The truth about Christmas

Many Roman Emperors belonged to a cult called Sol Invictus.

Constantine portrayed Sol Invictus on the official coinage.

The Roman festival of natalis Invicti [Birth of the Unconquerable

(Sun)], held on 25 December, was a general festival of the Sun

According to the scholiast on the Syriac bishop Jacob Bar-Salibi,

writing in the twelfth century:

"It was a custom of the Pagans to celebrate on the same 25 December the birthday of the
Sun, at which they kindled lights in token of festivity. In these solemnities and revelries the
Christians also took part. Accordingly when the doctors of the Church perceived that the
Christians had a leaning to this festival, they took counsel and resolved that the true
Nativity should be solemnised on that day."

Some Romans also believed in a god called Mithras who is given the title "deus sol
invictus" (unconquered sun god) and who they also believe was born on the 25th
December. It is said that during the council of Nicea Constantine would allow the church to
become the offical state religion but they had to compromise and celebrate the birth of
Jesus (PBUH) on the 25th of december to coincide with that of Mithras and implement a
festival called the feast of ishtar - Easter is the celebration of the feast of Ishtar, a
Babylonian goddess of fertility. The word "Easter" is the western world's pronunciation of
"Ishtar". The feast of Ishtar was (and is) always scheduled to be held on the first Sunday
after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. Therefore, the date on the calendar
always varies from year to year.

Alexander Hislop, in his great work, The Two Babylons (Hislop, Alexander. The Two
Babylons. New York: Loizeaux Brothers. 1959), first published 1916 explained how the
Roman Catholic church "borrowed" the heathen holidays and "Christianized" them to bring
the focus of the people under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Church. Hislop's book is
a lengthy treatise and a "heavy" work to read and/or study. A more popular explanation of
this "Christianizing" process is found in Ralph Woodrow's Babylon Mystery Religion
(Woodrow, Ralph. Babylon Mystery Religion. California: Ralph Woodrow Evangelistic
Association. 1966.)
It is pointed out in these works, that the use of eggs and rabbits in celebrating Easter can
be traced back to their heathen use as symbols of fertility in celebrating the feast of Ishtar.
Are we to be prisoners to superstitions and slaves to traditions of obscure origins (Mark
7:8,9,13)