 20 |son, the| use of |
|00002be0| 63 61 6e 64 6c 65 73 0d | 64 75 72 69 6e 67 20 74 |candles.|during t|
|00002bf0| 68 65 20 68 6f 6c 69 64 | 61 79 2c 20 65 74 63 2e |he holid|ay, etc.|
|00002c00| 20 20 54 68 65 20 77 61 | 73 73 61 69 6c 69 6e 67 | The wa|ssailing|
|00002c10| 20 62 6f 77 6c 20 6f 66 | 20 43 68 72 69 73 74 6d | bowl of| Christm|
|00002c20| 61 73 20 68 61 64 0d 69 | 74 73 20 70 72 65 63 69 |as had.i|ts preci|
|00002c30| 73 65 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 | 65 72 70 61 72 74 20 69 |se count|erpart i|
|00002c40| 6e 20 74 68 65 20 22 44 | 72 75 6e 6b 65 6e 20 66 |n the "D|runken f|
|00002c50| 65 73 74 69 76 61 6c 22 | 20 6f 66 20 42 61 62 79 |estival"| of Baby|
|00002c60| 6c 6f 6e 2e 20 0d 54 68 | 65 20 63 61 6e 64 6c 65 |lon. .Th|e candle|
|00002c70| 73 2c 20 69 6e 20 73 6f | 6d 65 20 70 61 72 74 73 |s, in so|me parts|
|00002c80| 20 6f 66 20 45 6e 67 6c | 61 6e 64 2c 20 6c 69 67 | of Engl|and, lig|
|00002c90| 68 74 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 | 43 68 72 69 73 74 6d 61 |hted on |Christma|
|00002ca0| 73 2d 65 76 65 2c 0d 61 | 6e 64 20 75 73 65 64 20 |s-eve,.a|nd used |
|00002cb0| 61 73 20 6c 6f 6e 67 20 | 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 66 |as long |as the f|
|00002cc0| 65 73 74 69 76 65 20 73 | 65 61 73 6f 6e 20 6c 61 |estive s|eason la|
|00002cd0| 73 74 73 2c 20 77 65 72 | 65 20 65 71 75 61 6c 6c |sts, wer|e equall|
|00002ce0| 79 0d 6c 69 67 68 74 65 | 64 20 62 79 20 74 68 65 |y.lighte|d by the|
|00002cf0| 20 50 61 67 61 6e 73 20 | 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 65 | Pagans |on the e|
|00002d00| 76 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 | 65 20 66 65 73 74 69 76 |ve of th|e festiv|
|00002d10| 61 6c 20 6f 66 20 74 68 | 65 0d 42 61 62 79 6c 6f |al of th|e.Babylo|
|00002d20| 6e 69 61 6e 20 67 6f 64 | 2c 20 74 6f 20 64 6f 20 |nian god|, to do |
|00002d30| 68 6f 6e 6f 72 20 74 6f | 20 68 69 6d 3b 20 66 6f |honor to| him; fo|
|00002d40| 72 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 | 20 6f 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 |r it was| one of |
|00002d50| 74 68 65 0d 64 69 73 74 | 69 6e 67 75 69 73 68 69 |the.dist|inguishi|
|00002d60| 6e 67 20 70 65 63 75 6c | 69 61 72 69 74 69 65 73 |ng pecul|iarities|
|00002d70| 20 6f 66 20 68 69 73 20 | 77 6f 72 73 68 69 70 20 | of his |worship |
|00002d80| 74 6f 20 68 61 76 65 20 | 6c 69 67 68 74 65 64 20 |to have |lighted |
|00002d90| 77 61 78 dc 6a 00 00 00 | 00 02 00 dc 0b 63 61 6e |wax.j...|.....can|
|00002da0| 64 6c 65 73 20 6f 6e 20 | 68 69 73 20 61 6c 74 61 |dles on |his alta|
|00002db0| 72 73 2e 20 20 46 6f 72 | 20 63 6f 6d 70 6c 65 74 |rs. For| complet|
|00002dc0| 65 20 64 6f 63 75 6d 65 | 6e 74 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 |e docume|ntation |
|00002dd0| 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 73 65 | 20 61 6e 64 0d 6f 74 68 |on these| and.oth|
|00002de0| 65 72 20 70 61 67 61 6e | 20 63 61 72 72 79 2d 6f |er pagan| carry-o|
|00002df0| 76 65 72 73 20 73 65 65 | 20 94 54 68 65 20 54 77 |vers see| .The Tw|
|00002e00| 6f 20 42 61 62 79 6c 6f | 6e 73 95 20 62 79 20 41 |o Babylo|ns. by A|
|00002e10| 6c 65 78 61 6e 64 65 72 | 20 48 69 73 6c 6f 70 2e |lexander| Hislop.|
|00002e20| 20 0d 0a 0a 0a c3 00 2a | 26 c3 9d 54 48 45 20 54 | ......*|&..THE T|
|00002e30| 52 45 45 9c 83 0a 0a 09 | 46 69 6e 61 6c 6c 79 2c |REE.....|Finally,|
|00002e40| 20 69 6e 20 63 6f 6e 6e | 65 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 77 | in conn|ection w|
|00002e50| 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 | 63 75 73 74 6f 6d 73 20 |ith the |customs |
|00002e60| 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 22 | 43 68 72 69 73 74 6d 61 |of the "|Christma|
|00002e70| 73 22 0d 73 65 61 73 6f | 6e 2c 20 77 65 20 77 69 |s".seaso|n, we wi|
|00002e80| 6c 6c 20 6d 65 6e 74 69 | 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 43 |ll menti|on the C|
|00002e90| 68 72 69 73 74 6d 61 73 | 20 74 72 65 65 2e 20 20 |hristmas| tree. |
|00002ea0| 41 6e 20 6f 6c 64 20 42 | 61 62 79 6c 6f 6e 69 73 |An old B|abylonis|
|00002eb0| 68 0d 66 61 62 6c 65 20 | 77 65 6e 74 20 6c 69 6b |h.fable |went lik|
|00002ec0| 65 20 74 68 69 73 3a 20 | 53 65 6d 69 72 61 6d 69 |e this: |Semirami|
|00002ed0| 73 2c 20 74 68 65 20 6d | 6f 74 68 65 72 20 6f 66 |s, the m|other of|
|00002ee0| 20 54 61 6d 6d 75 7a 2c | 20 63 6c 61 69 6d 65 64 | Tammuz,| claimed|
|00002ef0| 0d 74 68 61 74 20 6f 76 | 65 72 6e 69 67 68 74 20 |.that ov|ernight |
|00002f00| 61 6e 20 65 76 65 72 67 | 72 65 65 6e 20 74 72 65 |an everg|reen tre|
|00002f10| 65 20 73 70 72 61 6e 67 | 20 75 70 20 66 72 6f 6d |e sprang| up from|
|00002f20| 20 61 20 64 65 61 64 20 | 74 72 65 65 0d 73 74 75 | a dead |tree.stu|
|00002f30| 6d 70 2e 20 20 54 68 65 | 20 64 65 61 64 20 73 74 |mp. The| dead st|
|00002f40| 75 6d 70 20 73 75 70 70 | 6f 73 65 64 6c 79 20 73 |ump supp|osedly s|
|00002f50| 79 6d 62 6f 6c 69 7a 65 | 64 20 68 65 72 20 64 65 |ymbolize|d her de|
|00002f60| 61 64 20 68 75 73 62 61 | 6e 64 0d 4e 69 6d 72 6f |ad husba|nd.Nimro|
|00002f70| 64 3b 20 74 68 65 20 6e | 65 77 20 65 76 65 72 67 |d; the n|ew everg|
|00002f80| 72 65 65 6e 20 74 72 65 | 65 20 77 61 73 20 74 68 |reen tre|e was th|
|00002f90| 65 20 73 79 6d 62 6f 6c | 20 74 68 61 74 20 4e 69 |e symbol| that Ni|
|00002fa0| 6d 72 6f 64 20 68 61 64 | 0d 63 6f 6d 65 20 74 6f |mrod had|.come to|
|00002fb0| 20 6c 69 66 65 20 61 67 | 61 69 6e 20 69 6e 20 74 | life ag|ain in t|
|00002fc0| 68 65 20 70 65 72 73 6f | 6e 20 6f 66 20 54 61 6d |he perso|n of Tam|
|00002fd0| 6d 75 7a 21 0a 0a 09 54 | 68 69 73 20 69 64 65 61 |muz!...T|his idea|
|00002fe0| 20 73 70 72 65 61 64 20 | 61 6e 64 20 64 65 76 65 | spread |and deve|
|00002ff0| 6c 6f 70 65 64 20 74 6f | 20 73 75 63 68 20 61 20 |loped to| such a |
|00003000| 64 65 67 72 65 65 20 74 | 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 0d |degree t|hat the.|
|00003010| 76 61 72 69 6f 75 73 20 | 6e 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 |various |nations |
|00003020| 61 6c 6c 20 68 61 76 65 | 20 68 61 64 20 74 68 65 |all have| had the|
|00003030| 69 72 20 6c 65 67 65 6e | 64 73 20 61 62 6f 75 74 |ir legen|ds about|
|00003040| 20 73 61 63 72 65 64 20 | 74 72 65 65 73 21 20 0d | sacred |trees! .|
|00003050| 41 6d 6f 6e 67 20 74 68 | 65 20 44 72 75 69 64 73 |Among th|e Druids|
|00003060| 2c 20 74 68 65 20 6f 61 | 6b 20 77 61 73 20 73 61 |, the oa|k was sa|
|00003070| 63 72 65 64 3b 20 61 6d | 6f 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 |cred; am|ong the |
|00003080| 45 67 79 70 74 69 61 6e | 73 2c 20 69 74 20 77 61 |Egyptian|s, it wa|
|00003090| 73 0d 74 68 65 20 70 61 | 6c 6d 3b 20 61 6e 64 20 |s.the pa|lm; and |
|000030a0| 69 6e 20 52 6f 6d 65 2c | 20 69 74 20 77 61 73 20 |in Rome,| it was |
|000030b0| 74 68 65 20 66 69 72 2c | 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 77 |the fir,| which w|
|000030c0| 61 73 20 64 65 63 6f 72 | 61 74 65 64 20 77 69 74 |as decor|ated wit|
|000030d0| 68 0d 72 65 64 20 62 65 | 72 72 69 65 73 20 64 75 |h.red be|rries du|
|000030e0| 72 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 | 20 53 61 74 75 72 6e 61 |ring the| Saturna|
|000030f0| 6c 69 61 21 bc 31 bc 30 | bc 20 bc 20 41 6d 6f 6e |lia!.1.0|. . Amon|
|00003100| 67 20 74 68 65 20 53 63 | 61 6e 64 69 6e 61 76 69 |g the Sc|andinavi|
|00003110| 61 6e 73 2c 0d 74 68 65 | 20 66 69 72 20 74 72 65 |ans,.the| fir tre|
|00003120| 65 20 77 61 73 20 73 61 | 63 72 65 64 20 74 6f 20 |e was sa|cred to |
|00003130| 74 68 65 69 72 20 67 6f | 64 20 4f 64 69 6e 2e 20 |their go|d Odin. |
|00003140| 20 22 54 68 65 20 53 63 | 61 6e 64 69 6e 61 76 69 | "The Sc|andinavi|
|00003150| 61 6e 20 67 6f 64 0d 57 | 6f 64 65 6e 20 6f 72 20 |an god.W|oden or |
|00003160| 4f 64 69 6e 20 77 61 73 | 20 62 65 6c 69 65 76 65 |Odin was| believe|
|00003170| 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 73 | 74 6f 77 20 73 70 65 63 |d to bes|tow spec|
|00003180| 69 61 6c 20 67 69 66 74 | 73 20 61 74 20 59 75 6c |ial gift|s at Yul|
|00003190| 65 74 69 64 65 20 74 6f | 0d 74 68 6f 73 65 20 77 |etide to|.those w|
|000031a0| 68 6f 20 68 6f 6e 6f 72 | 65 64 20 68 69 6d 20 62 |ho honor|ed him b|
|000031b0| 79 20 61 70 70 72 6f 61 | 63 68 69 6e 67 20 68 69 |y approa|ching hi|
|000031c0| 73 20 73 61 63 72 65 64 | 20 46 49 52 20 54 52 45 |s sacred| FIR TRE|
|000031d0| 45 2e 22 bc 31 bc 31 20 | 20 41 6e 64 0d 65 76 65 |E.".1.1 | And.eve|
|000031e0| 6e 20 61 73 20 6f 74 68 | 65 72 20 72 69 74 65 73 |n as oth|er rites|
|000031f0| 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 | 59 75 6c 65 74 69 64 65 | of the |Yuletide|
|00003200| 20 73 65 61 73 6f 6e 20 | 77 65 72 65 20 61 62 73 | season |were abs|
|00003210| 6f 72 62 65 64 20 69 6e | 74 6f 0d 22 43 68 72 69 |orbed in|to."Chri|
|00003220| 73 74 69 61 6e 69 74 79 | 22 2c 20 73 6f 20 61 6c |stianity|", so al|
|00003230| 73 6f 20 69 73 20 74 68 | 65 20 77 69 64 65 2d 73 |so is th|e wide-s|
|00003240| 70 72 65 61 64 20 75 73 | 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 |pread us|e of the|
|00003250| 20 74 72 65 65 20 61 74 | 0d 74 68 69 73 20 73 65 | tree at|.this se|
|00003260| 61 73 6f 6e 20 61 20 63 | 61 72 72 79 20 6f 76 65 |ason a c|arry ove|
|00003270| 72 20 6f 66 20 61 6e 20 | 61 6e 63 69 65 6e 74 20 |r of an |ancient |
|00003280| 70 72 61 63 74 69 63 65 | 21 20 20 22 54 68 65 20 |practice|! "The |
|00003290| 43 68 72 69 73 74 6d 61 | 73 0d 74 72 65 65 20 72 |Christma|s.tree r|
|000032a0| 65 63 61 70 69 74 75 6c | 61 74 65 73 20 74 68 65 |ecapitul|ates the|
|000032b0| 20 69 64 65 61 20 6f 66 | 20 74 72 65 65 20 77 6f | idea of| tree wo|
|000032c0| 72 73 68 69 70 2c 20 77 | 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 |rship, w|ith the |
|000032d0| 67 69 6c 64 65 64 20 6e | 75 74 73 0d 61 6e 64 20 |gilded n|uts.and |
|000032e0| 62 61 6c 6c 73 20 73 79 | 6d 62 6f 6c 69 7a 69 6e |balls sy|mbolizin|
|000032f0| 67 20 74 68 65 20 73 75 | 6e 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 |g the su|n. The |
|00003300| 66 65 73 74 69 76 69 74 | 69 65 73 20 6f 66 20 74 |festivit|ies of t|
|00003310| 68 65 20 70 61 67 61 6e | 20 0d 77 69 6e 74 65 72 |he pagan| .winter|
|00003320| 20 73 6f 6c 73 74 69 63 | 65 20 68 61 76 65 20 62 | solstic|e have b|
|00003330| 65 65 6e 20 61 62 73 6f | 72 62 65 64 20 69 6e 74 |een abso|rbed int|
|00003340| 6f 20 74 68 65 20 63 65 | 6c 65 62 72 61 74 69 6f |o the ce|lebratio|
|00003350| 6e 20 6f 66 0d 43 68 72 | 69 73 74 6d 61 73 2e 20 |n of.Chr|istmas. |
|00003360| 20 54 68 65 20 75 73 65 | 20 6f 66 20 68 6f 6c 6c | The use| of holl|
|00003370| 79 20 61 6e 64 20 6d 69 | 73 74 6c 65 74 6f 65 20 |y and mi|stletoe |
|00003380| 63 6f 6d 65 20 66 72 6f | 6d 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 |come fro|m the pa|
|00003390| 67 61 6e 2c 0d 44 72 75 | 69 64 69 63 20 63 65 72 |gan,.Dru|idic cer|
|000033a0| 65 6d 6f 6e 69 65 73 2c | 20 74 68 65 20 75 73 65 |emonies,| the use|
|000033b0| 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 | 43 68 72 69 73 74 6d 61 | of the |Christma|
|000033c0| 73 20 74 72 65 65 20 66 | 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 0d |s tree f|rom the.|
|000033d0| 77 6f 72 73 68 69 70 20 | 70 61 69 64 20 74 6f 20 |worship |paid to |
|000033e0| 4f 64 69 6e 27 73 20 73 | 61 63 72 65 64 20 66 69 |Odin's s|acred fi|
|000033f0| 72 2e 22 bc 31 bc 32 20 | 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 20 49 |r.".1.2 |.. I|
|00003400| 6e 20 61 74 20 6c 65 61 | 73 74 20 74 65 6e 20 42 |n at lea|st ten B|
|00003410| 69 62 6c 69 63 61 6c 20 | 72 65 66 65 72 65 6e 63 |iblical |referenc|
|00003420| 65 73 2c 20 74 68 65 20 | 22 67 72 65 65 6e 22 20 |es, the |"green" |
|00003430| 74 72 65 65 20 69 73 0d | 61 73 73 6f 63 69 61 74 |tree is.|associat|
|00003440| 65 64 20 77 69 74 68 20 | 69 64 6f 6c 61 74 72 79 |ed with |idolatry|
|00003450| 20 61 6e 64 20 66 61 6c | 73 65 20 77 6f 72 73 68 | and fal|se worsh|
|00003460| 69 70 2e bc 31 bc 33 20 | 20 54 68 65 20 22 67 72 |ip..1.3 | The "gr|
|00003470| 65 65 6e 22 20 74 72 65 | 65 0d 72 65 66 65 72 73 |een" tre|e.refers|
|00003480| 20 74 6f 20 74 72 65 65 | 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 61 | to tree|s that a|
|00003490| 72 65 20 67 72 65 65 6e | 20 61 6c 6c 20 79 65 61 |re green| all yea|
|000034a0| 72 20 72 6f 75 6e 64 2c | 20 73 69 6e 63 65 2c 20 |r round,| since, |
|000034b0| 6f 66 20 63 6f 75 72 73 | 65 2c 0d 61 6c 6c 20 74 |of cours|e,.all t|
|000034c0| 72 65 65 73 20 61 72 65 | 20 67 72 65 65 6e 20 61 |rees are| green a|
|000034d0| 74 20 6f 6e 65 20 74 69 | 6d 65 20 6f 72 20 61 6e |t one ti|me or an|
|000034e0| 6f 74 68 65 72 2e 20 20 | 53 6f 20 74 68 65 20 22 |other. |So the "|
|000034f0| 67 72 65 65 6e 22 20 74 | 72 65 65 73 0d 74 68 61 |green" t|rees.tha|
|00003500| 74 20 74 68 65 20 73 63 | 72 69 70 74 75 72 65 73 |t the sc|riptures|
|00003510| 20 61 72 65 20 74 61 6c | 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 62 6f | are tal|king abo|
|00003520| 75 74 20 61 72 65 20 74 | 68 65 20 65 76 65 72 67 |ut are t|he everg|
|00003530| 72 65 65 6e 20 74 72 65 | 65 73 20 6f 72 0d 74 72 |reen tre|es or.tr|
|00003540| 65 65 73 20 77 69 74 68 | 69 6e 20 74 68 61 74 20 |ees with|in that |
|00003550| 66 61 6d 69 6c 79 21 0a | 54 61 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 |family!.|Taking a|
|00003560| 6c 6c 20 6f 66 20 74 68 | 69 73 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 |ll of th|is into |
|00003570| 63 6f 6e 73 69 64 65 72 | 61 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 69 |consider|ation, i|
|00003580| 74 20 69 73 20 69 6e 74 | 65 72 65 73 74 69 6e 67 |t is int|eresting|
|00003590| 20 74 6f 0d 6e 6f 74 69 | 63 65 20 74 68 65 20 72 | to.noti|ce the r|
|000035a0| 65 61 64 69 6e 67 20 6f | 66 20 4a 65 72 65 6d 69 |eading o|f Jeremi|
|000035b0| 61 68 20 31 30 3a 31 2d | 35 20 61 6e 64 20 63 6f |ah 10:1-|5 and co|
|000035c0| 6d 70 61 72 65 20 69 74 | 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 6f |mpare it| with to|
|000035d0| 64 61 79 27 73 0d 63 75 | 73 74 6f 6d 20 6f 66 20 |day's.cu|stom of |
|000035e0| 64 65 63 6f 72 61 74 69 | 6e 67 20 61 20 74 72 65 |decorati|ng a tre|
|000035f0| 65 20 3a 0a 0a 9d 09 22 | 54 68 65 20 63 75 73 74 |e :...."|The cust|
|00003600| 6f 6d 73 20 6f 66 20 74 | 68 65 20 70 65 6f 70 6c |oms of t|he peopl|
|00003610| 65 20 61 72 65 20 76 61 | 69 6e 3a 20 66 6f 72 20 |e are va|in: for |
|00003620| 6f 6e 65 20 63 75 74 73 | 20 61 20 74 72 65 65 20 |one cuts| a tree |
|00003630| 6f 75 74 0a 20 09 6f 66 | 20 74 68 65 20 66 6f 72 |out. .of| the for|
|00003640| 65 73 74 2c 20 74 68 65 | 20 77 6f 72 6b 20 6f 66 |est, the| work of|
|00003650| 20 74 68 65 20 68 61 6e | 64 73 20 6f 66 20 74 68 | the han|ds of th|
|00003660| 65 20 77 6f 72 6b 6d 61 | 6e 20 77 69 74 68 20 0a |e workma|n with .|
|00003670| 20 09 74 68 65 20 61 78 | 65 2e 22 20 22 54 68 65 | .the ax|e." "The|
|00003680| 79 20 66 61 73 74 65 6e | 20 69 74 20 77 69 74 68 |y fasten| it with|
|00003690| 20 6e 61 69 6c 73 20 61 | 6e 64 20 68 61 6d 6d 65 | nails a|nd hamme|
|000036a0| 72 73 2e 20 20 54 68 65 | 79 0a 20 09 64 65 63 6b |rs. The|y. .deck|
|000036b0| 20 69 74 20 77 69 74 68 | 20 73 69 6c 76 65 72 20 | it with| silver |
|000036c0| 61 6e 64 20 77 69 74 68 | 20 67 6f 6c 64 2e 22 0a |and with| gold.".|
|000036d0| 0a 9c 4e 6f 77 20 6f 66 | 20 63 6f 75 72 73 65 20 |..Now of| course |
|000036e0| 74 68 65 20 70 65 6f 70 | 6c 65 20 69 6e 20 74 68 |the peop|le in th|
|000036f0| 65 20 64 61 79 73 20 6f | 66 20 4a 65 72 65 6d 69 |e days o|f Jeremi|
|00003700| 61 68 2c 20 61 73 20 74 | 68 65 20 63 6f 6e 74 65 |ah, as t|he conte|
|00003710| 78 74 0d 67 6f 65 73 20 | 6f 6e 20 74 6f 20 73 68 |xt.goes |on to sh|
|00003720| 6f 77 2c 20 77 65 72 65 | 20 61 63 74 75 61 6c 6c |ow, were| actuall|
|00003730| 79 20 6d 61 6b 69 6e 67 | 20 61 6e 20 69 64 6f 6c |y making| an idol|
|00003740| 20 6f 75 74 20 6f 66 20 | 74 68 65 20 74 72 65 65 | out of |the tree|
|00003750| 2e 20 0d 57 65 20 61 72 | 65 20 6e 6f 74 20 69 6e |. .We ar|e not in|
|00003760| 66 65 72 72 69 6e 67 20 | 74 68 61 74 20 70 65 6f |ferring |that peo|
|00003770| 70 6c 65 20 74 6f 64 61 | 79 20 77 68 6f 20 70 75 |ple toda|y who pu|
|00003780| 74 20 74 72 65 65 73 20 | 69 6e 20 74 68 65 69 72 |t trees |in their|
|00003790| 0d 68 6f 6d 65 73 20 64 | 75 72 69 6e 67 20 74 68 |.homes d|uring th|
|000037a0| 65 20 43 68 72 69 73 74 | 6d 61 73 20 73 65 61 73 |e Christ|mas seas|
|000037b0| 6f 6e 20 61 72 65 20 77 | 6f 72 73 68 69 70 70 69 |on are w|orshippi|
|000037c0| 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 74 | 72 65 65 2c 20 62 75 74 |ng the t|ree, but|
|000037d0| 0d 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 | 65 20 75 73 65 20 6f 66 |.that th|e use of|
|000037e0| 20 74 68 65 20 74 72 65 | 65 20 69 73 20 70 6c 61 | the tre|e is pla|
|000037f0| 69 6e 6c 79 20 61 6e 64 | 20 74 6f 74 61 6c 6c 79 |inly and| totally|
|00003800| 20 61 20 63 61 72 72 79 | 20 6f 76 65 72 20 66 72 | a carry| over fr|
|00003810| 6f 6d 0d 70 61 67 61 6e | 69 73 6d 2e 20 20 57 68 |om.pagan|ism. Wh|
|00003820| 61 74 65 76 65 72 20 74 | 68 65 20 64 69 66 66 65 |atever t|he diffe|
|00003830| 72 65 6e 63 65 20 6d 61 | 79 20 62 65 20 62 65 74 |rence ma|y be bet|
|00003840| 77 65 65 6e 20 74 68 65 | 20 61 6e 63 69 65 6e 74 |ween the| ancient|
|00003850| 20 75 73 65 dc 6a 00 00 | 00 00 02 00 dc 0b 6f 66 | use.j..|......of|
|00003860| 20 74 68 65 20 74 72 65 | 65 20 61 73 20 63 6f 6d | the tre|e as com|
|00003870| 70 61 72 65 64 20 77 69 | 74 68 20 70 72 65 73 65 |pared wi|th prese|
|00003880| 6e 74 20 64 61 79 20 63 | 75 73 74 6f 6d 73 2c 20 |nt day c|ustoms, |
|00003890| 6e 6f 20 6f 6e 65 20 63 | 61 6e 20 64 65 6e 79 0d |no one c|an deny.|
|000038a0| 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 | 73 65 20 74 68 69 6e 67 |that the|se thing|
|000038b0| 73 20 6f 66 20 77 68 69 | 63 68 20 77 65 20 68 61 |s of whi|ch we ha|
|000038c0| 76 65 20 62 65 65 6e 20 | 73 70 65 61 6b 69 6e 67 |ve been |speaking|
|000038d0| 20 61 72 65 20 63 75 73 | 74 6f 6d 73 20 6f 66 0d | are cus|toms of.|
|000038e0| 6d 65 6e 2e 20 20 41 6e | 64 20 47 6f 64 20 73 61 |men. An|d God sa|
|000038f0| 79 73 3a 20 22 54 68 65 | 20 63 75 73 74 6f 6d 73 |ys: "The| customs|
|00003900| 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 | 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 61 | of the |people a|
|00003910| 72 65 20 76 61 69 6e 22 | 28 4a 65 72 65 6d 69 61 |re vain"|(Jeremia|
|00003920| 68 0d 31 30 3a 33 29 2d | 61 6e 64 20 22 74 68 65 |h.10:3)-|and "the|
|00003930| 20 74 65 6d 70 6c 65 20 | 6f 66 20 69 64 6f 6c 73 | temple |of idols|
|00003940| 20 68 61 76 65 20 6e 6f | 74 68 69 6e 67 20 69 6e | have no|thing in|
|00003950| 20 63 6f 6d 6d 6f 6e 20 | 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 | common |with the|
|00003960| 0d 74 65 6d 70 6c 65 20 | 6f 66 20 47 6f 64 2e 22 |.temple |of God."|
|00003970| 28 49 49 20 43 6f 72 69 | 6e 74 68 69 61 6e 73 20 |(II Cori|nthians |
|00003980| 36 3a 31 36 29 0a 0a 0a | 9d c3 00 2a 1d c3 4f 4e |6:16)...|...*..ON|
|00003990| 45 20 45 52 52 4f 52 20 | 4c 45 41 44 53 20 54 4f |E ERROR |LEADS TO|
|000039a0| 20 41 4e 4f 54 48 45 52 | 83 0a 9c 0a 09 54 68 65 | ANOTHER|.....The|
|000039b0| 20 43 68 72 69 73 74 6d | 61 73 20 63 65 6c 65 62 | Christm|as celeb|
|000039c0| 72 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 77 | 61 73 20 61 64 6f 70 74 |ration w|as adopt|
|000039d0| 65 64 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 | 74 68 65 20 52 6f 6d 61 |ed into |the Roma|
|000039e0| 6e 20 63 68 75 72 63 68 | 0d 64 75 72 69 6e 67 20 |n church|.during |
|000039f0| 74 68 65 20 66 69 66 74 | 68 20 63 65 6e 74 75 72 |the fift|h centur|
|00003a00| 79 2e 20 20 49 6e 20 74 | 68 65 20 73 69 78 74 68 |y. In t|he sixth|
|00003a10| 20 63 65 6e 74 75 72 79 | 2c 20 6d 69 73 73 69 6f | century|, missio|
|00003a20| 6e 61 72 69 65 73 0d 77 | 65 72 65 20 73 65 6e 74 |naries.w|ere sent|
|00003a30| 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 | 20 74 68 65 20 6e 6f 72 | through| the nor|
|00003a40| 74 68 65 72 6e 20 70 61 | 72 74 20 6f 66 20 45 75 |thern pa|rt of Eu|
|00003a50| 72 6f 70 65 20 74 6f 20 | 67 61 74 68 65 72 20 70 |rope to |gather p|
|00003a60| 61 67 61 6e 73 0d 69 6e | 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 52 |agans.in|to the R|
|00003a70| 6f 6d 61 6e 20 66 6f 6c | 64 2e 20 20 54 68 65 79 |oman fol|d. They|
|00003a80| 20 66 6f 75 6e 64 20 74 | 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 | found t|hat the |
|00003a90| 32 34 74 68 20 6f 66 20 | 4a 75 6e 65 20 77 61 73 |24th of |June was|
|00003aa0| 20 61 20 76 65 72 79 0d | 70 6f 70 75 6c 61 72 20 | a very.|popular |
|00003ab0| 64 61 79 20 61 6d 6f 6e | 67 20 74 68 65 73 65 20 |day amon|g these |
|00003ac0| 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 2e 20 | 20 49 6e 20 6f 72 64 65 |people. | In orde|
|00003ad0| 72 20 74 6f 20 69 6e 64 | 75 63 65 20 74 68 65 6d |r to ind|uce them|
|00003ae0| 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 | 65 0d 22 63 68 75 72 63 | into th|e."churc|
|00003af0| 68 22 2c 20 61 73 20 77 | 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 75 |h", as w|as the u|
|00003b00| 73 75 61 6c 20 63 75 73 | 74 6f 6d 20 61 66 74 65 |sual cus|tom afte|
|00003b10| 72 20 74 68 65 20 66 61 | 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20 61 77 |r the fa|lling aw|
|00003b20| 61 79 2c 0d 61 70 6f 73 | 74 61 74 65 20 63 68 75 |ay,.apos|tate chu|
|00003b30| 72 63 68 20 6c 65 61 64 | 65 72 73 20 77 6f 75 6c |rch lead|ers woul|
|00003b40| 64 20 61 6c 6c 6f 77 20 | 74 68 65 6d 20 74 6f 20 |d allow |them to |
|00003b50| 63 6f 6e 74 69 6e 75 65 | 20 63 65 6c 65 62 72 61 |continue| celebra|
|00003b60| 74 69 6e 67 0d 74 68 65 | 69 72 20 70 61 67 61 6e |ting.the|ir pagan|
|00003b70| 20 68 6f 6c 69 64 61 79 | 2c 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 74 | holiday|, only t|
|00003b80| 68 65 79 20 77 6f 75 6c | 64 20 61 74 74 65 6d 70 |hey woul|d attemp|
|00003b90| 74 20 74 6f 20 61 73 73 | 6f 63 69 61 74 65 20 69 |t to ass|ociate i|
|00003ba0| 74 20 77 69 74 68 0d 73 | 6f 6d 65 20 43 68 72 69 |t with.s|ome Chri|
|00003bb0| 73 74 69 61 6e 20 65 76 | 65 6e 74 2e 20 20 42 75 |stian ev|ent. Bu|
|00003bc0| 74 20 77 68 61 74 20 65 | 76 65 6e 74 20 63 6f 75 |t what e|vent cou|
|00003bd0| 6c 64 20 74 68 65 79 20 | 61 73 73 6f 63 69 61 74 |ld they |associat|
|00003be0| 65 20 77 69 74 68 0d 4a | 75 6e 65 20 32 34 74 68 |e with.J|une 24th|
|00003bf0| 3f 20 20 54 68 65 79 20 | 68 61 64 20 61 6c 72 65 |? They |had alre|
|00003c00| 61 64 79 20 61 64 6f 70 | 74 65 64 20 61 20 64 61 |ady adop|ted a da|
|00003c10| 79 20 74 6f 20 63 65 6c | 65 62 72 61 74 65 20 74 |y to cel|ebrate t|
|00003c20| 68 65 20 62 69 72 74 68 | 0d 6f 66 20 43 68 72 69 |he birth|.of Chri|
|00003c30| 73 74 2d 44 65 63 65 6d | 62 65 72 20 32 35 74 68 |st-Decem|ber 25th|
|00003c40| 2e 20 20 41 6e 64 20 74 | 68 69 73 20 65 72 72 6f |. And t|his erro|
|00003c50| 72 20 6c 65 64 20 74 6f | 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 |r led to| another|
|00003c60| 20 65 72 72 6f 72 2e 20 | 0d 54 68 65 79 20 6e 6f | error. |.They no|
|00003c70| 74 69 63 65 64 20 74 68 | 61 74 20 4a 75 6e 65 20 |ticed th|at June |
|00003c80| 32 34 74 68 20 77 61 73 | 20 61 70 70 72 6f 78 69 |24th was| approxi|
|00003c90| 6d 61 74 65 6c 79 20 73 | 69 78 20 6d 6f 6e 74 68 |mately s|ix month|
|00003ca0| 73 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 | 0d 4a 65 73 75 73 2c 20 |s before|.Jesus, |
|00003cb0| 77 68 79 20 6e 6f 74 20 | 73 65 74 20 4a 75 6e 65 |why not |set June|
|00003cc0| 20 32 34 74 68 20 61 73 | 20 74 68 65 20 64 61 79 | 24th as| the day|
|00003cd0| 20 74 6f 20 63 65 6c 65 | 62 72 61 74 65 20 4a 6f | to cele|brate Jo|
|00003ce0| 68 6e 27 73 0d 62 69 72 | 74 68 64 61 79 3f 20 20 |hn's.bir|thday? |
|00003cf0| 41 6e 64 20 74 68 69 73 | 20 69 73 20 77 68 61 74 |And this| is what|
|00003d00| 20 74 68 65 79 20 64 69 | 64 2e 20 20 54 6f 20 74 | they di|d. To t|
|00003d10| 68 69 73 20 64 61 79 2c | 20 4a 75 6e 65 20 32 34 |his day,| June 24|
|00003d20| 20 69 73 0d 6b 6e 6f 77 | 6e 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 | is.know|n on the|
|00003d30| 20 70 61 70 61 6c 20 63 | 61 6c 65 6e 64 61 72 20 | papal c|alendar |
|00003d40| 61 73 20 53 74 2e 20 4a | 6f 68 6e 27 73 20 44 61 |as St. J|ohn's Da|
|00003d50| 79 20 6f 72 20 74 68 65 | 20 4e 61 74 69 76 69 74 |y or the| Nativit|
|00003d60| 79 20 6f 66 0d 53 74 2e | 20 4a 6f 68 6e 21 20 20 |y of.St.| John! |
|00003d70| 42 75 74 20 6f 62 76 69 | 6f 75 73 6c 79 2c 20 73 |But obvi|ously, s|
|00003d80| 75 63 68 20 61 6e 20 69 | 64 65 61 20 69 73 20 62 |uch an i|dea is b|
|00003d90| 75 69 6c 74 20 6f 6e 20 | 61 20 66 61 6c 73 65 0d |uilt on |a false.|
|00003da0| 66 6f 75 6e 64 61 74 69 | 6f 6e 2c 20 66 6f 72 20 |foundati|on, for |
|00003db0| 4a 6f 68 6e 20 77 61 73 | 20 6e 6f 74 20 62 6f 72 |John was| not bor|
|00003dc0| 6e 20 6f 6e 20 4a 75 6e | 65 20 32 34 3b 20 61 6e |n on Jun|e 24; an|
|00003dd0| 64 20 6d 69 78 69 6e 67 | 20 68 69 73 20 6e 61 6d |d mixing| his nam|
|00003de0| 65 0d 77 69 74 68 20 74 | 68 69 73 20 64 61 79 20 |e.with t|his day |
|00003df0| 77 61 73 20 62 75 74 20 | 61 20 63 6f 76 65 72 20 |was but |a cover |
|00003e00| 75 70 2c 20 73 6f 20 74 | 68 65 20 6f 6c 64 20 70 |up, so t|he old p|
|00003e10| 61 67 61 6e 20 68 6f 6c | 69 64 61 79 20 63 6f 75 |agan hol|iday cou|
|00003e20| 6c 64 0d 62 65 20 63 6f | 6e 74 69 6e 75 65 64 2d |ld.be co|ntinued-|
|00003e30| 6e 6f 77 20 77 69 74 68 | 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 22 |now with|in the "|
|00003e40| 63 68 75 72 63 68 22 2e | 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 20 49 |church".|.. I|
|00003e50| 6e 20 61 6e 63 69 65 6e | 74 20 74 69 6d 65 73 2c |n ancien|t times,|
|00003e60| 20 74 68 69 73 20 64 61 | 79 20 77 61 73 20 73 65 | this da|y was se|
|00003e70| 74 20 61 73 69 64 65 20 | 66 6f 72 20 42 61 61 6c |t aside |for Baal|
|00003e80| 20 77 6f 72 73 68 69 70 | 2e 20 0d 49 6e 20 42 72 | worship|. .In Br|
|00003e90| 69 74 61 69 6e 2c 20 62 | 65 66 6f 72 65 20 74 68 |itain, b|efore th|
|00003ea0| 65 20 65 6e 74 72 61 6e | 63 65 20 6f 66 20 43 68 |e entran|ce of Ch|
|00003eb0| 72 69 73 74 69 61 6e 69 | 74 79 20 74 68 65 72 65 |ristiani|ty there|
|00003ec0| 2c 20 74 68 65 20 32 34 | 74 68 0d 6f 66 20 4a 75 |, the 24|th.of Ju|
|00003ed0| 6e 65 20 77 61 73 20 63 | 65 6c 65 62 72 61 74 65 |ne was c|elebrate|
|00003ee0| 64 20 62 79 20 74 68 65 | 20 44 72 75 69 64 73 20 |d by the| Druids |
|00003ef0| 77 69 74 68 20 62 6c 61 | 7a 69 6e 67 20 46 49 52 |with bla|zing FIR|
|00003f00| 45 53 20 69 6e 20 68 6f | 6e 6f 72 0d 6f 66 20 42 |ES in ho|nor.of B|
|00003f10| 61 61 6c 20 28 74 68 65 | 20 73 75 6e 2d 67 6f 64 |aal (the| sun-god|
|00003f20| 2c 20 4e 69 6d 72 6f 64 | 20 69 6e 20 64 65 69 66 |, Nimrod| in deif|
|00003f30| 69 65 64 20 66 6f 72 6d | 29 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 |ied form|). The |
|00003f40| 77 72 69 74 69 6e 67 73 | 20 6f 66 0d 73 75 63 68 |writings| of.such|
|00003f50| 20 6e 6f 74 65 64 20 68 | 69 73 74 6f 72 69 61 6e | noted h|istorian|
|00003f60| 73 20 61 73 20 48 65 72 | 6f 64 6f 74 75 73 2c 20 |s as Her|odotus, |
|00003f70| 57 69 6c 6b 69 6e 73 6f | 6e 2c 20 4c 61 79 61 72 |Wilkinso|n, Layar|
|00003f80| 64 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6f | 74 68 65 72 73 0d 74 65 |d, and o|thers.te|
|00003f90| 6c 6c 20 6f 66 20 74 68 | 65 73 65 20 63 65 72 65 |ll of th|ese cere|
|00003fa0| 6d 6f 6e 69 61 6c 20 66 | 69 72 65 73 20 69 6e 20 |monial f|ires in |
|00003fb0| 64 69 66 66 65 72 65 6e | 74 20 63 6f 75 6e 74 72 |differen|t countr|
|00003fc0| 69 65 73 2e 20 20 57 68 | 65 6e 20 4a 75 6e 65 0d |ies. Wh|en June.|
|00003fd0| 32 34 74 68 20 77 61 73 | 20 61 64 6f 70 74 65 64 |24th was| adopted|
|00003fe0| 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 74 68 | 65 20 22 63 68 75 72 63 | into th|e "churc|
|00003ff0| 68 22 20 61 6e 64 20 72 | 65 6e 61 6d 65 64 20 61 |h" and r|enamed a|
|00004000| 73 20 53 74 2e 20 4a 6f | 68 6e 27 73 20 64 61 79 |s St. Jo|hn's day|
|00004010| 2c 0d 73 6f 20 61 6c 73 | 6f 20 77 65 72 65 20 74 |,.so als|o were t|
|00004020| 68 65 20 73 61 63 72 65 | 64 20 66 69 72 65 73 20 |he sacre|d fires |
|00004030| 61 64 6f 70 74 65 64 20 | 61 6e 64 20 72 65 6e 61 |adopted |and rena|
|00004040| 6d 65 64 20 61 73 20 22 | 53 74 2e 20 4a 6f 68 6e |med as "|St. John|
|00004050| 27 73 0d 46 69 72 65 73 | 22 21 20 20 22 49 20 68 |'s.Fires|"! "I h|
|00004060| 61 76 65 20 73 65 65 6e | 20 74 68 65 20 70 65 6f |ave seen| the peo|
|00004070| 70 6c 65 20 72 75 6e 6e | 69 6e 67 20 61 6e 64 20 |ple runn|ing and |
|00004080| 6c 65 61 70 69 6e 67 20 | 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 |leaping |through |
|00004090| 74 68 65 0d 53 74 2e 4a | 6f 68 6e 27 73 20 66 69 |the.St.J|ohn's fi|
|000040a0| 72 65 73 20 69 6e 20 49 | 72 65 6c 61 6e 64 2e 2e |res in I|reland..|
|000040b0| 22 2c 20 73 61 79 73 20 | 6f 6e 65 20 77 72 69 74 |", says |one writ|
|000040c0| 65 72 20 6f 66 20 74 68 | 65 20 70 61 73 74 0d 63 |er of th|e past.c|
|000040d0| 65 6e 74 75 72 79 2c 20 | 22 70 72 6f 75 64 20 6f |entury, |"proud o|
|000040e0| 66 20 70 61 73 73 69 6e | 67 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 |f passin|g throug|
|000040f0| 68 20 75 6e 73 69 6e 67 | 65 64 2c 20 74 68 69 6e |h unsing|ed, thin|
|00004100| 6b 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 | 6d 73 65 6c 76 65 73 0d |king the|mselves.|
|00004110| 69 6e 20 61 20 73 70 65 | 63 69 61 6c 20 6d 61 6e |in a spe|cial man|
|00004120| 6e 65 72 20 62 6c 65 73 | 73 65 64 20 62 79 20 74 |ner bles|sed by t|
|00004130| 68 65 20 63 65 72 65 6d | 6f 6e 79 2e 22 bc 31 bc |he cerem|ony.".1.|
|00004140| 34 20 20 49 6e 20 72 65 | 61 64 69 6e 67 20 6f 66 |4 In re|ading of|
|00004150| 0d 73 75 63 68 20 72 69 | 74 65 73 2c 20 77 65 20 |.such ri|tes, we |
|00004160| 61 72 65 20 72 65 6d 69 | 6e 64 65 64 20 6f 66 20 |are remi|nded of |
|00004170| 73 69 6d 69 6c 61 72 20 | 70 72 61 63 74 69 63 65 |similar |practice|
|00004180| 73 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 77 | 68 69 63 68 20 74 68 65 |s into w|hich the|
|00004190| 0d 62 61 63 6b 73 6c 69 | 64 64 65 6e 20 63 68 69 |.backsli|dden chi|
|000041a0| 6c 64 72 65 6e 20 6f 66 | 20 49 73 72 61 65 6c 20 |ldren of| Israel |
|000041b0| 66 65 6c 6c 20 77 68 65 | 6e 20 74 68 65 79 20 77 |fell whe|n they w|
|000041c0| 6f 75 6c 64 20 22 70 61 | 73 73 20 74 68 72 6f 75 |ould "pa|ss throu|
|000041d0| 67 68 0d 74 68 65 20 66 | 69 72 65 20 74 6f 20 4d |gh.the f|ire to M|
|000041e0| 6f 6c 65 63 68 22 28 4a | 65 72 2e 20 33 32 3a 33 |olech"(J|er. 32:3|
|000041f0| 35 3b 20 45 7a 65 6b 2e | 20 32 30 3a 33 31 29 2e |5; Ezek.| 20:31).|
|00004200| 20 20 4f 62 76 69 6f 75 | 73 6c 79 2c 20 6e 6f 6e | Obviou|sly, non|
|00004210| 65 20 6f 66 0d 74 68 65 | 73 65 20 70 72 61 63 74 |e of.the|se pract|
|00004220| 69 63 65 73 20 68 61 64 | 20 61 6e 79 20 63 6f 6e |ices had| any con|
|00004230| 6e 65 63 74 69 6f 6e 20 | 77 69 74 68 20 4a 6f 68 |nection |with Joh|
|00004240| 6e 20 74 68 65 20 42 61 | 70 74 69 73 74 2e 20 0a |n the Ba|ptist. .|
|00004250| 0a 0a c3 00 2a 25 c3 9d | 54 48 45 20 4d 49 58 54 |....*%..|THE MIXT|
|00004260| 55 52 45 9c 83 0a 0a 20 | 20 20 20 20 54 68 65 20 |URE.... | The |
|00004270| 6d 69 78 74 75 72 65 20 | 6f 66 20 43 68 72 69 73 |mixture |of Chris|
|00004280| 74 69 61 6e 69 74 79 20 | 61 6e 64 20 70 61 67 61 |tianity |and paga|
|00004290| 6e 69 73 6d 20 69 73 20 | 73 65 65 6e 20 69 6e 20 |nism is |seen in |
|000042a0| 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 64 | 0d 22 43 68 72 69 73 74 |the word|."Christ|
|000042b0| 2d 6d 61 73 73 22 20 69 | 74 73 65 6c 66 2e 20 20 |-mass" i|tself. |
|000042c0| 54 68 6f 75 67 68 20 69 | 74 20 69 6e 63 6c 75 64 |Though i|t includ|
|000042d0| 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 6e | 61 6d 65 20 6f 66 20 43 |es the n|ame of C|
|000042e0| 68 72 69 73 74 2c 20 69 | 74 0d 61 6c 73 6f 20 6d |hrist, i|t.also m|
|000042f0| 65 6e 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 | 74 68 65 20 22 6d 61 73 |entions |the "mas|
|00004300| 73 22 2e 20 20 4e 6f 77 | 20 74 68 65 20 6d 61 73 |s". Now| the mas|
|00004310| 73 2c 20 77 69 74 68 20 | 69 74 73 20 72 69 74 75 |s, with |its ritu|
|00004320| 61 6c 73 2c 0d 65 6c 61 | 62 6f 72 61 74 65 20 63 |als,.ela|borate c|
|00004330| 65 72 65 6d 6f 6e 79 2c | 20 70 61 67 61 6e 20 70 |eremony,| pagan p|
|00004340| 72 61 79 65 72 73 20 66 | 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 64 |rayers f|or the d|
|00004350| 65 61 64 2c 0d 74 72 61 | 6e 73 75 62 73 74 61 6e |ead,.tra|nsubstan|
|00004360| 74 69 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 | 72 69 74 65 73 2c 20 65 |tiation |rites, e|
|00004370| 74 63 2e 20 69 73 20 6d | 6f 73 74 20 61 73 73 75 |tc. is m|ost assu|
|00004380| 72 65 64 6c 79 20 61 20 | 63 6f 6e 74 69 6e 75 61 |redly a |continua|
|00004390| 74 69 6f 6e dc 6a 00 00 | 00 00 02 00 dc 0b 6f 66 |tion.j..|......of|
|000043a0| 20 70 61 67 61 6e 69 73 | 6d 2e bc 31 bc 35 20 20 | paganis|m..1.5 |
|000043b0| 43 6f 6e 73 69 64 65 72 | 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 6e |Consider|ing then|
|000043c0| 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 | 65 20 6e 61 6d 65 20 6f | that th|e name o|
|000043d0| 66 20 74 68 65 73 65 20 | 70 61 67 61 6e 0d 72 69 |f these |pagan.ri|
|000043e0| 74 65 73 2c 20 74 68 65 | 20 4d 61 73 73 2c 20 69 |tes, the| Mass, i|
|000043f0| 73 20 63 6f 6e 6e 65 63 | 74 65 64 20 77 69 74 68 |s connec|ted with|
|00004400| 20 74 68 65 20 6e 61 6d | 65 20 6f 66 20 43 68 72 | the nam|e of Chr|
|00004410| 69 73 74 20 69 6e 20 74 | 68 65 20 77 6f 72 64 0d |ist in t|he word.|
|00004420| 22 43 68 72 69 73 74 2d | 6d 61 73 73 22 2c 20 77 |"Christ-|mass", w|
|00004430| 65 20 69 6d 6d 65 64 69 | 61 74 65 6c 79 20 73 65 |e immedi|ately se|
|00004440| 65 20 61 6e 20 61 74 74 | 65 6d 70 74 20 74 6f 20 |e an att|empt to |
|00004450| 6d 65 72 67 65 20 74 77 | 6f 0d 63 6f 6e 66 6c 69 |merge tw|o.confli|
|00004460| 63 74 69 6e 67 20 73 79 | 73 74 65 6d 73 20 74 6f |cting sy|stems to|
|00004470| 67 65 74 68 65 72 21 20 | 20 41 63 74 75 61 6c 6c |gether! | Actuall|
|00004480| 79 2c 20 74 6f 20 61 74 | 74 61 63 68 20 74 68 65 |y, to at|tach the|
|00004490| 20 6e 61 6d 65 20 6f 66 | 0d 43 68 72 69 73 74 20 | name of|.Christ |
|000044a0| 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 | 20 77 6f 72 64 20 22 4d |with the| word "M|
|000044b0| 61 73 73 22 2c 20 61 20 | 70 61 67 61 6e 20 61 6e |ass", a |pagan an|
|000044c0| 64 20 68 65 64 6f 6e 69 | 73 74 69 63 20 72 69 74 |d hedoni|stic rit|
|000044d0| 75 61 6c 20 28 66 6f 72 | 0d 63 6f 6e 63 6c 75 73 |ual (for|.conclus|
|000044e0| 69 76 65 20 70 72 6f 6f | 66 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 |ive proo|f of the|
|000044f0| 20 70 61 67 61 6e 20 6f | 72 69 67 69 6e 20 6f 66 | pagan o|rigin of|
|00004500| 20 74 68 65 20 4d 61 73 | 73 20 73 65 65 20 94 54 | the Mas|s see .T|
|00004510| 68 65 20 54 77 6f 0d 42 | 61 62 79 6c 6f 6e 73 95 |he Two.B|abylons.|
|00004520| 29 bc 31 bc 36 20 20 69 | 73 20 62 75 74 20 74 6f |).1.6 i|s but to|
|00004530| 20 70 6f 6c 6c 75 74 65 | 20 74 68 65 20 48 6f 6c | pollute| the Hol|
|00004540| 79 20 6e 61 6d 65 20 6f | 66 20 6f 75 72 20 47 6f |y name o|f our Go|
|00004550| 64 21 20 20 41 6e 64 20 | 47 6f 64 0d 73 61 79 73 |d! And |God.says|
|00004560| 3a 20 22 50 6f 6c 6c 75 | 74 65 20 79 65 20 6d 79 |: "Pollu|te ye my|
|00004570| 20 68 6f 6c 79 20 6e 61 | 6d 65 20 6e 6f 20 6d 6f | holy na|me no mo|
|00004580| 72 65 22 21 20 28 45 7a | 65 6b 69 65 6c 28 32 30 |re"! (Ez|ekiel(20|
|00004590| 3a 33 39 29 0a 0a 0a c3 | 00 2a 25 c3 9d 43 4f 4e |:39)....|.*%..CON|
|000045a0| 43 4c 55 53 49 4f 4e 9c | 83 0a 0a 09 54 68 65 20 |CLUSION.|....The |
|000045b0| 64 61 79 73 20 61 6e 64 | 20 74 69 6d 65 73 20 77 |days and| times w|
|000045c0| 65 20 68 61 76 65 20 6d | 65 6e 74 69 6f 6e 65 64 |e have m|entioned|
|000045d0| 20 77 65 72 65 20 61 6c | 6c 20 61 64 6f 70 74 65 | were al|l adopte|
|000045e0| 64 20 69 6e 74 6f 0d 74 | 68 65 20 63 61 6c 65 6e |d into.t|he calen|
|000045f0| 64 61 72 20 6f 66 20 74 | 68 65 20 52 6f 6d 61 6e |dar of t|he Roman|
|00004600| 20 63 68 75 72 63 68 20 | 66 72 6f 6d 20 70 61 67 | church |from pag|
|00004610| 61 6e 69 73 6d 2e 20 20 | 57 65 20 77 6f 6e 64 65 |anism. |We wonde|
|00004620| 72 20 69 66 20 74 68 65 | 0d 61 70 6f 73 74 6c 65 |r if the|.apostle|
|00004630| 20 50 61 75 6c 20 77 65 | 72 65 20 74 6f 20 62 65 | Paul we|re to be|
|00004640| 20 72 61 69 73 65 64 20 | 75 70 20 74 6f 20 70 72 | raised |up to pr|
|00004650| 65 61 63 68 20 74 6f 20 | 74 68 69 73 20 67 65 6e |each to |this gen|
|00004660| 65 72 61 74 69 6f 6e 2c | 0d 69 66 20 68 65 20 77 |eration,|.if he w|
|00004670| 6f 75 6c 64 20 6e 6f 74 | 20 73 61 79 20 74 6f 20 |ould not| say to |
|00004680| 74 68 65 20 70 72 6f 66 | 65 73 73 69 6e 67 20 63 |the prof|essing c|
|00004690| 68 75 72 63 68 20 74 6f | 64 61 79 2c 20 61 73 20 |hurch to|day, as |
|000046a0| 68 65 20 64 69 64 20 74 | 68 65 0d 47 61 6c 61 74 |he did t|he.Galat|
|000046b0| 69 61 6e 73 20 6c 6f 6e | 67 20 61 67 6f 3a 20 22 |ians lon|g ago: "|
|000046c0| 59 6f 75 20 6f 62 73 65 | 72 76 65 20 64 61 79 73 |You obse|rve days|
|000046d0| 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6d 6f | 6e 74 68 73 2c 20 61 6e |, and mo|nths, an|
|000046e0| 64 20 74 69 6d 65 73 2c | 20 61 6e 64 0d 79 65 61 |d times,| and.yea|
|000046f0| 72 73 2c 20 49 20 61 6d | 20 61 66 72 61 69 64 20 |rs, I am| afraid |
|00004700| 6f 66 20 79 6f 75 2c 20 | 6c 65 73 74 20 49 20 68 |of you, |lest I h|
|00004710| 61 76 65 20 6c 61 62 6f | 72 65 64 20 69 6e 20 76 |ave labo|red in v|
|00004720| 61 69 6e 22 28 47 61 6c | 2e 20 34 3a 39 2d 0d 31 |ain"(Gal|. 4:9-.1|
|00004730| 31 29 2e 20 20 54 6f 20 | 77 68 61 74 20 64 61 79 |1). To |what day|
|00004740| 73 20 64 69 64 20 50 61 | 75 6c 20 67 69 76 65 20 |s did Pa|ul give |
|00004750| 72 65 66 65 72 65 6e 63 | 65 3f 20 20 54 68 65 20 |referenc|e? The |
|00004760| 63 6f 6e 74 65 78 74 20 | 73 68 6f 77 73 0d 74 68 |context |shows.th|
|00004770| 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 47 | 61 6c 61 74 69 61 6e 73 |at the G|alatians|
|00004780| 20 68 61 64 20 62 65 65 | 6e 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 | had bee|n conver|
|00004790| 74 65 64 20 66 72 6f 6d | 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 67 |ted from| the pag|
|000047a0| 61 6e 20 77 6f 72 73 68 | 69 70 20 6f 66 0d 74 68 |an worsh|ip of.th|
|000047b0| 65 20 22 67 6f 64 73 22 | 28 47 61 6c 2e 34 3a 38 |e "gods"|(Gal.4:8|
|000047c0| 29 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 73 | 6f 20 69 74 20 69 73 20 |), and s|o it is |
|000047d0| 65 76 69 64 65 6e 74 20 | 74 68 61 74 20 77 68 65 |evident |that whe|
|000047e0| 6e 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6f | 66 20 74 68 65 6d 0d 77 |n some o|f them.w|
|000047f0| 65 6e 74 20 62 61 63 6b | 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 69 |ent back| to thei|
|00004800| 72 20 66 6f 72 6d 65 72 | 20 77 6f 72 73 68 69 70 |r former| worship|
|00004810| 2c 20 74 68 65 20 64 61 | 79 73 20 61 6e 64 20 74 |, the da|ys and t|
|00004820| 69 6d 65 73 20 74 68 65 | 79 20 77 65 72 65 0d 6f |imes the|y were.o|
|00004830| 62 73 65 72 76 69 6e 67 | 20 77 65 72 65 20 74 68 |bserving| were th|
|00004840| 6f 73 65 20 64 61 79 73 | 20 61 6e 64 20 74 69 6d |ose days| and tim|
|00004850| 65 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 | 77 65 72 65 20 73 65 74 |es that |were set|
|00004860| 20 61 73 69 64 65 20 74 | 6f 20 68 6f 6e 6f 72 0d | aside t|o honor.|
|00004870| 74 68 65 73 65 20 70 61 | 67 61 6e 20 67 6f 64 73 |these pa|gan gods|
|00004880| 21 20 20 41 6e 64 20 79 | 65 74 2c 20 69 74 20 77 |! And y|et, it w|
|00004890| 61 73 20 74 68 65 73 65 | 20 76 65 72 79 20 64 61 |as these| very da|
|000048a0| 79 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 | 74 68 65 0d 66 61 6c 6c |ys that |the.fall|
|000048b0| 65 6e 20 63 68 75 72 63 | 68 20 6d 65 72 67 65 64 |en churc|h merged|
|000048c0| 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 68 65 | 72 20 77 6f 72 73 68 69 | into he|r worshi|
|000048d0| 70 2c 20 63 68 61 6e 67 | 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 6d |p, chang|ing them|
|000048e0| 20 73 6c 69 67 68 74 6c | 79 2c 0d 64 69 73 67 75 | slightl|y,.disgu|
|000048f0| 69 73 69 6e 67 20 74 68 | 65 6d 20 77 69 74 68 20 |ising th|em with |
|00004900| 43 68 72 69 73 74 69 61 | 6e 20 73 6f 75 6e 64 69 |Christia|n soundi|
|00004910| 6e 67 20 6e 61 6d 65 73 | 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 |ng names|, and th|
|00004920| 65 69 72 0d 6f 62 73 65 | 72 76 61 6e 63 65 20 68 |eir.obse|rvance h|
|00004930| 61 73 20 63 6f 6e 74 69 | 6e 75 65 64 20 74 6f 20 |as conti|nued to |
|00004940| 74 68 69 73 20 64 61 79 | 21 0a 0a 0a 0a 0a 20 31 |this day|!..... 1|
|00004950| 2e 20 20 4d 65 64 65 27 | 73 20 57 6f 72 6b 73 2c |. Mede'|s Works,|
|00004960| 20 31 36 37 39 2e 20 20 | 44 69 73 63 6f 75 72 73 | 1679. |Discours|
|00004970| 65 20 78 6c 76 69 69 0a | 20 32 2e 20 20 49 62 69 |e xlvii.| 2. Ibi|
|00004980| 64 2e 0a 20 33 2e 20 20 | 45 6e 63 79 63 6c 6f 70 |d.. 3. |Encyclop|
|00004990| 65 64 69 61 20 41 6d 65 | 72 69 63 61 6e 61 2c 20 |edia Ame|ricana, |
|000049a0| 56 6f 6c 2e 36 2c 20 70 | 2e 36 32 33 2e 0a 20 34 |Vol.6, p|.623.. 4|
|000049b0| 2e 20 20 54 68 65 20 47 | 6f 6c 64 65 6e 20 42 6f |. The G|olden Bo|
|000049c0| 75 67 68 2c 20 70 2e 34 | 37 31 2e 0a 20 35 2e 20 |ugh, p.4|71.. 5. |
|000049d0| 20 44 6f 61 6e 65 2c 20 | 70 2e 34 37 34 3b 20 48 | Doane, |p.474; H|
|000049e0| 69 73 6c 6f 70 2c 20 70 | 2e 39 33 2e 0a 20 36 2e |islop, p|.93.. 6.|
|000049f0| 20 20 4d 61 6e 20 61 6e | 64 20 48 69 73 20 47 6f | Man an|d His Go|
|00004a00| 64 73 2c 20 70 2e 32 30 | 31 2e 0a 20 37 2e 20 20 |ds, p.20|1.. 7. |
|00004a10| 54 68 65 20 54 77 6f 20 | 42 61 62 79 6c 6f 6e 73 |The Two |Babylons|
|00004a20| 2c 20 70 67 2e 20 39 36 | 2d 39 37 2e 0a 20 38 2e |, pg. 96|-97.. 8.|
|00004a30| 20 20 43 75 72 69 6f 73 | 69 74 69 65 73 20 6f 66 | Curios|ities of|
|00004a40| 20 50 6f 70 75 6c 61 72 | 20 43 75 73 74 6f 6d 73 | Popular| Customs|
|00004a50| 2c 20 70 2e 32 34 32 2e | 0a 20 39 2e 20 20 54 68 |, p.242.|. 9. Th|
|00004a60| 65 20 4c 65 67 61 63 79 | 20 6f 66 20 52 6f 6d 65 |e Legacy| of Rome|
|00004a70| 2c 20 70 2e 32 34 32 2e | 0a 31 30 2e 20 20 43 75 |, p.242.|.10. Cu|
|00004a80| 72 69 6f 73 69 74 69 65 | 73 20 6f 66 20 50 6f 70 |riositie|s of Pop|
|00004a90| 75 6c 61 72 20 43 75 73 | 74 6f 6d 73 2c 20 70 2e |ular Cus|toms, p.|
|00004aa0| 32 34 32 2e 0a 31 31 2e | 20 20 46 65 73 74 69 76 |242..11.| Festiv|
|00004ab0| 61 6c 73 2c 20 48 6f 6c | 79 20 44 61 79 73 2c 20 |als, Hol|y Days, |
|00004ac0| 61 6e 64 20 53 61 69 6e | 74 73 27 20 44 61 79 73 |and Sain|ts' Days|
|00004ad0| 2c 20 70 2e 32 32 32 2e | 0a 31 32 2e 20 20 49 62 |, p.222.|.12. Ib|
|00004ae0| 69 64 2c 20 70 2e 32 33 | 38 2e 0a 31 33 2e 20 20 |id, p.23|8..13. |
|00004af0| 44 74 2e 31 32 3a 32 3b | 20 49 20 4b 69 6e 67 73 |Dt.12:2;| I Kings|
|00004b00| 20 31 34 3a 32 33 3b 20 | 49 49 20 4b 69 6e 67 73 | 14:23; |II Kings|
|00004b10| 20 31 36 3a 34 2c 31 37 | 3a 31 30 3b 20 45 7a 2e | 16:4,17|:10; Ez.|
|00004b20| 20 36 3a 31 33 2e 0a 31 | 34 2e 20 20 54 6f 6c 61 | 6:13..1|4. Tola|
|00004b30| 6e 64 27 73 20 44 72 75 | 69 64 73 2c 20 70 2e 31 |nd's Dru|ids, p.1|
|00004b40| 30 37 2e 0a 31 35 2e 20 | 20 54 68 65 20 54 77 6f |07..15. | The Two|
|00004b50| 20 42 61 62 79 6c 6f 6e | 73 0a 31 36 2e 20 20 49 | Babylon|s.16. I|
|00004b60| 62 69 64 2e 0a 0a 0a 0a | 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 |bid.....| |
|00004b70| 20 46 55 52 54 48 45 52 | 20 44 4f 43 55 4d 45 4e | FURTHER| DOCUMEN|
|00004b80| 54 41 54 49 4f 4e 20 49 | 53 20 41 56 41 49 4c 41 |TATION I|S AVAILA|
|00004b90| 42 4c 45 20 55 50 4f 4e | 20 52 45 51 55 45 53 54 |BLE UPON| REQUEST|
|00004ba0| 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 | 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 |.. | |
|00004bb0| 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | | |
|00004bc0| 20 20 9d 0a dc 6a 00 00 | 00 00 00 00 dc 8c 20 20 | ...j..|...... |
|00004bd0| 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | 20 20 20 20 43 4f 4d 4d | | COMM|
|00004be0| 45 4e 54 53 20 41 4e 44 | 20 52 45 4d 41 52 4b 53 |ENTS AND| REMARKS|
|00004bf0| 20 62 79 20 4d 61 72 6b | 20 41 62 62 6f 74 6f 79 | by Mark| Abbotoy|
|00004c00| 0a 9c 0a 09 54 68 65 20 | 6d 6f 73 74 20 63 6f 6d |....The |most com|
|00004c10| 6d 6f 6e 20 6f 62 6a 65 | 63 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 74 |mon obje|ctions t|
|00004c20| 6f 20 73 65 70 61 72 61 | 74 69 6e 67 20 6f 6e 65 |o separa|ting one|
|00004c30| 73 65 6c 66 20 66 72 6f | 6d 20 74 68 65 0d 43 68 |self fro|m the.Ch|
|00004c40| 72 69 73 74 6d 61 73 20 | 66 65 73 74 69 76 61 6c |ristmas |festival|
|00004c50| 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 6e 6f | 77 20 62 65 20 61 6e 73 | will no|w be ans|
|00004c60| 77 65 72 65 64 2e 20 20 | 54 68 65 20 6f 62 6a 65 |wered. |The obje|
|00004c70| 63 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 74 | 68 61 74 0d 77 69 6c 6c |ctions t|hat.will|
|00004c80| 20 62 65 20 61 6e 73 77 | 65 72 65 64 20 61 72 65 | be answ|ered are|
|00004c90| 3a 0a 0a 31 2e 20 20 53 | 68 6f 75 6c 64 6e 27 74 |:..1. S|houldn't|
|00004ca0| 20 77 65 20 63 6f 6e 76 | 65 79 20 74 68 65 20 22 | we conv|ey the "|
|00004cb0| 74 72 75 65 22 20 6d 65 | 61 6e 69 6e 67 20 6f 66 |true" me|aning of|
|00004cc0| 20 43 68 72 69 73 74 6d | 61 73 0a 20 20 20 20 64 | Christm|as. d|
|00004cd0| 75 72 69 6e 67 20 74 68 | 69 73 20 74 69 6d 65 20 |uring th|is time |
|00004ce0| 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 79 | 65 61 72 3f 0a 0a 32 2e |of the y|ear?..2.|
|00004cf0| 20 20 49 66 20 6f 75 72 | 20 68 65 61 72 74 2d 61 | If our| heart-a|
|00004d00| 74 74 69 74 75 64 65 20 | 69 73 20 72 69 67 68 74 |ttitude |is right|
|00004d10| 20 74 68 65 6e 20 77 68 | 61 74 20 64 6f 65 73 20 | then wh|at does |
|00004d20| 74 68 65 20 6f 72 69 67 | 69 6e 0a 20 20 20 20 6f |the orig|in. o|
|00004d30| 66 20 43 68 72 69 73 74 | 6d 61 73 20 6d 61 74 74 |f Christ|mas matt|
|00004d40| 65 72 3f 0a 0a 33 2e 20 | 20 44 69 64 20 6e 6f 74 |er?..3. | Did not|
|00004d50| 20 50 61 75 6c 20 73 61 | 79 20 6e 6f 74 20 74 6f | Paul sa|y not to|
|00004d60| 20 6a 75 64 67 65 20 6f | 6e 65 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 | judge o|ne anoth|
|00004d70| 65 72 20 69 6e 20 72 65 | 67 61 72 64 73 20 74 6f |er in re|gards to|
|00004d80| 20 0a 20 20 20 20 68 6f | 6c 79 20 64 61 79 73 20 | . ho|ly days |
|00004d90| 61 6e 64 20 72 65 6c 69 | 67 69 6f 75 73 20 66 65 |and reli|gious fe|
|00004da0| 73 74 69 76 61 6c 73 3f | 0a 0a 34 2e 20 20 49 66 |stivals?|..4. If|
|00004db0| 20 77 65 20 73 74 75 62 | 62 6f 72 6e 6c 79 20 61 | we stub|bornly a|
|00004dc0| 62 73 74 61 69 6e 20 66 | 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 |bstain f|rom the |
|00004dd0| 66 65 73 74 69 76 69 74 | 69 65 73 20 6f 66 20 0a |festivit|ies of .|
|00004de0| 20 20 20 20 43 68 72 69 | 73 74 6d 61 73 2c 20 68 | Chri|stmas, h|
|00004df0| 6f 77 20 73 68 61 6c 6c | 20 77 65 20 65 76 65 72 |ow shall| we ever|
|00004e00| 20 77 69 6e 20 6f 75 72 | 20 66 61 6d 69 6c 69 65 | win our| familie|
|00004e10| 73 20 61 6e 64 20 0a 20 | 20 20 20 66 72 69 65 6e |s and . | frien|
|00004e20| 64 73 20 74 6f 20 4a 65 | 73 75 73 20 28 66 6f 72 |ds to Je|sus (for|
|00004e30| 20 74 68 65 79 20 77 69 | 6c 6c 20 73 75 72 65 6c | they wi|ll surel|
|00004e40| 79 20 63 61 6c 6c 20 75 | 73 20 0a 20 20 20 20 66 |y call u|s . f|
|00004e50| 61 6e 61 74 69 63 73 29 | 3f 0a 0a 35 2e 20 20 54 |anatics)|?..5. T|
|00004e60| 68 65 20 4b 69 6e 67 64 | 6f 6d 20 6f 66 20 47 6f |he Kingd|om of Go|
|00004e70| 64 20 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 | 20 61 20 6d 61 74 74 65 |d is not| a matte|
|00004e80| 72 20 6f 66 20 73 75 63 | 68 20 74 72 69 76 69 61 |r of suc|h trivia|
|00004e90| 6c 0a 20 20 20 20 74 68 | 69 6e 67 73 20 73 6f 20 |l. th|ings so |
|00004ea0| 77 68 79 20 77 61 73 74 | 65 20 6f 75 72 20 74 69 |why wast|e our ti|
|00004eb0| 6d 65 20 69 6e 20 6f 75 | 72 20 63 6f 6e 63 65 72 |me in ou|r concer|
|00004ec0| 6e 20 6f 76 65 72 20 69 | 74 3f 0a 0a 36 2e 20 20 |n over i|t?..6. |
|00004ed0| 49 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 74 | 68 61 74 20 43 68 72 69 |I know t|hat Chri|
|00004ee0| 73 74 6d 61 73 20 69 73 | 20 70 61 67 61 6e 2c 20 |stmas is| pagan, |
|00004ef0| 62 75 74 20 77 68 65 72 | 65 20 64 6f 20 49 20 64 |but wher|e do I d|
|00004f00| 72 61 77 0a 20 20 20 20 | 74 68 65 20 6c 69 6e 65 |raw. |the line|
|00004f10| 20 69 6e 20 72 65 67 61 | 72 64 73 20 74 6f 20 61 | in rega|rds to a|
|00004f20| 62 73 74 69 6e 65 6e 63 | 65 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 63 |bstinenc|e from c|
|00004f30| 65 72 74 61 69 6e 20 74 | 68 69 6e 67 73 3f 0a 0a |ertain t|hings?..|
|00004f40| 0a 9d 49 2e 9c 20 20 9d | 53 68 6f 75 6c 64 6e 27 |..I.. .|Shouldn'|
|00004f50| 74 20 77 65 20 63 6f 6e | 76 65 79 20 74 68 65 20 |t we con|vey the |
|00004f60| 74 72 75 65 20 6d 65 61 | 6e 69 6e 67 20 6f 66 20 |true mea|ning of |
|00004f70| 43 68 72 69 73 74 6d 61 | 73 20 74 6f 0a 20 20 20 |Christma|s to. |
|00004f80| 20 65 76 65 72 79 6f 6e | 65 3f 20 9c 0a 0a 20 20 | everyon|e? ... |
|00004f90| 20 20 20 54 68 65 20 61 | 62 6f 76 65 20 64 69 73 | The a|bove dis|
|00004fa0| 63 75 73 73 69 6f 6e 20 | 65 73 74 61 62 6c 69 73 |cussion |establis|
|00004fb0| 68 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 | 74 72 75 65 20 6d 65 61 |hes the |true mea|
|00004fc0| 6e 69 6e 67 20 6f 66 20 | 0a 20 20 20 20 20 43 68 |ning of |. Ch|
|00004fd0| 72 69 73 74 6d 61 73 2e | 20 20 41 6e 79 20 6d 65 |ristmas.| Any me|
|00004fe0| 61 6e 69 6e 67 20 6f 74 | 68 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e |aning ot|her than|
|00004ff0| 20 74 68 69 73 20 6d 65 | 61 6e 69 6e 67 20 63 6f | this me|aning co|
|00005000| 75 6c 64 20 20 20 0a 20 | 20 20 20 20 6e 6f 74 20 |uld . | not |
|00005010| 62 65 20 63 61 6c 6c 65 | 64 20 43 68 72 69 73 74 |be calle|d Christ|
|00005020| 6d 61 73 2e 20 20 46 75 | 72 74 68 65 72 6d 6f 72 |mas. Fu|rthermor|
|00005030| 65 2c 20 74 6f 20 67 69 | 76 65 20 61 6e 79 20 6f |e, to gi|ve any o|
|00005040| 74 68 65 72 0a 20 20 20 | 20 20 6d 65 61 6e 69 6e |ther. | meanin|
|00005050| 67 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 | 20 6f 72 69 67 69 6e 20 |g to the| origin |
|00005060| 61 6e 64 20 6d 65 61 6e | 69 6e 67 20 6f 66 20 43 |and mean|ing of C|
|00005070| 68 72 69 73 74 6d 61 73 | 20 6f 74 68 65 72 0a 20 |hristmas| other. |
|00005080| 20 20 20 20 74 68 61 6e | 20 74 68 65 20 68 69 73 | than| the his|
|00005090| 74 6f 72 69 63 61 6c 20 | 6f 6e 65 20 77 6f 75 6c |torical |one woul|
|000050a0| 64 20 62 65 20 64 65 63 | 65 70 74 69 6f 6e 2e 20 |d be dec|eption. |
|000050b0| 20 41 6c 73 6f 20 77 6f | 72 74 68 20 20 20 20 20 | Also wo|rth |
|000050c0| 0d 20 20 20 20 20 6e 6f | 74 69 6e 67 20 69 73 20 |. no|ting is |
|000050d0| 74 68 61 74 20 74 68 65 | 20 65 61 72 6c 79 20 63 |that the| early c|
|000050e0| 68 75 72 63 68 20 68 61 | 64 20 6e 6f 20 72 65 63 |hurch ha|d no rec|
|000050f0| 6f 72 64 20 6f 66 20 63 | 65 6c 65 62 72 61 74 69 |ord of c|elebrati|
|00005100| 6e 67 20 0d 20 20 20 20 | 20 74 68 65 20 62 69 72 |ng . | the bir|
|00005110| 74 68 20 6f 66 20 43 68 | 72 69 73 74 20 61 6e 64 |th of Ch|rist and|
|00005120| 20 74 68 65 72 65 20 69 | 73 20 6e 6f 20 61 75 74 | there i|s no aut|
|00005130| 68 6f 72 69 74 79 20 69 | 6e 20 73 63 72 69 70 74 |hority i|n script|
|00005140| 75 72 65 20 20 0d 20 20 | 20 20 20 67 69 76 65 6e |ure . | given|
|00005150| 20 74 6f 20 62 65 6c 69 | 65 76 65 72 73 20 77 68 | to beli|evers wh|
|00005160| 69 63 68 20 61 6c 6c 6f | 77 73 20 74 68 65 6d 20 |ich allo|ws them |
|00005170| 74 6f 20 63 65 6c 65 62 | 72 61 74 65 20 48 69 73 |to celeb|rate His|
|00005180| 20 62 69 72 74 68 20 0d | 20 20 20 20 20 69 6e 20 | birth .| in |
|00005190| 74 68 69 73 20 6d 61 6e | 6e 65 72 2e 0a 0a 9d 49 |this man|ner....I|
|000051a0| 49 2e 20 20 49 66 20 6f | 75 72 20 68 65 61 72 74 |I. If o|ur heart|
|000051b0| 20 61 74 74 69 74 75 64 | 65 20 69 73 20 72 69 67 | attitud|e is rig|
|000051c0| 68 74 2c 20 77 68 61 74 | 20 64 6f 65 73 20 69 74 |ht, what| does it|
|000051d0| 20 6d 61 74 74 65 72 20 | 69 66 20 74 68 65 20 0a | matter |if the .|
|000051e0| 20 20 20 20 20 6f 72 69 | 67 69 6e 20 69 73 20 62 | ori|gin is b|
|000051f0| 61 64 3f 0a 0a 9c 20 20 | 20 20 20 54 68 65 20 73 |ad?... | The s|
|00005200| 63 72 69 70 74 75 72 65 | 73 20 73 75 63 68 20 61 |cripture|s such a|
|00005210| 73 20 49 49 20 43 6f 72 | 69 6e 74 68 69 61 6e 73 |s II Cor|inthians|
|00005220| 20 36 3a 31 34 2d 37 3a | 31 20 61 6e 64 0a 20 20 | 6:14-7:|1 and. |
|00005230| 20 20 20 49 20 43 6f 72 | 69 6e 74 68 69 61 6e 73 | I Cor|inthians|
|00005240| 20 31 30 3a 31 38 2d 32 | 32 20 67 69 76 65 20 65 | 10:18-2|2 give e|
|00005250| 76 69 64 65 6e 63 65 20 | 74 68 61 74 20 77 65 20 |vidence |that we |
|00005260| 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 6e | 6f 74 0a 20 20 20 20 20 |should n|ot. |
|00005270| 62 65 20 69 6e 76 6f 6c | 76 65 64 20 69 6e 20 61 |be invol|ved in a|
|00005280| 20 6d 69 78 74 75 72 65 | 20 6f 66 20 61 6e 79 74 | mixture| of anyt|
|00005290| 68 69 6e 67 20 74 68 61 | 74 20 69 6e 76 6f 6c 76 |hing tha|t involv|
|000052a0| 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 20 | 20 20 20 0a 20 20 20 20 |es the | . |
|000052b0| 20 6d 69 78 74 75 72 65 | 20 6f 66 20 74 72 75 74 | mixture| of trut|
|000052c0| 68 20 77 69 74 68 20 65 | 72 72 6f 72 2e 20 20 57 |h with e|rror. W|
|000052d0| 65 20 61 72 65 20 73 6f | 20 71 75 69 63 6b 20 74 |e are so| quick t|
|000052e0| 6f 20 6a 75 64 67 65 20 | 0a 20 20 20 20 20 74 68 |o judge |. th|
|000052f0| 65 20 63 75 6c 74 73 20 | 66 6f 72 20 6d 69 78 69 |e cults |for mixi|
|00005300| 6e 67 20 74 72 75 74 68 | 20 77 69 74 68 20 65 72 |ng truth| with er|
|00005310| 72 6f 72 2c 20 79 65 74 | 20 77 65 20 0a 20 20 20 |ror, yet| we . |
|00005320| 20 20 61 6c 6c 6f 77 20 | 6f 75 72 73 65 6c 76 65 | allow |ourselve|
|00005330| 73 20 74 6f 20 64 6f 20 | 74 68 65 20 73 61 6d 65 |s to do |the same|
|00005340| 20 74 68 69 6e 67 2e 20 | 20 49 49 20 43 6f 72 69 | thing. | II Cori|
|00005350| 6e 74 68 69 61 6e 73 20 | 36 0a 20 20 20 20 20 65 |nthians |6. e|
|00005360| 78 68 6f 72 74 73 20 75 | 73 20 74 6f 20 6b 65 65 |xhorts u|s to kee|
|00005370| 70 20 61 77 61 79 20 66 | 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 61 74 |p away f|rom that|
|00005380| 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 69 | 73 20 75 6e 63 6c 65 61 | which i|s unclea|
|00005390| 6e 0a 20 20 20 20 20 61 | 6e 64 20 74 6f 20 73 65 |n. a|nd to se|
|000053a0| 70 61 72 61 74 65 20 6f | 75 72 73 65 6c 76 65 73 |parate o|urselves|
|000053b0| 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 61 6c | 6c 20 66 6f 72 6d 73 20 | from al|l forms |
|000053c0| 6f 66 20 69 64 6f 6c 61 | 74 72 79 2e 0a 20 20 20 |of idola|try.. |
|000053d0| 20 20 54 68 65 20 77 6f | 72 64 20 6f 66 20 47 6f | The wo|rd of Go|
|000053e0| 64 20 64 65 6d 61 6e 64 | 73 20 70 75 72 69 74 79 |d demand|s purity|
|000053f0| 20 69 6e 20 62 6f 74 68 | 20 6f 75 72 20 61 74 74 | in both| our att|
|00005400| 69 74 75 64 65 73 20 61 | 6e 64 20 20 20 20 0d 20 |itudes a|nd . |
|00005410| 20 20 20 20 61 63 74 69 | 6f 6e 73 2c 20 74 6f 20 | acti|ons, to |
|00005420| 77 61 6c 6b 20 69 6e 20 | 53 70 69 72 69 74 20 61 |walk in |Spirit a|
|00005430| 6e 64 20 69 6e 20 9d 54 | 52 55 54 48 2e 9c 20 20 |nd in .T|RUTH.. |
|00005440| 53 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 73 | 65 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 |So you s|ee that |
|00005450| 20 20 0d 20 20 20 20 20 | 6f 75 72 20 68 65 61 72 | . |our hear|
|00005460| 74 20 61 74 74 69 74 75 | 64 65 20 68 61 73 20 67 |t attitu|de has g|
|00005470| 6f 74 20 74 6f 20 62 65 | 20 62 61 73 65 64 20 75 |ot to be| based u|
|00005480| 70 6f 6e 20 74 72 75 74 | 68 20 6f 72 20 65 6c 73 |pon trut|h or els|
|00005490| 65 20 69 74 dc 6a 00 00 | 00 00 02 00 dc 0b 20 20 |e it.j..|...... |
|000054a0| 20 20 20 69 73 20 74 68 | 65 20 77 72 6f 6e 67 20 | is th|e wrong |
|000054b0| 61 74 74 69 74 75 64 65 | 20 6e 6f 20 6d 61 74 74 |attitude| no matt|
|000054c0| 65 72 20 68 6f 77 20 27 | 69 6e 6e 6f 63 65 6e 74 |er how '|innocent|
|000054d0| 27 20 6f 72 20 27 67 6f | 6f 64 27 20 69 74 20 0d |' or 'go|od' it .|
|000054e0| 20 20 20 20 20 6d 61 79 | 20 66 65 65 6c 20 74 6f | may| feel to|
|000054f0| 20 75 73 2e 0a 0a 9d 49 | 49 49 2e 20 44 69 64 6e | us....I|II. Didn|
|00005500| 27 74 20 74 68 65 20 61 | 70 6f 73 74 6c 65 20 50 |'t the a|postle P|
|00005510| 61 75 6c 20 73 61 79 20 | 6e 6f 74 20 74 6f 20 6a |aul say |not to j|
|00005520| 75 64 67 65 20 6f 6e 65 | 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 |udge one| another|
|00005530| 20 69 6e 20 0a 20 20 20 | 20 20 72 65 67 61 72 64 | in . | regard|
|00005540| 73 20 74 6f 20 68 6f 6c | 79 20 64 61 79 73 20 61 |s to hol|y days a|
|00005550| 6e 64 20 72 65 6c 69 67 | 69 6f 75 73 20 66 65 73 |nd relig|ious fes|
|00005560| 74 69 76 61 6c 73 3f 9c | 0a 0a 09 59 65 73 2c 20 |tivals?.|...Yes, |
|00005570| 50 61 75 6c 20 64 69 64 | 20 73 61 79 20 74 68 69 |Paul did| say thi|
|00005580| 73 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 | 20 32 6e 64 20 63 68 61 |s in the| 2nd cha|
|00005590| 70 74 65 72 20 6f 66 20 | 43 6f 6c 6f 73 73 69 61 |pter of |Colossia|
|000055a0| 6e 73 2e 20 20 49 6e 0a | 20 20 20 20 20 74 68 65 |ns. In.| the|
|000055b0| 20 63 6f 6e 74 65 78 74 | 20 6f 66 20 74 68 69 73 | context| of this|
|000055c0| 20 63 68 61 70 74 65 72 | 2c 20 68 6f 77 65 76 65 | chapter|, howeve|
|000055d0| 72 2c 20 50 61 75 6c 20 | 77 61 73 20 64 65 61 6c |r, Paul |was deal|
|000055e0| 69 6e 67 20 77 69 74 68 | 0a 20 20 20 20 20 4a 65 |ing with|. Je|
|000055f0| 77 69 73 68 20 68 6f 6c | 69 64 61 79 73 20 61 6e |wish hol|idays an|
|00005600| 64 20 66 65 73 74 69 76 | 61 6c 73 2c 20 6e 6f 74 |d festiv|als, not|
|00005610| 20 70 61 67 61 6e 20 6f | 72 20 69 64 6f 6c 61 74 | pagan o|r idolat|
|00005620| 72 6f 75 73 0a 20 20 20 | 20 20 66 65 73 74 69 76 |rous. | festiv|
|00005630| 61 6c 73 2e 20 20 57 65 | 20 68 61 76 65 20 73 65 |als. We| have se|
|00005640| 65 6e 20 74 68 61 74 20 | 50 61 75 6c 20 68 61 73 |en that |Paul has|
|00005650| 20 6d 75 63 68 20 74 6f | 20 73 61 79 20 61 62 6f | much to| say abo|
|00005660| 75 74 0a 20 20 20 20 20 | 69 64 6f 6c 61 74 72 79 |ut. |idolatry|
|00005670| 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 | 20 62 65 6c 69 65 76 65 | and the| believe|
|00005680| 72 27 73 20 61 62 73 74 | 69 6e 65 6e 63 65 20 66 |r's abst|inence f|
|00005690| 72 6f 6d 20 69 74 20 69 | 6e 20 61 6c 6c 20 66 6f |rom it i|n all fo|
|000056a0| 72 6d 73 3b 0a 20 20 20 | 20 20 74 68 65 72 65 66 |rms;. | theref|
|000056b0| 6f 72 65 2c 20 69 6e 20 | 74 68 69 73 20 63 6f 6e |ore, in |this con|
|000056c0| 74 65 78 74 20 77 65 20 | 73 65 65 20 74 68 61 74 |text we |see that|
|000056d0| 20 74 68 69 73 20 70 61 | 73 73 61 67 65 20 6f 66 | this pa|ssage of|
|000056e0| 0a 20 20 20 20 20 73 63 | 72 69 70 74 75 72 65 20 |. sc|ripture |
|000056f0| 64 6f 65 73 20 6e 6f 74 | 20 61 70 70 6c 79 20 74 |does not| apply t|
|00005700| 6f 20 6f 75 72 20 64 69 | 73 63 75 73 73 69 6f 6e |o our di|scussion|
|00005710| 2e 20 20 50 61 75 6c 20 | 64 6f 65 73 2c 20 6f 66 |. Paul |does, of|
|00005720| 0a 20 20 20 20 20 63 6f | 75 72 73 65 2c 20 74 61 |. co|urse, ta|
|00005730| 6c 6b 20 61 62 6f 75 74 | 20 65 61 74 69 6e 67 20 |lk about| eating |
|00005740| 6d 65 61 74 20 73 61 63 | 72 69 66 69 63 65 64 20 |meat sac|rificed |
|00005750| 74 6f 20 69 64 6f 6c 73 | 20 61 6e 64 20 73 61 79 |to idols| and say|
|00005760| 73 0a 20 20 20 20 20 74 | 68 61 74 20 61 6e 20 69 |s. t|hat an i|
|00005770| 64 6f 6c 20 69 73 20 6e | 6f 74 68 69 6e 67 20 61 |dol is n|othing a|
|00005780| 6e 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 | 77 65 20 73 68 6f 75 6c |nd that |we shoul|
|00005790| 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 72 61 | 69 73 65 0a 20 20 20 20 |d not ra|ise. |
|000057a0| 20 71 75 65 73 74 69 6f | 6e 73 20 6f 66 20 63 6f | questio|ns of co|
|000057b0| 6e 73 63 69 65 6e 63 65 | 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 |nscience| about t|
|000057c0| 68 65 20 65 61 74 69 6e | 67 20 6f 66 20 73 75 63 |he eatin|g of suc|
|000057d0| 68 20 6d 65 61 74 2e 20 | 20 54 68 65 0a 20 20 20 |h meat. | The. |
|000057e0| 20 20 6c 6f 67 69 63 20 | 6f 66 20 63 6f 6d 70 61 | logic |of compa|
|000057f0| 72 69 6e 67 20 27 6d 65 | 61 74 20 73 61 63 72 69 |ring 'me|at sacri|
|00005800| 66 69 63 65 64 20 74 6f | 20 69 64 6f 6c 73 27 20 |ficed to| idols' |
|00005810| 74 6f 20 27 43 68 72 69 | 73 74 6d 61 73 20 0d 20 |to 'Chri|stmas . |
|00005820| 20 20 20 20 66 65 73 74 | 69 76 69 74 69 65 73 27 | fest|ivities'|
|00005830| 20 69 73 20 66 61 75 6c | 74 79 20 61 6e 64 20 63 | is faul|ty and c|
|00005840| 61 6e 6e 6f 74 20 62 65 | 20 64 6f 6e 65 20 68 6f |annot be| done ho|
|00005850| 6e 65 73 74 6c 79 2e 20 | 20 49 6e 20 0a 20 20 20 |nestly. | In . |
|00005860| 20 20 49 20 43 6f 72 69 | 6e 74 68 69 61 6e 73 20 | I Cori|nthians |
|00005870| 63 68 61 70 74 65 72 20 | 31 30 2c 20 73 74 61 72 |chapter |10, star|
|00005880| 74 69 6e 67 20 61 74 20 | 76 65 72 73 65 20 32 30 |ting at |verse 20|
|00005890| 20 50 61 75 6c 20 77 72 | 69 74 65 73 3a 0a 0a 20 | Paul wr|ites:.. |
|000058a0| 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | 20 22 4e 6f 2c 20 62 75 | | "No, bu|
|000058b0| 74 20 74 68 65 20 73 61 | 63 72 69 66 69 63 65 73 |t the sa|crifices|
|000058c0| 20 6f 66 20 70 61 67 61 | 6e 73 20 61 72 65 20 6f | of paga|ns are o|
|000058d0| 66 66 65 72 65 64 20 74 | 6f 20 0a 20 20 20 20 20 |ffered t|o . |
|000058e0| 20 20 20 20 20 20 64 65 | 6d 6f 6e 73 2c 20 6e 6f | de|mons, no|
|000058f0| 74 20 74 6f 20 47 6f 64 | 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 49 20 |t to God|, and I |
|00005900| 64 6f 20 6e 6f 74 20 77 | 61 6e 74 20 79 6f 75 20 |do not w|ant you |
|00005910| 74 6f 20 62 65 0a 20 20 | 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 |to be. | |
|00005920| 20 70 61 72 74 69 63 69 | 70 61 6e 74 73 20 77 69 | partici|pants wi|
|00005930| 74 68 20 64 65 6d 6f 6e | 73 2e 20 20 59 6f 75 20 |th demon|s. You |
|00005940| 63 61 6e 6e 6f 74 20 64 | 72 69 6e 6b 20 74 68 65 |cannot d|rink the|
|00005950| 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 | 20 20 20 20 63 75 70 20 |. | cup |
|00005960| 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 4c | 6f 72 64 20 61 6e 64 20 |of the L|ord and |
|00005970| 74 68 65 20 63 75 70 20 | 6f 66 20 64 65 6d 6f 6e |the cup |of demon|
|00005980| 73 20 74 6f 6f 3b 20 79 | 6f 75 0a 20 20 20 20 20 |s too; y|ou. |
|00005990| 20 20 20 20 20 20 63 61 | 6e 6e 6f 74 20 68 61 76 | ca|nnot hav|
|000059a0| 65 20 61 20 70 61 72 74 | 20 69 6e 20 62 6f 74 68 |e a part| in both|
|000059b0| 20 74 68 65 20 4c 6f 72 | 64 27 73 20 74 61 62 6c | the Lor|d's tabl|
|000059c0| 65 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 | 65 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 |e and th|e. |
|000059d0| 20 20 20 20 20 74 61 62 | 6c 65 20 6f 66 20 64 65 | tab|le of de|
|000059e0| 6d 6f 6e 73 2e 20 20 41 | 72 65 20 77 65 20 74 72 |mons. A|re we tr|
|000059f0| 79 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 | 61 72 6f 75 73 65 20 74 |ying to |arouse t|
|00005a00| 68 65 20 4c 6f 72 64 27 | 73 0a 20 20 20 20 20 20 |he Lord'|s. |
|00005a10| 20 20 20 20 20 6a 65 61 | 6c 6f 75 73 79 3f 20 20 | jea|lousy? |
|00005a20| 41 72 65 20 77 65 20 73 | 74 72 6f 6e 67 65 72 20 |Are we s|tronger |
|00005a30| 74 68 61 6e 20 68 65 3f | 0a 0a 20 20 20 20 20 53 |than he?|.. S|
|00005a40| 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 73 65 | 65 2c 20 74 68 61 74 20 |o you se|e, that |
|00005a50| 74 68 65 20 73 61 63 72 | 69 66 69 63 65 73 20 74 |the sacr|ifices t|
|00005a60| 68 61 74 20 75 6e 62 65 | 6c 69 65 76 65 72 73 20 |hat unbe|lievers |
|00005a70| 6d 61 6b 65 0a 20 20 20 | 20 20 64 75 72 69 6e 67 |make. | during|
|00005a80| 20 74 68 65 20 43 68 72 | 69 73 74 6d 61 73 20 73 | the Chr|istmas s|
|00005a90| 65 61 73 6f 6e 20 61 72 | 65 20 6f 66 66 65 72 65 |eason ar|e offere|
|00005aa0| 64 20 74 6f 20 64 65 6d | 6f 6e 73 2c 20 6e 6f 74 |d to dem|ons, not|
|00005ab0| 0a 20 20 20 20 20 74 6f | 20 47 6f 64 2e 20 20 50 |. to| God. P|
|00005ac0| 61 75 6c 20 65 78 68 6f | 72 74 73 20 75 73 20 74 |aul exho|rts us t|
|00005ad0| 6f 20 6e 6f 74 20 70 61 | 72 74 61 6b 65 20 69 6e |o not pa|rtake in|
|00005ae0| 20 73 75 63 68 20 74 68 | 69 6e 67 73 2e 0a 20 20 | such th|ings.. |
|00005af0| 20 0a 9d 49 56 2e 20 20 | 49 66 20 77 65 20 73 74 | ..IV. |If we st|
|00005b00| 75 62 62 6f 72 6e 6c 79 | 20 61 62 73 74 61 69 6e |ubbornly| abstain|
|00005b10| 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 | 65 20 66 65 73 74 69 76 | from th|e festiv|
|00005b20| 69 74 69 65 73 20 6f 66 | 20 43 68 72 69 73 74 6d |ities of| Christm|
|00005b30| 61 73 2c 0a 20 20 20 20 | 20 68 6f 77 20 73 68 61 |as,. | how sha|
|00005b40| 6c 6c 20 77 65 20 65 76 | 65 72 20 77 69 6e 20 6f |ll we ev|er win o|
|00005b50| 75 72 20 66 61 6d 69 6c | 69 65 73 20 61 6e 64 20 |ur famil|ies and |
|00005b60| 66 72 69 65 6e 64 73 20 | 74 6f 20 4a 65 73 75 73 |friends |to Jesus|
|00005b70| 20 0a 20 20 20 20 20 28 | 74 68 65 79 20 77 69 6c | . (|they wil|
|00005b80| 6c 20 63 61 6c 6c 20 75 | 73 20 66 61 6e 61 74 69 |l call u|s fanati|
|00005b90| 63 73 29 3f 0a 0a 9c 20 | 20 20 20 20 57 68 61 74 |cs)?... | What|
|00005ba0| 65 76 65 72 20 70 65 6f | 70 6c 65 20 6d 61 79 20 |ever peo|ple may |
|00005bb0| 63 61 6c 6c 20 75 73 2c | 20 66 61 6e 61 74 69 63 |call us,| fanatic|
|00005bc0| 73 2c 20 4a 65 68 6f 76 | 61 68 20 57 69 74 6e 65 |s, Jehov|ah Witne|
|00005bd0| 73 73 65 73 2c 0a 20 20 | 20 20 20 65 74 63 2e 20 |sses,. | etc. |
|00005be0| 79 6f 75 20 77 69 6c 6c | 20 62 65 20 6b 6e 6f 77 |you will| be know|
|00005bf0| 6e 20 61 73 20 43 68 72 | 69 73 74 69 61 6e 73 2c |n as Chr|istians,|
|00005c00| 20 61 6e 64 20 69 6e 20 | 74 68 65 20 73 65 63 72 | and in |the secr|
|00005c10| 65 74 0a 20 20 20 20 20 | 63 6f 6e 73 63 69 65 6e |et. |conscien|
|00005c20| 63 65 73 20 6f 66 20 6d | 65 6e 20 79 6f 75 20 77 |ces of m|en you w|
|00005c30| 69 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 61 | 63 6b 6e 6f 77 6c 65 64 |ill be a|cknowled|
|00005c40| 67 65 64 20 61 73 20 73 | 75 63 68 2e 20 20 48 6f |ged as s|uch. Ho|
|00005c50| 77 0a 20 20 20 20 20 77 | 61 73 20 69 74 20 77 69 |w. w|as it wi|
|00005c60| 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 65 | 61 72 6c 79 20 43 68 72 |th the e|arly Chr|
|00005c70| 69 73 74 69 61 6e 73 3f | 20 20 54 68 65 79 20 6c |istians?| They l|
|00005c80| 69 76 65 64 20 73 6f 20 | 73 65 70 61 72 61 74 65 |ived so |separate|
|00005c90| 0a 20 20 20 20 20 66 72 | 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 77 |. fr|om the w|
|00005ca0| 6f 72 6c 64 20 61 6e 64 | 20 69 74 20 6d 61 64 65 |orld and| it made|
|00005cb0| 20 73 75 63 68 20 61 6e | 20 69 6d 70 72 65 73 73 | such an| impress|
|00005cc0| 69 6f 6e 20 74 68 61 74 | 20 65 76 65 6e 0a 20 20 |ion that| even. |
|00005cd0| 20 20 20 70 61 67 61 6e | 20 77 72 69 74 65 72 73 | pagan| writers|
|00005ce0| 20 73 61 79 20 6f 66 20 | 74 68 65 6d 2c 20 22 54 | say of |them, "T|
|00005cf0| 68 65 73 65 20 6d 65 6e | 20 77 69 6e 20 74 68 65 |hese men| win the|
|00005d00| 20 68 65 61 72 74 73 20 | 6f 66 20 74 68 65 0a 20 | hearts |of the. |
|00005d10| 20 20 20 20 6d 61 73 73 | 20 6f 66 20 70 65 6f 70 | mass| of peop|
|00005d20| 6c 65 2c 20 62 65 63 61 | 75 73 65 20 74 68 65 79 |le, beca|use they|
|00005d30| 20 67 69 76 65 20 74 68 | 65 6d 73 65 6c 76 65 73 | give th|emselves|
|00005d40| 20 75 70 20 74 6f 20 64 | 65 65 64 73 0a 20 20 20 | up to d|eeds. |
|00005d50| 20 20 6f 66 20 63 68 61 | 72 69 74 79 2c 20 61 6e | of cha|rity, an|
|00005d60| 64 20 70 6f 75 72 20 63 | 6f 6e 74 65 6d 70 74 20 |d pour c|ontempt |
|00005d70| 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 77 | 6f 72 6c 64 2e 22 20 20 |on the w|orld." |
|00005d80| 49 66 20 43 68 72 69 73 | 74 69 61 6e 73 0a 20 20 |If Chris|tians. |
|00005d90| 20 20 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 | 20 6c 69 76 65 20 6c 69 | would| live li|
|00005da0| 6b 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 | 74 6f 64 61 79 2c 20 74 |ke this |today, t|
|00005db0| 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 | 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 71 |he world| would q|
|00005dc0| 75 69 63 6b 6c 79 20 62 | 65 20 0a 20 20 20 20 20 |uickly b|e . |
|00005dd0| 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 74 65 | 64 2e 20 20 54 6f 20 70 |converte|d. To p|
|00005de0| 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 66 | 65 65 6c 69 6e 67 73 20 |ut the f|eelings |
|00005df0| 6f 66 20 75 6e 62 65 6c | 69 65 76 69 6e 67 20 72 |of unbel|ieving r|
|00005e00| 65 6c 61 74 69 76 65 73 | 0a 20 20 20 20 20 28 74 |elatives|. (t|
|00005e10| 68 65 79 20 6d 61 79 20 | 62 65 20 6f 66 66 65 6e |hey may |be offen|
|00005e20| 64 65 64 20 69 66 20 77 | 65 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 |ded if w|e don't |
|00005e30| 63 65 6c 65 62 72 61 74 | 65 20 43 68 72 69 73 74 |celebrat|e Christ|
|00005e40| 6d 61 73 29 20 0a 20 20 | 20 20 20 62 65 66 6f 72 |mas) . | befor|
|00005e50| 65 20 6f 62 65 64 69 65 | 6e 63 65 20 61 6e 64 20 |e obedie|nce and |
|00005e60| 73 69 6e 63 65 72 69 74 | 79 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 |sincerit|y before|
|00005e70| 20 47 6f 64 20 69 73 20 | 70 75 74 74 69 6e 67 20 | God is |putting |
|00005e80| 74 68 65 6d 0a 20 20 20 | 20 20 69 6e 20 61 20 68 |them. | in a h|
|00005e90| 69 67 68 65 72 20 70 6c | 61 63 65 20 6f 66 20 69 |igher pl|ace of i|
|00005ea0| 6d 70 6f 72 74 61 6e 63 | 65 20 74 68 61 6e 20 47 |mportanc|e than G|
|00005eb0| 6f 64 2e 20 20 41 6e 64 | 20 4a 65 73 75 73 20 68 |od. And| Jesus h|
|00005ec0| 61 73 0a 20 20 20 20 20 | 73 61 69 64 2c 20 22 41 |as. |said, "A|
|00005ed0| 6e 79 6f 6e 65 20 77 68 | 6f 20 6c 6f 76 65 73 20 |nyone wh|o loves |
|00005ee0| 68 69 73 20 66 61 74 68 | 65 72 20 6f 72 20 6d 6f |his fath|er or mo|
|00005ef0| 74 68 65 72 20 6d 6f 72 | 65 20 74 68 61 6e 20 6d |ther mor|e than m|
|00005f00| 65 0a 20 20 20 20 20 69 | 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 77 6f |e. i|s not wo|
|00005f10| 72 74 68 79 20 6f 66 20 | 6d 65 2e 2e 2e 22 20 28 |rthy of |me..." (|
|00005f20| 4d 61 74 74 2e 31 30 3a | 33 37 29 2e 0a 0a 0a dc |Matt.10:|37).....|
|00005f30| 6a 00 00 00 00 00 00 dc | 8c 9d 56 2e 20 20 20 54 |j.......|..V. T|
|00005f40| 68 65 20 6b 69 6e 67 64 | 6f 6d 20 6f 66 20 47 6f |he kingd|om of Go|
|00005f50| 64 20 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 | 20 61 20 6d 61 74 74 65 |d is not| a matte|
|00005f60| 72 20 6f 66 20 73 75 63 | 68 20 74 72 69 76 69 61 |r of suc|h trivia|
|00005f70| 6c 20 74 68 69 6e 67 73 | 0a 20 20 20 20 20 61 73 |l things|. as|
|00005f80| 20 74 68 65 73 65 2c 20 | 73 6f 20 77 68 79 20 77 | these, |so why w|
|00005f90| 61 73 74 65 20 6f 75 72 | 20 74 69 6d 65 20 64 69 |aste our| time di|
|00005fa0| 73 63 75 73 73 69 6e 67 | 20 74 68 65 6d 3f 0a 0a |scussing| them?..|
|00005fb0| 20 20 20 20 20 9c 41 20 | 43 68 72 69 73 74 69 61 | .A |Christia|
|00005fc0| 6e 20 77 68 6f 20 66 65 | 61 72 73 20 74 68 65 20 |n who fe|ars the |
|00005fd0| 4c 6f 72 64 20 77 69 6c | 6c 20 70 75 72 73 75 65 |Lord wil|l pursue|
|00005fe0| 20 74 68 65 20 73 75 62 | 6a 65 63 74 20 75 6e 74 | the sub|ject unt|
|00005ff0| 69 6c 0a 20 20 20 20 20 | 68 65 20 69 73 20 65 69 |il. |he is ei|
|00006000| 74 68 65 72 20 63 75 74 | 20 6f 66 66 20 66 72 6f |ther cut| off fro|
|00006010| 6d 20 63 6f 6e 66 6f 72 | 6d 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 |m confor|ming to |
|00006020| 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6c | 64 20 6f 72 20 63 75 74 |the worl|d or cut|
|00006030| 20 6f 66 66 0a 20 20 20 | 20 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 | off. | from t|
|00006040| 68 65 20 63 68 75 72 63 | 68 2e 20 20 49 74 20 69 |he churc|h. It i|
|00006050| 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 6f 6e | 6c 79 20 43 68 72 69 73 |s not on|ly Chris|
|00006060| 74 6d 61 73 2c 20 61 73 | 20 73 75 63 68 2c 20 62 |tmas, as| such, b|
|00006070| 75 74 20 69 74 0a 20 20 | 20 20 20 69 73 20 63 6f |ut it. | is co|
|00006080| 6e 66 6f 72 6d 69 74 79 | 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 |nformity| to the |
|00006090| 77 6f 72 6c 64 20 69 6e | 20 67 65 6e 65 72 61 6c |world in| general|
|000060a0| 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 73 | 20 74 68 65 20 67 72 65 | that is| the gre|
|000060b0| 61 74 0a 20 20 20 20 20 | 73 74 75 6d 62 6c 69 6e |at. |stumblin|
|000060c0| 67 20 62 6c 6f 63 6b 20 | 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 77 |g block |in the w|
|000060d0| 61 79 20 6f 66 20 73 69 | 6e 6e 65 72 73 2e 20 20 |ay of si|nners. |
|000060e0| 48 6f 77 20 63 61 6e 20 | 74 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6c |How can |the worl|
|000060f0| 64 20 62 65 0a 20 20 20 | 20 20 63 6f 6e 76 65 72 |d be. | conver|
|00006100| 74 65 64 2c 20 77 68 69 | 6c 65 20 70 72 6f 66 65 |ted, whi|le profe|
|00006110| 73 73 69 6e 67 20 43 68 | 72 69 73 74 69 61 6e 73 |ssing Ch|ristians|
|00006120| 20 61 72 65 20 63 6f 6e | 66 6f 72 6d 65 64 20 74 | are con|formed t|
|00006130| 6f 20 74 68 65 20 0a 20 | 20 20 20 20 77 6f 72 6c |o the . | worl|
|00006140| 64 3f 20 20 54 68 65 20 | 75 6e 62 65 6c 69 65 76 |d? The |unbeliev|
|00006150| 65 72 73 20 6d 61 79 20 | 6a 75 73 74 20 61 73 20 |ers may |just as |
|00006160| 77 65 6c 6c 20 61 73 6b | 2c 20 22 57 68 61 74 20 |well ask|, "What |
|00006170| 70 72 6f 66 69 74 0a 20 | 20 20 20 20 77 69 6c 6c |profit. | will|
|00006180| 20 69 74 20 62 65 20 74 | 6f 20 62 65 63 6f 6d 65 | it be t|o become|
|00006190| 20 43 68 72 69 73 74 69 | 61 6e 73 2c 20 77 68 65 | Christi|ans, whe|
|000061a0| 6e 20 74 68 6f 73 65 20 | 77 68 6f 20 61 72 65 0a |n those |who are.|
|000061b0| 20 20 20 20 20 43 68 72 | 69 73 74 69 61 6e 73 20 | Chr|istians |
|000061c0| 61 72 65 20 70 75 72 73 | 75 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 |are purs|uing the|
|000061d0| 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 20 77 | 69 74 68 20 61 6c 6c 20 | world w|ith all |
|000061e0| 74 68 65 20 76 69 67 6f | 72 20 74 68 61 74 0a 20 |the vigo|r that. |
|000061f0| 20 20 20 20 77 65 20 61 | 72 65 3f 22 20 20 22 42 | we a|re?" "B|
|00006200| 6f 72 6e 20 61 67 61 69 | 6e 22 20 43 68 72 69 73 |orn agai|n" Chris|
|00006210| 74 69 61 6e 73 20 61 72 | 65 20 74 68 65 20 6c 61 |tians ar|e the la|
|00006220| 75 67 68 69 6e 67 20 73 | 74 6f 63 6b 0a 20 20 20 |ughing s|tock. |
|00006230| 20 20 6f 66 20 6d 61 6e | 79 20 63 75 6c 74 73 20 | of man|y cults |
|00006240| 61 6e 64 20 73 65 63 75 | 6c 61 72 69 73 74 73 20 |and secu|larists |
|00006250| 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 | 6f 66 20 74 68 65 69 72 |because |of their|
|00006260| 20 69 67 6e 6f 72 61 6e | 63 65 20 69 6e 20 0d 20 | ignoran|ce in . |
|00006270| 20 20 20 20 6d 61 74 74 | 65 72 73 20 73 75 63 68 | matt|ers such|
|00006280| 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 73 | 65 2e 20 20 53 65 70 61 | as thes|e. Sepa|
|00006290| 72 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 66 | 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 |ration f|rom the |
|000062a0| 77 6f 72 6c 64 20 69 73 | 20 6e 6f 74 20 61 20 0a |world is| not a .|
|000062b0| 20 20 20 20 20 74 72 69 | 76 69 61 6c 20 6d 61 74 | tri|vial mat|
|000062c0| 74 65 72 2e 20 20 49 74 | 20 69 73 20 65 73 73 65 |ter. It| is esse|
|000062d0| 6e 74 69 61 6c 20 66 6f | 72 20 65 6e 67 61 67 69 |ntial fo|r engagi|
|000062e0| 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 0a 20 | 20 20 20 20 70 6f 77 65 |ng in . | powe|
|000062f0| 72 66 75 6c 20 70 72 61 | 79 65 72 2c 20 77 68 69 |rful pra|yer, whi|
|00006300| 63 68 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 | 62 72 69 6e 67 20 66 6f |ch will |bring fo|
|00006310| 72 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 | 70 6f 77 65 72 20 0a 20 |rth the |power . |
|00006320| 20 20 20 20 61 6e 64 20 | 62 6c 65 73 73 69 6e 67 | and |blessing|
|00006330| 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 | 48 6f 6c 79 20 53 70 69 | of the |Holy Spi|
|00006340| 72 69 74 20 74 6f 20 63 | 6f 6e 76 65 72 74 20 74 |rit to c|onvert t|
|00006350| 68 65 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 | 2e 20 20 0a 20 20 20 20 |he world|. . |
|00006360| 20 53 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 | 73 65 65 2c 20 74 68 69 | So you |see, thi|
|00006370| 73 20 73 75 62 6a 65 63 | 74 20 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 |s subjec|t is not|
|00006380| 20 74 72 69 76 69 61 6c | 2e 0a 0a 9d 56 49 2e 20 | trivial|....VI. |
|00006390| 20 49 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 | 74 68 61 74 20 43 68 72 | I know |that Chr|
|000063a0| 69 73 74 6d 61 73 20 69 | 73 20 70 61 67 61 6e 2c |istmas i|s pagan,|
|000063b0| 20 62 75 74 20 77 68 65 | 72 65 20 64 6f 65 73 20 | but whe|re does |
|000063c0| 6f 6e 65 20 64 72 61 77 | 20 74 68 65 0a 20 20 20 |one draw| the. |
|000063d0| 20 20 6c 69 6e 65 20 72 | 65 67 61 72 64 69 6e 67 | line r|egarding|
|000063e0| 20 61 62 73 74 69 6e 65 | 6e 63 65 20 66 72 6f 6d | abstine|nce from|
|000063f0| 20 63 65 72 74 61 69 6e | 20 74 68 69 6e 67 73 3f | certain| things?|
+--------+-------------------------+-------------------------+--------+--------+
Only 25.0 KB of data is shown above.