Have you ever questioned why Halloween? Why is it so popular, why the traditions, where did it come from? As for the origins and traditions it would be hard to miss the pagan influence. Its Celtic origins go back 2000+ years. These ancient peoples held a summers ‘ end pagan festival (Samhain) to highlight the new year. This was a time of year to take…
Story Category: Miscellaneous Topics
“Cults” and Real Christianity! – Dexter B. Wakefield thebiblesaysthat.com
Ryan Welsh
4 years ago in Gospel, Cult
To be labeled “cultish” today carries a similar stigma as being labeled a “heretic” in the third and fourth century…minus the horrific torture and death. These terrifying labels purposefully sway many from questioning mainstream orthodoxy. Rightly so especially for those living under the fear of torture and death. In today’s world, to be thought of as “part of a cult” or “cultish” carries an extreme…
The Queen of May – Adam J. West tomorrowsworld.org
Ryan Welsh
4 years ago in May Day
It’s quite interesting and telling to consider how many modern “Christian” holidays and traditions have their origins rooted deep in paganism. May 1, shares in this heritage. Many Roman Catholics in particular celebrate Mary, Jesus’ mother, as Queen of Heaven or Queen of May on this day. A title also held by the pagan goddess of fertility known as Diana by the Ephesians or from…
What Is Mardi Gras? Should Christians Celebrate Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday)? ucg.org
Marshall Stiver
4 years ago in Paganism
Mardi Gras, also known as Shove Tuesday, is a name of near instant recognition. It is associated with excess in everything from eating and drinking to scant clothing and illicit behavior. Built within the celebration is the idea of sinning heartily before deciding to do anything about it. That’s why Mardi Gras is followed by Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent. Lent,…
A Day of Lust, Not Love – Martin G. Collins cgg.org
Ryan Welsh
4 years ago in Valentine's Day
Valentine’s Day has become widely accepted by the religious and non-religious as a day to celebrate their significant other. For most its history is unknown or dismissed as unimportant in its currently celebrated state. To those that profess to follow God, its origins shouldn’t be so easily dismissed. Historically it’s often traced to the Roman festival Lupercalia. This festival honored the god Lupercus. Lupercus, like…
Vaccine Policy – Richard T. Ritenbaugh cgg.org
Marshall Stiver
4 years ago in Miscellaneous Topics
To take the jab or not is a very divisive issue in our modern culture and Covid 19 has really turned the heat up on personal opinions and attitudes. One of the main reasons for such a sharp polarity is the sheer volume of information that has been offered up so “authoritatively” in clear support of either taking the jab or not. Who is a…
New Gods, New Sins – Wallace G. Smith tomorrowsworld.org
Ryan Welsh
4 years ago in Miscellaneous Topics
As many today wish to rid the world of the God of the Bible, they in turn, set up their own gods. With these new gods come new orthodoxies, dogmas, and sins. Truth becomes whatever supports these new gods and compliance is forcibly compelled. Four such gods are highlighted in this article. First, the god of science. With the absence of a true God, humanity…
Would Jesus want us to remember or celebrate His birthday? thebiblesaysthat.com
Ryan Welsh
4 years ago in Christmas
Throughout the Bible God is very clear about what he wants us to do and what he doesn’t. Pagan traditions aside, the Bible is very silent on the exact date of Christ’s birth. At the same time enough information is available in the gospels to know that He wasn’t born in December but more than likely around the month of September. What is clear, within…
The Root and Fruit of New Year’s Eve lifehopeandtruth.com
Marshall Stiver
4 years ago in New Year's Eve
What are you doing on New Year’s Eve? A more intriguing question might be, do you know where the traditions associated with New Year’s Eve originate from? There are many customs and superstitions associated with the celebration that vary around the world. The one thing they all have in common, however, is a pronounced focus on human reasoning. So, from a Christian perspective, it is…
A Right Christmas – Edwin Stepp & Robert Boraker vision.org
Steven Orchard
4 years ago in Paganism, Christmas
The early Christian Church didn’t keep Christmas. Christ wasn’t even born in winter. However, a solar feast commemorating the Persian god Mithra, whom the Romans also worshiped, was historically observed on December 25th around the winter solstice. Gift-giving and unrestrained revelry were also features of the Roman Saturnalia, another solstice festival that anchors modern Christmas traditions. Roman emperor Constantine saw the tension between emerging Christianity…
What Is the Mark of the Beast? tomorrowsworld.org
Ryan Welsh
4 years ago in Mark of the Beast, Sunday Worship
The Mark of the beast as described in the book of Revelation has been a subject of wild speculation. This whiteboard video clearly lays out what it is and what it isn’t. Within the context of scripture, the mark is not something physical. It is not a vaccine, tattoo, barcode, chip, or anything else that can be forced upon someone against their will. This mark on the hand and…
Hell: Origins of an Idea – Richard Burky, Jeannette B. Anderson vision.org
Ryan Welsh
4 years ago in Heaven & Hell
The authors of this article set out to answer a simple question – “how can anyone worship a god who sets up fallible humans to be forever tormented in hell?” The idea of perpetual torment for the dead that in some way fell short in life is held by most of this world’s religions. This includes two of the three Abrahamic religions (Christian and Muslim)…
Halloween – Bill Butler vision.org
Steven Orchard
4 years ago in Paganism, Halloween
Halloween is rooted in ancient pagan rites and customs. Why do those who claim Christian identity keep it? Paul told the followers of Christ to disassociate themselves such customs when he said “…what accord has Christ with Belial? …‘Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord’” (2 Corinthians 6:14–17). Christians ought to reject this overtly pagan festival. Halloween’s history goes back 2,000…
Halloween: Treat, or Trick? – Richard A. Wilson tomorrowsworld.org
Ryan Welsh
4 years ago in Halloween
There is a Gaelic tradition that says, at Samhain, the doors to the underworld open— allowing dead souls and harmful spirits to enter our world. Modern Halloween costumes originated as an attempt to mask one’s identity as protection from those harmful spirits. This tradition melded with the practice of “souling”. This was a practice where children and the poor would go house to house offering…
Heaven Now? What the Bible Really Says About Enoch, Elijah, and the Thief on the Cross truthsum.org
TS Writer
5 years ago in Gospel Message, Kingdom, Plan of Salvation, Heaven & Hell
Many assume that the faithful go to heaven immediately after death, often citing Enoch, Elijah, and the thief on the cross as proof. But when Scripture is examined more closely, these examples don’t actually support that view – instead, they affirm the consistent biblical teaching of a future resurrection. Enoch is said to have been “taken” and to have “not seen death” (Hebrews 11:5), but…
Proverbs 26: When Should You Answer a Fool? – Mike Hanisko lifehopeandtruth.com
John Grabara
5 years ago in Miscellaneous Topics
There is a Proverb that at first glance might seem contradictory (Proverbs 26:4-5). It reads, “Do not answer a fool according to his folly.” Yet, the very next verse reads, “Answer a fool according to his folly.” Actually, these two verses are not contradictory, but a closer study shows that they are complementary. When to apply either verse, the principle taught by what either verse teaches, depends on the…
Easter Sunday sunrise services thebiblesaysthat.com
Ryan Welsh
5 years ago in Easter
Easter Sunday service doesn’t commemorate Christ’s resurrection as assumed by millions of Christians. This is laid out in Timeline of Easter / Passover. Does the Bible mention any kind of sunrise service?… ” with their backs toward the temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east… they were worshiping the sun toward the east. And He said to me, “Have you seen this,…
Daily Thanksgiving cgg.org
Delisa Brown
5 years ago in Thanksgiving, Miscellaneous Topics
Millions of Americans celebrate Thanksgiving Day each year. For many the day is little more than a routine holiday party complete with wonderful traditional food items and plenty of football on TV and in backyards across the country. Some people will be spending part of their day pouring over newspaper ads preparing their “plan of attack” for a successful Black Friday Shopping sore the following…
Who Was “Saint Patrick”? ucg.org
Ryan Welsh
5 years ago in Saint Patrick's Day
Will the real Saint Patrick please stand up. Most believe St. Patrick, a Catholic monk, brought the doctrine of the Trinity to Ireland. In addition, he is also believed to have driven out all the snakes from the Emerald Isle. Maewyn Succat, aka Patrick most likely took on his name sake due to his Scottish origins. At the age of sixteen he and thousands of…
Passover to Easter – Peter Nathan vision.org
Ryan Welsh
5 years ago in Passover, Easter
Societal traditions are rarely viewed through a historic lens. To do so would reveal, all too often, a violent blending of traditions and rituals. Easter is one such tradition. At its core, Easter is an ancient pagan fertility celebration that took on Christian terminology. This controversial blend centered around the timing of this celebration- specifically what day to memorialize. Lasting nearly 3 centuries this became…