Should I be observing pagan holidays with my family or friends? For example, is it okay to attend the family Christmas dinner if I am not participating in the actual holiday?
We discourage attending holiday events adopted from paganism with family or friends. Yahweh warns against observing such Pagan Holidays. Consider the following verses:
“After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do: and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances,” Leviticus 18:3.
“And ye shall not walk in the manners of the nation, which I cast out before you: for they committed all these things, and therefore I abhorred them,” Leviticus 20:23.
“Take heed to thyself that thou be not snared by following them, after that they be destroyed from before thee; and that thou enquire not after their mighty ones, saying, How did these nations serve their mighty ones? even so will I do likewise. Thou shalt not do so unto Yahweh thy Elohim: for every abomination to Yahweh, which he hateth, have they done unto their mighty ones; for even their sons and their daughters, they have burnt in the fire to their mighty ones,” Deuteronomy 12:30-31.
“Thus saith Yahweh, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good,” Jeremiah 10:2-5.
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Messiah with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of Elohim with idols? for ye are the temple of the living Elohim; as Elohim hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people,” 2Corinthians 6:14-16.
“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues,” Revelation 18:4.
When we observe these pagan holidays with our families or friends, even something as harmless as a Christmas dinner, we are approving of the observance. As well, we are not making a separation. The Bible is very clear that Yahweh abhors pagan worship and as believers, we are not to participate in these days. While attending a Christmas dinner may not make you a pagan, it is acknowledging and approving of the pagan practice. Making a separation with family over pagan holidays is difficult, but is scripturally required.
Yahweh is not going to accept someone who both dapples in His truth and the traditions of man. We must choose which one we are going to follow. He told the Laodicean assembly to be either hot or cold, but not lukewarm. For those lukewarm, He stated that He would vomit them from His mouth, Revelation 3:15-16.
For more info on the origins of Christmas, Please check out our free booklet: December 25th Birthday of the Sun
