Christmas Traditions and Origins

Christmas Traditions When was the first Christmas card sent? Why do we kiss under the mistletoe? Learn the origins of Christmas and fun facts about some of our favorite christmas traditions and symbols. There are lots of Christmas traditions that are practiced by a number of countries all over the world during the holiday season. These traditions can be as diverse as the culture and religious practices of each and every country in the world. Read about some of the most common christmas traditions her.

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Origins of Christmas From the Old English ‘Cristes Mæsse’ ~ meaning the ‘mass of Christ’ ~ the story of Christmas begins with the birth of a babe in Bethlehem. It is believed that Christ was born on the 25th, although the exact month is unknown. December was likely chosen so the Catholic Church could compete with rival pagan rituals held at that time of year and because of its closeness with the winter solstice in the Northern hemisphere, a traditional time of celebration among many ancient cultures. Luke, Chapter Two And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” Santa Claus The origin of Santa Claus begins in the 4th century with Saint Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, an area in present day Turkey. By all accounts St. Nicholas was a generous man, particularly devoted to children. After his death around 340 A.D. he was buried in Myra, but in 1087 Italian sailors purportedly stole his remains and removed them to Bari, Italy, greatly increasing St. Nicholas’ popularity throughout Europe. His kindness and reputation for generosity gave rise to claims he that he could perform miracles and devotion to him increased. St. Nicholas became the patron saint of Russia, where he was known by his red cape, flowing white beard, and bishop’s mitre. In Greece, he is the patron saint of sailors, in France he was the patron of lawyers, and in Belgium the patron of children and travellers. Thousands of churches across Europe were dedicated to him and some time around the 12th century an official church holiday was created in his honor. The Feast of St. Nicholas was celebrated December 6 and the day was marked by gift-giving and charity. After the Reformation, European followers of St. Nicholas dwindled, but the legend was kept alive in Holland where the Dutch spelling of his name Sint Nikolaas was eventually transformed to Sinterklaas. Dutch children would leave their wooden shoes by the fireplace, and Sinterklaas would reward good children by placing treats in their shoes. Dutch colonists brought brought this tradition with them to America in the 17th century and here the Anglican name of Santa Claus emerged. In 1822 Clement C. Moore composed the poem A Visit From Saint Nicholas, published as The Night Before Christmas as a gift for his children. In it, he portrays Santa Claus: He had a broad face and a little round belly, That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly, He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread. Other countries feature different gift-bearers for the Christmas or Advent season: La Befana in Italy ~ The Three Kings in Spain, Puerto Rico, and Mexico ~ Christkindl or the Christ Child in Switzerland and Austria ~ Father Christmas in England ~ and Pere Noël, Father Christmas or the Christ Child in France. Still, the figure of Santa Claus as a jolly, benevolent, plump man in a red suit described in Moore’s poem remains with us today and is recognized by children and adults alike around the world. Read even more abou christmas traditions andt Santa Claus Christmas Trees In 16th-century Germany fir trees were decorated, both indoors and out, with apples, roses, gilded candies, and colored paper. In the Middle Ages, a popular religous play depicted the story of Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden. A fir tree hung with apples was used to symbolize the Garden of Eden — the Paradise Tree. The play ended with the prophecy of a saviour coming, and so was often performed during the Advent season. It is held that Protestant reformer Martin Luther first adorned trees with light. While coming home one December evening, the beauty of the stars shining through the branches of a fir inspired him to recreate the effect by placing candles on the branches of a small fir tree inside his home The Christmas Tree was brought to England by Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert from his native Germany. The famous Illustrated News etching in 1848, featuring the Royal Family of Victoria, Albert and their children gathered around a Christmas tree in Windsor Castle, popularized the tree throughout Victorian England. Brought to America by the Pennsylvania Germans, the Christmas tree became by the late 19th century. Read even more about Christmas Trees Focus on Christmas Traditions in US The variations of the Christmas traditions of USA equal the number active cultures that have settled in the land. These cultural contributions were given a new lease of life by creative artists, authors, poets and songwriters, and it was melded together by the power of secular and commercialized media in record companies, radio stations, television, cinemas and now the internet. The unwritten law of media is the presentation of a seemingly uniform celebration of the Christmas traditions of USA. This is responsible for the world wide acceptance of a universal Christmas image which they get from the media. Nevertheless, the celebrations are peculiar to each region. Christmas Stockings According to legend, a kindly nobleman grew despondent over the death of his beloved wife and foolishly squandered his fortune. This left his three young daughters without dowries and thus facing a life of spinsterhood. The generous St. Nicholas, hearing of the girls’ plight, set forth to help. Wishing to remain anonymous, he rode his white horse by the nobleman’s house and threw three small pouches of gold coins down the chimney where they were fortuitously captured by the stockings the young women had hung by the fireplace to dry. Read more about christmas stockings

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Mistletoe Mistletoe was used by Druid priests 200 years before the birth of Christ in their winter celebrations. They revered the plant since it had no roots yet remained green during the cold months of winter. The ancient Celtics believed mistletoe to have magical healing powers and used it as an antidote for poison, infertility, and to ward of evil spirits. The plant was also seen as a symbol of peace, and it is said that among Romans, enemies who met under mistletoe would lay down their weapons and embrace. Scandanavians associated the plant with Frigga, their goddess of love, and it may be from this that we derive the custom of kissing under the mistletoe. Those who kissed under the mistletoe had the promise of happiness and good luck in the following year. Holly, Ivy and Greenery In Northern Europe Christmas occurred during the middle of winter, when ghosts and demons could be heard howling in the winter winds. Boughs of holly, believed to have magical powers since they remained green through the harsh winter, were often placed over the doors of homes to drive evil away. Greenery was also brought indoors to freshen the air and brighten the mood during the long, dreary winter. Legend also has it that holly sprang from the footsteps of Christ as he walked the earth. The pointed leaves were said to represent the crown of thorns Christ wore while on the cross and the red berries symbolized the blood he shed. Poinsettias A native Mexican plant, poinsettias were named after Joel R. Poinsett, U.S. ambassador to Mexico who brought the plant to America in 1828. Poinsettias were likely used by Mexican Franciscans in their 17th century Christmas celebrations. One legend has it that a young Mexican boy, on his way to visit the village Nativity scene, realized he had no gift for the Christ child. He gathered pretty green branches from along the road and brought them to the church. Though the other children mocked him, when the leaves were laid at the manger, a beautiful star-shaped flower appeared on each branch. The bright red petals, often mistaken for flowers, are actually the upper leaves of the plant. The Candy cane It was not long after Europeans began using Christmas trees that special decorations were used to adorn them. Food items, such as candies and cookies, were used predominately and straight white candy sticks were one of the confections used as ornamentation. Legend has it that during the 17th century, craftsmen created the white sticks of candy in the shape of shephreds’ crooks at the suggestion of the choirmaster at the Cologne Cathedral in Germany. The candy treats were given to children to keep them quiet during ceremonies at the living creche, or Nativity scene, and the custom of passing out the candy crooks at such ceremonies soon spread throughout Europe. According to the National Confectioner’s Association, in 1847 German immigrant August Imgard used the candy cane to decorate a Christmas tree in Wooster, Ohio. More than 50 years later, Bob McCormack of Albany, Georgia supposedly made candy canes as treats for family, friends and local shopkeepers. McCormack’s brother-in-law, Catholic priest Gregory Keller, invented a machine in the 1950s that automated the production of candy canes, thus eliminating the usual laborious process of creating the treats and the popularity of the candy cane grew. More recent explanations of the candy cane’s symbolism hold that the color white represents Christ’s purity, the red the blood he shed, and the presence of three red stripes the Holy Trinity. While factual evidence for these notions does not exist, they have become increasingly common and at times are even represented as fact. Regardless, the candy cane remains a favorite holiday treat and decoration. Christmas cards A form of Christmas card began in England first when young boys practiced their writing skills by creating Christmas greetings for their parents, but it is Sir Henry Cole who is credited with creating the first real Christmas card. The first director of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, Sir Henry found himself too busy in the Christmas season of 1843 to compose individual Christmas greetings for his friends. He commissioned artist John Calcott Horsley for the illustration. The card featured three panels, with the center panel depicting a family enjoying Christmas festivities and the card was inscribed with the message “A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to You.” Read more about Christmas Cards Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer The Chicago-based Montgomery Ward company, department store operators, had been purchasing and distributing children’s coloring books as Christmas gifts for their customers for several years. In 1939, Montgomery Ward tapped one of their own employees to create a book for them, thus saving money. 34-year old copywriter Robert L. May wrote the story of Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer in 1939, and 2.4 million copies were handed out that year. Despite the wartime paper shortage, over 6 million copies had been distributed by 1946. May drew in part on the story “The Ugly Duckling” and in part from his own experiences as an often taunted, small, frail youth to create the story of the misfit reindeer. Though Rollo and Reginald were considered, May settled on Rudolph as his reindeer’s name. Writing in verse as a series of rhyming couplets, May tested the story as he went along on his 4-year old daughter Barbara, who loved the story Sadly, Robert Mays wife died around the time he was creating Rudolph, leaving Mays deeply in debt due to medical bills. However, he was able to persuade Sewell Avery, Montgomery Ward’s corporate president, to turn the copyright over to him in January 1947, thus ensuring May’s financial security. May’s story “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” was printed commercially in 1947 and in 1948 a nine-minute cartoon of the story was shown in theaters. When May’s brother-in-law, songwriter Johnny Marks, wrote the lyrics and melody for the song “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”, the Rudolph phenomenon was born. Turned down by many musical artists afraid to contend with the legend of Santa Claus, the song was recorded by Gene Autry in 1949 at the urging of Autry’s wife. The song sold two million copies that year, going on to become one of the best-selling songs of all time, second only to Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas”. The 1964 television special about Rudolph, narrated by Burl Ives, remains a holiday favorite to this day and Rudolph himself has become a much-loved Christmas icon. Hanukkah Commencing on the 25th day of the Hebrew month Kislev, Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after its desecration by the Syrians. In 168 BC, members of the Jewish family Maccabee led a revolt against the Greek Syrians due to the policies of Syrian King Antiochus IV which were aimed at nullifying the Jewish faith. Part of this strategem included changing the Beit HaMikdash – the Holy Temple in Jerusalem – to a Greek temple complete with idolatry. Led by Judah Maccabee, the Jews won victory over the Syrians in 165 BC and reclaimed their temple. After cleansing the temple and preparing for its rededication, it was found there was not enough oil to light the N’er Tamid, an oil lamp present in Jewish houses of worship which represents eternal light. Once lit, the lamp should never be extinguished. A search of the temple produced a small vial of undefiled oil — enough for only one day. Miraculously, the Temple lights burned for eight days until a new supply of oil was brought. In remembrance of this miracle, one candle of the Menorah – an eight branched candelabra – is lit each of the eight days of Hanukkah. Hanukkah, which means dedication, is a Hebrew word when translated is commonly spelled Hanukah, Chanukah, and Hannukah due to different translations and customs. The tradition of receiving gifts on each of the eight days of Hanukkah is relatively new and due in part to the celebration’s proximity to the Christmas season. Kwanzaa Doctor Maulana Karenga, a Professor at California State University in Long Beach, California, created Kwanzaa in 1966. It is a holiday celebrated by millions of African-Americans around the world, encouraging them to remember their African heritage and consider their current place in America today. Kwanzaa is celebrated fom December 26 to January 1 and involves seven principles called Nguzo Saba: Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith). In the Kwanzaa ritual, seven candles called Mishumaa Saba are placed in a Kinara, or candleholder, which is then set upon the Mikeka, a mat usually made of straw. Three green candles are placed on the left, three red candles on the right and a black candle in the center, each candle representing one of the seven principles of the celebration. One candle is lit each day of the Kwanzaa celebration, beginning from left to right The colors of Kwanzaa ~ black, red and green ~ also have a special significance. Black symbolizes the faces of the African people, Red symbolizes the blood they have shed, and Green represents hope and the color of the motherland. The name itself – Kwanzaa – is a Swahili word meaning “fruits of the harvest.”

Merry CHRISTmas Season!

I am finished with exams and look forward to putting an extra effort into blogging this CHRISTmas season.

I hope to have a feature blog post up in the next 24 hours.

I have Final Exams this Week….

If I don’t post……you now know why. lol

A Great Article

http://www.biblebelievers.org.au/jesuits.htm

Click above for more information on the Jesuits–the military branch of the Roman Catholic Church.

An Interview with A Historian

The recently released film based on Dan Brown’s novel Angels and Demons has dazzled viewers and readers alike. The film especially has raised awareness in viewers of an ancient, secret society known as the Illuminati or “the enlightened ones.” In Brown’s story, symbolist Robert Langdon is asked to help stop an Illuminati terrorist attack on Vatican City before a scientific weapon destroys the Vatican and all of Rome.
The question many are asking is this: “Who are the Illuminati really? And do they still exist today? Searching for answers, I went to Christian Historian and conspiracy theorist Bill Watkins of Greenville, South Carolina. I asked Mr. Watkins to explain to me where the Illuminati came from, who they were and what they were doing.
“The Illuminati started through the Jesuits–who call themselves the Illuminati–under the command of Ignatius Loyola” says Watkins. He informed me that the Jesuits, “society of Jesus” were founded around 500 A.D. by the Roman Catholic Church to be her military arm. Mr. Watkins told me that the Catholic Church was the Babylon mentioned in the book of Revelation. He said, “The spiritual Babylon is the Roman Catholic Church; the pope is the spiritual power and the Jesuit leader is the physical power.” Watkins also added, “Most people are unaware that the Roman Catholic Church and the pope are really under the control of the Jesuits. They use the pope as a puppet.” Mr. Watkins made it rather clear to me that there is an inseparable link between the Illuminati and the Catholic Church. “There is a militant arm of the Catholic Church that do the Church’s dirty work.” Mr. Watkins says that arm is none other than the Jesuits, or Illuminati.
I asked Mr. Watkins if the Catholic Church had ever been fighting against the Illuminati–as portrayed in Angels and Demons. “That’s true to a certain extent” says Watkins. “The Illuminati murdered one of the popes because he tried to shut down their movement.” Mr. Watkins told me that the Illuminati will do anything to keep their power and push their agenda, which is ultimately world domination through secret knowledge. “They infiltrate their way into the government.” He said that while the Illuminati has at times fought against the Catholic Church–which has tried to tone them down periodically–they are the main means of Roman Catholic expansion across the world. Mr. Watkins remarked that the Illuminati have been the ones who have “paved the way for the other Roman Catholics to come in build their churches.”
Another question I asked Mr. Watkins was if the Roman Catholic Church had suppressed knowledge and been involved in controlling world affairs as the film suggests. Watkins says, “In world history others have published things the Catholic Church did not want released. “They have killed more people than Hitler or Stalin put together.” Watkins believes that there are about less than one-hundred radical Jesuit still functioning today, but believes most of their people are concealed right before our eyes. “They work both ends of the spectrum to help their cause.” I then asked if the Catholic Church and the Illuminati had been or were at work in the United States. “They are as strong today as they ever were” Watkins replied. Mr. Watson told me that even the Masons have used by the Illuminati to gain a foothold on the American government. “George Washington was a Mason; even the Washington Monument was built by Masons; that is their greatest standing mark on display today.” He also told me they put certain signs on the back of the dollar bill and on monuments to let other Illuminati know they had infiltrated the United States government. Another fact he informed me of was that every last one of the conspirators who killed Abraham Lincoln were Catholics and probably Illuminati.
In conclusion to my interview with Mr. Watson, I asked if this was something to laugh at–as many who hear about it do. He said, “There have been conspiracies ever since the world begun but the world’s biggest conspiracy began with the Jesuits and the Catholic Church; they thought they could rule the world through religion.” Watkins says that “people who are unaware of people like the Illuminati will fall for anything.” As a fellow believer, Mr. Watkins referred me to Ephesians 6 and Revelation 17-18. He asked me to read those chapters and consider the idea of the Catholic Church in relation to “Babylon.” He said, “The Catholic Church is just Babylon perpetuated. Babel today is the Catholic Church.” Mr. Watkins believes–with reasonable cause–that the Roman Church will usher in the one-world-government under the Antichrist. I asked him what he would say to people who think this all to be complete fiction and myth. Here is what he told me just before hanging up,”Our government is being manipulated. Everyday you are going to hear something that happened in the government and ask how it happened; well our government is being taken over; it’s almost happening today like what happened in Germany in the twenties and thirties. Don’t say ‘that it will never happen’.”
Mr. Watkins really put much of the suggested material in this film in perspective of history. Perhaps the author Dan Brown is more on target than most Americans want to admit. The Illuminati did and still do exist, and are definitely up to something. Are we seeing them work directly beneath our noses after all? Mr. Watkins and many other historians believe so. Perhaps we should look beyond the film for more answers.

Angels and Demons: History Vs. Fiction

The recent release of the movie Angels and Demons, based on Dan Brown’s best-selling novel, has given the ancient legend of the Illuminati perhaps its highest amount of inquiry and interest in decades. Is this novel completely fabricated, true, or both?
The film’s story takes place in modern times when the supposedly fictitious secret society of scientists and mathematicians–called the Illuminati, or “enlightened ones”–reappears, murders the pope and attempts to set off a bomb to “consume the Vatican by light.” Brown’s protagonist, professor and symbolist Robert Langdon is called by Vatican police to come and help them stop this threat. Langdon races against the clock to save four Cardinals from being executed, one each hour, and before the bomb destroys Vatican City with a supposed scientific breakthrough known as anti-matter.
Seeking answers, I have turned to historians, writers, theologians and conspiracy theorists. Was there such a group as the Illuminati? And more importantly, do they still exist? If they do, what are they up to now?
The basic assumption in the film is that the Romans Catholic Church has suppressed science in history to keep their dogma protected from being disproved. Historian and conspiracy theorist Jim Mars says, “I think in earlier centuries the Church probably was anti-science because they were afraid that their dogma might be contradicted by new findings.” It is common knowledge in the history community that the Roman Church persecuted anyone who taught anything that conflicted with Church doctrine–including in the areas of math and science. In the film, Brown names a fictional event he calls “the Purga” or the Purging. While this event is fabricated, it is based on historical events. Historian and writer Simon Cox says that the first documented, but perhaps unsung, case of a scientist being killed over conflicting teachings was that of Giavanno Bruno. Bruno was imprisoned by the Roman Church and later burned at the stake. Shortly after the “Bruno Incident” Galileo was put on trial for teaching that the Sun, not the Earth was the center of the Universe. After being forced to recant, it is the time to follow that historians believe the Illuminati were officially formed and went underground. Historians attribute the original reason for the Illuminati’s formation was the freedom to research and teach about new scientific breakthroughs.
Art expert Steven Oustrow says that the four main elements of science in the Illuminati’s day were Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Dan Brown played off of this and used each element to kill one of the four Cardinals in the film. Bernini used these four elements of science his work to signal the Illuminati to find the hidden “path of illumination.” Raphael also is known to have done this. The use of Egyptian symbolism was a key tip off to secret societies. Ancient Egyptians were considered keepers of great and superior knowledge; this explains why the Illuminati revered their work and used Egyptian symbolism to send secret encoded messages to other Illuminati in artwork and sculptures and architecture. The Illuminati sought to tell other like minds about their secret knowledge, but had to do so in a secretive way, to avoid being killed by the Roman Catholic Church.
FBI consultant and theologian Paul Williams reports that the max-security archives at Vatican City presented in the film does exist, but is under much tighter security than the film depicts. He says, “Hundreds if not thousands of crucial historical documents are locked away from the public eye”; over 50 miles of volumes are housed in the Vatican vault. The secrecy of the Vatican, even in modern times, give historians much confidence to believe that the Illuminati truly were driven into secrecy to fight against the Catholic Church.
Historians believe that after the Illuminati really began to prosper underground, their focus left the noble goal of seeking true science and took a dark turn. Paul Williams says, “they simply wanted to achieve global domination.” Historians say that the Illuminati began to secretly infiltrate every conceivable organization known to man–all with the chief purpose of gaining power and ultimately world domination. From the infiltration of organizations such as the Free Masons and the Bildaburgers to the assassination of Pope’s and world leaders, the Illuminati is expanding into a position to rule the world through their leverage with secret and higher knowledge.
According to Simon Cox, as well as many historians, the Illuminati’s appearance in the United States occurred officially in 1776 as they arrived within the infiltrated Free Masons. The Illuminati merged into and infiltrated the Free Masons–the undercover remnants of the Knights Templar. The Masons set their sights on the new World, more specifically the United States of America, many of whose founding fathers were Masons. At least 50 of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were Masons. The Illuminati are believed by historians to have used the spread of the Masons to expand their secret power. Certain Masonic lodges were heavily infiltrated by Illuminati. “George Washington actually stated that he was concerned that the Free Masons were compromised and infiltrated by the Illuminati” says Clive Prince, a historian and author.
Even though historians widely agree that most U.S. presidents were Masons, over one-third are actually confirmed to have been Free Masons. Simon Cox noted that during the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt–a high-ranking Mason–there a was a subtle change to the American $1 bill. If you look on the back of a $1 bill, you will see on the right, the Great Seal; this is full of Mason symbolism. However, the real concern to historians and conspiracy theorists is found on the left; their is a picture of an Egyptian pyramid–with the very top formed of a disconnected eye, the All-seeing Eye. This is an Illuminati symbol. Even more fascinating is what the text below this symbol says; “Novus Ordo Seclorum” or “New World Order.” Jim Mars made the remark, “Most people don’t even realize that we have ‘New World Order’ right on the back of our dollar bills.” Mars and many others believe that this was placed on the dollar bill by Roosevelt’s treasurer–also a Mason–as a sign to let the Illuminati know that they had infiltrated the highest level of the United States Government.
The assassination of the pope in the film may be fictitious, but is based on actual deaths of popes–that historians believe were attributed to Illuminati plots. Simon Cox gave several examples where popes mysteriously died shortly after becoming a potential threat to the Illuminati. The most famous of these was Pope John Paul I. Only reigning for 33 days, John Paul I was intent on exposing a mass infiltration of the Vatican by Free Masons. Before he could go public with his findings, he mysteriously died. Before John Paul I, there was the incident of Pope Pious XI just before World War II. Pious XI had signed a dark agreement with Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler; the agreement was one of mutual coexistence. The Roman Church agree not to expose the Nazis and the Fascists if they agreed not to take over the Vatican. Towards the end of his life, Pious XI felt guilty about not “telling on” the brutal genocide against Jews; he threatened to expose Mussolini to the free World. Just days later, he mysteriously died. The next Cardinal in line for the Papacy, Pious XII, ordered Pious XI embalmed and forbade an autopsy. Historians such as Simon Cox, Devon Jackson and others believe that Pious XII may have been working with or in the Illuminati and had to kill Pious XI to keep the secrets safe.
In conclusion, readers and viewers must keep in mind that this film is full of fabrication, but is also full of fiction based on real and true facts. The Illuminati do exist and are strongly believed to exist today. The war between the Roman Church and science did happen; though the Illuminati now seek to gain power and achieve global domination. They have infiltrated the United States Government and their latest activity is believed to be involved with the formation of the European Union.

Bibliography

Simon Cox – Historian
Illuminating Angels and Demons – documentary
Steven Outrow -Art Professor
Jim Mars – Writer, Historian, Conspiracy Theorist
Devon Jackson – Author, Historian
Paul Williams – FBI Consultant – Theologian

A Day That Will Live in Infamy

December 7, 1941 is a date that will never die in the hearts of the American people, especially those of you who were alive and remember hearing the radio broadcast alerts telling that America had been attacked–”suddenly and deliberately”–by the Japanese Navy.

If you were alive and remember anything about that fateful day, please comment and share your memory of that day with us.

Click “comment” and post your account of the day when America would be drawn into the Second World War.

Coming Soon!

Hello everyone! I have not posted lately due to being incredibly busy with school, family and research on a topic I will be posting on soon, hopefully in a week or so: The truth behind the best-selling novel and now film “Angels and Demons” by Dan Brown.

Eventually, I hope to write reviews and exopsitions on both this newer film and the first in his three part series, “The DaVinci Code.

The films and novels are filled with mixed–true and fictional content–however, the details are often blurred and very difficult for the average reader or viewer to discern between fact and fiction.

I believe I will start with the seconf film, Angels and Demons.

How wa great week, Merry Christmas, and thanks for reading.

-Kenneth

Contend for the Faith

“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. 4For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”  – Jude 3-4

While visiting a small Baptist church near my home last night, I heard a most needed and bold sermon from this passage. I cannot express the timeliness of such a text being preached on.

The point I was especially blessed by was that of our duty as men of God, church leaders, pastors, etc. to point out men–even fellow believers–who are either engaged in false doctrines or worldliness. So many good men today don’t see the need to separate from fellow believers; or even to call them out for their worldliness. Well, Jude very plainly and bluntly made a point to do so, and commanded others to do so. If you call yourself a pastor, church leader, etc. and fail to guard the flock against wolves–who stealithly slip in–you are either a failure or even worse, derelict in duty.

I am thankful that there are still some preachers and pastors preaching such messages. I wish I could say they were a majority, but they are an extremely small remnant.

The sobering aspect of the sermon was the focus on the price you and I must pay for standing openly against false doctrines and worldliness. If you preach like this Baptist pastor did, you will be ridiculed, written against, blogged against, slandered, attacked, and most painful of all–you will lose friends over it.

May God give us men who will pay such a price. Amen.

My Testimony

I would love to share my personal testimony with those who read this blog or go online to check out my sermonaudio site. I hope it blesses someone’s heart.

Click here to listen:

http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?sermonID=1122091411161