There have been a number of threads recently on Christmas and its pagan origins. There is plenty of information in secular history, in any Encyclopedia, in the threads on this website even, about the unbiblical practices and pagan traditions that became known as Christmas.
Most Christians from the churches of Christendom these days are not ignorant of the pagan roots of Christmas, but they excuse them away. "It's the thought that counts." "It's a family tradition." "I don't think God cares about the pagan origins," and we go on and on with their excuses to why it is okay to celebrate a pagan holiday dressed as something holy to God.
So reasoning from the scriptures, getting the mind of God on things, what does he really think about mixing pagan rites, traditions, and worship with pure worship?
I was studying some of the requirements of offering a sacrifice pleasing to God under the Mosaic law a couple weeks ago, and reasoning on Jehovah's view of holiness might give us an idea of how he views mixing false religion with pure worship.
For example, in Leviticus 7:11, 12 a person whose heart moved him could offer a communion sacrifice to God.
This sacrifice was not a sacrifice for sins or guilt, but rather of thanksgiving. It meant a person had a good conscious and wanted to offer, voluntarily, a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Jehovah God. The one offering the communion sacrifice ate of it along with his family, 'with' Jehovah. Signifying the peaceful relation they had with him.
But were just any sacrifices pleasing to Jehovah? No! Notice what Jehovah said about anyone offering a communion sacrifice that was unclean:
"But any person who is unclean and eats the flesh of the communion sacrifice, which is for Jehovah, that person must be cut off from his people."-Leviticus 7:20.
A person could not offer a communion sacrifice to Jehovah if they were unclean for any reason. First, they had to give a sin or guilt offering to sanctify themselves before Jehovah, and then they were allowed to eat of the communion meal with Jehovah. If they were to offer the communion sacrifice in an unclean state they were to be put to death.
So while no one is under the law today, that gives us a glimpse of Jehovah's view of being unclean and trying to be at peace with Jehovah. One first must cleanse themselves of all uncleanliness, then they may have a good relation with Jehovah.
So what of the pagan practices that Christendom has adopted. Does God view them as clean and acceptable?
Scripture says, concerning the pagan practices of the nations:
"No; but I say that what the nations sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers with the demons. You cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons; you cannot be partaking of “the table of Jehovah” and the table of demons."-1 Corinthians 10:20, 21.
The rituals and traditions of the pagans that are at the roots of the traditions in Christmas are really things sacrificed to demons. And God says you cannot be partaking of the table of Jehovah and at the same time the table of the demons.
Can one really sit down at the communion table to eat and be at peace with Jehovah God, and at the same time use practices and traditions dedicated to demons?
