Most people never dig into the history of "tradition" - or why they believe what they believe and do what they do, especially with regard to "holidays". We live in a world filled with rituals and customs, but few people ever wonder about, or seek to understand their origins. We generally accept them without question, passed down from generation to generation. Most people basically do what everyone else does because it is easier and more natural to… "go with the flow!" (one of the reasons for the "sheep" metaphor). Take for example… the Santa Claus experience… "Saint" Nicholas.
Although I would hope to change everyone's mind about the perversion that is Santa Claus, I do not want to present here all the information that is available, nor even half of what is available. Should anyone REALLY care enough to do the right thing, you will need to search out the truth for yourself. But I do want to whet your appetites to know more.
I know very few people personally, who have ever rejected this perversion associated with Christmas, which I will write on in subsequent posts. This is disturbing to me. If we know of the evil in something and continue to embrace it, we have a problem… with our faith, with our Christianity, with the Truth, with holiness, with obedience, and on and on. And I do indeed here point that finger at you, pastors and "leaders" for allowing the perpetuation of this perversion.
Santa Claus, a condensed, innocuous version…
There was a man, Nicholas, born in Parara, Turkey in or around 270 AD who later became Bishop of Myra. He died in 345 AD on December 6th. He was only named a saint in the 19th century. Nicholas was among the most senior bishops who convened the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD and created "A" New Testament. The text they produced portrayed Jews as "the children of the devil" who sentenced Jesus to death.
In 1087, a group of sailors who idolized Nicholas moved his bones from Turkey to a sanctuary in Bari, Italy. There Nicholas supplanted a female boon-giving deity called The Grandmother, or Pasqua Epiphania, who used to fill the children's stockings with her gifts. The Grandmother was ousted from her shrine at Bari, which became the center of the Nicholas cult. Members of this group gave each other gifts during a pageant they conducted annually on the anniversary of Nicholas’ death, December 6.
In a bid for pagan adherents in Northern Europe, the Catholic Church adopted the Nicholas cult and taught that he did (and therefore they should) distribute gifts on December 25th instead of December 6th.
In 1809, the novelist Washington Irving (most famous for his The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Rip Van Winkle) wrote a satire of Dutch culture entitled "Knickerbocker History". The satire refers several times to the white bearded, flying-horse riding Saint Nicholas using his Dutch name, Santa Claus.
Dr. Clement Moore, a professor at Union Seminary, read "Knickerbocker History", and in 1822 he published a poem based on the character Santa Claus:
“Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was
stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in
the hope that Saint Nicholas soon would be there…”
Moore innovated by portraying a Santa with eight reindeer who descended through chimneys.
The German-American illustrator Thomas Nast almost completed the modern picture of Santa Claus. From 1862 through 1886, based on Moore’s poem, Nast drew more than 2,200 cartoon images of Santa for "Harper’s Weekly". Before Nast, Saint Nicholas had been pictured as everything from a stern looking bishop to a gnome-like figure in a frock. Nast also gave Santa a home at the North Pole, his workshop filled with elves, and his list of the good and bad children of the world. All Santa was missing was his red outfit.
In 1931, the Coca Cola Corporation contracted the Swedish commercial artist Haddon Sundblom to create a coke-drinking Santa. Sundblom modeled his Santa on his friend Lou Prentice, chosen for his cheerful, chubby face. The corporation insisted that Santa’s fur-trimmed suit be bright, Coca Cola red. And Santa was born... a blend of Christian crusader, pagan god, and commercial idol.
But… Is SANTA an anagram?
Santa Claus, the not-so-innocuous, condensed version…
The rearranging of letters (called anagrams) to hide secret names or words has long been practiced in the occult. One of the most well known anagram in the occult world is the name of Sanat Kumara. Sanat is better known as satan. Constance Cumbey, writes in her new-age expose', The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow, "they (New Agers) freely call Sanat Kumara (satan) god".
And their doctrinal reference books by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky and Alice Ann Bailey freely cross-reference Sanat Kumara with Venus. In occult writings, lucifer and Venus are one and the same." (Constance Cumbey, The Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow, p. 138).
Does she mean… like S-A-N-T-A?
Blavatsky also writes, the name is not important, the letters are.
"The name isn't important. It is the letters." (H.P. Blavatsky, The Secret Doctrine, Vol II, p. 350).
Is "Claus" another anagram for "Lucas"? It’s no secret Lucas and Lucis are new-age "code words" for lucifer. The new-age, occult publishing company founded by Alice Bailey was originally named "Lucifer Publishing Company" but in 1924 the name was cleverly changed to "Lucis Trust".
According to Langer’s Encyclopedia of World History, “Santa” was a common name for Nimrod throughout Asia Minor. This was also the same fire god to whom infants were burned and eaten in human sacrifice among those who were once God’s people, (see Tammuz, Molech, Baal, Nimrod). “Old Nick” has long been recognized as a term for the devil.
In Revelation 2:6 and 15, we read about a “doctrine of the Nicolaitans,” which Christ twice tells His Church “He hates”. Nicolaitan means “follower of Nicholas” or… "he who destroys people". Nikos means “conqueror, destroyer.” Laos means, “people”...referring to laity. Nicolaitans, then, are people who follow the conqueror or destroyer… Nimrod, and therefore, by extrapolation....satan..
Christmas Presents
In pre-Christian Rome, the emperors compelled their most despised citizens to bring offerings and gifts during the Saturnalia (in December) and Kalends (in January). Later, this ritual expanded to include gift-giving among the general populace. The Catholic Church gave this custom a Christian flavor by re-rooting it in the supposed gift-giving of Saint Nicholas.
Most will not research this. Some will, and dismiss it. In both cases, they do not REALLY want to know "the facts" because it will spoil the fun… there is too much responsibility in knowing the Truth. This is manifestly evident throughout Christendom. That speaks volumes about the faith, corporate and individual, and your true reverence of The Lord.
Do you believe celebrating Christmas is an innocent Christian custom?
Don't answer that yet. Wait for the next part.
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