You are on page 1of 195

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Cloaked in Religion:
The infiltration of Babylonian paganism into Christianity
Pastor Mike Palevo

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Cloaked in Religion: The infiltration of Babylonian paganism into Christianity.


2001 by New Life Tabernacle of Chattanooga 3430 Brainerd rd. Chattanooga,Tn. 37411 Formerly: Davie Apostolic church 6451 Orange dr. Davie,Fl. 33314 U.S.A. First published edition
Design and Cover by Pastor Mike Palevo Bible Credits: Scripture used from the Authorized King James Version. All graphics have been borrowed from various sources, and are used for reasonable personal use. No benefit to the Author or Publisher is attributed. New Life Tabernacle publisher is a Non-Profit Organization for the solemn purpose of promoting the Gospel. This material cannot be sold for profit. Donations will be appreciated to cover the cost of publishing.

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

New Life Tabernacle Copyright2001

Preface
Twenty years ago God brought me out of the world of sin, and ungodliness, into his Marvelous Light. Since that time, my endeavor to find the truth has been untiring. My first few years in the church were spent on absorbing the Word of God. I virtually read nothing but the Bible itself. I was not interested in any other literature, but my Bible. Matt 13:44 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. KJV. Since then, I would search for nuggets, and gems of information pertaining to the Kingdom of God. Most things hard to understand to us, were not a salvational issue, or didnt pertain to salvation. There are things that we were taught that werent scriptural, and for some reason didnt feel right. We were left unlearned and ignorant of many things necessary to understand. I would have given my right arm for the information I now know today. I realize that if I had obtained this informational truth back then, I would have been labeled, marked, and crucified. Our church back then, observed many of the pagan practices I find today as Anti-Christian, Anti-Apostolic, and Anti-Biblical. Thank God for a love for theTruth, the Whole Truth, and nothing but the Truth. I also realize that this Resource Book will stir many against me, and against those who stand for this Magnificent Truth. To many years we have been told the Do & Donts of Pentecost without being taught any reason why. Over the years, many heresies have crept into the Apostolic/Pentecostal ranks. Leaders of many churches have been virtual Dogs that cannot bark ( Is. 56:10 ). People pleasing Pastors have no business in an Apostolic/Pentecostal Pulpit. Throughout the years, the slow degradation of Holiness, and standards has accompanied a blast of Paganism in our churches. These men dont have to promote these pagan practices, just stop preaching against them, and within a short time, these things will start creeping in unaware. Ive never been one to set rules
3

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

without reason. We have watched many great men in our geographical area succumb to lowering down the standard, and not long after, the sheep begin to sicken, and disease sets in. It spreads through the whole flock, until the church is completely devoured. It is sad to watch precious saints die right before your eyes. Those who had made it out have been targeted as rebellious, traitor, backslidden, heretic, etc. 2 Cor 6:14-17 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty. I am amazed of how some Aposotlics are so hard on Holiness, standards, dress, modesty, etc., yet dont dare take their Christmas tree away from them, or their Easter bunny and eggs hunts. REMEMBER: A LITTLE LEAVEN, LEAVENETH THE WHOLE LUMP! Apostolics have clave to traditions handed down through the years, and have taken those traditions as Bible. To take one pagan practice, and deny another is a DOUBLE STANDARD. Good men have recognized pagan practices, unaware of the creational roots from BABYLON. Ex 34:12-16 Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee: 13 But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves: 14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: 15 Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods , and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice; 16 And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods. KJV Weve heard many throughout the years preach, its a personal conviction, but with the evidence presented in this book, it is assured that there will be no doubt in your mind that if you practice any of these rituals, you are observing PAGANISM!
4

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church


PASTOR MIKE PALEVO New Life Tabernacle 3430 Brainerd rd. Chattanooga,Tn. 37411 (423) 653-1614 Formerly the: DAVIE APOSTOLIC CHURCH DAVIE, FLA. DECEMBER 28TH, 2001

Inset page1 Information Page2 Preface .3,4 Table of Contents5 Chapter I The Trinity. ..6 Chapter II Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Chapter III Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Chapter IV Part 1 Chapter V Part 1 Part 2 Pagan Festivals(Holidays) Christmas. 18 Easter29 St. Valentines Day... 38 St. Patricks Day. .41 Mothers Day... 45 Halloween 52 May Day... ...67 Happy Birthday... 75 Symbolism The Hexagram. 79 The Fish Symbol. 87 The Dove. 93 The Cross..97 The Steeple 107 Jewelry The Wedding Ring. ...114 Toys & Characters The Barbie Doll. 129 Teletubbies... .138

New Life Tabernacle


Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Winnie the Pooh.. ..150 Harry Potter.. .160 Little Mermaid. ..171

A list of other characters to beware of... ..183

CLOAKED IN RELIGION: The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

The Trinity
Chapter I
For many years, it has been thought that the Doctrine of the Trinity was a derivative of the Roman Catholic Church and its Doctrines. Although the Catholic Church was the tool to introduce the Doctrine into Denominational Christianity, it was not the Doctrines starting place, nor was it derived from the Catholic Church. All Pagan religions, since the time of Babylon, have adopted, in one form or another, a Trinity Doctrine, also known as a Triad or Trinity of Gods. produced Kether, Hokhmah, and Binah. Nous/Logos, and the world soul. The cult that arose in Babylon and spread its cult tentacles throughout the world was Trinitarian (Two Babylons, by Alexander Hislop). The first human Trinity on record to be setup and worshipped as Gods was that of Nimrod, Semiramis, and Tammuz. These are identified in the Old Testament in the Canaanite language as Baal, Ashtoreth, and Tammuz. It was at the tower of Babel that Polytheism came into existence. Prior to this, the world had been predominately monotheistic which means, believing in one true God. Each religion of all of the Pagan religions has two common traits: 1.) A Trinity of Gods and; 2.) These were in the form of human Gods. These consisted of a man called the sacred husband or king, a woman called the sacred wife or queen, and a sacred child called a son or a prince. In witchcraft, the Trinity Doctrine is the central theme against which stands the original Doctrine of one supreme God. The singular term, Eloah, for God, as in Gen.1:1, was reinterpreted in Babylon and replaced with the plural term. Elohim. 6 In Babylon, it was Nimrod, Semiramis, and Tammuz. In Egypt it was Osiris, Isis, and Horus. Within Israel, Pagan Gnosticism In Platos philosophy it was the Unknown Father,

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

This was done in order to enhance, and help establish, the idea of a plurality in the word God. Within Mystery Babylon, the skilled scribes of the occult would not be so easily exposed and rebuked by Jewish Doctrine. They would live by the reinterpretations of Nimrod and his Gnosticism, thereby impregnating the world with his Doctrines. Thus, we have ministers and people today who believe in the Trinitarian Doctrine of Mystery Babylon, yet they dont know it is a philosophy of man and not a true Doctrine of God. The Papacy has in some of its churches, for instance, in the monastery of the so-called Trinitarians of Madrid, an image of the Triune God. It carried three heads on one body. As you see, the first figure is a depiction of an Assyrian Trinity. depiction of the Trinity. It looks very similar to the present day Notice the bird hovering over the two. These figures were taken out of Alexander Hislops book, The Two Babylons, and are from Layards book, Babylon and Nineveh. The second figure is a Siberian Pagan Medal. Most of all of the major Pagan religions had a base of three Gods who were the most prominent. In India, the Supreme Divinity is represented in a like manner. In one of the most ancient cave-temples, it is represented with three heads on one body. It carries the name of Eko Deva Trimurtti, meaning One God, three forms.

THE SOLAR TRINITY


The sun, viewed as supreme among the celestial bodies, is visible to the astronomers of antiquity. It was assigned to the highest of the Gods and became symbolic of the supreme authority of the Creator Himself. From a deep philosophic consideration of the powers and principle of the sun, has come the concept of the Trinity, as it is understood in the world today. The tenet of a Triune Divinity is not peculiar to Christian or Mosaic theology. Rather, it forms a conspicuous part of the dogma of the greatest religions of both ancient and modern times. The Persians, Hindus, Babylonians, and Egyptians had their Trinities. In every instance, these represented the threefold form of one Supreme Intelligence. In modern Masonry, the deity is symbolized by an equilateral triangle. Its three sides represent the primary manifestations of the Eternal One, who is Himself represented as a tiny flame, called Yod by the Hebrews.

New Life Tabernacle Trinitarians use

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

segmentalism in an attempt to prove that three Gods are three persons. Segmentalism takes segments of scripture, segments of a text, or segments of an incident, out of the Bible. They will then combine these excerpts in a way that refutes the context of the Bible itself. It is said that heresy in its first generation crawls, in the next walks, and in the next runs. Within Nimrods Mystery Babylon, eventually came the philosophy that the Trinity was a unity of persons whose perfect agreement upon all things made them one. They were one through agreement, and this mutual consent merged into the idea of the one unity of essence. The Trinity in Unity Doctrine was thus stated in the cult as the one essence, or nature of the three. This relates to Nimrod, Semiramas, and Tammuz. They were one in essence, with the essence being identified as human Gods. When these human Gods became deitified, it was accepted that these three Gods were in reality, reincarnated avatars or spiritual guides. It was taught that these three deceased Gods were, in fact, not only once human, but were actually sparks of the cosmic soul of one Nimrod, Semiramas, and Tammuz were the real essence of the cosmos that made their Trinity family a unique fullness of the one pluralistic cosmos. The next step in the formation of the Trinity in Unity concept was to teach the idea of emanation. The Doctrine of Emanation is the Pantheistic concept behind the teachings of evolution. It states that all things emanate and evolve from one source and are part of the whole in unity, and of the same substance. 8 essence.

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

The idea of emanation of a primary God making of himself another God by subdividing his person, as an amoeba splits in half to form another like being, is purely Pagan. Since ancient times, Mystery Babylon has tried to make God what he is not. The ancient godly Jews would have never dreamed of there being more than one God. The first commandment prohibited them from having a pluralistic concept or view. One of the main arguments that Trinitarians have had has been Gen.1:26 of LET US, stating that Gods verbiage is pluralistic, and not singular. Eloah is the term that is singular for God, as Elohim is the plural term. Although Trinitarians do not like it and say that the Jews are telling lies, the ancient Godly Israelites always understood God to be one person, and numerical ONE and not three. They understood the plural of Elohim to speak of the majesty of intensity and his attributes of power. And for any Trinitarian to say that plural means GODS, then let them translate it that way and see what a mess they make of the scriptures. Even staunch Trinitarians know this would be a pollution and sacrilege. In Gen. 1:26, where God said, Let Us, if God here denotes three (Trinity), and He is speaking to another, then it would represent a fourth. If not, God here represents two, as to talking to the third person in the Trinity. Then God would denote as being two speaking to one (duality). From the beginning of this chapter, we have seen how, from the beginning of mans worship of God, it has been monotheistic turned into polytheistic. And, when it went into polytheistic, you notice that it virtually always entailed a deity of three in all of the major geographical areas of societal religion. Here are some of the ancient Pagan symbols of the Trinity. Take notice of the Hexagram, which is on the middle left. The Jews very much were polytheists from their time in Egypt, and the Gods of Egypt that they followed. Symbolism played a big part in the role of the Trinity Doctrine, in which, we will designate a whole chapter unto Symbolism, and address the meaning of these symbols, including the Hexagram, and the one found on our dollar bill. We find that all of the symbols are part of the Trinity and are always denoting three, and not one.

1. Egypt: Triad of Horus 9

New Life Tabernacle 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.


Babylon: Triad of Ishtar Palmyra: Triad of moon god India: Triune Hindu godhead Kampuchee: Triune Buddhist godhead Norway: Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Ghost) France: Trinity Italy: Trinity Germany: Trinity

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

10

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

In witchcraft today, the prayers, rituals, and teachings are reversed. Thus, in witchcraft, the Trinity Doctrine is the central theme against which stands the original Doctrine of one supreme God. From 2400 BC to 470 BC, the Trinity Doctrine spread out in all directions, and appeared in almost all major religions of the world. Recently, on one of our outreach Friday nights, we came upon some Jehovahs Witnesses. After a long discussion, we were able to get them to admit that they believed in three, and not two. These, being elders of the Kingdom Hall, had admitted that the Holy Spirit was God. Amazing, isnt it! Heres an organization that is hard against Trinitarians, yet when really pressed about the Godhead, will profess that there are three. The plural use of us as in Let Us go down, was interpreted by the Jews to be God speaking to his angels. It was only after the Council of Nicea that the Catholics fled to these verses in order to find scriptural support and an excuse for adopting Platos Trinity Doctrine that he borrowed from Mystery Babylon. What Trinitarians have done, is if a theory doesnt conform to the scriptures, then the scriptures must be reinterpreted to conform to the theory. This is what has been done in the case of the Trinity Doctrine. Theory was then based upon spiritualizing or bending toward mysticism and philosophy for its support of the great Mystery of Babylon. Except they drop the word Babylon and say only that the Trinity is a great mystery that no one can understand. It never ceases to amaze me how supposed intellectuals can take the baptism of Christ, salutations of some epistles, and obscure passages in the Old Testament to substantiate the Doctrine of the Trinity. The Bible warns us against the Trinitarian mindset. Now that we have laid the foundation of the Triune deities of antiquity, lets start to bring it up toward the time when the Doctrine started pointing itself toward the ranks of Denominational Christianity. Almost everything we find that is done outside of Biblical context has some foundation in Babylon. Even the majority of the Jews that went into Babylon in exile began to pick up the false Gods of Babylon, and of Assyria. In the Book of Ezekiel, chapter 8, verses 1416, you find women weeping for Tammuz. In verse 16, the men facing the east are worshipping the Sun. As you see, a primary scripture denoting the recognition of the Triune Godhead. Tammuz being the God-incarnate son, and the Sun, which was a universal deity, most likely represented Nimrod because of Tammuz. As you see, the Jews back then had no problem sitting at the gate of the Lords house and weeping for Tammuz. Also, the men worshipping in the inner court of the Lords house between the porch and the altar wept as well. You see, they didnt forsake the Lords house, but brought these things and practices into the house of the Lord. Today, very much in the same 11

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

fashion as in Ezekiel, people are in the Lords house bringing these abominable Pagan worship practices in the house. Since circa 2400 BC, the Doctrine of the Trinity has evolved much. Nimrod reigned in Babylon. The triune god concept was taught, and the tower of Babel destroyed. Trinitarian seeds cover the earth. In most instances, everything contained in the ancient orthodox faith of the Patriarchs was reversed, reinterpreted, or corrupted. Col.2:8-9 8. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. It is sad that many sincere people have been blinded through traditions of men, and religious denominations. It takes a spiritual mind to comprehend the things of God; Eph. 3:17-19 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18. May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19. And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. When religious people assume that what is coming over the pulpit is always truth without searching the scriptures, it causes them to err. We are seeing a generation of Denominational Christians who dont have a clue as to how to place line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little, and there a little. In most cases, Trinitarians will not acknowledge the scriptures, as I have seen first hand. When presented with irrefutable and indisputable evidence in the Bible, theyll run in another direction. In one case, I was brought to a Bible study not knowing that it would immediately lead me into a debate on the Oneness of God. When confronted with the scripture, they refused to acknowledge the Word of God. This shows how deeply this Babylonian spirit has entrenched our society. Nowhere in the scriptures does it denote, or suggest three persons in the Godhead, yet they will rest upon this Doctrine. I also want to make mention that the Trinity Doctrine has made its way through Kabbalism. Charles Ponces book, Kabbalah states: Christian Kabbalism embellishes Kabbalistic Doctrine with Christian dogmas, such as the concept of the Christ & Trinity. Let me also quote some from Arthur Weigall: In his book, The Paganism in our Christianity, Mr. Weigall states the idea of a coequal Trinity. However, this offers a reasonable means of expressing the inexpressible; but it must not be forgotten that Jesus Christ never mentioned such a phenomenon, and nowhere in the New Testament does the word Trinity appear. The Catholic Church adopted the idea three hundred years after the death of our Lord; and the origin of the conception is entirely Pagan. 12

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

In the fourth century BC Aristotle wrote: All things are three, and thrice is all: and let us use this number in the worship of the Gods; for, as the Pythagoreans say, everything and all things are bounded by threes, for the end, the middle, and the beginning have this number in everything, and these compose the number of the Trinity (Aristotle, On the Heavens). I also want to add that Mr. Weigall states the ancient Egyptians, whose influence on early religious thought was profound, usually arranged their Gods or Goddesses in Trinities. There was the trinity of Osiris, Isis, and Horus, the Trinity of Amen, Mut, and Khonsu, the Trinity of Khnum, Satis, and Anukis, and so forth. The Hindu Trinity of Brahman, Siva, and Vishnu is another of the many and widespread instances of this theological concept. I may seem to be very repetitious, but my intention here is to give multiple references beyond the shadow of doubt. Many religious leaders from days of old to the present have founded Doctrines based upon theory, presumption, speculation, and false information. Some of Arthur Weigalls material is repetitive, but reiterates the same voice of other historical theologians that dare to delve into Mystery Babylon Religion to find where it all started. The idea of the Holy Spirit, as an emanation from God, had been known to the Jews from early times. The Hebrew word, ruach, literally means wind or breath, this being translated into Greek as pneuma, which has precisely that significance. The action of the Spirit being described theologically as pneumatic. Nevertheless, whether it was understood to be the divine breath of life, or to be a personal agent of God, distinct from the Logos, the idea of the Spirit being co-equal with God was not generally recognized until the second half of the Fourth Century A.D. From here, we want to go forth toward the present defining how this Pagan doctrine has infiltrated into Christianity. In the year 470 B.C., a philosopher named Socrates appeared in Athens, Greece. Since this time, Pagan worshippers, bearing seeds of Babylonian idolatry, planted them in the Greek world. These seeds eventually began to germinate in the hotbed of Greek philosophy. Socrates was a mess! He was a mystic who had psychic phenomena in his life, which he considered a voice. Socrates claimed the Greek Gods Apollo, Zeus, and Athena as his Gods, Lords and Ancestors. Let me inject another bit of information here. In Buddhism, there is a similar parallel in this Doctrine. Christian theology and Buddhist metaphysics share something of a common ground here. This becomes still more evident in a further phase of the thought of the Mahayana schools. In trying to relate the Absolute Suchness with the appearances of the Buddhas and other holy beings and saviors in the phenomenal world, the Mahayana systematizers

13

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church evolved the Doctrine of the Triple Body (the Trikaya). This was a Doctrine with some resemblance, at certain points, to Christian theories of the position of Christ in the Trinity. There are three bodies in the totality that is the universe. First the Body of Essence and Being (the Dharmakaya), second, the Body of Spiritual Bliss (the Sambhogakaya),

and third, The Body of Forms (literally, Transformations) or the Nirmanakaya. These writings are the numerous Puranas (Ancient Stories) and Tantras (Threads, Basic Teachings). Originally, the three members of the Great Triad were thought to be of equal importance and complementary to each other. Notice the words that I have highlighted here. I have heard these many times out of the mouth of Trinitarians. This word is referred to in the Trinity, yet not one place in the Bible does any scripture denote, or suggest any essence or emanation. In the Great Triad, they were co-equal to one another. This is one of the rudimentary elements of the Trinity Doctrine. In Taoism, while as a matter of course, the Jade Emperor was granted the highest place, and was commonly associated with Lao-Tzu and a third being, Ling Pao, marshal of the supernatural beings. The three, together, formed the official Taoist Trinity (the Three Purities). About forty years after Socrates, Plato came into the picture with his philosophical mindset. Plato, being a student of Socrates, adopted many of Socrates philosophical theories. One of Platos most celebrated is the Timaeus. This philosophical discourse combined reasoning plus numbers to describe a triune God known as God, the Ideas, and the World Spirit. Plato borrowed his three-fold God theory from his mentor Socrates. Socrates borrowed it from Greek mythology. Greek mythology borrowed it from Babylon, and Babylon borrowed it from a vain imagination! Soon, Greek philosophy, as historians agree, became a mighty influence on early Christian thought. This happened as the young Pagan sprouts of the three-God idea were transplanted into second century Christian soil. Theologians such as Justin Martyr, Origen, Irenaeus, Tertullian, and others, did this by mixing Greek philosophy with the Gospel. These theologians nurtured the theological plants of Christian-Greek philosophy, which later became full grown Trinitarianism. 14

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

So, as we see that the influences of Babylon throughout the ages have stayed a stronghold upon those who love not the truth. Paul, in the book of Acts, the 17th chapter, had to contend with the vain philosophers at Mars hill, Athens, Greece, and rebuked them for their worship of strange Gods. Platonism was in full swing, and growing in popularity amongst the religious thinkers. Judaism was probably the only system to barely hold onto Monotheism. The Babylonian Doctrines of multiple Gods heavily influenced many of those Jews. Platonism is the idealistic philosophy of Plato. Plato believed that out of a Trinity of father type Gods proceeded several other lesser Gods. Platos Timaeus discloses the universal Trinity of God. The real world, our own shadow world, and that the logos or Word, which is God manifested in the world, imported Platonic doctrines into orthodox Judaism, identifying the Messiah with the logos of Plato. The Platonic logic of Aristotle came to occupy a place of honor beside the scriptural canon in Catholic theology. Christian apologist, Justin Martyr, combined Johannine and Stoic-Platonic understandings of the term logos. This was destined to assume central position in Trinitarian and Christological doctrine. Justin Martyr (100-163ad) was the first theologian to indicate a plurality of God. He also was the first to indicate any form of water baptismal formula near to the modern concept of Matt. 28:19. He studied successively with Stoic, Peripatetic, Pythagorean, and Platonist teachers. Justin held that Pagan resources reveal ample analogies to Christian teaching on the Resurrection, the virgin birth, the life and death of Jesus, and Christs Sonship. Tertullian (160-225ad) is considered the father of Trinitarianism. He was the first to use the word Trinity or Trinities and personas (person or substance). He regarded God as one divine substance and three persons. Major Trinitarian theologians prior to Nicea 325 A.D. assumed that the Son and the Spirit were lesser in rank than God the Father. Origen was the first great Trinitarian proponent in the East. He attempted to fuse Greek philosophy and Christianity into a system of higher knowledge that historians often describe as Christian Gnosticism. Novatian was one of the first to emphasize the Holy Spirit as a third person. He taught subordination of the Son to the Father, saying the Son was a separate person. There was a gradual assimilation of the entire Christian worship to the ancient mysteries. By the third century, it could already rival the most imposing cult in all Paganism. Certain influential teachers, in fact, who founded the whole theology of the Christian church, at once joined issues with contemporary philosophies. As an example, Justin proves that they did not eschew even controversy with these opponents. They retained all that they had in common with Socrates, Plato, 15

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

and the Stoics. They showed how far people could go with them on the road; they attempted to give an historical explanation of the points in common between themselves and Paganism. In this way, they inaugurated the great adjustment of terms, which was inevitable. Vital Christian truths were either abandoned or at any rate neglected. The council of Nicea (325 AD) was called by Constantine. This council was to solve the division between the theology of Arius and that of Athanasius. Arius equated the Logos with the Son, and insisted that the Son was not of the same essence as the Father and not co-equal. On the other hand, Athanasius took the position that the Son was co-equal, co-eternal, and co-essence with the Father. As you see, those who infiltrated Denominational Christianity were men without the Holy Ghost, and were much more philosophical than they were spiritual. These men were well influenced by other Pagan philosophers who had no clue who God was, and placed their theories into the very existence of Christianity. You dont find these men ever being inspired by the Lord. Or do you ever find these men having any kind of Supernatural experience that lined up with the Bible, yet they were the predominate influences upon society. It was Tertullian against Praxeas that was the very work that first described any form of Trinitarianism and was the root that fathered the Trinity Doctrine at Nicea. This work made Jesus a second God and placed the Son and Holy Ghost as of lesser rank than the Father. There are no scriptures in the Bible that ever support the theory of three, co-equal, co-existent, and co-eternal or co-essence persons in the Godhead. Remember, that as like Matt.28:19, there was much Trinitarian influence in the translators of King James. They were Trinitarian men! As you will find out, that the Catholic inquisitions were necessary, because the Doctrines that they clave to were false. Therefore, it was necessary to have imperial Roman superiority over all religions. Everyone worshipping a religion that was not Catholic was put to death, even if it meant individuals, entire communities, or nations. I dont know how much more needs to be presented over this subject. It is entirely clear that the Doctrine of the Trinity is not a Doctrine of the Bible, or the Apostles Doctrine, and for someone to cleave to this Doctrine is spiritual ignorance in the highest degree. Realizing also, that the Apostolic Church did not spring out of a Trinitarian denomination as many suppose. From the Day of Pentecost in the Upper room where the church started, to the very present day, the Apostolic Church never went apostate into Trinitarianism. Some individuals did, and this is where the Roman Catholic Church got its roots. Carnal Bishops that had not the Spirit of God interpreted the Word of God. So, in concluding this chapter, we have a concise view of the beginning of this 16

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Doctrine, and the result today. The majority of the Denominational Christian world believes in the Triunity or Trinity of God.

17

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOAKED IN RELIGION The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

Pagan Festivals
BETTER KNOWN AS HOLIDAYS (HOLI-DAYS)

Chapter II, Part 1, Christmas


CHRISTMAS
The subject of Christmas is a touchy subject for many Apostolics. You can take their TVs away, prohibit videos, restrict fun parks, tell them how to dress, but dont you dare tread upon the Pagan ritual of Christmas. Theyll convict you into hell for wearing a wedding ring, fancy watch, buttons, tie clasps, cuff links, etc., but youll find the finest ornamental jewelry hanging off of a 7-foot tall Pagan idol mounted in their living rooms called a Christmas tree. Now, understand me well, I dont allow wedding rings, fancy watches, button jewelry, tie clasps, cuff links, and such the like. These are my convictions against jewelry, but for me to preach no jewelry, yet have that Pagan idol all decked out in gold, silver, and pearls sitting in my house is a double standard of hypocrisy. Enough said, lets get on to the root of the matter. There is so much indisputable historical information on Christmas that I dont know where to start. So, lets start at the beginning. I am proclaiming that the Christmas holiday is not Christian! I am proclaiming that the Christmas tree is a Pagan idol! I am proclaiming that Jesus Christ was not born on Dec. 25th! And I am proclaiming that anybody that partakes of the Christmas holiday is guilty by association. Now, for me to make these proclamations, I must be able to back them up with indisputable, irrefutable, undeniable historical evidence of viable references and resource books. have to say: Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the church. It was not instituted by Christ or the apostles, or by Bible authority. (Encyclopedia Britannica, 1946 Ed) It was picked up afterward from Paganism. Lets first take a look at what some of the non-religious books

18

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Said, Christmas. It was, according to many authorities, not celebrated in the first centuries of the Christian Church, as the Christian usage, in general, was to celebrate the death of remarkable persons, rather than their birth. A feast was established in memory of this event (Jesus birthday) in the fourth century. In the fifth century, the Western Church ordered it to be celebrated forever on the day of the old Roman feast of the birth of SOL, as no certain knowledge of the day of Christs birth existed. (The Encyclopedia Americana, 1944 Ed) Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the church the first evidence of the feast is from Egypt. Pagan customs centering around the January calends gravitated to Christmas. Any of this information is easily accessible at nearly any public library. But, most Apostolics wont even investigate the things that they observe, and many celebrate this Pagan festival out of sheer ignorance. This chapter is not here to condemn anyone, but to convict their conscience of their participation in Pagan festivals & rituals. (The Catholic encyclopedia

1911 Ed)
Isaiah 58 1. Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins. Eze. 44:23. And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. It is my responsibility to proclaim the truth of Gods Word, and the revelations of His Word that has been given to us. Christmas: The Christian festival commemorating the birth of Jesus, observed by most branches of the Church on the 25th of December, but by some denominations in January. The practice of celebrating Christmas on the 25th of December began in the Western Church early in the 4th-century; it was a Christian substitute for the Pagan festival held on that date to celebrate the birth of the unconquered Sun. (Websters World encyclopedia 2001 - The Cambridge

encyclopedia)
Many Christmas customs are of non-Christian origin; for example, Christmas trees (introduced into Britain from Germany) and holly and mistletoe decorations are of N. European Pagan origin, belonging to the midwinter festival of Yule. produced in the 1840s. 19 The name is often abbreviated to Xmas, X being the first letter (chi) of the Greek word Christos. The first Christmas cards were

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Now, knowing these historical facts from our own textbooks, we want to virtually dissect every area of this Pagan festival, its roots, and how it is today the most celebrated Christian holiday. This attempt to merge Paganism into Christianity is the main thrust of this book, and to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt, that these things were brought into Christianity to lure the Pagan worshippers out of their occultist ways and into Christianity. Christmas is not in the Bible, and if Jesus Christ wanted us to celebrate his birthday, then He would have told us to do so. In fact, there is nothing in the Bible that suggests or implies the celebration of ones birthday. Among other allegories borrowed by Christianity from Pagan antiquity is the story of the beautiful, blue-eyed Sun God, with His golden hair falling upon His shoulders, robed from head to foot in spotless white and carrying in His arms the Lamb of God, symbolic of the vernal equinox. This handsome youth is a composite of Apollo, Osiris, Orpheus, Mithras, and Bacchus, for He has certain characteristics in common with each of these Pagan deities. The philosophers of Greece and Egypt divided the life of the sun during the year into four parts; therefore they symbolized the Solar Man by four different figures. When He was born in the winter solstice, the Sun God was symbolized as a dependent infant who in some mysterious manner had managed to escape the Powers of Darkness seeking to destroy him while He was still in the cradle of winter. Hmm, this is very interesting. Sounds more like what has been taught about Christmas. If I didnt know better, Id think this is surely about Christmas, and the Christ baby. Almost all of the pictures represented as Jesus Christ, youll see a blonde-haired, blue-eyed Jesus. Nowhere in the Bible does it associate Jesus Christ looking like this perspective, in fact, IS.53:2 describes a clear picture of the Lord. But we want to focus on Dec. 25th, as the so-called birthday of Jesus Christ, and the celebration of his birthday. The things that are included, and the festival will be addressed in this chapter. I also want to make mention that the very beginning of Tree-bearers were the (Dendrophoroi). The Celebration of Christmas revolves mainly around the Christmas tree. Deut. 12:2. Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations, which ye shall possess, served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree 1Kings14:23. For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree. 2Kings16:4. And he sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. 20

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

2Chron. 28:4. He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places, and on the hills, and under every green tree. IS. 57:5. Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the cliffs of rocks? Jer. 2:20. For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest, playing the harlot. Eze. 6:13. Then shall ye know that I am the Lord, when their slain men shall be among their idols round about their altars, upon every high hill, in all the tops of the mountains, and under every green tree, and under every thick oak, the place where they did offer sweet savior to all their idols. So, you see that men were drawn to the worship and recognition of the tree long, long before Christmas was introduced. It was a major problem with the children of Israel who picked up these idols of other nations. Jeremiah Said, Thus sayeth the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, Now, I dont only want to accentuate on the tree, because there are many other objects placed into this Pagan festival that are noteworthy of study. We endeavor to expound upon these objects of worship.

MISLETOE
For most people today, mistletoe is just a holiday decoration giving young people a chance to kiss. This plant was considered to be from the spirit world by the ancient Druids of Britain, and therefore sacred. lose its powers. Mistletoe is sometimes known as the Vampire plant because it attaches itself to other plants and sucks their sap for nourishment. Mistletoe was sacred to some ancient religious sects and was used to make a healing beverage. The Druids of Gaul equated mistletoe with eternal life and used the plant in sacred ceremonies. The World Book Encyclopedia said this about Mistletoe, In Scandinavia, mistletoe was considered the plant of peace. declared a truce for the day. If enemies met under it, they Some historians believe that kissing under the mistletoe is 21 The Druids hung twigs of mistletoe above doors and put small pieces of it in rings and bracelets to ward off evil. It was never allowed to touch the ground, for then it would

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

reminiscent of the temple prostitution and sexual license that was most prolific during the Roman Saturnalia.

22

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

THE YULE LOG


The World Book Encyclopedia: The custom of burning the Yule log began with the
ancient Scandinavians, who once a year burned a huge log in honor of their god, Thor. After the Scandinavians became Christians, they made the Yule log an important part of their Christmas ceremonies. Alexander Hislop said this about the Yule log: Now the Yule log is the dead stock of Nimrod, deified as the sun-god, but cut down by his enemies. Hislop said, The mother of Adonis, the Sun-God and great Ancient Yule Log mediatorial divinity, was mystically said to have been changed into a tree, and when in that state, to have brought forth her divine son. If

the mother was a tree, the son must have been recognized as the Man the branch. And this entirely accounts for the putting of the Yule log into the fire on Christmas Eve, and the appearance of the Christmas tree the next morning. As Zero-Ashta, The seed of the woman, which name also signified Ignigenam is born of the fire, he has to enter the fire on Mother-night, that he may be born the next day out of it, as the Branch of God, or the tree that brings all divine gifts to men. But why, it may be asked, does he enter the fire under the symbol of a Log? To understand this, it must be remembered that the divine child born at the winter solstice was born as a new incarnation of the great god after that god had been cut in pieces, on purpose to revenge his death upon his murderers. It is understood that the Yule log must go into the fire before the tree is erected, for the Christmas tree is Nimrod redivivus - the slain god come to life again.

THE HOLLY WREATH


The custom of decorating homes and churches with evergreens began in ancient times. The Romans exchanged green tree branches An old English rhyme said: Holly for good luck on the calends (first day) of January. The English took this custom over for Christmas. and ivy, box and bay, put in the church on Christmas Day. Symbolism of Holly, the evergreen holly symbolizes eternal life. This shrub's most conspicuous features have long been associated with Jesus Christ. The bright red berries represent the drops of blood He 23

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

shed on the cross; their color also represented the burning love for God present in the hearts of the faithful. The prickly leaves remind us of the crown of thorns the Roman soldiers placed on Jesus Christ's head. The wreath traditionally displayed on the front door of a home during the weeks of Advent and the Christmas season once fulfilled a multiple role. It was intertwined with red ribbons to express the festive spirit; while its evergreen leaves were symbolic of the everlasting life which Jesus Christ's birth promised to the faithful. The circular shape was a reminder of the crown of thorns placed on His head by the Roman soldiers when they ridiculed Him as the "king of the Jews." Yet another suggestion links the wreath with celebrations related to the god Bacchus, whose worshippers were thought to have worn circular ivy crowns. Early on, the wreath also had a practical purpose. In a world full of fear and superstition, evergreen boughs were believed to protect a home from evil spirits, which were thought to be plentiful during this dark time of the year. During the middle Ages, the red berries of holly were believed to keep witches out of the home; this is why holly became the traditional and lucky evergreen for wreath making. (Webster's World Encyclopedia 2001. Published by Webster Publishing, 2000. Copyright Webster Publishing, and/or contributors). The practice of adorning houses with evergreens at the January calends was common throughout the German Empire, as we learn from Libanius, Tertullian, and Chrysostom. A grim denunciation of such decorations and the lights, which accompanied them, may be quoted from Tertullian; it makes a pregnant contrast of Pagan and Christian. Let them, he says of the heathen, Kindle lamps, they who have no light; let them fix on the doorposts laurels which shall afterwards be burnt, they for whom fire is close at hand; meet for them are testimonies of darkness and auguries of punishment. But thou, he says to the Christian, art a light of the world and a tree that is evergreen; if thou hast renounced temples, make not a temple of thy own house-door. (Webster's World Encyclopedia 2001. Webster Publishing, and/or contributors.) Published by Webster Publishing, 2000. Copyright

24

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

SANTA CLAUS
Ive heard many Apostolics say they dont do Santa at Christmas, but why not? If youre at all involved in this Paganism, you must have this Pagan God. I remember explicitly, parents getting very upset when their child was told that there wasnt any Santa Claus. Lets look first at the similarities of Santa Claus, and Jesus Christ.

JESUS CHRIST
REV. 1:18 I am alive for evermore IS. 14:13 I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north. Malachi 3:16 a book of remembrance was written before him Matt. 16:27 shall reward every man according to his works.

SANTA CLAUS
Lives forever Lives in the north

Keep records of deeds

Rewards or punishes (He knows when Prov. 15:3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Has all knowledge Daniel 7:9 and the hair of his head like the pure wool Matt. 24:30 they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven Rev. 3:3 I will come as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. Comes in the air 25 Has white hair youve been bad or good).

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Comes secretly

26

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

The name Santa Claus is a corruption of the name St. Nicholas, a Roman Catholic bishop who lived in the 5th century. Britannica, volume 19, pgs. The Encyclopedia reads: St. 648-649, 11th Ed.

Nicholas, bishop of Myra, a saint honored by the Greeks and Latins on the 6th of Dec. A legend of his surreptitious bestowal of dowries on the three daughters of an impoverished citizen is said to have originated the old custom of giving presents in secret on the Eve of St. Nicholas (Dec. 6th), subsequently transferred to Christmas Day. Hence, the association of Christmas with Santa Claus Through the years, parents punish their children for telling falsehoods. Then, at Christmas time, they themselves tell their little children this Santa Claus lie! According to an article in Connoisseur, the real Saint Nicholas has been venerated in Europe since the 6th century, and he has little in common with the character Americans have come to love as Santa Claus. The real Saint Nicholas, a 4th century bishop of Myra, whose basilica stands today in Bari, Italy, was one of medieval Europes favorite saints. According to legend, three daughters of a man who lived in St. Nicholass city wanted to get married, but because the man was poor, he could not provide a dowry, and so his daughters could not marry. St. Nicholas secretly gave them a gift of a dowry, and so the custom arose of giving gifts of St. Nicholas feast day, December 6th. Later, the custom was transferred in some countries to Christmas Day. When the Dutch settled New Amsterdam, now New York, they brought along their traditions of St. Nicholas, but the bishop laid aside his churchly robe and was transformed into a tubby character in short breeches. Nicholas powers are extensive. guardian against explosives, the Saint favorite He is a
Santa today and Ancient times

intercessor for perfumers and, in Paris, the patron saint of firemen. every year. So, this explains the business of Santa riding upon a fire truck The Legend of Santa Claus can be traced back more than 1700 years to

Bishop Nicholas of Myra in Asia Minor. Known for his gift giving to children and his 21

27

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

miracles, Nicholas was named patron saint of Russia in 1897. Bringing gifts in the name of St. Nicholas was a tradition that originated in the 12 th century with the nuns in the convents of the Central Provinces. On St. Nicholas Eve, Dec. 6th, they would secretly leave presents at the houses of poor families with small children. St. Nicholas is known throughout the world in one version or another. He is Hoteiosho (Japan), Pere Noel (France), Father Christmas (England), Dun Che Lao Pen (China), La Befana (Italy), Papa Noel (Brazil), Jule Nissen (Norway/Denmark), Niklo (Austria), Sint Niklaes (Belgium), Weihnachtsman (Germany), or just plain Santa Claus.

THE CHRISTMAS TREE


The Christmas tree, now so common among us, was equally common in Pagan Rome and Pagan Egypt. In Egypt, that tree was the palm-tree; in Rome it was the fir; the palm-tree denoting the Pagan Messiah, as Baal-Tamar, the fir referring to him as BaalBerith. The mother of Adonis, the Sun god, and great mediatorial divinity, was mystically said to have been changed into a tree, and when in that state, to have brought forth her divine son. If the Mother was a tree, the son must have been recognized as the Man branch. And this entirely accounts for the putting of the Yule Log into the fire on Christmas Eve, and the appearance of the Christmas tree the next morning. The Christmas tree is believed to have its origin in the ceremonial use of the palm tree in the worship of the Egyptian goddess, Isis. A palm with twelve shoots, one to represent each month of the year, was carried in a festival of Isis at the winter solstice, celebrating the completion of one year and the beginning of another. Primitive tribes revered nature, and believed that everything had life. Therefore, by legends, they tried to They revered trees, account for various natural phenomena.

and used them, not so much with the idea of adorning their homes, but rather for bringing the world of nature indoors. During the Saturnalia, Romans trimmed trees with trinkets and small masks of Bacchus. Sometimes they placed

28

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church The noted Latin poet,

twelve candles on a tree with an image of the sun god at the tip.

Vergil, once wrote of the custom of decorating trees with swinging toys. Long before the birth of Jesus, evergreens were used by the Pagans in their superstitious worship. They took their ability to remain green year round as a symbol of immortality, fertility, and the resurrection of the sun god. In the northern regions of Europe, they were brought inside also under the superstitious notion that the woodland spirits and fairies would live in them during the winter and thus survive the cold. In Italy, evergreens were used to decorate in honor of Saturn. The only place garlands show up in the Bible is in Pagan worship. In Acts 14:12 they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. Then the priest of Jupiter, which was before their city, brought oxen and garlands unto the gates, and would have done sacrifice with the people. Mistletoe, holly and ivy were especially liked in the vain traditions of the heathen since they bore their berries in the winter, thus making them more powerful symbols of the fertility and immortality figures in the Pagan sun god worship. Jeremiah 10:2-5 clearly shows that the custom of bringing in a tree and decorating it is associated with the signs of heaven the winter solstice in this case and the Lord God does not want His people learning to do these things. Added to this is the fact that when Israel went into apostasy they sacrificed under green trees and God punished them for it. Offered sweet savors to idols under a green tree. presents under a Christmas Tree does it not? The Egyptians believed that the fir tree sprang from the grave of their god Osiris who, after being murdered, was resurrected through the tree. This then, coming from Nimrods original cult and being passed from Babylon all over the world, is the basic meaning of the so-called Christ Child tree. It is a symbol of the slain and resurrected God, but it is Satans counterfeit Christ, not our Lord Jesus. Though probably related, there were also other superstitions surrounding the bringing in of the tree. For ages, evergreen trees would be brought into the house during winter as magic symbols of luck and hope for a fruitful year to come. phallic symbol. IN CONCLUDING: 1THESS 5:22 - ABSTAIN FROM ALL APPEARANCES OF EVIL. 29 The symbols of fruitfulness, immortality of the god, and the pyramid shape all fit with what some have claimed, that the Christmas tree is indeed a In Ezekiel 6:13 They Does sound somewhat like putting

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

30

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOAKED IN REIGION:
The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

Pagan Festivals
BETTER KNOWN AS HOLIDAYS (HOLI-DAYS)

Chapter II, Part II, Easter


Easter, the Pagan festival of Astarte, also known as Ishtar, is known to us as Easter. This festival was held in late April around the time of Passover. In its original form, it was a celebration of the Earths regenerating itself after the winter season. The festival involved the celebration of reproduction. The common symbols of Astarte was the She is the Easter were the Rabbit and the Egg.

main female deity and is known in the Bible as the Queen of Heaven, Jer. 7:18, 44, 17-25. mother of Tammuz (Eze. 8:14) who was her husband. These perverted rituals take place at sunrise on Easter morning. Eze. 8:13-14, is the key to understanding Acts 12:4. It was the The Days of Unleavened Bread. Let me give some viable references pertaining to Easter. What is the meaning of Easter? You have been led to believe that the word 1600 years, the Western rose from the dead on merely one of the fables Testament. Sunday! merely the slightly This was the name of the goddess, which comes to where the name is known for this goddess was The means Resurrection of Jesus. For world has been taught that Christ Sunday morning. But that is Paul warned readers of the New Resurrection did not occur on The name Easter is changed English spelling of Ishtar. ancient Assyrian and Babylonian us from old Teutonic mythology as Ostern. The Phoenician name

31

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Astarte, consort of Baal, the sun god, whose worship the Lord God Almighty in the Bible denounces. The word Easter, symbolic of the annual Christian festival celebrating the Resurrection of Christ, comes from Eastre, a Teutonic goddess of light and spring. The name of the festival in her honor was transferred by the eighth century Anglo-Saxons to the Christian festivals. (The New Websters Bible Dictionary and Concordance) Easter, derived from Eostra, a Teutonic goddess of spring, is known as the festival of the Resurrection of Christ. In the ancient church, the celebration of Easter lasted eight days. After the 11th century, it was limited to three, and in later times generally to two days. It has always been a favorite time to perform the rite of baptism. In old times, the courts of justice were closed and alms were dispensed to the poor, who also feasted in the churches. Slaves were sometimes given their freedom at Easter, and as the austerities of Lent were over, the people gave themselves up to enjoyment. On Easter Day, the people saluted each other with the Easter kiss and the exclamation of Surreixt (He is risen), to which the reply was, Vere Surrexit (He is risen indeed). This custom is still retained in the Greek Church. In some churches, the sacrament of the Lords Supper has been the Roman Catholics must receive communion most important part of Easter observance. (American Peoples Encyclopedia) Many of the popular observances of Easter are Pagan in origin. traced to the feast of the goddess of spring, Eostra. bonfires formed a part of the Pagan festivals. Some may be The great The church endeavored to give the They had their

sometime during the Eastertide, from the first Sunday of Lent to Trinity Sunday.

Christian significance to such of the Pagan rites as could not be rooted out. counterpart in the Paschal tapers, or Easter candles, sometimes weighing 300 pounds, with which the churches were lighted on Easter Eve. The Easter egg and Easter rabbit are also Pagan in origin. Pre-Christian Tradition. unknown. Easter is a Christian festival that The origin of its name is embodies many pre-Christian traditions.

Scholars, however, accepting the derivation proposed by

the 8th century English scholar St. Bede, believe it probably comes from Eastre, the Anglo-Saxon name of a Teutonic goddess of spring and fertility, to who was dedicated a month corresponding to April. 32 Her festival was

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

celebrated on the day of the Vernal Equinox. Traditions associated with the festival survive in the Easter rabbit, a symbol of fertility, and in colored Easter eggs, originally painted with bright colors to represent the sunlight of spring, and used in Easter egg rolling contests or giving of gifts. (Funk & Wagnalls) The name of this holiday and the time it is celebrated have led people to believe that an earlier holiday existed on this day before the Christian observance. For many ancient nations joyously celebrated the end of winter and the resurrection of the sun at this season of the year; and some devoted this festival to Eostre, Germanic goddess of spring. The Church Fathers turned this heathen holiday into the Christian celebration of the Resurrection, and Christians the world over observe this day with great rejoicing. Some greet each other with, Christ is risen! Christ is risen! And all think of Jesus, who conquered death so that those who follow him may gain everlasting life. (Our Wonderful World Encyclopedia) Easter is also a springtime festival; many of its customs and legends are Pagan in origin and have nothing to do with Christianity. Like all spring festivals of ancient origin, the celebration is closely tied to nature worship. For instance, the symbolic use of eggs and the Easter hare both have a mystical background. (Encyclopedia Britannica) Jeremiah 44:17-19 17 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to burn incense unto the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. 18 But since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine. 19 And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men? KJV I can understand denominational churches observing these Pagan holidays as such, but when Pentecostal/Apostolic people participate in these rituals it is an abomination unto

33

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

God. Traditional Pentecostals are about as ignorant as the day is long. Sad to say, but in Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent. 2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; Now, for the remainder of this Chapter & Part, I want to designate to the specifics of this Pagan festival. It is amazing how many people really do not know what is involved in this festival and the things pertaining to it. rituals. Lets start to take a closer look into the particulars of the festival. Many symbols are brought into view, and are assimilated into it

THE LENT
Jesus observed no Lent. The apostles and the early true Church of God observed no Lenten season. Then how did this observance originate? The Forty days abstinence of Lent was directly borrowed from worshippers of the Babylonian goddess. Such a Lent of forty days, in the spring of the year, is still observed by the Yezidis or Pagan Devil-worshippers of Koordistan, who have inherited it from the early masters, the Babylonians. Such a Lent of forty days was held in spring by the Pagan Mexicans. Such a Lent of forty days was observed in Egypt. In fact, this Egyptian Lent of forty days was observed expressly in honor of Osiris, also known as Adonis in Syria and Tammuz in Babylonia. Among the Pagans, this Lent seems to have been an indispensable preliminary to the great annual festival in commemoration of the death and resurrection of Tammuz. This was celebrated by alternate weeping and rejoicing, and which, in being observed in Palestine and Assyria in June, therefore called the month of Tammuz in Egypt, about the middle of May, and in Britain, sometime in April. Jeremiah 7:18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. KJV The Egyptian Lent of forty days, we are informed by Landseer, in his Sabean Researches, was held expressly in commemoration of Adonis or Osiris, the great

34

New Life Tabernacle mediatorial god.

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

At the same time, the rape of Proserpine (Roman) seems to have been

commemorated, and in a similar manner; for Julius Firmicus informs us that, for forty nights the wailing for Persephone (Greek) continued. From Arnobius, we learn that the fast, which the Pagans observed, called Castus or the sacred fast, was, by the Christians in his time, believed to have been primarily in imitation of the long fast of Ceres. This fast came to be when for many days she determinedly refused to eat on account of her excess of sorrow, that is, on account of the loss of her daughter Proserpine, when carried away by Pluto, the god of hell. To conciliate the Pagans to nominal Christianity, Rome, pursuing its usual policy, took measures to get the Christian and Pagan festivals amalgamated, and, by a complicated but skillful adjustment of the calendar, it was found no difficult matter, in general, to get Paganism and Christianity to shake hands.

THE HOT CROSS BUNS OF GOOD FRIDAY


The Buns, known too by that identical name, were used in the worship of the queen of heaven, the goddess Easter, as early as the days of Cecrops. founder of Athens that is, 1500 years before the Christian era. antiquity, and called Boun. Cecrops was the One species of sacred

bread, says Byrant (Mythology), which used to be offered to the gods, was of great Diogenes Laertius, speaking of this offering being made by Empedocles, describes the chief ingredients of which it was composed, saying, He, offered one of the sacred cakes called Boun, which was made of fine flour and honey. the prophet Jeremiah takes notice of this kind of offering when he says, The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven. The hot cross buns are not offered, but eaten, on the festival of Astarte; but this leaves no doubt as to whence they have been derived. Jeremiah 7:18. It is from the very word here used by the prophet that the word bun seems to be derived. The Hebrew word, with the points, was pronounced Khavan, which in Greek became sometimes Kapan-os (Photius, lexeon Syttoge, Part I. p. 130); and, at other times, Khabon. The first shows how Khvan, pronounced as one syllable, would pass into the Latin panis, bread, and the second how, in like manner, Khvon would become Bon or Bun.

35

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

HOT CROSS BUNS


Many Easter customs have existed from time immemorial and continue today, dressed in a new meaning. The hot cross bun, for example, is Pagan in origin. The Anglo-Saxon savages consumed cakes as a part of the jollity that attended the welcoming of spring. The early missionaries from Rome blessed the cakes by drawing a cross upon them. Come Ash Wednesday, hot cross buns appear in every bakery window in the United States and Europe, and interestingly enough, are sold only during the Easter season. (Encyclopedia Britannica)

EASTER EGGS
Did you know that dyed Easter eggs also figured in the ancient Babylonian mystery rites, just as they do in Easter observances today? It is recorded in Edward Davies The Mythology and Rites of the British Druids, page 210, that the ancient Druids bore an egg as the sacred emblem of their idolatrous order. Eggs were sacred to many ancient civilizations and formed an integral part of the religious ceremonies in Egypt and in the Orient. According to James Bonwick, Eggs were hung up in the Egyptian temples. Bunsen calls attention to the mundane egg, the emblem of generative life, proceeding from the mouth of the great god of Egypt. The mystic egg of Babylon, hatching the Venus Dyed eggs were sacred Easter offerings in Easter, or spring, was the season of birth, Ishtar, fell from heaven to the Euphrates. Egypt, as they are still in China and Europe.

terrestrial and celestial (Egyptian belief and Modern Thought, pp. 211-212). Eggs represent the new life that returns to nature about Easter time. The custom of exchanging eggs began in ancient times. The ancient Egyptians and Persians often dyed eggs in spring colors and gave them to their friends as gifts. The Persians believed that the earth had hatched from a giant egg. (The World Book Encyclopedia) The origins of the Easter egg go back even further in history. Most of the ancient civilizations regarded the egg as the seed of life and fertility or a symbol of reincarnation.

36

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

So it is not surprising that it was adopted along with the spring festival as a reminder of Jesus Christs resurrection. (Strange Stories, Amazing Facts) The custom of using eggs in various ways has been associated with Easter for centuries. and villages. In Europe, particularly in the Slavic countries, eggs are hand-painted in The giving of Easter eggs as presents was at one time almost universal. (Encyclopedia distinctive traditional designs that are passed down from generation to generation in towns After they were colored, various designs and inscriptions were etched into the surface and exchanged by those sentimentally inclined, much as valentines.

Britannica)
From here, we can deduct that the egg was used much prior then to that of the Catholic holiday of Easter. The Mundane Egg, The Mystic Egg, Sacred Egg of Heliopolis, Easter Egg, Typhons Egg, etc. It was a significant symbol in Pagan cultures, even to this day. The egg signifies the birth or fertility of the world. It represented a fertility symbol, which in Paganism, fertility was a large significance. It is very obvious that there were no eggs to represent the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians, and today without even a clue, v irtually all denominational churches recognize, observe, and celebrate this well-known Pagan ritual & festival. The sad part is that even in the Apostolic/Pentecostal churches today, youll find the Pagan symbols of Easter embedded in their services. How sad it is to see Holy Ghost filled people following after the ways of the heathen. The egg was taken from its Pagan roots, injected into Catholicism, and fed to the multitudes of so-called

THE EASTER BUNNY


The Easter bunny springs from pre-Christian fertility lore. Hares and rabbits were then symbols of abundant new life in the spring season. In ancient Egypt, the rabbit Some ancient peoples It may later have However, it symbolized birth and new life.

considered it a symbol of the moon.

become an Easter symbol because the moon determines the date of Easter. culture.

took more than one hundred years before early customs became a part of the American The popularity of the Easter bunny, which brings baskets of treats, has been 37

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

traced back to the Germans who immigrated to Pennsylvania. The young German children on the eve of Easter would build nests in anticipation of the rabbits visit. The story goes that if they were good little boys and girls, the bunny would lay eggs in the nests. Why the Easter rabbit hippety-hops into the Easter picture has many mystical explanations. In the Orient, the Easter hare is very closely associated with the new moon, and Japanese artists paint its figure across the moons disc. The Chinese represent the moon as a rabbit pounding rice in a mortar. The Europeans also have all sorts of fantasies connected with the moon, but the most accepted theory is that it represents fertility. However, children like to believe that on Easter Sunday a rabbit, after a long winters sleep, lays bright red and blue, yellow and purple eggs in the new grass. (Encyclopedia

Britannica)
In Germany, it is the Easter hare that brings the eggs and hides them in the house and garden for children to search for. In many places, pretty little rabbit gardens are made ready for the hare. Children have fun making them of moss or grass to provide a place for the rabbit to hide the eggs. Well known are the eggs made of sugar with little scenes inside that can be seen through a transparent window at one end. The white rabbit of Easter, beloved of small Americans, comes hopping down to us from eras when the sun and the moon were gods to men. The pure white rabbit played in the full of the pure white Easter moon and brought gifts of bright colored eggs to children who were good. Some religious authorities would like to outlaw eggs and rabbits along But eggs and rabbits with Santa Claus- These things Paganize religion, we are told.

please the youngsters today; just as white sweet lilies gladden the old. (Encyclopedia

Britannica)
Easter and the Bunny Childrens stories in many countries tell how Easter Eggs are brought not by a chicken, but by hares and rabbits. These long eared hopping In mammals have represented fertility in many cultures, because they breed so quickly. the Virgin Marys feet to signify her triumph over temptations of the flesh.

traditional Christian art, the hare represents lust, and paintings sometimes show a hare at Yet, as a symbol of life reawakening in the spring - often portrayed as the innocent and cuddly Easter bunny - the rabbit coexists in many places with the solemn Christian rites of Easter. (Readers Digest Book of Facts) 38

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

As we conclude this section, and part on Easter, we find that virtually all of this Pagan holiday has its origin based in ancient Egypt, and Babylon. Apostolic people have no business being involved in such festivals and rites. What it boils down to is that the motive behind this doctrine is to take away our minds and hearts from the truth of Jesus Christ. Friend, break out of tradition, and be a real Apostolic, and stand for what is right. Ive heard it said, We observe it not to put a bad witness to others, and our family. The spirit of compromise is the worst. Just because other family members want to be a part of some Pagan festival, doesnt mean that I have to partake! If they go to a bar to drink, do you go also? If they go to nightclubs, do you go also?

39

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

40

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOAKED IN RELIGION:
The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

Pagan Festivals
BETTER KNOWN AS HOLIDAYS (HOLI-DAYS)

Chapter II, Part III, St. Valentines Day


The most plausible theory for St. Valentines Day traces its customs back to the Roman Lupercalia, a feast celebrated in February in honor of the pastoral god Lupercus, a Roman version of the Greek god Pan. The festival was an important one for the Romans and, occurring when it did, naturally had some aspects of a rebirth rite to it. (Encyclopedia Britannica) Also during the Lupercalia, but in honor of the goddess Juno Februata, the names of young women were put into a box. Youths then drew the names and the boys and girls so matched would be considered partners for the year, which began in March. Everywhere that the Christians came into power they immediately adapted the holidays and customs of the people to their own creed. Now it was a simple matter to call the day that this drawing took place St. Valentines Day, for the date of his beheading and of the drawing were almost identical. To Christianize the heathen practice of picking lots for sweethearts, all that was needed was to replace the names of the girls with the names of the saints and to have the young people emulate the particular virtues of whatever saint they drew. Incidentally, this custom is not dead today and is still observed in some religious orders.

ST. VALENTINES DAY HEART


This symbol will probably be repeated in the chapter dealing with symbolism. The Heart was one of the sacred symbols of Osiris when he was born again, and appeared as Harpocrates, or the infant divinity, borne in the arms of his mother Isis. Therefore, the fruit of the Egyptian Persea was peculiarly 41

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

sacred to him, from its resemblance to the Human Heart. Hence, this infant divinity was frequently represented with a heart, or the heart-shaped fruit of the Persea in one of his hands. Kennett tells us in his Antiquities, that the Roman youths, in their tender years, used to wear a golden ornament suspended from their necks, called bulla, which was hollow, and heart-shaped. The Veneration of the Sacred Heart seems also to have extended to India. There, Vishnu, the Mediatorial god, in one of his forms, with the mark of the wound in his foot, in consequence of which he died. For which, such lamentation is annually made, is represented as wearing a heart suspended on his breast. Is it asked, How came it that the Heart became the recognized symbol of the Child of the great Mother? The answer is, The Heart in Chaldee is Bel; and as, at first, after the check given to idolatry, almost all the most important elements of the Chaldean system were introduced under a veil. Under that veil they continued to be shrouded from the gaze of the uninitiated, after the first reason the reason of fear had long ceased to operate. Now, the worship of the Sacred Heart was just under a symbol, the worship of the Sacred Bel, that mighty one of Babylon, who had died a martyr for idolatry; for Harpocrates, or Horus, the infant god, was regarded as Bel, born again. Aristophanes says that Eros or Cupid produced the birds and gods by mingling all things. This evidently points to the meaning of the name BEL, which signifies at once the Mingler and the confounder. This name properly belonged to the father of Nimrod, but, as the son was represented as identified with the father, we have evidence that the name descended to the son and others by inheritance. St. Valentines Day comes around each year with its appeal for love, consideration, and charm. Thats really unnecessary to lovers, yet how refreshing to awaken relationships and stimulate fond memories. Eros, or Cupid, the young winged boy with the bow and arrow, supposedly shoots his arrows of desire creating love. The Greeks and Romans symbolized the god of love with a heart being pierced by an arrow. Doesnt it seem strange that piercing the heart would bring love? The representation is somewhat devious because the heart and arrow are symbolic of the female and male sex organs. The heart shape, well known in eastern countries, is called the yoni; 42

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church Sometimes this is illustrated as an

the arrow is equivalent to the lingham or phallic. inverted triangle or as a lei of flowers or beads. of union toward non-duality.

Aristophanes says that Eros or Cupid

produced the birds and gods by mingling all things. The heart and arrow visualize this act The heart pierced with the arrow is a symbol of conjunction. Eros is the Greek word for love, like philia (Family love) and agape (divine love), lacked this highly sexual sense. Most of the so-called gods of antiquity were allied to the fertility rites. The Scandinavian god, Thor, was concerned with fertility and the preservation of the seasonal round. In our own times, little stone axes from the distant past have been used as fertility symbols and placed by the farmer in the holes made by the drill to receive the first seed of spring. Thors marriage with Sif of the golden hair, about which we hear in the myths, Zeus, the equivalent god of Greece, was involved in innumerable love seems to be a memory of the ancient symbol of divine marriage between the sky god and earth goddess. affairs. These tales anciently reflected a cosmic union of sky and earth or a ritual sacred marriage. Maya women of old sought solace from the Maya moon goddess, Ixchel, patroness of fertility, weaving and medicine. I could go on very lengthy with much more information about the root foundation of St. Valentines Day. In view of all the historical documentation, one would consider that there is nothing Christian about this holiday, nor Holy. Remember this, the early socalled Christians could not extinguish Paganism, so the next best thing to do was to get the Pagans to join Christianity. society. And so they did in many ways as even seen today in our In fact, our present Denominational Christian society is delving deeper into

Paganism than at any time Ive ever seen. Pagan Jewelry is acceptable in Christian circles. Apostolics are wearing a Pagan wedding ring, and fighting to keep it on. Apostolic/Pentecostals are more enthused about holidays, than about Church service days. It is sad to see so many Apostolics ignorant to the factual roots of the many Pagan holidays, and will contend for these. No wonder why so many Christian youth wind up in Lets put everything under the fornication, promiscuity, gross sin, perversion, etc.

microscope of the Word of God. Dont take the Preachers word for it. He may not know truth about whats being practiced. Matt 22:29, Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. KJV.

43

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOAKED IN RELIGION:
The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

Pagan Festivals
BETTER KNOWN AS HOLIDAYS (HOLI-DAYS)

Chapter II, Part IV, ST. PATRICKS DAY


I want to start this section on Pagan festivals in the light of the others, as they are all tied in together. It has never been a good thing to combine anything Pagan with Christianity. What fellowship hath light with darkness, and Christ with Beelzebub? We also do not lure people into the church with worldly temptations. Over the years, I have watched the programs produced, with really no avail. You dont win a drunk with a beer, and you dont lure a Rock-N-Roller with wild Religious Rock. In like manner, you will not convert Pagans by taking their festivals and recycling them into something that seems to be good. I also want to stress this point, that many ignorant Apostolics observe these Pagan rites, rituals, and festivals unknowingly. They just follow their leader! Pulpit Religion! Amos 8:11 Behold, the days come, sayeth the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD. KJV Pauls admonishing to Timothy was to study to show thy self approved unto God! The program of Mystery Babylon is to keep the people ignorant of the Word. I also believe that our public school system is in full control by Mystery Babylon. The rate of illiteracy in our country is astounding, even after they spend billions of dollars, which are pumped into the system, and yet it produces a numbskull. slaughter. Keep a generation ignorant, and they will be mindless sheep led to the Remember this, that knowledge is power! Ye shall know (Knowledge) the truth, and the truth shall make you free! Truth is the

44

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

key to breaking free. This is one of the main reasons this book is being written. Lets go into the evidence on St. Patricks Day, and lets see about Shamrocks, Leprechauns, and Green. In my estimation, any person with two brain cells working can figure out that these things have nothing to do with Jesus Christ and His church. Lets start by giving you some background on the Patron saint, of whom this Pagan festival is named. Patrick, Saint, 389-461, apostle of Ireland and patron saint of that country, was probably born in Scotland, of Christian parents. At 16, Irish pirates took him as a slave back to their own country. During the next six years while held a captive in Ireland, he worked as a herdsman taking advantage of the solitude in the fields to turn to religion for his only consolation. He escaped from his bondage and made his way back to his home, where he continually heard voices beckoning him to return to Ireland as a missionary. After some years of training in religion at Lerins, in the Mediterranean, the news of the death of the first bishop of Ireland, Palladius, in 431 reached Patrick just as he was setting out on his mission to Ireland. He was immediately consecrated bishop by St. Germanus, after which, he departed for Ireland. Here he challenged Pagan beliefs and practices, at first reviving much opposition, but soon obtaining respect. He proceeded to advance the cause of Christianity with great success, and it is a special tribute to his ability and zeal that when he first arrived in Ireland there were only a few Christians there, but by the time he died, the whole country had embraced the faith. Patrick was made archbishop of Armagh in 445, and Ireland became a province, immediately subject to the power of Rome. He retired to Saul in 457 and spent the remainder of his life there. In these last years, he wrote his most important work, Confession, an explanation of his life and accomplishments. The Feast of St. Patrick is celebrated on March 17th. ENCYCLOPEDIA) (AMERICAN PEOPLES

The Blarney Stone


The Blarney stone is a block of limestone in Blarney Castle near Cork, Ireland. Legend says the owner of this castle used promises and flattery to save the castle from attackers. In the Keep (inner tower), a stone is embedded,

45

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

which once bore the date 1446. Legend says that a person who kisses this Blarney Stone will be given the power of sweet, persuasive, wheedling eloquence. People who are clever, convincing talkers are said to have the gift of Blarney. Mackeys Encyclopedia says this, It was universal to worship stone. Throughout the world the first object of idolatry seems to have been a plain, unwrought stone, placed in the ground as an emblem of the generative or procreative powers of nature. Lev 26:1 Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the LORD your God. KJV. You find the early Druids were stone worshippers. The Stonehenge monuments are still to this day observed as sacred. Remnants of stone worship are distributed over the greater part of the earths surface, and a notable example being the menhirs at Carnac. In Brittany, there are several thousand gigantic uncut stones arranged in eleven orderly rows. Many of these Stones monoliths stand over twenty feet out of the sand in which they are embedded, and it has been calculated that some of the larger ones weigh as much as 250,000 pounds. were highly venerated by prehistoric peoples primarily because of their usefulness.

Leprechauns
The leprechauns are solitary creatures avoiding contact with mortals and other leprechaunsindeed the whole fairy tribe. one hand and a hammer in the other. Most leprechauns are ugly, stunted creatures, not taller than boys of the age of ten or twelve. But they are broad and bulky, with faces like dried apples. They have a mischievous light in their eyes and their bodies, despite their stubbiness, usually move gracefully. They possess all the earths treasures, but prefer to dress drab. Usually gray or green colored coats, a sturdy pocket-studded apron, and a hat---sometimes green or dusty red colored. They have been known to be foul-mouthed, smoke illsmelling pipes called dudeens, and drink quite a bit of beer from ever-handy jugs. Other He pours all of his passion into the concentration of carefully making shoes. A leprechaun can always be found with a shoe in

46

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

fairies endure them, because they provide the much-needed service of cobblery. Leprechauns guard the fairies treasures. They must prevent its theft by mortals. They, alone, remember when the marauding Danes landed in Ireland and where they hid their treasure. Although they hide the treasures well, the presence of a rainbow alerts mortals to the whereabouts of gold hordes. This causes the leprechauns great anxiety---for no matter how fast he moves his pot of gold, he never can get away from rainbows. does this happen. If a mortal catches a leprechaun and sternly demands his treasure, he will give it to the mortal. Rarely Occasionally, especially after a wee too much beer, he will offer a mortal not only a drink, but also some of his treasure. Female leprechauns do not exist.

47

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOAKED IN RELIGION:
The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

Pagan Festivals
BETTER KNOWN AS HOLIDAYS (HOLI-DAYS)

Chapter II, Part V, Mothers Day


I would like to start this part of chapter two with much carefulness and understanding. I want to make very clear that this is not an attack upon Mothers! I believe in giving honor to where honor is due. Mothers are very special in that they are the ones who do the most nurturing. The first thing that will come in mind to those who are reading this is NOW, YOURE TAKING MOTHERS DAY AWAY. No, Im not taking Mothers day away! But, we want to inspect the very origin of this day. Is it of Christian origin, or Pagan? Surely if this holiday is Pagan, we would not want to observe it, even though it would upset most. Where did this special day originate? Is it scripturally founded? Is there any place in the Bible that shows they observed Mothers Day? Was Mary the mother of Jesus showed this honor? If this special day is not Biblical, then where did it come from? What person did it derive from? These questions and more will be addressed in Part V of this chapter. From the beginning of my research into Paganistic rituals, I have virtually put Why should someone just take the word of Who cares what almost everything under the Microscope.

another based upon tradition? Or, being in fear of repercussion by others, we fall in line with the flow of society, and are mindful of what society has to say. society has to say about things they dont understand? People in general want us to follow the flow of things. For someone to take a stand against something and go against the flow of society, may very well bring repercussions from others around us. We must decide a few things. First, whom do we serve? Secondly, because everyone else is going in the same direction, is it a right direction? Thirdly, if Jesus said nothing about it, should we not investigate its origin? These points are most important, and need to be addressed. 48

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

I want to present to the reader that Mothers Day is an emanation that derives from the worship of the Mother of the gods, Rhea or Cybele. To lay a good foundation we must investigate the Pagan roots of Rhea & Cybele. These two female deities are the focal point in Part V, of this chapter. Lets start by giving a good scriptural base for Part V, Mothers day. Jer 7:16-18 16 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee. 17 Seest thou not what they do in the cities of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? 18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. KJV Here is a prime example of the people of God recognizing a special day unto a false Female deity. such Paganism. ritual. It is one thing for the Trinitarian Christians to observe such a day, but Yet, the children, fathers, and mothers all were involved in this Pagan sacrilege for any Apostolic/Pentecostal child of God to even consider being a partaker of Much like today, people are fully involved in these Pagan rituals and festivals

unknowingly. Why doesnt the Holy Ghost take care of the business, since the Holy Ghost will lead us unto all truth? Ill tell you why, TRADITIONS OF MEN. Jer 44:16-25 16 As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee. 17 But we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth, to BURN INCENSE UNTO THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, as we have done, we, and our fathers, our kings, and our princes, in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem: for then had we plenty of victuals, and were well, and saw no evil. 18 BUT SINCE WE LEFT OFF TO BURN INCENSE TO THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.

49

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

19 AND WHEN WE BURNED INCENSE TO THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN, and POURED OUT DRINK OFFERINGS UNTO HER, DID WE MAKE HER CAKES TO WORSHIP HER, AND POUR OUT DRINK OFFERINGS UNTO HER, without our men? 20 Then Jeremiah said unto all the people, to the men, and to the women, and to all the people which had given him that answer, saying, 21 The incense that ye burned in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, ye, and your fathers, your kings, and your princes, and the people of the land, did not the LORD remember them, and came it not into his mind? 22 So that the LORD could no longer bear, because of the evil of your doings, and because of the abominations, which ye have committed; therefore is your land a desolation, and an astonishment, and a curse, without an inhabitant, as at this day. 23 Because ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the LORD, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, nor walked in his law, nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this evil is happened unto you, as at this day. 24 Moreover Jeremiah said unto all the people, and to all the women, Hear the word of the LORD, all Judah that are in the land of Egypt: 25 Thus sayeth the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying; Ye and your wives have both spoken with your mouths, and fulfilled with your hand, saying, We will surely perform our vows that we have vowed, TO BURN INCENSE TO THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN, AND TO POUR OUT DRINK OFFERINGS UNTO HER: ye will surely accomplish your vows, and surely perform your vows. KJV Jer 7:16-20 (1.) What the sin is with which they are here charged-it is idolatry, v. 18. Their idolatrous respects are paid to the queen of heaven, the moon, either in an image or in the original, or both. They worshipped it probably under the name of Ashtaroth, or some other of their goddesses, being in love with the brightness in which they saw the moon walk, and thinking themselves indebted to her for her benign influences or fearing her malignant ones, Job 31:26. The worshipping of the moon was much in use among the heathen nations, (From Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible: New Modern Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1991 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.)

50

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Jer 7:12-28 Cakes to the queen of heaven (v. 18). Probably a reference to the Babylonian fertility-goddess Ishtar, goddess of the planet Venus. The cakes were probably in the form of the goddess (cf. 44:15-25). (From The Wickliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press) Jer 7:16-18 The deity so zealously worshipped by the people is called the Queen of heaven, and is mentioned only by Jeremiah. Besides here, there is reference to her in Jer 44:17, where we see that her worship was very diligently cultivated and that she was adored as the bestower of earthly possessions. (mleket (OT:4446) is stat. constr., either from the Chald. form mleek (OT:4427), or from mliykaah, after the analogy of gberet (OT:1404), st. constr. of gbiyraah (OT:1377); but perhaps it has mleket (OT:4446) in stat. abs.) This worship was combined with that of the stars, the host of heaven, which especially prevailed under Manasseh (2 Kings 21:5). Thence it may be presumed that the Queen of heaven was one of the deities who came to Western Asia with the Assyrians, and that she corresponds to the Assyrian-Persian Tanais and Artemis, who in the course of time took the place once occupied by the closely related Phoenician Astarte. She is originally a deification of the moon, the Assyrian Selene and Virgo caelestis, who, as supreme female deity, was companion to Baal-Moloch as sun-god; cf. Movers, Phnizier, i. S. 623 ff. With this accords the statement of Steph. Byz., that selee'nee (NT:4582) is also pee'pano'n ti too' a'stroo paraplee'sion. (from Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament: New Updated Edition, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Hendrickson Publishers, Inc.) Jer 7:18 The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough to make cakes to the queen of heaven-not merely isolated individuals practiced idolatry: young and old, men and women, and whole families, contributed their joint efforts to promote it. O that there were the same zeal for the worship of God as there is for error (Jer 44:17,19; 19:13).

51

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Cakes to the queen of heaven. Cakes were made of honey, fine flour, etc., in a round flat shape, to resemble the disc of the moon, to which they were offered. Others read [limle'ket, for limleket] as margin, 'the frame (or workmanship; or else to the worship) of heaven'-i.e., the planets generally; so Septuagint reads [hee stratia] the host; but elsewhere Septuagint translates it "queen of heaven." The Phoenicians called the moon Ahstoreth or Astarte: the wife of Baal or Moloch, the king of heaven. The male and female pair of deities symbolized the generative powers of nature: hence, arose the introduction of prostitution in the worship. The Babylonians worshipped her as Mylitta, i.e., generative. Our Monday, or Moonday, indicates the former prevalence of moon worship (note, Isa 65:11). (from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Electronic Database. 1997 by Biblesoft) Jer 7:18 [The children gather wood] Here is a description of a whole family gathered together, and acting united in idolatrous worship. 1. The children go and collect wood, and bring it to the place of sacrifice. 2. The fathers lay it in order, and kindle a fire. 3. The mother and her maids knead dough, make their batch, and out of it form cakes, and bake them for the honor of the queen of heaven; most probably the moon, though perhaps not exclusive of the sun and planets, generally called the host of heaven. Family worship is a most amiable and becoming thing when performed according to truth. What a pity that so few families show such zeal for the worship of God as those apostate Israelites did for that of their idols! (From Adam Clarke's Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Biblesoft) So, as you see, it was not strange for the people of God to follow after false deities, and observe their Pagan Holy days (holidays). It always seems to be the woman who is the center of attraction, primarily because she is a sex symbol in the eyes of carnal man. Most of all female 52 Copyright (c)

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

deities were considered as fertility goddesses. Even to this very day, the female genital part exposed is believed to ward off evil spirits. We will find out that the observance of the Mother of the gods, Rhea or Cybele, is where the first observance of Mothers Day began. In Greek mythology, Rhea is the mother of the gods, daughter of Uranus and Gaia. She is married to her brother Cronus and is the mother of Demeter, Hades, Hera, Hestia, Poseidon and Zeus. Cronus, jealous of the future power of his children and to secure his Dominion, ate his own children, but Rhea managed to rescue one son, Zeus. She hid him in the Dictean Cave in Crete and gave Cronus a stone wrapped in the clothes of the infant, which he swallowed. Thus Rhea succeeded in making him believe that he had killed all of his children. When Zeus reached maturity he overpowered and dethroned his father and made Cronus disgorge his siblings. Rhea is identified with mother goddess Cybele from Asia Minor and is also known as Rhea Cybele and Magna Mater ("great mother"). She was worshipped with orgiastic rites. Rhea is depicted between two lions, or on a chariot pulled by lions. As we see in these Commentaries, female deities were prominent throughout the ages of time. It was mostly recognized as the Mother and Son, yet we find that the mother excelled well past the son. Make note that today in Catholicism, the Mother has more adoration than that of the Son. Prayer in the Roman Catholic Church is directed toward the Father and Mary. Now while the mother derived her glory in the first instances from the divine character attributed to the child in her arms, the mother in the long run practically eclipsed the son. At first, in all likelihood, there would be no thought whatever of ascribing divinity to the mother. But there was no promise whatever, or the least shadow of a promise, to lead anyone to anticipate that a woman should ever be invested with attributes that should raise her to a level with Divinity. Now, what in these circumstances might have been expected actually took place. If the child was to be adored, then much more the mother. The mother, in point of fact, became the favorite object of worship. Most, if not all of the female deities, are derived from Semiramis. The different regions had derived with different names for the same goddess. Here we have a concentrated interest in the female. Worship of these goddesses superceded that of the 53

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

male. Rhea, being the Mother of the gods, was most prominent among the Paganistic people. She was the object of fertility and reproduction. She had the power to bring forth, and also to entice the male species. It was the same goddess, as we have seen, who was worshipped at Ephesus, whom Demetrius the silversmith characterized as the goddess whom all Asia and the world worshipped, Acts 19:27. So great was the devotion to this goddess queen, not of the Babylonians only, but of the ancient world in general, that the fame of the exploits of Semiramis had, in history, cast the exploits of her husband Ninus or Nimrod entirely into the shade. Herodotus, from personal knowledge, testifies that in Egypt this Queen of heaven was the greatest and most worshipped of all divinities. Wherever her worship was introduced, it is amazing what fascinating power it exerted. Truly, the nations might be said to be made drunk with the wine of her fornications. So deeply, in particular, did the Jews in the days of Jeremiah drink of her wine cup, so bewitched were they with her idolatrous worship, that even after Jerusalem had been burnt and the land desolated for this very thing, they could not be prevailed on to give her up, (Jer. 44:15-17).

54

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOAKED IN RELIGION:
The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

Pagan Festivals
BETTER KNOWN AS HOLIDAYS (HOLI-DAYS)

Chapter II, Part VI, Halloween


This subject will be addressed in a more direct approach. I feel the need to place this festival in among the other holidays, because there is essentially no difference between the holidays. Halloween is a Pagan rite and ritual as the other holidays. In fact, I feel its an oxymoron; to observe the other holidays, and reject Halloween, or the better, condemn Halloween and not the others. Apostolic people dont seem to realize the ramifications of the observance of such a festival. What is mostly said is Lets give the children an alternative to Halloween. No matter how you dress it up, it is still Halloween! This holiday is one of the most dangerous of them all. Halloween. Many children disappear during You will see how the Catholic Church has introduced the festival into

denominational Christianity. Virtually every aspect of this festival has a very significant meaning in Paganism. You will find that much of the activities that we as children played during Halloween time seemed so innocent, yet Cloaked to represent a good wholesome game. It is how satanic forces work in the realm of secrecy. For if they were to openly expose the real meaning behind every ritual, it would be crystal clear that Christianity should not have anything to do with Halloween and its rituals. Yet once again, we will find Apostolic/Pentecostal people divulging into this Pagan festival, unaware of its dire consequences to the spiritual well being of those who observe. There is much to be said in this Part, and Id like to cover as many areas as possible, and show beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Apostolics should not be a part of Halloween at all. It is believed that Halloween is derived from an ancient festival honoring the Celtic god of death, Samhain. The Celts who occupied what is now Great Britain, Ireland, and

55

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

northern France, believed that through their worship of Samhain the spirits of the dead returned to earth. The festival held on October 31st, was religious in nature. A sacred time for the tribes of Celts; the priests more like fortunetellers, sorcerers, etc. of the tribes presided over the celebration. They would order all household fires to be put out in their tribes and would light one large bon-fire in the center of the community. The people would offer sacrifices of animals, crops, and human beings to this god of the death. Later that night, the people would take fire from the large bonfire used to consume the sacrifice and light their house fire, cooking stove, etc., from the one source and the people then believed their house would prosper for the next year. Also, during the night, fortune-tellers would use the burned remains of the human and animal sacrifices to tell the fortunes of each family in the tribe. Around 43 AD, Rome conquered the Celts and for approximately 400 years ruled what is now Great Britain. The Romans combined several of their Pagan holidays with the Celt death-god celebration. After a great Christian movement sometime between 600-800 AD, the Catholic Church established All Saints Day to honor all the dead saints of the church on November 1st. This is a holy day that honors all the dead Christian saints, which was combined with the Pagan celebrations by the Celts. It is from this combination, in part, that the name HALLOWEEN came forth. Another coinciding holiday or observance set up by the church was November 2nd, which became All Saints Day a day set aside for the living to pray for the souls of men who are in purgatory. When early American settlers came from England and the other Celtic regions, they brought various customs with them. But because of their strong Christian beliefs, the influence of ancient forms of the Halloween celebrations passed down through the years were not popular in America until large numbers of immigrants from Ireland and Scotland arrived in the 1800s. Trick-or-Treating became very popular in the mid-1900s. Each year, the observance of Halloween has become more and more Satanic put off as harmless in the eyes of the masses. The observance of Halloween is the result of several very old holidays. Most peoples of ancient times observed festivals at the turn of the seasons. The Celts and druids of ancient Britain, before the invasion of the Romans, had three important ones. These were observed on May 1st, June 21st, and October 31st. The October festival was known as 56

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Samhain, or summers End. It was also the death of the old year, for the druid calendar celebrated November 1st as the beginning of the New Year. From Red Letter Days, by Elizabeth Hough Sechrist, published by Macrae Smith Company. Copyright, 1940, by Elizabeth Hough Sechrist. Halloween, in medieval times All Hallows Eve, a holy or hallowed evening observed on October 31st, the eve of All Saints Day; in modern times, it is the occasion for pranks and for children requesting treats or threatening tricks. BRITANNICA) In ancient Britain and Ireland, the Celtic festival of Samhain was observed on October 31st, at the end of summer. This date was also the eve of the new year in both Celtic and Anglo-Saxon times and was the occasion for one of the ancient fire festivals when huge bonfires were set on hilltops to frighten away evil spirits. The date was connected with the return of herds from pasture; laws and land tenures were renewed. The souls of the dead were supposed to revisit their homes on this day, and the autumnal festival acquired sinister significance, with ghosts, witches, hobgoblins, black cats, fairies, and demons of all kinds said to be roaming about. It was the time to placate the In addition, Halloween was supernatural powers controlling the processes of nature. (ENCYCLOPEDIA

thought to be the most favorable time for divinations concerning marriage, luck, health, and death. It was the only day on which the help of the devil was invoked for such purposes. The Pagan observances influenced the Christian festival of All Hallows Eve, celebrated on the same date. Gradually, Halloween became a secular observance, and many customs and practices developed. In Scotland, young people assembled for games to ascertain which of them would marry during the year and in what order the marriages would occur. Many Halloween customs have become games played by children. Immigrants to the U.S., particularly the Irish, introduced secular Halloween customs that became popular in the late 19th century.

ALL SOULS DAY


Also called Festa Animarum, Animarum Commemoratio, Omnium Fidelium Commemratio. November the 2nd is observed as a day of commemoration of all the dead.

57

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church (CANNEY: AN

Odilon, abbot of Ciugny, inaugurated the custom in AD 998. ENCYCLOPEDIA OF RELIGION)

ALL-SAINTS DAY
A Christian festival now held on the 1st of November. It took place in AD 607 in the west, a Pagan festival To all the Gods. Among the Greeks, the festival of all martyrs and saints seems to have been observed in the fourth century. It was Pope Gregory III who fixed the day about 731AD as the 1st of November. Before this, it had been the 13th of May. Halloween, name applied to the evening of October 31st, preceding the Christian feast of Hallomas, Allhollows, or All Saints Day. The observances connected with Halloween are thought to have originated among the ancient Druids, who believed that on that evening, Samhain, the lord of the dead, called forth hosts of evil spirits. The Druids customarily lit great fires on Halloween, apparently for the purpose of warding off all these spirits. Among the ancient Celts, Halloween was the last evening of the year and was regarded as a propitious time for examining the portents of the future. The Celts also believed that the spirits of the dead revisited their earthly homes on that evening. After the Romans conquered Britain, they added to Halloween features of the Roman harvest festival held on November 1st in honor of Pomona, goddess of the fruits of trees. (FUNK & WAGNALL NEW ENCYCLOPEDIA) The Celtic tradition of lighting fires on Halloween survived until modern times in Scotland and Wales, and the concept of ghosts and witches is still common, prevalent in both the U.S. and Great Britain, of playing games involving fruit, such as bobbing for apples in a tub of water. Of similar origin is the use of hollowed-out pumpkins carved to resemble grotesque faces and lit by candles placed inside. The Celtic Festival of Samhain is probably the source of the present-day Halloween celebration. The Celts lived more than 2,000 years ago in what is now Great Britain, Ireland, and northern France. Their New Year began on November 1st. A festival that began the previous evening honored Samhain, the Celtic lord of death. The celebration marked the beginning of the season of cold, darkness, and decay. It naturally became

58

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

associated with human death. The Celts believed that Samhain allowed the souls of the dead to return to their earthly home for this evening. (WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIA) On the evening of the festival, the Druids, who were the priests and teachers of the Celts, ordered the people to put out their hearth fires. The Druids built a huge New Years bonfire of oak branches, which they considered sacred. They burned animals, crops, and possibly even human beings as sacrifices. Then each family relit its hearth and skins. They told fortunes about the coming year by examining the remains of the animals that had been sacrificed.

Halloween in the United States


Many early American settlers came from England and other Celtic regions, and they brought various customs with them. But because of the strict religious beliefs of other settlers, Halloween celebrations did not become popular until the 1800s. During that period, large numbers of immigrants arrived from Ireland and Scotland and introduced their Halloween customs. Now that we have established that the roots of Halloween are purely Pagan, and have no ties into Christianity, then let us go on further in the particular ritualistic customs of Halloween. Lets start out with the carving of the Pumpkin. Seems to be a nice family activity doesnt it? But, what is the truth of the matter?

THE PUMPKIN Jack-O-Lantern


Our Wonderful World Encyclopedia tells of a legend of the Old Irish concerning the origin of the Jack-O-lantern. Because of his stinginess, a man named jack was kept out of heaven, and he was not allowed to enter hell because of the jokes he played on the devil. His only recourse was to roam the earth, and he was condemned to do just that until Judgment Day, carrying a lantern. The carved jack-o-lantern in its Irish and Scottish form was a hollowed-out turnip or potato with a candle inside. One explanation is that it represents a legendary Irishman who tricked the devil into promising that he would not come after Jacks soul again or try to claim it in any way, and so is doomed to wander the earth forever with his lantern. Jack-

59

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

o-lantern is a folk nickname for the night watchman, but it is also a synonym for the willo-the-wisp or ignis fatuus of the marshes, which leads night travelers astray, so that the name and the mocking grin of the carved face together suggest the hobgoblin throng that roam in the dark on Halloween. (ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA) In reality, the lighted Jack-o-lanterns the children carry are really a symbol of the fires and torches of former Halloweens and of the ancient Samhain. The Druids went to homes and demanded a child or virgin for sacrifice, the victim was the Druids Treat. In exchange, they would leave a Jack-o-lantern with a lighted candle made of human fat to prevent those inside from being killed by demons that night. Now you are able to realize that the things that seem so simple and fun will turn out to be the most dangerous to us. These are simple things that we were raised with, and took no thought to its origins. Deut 18:9-12 9 When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, 11 Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. 12 For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. KJV

60

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

The Story of the Jack O'lantern


Illustrated by Nick Mayer
A stingy drunkard of an Irish blacksmith named Jack had the misfortune to run into the Devil in a pub, some say on Halloween night. Jack had too much to drink and was about to fall into the Devil's hands, but managed to trick the Devil by offering his soul in exchange for one last drink. The Devil turned himself into a sixpence to pay the bartender, but Jack quickly pocketed him in his purse. Because Jack had a silver cross in his purse, the Devil could not change himself back. Jack would not let the Devil go until he promised not to claim his soul for ten years. The Devil agreed and ten years later Jack came across the Devil while walking on a country road. The Devil wanted to collect, but Jack, thinking quickly, said "I'll go, but before I go, will you get me an apple from that tree?" The Devil, thinking he had nothing to lose, jumped on Jack's shoulders to obtain the apple. Jack pulled out his knife and carved a cross in the trunk of the tree. This left the Devil in the air, unable to obtain Jack or his soul. Jack made him promise to never again ask for his soul. Seeing no way out, the Devil agreed. No one knows how the Devil ever managed to get back down!

After his life of drinking, being tightfisted, and deceitful, he went to apply for entrance to Hell, the Devil had to turn him away because he agreed never to take Jack's soul. "But where can I go?", asked Jack. "Back where you came from," replied the Devil. The way back was windy and dark. Jack pleaded with the Devil to at least provide him a light to find his way. The Devil, as a final gesture, threw a live coal at Jack straight from the fire of Hell. To light his way and to keep it from blowing out in the wind, Jack put it in a turnip he was eating. Ever since, Jack has been doomed to wander in darkness with his lantern until "Judgment Day." Jack of the lantern (Jack o'Lantern) became known as the symbol of a damned soul. 61

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

When the term jack-o'-lantern first appeared in print in 1750, it referred to a night watchman or a man carrying a lantern. People believed that spirits and ghosts left the grave on Halloween and would seek out warmth in their previous homes. Villagers, fearful of the possibility of being visited by the ghosts of past occupants, would dress up in costumes to scare the spirits on their way. They would also leave food and other treats at their door to appease the spirits, so they would not destroy their homes or crops, but instead move on down the road. They also began to hollow out turnips with a face either painted or carved into it, and place lighted candles inside, hoping the image of a dammed soul would scare the spirits away. The Irish Potato Famine (1845-50) prompted over 700,000 to immigrate to the Americas. These immigrants brought with them their traditions of Halloween and Jack o'Lanterns, but turnips were not as readily available as back home. They found the American pumpkin to be a more than adequate replacement. Today, the carved pumpkin is perhaps the most famous icon of the holiday. At Jack-O-Lantern.com, you will find instructions, patterns and tools for creating your own Halloween icons.

62

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

HALLOWEEN SYMBOLS
by Berit Kjos < Halloween helps breathe new life into the dark rituals and symbols of past civilizations. Many of its symbols are universal; they are familiar to people in many parts of the world. Yet, each cultural group sees the images from its own perspectives. To one group, they symbolize various forms of death: physical and spiritual, scary or affirming. To another, they point to the innocuous thrills and titillations that go with what they believe to be little more than a fun, fantasy world. To a third group, they represent genuine evil -- the lures of an occult worldview manipulated by Satan, who now as always masquerades as "an angel of light." In other words, the meaning depends on a person's beliefs and worldview. The symbols below include images from Aztec religious art, from Magic the Gathering cards, from a Japanese Sailor Moon comic book, from a Dungeons & Dragons manual and from ads for Halloween treats and costumes. This mix shows the global popularity of these symbols and reminds us that, while Halloween clashes with God's guidelines, it fits the world and human nature very well. That's why the mastermind behind this spiritual war keeps using the same tactics through the centuries. Satan's main strategy has always been to tempt people to love what God hates, prompt them to pursue his enticing path, and deceive them into thinking that his "new" way is as good, or even better, than the old ways God has shown us. Since his strategies don't change, God's warning in Proverbs 14:12 is as relevant now as it was in 63

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

King Solomon's days: "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." (Proverbs 14:12) Most people follow the masses, and the masses follow the media -especially when it promotes thrills and adventures that feed the lust for forbidden thrills. The occult has always focused on gory images of violence, death and destruction. We see it in today's media, music, and movies. As people become desensitized to occult violence and horror, the images in popular entertainment grow increasingly and indescribably evil. Yet, this is old news. Thousands of years ago, God warned us, "All those who hate Me love death." (Proverbs 8:36)

BATS: They eat mosquitoes and cause little harm, but these small nocturnal mammals have a bad reputation because of their infamous cousin, the vampire bat. The only mammal that feeds on blood, this native of Central and South American uses sharp incisor teeth to cut the holes needed to suck blood from its victim. No wonder bats have been linked to death, vampires and occult rituals in the West. But in the East, they often represent good luck.

BROOMSTICK: Now more exciting than ever because of Harry Potter and his high-flying Firebolt, it has been linked to witchcraft and magic for centuries. BLACK CAT: This picture from a Sailor Moon comic book serves as a reminder of the universal blending of symbols. Like Japan, Western superstitions link the black cat to the world of "white" spells and magic as well as to darker occultism. Notice the moon-shaped symbol of goddess spirituality on the forehead of Sailor Moon's popular talking cat.

64

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

BLOOD: The bloody knives, victims, and vampires featured in today's popular games, movies and Halloween parties show the timeless allure of gore and violence. The Celts, like other ancient cultures, believed that the gods that controlled the forces of nature craved blood sacrifices -- human or animal. This picture shows an Aztec priest lifting the heart he just cut from the chest of a living sacrifice. It could as well have been a Mayan priest or any other devotee of the cruel forces from the world of the occult. EYE: If you waited past midnight at your local bookstore for the fourth Harry Potter book last July, you may have received a spooky eye that looked like this Halloween cookie. Perhaps it belonged to Mad Moody, the "black arts" teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Similar eyes were featured in ghost stories, horror movies, and the religious art of countless cultures long before Harry Potter appeared on the scene. (See Skull) FIRE: Has symbolized warmth and protection as well as death and destructions to cultures around the world. During Samhain, the Druids used it for protection against bad spirits and for ritual sacrifices (both animal or human) to their gods. This Magic the Gathering card states: "Conjured from the bowels of hell, the fiery wall forms an impassable barrier, searing the soul of any creature attempting to pass...." Not a very nice thought! GHOSTS: A universal symbol for departed spirits and occult visitations. These cookies, like the ghost-shaped sweets served at Mexico's Day of the Dead celebrations, tend to minimize the reality of spiritual warfare in postChristian America. The decorative ghosts may be cute, but to the countless victims of demonic bondage and oppression, the spirit world is no joke. GRAVESTONE: Christians may see it as a memorial to those who died, but others see it as an exciting symbol of death and as the place where the world of the living meets the world of departed spirits. Since Halloween, like the Mexican Day of the Dead, celebrates visits from the spirit world, these gravestone cookies fit both feasts.

65

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

PUMPKIN: On the British isles, the scary face of the jack-o-lantern was used to frighten away evil spirits and cast a "spell of protection over the household." The Celts carved the frightening faces into gourds or turnips, not the American pumpkin. SKULLS, BONES & SKELETONS: Symbols of death, disease and the shortness of earthly life. The skull & crossbone -- whether pictured on a bottle of poison or emblazoned on the black flag of a pirate ship -- raised fear of death. This detail from a Tibetan painting shows Yama, the Buddhist Lord of Death, with five skulls over his head. (Remember the Hindu goddess Kali who wore a necklace of skulls below her bloody teeth and tongue.) Notice the bulging eyes and the curving line, which shows the upper edge of a Buddhist Wheel of Life. SPIDER and WEB: To many earth-centered cultures the spider and its web symbolized the weaving of life and the cyclical ways of nature. But in the context of Halloween, it points to dark, scary places, haunted by ghosts and hidden from light and dust mops. HARRY POTTER'S LIGHTENING BOLT SCAR: From Norway's Vikings to Japanese Shintoist, Pagans around the world have worshiped the gods of thunder with awe and dread. The lightening bolt continues to represent mysterious and frightening forces. The lightening bolt scar on Harry's forehead marks him as a wizard of unusual power and sends him warnings when danger approaches. Along with a purchase of the fourth Harry Potter book, many fans received lightening bolt stickers for their own foreheads, marking them as informal members of Harry Potter's worldwide fan club. WITCH: The meaning and implication of witch and witchcraft has changed with the centuries. To many, it still means an old crone with moles and straggly hair casting evil spells on children and silhouetted in front of a full moon on her broomstick. But a more realistic image shows feminist or environmental activists (men or women) who seek wisdom and self empowerment from a contemporary blend of the world's earth-centered

66

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

religions -- Hinduism, Native American Spirituality, European witchcraft, etc.. Whether they join groups such as the Bay Area Pagan Assemblies in California or the Pagan Federation in England, they are proud to be called Pagan, Witch or Wiccan. They share a common interest in spells, magic ("white", not black) and full moon rituals -- all set in a framework of a new cosmology based on a personal or impersonal pantheistic goddess. (See A
Twist of Faith, Chapter 2)

WIZARD: A master of occult knowledge and powers who uses timeless and universal rituals, magic formulas and spells to connect with the spirit world and manipulate its forces. His role and prestige corresponds to that of the shaman or witchdoctor in animist tribe, the priest or guru of New Agers, or the Druids who led the Celts in spiritual matters while advising in political matters. This detail of a picture from a Dungeons & Dragons manual shows today's blending of the cultures. Like a Native American medicine man, the wizard carries ceremonial feathers in a cluster below his waist, while his hand holds a rod that resembles a peace pipe embellished with feathers.

I could go on very lengthy on this subject, but I believe there is enough material here to base a good decision upon. True Christians should not have any part in this festival of rituals.

BOBBING FOR APPLES


All Hallows' Eve has long been a time to look into the future, and traditional festivities included several divination rituals. These come mostly from folk traditions from the British Isles, and many have their roots in the ancient Samhain festivities. A lot of marriage divinations had to do with apples. In Celtic tradition, the fruit This may have The

was associated with female deities who controlled the ways of love.

something to do with the inner structure of apples. When you slice an apple in two, you can see a pentagram shape (a star with five points) on each half, around the core. Among other things, it was recognized as a Goddess symbol. pentagram was an important shape for the ancient Celtics and many other cultures.

67

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

One of the most popular divinations was for young unmarried people to try to bite into an apple floating in water or hanging from a string. apple would be the next one to marry. In another tradition, a young woman would light a candle and peel an apple in front of a mirror. While she was peeling the apple, her future husband would supposedly appear in place of her reflection. Peeling an apple was also a way to predict your life expectancy. If you could cut off one long peel, you would live to an old age. If you only cut a small piece of peel, you would die young. Apples are still a big part of Halloween celebrations. In addition to apple-bobbing, modern Halloween revelers drink apple cider, make candy apples and hand out apples to trick-or-treaters. In the next section, we'll look at some of the other modern traditions of Halloween, most of which evolved in the United States. This is something like the bouquet toss that still plays a part in wedding receptions -- the first person to bite into the

TRICK OR TREAT
The Halloween masquerade has been traced to the festival of the dead: although the souls of the departed were welcomed home with a light in the window and offerings of food, their visit was an uneasy one for the living and they were not encouraged to prolong their stay. When it was time for them to leave, villagers in costume formed a procession to escort them out of town. The masquerade was presumably a way of inviting the guests to depart without offending them, but it also served to disguise the identities of the escort and so protect them from the supernatural visitants. In some medieval towns the masks were of saints, but in many the line between maskers and spirits disappeared, and celebrants costumed as ghosts, skeletons, demons, and witches joined the procession.

68

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

The history of Halloweens tradition of going door-to-door demanding candy is fraught with controversy. Some believe that the practice originated with the Druids, who threatened dire consequences to residents who didn't respond generously to their demand for free goods or money. Since a similar story comes from various historical roots among the countries of the British Isles, historians can only agree that the practice seems to go back quite far and leave it at that. Modern-day trick-or-treat routines are fairly tame compared to practices that were popular in the 1920s in North America. Tipping outhouses was a common practice (and pity any occupants who were trapped and tipped). Even cow-tipping was considered a clever prank in rural areas. In some towns, the night before Halloween was known as Gate Night. The evening's activities included switching gates among neighborhood fences. Eventually, the festivities became raucous and city governments encouraged people to turn the festivities over to young children, with trick-or-treating localized to immediate neighborhoods. In many cities and areas, the trick-or-treat tradition was eventually put to good use. Some children collected pennies for UNICEF in bright orange, sealed tin cans. Tricks rarely involved more than throwing a few eggs at cars, and most kids today are happy to show off their costumes, collect some candy or sugarless novelties, and chime "Happy Halloween" as they continue on their way. Quoting from the Satanic Bible written by Anton Sandor Levey, after ones birthday, the two major Satanic holidays are, Walpurgis Night (a spring festival celebrated on the eve of May Day, April 30th. ) and Halloween (or All Hallows Eve).

69

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

70

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOAKED IN RELIGION:
This Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

Pagan Festivals
BETTER KNOWN AS HOLIDAY (HOLI-DAYS)

Chapter II, Part VII, MAY DAY


The month of May in early Roman times, when the year began in March, May was the third month of the year. There are several stories about how this month was named. According to one story, May was named for Maia, the Roman goddess of spring and growth. Another story has it that May is short for majores, a Latin word that means Older men. Some people think that the Romans held May sacred to older men and that June was sacred to the juniores, young men. (World Book Childcraft) People living in England long ago called this month Thrimilce. This means, To milk three times. At this time of year, there was much new grass. Cows had more to eat and gave more milk, so they could be milked three times a day, instead of twice a day. In many countries, the first of May is known as May Day, a day to welcome spring. Children in Great Britain and the United States sometimes dance around a Maypole on this day. Dancing around a Maypole is a custom that goes back to the ancient Romans. Every spring, the Romans had a festival in honor of Flora, their goddess of flowers. They considered the pine tree sacred, and made it part of their spring celebration. When the Romans conquered England, the pine tree became a Maypole. On May Day in England, the pole was set up on the village green and decorated with flowers and ribbons. A May Queen was picked and crowned with flowers. The villagers then danced around the Maypole, holding the ends of ribbons that ran down from the top of the pole. As the people danced, they wove the brightly colored ribbons under and over and around the Maypole.

71

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

In time, some people in England thought the merrymakers worshiped the Maypole. For a while, law forbade the Maypole, but it reappeared later. To this day, children in parts of England and elsewhere still sing and dance around the Maypole on May Day. Mayday originated in Pagan Europe. It was a festive holy day celebrating the first spring planting. The ancient Celts and Saxons celebrated May 1st as Beltane, or the day of fire. Bel was the Celtic god of the sun. The Saxons began their May Day celebrations on the eve of May, April 30. It was an evening of games and feasting celebrating the end of winter and the return of the sun and fertility of the soil. Torch bearing peasants and villagers would wind their way up paths to the top of tall hills or mountain crags and then ignite wooden wheels that they would roll down into the fields. The May eve celebrations were eventually outlawed by the Catholic church, but were still celebrated by peasants until the late 1700's. While good church going folk would shy away from joining in the celebrations, those less afraid of papal authority would don animal masks and various costumes, not unlike our modern Halloween. The revelers, led by the Goddess of the Hunt; Diana (sometimes played by a Pagan-priest in women's clothing) and the Horned God; Herne, would travel up the hill shouting, chanting and singing, while blowing hunting horns. This night became known in Europe as Walpurgisnacht, or night of the witches. The Celtic tradition of Mayday in the British isles continued to be celebrated throughout the middle ages by rural and village folk. Here the traditions were similar with a goddess and god of the hunt. As European peasants moved away from hunting and gathering societies, their gods and goddesses changed to reflect a more agrarian society. Thus Diana and Herne came to be seen by medieval villagers as fertility deities of the crops and fields. Diana became the Queen of the May and Herne became Robin Goodfellow (a predecessor of Robin Hood) or the Green Man. The Queen of the May reflected the life of the fields and Robin reflected the hunting traditions of the woods. The rites of mayday were part and parcel of Pagan celebrations of the seasons. The Christian church later absorbed many of these Pagan rites in order to win over converts from the 'Old Religion'. Mayday celebrations in Europe varied according to locality, however they were immensely popular with artisans and villagers until the 19th Century. The Christian church could not eliminate 72

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

many of the traditional feast and holy days of the Old Religion so they were transformed into Saint days. During the middle ages, the various trade guilds celebrated feast days for the patron saints of their craft. The shoemakers guild honored St. Crispin and the tailors guild celebrated Adam and Eve. As late as the 18th century, various trade societies and early craft unions would enter floats in local parades still depicting Adam and Eve being clothed by the Tailors and St. Crispin blessing the shoemaker. The two most popular feast days for medieval craft guilds were the Feast of St. John, or the Summer Solstice and Mayday. Mayday was a raucous and fun time, electing a queen of the May from the eligible young women of the village, to rule the crops until harvest. Our tradition of beauty pageants may have evolved, albeit in a very bastardized form, from the May Queen. Besides the selection of the May Queen was the raising of the phallic Maypole, around which the young single men and women of the village would dance holding on to the ribbons until they became entwined, with their (hoped for) new love, and of course there was Robin Good fellow, or the Green Man who was the Lord of Misrule for this day. Mayday was a celebration of the common people, and Robin would be the King/Priest/Fool for a day. Priests and Lords were the butt of many jokes, and the Green Man and his supporters; mummers would make jokes and poke fun of the local authorities. This tradition of satire is still conducted today in Newfoundland with the Christmas Mummery. The church and state did not take kindly to these celebrations, especially during times of popular rebellion. Mayday and the Maypole were outlawed in the 1600's, yet the tradition still carried on in many rural areas of England. The trade societies still celebrated Mayday until the 18th Century. As trade societies evolved from guilds to friendly societies and eventually into unions, the craft traditions remained strong into the early 19th century. Dominion Day celebrations in Canada and July 4th celebrations in the United States would be celebrated by tradesmen still decorating floats depicting their ancient saints such as St. Crispin.

By Eugene W. Plawiuk

73

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Where did May Day begin? Many believe that May Day had its origin with the druids because of their worship of the tree, and they trace its beginning back to the rites of the ancient druid priests performed by them in honor of the god Bel. It seems more likely, however, that the custom of observing a festival at this time originated in ancient Rome, for the Roman festival had much similarity to the later May Day celebrations. The Roman festival was held in honor of Flora, goddess of flowers and springtime. Known as Floralia, it was a joyous festival lasting from April 28th to May 3rd. At the beautiful Temple of Flora, the celebrations were most significant. By tradition, the first to place a wreath or garland at the temple was assured of good luck throughout the coming year. Ropes of flowers were twined about its marble columns, while all around the temple and on the streets, children and young women who were dressed in loose robes of white and wore flowers in their hair threw blossoms in great profusion. (Our Wonderful World Encyclopedia) May Day is the name given to the first day of the month of May. It comes at a time in the northern hemisphere when the trees and flowers are coming into new life and beauty, and the day is set aside for rejoicing at the lushness of spring and the gathering of flowers and blossoms. (American People Encyclopedia) The Pagan Romans celebrated with their Floral Games, which began on April 28th and later until May 3rd, and the crowning of the May queen stems from the Romans Floral Games where the goddess Flora was especially worshiped. Chaucer mentions the May Day festivals in early England where those of high and low birth alike took to the woods to gather flowers to adorn their homes and buildings. At that time, the fairest maiden of the village was given the title Queen of the May and sat in state, in a bower of flowers, while the townspeople of her court sang and danced around her. Every town and village erected a Maypole trimmed with garlands and wreaths of flowers in the public square, and the townspeople danced in circles around the pole all during the holiday. In order to combat the frivolity and licentiousness often incident to May Day, the Puritans destroyed the Maypoles, and the festivities did not again take place until after the Restoration. But even then the adults did not join the

74

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

celebration as they had before; the dancing and flower gathering were mostly confined to schoolchildren. In the United States, the Pilgrims in the gathering of Mayflowers first celebrated May Day. Today, the school children celebrate May Day with special games and Maypole dances and hanging May baskets filled with candy or flowers at the door of any person they especially love. Among labor unions, the May Day celebration has a different significance. In 1889, the International Socialist Congress designed May 1, 1890, as the day for labor demonstrations in Europe and the United States for the eight-hour day. May Day has continued to be a day when strikes or demonstrations of workers have taken place through the years. In the book Halloween and Satanism, May Day, a day celebrating the inauguration of the second half of the Celtic year and a symbol of rebirth & greenery, whose rites were believed to convey the power to endow crops & women with fertility and good luck. It was one of the most important witches Sabbaths. The central figure of the celebration was the maypole or May tree; in England this was the white hawthorn, which possessed supernatural powers and symbolized the transition from spring to summer. In America it was the evergreen arbutus. The ceremony, which continued until the early 19th century, was described as a ritual contest between the Queen of Winter (a man dressed in womans clothes) and a female Queen of the May. The same basic idea was also represented in the better-known ritual marriage between the May bridegroom and the May bride, which has been supposed to symbolize the union of spring and vegetation. The witches in attendance vowed to obey their god, the master, disguised as an animal. They kissed him on whatever parts of his body he chose and paid homage by turning Widdershins from west to east a certain number of times. They then consecrated their children to the god and thanked him as the source of food and life itself. Witch couples were married at initiation ceremonies for new witches. After the religious ceremonies, they took part in feasting, chanting and dancing jumping dances. They believed that the higher the witches jumped the higher the crops would grow.

75

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Puritans opposed celebrations like May Day calling them Pagan worship. Suppressed during this Puritan time, these celebrations re-emerged at the Restoration. May Day rites continued through the 18th century and into the 19th. Walpurgis night, vahl PUR gihs, is the eve of May Day, when German people celebrate the feast of St. Walpurgis. According to legend, witches gather on this night and celebrate their Sabbath on mist-covered Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz Mountains. (World Book)

Bealtaine/ May Day History


Bealtaine (pron. BYELL-ten-uh) is a fire festival that celebrates the coming of spring and the arrival of the sun. It is celebrated on May first in Europe. The Celts, a race of people who lived from 800 B.C to 500 A.D, lit two sacred fires and drove cattle between them. All fires were extinguished and an oak wheel called The Wheel of the Sun was set on fire. Trees were considered sacred objects and prayed to for sunshine, rain, and harvest. (1, 3)

The Celts honored a mother goddess that was the origin of all living things. The god was her son and consort and he was reborn each season. Today she is called Mother Nature. She is a triple goddess: with Maiden, Mother and Crone or (Hag) apects. As a Maiden she is dressed in white, Crone in black, and Mother in red. Her symbol for Bealtaine is the moon and when she is in her moon aspect she is called Pearl of the Sea. The Celts viewed pearls as sacred objects created by moonlight and water. (4)

The Celts considered the elixir of life to be mead: a combination of the Goddesses' wine blood from her womb and honey. Honey was used as currency and law books were written on bookkeeping.

76

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Honeymoon was the month of May following a marriage. Menstrual blood shed by women during the honeymoon was sacred and called Moon honey. It held the magic of creation and men were encouraged to have sex and come in contact with it. (4)

The wall between the spirit world and the human world is thin on Nech na-Bealtaine, the night before Bealtaine. The Germans believe evil hags fly into the Harz Mountains. Noisemakers are still used in some countries to frighten away evil spirits. Christians changed Bealtaine Eve to Walpurgis Night after St. Walpurga. Bealtaine was changed to May Day. (1) Folk Customs Today: Bees are thought to understand human speech and they keep secrets well. If someone dies in a beekeeper's family, the bees must be informed. (4) May Day Customs Hobby Horses: Padstow, Cornwall: On May Day two hobbyhorses dance through the town for twelve hours. They are each led by a Teaser; a white-robed person with a painted club. A retinue of white clothed people follow behind with accordions and drums singing the Mayers' Song. At the dirge parts of the song the horses lie down until the chorus swells. (3) May Bonfires: British Isles: Bonfires are lit on May Eve. Jumping over the bonfire is thought to protect, purify, and bless the leaper. The leaper jumps backwards and forwards three times. Jumping over a low fire by women insures a good birth or husband. The fire embers are spread over crops to protect them. In 19th century Ireland, cows were made to leap over straw and wood bonfires in order to save the milk from being stolen by powerful fairies. In Scotland all fires were extinguished and relit from a central fire. A man would be selected as the May hag (Cailleach) and would jump over the fire. (3)

Superstitions: Ireland and Scotland: It is considered dangerous to give fire from one's home on May Day. (3)

77

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Bannoch Bealtainn: Scotland: This is an oatmeal cake with square knobs that is baked over the Bealtaine fire. Nowadays it is baked on May Day and marked with a cross on the side. Children roll the bannocks down the hillside. If the bannock lands at the bottom with the cross down it is a sign of bad luck. (3)

Primroses: Ireland: Yellow primroses are scattered before the door for protection from spirits. In Wales hawthorn is used. (1)

Flower Garlands: Young people gather mayflowers and dew before the dawn. The flowers are made into garlands. Women wear them on their heads and they are placed on doors and gates. This is called going a Maying. Greenery collected includes: hawthorn, whitethorn, sycamore, birch, or rowan. Blackthorn, elder, sloe, crab apple, nettle, and thistle garlands are marks of insult. (2, 3)

May Bush: Ireland. A May Bush of greenery is decorated with eggshells, ribbons, flowers, and candles by children. (2)

Maypole Dance: England, Wales, Scandinavia, Russia: Each dancer holds the end of a colored ribbon attached to the top of a long pole in the ground. The dancers move and the ribbons intertwine around the pole to form a design. A May Queen for the day may be elected. She is selected for her beauty. In Britain, she reenacts the marriage between the May Queen (Goddess) and the May King. The May King is also known as Leaf Man, Jack in the Green, and the Green Man. (1, 4)

Flummery: Oatmeal, water, white sugar, orange-flower water. Take three large handfuls of oatmeal and steep overnight in cold water; drain through a sieve. Add water, one large spoonful of white sugar, two spoonfuls of

78

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

orange-flower water and boil until thick; stirring well. Eat with wine, cider, milk, or sugar. The Olde Cookery Book

1.

At this point, I could go further with much more historical material to back the Pagan roots of May Day. I feel that enough evidence has been made to produce understanding that May Day is Pagan, and the roots of floral worship and rituals. May Day is not a Christian holi-day. Christians should not be observing Pagan holidays and rituals. I may sound repetitive, but this book is not intended to condemn or judge anyone, but to produce evidence of rites, rituals, and festivals that are being observed by Christians which are purely Pagan. If it were not for so many Christians observing these Pagan holidays, I would presume that this book would not have been written. Then on the other hand, the devil has devised a plan to infiltrate the ranks of Christianity with a cloaked religion disguised in Christianity.

79

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOAKED IN RELIGION:
The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

Pagan Festivals
BETTER KNOWN AS HOLIDAYS (HOLI-DAYS)

Chapter II, Part VIII, HAPPY BIRTHDAY


This is one subject that many will have much turmoil over. One could say, Youve gone to far now, yet do we even find anywhere in the Bible where someones birthday was recognized or celebrated? This part will expound upon the truth of its origin, and who observed their birthday. Quoting from the satanic bible written by Anton Sandor Levey, after ones birthday, the two major satanic holidays are, Walpurgis Night (a spring festival celebrated on the eve of May Day, April 30th.) and Halloween (or All Hallows Eve). The birthday is, in Satanism, the Major holiday. There again, my position has and always will be, if the Bible allows or commands us to do something, then it is our responsibility to obey. But, if the Bible is silent, or disallows, then we must refrain from any part of the thing. In the Chinese religion of piety, we find a remarkably explicit illustration of the principle of the renewal of life on the anniversary of birth. The birthday celebration is a peculiar institution, though not attended with much eclat till after the age of 15. Each person has an annual festival and every tenth year after reaching 50 an extraordinary celebration. Especially honored is the 61st birthday. The Emperor on his birthday is supposed to acquire 10,000 longevities. The courts of justice are closed and a general amnesty is proclaimed. The ordinary person on his birthday receives longevity presents, and his friends wish him long life. With the express purpose of prolonging life, a dish of vermicelli in remarkably long strips is eaten. Of particular importance is the longevity

80

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

garment. This is a handsome robe embroidered in gold characters with the word longevity. It serves at death as the mans shroud. It is generally a present from the children, and is given to the parent on his birthday. He wears it then, and on all festive occasions, in order to acquire long life, it being generally acknowledged among the Chinese that it is extremely useful and necessary on the birthday to absorb a good amount of vital energy in order to remain hale and healthy during the ensuing year. (Encyclopedia Britannica) Men have been remembering and celebrating the day of their birth since ancient times, ever since they had a calendar by which to record dates. In Egypt and Babylon, records were kept of the births of the children of royalty and important personages, though it is unlikely that the lower classes had any notion of their birth dates. However, the commoners were aware of birthdays, for they frequently shared in the royal festivities on that day. Kings and Nobles gave feasts for their entire households. Often too, they declared an armistice if there was fighting going on, as there usually was, and prisoners were frequently released from their dungeons on this day. One of the first birthdays recorded was that of Pharaoh, King of Egypt, which is mentioned in the Bible, Genesis 40. Pharaoh apparently celebrated by giving a great household feast in which all servants, both slaves and freedmen took part, and prisoners were released from the royal jails. Plutarch tells of another Egyptian birthday party, the great feast which Cleopatra gave in honor of Anthonys birthday. This event occurred late in the famous love story, when the two had met serious military reverses. Cleopatra, feeling that the end of her glory was near, was already experimenting on her slaves with various kinds of poisons to determine which was the quickest and most painless in case her ventures failed and Anthony deserted her. She and Anthony had quarreled over a man named Thyrsus, an ambassador sent to Cleopatra by Caesar. Anthony was angry because he thought that Cleopatra had received Thyrsus to cordially honor. In a fit of jealousy, Anthony had the man seized and whipped. Cleopatra was alarmed by this and wished to placate Anthony. On her own birthday that year, she had only a modest dinner as was suitable for her fallen fortunes, but on Anthonys birthday, she gave a feast that was worthy of the days of her highest glory.

81

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

According to Herodotus, the Greeks took over the idea of birthday celebrations from the Egyptians. However, they might also have acquired this custom from contact with the Persians, for again Herodotus tells us that of all the days of the year, the one they celebrate most is their birthday. Among the early Greeks, it was the birthdays of the gods, which were important, not those of men. The birthdays of the deities were celebrated on their special day each month, so that they had twelve birthdays a year rather than only one, a custom that the modern child would undoubtedly approve. The childs first birthday is invariably accompanied by the ceremonial lighting of a single candle to bring him good fortune, this being a relic of the sacred fires lit in ancient Greece in honor of the birthday of Artemis, goddess of the moon and patroness of marriage and childbirth, at which time moon-shaped cakes with tapers were placed upon the altars in the temples. The German peasants invariably lit candles on a cake when the child first awoke on his birthday. The pleasing custom of blowing out the candles with a single puff in order to make a wish come true was originally a rite to gain the favor of the goddess Artemis. (Readers Digest) The day of birth and its anniversaries were usually a day of rejoicing and often of feasting. Only two such anniversaries are recorded in Scripture, that of Josephs pharaoh (Gen. 40:20) and that of Herod Antipas (Matt. 14:6; Mk. 6:21). In Egypt, the celebration of birthdays are mentioned at least as early as the 13th century BC., and probably goes back much earlier (Helck and Otto, Klienes Worterbuch der Agyptologie, 1956, p. 115, with textual references). Pharoahs accession was likewise kept as a feast-day, as is indicated by a text of Amenophis II, c. 1440bc (Helck, JNES 14, 1955, pp. 22-31); observation of the royal birthday is attested under Ptolemy V (c. 205-182bc; Budge, The Rosetta Stone, 1951, p. 8). An amnesty on a royal birthday is mentioned in a wisdom papyrus of the 4 th/5th century BC (S.R.K. Glanville, the instructions of Onchsheshonqy, 1, 1955, p. 13). The birthday celebrations of the Herods were well known in Rome; see H. Hoehner, Herod Antipas, 1972, pp. 160-161, n. 5.) The Illustrated Bible Dictionary)

BIRTH CEREMONIES
In Arabia, soon after a child was born, a sheep was sacrificed and the infants head was shaved and daubed with the sheeps blood. The sacrifice was meant to avert evil from the child by shedding blood on his behalf, apparently to establish a kind of blood

82

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

brotherhood between the protector and the protected (see BLOOD). This ceremony was called AKIKA (q.v.). Another custom among some sections of primitive folk has been to spit on a child after its birth (e.g., in Connemara) or at its naming (e.g., among the Mandingos and among the Bambaras of Western Africa). The reason for this is that sometimes a persons saliva is supposed to possess the element of life. In order, apparently, to place the child under the deitys protection, the Arabs also hid it, as soon as it was born, under a cauldron, where it remained until dawn. Sometimes on the morning after birth, a childs gums were rubbed with masticated dates and a name was given it. Robertson Smith thinks that in general, the sacrifice, the naming, and the symbolical application of the most important article of food to the childs mouth all fell together, and marked his reception into partnership in the sacra and means of life of his fathers group(kinship). (Canney- An Encyclopedia of Religions) Ive given multiple references pertaining to the celebration of the Birthday. It appears that this was a celebration in honor of ones self. This would be very contrary to the Bible: Matt 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. KJV It is apparent that in these last days we ought to be more observant about the things were involved in. The self-servant attitude our society generates is very apparent in our communities and on the streets of our cities. People have a greater love for the pleasure of sin, than that of God. Self-Satisfying spirits have only one objective and that is to please themselves. There is no care for a friend, neighbor, kinsman, or family member. It is amazing that on the supposed birthday of Jesus Christ, the gifts dont go to him, but rather to everyone else. Some birthday party! This is only one of many festivals of rites that centers on a self-image. 2 Tim 3:1-4 1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4 Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; KJV

83

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

In closing this part, I would say this to all them who have a love for the truth. It is sometimes difficult to separate from these Pagan rituals & rites, but the scripture is clear for us to come out from among them, and be ye separate. The birthday is, in Satanism, the Major holiday!

84

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOKED IN RELIGION:
The infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

SYMBOLISM
Chapter III, Part I, The Hexagram The Star of David.
This chapter will inevitably make many people angry, because of the content of the material. This symbol is one of, if not the greatest, hoax the world has ever seen. It has been presented as the Star of David, the Seal of Solomon, or the Magen David. This sign also has been used on the Israeli flag. Ive even seen this insignia upon some Hexagram: This figure, Denominational Christian symbols, such as the fish symbol with the Hexagram at one end. Lets first define the Hexagram (Six pointed star). composed of two superimposed equilateral triangles, one being inverted so that together they form a six-pointed star, is one of the most widely used symbols. In India, it is called the mantra, and among Jews, Christians and Muslims it is known as Solomons Seal or as the STAR OF DAVID. It is also to be found in Central American hieroglyphics. It represents, in hermetic philosophy, the synthesis of evolutional and involutional forces through the interpenetration of the two ternaries. Indian tradition regards it as standing for the marriage of Shiva and Shakt. In other words, they see it as the fundamental sacred marriage. In terms of the Jungian School of Psychology, it expresses the union of opposites the union of the personal, temporal world of the ego with the non-personal timeless world of the nonego. Ultimately, this union is the fulfillment and goal of all religions. (The Penguin Dictionary of Symbols) Let me give you a quote from M. Hirsch Goldberg, The Jewish Connection: The Star of David is not of Jewish origin and the ancient Israelites never used it as their religious symbol. He goes on to say, Perhaps most ironic, the very sign of the Jew in todays world the six pointed Star of David is not really the historic symbol of Jewry, nor was it used as a religious sign by the Israelites. It became the emblem of the Jewish people in 1897, when the Zionist Conference convened by Theodore Herzl; he chose it as

85

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

the insignia of their movement. But even though each of the Twelve Tribes in the Land of Israel had its own symbol, not one tribe used the Star of David The six-pointed star is described as two equilateral triangles that are interlaced so as to form a hexagonal star, every point of which touches a circle of the same radius as each one of their six sides. (The Universal Jewish Encyclopedia) Acts 7:43 Yea, ye took up the tabernacle of Moloch, and the star of your god Remphan, figures which ye made to worship
Figure 1

them: and I will carry you away beyond Babylon. KJV The Jewelry in Fig. 1 is a depiction of the infiltration of this

Babylonian symbol into Christianity that has both dominated and contaminated the Apostolic ranks. In this depiction, the Hexagram is seen over the Christian Fish, meaning superiority over, and realizing that the fish symbol is not a fish at all, but the female genital part. Why would any sincere Christian have such a Pagan symbol in representation of their Faith? It has even gotten so far as to Pentecostal Preachers walking around with a skullcap, prayer shawl, and blowing a Shofar. As you have and will see, this symbol literally has nothing to do with Christianity at all. It should not be found anywhere within the parameters of the Church. This symbol belongs on, and in the temples of Baal, Ashteroth, Isis, and all the other Pagan temples of our present day society. Yet, unknowing Saints of God have brought this symbol and many others, into the House of God, as you will see in this chapter. Looking through the eyes of God, how do you think Jesus Christ feels coming to his own house and seeing strange gods, and their symbols plastered all over the house? Yet, this is happening every time the people of God get together to worship. Christians are lifting up their hands in praise to God with a Pagan symbol somewhere also in their presence. What actually is happening is that the same spirit that caused backsliding Israel to bring the things into the House of God is activated in the Church of the Living God today. In II Chronicles 14:3, youll find that they had to rid themselves of altars of strange gods and high places. Also, they had to break down the images and cut down the groves. One would say that were being fanatical and have gone overboard. Not so! Symbolism has been around virtually since man went polytheistic. It is largely found in the ranks of freemasonry. 86

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Ex 20:4, Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: KJV In this Scripture, it is made very plain to see that the children of Israel had brought in these various idols and their images. I very much believe that the Hexagram was throughout the Temple of Solomon. He got into much idolatry through the infiltration of Pagan wives and their false gods. authenticity of the Hexagram. It is one of the symbols of the universal wisdom-religion. These two triangles represent the duality of manifestation, the duality of nature. Variously spoken of as spirit and matter, fire and water, etc. Here we find them interlocked, thus producing a compound or completed nature. The number 6 is thus obtained, and by adding the central point, or alternatively by enclosing the figure in a circle, we get the synthesizing seventh. The six therefore represents the manifested Logos, which is six-fold. This logos as first emanation is called the Virgins of life or the great illusion; the sixth sign of the zodiac is that of the Virgin. In the Secret Doctrine, it is mentioned as signifying the 6 directions of space, the blending of pure spirit and matter, arupa and rupa, and is said to be a sign of Vishnu, though elsewhere, Vishnu is made to correspond to the inverted triangle only. We must not try to make the symbolism too rigid and precise, for such names as Vishnu are complex in their meaning, and moreover different schools of philosophy have their own ways. The alchemists would have called these two triangles the fiery and the moist principles. They represent the dual nature of man, and the six points stand for the six powers or forces of nature, six planes, six principles, etc., synthesized by the seventh. The shapes of snow crystals are often mentioned as a familiar instance of this six fold-principle, and it represents the six primary axes in the cubical system of crystallization. If a glass is held up in a certain position, its twelve edges will show the double triangle within the hexagon. Other names for these six primary forces are the Sephiroth of Construction, dhyan-chohans, prajapatis, builders of the lower physical universe according to the plane, which is being illustrated. Why it should be called Solomons Seal is a mystery, unless it came to Europe from Iran, where many stories are told about that mystical 87 Lets go into more documented evidence of the

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

personage and the magic seal used by him to catch the djins and imprison them in old bottles. But this seal or double triangle is also called in India the Sign of Vishnu, and may be seen on the houses in every village as a talisman against evil. The triangle was sacred and used as a religious sign in the Far East ages before Pythagoras proclaimed it to be the first of the geometrical figures, as well as the most mysterious. It is found on pyramids and obelisks, and is pregnant with occult meaning as are, in fact, all triangles. Thus, the pentagram is the triple triangle the six-pointed being the hexalpha. The way a triangle points determines its meaning. If upwards, it means the male element and divine fire; downwards, the female and the waters of matter; upright, but with a bar across the top, air and astral light; downwards, with a bar the earth or gross matter, etc. When a Greek Christian priest in blessing holds his two fingers and thumbs together, he simply makes the magic sign by the power of the triangle or trinity. Uniting the Water Triangle with the Fire Triangle, the Hexagram is formed. It forms a six-pointed star also known as the Seal of Solomon. The occult seal is triangles, which make up the occult seal interlock and the two triangles. Mary Ann Slipper, a Masonic author, writing in Symbolism of the Eastern Star, 1927, on pg. 14, makes a most telling admission, when she says, The six-pointed star is used in Masonic work and is also found in other well known secret orders. Another Eastern Star book, The Second Mile, understates the impact of the hexagram when it says, the six-pointed star is a very ancient symbol and one of the most powerful. The Hexagram is a very powerful symbol to witches, magicians and sorcerers. It is used in different kinds of witchcraft, magic, occultism, and the casting of zodiacal horoscopes. Because it has six points, and because it contains a 666, the hexagram is considered to be Satans most powerful symbol. The hexagram was used as a stand-by for Magicians and Alchemists. The Sorcerers believed it represented the footprint of a special kind of demon called a trud, and used it in ceremonies both to call up demons and to keep them away. Gary Jennings, Black Magic, White Magic, Eau Claire, WI, The Dial Press, 1964, p. 51. Also Harry E. Wedeck, Treasury of Witchcraft, New York, Philosophical Library, 1961, p. 135. The hexagram is used to conjure up demons, making them appear in this dimension to do the bidding of the witch. Doc Marquis (Former Illuminist Satanist) confirms that

88

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

hexagrams are used to call forth demons to place spells and curses on the intended victim. The word Hex comes from this practice. The hexagram is also a symbol of the sex act and reproduction. Masonic author, Albert G. Mackey provides us with the occult explanation in his book, The Symbolism of Freemasonry, p. 195, 1869 AD. The triangle pointing downward is a female symbol corresponding to the yoni and the upward pointing triangle is the male, the lingam. When the two triangles are interlaced, it represents the union of the active and passive forces in nature; it represents the male and female elements. Also explained in Did You Know? Vignettes in Masonry from the Royal Arch Mason Magazine, Missouri Lodge of Research, 1965, p. 132 Wes Cook, Editor. Speaking of the sexual connotation of the hexagram, another witch revealed, When the male triangle penetrates the female triangle, it produces the six pointed crest of Solomon or hexagram, the most wicked symbol in witchcraft. The sevens then disappear and we end up with the geometric mark of the beast. All lines that angle right are 6, that entire angle left are 6 and the core is a hexagon with six lines. Thus, we have a geometric 666 instead of a triangular 777. In short, the symbol that you sent is one of the most powerful of all satanic symbols and is pointing to the New Age of antichrist. (David J. Meyer to Jeff Godwin) The hexagram is the sign used in the Royal Arch of Freemasonry. Masonic author Wes Cook, writing in DID YOU KNOW? Vignettes in Masonry from the Royal Arch Mason Magazine, Missouri Lodge of Research, 1965, p. 132 stated that the hexagram represented balance and harmony in all facets of the world. Another Masonic publication links the hexagram with the infamous Chinese YANG and YIN symbol. (The Significant Numbers, Short Talk Bulletin, Sept. 1956, Vol. 34, No. 9. P. 5) In summary, the hexagram is the most wicked, and one of the most powerful, of all symbols in witchcraft. It is used to call forth demons into this dimension, to communicate with the dead, to describe sex acts, and to represent false and Pagan gods such as the Hindu trinity. (Dr. Cathy Burns, Masonic and Occult Symbols Illustrated, p. 39) I have given you many viable references to this symbol. I would still like to give you a few more to back up one another. It seems every reference brings this symbol right back to the Pagan origin.

89

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

His ring, commonly known as Solomons Seal, so celebrated for the potency of its sway over the various kinds of genii and demons, in all the popular legends, is equally of Hindu origin. Writing on the pretentious and abominable skill of the devilworshippers of Travancore, the Rev. Samuel Mateer of the London Missionary Society, claims at the same time to be in possession of a very old manuscript volume of magical incantations and spells in the Malayalam language, giving directions for effecting a great variety of purposes. Of course, he adds that, many of these are fearful in their maignity and obscenity, and gives in his work the fac-simile of some amulets bearing the magical figures and designs on them. We find among them one with the following legend: To remove trembling, arising from demonical possession write this figure on a plant that has milky juice, and drive a nail through it; the trembling will cease. The Figure is the identical to Solomons Seal, or double triangle of the Cabalists. The Sorcerers Handbook by Wade Baskin talks about the Seal of Solomon. It tells of him being given control over the spirits that inhabit the region between the earth and heaven. It goes on to describe in detail Solomons Triangle and what is represented. It confirms that the six-pointed star was called Solomons Seal, the resplendent star of the Macrocosm, and further defines it as the most simple and complete abridgment of the science of all things. It tells of the magical dogma of its three-in-one-concept, just like the Trinity. H.P. Blavatsky - Isis Unveiled Vol. I p.135: As you see in fig. 2, the infiltration of this Babylonian symbol in the Christian ranks - The Star of David with a cross inside of it. In the book, The book of Talismans, Amulets, and Zodiacal Gems, the six-pointed star or hexagram is again called the Seal of Solomon. It is described as an ancient talisman and the book admits that it did not originate with King Solomon, as it was used much further back than the Jewish Times. It was used in the practices of worship to Asteroth and Moloch long before Solomon was born. He took it upon himself when he dabbled into these condemned rituals, and because he was a great king, his name has been used to describe the six-pointed star ever since. In the book, The History and Practice of Magic, Vol. 2, the six-pointed star is called the talisman of Saturn. It might be essential for any reader to learn that the Seal of Solomon or six-pointed star, or hexagram, was considered an all-powerful talisman 90
Figure 2

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

especially when accompanied by the Hebrew Yod. It was also combined with the Tau Cross, or the Crux Ansanta in the center. The oldest known witness to the usage of the term (Magan David) is the Kabbalistic Sefer Ha-Gevul written by the grandson of Nahmanides in the early 14th century. The mention of the six-pointed star on the 1200 year old mosaic floor in Ramle, Tel Aviv, was not Jewish, but Muslim. The six-pointed star found on the tombstone of Leon Ben David could have meant that he chose to have it there, not because he was Jewish, but because he was a Cabalist. The six-pointed star found in the 9th century was in Byzantine magic texts. Jewish Cabalists, or some other ethnic group could have included it. It does appear, however, that the Encyclopedia Judaica is accurate when it states that the use of the sixpointed star in Jewish circles was restricted to relatively rare cases before the 16th century, and widespread influence of the Cabalist, Isaac Luria, as confirmed by the Universal Jewish Encyclopedia. The Encyclopedia Judaica reports that it appears in 1799 as a specific Jewish sign in a satirical anti-Semitic engraving. (A. Reubens, Jewish Iconagraphy No. 1511) But this encyclopedia reports also, that during the 18th century its use on ritual objects was still very restricted. In 1822, it was adopted by the Rothschild family and put on their coat of arms. Thus we have traced the six-pointed star from Egypt, to King Solomon, to the Rothschilds and then to Zionism, and at last into Christianity itself. I really dont want to take up too much effort on this one symbol, although it is of very great significance. I want to give a good foundation to its origin, use, and significance in our society. With your own studying, one can find much more information on this symbol. It, like other symbols, has its roots in Babylonian Paganism. Something any Christian should not have any part of. In closing, I hope I have given the reader enough documented evidence on the Hexagram, Star of David, Seal of Solomon, and Magan David to understand the significance of its use, and what it can do if utilized. This symbol should not be found in any church, or place of worship, yet it is showing up at Churches around the world.

91

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

92

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOKED IN RELIGION:
The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

SYMBOLISM
Chapter III, Part II, The Fish Symbol
The subject of the fish symbol is a controversial and contentious subject. This symbol has infiltrated almost every element of so called Christianity. This part on the fish symbol is not to put anybody down, or condemn him or her of ignorance. But, to educate and enlighten to the truth of where, when, and how the fish symbol started, and where it came from. This part will indeed put away any doubt that the fish symbol is not Christian, but Pagan, and that no Christian should ever have this symbol on their car, or anywhere else. It is very sad that the majority of so called Christians dont have a clue to the meaning of this symbol, yet theyll plaster this symbol everywhere thinking it represents Jesus and his church. I will begin to produce the evidence that will undisputedly show that the fish symbol has its roots in pure Babylonian Paganism.

The Pre-Christian History of the Fish Symbol


The fish symbol has been used for millennia worldwide as a religious symbol associated with the Pagan Great Mother Goddess. It is the outline of her vulva. The fish symbol was often drawn by overlapping two very thin crescent moons. One represented the crescent shortly before the new moon; the other shortly after, when the moon is just visible. The Moon is the heavenly body that has long been associated with the Goddess, just as the sun is a symbol of the God. The link between the Goddess and fish was found in various areas of the ancient world. In China, Great Mother Kwan-yin is often portrayed in the shape of a fish. In India, the Goddess Kali was called the "fish-eyed one". In Egypt, Isis was called the Great Fish of the Abyss. In Greece, the Greek word "delphos" meant both fish and womb. The word is derived from the location of the ancient Oracle at Delphi who worshipped the original fish 93

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

goddess, Themis. Her followers worshiped the later fish Goddess, Aphrodite Salacia, on her sacred day, Friday. They ate fish and engaged in orgies. From her name comes the English word "salacious" which means lustful or obscene. Also from her name comes the name of our fourth month, April. In later centuries, the Catholic Church absorbed this tradition by requiring the faithful to eat fish on Friday - a tradition that was only recently abandoned. In ancient Rome, Friday is called "dies veneris" or Day of Venus, the Pagan Goddess of Love. Throughout the Mediterranean, mystery religions used fish, wine and bread for their sacramental meal. In Scandinavia, the Great Goddess was named Freya; fish were eaten in her honor. The 6th day of the week was named "Friday" after her. In the Middle East, the Great Goddess of Ephesus was portrayed as a woman with a fish amulet over her genitals. Berosus, apud Bunsens Egypt, vol. I. P. 707. To identify Nimrod with Oannes , mentioned by Berosus as appearing out of the sea, it will be remembered that Nimrod has been proved to be Bacchus. Then, for proof that Nimrod or Bacchus, on being overcome by his enemies, was fabled to have taken refuge in the sea. When, therefore, he was represented as reappearing, it was natural that he should reappear in the very character of Oannes as a Fish-god. Jerome calls Dagon, the well-known Fish-god, Pisem maeroris (Bryant, vol. iii. p. 179), the fish of sorrow, which goes far to Figure 1 Oannes

identify that Fish-god with Bacchus, the Lamented on; and the identification is complete when Hesychius tells us that some called Bacchus Ichthys, or The fish (subvoce Bacchus, p. 179). I must not omit to allude to the tradition preserved be Berosus, which appears to attribute to a foreign nation, arriving by sea, the introduction, at some remote period, of civilization and certain arts into Babylonia. According to the historian, there appeared out of the Erythraean, or Persian Gulf, an animal endowed with reason, called Oannes. Its body was like that of a fish; but under the head of the fish was that of a man, and added to its tail were womens feet. Its voice too, was human, and it spoke an articulate language. During the day, it instructed the Chaldeans in letters and in all arts and sciences, teaching them to build 94

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

temples; but at night it plunged again into the sea. Five such monsters appeared at different epochs in Babylonia, and were called Annedoti. The first was named the Musarus Oannes, and the last Odacon. Their images, he adds, were preserved in Chaldea even to his day. (Austen Henry Layard, Nineveh and its remains, vol. ii, pg. 466-467) In a bas-relief from Khorsabad representing a naval engagement, or the siege of a city on the seacoast, we have the god nearly as described by Berosus. To the body of a man as far as the waist, is joined the tail of a fish. This fish-worship extended to Syria, and appears to have been more prevalent in that country than in Assyria. The Dagon of the Philistines of Ashdod, evidently resembled the figure on the Assyrian sculptures and cylinders. Alexander Hislop in The Two Babylons He compares the mitre of the Pope unto the headdress of the priests of Janus & Dagon. Manly P. Hall in his book The Secret Teachings of all ages says this of Oannes: Berossus describes Oannes as follows: At Babylon there was (in these times) a great resort of people of various nations, who inhabited Chaldea, and lived in a lawless manner like the beasts of the field. In the first year there appeared, from that part of the Erythraean sea, which borders upon Babylonia, an animal destitute of reason by name Oannes, whose whole body (according to the account of Apollodorus) was that of a fish. Under the fishs head he had another head, with feet also below, similar to those of a man, subjoined to the fishs tail. His voice too, and language, was articulate and human; and a representation of him is preserved even to this day. This Being was accustomed to pass the day among men; but took no food at that season; and he gave them an insight into letters and sciences, and arts of every kind. The evidence is very overwhelming of the emanation of the fish symbol. We are heading to show how it came to be used into Christianity. The fish has often been associated with the World Saviors. Vishnu, The Hindu Redeemer, who takes himself ten forms of the redemption of the universe, was expelled from the mouth of a fish in his first incarnation. Isis, while nursing the infant Horus, is often shown with a fish on her headdress. Oannes, the Chaldean Savior (borrowed from the Brahmins), is depicted with the head and body of a fish, from which his human form protrudes at various points. Ceremonials) 95 A fish often symbolized Jesus. (Pecarts Religious

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

As a symbol of water and the creature on which Varuna rides, fish are associated with cyclical birth or rebirth. Manifestation occurs upon the face of the waters. Fish are at one and the same time saviors and instruments of revelation. A fish (matsya) was one of Vishnus avatars (incarnations); it saved Manu, lawgiver of the present cycle, form the Flood and then brought him the Vedas. In other words, it revealed to him the whole of sacred knowledge. Sacred fish in Ancient Egypt, the
Vishnu Avatar

Phoenician god, Dagon, and the Mesopotamian, Oannes, bear witness to identity of symbol, especially the last named who was specifically regarded as the Revealer. Oannes, indeed, has been regarded as a prefiguration of Christ. In Ancient Greece, with the legend of Amphions rescue by a Dolphin, the theme of the dolphin-as-savior was a commonplace. Dolphins were associated with the worship of Apollo and gave Delphi its name. (The penguin Dictionary of Symbols p.383) Fish are, in any case, symbols of life and fertility because of their extra ordinary powers of reproduction and the vast number of eggs that they lay. This is a symbol, which, of course, can be transferred to the spiritual plane. In Far Eastern iconography, fish are paired and thus become symbols of marriage (DANA, DURV, ELIY, CHAE, GUES, MUTT, SAIR). Muslims also associate fish with notions of fertility. Rainmaking charms are known, shaped like fish, and they are also associated with prosperity, since to dream of eating fish is considered lucky. Fish are a symbol of the Central American Indian Maize-god. Hentze (Henl) believes they are phallic symbols and Breuil has found them among Magdalenian bonecarvings. The Sanskrit name for the love-god was he who has the Fish for a symbol, while fish were attributes of the love-goddesses worshipped in Syria. Aximander explains that in Ancient Asia Minor fish were forbidden as food, because they were the parents of mankind. They are often associated with rhomboid shapes, especially on Babylonian cylinders. In China, fishes were a symbol of luck and when accompanied by cranes, together they symbolized happiness and good luck. In Ancient Egypt, fresh or dried fish was a staple article of food, but it was forbidden to all persons connected with religion, priests or kings. According to legend, the gods of Busiris were then supposed to change themselves into Chromis-fish and this demanded a total abstinence from fish eating. A

96

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

goddess was called the Chief of the Fishes and this was a name given to the female dolphin. As we see, the fish symbol predates Christianity by many years. Its use was primarily that of Pagan deities and goddesses. Symbolism was a thing well known unto the Pagans and Ancient societies. Their use of symbols has never ended. Every god and goddess had their symbol assigned to them for specific identification. The Lord never meant for the Church to bring any symbolism into the Church to represent the things of God. Ex 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: KJV. The Scripture makes it very clear that we should not make unto thee any graven image. The Fish symbol on the back of cars, truck, etc. is graven imagery in the worse sense. For a Christian to have a fish symbol on their vehicle is to be related to, or correlated with the Pagan worship of those deities. You would no more have a KKK sticker, or a Swastika in your possession, yet 1000s of unknowing people have this symbol in all different variations. I surely would not want to be associated with anything that is not of Jesus Christ, or in his Word. So then, how did this symbol infiltrate Christianity? When you have the so-called Christians that profess Christianity, without the Holy Ghost, youll get all kinds of infiltrating Paganism. Catholicism is a direct example of this Pagan infiltration. 2 Peter 2:1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. KJV In H.P. Blavatskys Isis Unveiled vol. II p.256 Theology states: It is well known, that the earliest Christian emblems before it was ever attempted to represent the bodily appearance of Jesus were the Lamb, the Good Shepherd, and the Fish. The origin of the latter emblem, which has so puzzled the archaeologists, thus becomes comprehensible. The whole secret lies in the easily-ascertained fact that, while in the Kabala, the King Messiah is called Interpreter, or Revealer of the mystery, and shown to be the fifth emanation, in the Talmud for reasons we will now explain the Messiah is very often designated as Dag, or the Fish. This is an inheritance from the Chaldeans, and relates as the very name indicates to the Babylonian Dagon, the man-fish, who was the 97

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

instructor and interpreter of the people to whom he appeared. Abarbanel explains the name by stating that the sign of his (Messiahs) coming is the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in the sign Pisces. Therefore, as the Christians were intent upon identifying their

Christos with the Messiah of the Old Testament, they adopted it so readily as to forget that its true origin might be traced still farther back than the Babylonian Dagon. How eagerly and closely the ideal of Jesus was united, by the early Christians, with every imaginable Kabalistic and Pagan tenet, may be inferred from the language of Clemens of Alexandria, addressed to his brother co-religionists. When they were debating upon the choice of the most appropriate symbol to remind them of Jesus, Clemens advised them in the following words: Let the engraving upon the gem of your ring be either a dove, or a ship running before the wind (the Argha), or a fish. Was the good man, when writing this sentence, laboring under the recollection of Joshua, son of Nun (called Jesus in the Greek and Slavonian versions); or had he forgotten the real interpretation of these Pagan symbols? The Greek word for fish is "ichthys." As early as the first century, Christians made an acrostic from this word: Iesous Christos Theou Yios Soter, i.e. Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior. The fish has plenty of other theological overtones as well, for Christ fed the 5,000 with 2 fishes and 5 loaves (a meal recapitulated in Christian love-feasts) and called his disciples "fishers of men." Water baptism, practiced by immersion in the early church, created a parallel between fish and converts. Second-century theologian Tertullian put it this way: "we, little fishes, after the image of our Ichthys, Jesus Christ, are born in the water." Greeks, Romans, and many other Pagans used the fish symbol before Christians. Hence the fish, unlike, say, the cross, attracted little suspicion, making it a perfect secret symbol for persecuted believers. When threatened by Romans in the first centuries after Christ, Christians used the fish to mark meeting places and tombs, or to distinguish friends from foes. According to one ancient story, when a Christian met a stranger in the road, the Christian sometimes drew one arc of the simple fish outline in the dirt. If the stranger drew the other arc, both believers knew they were in good company. Current bumper sticker and business-card uses of the fish hearken back to this practice.

98

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOAKED IN RELIGION:
The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

SYMBOLISM
Chapter III, Part III, The Dove
The subject of the Dove, as seen on many cars, books, etc. is as the fish symbol, seemingly some innocent representation of Christianity. If any of these so-called Christians would delve deeper into the very foundational element of symbolism, they would find the most heinous roots. The Lord God Almighty never spoke of symbolizing himself. In fact, He gave commandment not to make any Image at all, yet symbolism has infiltrated denominational Christianity to the fullest. I want to make it very clear that it is very hard to gain the historical evidence sometimes needed. Through much digging, and investigation, evidence will rise to the surface, but limited to only a few historians. I had endeavored to obtain the most accurate documentation available, yet with the history of the Dove, there is much uncertainty. Lets start out with the legend of Semiramis who would be one of the first, if not the first to be identified with the dove. The legend says this; Sumats had been captured by Nimrods men, and brought into the marshy depths of the Shinars Southland. She was brought to a reed house sitting upon the marshes of the Tigris River. Inside the house was a woman named Atargatis. This woman was known to be half woman, and half fish. Atargatis asked Sumats, How are you known? She answered, Sumats. Are you indeed? almost imperceptibly a left eyebrow arched, A dove? breathed Atargatis. The dove symbolized the Great Spirit of Creation, and a dove had brought back to Noe evidence that the waters had retreated.

99

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Sumats angrily retorted, Here, is my talisman! A wedding gift from my husband. Reaching under the neckline of her clothes, Sumats showed forth the amulet that hung about her neck. Its details at once revealing a dove, but at the same time resembling an arrow. A glance revealed to the older woman crimson stains of human blood on the beak of the dove, but she chose not to comment. Later Sumats would meet the Annunaki, which were evil spirits, and have her name changed to Semiramis. Semiramis as we know her, will become the Queen of Heaven, or Mother of the universe. Theres not much written about Semiramis, with the exception of a few Historians such as Alexander Hislop, In Babylon, the title of the goddess-mother as the Dwelling-place of God was Sacca, or in the emphatic form, Sacta, that is, The Tabernacle. Hence, at this day, the great goddesses in India, as wielding all the power of the god whom they represent, are called Sacti, or the Tabernacle. Now in her, as the Tabernacle or Temple of God, not only all power, but all grace and goodness were believed to dwell. Every quality of gentleness and mercy was regarded as centered in her. When death had closed her career, while she was fabled to have been deified and changed into a pigeon, to express the celestial benignity of her nature, she was called by the name DIune, or The Dove, or without the article, Juno, the name of the Roman queen of heaven. It has the very same meaning; and under the form of a dove as well as her own, she was worshipped by the Babylonians. The dove, the chosen symbol of this deified queen, is commonly represented with an olive branch in her mouth, as she herself in her human form also is seen bearing the olive branch in her hand. From this form of representing her, it is highly probable that she has derived the name by which she is commonly known, for Zemir-amit means The branch-bearer. When the goddess was thus represented as the Dove with the olive branch, there can be no doubt that the symbol had partly reference to the story of the flood; but there was much more in the symbol than a mere memorial of that great event. A branch, as has been already proved, was the symbol of the deified son, and when the deified mother was represented as a Dove, what could the meaning of this representation be but just to identify her with the Spirit of all grace, that brooded, dove-like, over the deep at the creation; for in the sculptures at Nineveh, as we have seen, the wings and tail of the dove represented the

100

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

third member of the idolatrous Assyrian trinity. (Alexander Hislop Two Babylons- pgs. 78-79) She illustrates dozens of prehistoric and ancient religious referents, with considerable historical detail and scholarly study. For example, to choose a single symbol at random, The Dove, in the index and found the following references; Dove: pages 29, 76, 100, 108, 206, 361, 399, 424, 490. (Barbara G. Walker - The Womens Dictionary of Symbols and Sacred Objects) Page 29: under rod: dove of the Goddess perched on Josephs rod of office Page 76: under Star of the Seven Sisters: Pleiades whose name is Greek for a flock of doves. Page 100: under Omphalos: frequent appearance on ancient coinsflanked by two doves. Page 108: under Tomb: Venus Columba, whose symbol the Holy Dove Page 206: under Hokmah/Holy Ghost: the triumphant dove having been the most common symbol of the Goddesss spirit brooding over the waters of creation Page 361: introduction to Animals: The Moslems placed ten famous animals in heaven among the starsNoahs dove. Page 399: One and a half page article about Dove: A discussion of how the Dove, originally the symbol of female sexuality and Goddess energy came to represent the soul, in general, and the Holy Ghost, specifically, in Christianity. Page 424: Under Columbine: The columbine was named after Columba, The Dove, once a universally recognized symbol of the Goddess Aphrodite or Venus (see Dove). Page 490: Under Olive: The olive was often associated with the Dove, both symbolizing the Peace of the Goddess. Having done this randomly selected research, I now know that the dove is a prehistoric symbol and that the present day celebratory release of white doves during triumphal ceremonies has extremely ancient antecedents. The dove represents the spirit released after its descent into the underworld. To the ancients, the dove was symbol of Aphrodite and Astarte. To the ancient Hebrews, it was a symbol of Chokma (Wisdom), Yahwehs shekhina, consort, or feminine presence. To the Gnostics she became Sophia (Wisdom in Greek), and she kept the dove as her symbol. 101

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

The name Semiramis attached to a tribe or nation, typified, according to a very common Eastern custom, by an individual, are ingenious. A Semiramis of history was invested with a semi-sacred character. She was the daughter of a Syrian goddess, half fish, and a young man of the country. Being exposed at her birth, she was brought up by birds, and was ultimately transformed into a dove. (Bryant Mythology, vol. ii. p.100) The sorrows of Nimrod, or Bacchus, when in the waters were meritorious sorrows. The sorrows of his wife, in whom the Holy Ghost miraculously dwelt, were the same. The sorrows of the Madonna, then, when in these waters, fleeing from Typhons rage, were the birth-throes by which children were born to God. And thus, even in the Far West, Chalchivitlycue, the Mexican goddess of the waters, and mother of all the regenerate, was represented as purging the new-born infant from original sin, and bringing it anew into the world. Now, the Holy Ghost was idolatrously worshipped in Babylon under the form of a Dove. (Alexander Hislop Two Babylons- pg. 144) THE DOVE, The dove had quite a peculiar sanctity among the Semites. Among the Syrians it was the holiest of birds, and anyone who touched it was taboo among the Phoenicians, by whom it was associated with the goddess Astarte as her companion. Among the Hittites it was associated with the Goddess-mother. According to Al-Nadim, the Harranians would not sacrifice it. Its sanctity among the Arabs is clear from the fact that there are sacred doves at Mecca. The Hebrews did not use it for an ordinary sacrifice involving a sacrificial meal; but they offered it in sacrifices that were closely analogous to mystical rites. In Cyprus we hear of an earth goddess of love. Among the Romans, doves were sacrificed to Venus. In Russia, the modern peasant never kills a dove, because it is the bird of the Holy Ghost (S. Reinach, Cults). In Christian art the dove is used as a symbol of the Holy Spirit. (Canney An Encyclopedia of Religion)

102

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOAKED IN RELIGION:
The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

SYMBOLISM
Chapter III, Part IV, The Cross
This part labeled the cross will be one that will raise the eyebrow of many, because of the wide spread use of this symbol in mainstream Christianity. As with other symbols, the cross would seem to represent a good thing, because it is used in direct representation of the cross that Jesus Christ died on, but the Lord Jesus never told us to use a symbol of the cross to represent Him at all. In fact, when investigation is done, we will find that this symbol actually had its beginnings long before the appearance of Jesus Christ. In all my studies, I have found increasingly more and more Paganism in our society than was first suspected. The sad part is that

103

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Christianity has been the focal point of the Babylonian system. It has placed its tentacles on everything within reach, with the exception of those that have a love for the truth. Lets get right into the factual evidence, and see what history has to produce about this symbol. Symbols were also used to represent the gods. As in the Chaldean and other empires, a circle or a cross within a circle designated the sun god. The six or eight-rayed star, or, a naked female form, indicated the sun goddess. A fish was the representation of Ninnus, or Nin. The Mithraists celebrated a mithraic love feast to commemorate the ascension of Mithras with the sun. This feast consisted of loaves of bread decorated with crosses and wine over which the priest pronounced a mystic formula. The cross was used in the worship of the ancient mystery religions. It has been identified as being the letter T the initials of the sun god Tammuz. Remember, in the book of Ezekiel, the women were weeping for Tammuz? This symbol is similar to the celestial cross and sword of Mithra and also the Double Axe of Zeus Labrayndos, both Pagan symbols that pre-date Constantines Labarum. The Roman army carried standards in the shape of crosses. Originally this was known as the vexillium, which was a cross with a banner across the top. The vexillium was the forerunner of the Labarum of Constantine (by this sign conquer). The Labarum was a cross with an X at the top and a P through the middle of the X. Supposedly, this X and P were the first two letters in the Greek word for Christ. Many historians have suggested that this was not necessarily the initials of Christ, but could have actually been the celestial cross and Mithraic sword both of which were used in Mithraism, the religion of the Roman soldier. We must not forget that Constantines coins were inscribed with the words committed to the invincible sun. Tertullian, the church historian, who lived some one hundred years after Christ, gives us great insight into the use of the cross by Romans: if any of you think we render superstitious adoration to the cross, in that adoration he is sharer with us. If you offer homage to a piece of wood at all, it matters little what it is like when the substance is the same: it is of no consequence the form, if you have the very body of the god. And yet how far does the Athenian Pallas differ from the stock of the cross, or the Pharian Ceres as she is put up uncarved to sale, a mere rough stake and piece of shapeless wood? Every stake fixed in an upright position is a portion of the cross; we render our adoration, if you will have it so, to a god entire and complete. We have shown before that your deities are derived from shapes modeled from the cross. But you also worship victories, for in your 104

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

trophies the cross is the heart of the trophy. The camp religion of the Romans is all through a worship of the standards, a setting the standards above all gods. Well, as those images decking out the standards are ornaments of crosses. All those hangings of your standards and banners are robes of crosses. I praise your zeal: you would not consecrate crosses un-clothed and unadorned. Tertullian also indicates that the initiates of Mithra, the sun god, received the same sign upon their foreheads that Christians of that time received. That sign, over one hundred years after the crucifixion of Christ, was the sign of the cross. Tertullian writes about the subject of the cross in his book, Prescription against Heretics in which he, speaking of Satan, states: The question will arise, by who is to be interpreted the sense of the passages, which make for heresies? By the devil, of course, to whom pertain those wiles that pervert the truth, and who, by the mystic rites of his idols, vies even with the essential portions of the sacraments of God. Tertullian 2nd century. (Richard Rives - TOO LONG IN THE SUN pg. 37,70,) In Egypt, the cross when unaccompanied by any other symbol, signified simply creative energy both female and male, but whenever a distinctively female emblem was present, it denoted the male power alone. The Ibis, which is represented with human hands and feet, bears the staff of Isis in one hand and the cross in the other. There is scarcely an obelisk or monument in Egypt upon which this figure does not appear. The symbol or monogram of Venus was a circle and a cross that of Saturn was a cross and a rams horn. (Eliza Burt Gamble - The God idea of the ancients or Sex in Religion Chapter XVIII, pg. 136) Plato declared that the Son of God was expressed upon the universe in the form of the letter X, and that the second power of the supreme God was figured on the universe in the shape of a cross. There is little doubt that the early Christians understood full well the true meaning of the cross, and that it was no new device. In later ages, however, the Church claimed every monument of antiquity marked with this symbol and by it believed to be of Christian origin. It is related when the temple of Serapis at Alexandria was overthrown by one of the Christian Emperors, beneath its foundation was discovered the monogram of Christ. The Christians made use of this circumstance to prove the divine origin of their religion. Thereby making many converts. The Pagans, on the contrary, were of the opinion that it should forever silence the claim put forward by the devotees of Christianity. It is plain, 105

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

however, that the Christians had the better of the argument for the cross being uneasy under the weight of the temple overthrew it. On the coins of Decius, the great persecutor of the Christians, is to be observed the monogram of Christ, which is also the monogram of Osiris and Jupiter Ammon. On a medal proved to be Phoenician appear the cross, the rosary, and the lamb. There is another form of the same monogram, which signifies DCVIII. These devices although in use hundreds of years prior to the Christian era are all said to be monograms of Christ. At the present time, they may be seen in almost every church in Italy. In the cave of Elephanta, in India, appears the cross in connection with the figure that represents male reproductive power. Inman relates that a cross with a rosary attached has been found in use among the religious emblems of the Japanese Buddhists and the lamas of Thibet, and that in one of the frescoes of Pompeii, published at Paris, 1840, is to be seen, vol. v., plate 28, the representation of a phallic cross in connection with two small figures of Hermes. The Rev. Mr. Maurice adds his testimony to that of other investigators to show the universality of this emblem. He says that the principal pagodas in India, viz., those of Bernares and Mathura, are built in the form of a cross. In the museum of the London University is a mummy upon whose breast is a cross exactly in the shape of a cross upon Calvary. The True significance of this emblem, and the reason for its adoration are not, at the present time, difficult to understand; but whence comes the symbol of a dead man on a cross, and what is it true meaning? Perhaps there is no problem connected with ancient symbolism, or with mythical religion, which is more difficult to solve, than is the representation of a dying Savior on a cross. It is stated by those who have investigated this subject, that although the sun, or the fructifying power within it, was adored by all the historic nations, no hint of a cross is to be found amongst the most ancient 106

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Nature worshippers. We must then look for a solution of this problem to those ages in which the higher truths of an older race were partially forgotten, and to a time when phallic worship had supplanted the adoration of Light or Wisdom. The cross doubtless came into use as a religious emblem at a time when the sexes in union began to stand for the godidea. The lower end of the upright shaft was transfixed to the horizontal bar. As soon as the male energy became god, the cross gradually grew into the figure of a man with arms extended. It became the original life giver, it was Adam, the creator of the race. Doubtless for ages, Adam represented the god-man-phallus-Tree of life, or cross idea. He was progenitor of the race. From this same idea sprang ancestor worship, or the deification of the past vital spark. The adoration paid to the Lares and Penates, the household gods of the Romans, on the first of May, is an example of this worship, as is also the homage paid by the Chinese to their progenitors. Of religious emblems, R.P. Knight says that one of the most remarkable among them is a cross in the form of the letter T, which was used as an emblem of creation and generation before the church adopted it as a sign of salvation. To this representation of male reproductive power was sometimes added a human head, which gives it the appearance of a crucifix, as it has on the medal of Cyzicus. Originally, the figure of a dead man on a cross typified creation and destruction or the operations of the creative forces in Nature. Everything dies only to live again. Although man dies, and the individual man becomes but a dead branch on the tree of life, still the tree lives. Through the cross-phallus idea, or through mans power to create, existence on the earth continues. Although the sun dies in winter, in spring it revives again to quicken and enliven Nature and make all things new. There is much evidence to show that a dying figure on a cross was no new Crishna, whose history as we have seen is almost identical with that of Christ, and Ballaji, from whom the thorn-crowned figures of Jesus have seen doubtless been copied, are illustrations of this mythical figure of a crucified savior in India. It seems altogether probable from the facts at hand that the Romans worshipped a cross with a dying figure of a man upon it. Minucius Felix, a Christian father, in defense of his religion, has the following passage: In 280 AD, A.C. Porphyry, referring to crosses, asked why theologists give passions to the gods, erect Phalli and use shameful language; to which the Christian 107 conception at the advent of Christianity.

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Iamblichus in the year 336 replied, Because Phalli and crosses are signs of productive energy, and provocative to a continuance of the world. Starting from this, it becomes easy to understand how nature herself could have taught primeval mankind, even without the help of its divine instructors, the first principle of a numerical and geometrical symbol language. Hence, one finds numbers and figures used as an expression and a record of thought in every archaic symbolical Scripture. They are ever the same, with only certain variations growing out of the first figures. Thus, the evolution and correlation of the mysteries of Kosmos, of its growth and development spiritual and physical, abstract and concrete - were first recorded in geometrical changes of shape. Every Cosmogony began with a circle, a point, a triangle, and a cube, up to number 9, when it was synthesized by the first line and a circle. The Pythagorean mystic Decade, the sum of all, involving and expressing the mysteries of the entire Kosmos; recorded a hundred times more fully in the Hindu system, for him who can understand its mystic language. The numbers 3 and 4, in their blending of 7, as those of 5, 6, 9, and 10, are the very corner-stone of Occult Cosmogonies. This decade and its thousand combinations are found in every portion of the globe. One recognizes them in caves and rock-cut temples of Hindostan and Central Asia, as in the pyramids and lithoi of Egypt and America; in the Catacombs of Ozimandyas, in the mounds of the Caucasian snow-capped fastnesses, in the ruins of Palenque, in Easter Island, everywhere whither the foot of ancient man has ever journeyed. The 3 and the 4, the triangle and the cube, or the male and female universal glyph, showing the first aspect of the evolving deity, is stamped for ever in the Southern Cross in the Heavens, as in the Egyptian Crux-Ansata. As well expressed, The Cube unfolded is in display a cross of the Tau, or Egyptian form, or of the Christian cross form. A circle attached to the first, gives the ansated crossnumbers 3 and 4 counted on the cross, showing a form of the Hebrew golden candlestick in the Holy of Holies, and of the 3+4=7, and 6+1=7, days in the circle of the week, as 7 lights of the sun. So also as the week of 7 lights gave origin to the month and year, so it is the time marker of birth. The cross form being shown, then, by the connected use of the form 113:355, the symbol is completed by the attachment of a man to the cross. This kind of measure was made to co-ordinate with the idea of the origin of

108

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

human life, and hence, the phallic form. (H.P. Blavatsky The Secret Doctrine Vol. I, pg. 321) The Stanzas show the cross and these numbers playing a prominent part in archaic cosmogony. Meanwhile, we may profit by the evidence collected by the same author to show the identity of symbols and their esoteric meaning all over the globe, which he calls rightly the pri-mordial vestiges of these symbols. Tammuz, also known as Bacchus who was worshipped as male and sometimes female in other areas, was in fact Nimrod, the son of Semiramis. He was also called Nimus, the husband of Semiramis, and sometimes the son. The cross was likewise a symbol of the tree itself, harking back to the very beginning of mankind where the mingling of good and evil was originally introduced. Bacchus, the god of wine, portraying the ancient and modern image of mixing drinks and debauchery, was represented with a headband covered with crosses. Fruit, leaves, and the tree all became symbolic, a means of recounting the past, enunciating the search for oneness announced at the tree through a unity of good and evil. (Ernest H.J. Steed Two be one) The cross was the recognized sign of Tammuz called the mistletoe branch, claiming for its power to heal. In medieval allegory, the cross is represented as the Yshaped tree, depicted with knots and even branches and sometimes with thorns. The predominant meaning of the cross is that of conjunction. In Hindu, Buddhist, and Catholic tradition, many emblemic crosses sprout leaves, and some fruit laden. Undoubtedly, a variation of crosses vividly emphasized this conjunction of opposites, such as the lunar cross with four quarter moons on the four points of the cross, showing a conjunction between sun and moon and all the opposites allied to these forces. Many crosses have a central jewel focusing on the point of conjunction. The ancient crosiers of Ireland, equivalent to the occultists wand, were particularly noted for their intricate carvings and symbols of interlacing, knots, loops, spirals, and creatures in entanglement. In Egypt, various crosses portrayed the same idea, but each was used for different occasions. There is the astronomical cross, or spirit cross. But the most common is the ankh, the Tau cross with a loop at the top. Egyptian art often depicts the god Ptah, holding the loop of the ankh in his hand. Cirlot reports, Enel analyzes this hieroglyphic as 109

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

follows: The phonetic significance of this sign is a combination of the signs for activity and passivity and of a mixture of the two, and conforms with the symbolism of the cross in general as the synthesis of the active and the passive principle. Cross symbols, like the swastika and the ankh, were recognized as an essential part of life in Asia, Europe, Africa, among the Indians of the Americas, and in most remote areas. Allied as it was to the conjunction of opposites, the cross became a familiar part of the fertility orgies of Baal worship in the groves, consisting either of trees, obelisks, or poles as phallic symbols. Such worship was exported by the Phoenicians to many parts of the world, including the Americas, along with the Egyptian rites, as recent archeological discoveries have revealed. The cross, allied to Pagan worship and licentiousness, became to those who worshiped the Creator God, a sign of disgrace and shame. Christians should recognize the cross, therefore, as a symbol susceptible to Pagan purposes. It is not an inviolable emblem of the faith, but with slight variations, has been adopted by nearly every religious system and culture in the history of man. In Palenque, Mexico, founded by Votan in the ninth century before the Christian Era, is a heathen temple known as The Temple of the Cross. There inscribed on an altar slab is a central cross six and a half by eleven feet in size. The Catholic encyclopedia states: Pre-Christian Cross of Palenque. In Olden times, the Mexicans worshipped a cross as tota (Our father). The fears of the Christians were but too well founded, and their pious zeal and prophetic insight was rewarded from the very first. In the demolition of the Serapeum, after the bloody riot between the Christian mob and the Pagan worshippers had ended with the interference of the emperor, a Latin cross, of a perfect Christian shape, was discovered hewn upon the granite slabs of the adytum. This was a lucky discovery, indeed; and the monks did not fail to claim that the cross had been hallowed by the Pagans in a spirit of prophecy. (H.P. Blavatsky Isis Unveiled vol. II, pg. 253) The Brahmatama, the chief of the Hindu initiates, had on his head-gear two keys, a symbol of the revealed mystery of life and death. They placed cross-like; and, in some Buddhist pagodas of Tartary and Mongolia, the entrance of a chamber within the temple, generally containing the staircase which leads to the inner daghoba, and the porticos of some Prachida are ornamented with a cross formed of two fishes, and as found on some of the zodiacs of the Buddhists.

110

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

In its mystical sense, the Egyptian cross owes its origin, as an emblem, to the realization by the earliest philosophy of an androgynous dualism of every manifestation in nature, which proceeds from the abstract ideal of a likewise androgynous deity, while the Christian emblem is simply due to chance. Had the Mosaic Law prevailed, Jesus should have been lapidated. The crucifix was an instrument of torture, and utterly common among Romans as it was unknown among Semitic nations. It was called the Tree of Infamy. It is but later that it was adopted as a Christian symbol; but, during the first two decades, the apostles looked upon it with horror. It is certainly not the Christian Cross that John had in mind when speaking of the signet of the living God, but the mystic Tau the Tetragrammaton, or mighty name, which, on the letters composing the Holy Word. I actually could go on further with reference upon reference, but I feel these are sufficient enough to build a good understanding upon this symbol. To make note, the majority of the references have come from research books that pertain to ancient Babylonian Paganism. The reason being, that to find a Pagan symbol, one must go to the Pagan writers and writings. The evidence is simply amazing! Lets go to one more source of information. Constantine, and his vision of the Cross. The Emperor Constantine had strong leanings to the old gods and the old Roman religion, and it was not until 324 that he formally professed Christianity, and recommended his subjects to adopt it. Yet he dedicated his new City of Constantinople (324) jointly to the God of the Martyrs and the Goddess Fortune, while his coins, stamped on the one side with the monogram of Jesus, on the other bore an image of the Sun god. He kept the Roman title of Pontifex Maximus (Chief Pontiff), and was not baptized till he was near death. Consequently some deny to Constantine the title of Christian; yet he undoubtedly was its steadfast protector and promoter. For details of his celebrated (and probably fabulous) dream, in which he saw a cross in the heavens with the legend, By this conquer, followed by the appearance of Christ, we must refer to secular history. To this dream is traced his adoption of the monogram-cross on his standard called Labarum, the cross representing the two leading letters X (CH) and P (R) in the Greek name of Christ. This monogram was very largely used on the shields and helmets of soldiers, on coins and guns, as an amulet, etc., but it almost certainly dates from an earlier time than Constantines. (The Encyclopedia of World Religions)

111

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

I could continue with many, many more references that are very much the same repetition, but the documentation is obtainable to anyone who would endeavor to search and dig for themselves. This symbol is wide spread used by the majority of Christianity in general. Yet, the general public is unaware of its origin. Upon gaining revelation of symbolism, we ourselves had to redo our church front doors that had two fixed cross windows in them. With just a little alteration, we were able to adjust the doors to look appropriate. Once your eyes are open unto the meaning of symbolism, youll see so much in our society. At that point, you must respond in correcting any symbols that are in your control. Your church building, your Bible, your home, your car, literature, etc. Wherever you find this symbol, you must remove it as soon as possible. Any graven image that has its origin in Babylonian Paganism should not be in the House of God!!! If I were to give you any scripture at all, it would be this: Ex 20:4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: KJV

112

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOAKED IN RELIGION:
The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

SYMBOLISM
Chapter III, Part V, The Steeple
The study of the steeple must be approached with great care because its foundational roots go back to the worship of phallic symbols. We need not to get too graphic, yet be able to completely lay a good foundation. We must go back to when they observed the steeple shaped symbols known as Obelisks and Phallic symbols. This is where the foundation of the steeple has come into play, and the documented references will ultimately show a clear picture that a steeple on a church building is none other than a phallic symbol from ancient days. Those who have penetrated into the abstruseness of Indian mythology, find that in these temples was practiced a worship similar to that practiced by all the several nations of the world. In their earliest, as well as their most enlightened periods, it was paid to the Phallus by the Asiatics, to Priapus by the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, to Baal-Peor by the Canaanites and idolatrous Jews. (A Comparative View of the Ancient Monuments of India) Of the depravity of the Jews and the immorality practiced in their religious rites, Forlang says: No one can study their history, liberated from the blindness which our Christian up-bringing and associations cast over us. Without seeing that the Jews were probably the grossest worshippers among all those, Ophi-Phallo-Solar devotees. They then covered every land and sea, from the sources of the Nile and Euphrates to all over the Mediterranean by Jews up to Hezekiahs days, and by none more so by dissolute Solomon and his cruel, lascivious bandit-father, the brazen-faced adulterer and murderer, who broke his freely volunteered oath, and sacrificed six innocent sons of his king to his javah.

113

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Of Solomon, he devoted his energies and some little wealth to rearing phallic and Solophallic shrines over all the high places around him, and especially in front of Jerusalem, and on and around the Mount of Olives. On each side of the entrance to his celebrated temple, under the great phallic spire, which formed the portico, were two handsome columns over fifty feet high, by the side of which were sun god Belus and his chariots. In a description of this temple, it is represented as being one hundred and twenty feet long and forty feet broad, while the porch, a phallic emblem, was a huge tower, forty feet long, twenty feet broad, and two hundred and forty feet high. We are assured by Forlong, that Solomons temple was like hundreds observed in the East, except that its walls were a little higher than those usually seen, and the phallic spire out of proportion to the size of the structure. The Jewish porch is but the obelisk which the Egyptian placed beside his temple; the Buddhist pillars which stood all around their Dagobas. The pillars of Hercules, which stood near the Phoenician temple; and the spire which stands beside the Christian Church. (Eliza Burt Gamble The God-idea of the ancients or sex in religion) It is impossible no longer to conceal the fact that passion, symbolized by a serpent, an upright stone, and by the male and female organs of generation, the male appearing as the giver of life, the female as a necessary appendage to it, constituted the god-idea of mankind for at least four thousand years. Instead of being confined to the earlier ages of that period, we shall presently see that phallic worship had not disappeared, under Christianity, as late and even later than the sixteenth century. Among the ancient nations, not only were statues of the gods and goddesses in human form made, other objects with a hidden or mystery meaning, such as obelisks, were a part of heathen worship. Originally, the obelisk was associated with sun worship. The ancients having rejected the knowledge of the true creator seeing that the sun gave life to plants and to man, looked upon the sun as a god, the great life giver. Realizing that through sexual union life was produced; the phallus was considered a symbol of life. (Ralph Woodrow Mystery Babylon Religion pg. 31) The word images in the Bible is translated from several different Hebrew words. One of these words, matzebah, means standing images or obelisks. (I Kings 14:23;II kings 18:4; Jer. 43:13; Micah 5:13). In order for the obelisks to carry out their intended 114

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

symbolism, they were placed upright erect. Thus, they pointed up toward the sun. As a symbol of the phallus, the erect position also had an obvious significance. Bearing this in mind, it is interesting to notice that when divine judgment was pronounced against this false worship, it was said that these images (obelisks) shall not stand up, but would be cast down (Is. 27:9). When the Israelites mixed heathen worship into their religion in the days of Ezekiel, they erected an image of jealousy in the entry of the temple (Ez. 8:5). This image was probably an obelisk, the symbol of the phallus, for they were given over to phallus cults. Placing an obelisk at the entrance of a heathen temple was, apparently, not an uncommon practice at the time. One stood at the entrance of the temple of Tum and another in front of the temple of Hathor, the abode of Horus. Interestingly enough, there is also an obelisk at the entrance of St.Peters in Rome, as the photograph shows. It is not a mere copy of an Egyptian obelisk, it is the very same obelisk that stood in Egypt in ancient times! When the mystery religion came to Rome in Pagan days, not only were obelisks made and erected at Rome, but Obelisks of Egypt at great expense were hauled there and erected by the emperors. Caligula, in 37-41 A.D. had the obelisk, now at the Vatican, brought from Heliopolis, Egypt, to the circus on the Vatican Hill, where now stands St. Peters. This will show how the steeple or spire had come to be a place in the present churches of today. Most of all Paganism was introduced into Christianity through the Roman Catholic Church. It seems that they set the precedent for mainstream Christianity. But when the Roman church came to political power and wealth under the reign of Constantine, a pattern for building elaborate and expensive church buildings was set and has continued to this day. Churches were in the homes of the people, not in building as with today. The idea has become so implanted in the minds of people, that the word Church to most people means building. But in its Biblical use, the word refers to an assembly or group of people who are the Temple of the Holy Ghost! The majority of expensive church buildings that have been built over the centuries have featured a Tower. Each generation probably never questioned the origin of the idea. Some towers have cost fortunes to build. The use of towers is also carried out in

115

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Christendom Catholic and Protestant. The tower of the great Cathedral of Cologne rises 515 feet above the street while that of the Cathedral of Ulm, Germany, is 528 feet high. Even small chapels often have a tower of some kind. It is a tradition that is seldom questioned. Phallic emblems The universality of the phallus worship and the peculiar significance and sanctity of its emblems, especially the cross, the triangle, THE SPIRE, and the oval, are indicated in the universality of the use of these sacred emblems in nearly all lands and among nearly all peoples, both ancient and modern. The Christian emblem, the cross of Christ, is simply the ancient conventional emblem of the phallus and testes, and of the phallus in conjunction with the female "door of life," represented in every land and age, and especially in almost every hieroglyphic Egyptian record, where the "ankh" -- cross (cross and oval) is the emblem of life. This is exemplified in the name of Tut-ankh-amen, or "Life- image of Amen." The cross, in diverse forms, but with always the same phallic significance of "life," antedates Christianity by ages, and is found on the ancient religious monuments of many far- scattered peoples, even in prehistoric America. (Bank of Wisdom Louisville, KY) The pyramids of Egypt, as of Central America, are faced by four triangles, representing in Egypt the "four great gods"' purely phallic and very sacred. Of like origin and significance are the Jewish manner of holding the hands in priestly blessing, the oval windows of Gothic churches, CHRISTIAN
THE HEAVEN-POINTING SPIRES OF TEMPLES;

all purely phallic devices,

though to-day seemingly formal or conventional, as the Pagan phallic origins are forgotten. The shrines of Paganism featured one or more prominent towers in their architecture. The towers are phallic symbols of perverted sexual worship. Ovid calls Cybele the tower-bearing goddess, the first who erected towers and cities. This is a clear reference to queen Semiramis, the semi-mythical cohort of Ninus, the mighty one of fortified cities, who was involved in the building of the tower of Babylon. Like Diana of Ephesus, Cybele was depicted with a tower-crown on her head. In ancient Babylonian Paganism, towers were erected next to the temples as an integral part 116

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

of the temple complex. In The Cambridge Ancient History Egypt and Babylon, Bury (1924:533) writes that a visitor to an ancient Babylonian city never had problems in finding the temple, because the tower was visible from afar. The Catholic Encyclopedia tells us that. In his book, Sex Worship and Symbolism in Primitive Races, S. Brown wrote (1916): "There is evidence that the spires of our churches owe their existence to the uprights or obelisks outside the temples of former ages. There are still in existence today remarkable specimens of original phallic symbols steeples on our churches and obelisks." In Scripture, obelisks are usually called sun-pillars and Asherah poles. Asherah poles featured prominently in the perverse rites of Canaanite Paganism. A Church tower then, depicts the erect phallus of Nimrod; it is an architectural symbol that can be traced to the cult of Eloah Mahozim. Whether it is a tower, a steeple or spire, they are all un-Scriptural. Several writers link, and not without some justification, the towers, steeples and spires with the ancient obelisk. "There is evidence," says one, To show that the spires of our churches owe their existence to the uprights or obelisks outside the temples of former ages." Another says, "There are still in existence today remarkable specimens of original phallic symbols...steeples on churches...and obelisks." The Church has sadly failed to destroy the obelisks or sun-pillars of Sunworship. They have continued erecting new ones, similar to the obelisks, nowadays standing separate from the main building, often similar to the obelisks of old. However, this will continue only till the time of the end-time, for we read, "the Asherim and the sunimages shall rise no more: (Isa 27:9). Indeed, God Himself will destroy them in the end time, "and I will cut off your carved images and your pillars out of the middle of you, and you shall no more worship the work of your hand" (Micah 5:13). The above information is excerpted from a book "Come Out of Her My People" by C.J. Koster, which is available. More than likely, present day churches equate these steeples with the pillars that were erected in Solomons Temple. Many Masonics stake claim that Solomons Temple was the beginning of Freemasonry, and that the symbolism of that temple justifies the use of these Pagan symbols in Christianity. So, through Masonry, much of these Pagan symbols have infiltrated into the ranks of Christianity through traditions.

117

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

2 Chron 3:17 And he reared up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz. KJV 2 Chron 3:15-17 The two pillars stood free, in front of the Temple. Thirty and five is either a corruption for eighteen (the two are easily confused in the Hebrew), or a representation of the length of the original casting. Each pillar measured eighteen cubit long if an attachment for the chapter (s), the ornamented capitals, is included. The existence of such ornamental pillars, or obelisks, at ancient temples has been confirmed repeatedly by archaeology. 17. Jachin. It establishes. Boaz. In it is strength. (from The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1962 by Moody Press) I hope that the set evidence is well acceptable, and one can base a decision upon the material presented in this part of this Chapter. Masonic symbolism is sometimes very hard to expose, as much as I would want to expose them. Their society is very secretive and cloaked well. With much digging, and investigation, you can unearth the necessary evidence needed to base a decision. In my research and studies on symbolism, I have found myself becoming very acute to symbolism in my community. In corporate advertisements, business signage, business Logos, Governmental buildings, etc. Its all over the place, and the local public is completely unaware that our society is being infiltrated by Babylonian Paganism. ADDENDUM I also wanted to put this piece in as pertaining to Sept. 11, 2001. Our nation was in total chaos with our country being attacked. Our nation went into religious mode, and God bless America. Unfortunately, it seems that our country could care less about God until a catastrophic event happens, and then theyll use Him like a handkerchief! The events of 9/11 are a wakeup call to our Christian nation. Our total support for the Israeli State was the major catalyst for the attack. My personal belief is that those Muslim terrorists directed their attack to what would seem as Pagan symbols of America. Muslims are hard against such things as our Holidays, and other Pagan factors in our country. In our experience witnessing to them, I found out that they are hard against Christmas, which surprised me. A young Muslim boy accused us with You Christians observe Pagan 118

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Holidays. He was totally surprised that our response was that No, we dont observe Pagan holidays. So, my feeling is that those Muslim terrorists intentionally directed their attack on major Pagan symbols in our Country. The Pentagon (Pentagram), Washington D.C. (Masonic Layout), The Twin Towers-WTC (Twin Phallic symbols). The Twin towers in my belief represent phallic symbols. Twin! The Celestial Twins of Gemini! The Pagan temples of ancient times had two phallic pillars at the entrance of their temple. Solomons temple had the two pillars at the entrance. So, their object of attack was focused on these Pagan shrines of our society.

119

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOAKED IN RELIGION:
The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

JEWELRY
CHAPTER IV, PART I, THE WEDDING RING
The subject of the Wedding ring labeled as jewelry, will predominately upset many apple carts. I never did understand it at first, but when undertaking the research on Paganism in our Christian society, I have come to realize that the wedding ring is indeed jewelry. It is pure Pagan, and Catholicism! No Christian should wear one, for it does not represent marriage. I will indeed present much evidence to justify my claims. Even those who wear a wedding ring ought to be aware that the ring in our society nowadays is unrecognized. They just dont care whether youre married, or not. In fact, a married woman or man is more desirable. But, we will see that the wedding ring has its roots in Babylonian Paganism. So, sit down, and buckle your seatbelt, and get ready for the ride. Take some deep breaths, and breathe easy. You must have a love for the Truth! The modern wedding has very little to do with religion. Most of the customs associated with it owe much more to the earthy practices of our ancient ancestors. Marriage by capture is the oldest form of family formation. It consisted of an ardent groom stealing a bride from a neighboring tribe and hiding out with her until her family and friends got control of their tempers. The first honeymoon, then, was less an idyll than a practical attempt on the grooms part to stay out of harms way until the bride and her family became reconciled to the new arrangement. The bride was seen as a piece of property, but now she was bought, not stolen. In some societies wedding rings were a token of purchase. (Stories behind everyday things) There has been much difference of opinion over the centuries about the correct finger on which to wear a wedding ring. Our current custom of slipping it on the third finger (thumb excluded) probably comes from the ancient Greeks. Their first faulty dissections of the human body led them to believe that a particular vein, the vena amoris,

120

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

ran from that finger straight to the heart. In one of the very few ancient customs that even hint of romance, the Greeks thus nodded to the connection between marriage and love. As with the Greeks, the Romans believed that a finger so closely linked with the heart had special properties. They called the third finger the medicated finger and stirred mixtures and potions with it. It will seem foolish to some, while others may think it a serious social challenge to question this ancient marriage custom. But let us reason together in a Christian spirit, and study this subject from the Christian standpoint. Only thus can we prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (E.B. Annable from the Free Methodist Light on the Wedding Ring) We inquire first, where did the wedding ring originate? This will help us to answer several questions such as, is the custom Christian or Pagan? Is the ring sacred? And if so, when or by whom was it made sacred? (Origin of the Wedding Ring Custom) The connection of the finger ring with the marriage ceremony is not essentially a Christian custom, having been practiced by the Jews, and also among Pagan peoples, like the Norse-men. The ring is blessed by the priest and placed upon the third finger, from which a vein is supposed to go directly to the heart. Encyclopedia, 1906 Vol. XVII, p. 155) The ring was probably a mere pledge, pignus, that the contract would be fulfilled. In Plinys time, conservative custom still required a plain ring of iron, but the gold ring was introduced in the course of the second century. This use of the ring, which was thus of purely secular origin, received ecclesiastical sanction, and formulae of benediction of the ring exist from the eleventh century. (Encyclopedia Brittanica, 11th Ed., 1911, Vol. 23, p.351) The wedding ring of the Romans was a signet ring and conveyed the meaning that it was the wifes right to seal up the property of the household; it sometimes had a small key attached the betrothal ring in Britain became the wedding ring about the time of the reformation. (The American Encyclopedia, 1926, Vol.23, p. 530) From these references we learn: 1. The custom began among the Hebrew or Pagans; at least both groups seem to have used it. (The New International

121

New Life Tabernacle 2. 3. 4.

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church The ring was an engagement pledge at first, becoming a marriage The choice of the ring finger is based on a primitive notion. The church sanctioned the custom at a period when it was admitting

ring later.

many other Pagan customs and practices, not at all of which were dropped by the Protestant reformers. The essentials of a Valid Marriage: 1.The couple must be legally qualified for marriage, in age, health, etc., according to the civil laws of the state where they are to be married. 2. A license must be obtained from a local authority, certifying that the couple is eligible for marriage by law, and other information about them. 3. A qualified magistrate or minister of religion must perform the ceremony, and the couple must take their marriage vows before him, in the presence of two or more witnesses. 4. A certificate of this marriage must immediately be written by the magistrate or minister, signed by him and by the witnesses, and given to the couple. 5. The Minister must then sign the license, certifying on it when and where he performed the marriage, and send it back to the office that issued it. It then becomes a part of the records of vital statistics of the state, kept at its capitol. And that is all, so far as a valid marriage and its evidence is concerned. The ring is no more as essential part of the marriage than the brides flowers, the best man, the wedding march, or the rice and confetti! Thousands of couples have been married without the ring, and thousands more will be. Now let us state the other side, as a matter of fairness. Those who consider the ring as a part of the marriage bond give these reasons: 1. It is a silent, but abiding witness to the contract. The ceremony was said over it, and it is to be worn through the years as a constant reminder of the wedding and its vows. 2. Its shape is an endless circle, symbolizing unending fidelity between the giver and receiver or (in the double ring wedding) between both wearers.

122

New Life Tabernacle 3.

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church It is never to be removed from the finger (unless by accident, hand

injury, or other necessity) showing that the marriage, like the imperishable gold or platinum ring, is never to end until death do us part. I would that this symbolism were as potent as it sounds, and that marriages were indeed as endless as the rings used with them! But the mounting divorce rate tells a different story. It takes much more than a few grams of metal, however costly, symbolic, or solemn, to keep two lives united in true love and loyalty! There are thousands of couples that do live so is beyond question. But is it the ring that holds them true? The wedding ring is not an essential part of a valid marriage, and popular custom has no power to make it so.

Evidence and Protection of the Married


Let us consider honestly and carefully on of the strongest pleas for the wedding ring the fact that it is commonly accepted as a sign or badge of marriage. So far as we know, the mark is nearly universal in civilized countries the world over. And the double-ring feature seems to be growing, whereby the bride and groom both receive a ring at a wedding. This is more logical than for the bride alone; for if there is any need for such mark of marriage, it is clear the man should wear it as well as his wife, for he is usually much more in public than she. Now, is the ring truly a mark of marriage? To the vast numbers of couples who wear it in good faith it surely is, because the public, in ordinary matters, accepts it as indicating that the wearer is married. But in any vital matter, it is no evidence at all, because the ring is no proof of actual marriage. A plain band ring may easily be obtained and worn by anyone wishing to pass for married. Several times in his experience, the writer has seen unmarried mothers wearing the usual ring to disguise their real condition. Again, a married person may still more easily take off his or her ring, if wishing for any reason to appear unmarried. Only one conclusion is possible on this point: the wedding ring is a generally accepted badge of marriage, but it is no proof of it. What then is the real protection of the married in public business or society? There are but two necessary things. The first is the marriage certificate. If the old-fashioned large framed one is preferred the couple should

123

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

also have a smaller one in folder style to carry when traveling, or to present wherever required. This is the legal evidence of their marriage, and can be counterfeited only by forgery. Another protection safe for both the married and the single is good, oldfashioned virtue reflected in clean, honest faces, and in modesty of conduct and of appearance. This is real protection. It does not need rings, or any other sign or badge to keep off intruders. Many women do not wear wedding rings out of loyalty to their church standards, and for scriptural and conscientious reasons. They have instead the badge of purity and honor far superior to any sign or token, which can be bought, lost, stolen, or imitated. And they number many thousands in America alone. I have moved among them twenty years, and will safely challenge anyone to find a more irreproachable class of married people on earth. Wedded loyalty is their rule, and unfaithfulness or divorce is almost non-existent among them. And of this group just mentioned, hundreds of their pastors, and wives, evangelists, and missionaries have traveled from coast to coast, or crossed oceans in the Kings business. I have never heard of one of them being wrongly approached, or even embarrassed, for lack of the wedding ring. I feel confident to say, even in these adulterous and perverse times of looseness, that a woman with no earthly adornment, emblem, or symbol, but modestly clothed from head to foot, and with the grace of God in her heart, may walk the streets of our land unashamed and unmolested. Her long dress, with sleeves, and decent-shaded hosiery, plus real womanly dignity and deportment, will proclaim everywhere that she belongs only to God and to her husband. Sinners will know a block away that she does not belong to them! Here is genuine protection a hundred times greater than all worldly symbols and customs put together!

The Bible on Worldly Customs and Ornamentation


But there are some more facts about this custom, which are not indifferent but involve real principles. A Christian is to do Gods revealed will in all things. And Gods written Word teaches His people not to be conformed to this world in its vain and wasteful practices. For God is very jealous for our good example and the wise use of our means, as

124

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

He has right to be. In particular, His children are not to be adorned with that outward adorning of wearing of gold. Those who do not seriously aim to obey the inspired Word of God may find little interest in this message from here on. But those who believe that God Himself inspired these writings for our safe guidance from earth to heaven will welcome the truth, be it new or old. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart which is in the sight of God of great price. An objector may ask, Do not the Scriptures themselves authorize rings in some places, at least as a badge or sign? In Gen. 24:22, 30, did not Abrahams servant put engagement rings upon Rebekah? And did not Pharaoh put a ring and gold chain upon Joseph as marks of royal power? Gen. 41:42. And did not Jesus say that the father of the returning prodigal ordered a ring on his hand as a sign of his restored honor? These are honest objections; we will consider them honestly. It is true that the Old Testament allowed ornamentation, both decorative and symbolic, in those times. Also, it seems to have allowed some of its heroes to use falsehood and treachery, physical vengeance and violence, and even polygamy, in the times of this ignorance, as Paul calls them. But these very things, ornaments included, often got them into trouble. Ex. 32:2 and Judges 8:24-27. But in the New Testament, the Christians wealth, glory, and beauty consist in better things than corruptible gold and silver. Some will admit that the whole spirit and principles of Christianity are against needless expenditures, especially ornaments, and that to wear them puts you and your example in grave jeopardy, as a Bible Christian. Why then should you doubt any longer, or indulge the wedding ring at the serious risk of nullifying the Holy Ghosts safe-guard against the subtle sins of pride, vanity, and world conformity in other ways? The Wedding Ring The ring, now an essential for the wedding ceremony is just over one thousand years old. The Christian Church adopted it in the ninth century, from the Pagan world. Its origin leads back to ancient superstition, to magic, and the kidnapping of ones wife. Its shape was both utilitarian-best adapted to secure a precious property and symbolic, in the Egyptian hieroglyphic script. 125 Psychoanalysis, with its early sexual

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

interpretations of almost every aspect of life, saw in the finger a representation of the male and in the ring of the female, which at marriage were joined together. Customs and Superstitions, How did it begin?) Anne Ward from W.B. Chalfants book The History of Rings: has stated, . . . of all means of self-ornamentation devised by the human race, none generates a more powerful atmosphere of mystery and magic than the ring. 12 She designates three types of ancient rings: 1. 2. 3. Seal, Ornamental, and Ritual (religious, civic, magic). In the Middle Ages, it was commonly supposed that rings possessed a variety of supernatural powers. circle.13 The so-called ring finger, the third finger of the left hand, is called in antiquity, the finger of Apollo, the Pagan god of healing. lore.
15 14

(R.Brasch

Magic rings and charm rings possessed powers as continuous

Many are familiar with the tales of

magic rings in Arabian folklore and Ward states that the ring is the focus of much occult Not only has the ring been identified with the occult and magic, but the ring was even employed as a murder weapon in Renaissance Venice. Venetians called it the annuli della morte, or ring of death. It was a ring with deadly poison with a tiny pricking point powered by a spring. One deceitful handclasp and death followed.
16

Other rings, less

deadly on the outward appearance, served as amulets or charm rings, or magic talismans, bearing engraved figures or symbols and words to ward off evil. These were worn in much the same fashion that crosses are worn today; i.e., with the idea that they would in some magic way protect the wearer. Gnostic rings, the ancestor of Trinitarian Christian rings, usually carried a magic or religious formula and were considered amulets.17

Church Rings
Almost all church rings, or ecclesiastical rings are connected with the Catholic Church. Closely allied to the wedding ring is the ecclesiastical ring, ceremonially

126

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

wedding the wearer to the church as well as signifying the dignity of the office.54 Indeed, we could almost go so far as to say that all wedding rings placed upon the third finger of the left hand would be associated with the Roman Catholic Church not only by history and custom but by reference to the Trinity. Most famous of church rings would be the papal ring, or fishermans ring, worn by the Pope to signify his authority. Then, of course there are the rings worn by cardinals and bishops. These are the rings that devout Catholics kneel and kiss when meeting these priests.
55

Nuns wear a plain gold ring. It apparently signifies their marriage to Jesus

Christ. This custom goes back to at least the fourth century, as Ambrose (339 397 AD) speaks of the nuns right to do so.56 Augustine (354 430 AD) speaks of the bishops ring as a seal in one of his epistles. Isidore of Seville (530 636 AD) mentions the bishops rings, as does the catholic council of Toledo in 633 AD.57 Christian rings then, are clearly and mostly associated with the Catholic Church. Protestant Reformers made some efforts to do away with rings, but were largely unsuccessful.

The History of Wedding Rings


We are all probably familiar with the fact that the wedding ring, or "circle", symbolized perfection, perfect unity with no beginning and no end. For some, it represents holiness, perfection and peace, as well as the sun, earth and universe. You may even be aware that it was once believed that the third finger of the left hand had a special vein, "vena amoris" or "the vein of love", running directly to the wearers heart. And it is from this romantic custom that we today have the custom of placing the wedding ring on this finger. It is believed the Pharaohs of Egypt first used the circle, a shape with no beginning or end, as a symbol of eternity, but wearing a ring as a public pledge to honor the marriage contract did not become customary until Roman times. The earliest rings were made of simple iron, but gold rings set with gems were fashionable by medieval days. The most popular gems were symbolic -- red ruby

127

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

was the color of the heart, blue sapphire reflected the heavens -- but the most coveted and powerful gem was the indestructible diamond. You might not know though, that it was King Edward VI of England that designated the third finger, of the left hand, as the ring finger. Then in 1549, the Book of Common Prayer designated the left hand as the "marriage" hand, a tradition that is recognized earth wide still today. Another piece of trivia you may be unaware of is that until the thirteenth century, there was no engagement ring. Pope Innocent III declared that a waiting period should be observed between the betrothal agreement and the wedding ceremony. This is why today, we have one ring for the engagement and one ring for the wedding. The King of Germany, Maximilian I, gave the first recorded diamond engagement ring to Mary of Burgundy in 1477.

History of Wedding Traditions


Have you ever wondered what the first wedding ceremony was like? And, do you know where the old saying, "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" comes from? Virtually every part of a wedding, from the engagement to the honeymoon, has rich history. Cultural roots, ancestry, and religious beliefs have shaped marriages for thousands of years. The following descriptions will provide you with a brief history of various wedding elements.

The First Marriage Rites:


The earliest weddings were very different from our idea of marriage today. Our primitive ancestors came together for protection and survival rather than meaningful relationships. Since there was safety in numbers, primitive people formed tribes to which they were very loyal. Some historians believe that the first marriages may have actually been group weddings - marriage to the tribe.

128

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

It wasn't until much later that men and women came together in couples, and formed individual families. Even then, marriage wasn't always a happy event. Due to tribal rivalry, women and children were often captured or stolen. Since many tribes had rules forbidding intermarriage within a clan, women were kidnapped and forced to marry the strangers who captured them. Historians often refer to this period in time as the "marriage by capture" era.

The Bachelor Dinner


More commonly known today as the bachelor party, this celebration in the grooms honor was originally called the bachelor dinner, or stag party. Like many other wedding traditions, the custom has stood the test of time. It first came about in the fifth century, in Sparta, where military comrades would feast and toast one another on the eve of a friends wedding. Even today, a bachelor party customarily takes place quite close to the actual wedding date, as it has become known as the grooms last taste of freedom. Despite the risqu entertainment that is associated with stag parties today, bachelor parties have not always entailed this controversial element. Although rowdy and boisterous, bachelor parties are traditionally organized to allow the jittery groom and his wedding attendants to release some anxieties before the big day.

The Wedding Party


During the "marriage by capture" era, close friends of the groom-to-be, assisted him when he kidnapped the bride from her family. The first ushers and best men were more like a small army, fighting off the brides angry relatives as the groom rode away with her. Bridesmaids and maids of honor became more common when weddings were planned. For several days before the marriage, a senior maid attended to the bride-to-be. This maid or matron of honor as we know her today, ensured that the bridal wreath was made and helped the bride get dressed. All bridesmaids helped the bride decorate for the wedding feast. For a long time, bridesmaids wore dresses much like the bride's gown, while ushers dressed in clothing that was similar to the groom's attire. This tradition began for

129

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

protection against evil rather than for uniformity; if evil spirits or jealous suitors attempted to harm the newlyweds, they would be confused as to which two people were the bride and groom.

Wedding Flowers
Before the use of flowers in the bridal bouquet, women carried aromatic bunches of garlic, herbs, and grains to drive evil spirits away as they walked down the aisle. Over time, these were replaced with flowers, symbolizing fertility and everlasting love. Specific flowers have special meanings in many cultures. In Hawaii, the bride and groom wear leis; newlyweds in India don floral headdresses.

The Bridal Gown


Wedding gowns have not always been elaborate, as many are today. In the eighteenth century, poor brides dressed in simple robes. This symbolized to her future husband that she brought nothing with her into the marriage and would therefore not burden him with any debt. It wasn't until the mid nineteenth century that the all-white wedding dress became fashionable. Up until then, a bride simply wore her best dress regardless of its color. In 1840, Queen Victoria's pure white gown started the trend that many women follow today.

The Bridal Veil


Veils were originally worn by unmarried women to show modesty. In early weddings, men bargained for wives with the woman's father. At the wedding ceremony, a bride wore the veil as a symbol of submissiveness and a promise to obey her new husband. Only after the ceremony was the veil lifted to reveal the bride's appearance to the groom. Sometime in the sixteenth century, headdresses with delicate veils became fashionable; lace veils became popular after Queen Victorias wedding in 1840.

130

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Wedding Rings
The wedding ring is the most ancient of all marriage traditions. Nearly every civilization since the Egyptians has used the wedding ring as a symbol of the marriage agreement. In Egyptian hieroglyphics, the circle represents eternity, and the earliest rings were made of braided grass, hay, leather, bone and ivory. When metals were eventually discovered, the first metal rings were lumpy and awkward. Today, wedding rings can be anything from an inexpensive plain band to an intricate setting studded with gems. No matter where a person chooses to wear their wedding ring, the marriage bond is complete once vows are recited. The most common placement for wearing a wedding ring is on the fourth finger of the left hand. This custom began with the Egyptians, who believed that a vein on the left hand was directly connected to the heart. Today, a more practical explanation is that the left hand gets less use - and will be less likely to get damaged - since most people are right-handed. Despite longstanding traditions, however, wedding rings are not always worn on the left hand. For a time, wealthy Elizabethans wore huge, elaborate wedding rings on their thumbs. In the eighteenth century, Roman Catholics wore them on the right hand. Even today, many European women still follow this tradition. There are also many superstitions about wedding rings. For example, it is unlucky for the bride-to-be to go shopping for a ring on a Friday due to the bad luck associated with that day. It is equally important that neither the future bride nor groom wear their rings before the wedding ceremony since that would be presumptuous.

The Wedding Cake


Wedding cakes have been a part of marriage ceremonies since medieval times. In Rome, the first wedding cakes were actually loaves of wheat bread. During the ceremony, the bread was broken over the brides head as a blessing for long life and many children. Guests often ate the crumbs as a sign of good luck. Over time, a variant of this custom evolved into the forerunner of the contemporary tiered cake that is widely used today. In medieval England, wedding guests brought small cakes to the ceremony as a gift for the newlyweds. The cakes were stacked in a pile, as high as possible, to make it difficult for the newlyweds to kiss one another over the top. If

131

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

the bride and groom were able to kiss over the tall stack, it was thought to symbolize a lifetime of prosperity. Eventually, the idea of stacking them neatly and frosting them together was adopted as a more convenient option. Although wedding cakes were once white inside and out, there are few rules about how they look today. Contemporary cakes can be any color, flavor or shape. Even if a couple prefers a traditional layered wedding cake, there are countless options for decoration. Saving a portion of the wedding cake is an old tradition that some couples still practice. As a sign of posterity, couples freeze the top portion of their wedding cake, thawing it out on their first anniversary to share with one another. Since normal cakes won't keep this long (and still taste good,) bakers can prepare a special layer that will survive for a year in the freezer.

The Groom's Cake


In the past, the groom's cake was actually called the wedding cake, and what we now think of as the wedding cake was referred to as the bride's cake. Over time, the terminology was reversed, but superstition surrounding the grooms cake was not lost. According to an old myth, if a single woman sleeps with a piece of the groom's cake under her pillow, she will dream of the man that she will marry. The first groom's cakes were reserved for guests to take home as a memento of the wedding. For this reason, they were usually made of dark, heavy fruitcake since it is durable and keeps for a long period of time. Contemporary groom's cakes, however, are not bound by old traditions. In fact, the groom's cake is a perfect opportunity to express creativity. Many grooms like to have the cake decorated or shaped into something that reflects one of their hobbies, or something the couple enjoys doing together.

The Honeymoon
The bride and groom's honeymoon hasn't always been a post-wedding vacation together, as we know it today. The word actually originated in northern Europe from a tradition involving wine made from mead and honey. In order to bring good luck, the

132

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

newlywed couple drank the sweet wine, called metheglen, for a month after the wedding. Since a month was known as a "moon," this period of time acquired the name honeymoon.

Wedding Infare
Many people may have never heard of the term infare, yet are quite familiar with the tradition. In the 1880s, it was an American custom for the bridegroom's parents to host an infare, or a feast, on the day following the wedding. Today, this custom has evolved into a Sunday brunch intended to give out-of-town guests more opportunity to visit with family, friends and other wedding guests before returning home.

Something Old, Something New...


Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue...(and a Silver Sixpence in Her Shoe.) This good-luck saying originated in the Victorian era. Brides today often incorporate special items into their wedding attire according to the rhyme. "Something old" symbolizes a link to the bride's family and the past. A family heirloom, such as a piece of antique jewelry or a family member's wedding dress can represent the old object. Or, a bride can sew lace or ribbon into the hem of her dress. "Something new" represents good fortune and success in the bride's new life. A bride may wear a new string of pearls, or use her wedding gown as the new item. "Something Borrowed" symbolizes the love and support of family and friends in times of need. A borrowed object can be a token from a happily married friend, such as a lace handkerchief. "Something Blue" is an object that symbolizes faithfulness and loyalty. Brides commonly choose a blue garter or ribbon. "A Silver Sixpence In Her Shoe," is a blessing for wealth. Since sixpences are difficult to find, any silver coin makes a sufficient substitute. I feel to end this part on the Wedding Ring with a very sufficient amount of evidence to base your decision on. It is very easy for our society to envelop traditions from ancient times, not having an understanding or knowledge of the past history. That would go along well with the De-Education of our society. Keep the people ignorant, and there wont be any rebellion or uprising. So it is in the Christian realm, taking

133

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

tradition as if God sanctions it. Yet, with just a little research and investigation, one would be able to find true facts of our traditions, and find that most, if not all, have their roots in Babylonian Paganism. This is the very core of putting this book together, to educate, empower through knowledge, and help open the eyes of the blind. 1 Tim 2:9-10 9 In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; 10 But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works. KJV 1 Peter 3:3-4 3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; 4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. KJV Deut 7:25 25 The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God. KJV

134

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOAKED IN RELIGION:
The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

Toys & Characters


Chapter V, Part I, The Barbie Doll
I will make this part brief, and not too lengthy. You may say to yourself, The author has gone nuts. How does Barbie fit in with this book and Babylonian Paganism? Its very simple. Nudity, perversion, and sex all come from Babylonian Paganism, and Barbie is nothing short of this. As you will see, she has been created from perversion, and for the perverse mind. Weve worked with children for over 20 yrs, and have not seen a childs doll that is more undressed than Barbie. No other doll has the proportions as Barbie. No other doll has ever been considered adult other than Barbie, up until now. Though some of these Toys & Characters dont have a direct link to Babylon, they are very much tied into its system. Being an owner of a Daycare, we very much monitor what is brought to the daycare. Barbie was purged out of our daycare, and will no longer be allowed back in. amazing, children It was for always

seven years the

135

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

undressed Barbie. She almost always was nude, exposing her large adult breasts, butt, and legs. With no shame, she would prance as if nothing was wrong, and out of all the dolls present, she had prominence over the others. She was the most desired by the children. Her clothes came off very easy, and the clothes she wore were that of a sleaze, and a sensual woman. Her clothes were most revealing, always accentuating her private parts. Children desire her more than the others. Why? In my time, Raggedy Ann was the doll of choice. She was decent! She didnt run around nude! Children brought her to sleep with them. She was soft and cuddly. But, Barbie wasnt brought to bed. She was a cold, hard doll. Only brought out to dress and undress. Do I sound a little radical! Some may think Im out in left field somewhere, but I firmly believe that behind almost every worldly Toy & Character there is an underlying motive, and I set out to prove that. Barbie was not a doll patterned after a childs mindset or desires. licentiousness, perversion, and indecency. Lilli: The real Barbie doll? The picture-perfect history of Barbie that Mattel likes to promote is actually not her true story. There is much more behind her creation than just Ruth Handler having an idea, one that was not unique after all. Barbie is really named 'Lilli'; is 46 not 41, and was born in a small town in Germany, not California USA. Lilli was first created as a cartoon in 1952 for the Bild Zeitung newspaper, and when she became a success, Rolf Hausser's toy company created a doll of her, which became popular all over Europe. On a family vacation to Europe, Ruth Handler discovered the Lilli Doll and decided that there was potential for an American version. After buying one to take home with her, she then sent it off to her manufacturers in Japan asking them to make a more 'innocent'-looking but similar doll, and Barbie was created. Ruth has never denied that the Lilli doll inspired her, but insists that the likeness was only minimal - though as the photos show, the dolls were more than just similar. And what happened to Rolf Hausser, the 'true' Barbie doll creator? As usually happens, he became the victim of a powerful company. Hausser finally became aware of Barbie in the early 1960's, the time when she was beginning to make her mark on the European market. Though outraged by the obvious copying, he still did not know how popular Barbie was in America, as well as the rise she was about to make on an international level. Deciding not to sue 136 Barbie was patterned after Sex,

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

the much larger company, Hausser agreed instead to sell his patent to Mattel, which in turn lied to him about the popularity of Barbie so that they only had to pay him a small lump sum of money instead of the 1% of profits that he wanted. The result was that Hausser's company soon declined and went bankrupt, and to this day, Mattel denies the role that he played in creating their best-selling toy. As we will see, Lilli happened to be an Adult Sex doll for men, yet Ruth Handler chose to pattern her first Barbie after this doll. As you can see, Barbie and Lilli are virtual twins with very little differences. This is the way the enemy brings things into the ranks of Christianity, through subtlety. Parents with either low morals, or unconcern would not see a thing wrong with Barbie. But why? Every other girl was her own Barbie! Not So! My daughter doesnt, and she understands very well that Barbie shows Her boobys, heiny, and pee-pee. This comes out of the mouth of my 4 year-old daughter. Indoctrination of our children to readily accept perversion, sex, and nudity will produce a society of Christian children that will have low morals, standards, and tolerance to sin & filth. Move over Barbie and Ken here comes Dara and Sara. Irans Ministry of Education is introducing new dolls to promote Islamic values. One version of the Sara doll comes with a white chador, a robe that covers the whole body from head to toe. Barbie is popular in Iran, but her skimpy outfits and ample proportions anger many in that country. One toy seller says Quote every Barbie doll is more harmful than an American missile. It is sad that an Islamic religion has greater morals than our so-called Christian society, and have enough sense to protect their children from this kind of trash. After World War II, there was a revolution in plastics and the toy industry had a "child-as-consumer" attitude. Advertisements were made to appeal to younger children and consumerism was on the rise. Families of suburbia were buying more and more. Ruth and Elliott Handler, who were Southern Californians, were the first to own a Mattel, which then was a very small toy company.

137

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

In 1955, across the world from the beginnings of Mattel, in Hamburg, Germany, an artist was at work creating a character that would have great influence on the beginnings of the Barbie Doll. Reinhard Beuthhien, had created a character, name Lilli, for the Bild Zeitung, a newspaper. In August of that year, Lilli was given a third dimension and sold as an eleven and one half inch doll. Her character was portrayed as a ditzy, gold-digger, and an exhibitionist. She always had a minimal amount of clothes on and was a symbol of sex and pornography for the men of Germany. She was often a gag gift and was a type of "fantasy doll". The Lilli Doll was never meant for children. "New for '59, the BARBIE doll: A shapely teenage fashion Model! Retail price $3.00..." Ruth and Elliot Handler, founders of Mattel Toys, introduced Barbie at the American Toy Fair in New York City in February of 1959. Ruth originally thought of the idea while her daughter, Barbara, was playing with paper dolls. She realized that as her daughter grew older and began to imitate adult conversations and the world around her, she needed a three-dimensional representation of it as well. She shared her idea of a doll with a woman's figure with her husband and the all-male executive team at Mattel, but they refused saying that it would be too expensive to produce and the retail price would have to be higher than the consumer would pay. She again approached them with the idea after returning from a trip to Europe with a Lilli doll, a German doll produced in the midfifties. Lilli, however, was modeled after a sultry, almost pornographic caricature in a German comic strip; she was a far cry from the innocent, all-American image Ruth wanted to capture, and it was Mattel's job to change that. Several trips to and from Japan finally ended with a deal that changed the pursed lips, widow's peak, and heavy make-up of Lilli into an embodiment of the quintessential American teenager, created to "project every little girl's dream of the future"(Billy Boy 22). Barbie appeared at a time when the term "teenager" was a "new and rather sexy one"(Wolff 24). The country had been through two world wars and a depression, and the fifties presented a time for young adults to come into the limelight. But it was questionable whether or not the 138

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

American public was ready for a doll with a woman's figure. At her debut she received mixed reviews. Some condemned Barbie and her black- and-white swimsuit for being too "scary, sleazy, and spellbinding. The facial paint on the earliest dolls was very heavy, and her almond-shaped, sharp, side glances that were not suitable to join the cute, baby-faced Ginny dolls or appropriate alongside the fragile, refined Madame Alexander doll market. Others, however, saw her as "sunshine, Tomorrowland, the future made plastic"(Lord 43) with a fresh face and fashions to fit every girl's daydreams. Over the next few years, these healthy fantasies would prove to be increasingly attractive to parents. The Mattel Barbie dollmore familiar to us as Barbiehas, in the last four decades, taken on a life and persona of her own. In 1994, an unofficial biography revealed that Barbie was modeled on a German cartoon character, an ambitious hooker named Lilli. At a 1995 exhibit, Art, Design and Barbie: The Evolution of a Cultural Icon at New Yorks Liberty Street Gallery, Lillis role in Barbies evolution was heavily underplayed. This subterfuge was part of a larger controversy, in which columnists and curators accused Mattel Inc., the sponsor, of being excessively meddlesome. While Mattel purged the exhibit of certain works of art inspired by Barbie, the company also did its best to camouflage the doll that had inspired the creators of Barbie. To understand why this was inevitable, we must put ourselves in Barbies shoes, and follow the progress of a very hardworking plaything. Until recently, few Barbie owners were conscious of Barbies true ageor of the life this all-American prom queen once led in another land, under another name. But Barbies first playmates are now old enough to handle the truth. M.G. Lord, the author of Forever Barbie: The Unauthorized Biography of a Real Doll, is one of those women. In Forever Barbie, Lord reveals that Lillian eleven-and-a-half inch, platinum pony tailed German dollwas the pre-American Barbie. The Lilli doll was the three-

dimensional version of a popular post-war cartoon character that first appeared in the West German tabloid Bild Zeitung in 1952. A professional floozy of the first order, Bild Zeitungs Lilli traded sex for money, delivered sassy comebacks to police officers, and sought the company of balding, jowly fat cats, says Lord. While the cartoon Lilli was a 139

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

user of men, the doll (who came into existence in 1955) was herself a playthinga masculine joke, perhaps, for West German males who could not afford to play with a real Lilli. A German brochure from the 1950s confided that Lilli (the doll) was always discreet, while her complete wardrobe made her the star of every bar. The Lilli doll that made it into the Art, Design and Barbie show was dressed in her most (perhaps her only) demure outfit. This was a literal cover-up. Easily overlooked by anyone who didnt understand Barbies history, Lilli was dressed like a prostitute who didnt want to be noticedlost among the other non-Barbie dolls that were provided for educational purposes. It seems fitting that Lilli dolls were manufactured in Hamburg, a city where government-approved, licensed prostitutes are a fact of life. In the United States, where legal hooking is virtually unheard of, Lilli had to tone down her act. (Perhaps she changed her name in order to get around a U.S. immigration law barring prostitutes from becoming residentsbut that is just conjecture.) While it is still unsafe for a foreign prostitute to reveal her trade in the United States, Barbiedecades lateris no longer foreign. She is more American than many Americans, and perhaps even more

hypocritical. As you can imagine, Lilli did not become Barbie overnight. Like Vivian, the awkward streetwalker in the movie Pretty Woman (who transmuted into a social swan), Lilli cleaned up really nice. But her transformation from adult hussy to quasi-virtuous teenager was a painstaking miracle of art and science. Jack Ryan, a Mattel designer with a Yale engineering degree, worked on making the doll look less like a German streetwalker by changing the shape of her lips and redoing her face, says Lord. When the ex-hookers body was recast, her incorrigible nipples were rubbed off with a fine Swiss file. Although she submitted to corporate mutilation, I do not regard Lilli as a

140

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

victim of pruderyor of capitalism. She was up to her own perverse tricks, an agent of her own future. To get to the American public, Barbie had to capture the buyers at the annual American Toy Fair. Working the 1959 Toy Fair as a respectable ingnue did not come easily, and the Sears buyer, a man, didnt fall for this makeover. While we have no reason to think he had known her as Lilli, its clear that Barbies sexiness betrayed her, for he refused to stock her. This initial rejection didnt prevent Barbie from overcoming her scarlet origins and selling herself into the hearts and lives of America. Barbies not the first canny harlot to have shaved four to seven years off her mileage, or to have changed her name. But compared to other enterprising trollops who delete whole decades in a day while renaming ourselves every other week, Barbie is quite restrained. She has changed her name only once. Over the years, millions of people have found her respectability utterly plausible. Now, Barbies past has returnednot to haunt her, but to be flaunted. The disclosure of her history was perfectly timed. Heidi Fleiss, Norma Jean Almodovar and the Mayflower Madam (aka Sydney Biddle Barrows) have paraded their collective, commercial past on television talk shows, making it trendy for Barbie to open the closet door. Activist hookers like Margo St. James (whose bid for a San Francisco Supervisorial seat was supported by many gay Democrats) have politicized the prostitutes image, making Barbies past appear more wholesome. In this era of Sex Worker Chic, Barbie the exhooker is no symbol of shame. Instead, she is the girl who got away with ita role model for ambitious women who will have their cake and eat it, too. You cant keep a good pro down, and the success of Lords Forever Barbie has turned Barbies hidden past into an official piece of our countrys social history. Marketed as a harmless plaything for 35 years, the all-American prom queen turns out to have been a foreign whore on the run. Somehow, the kind of girl your

141

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

brother couldnt take home to Mom became a role model for million of young girls. How did this unthinkable change occur? Picture a little girl on Long Island (or in Westchester) openly playing with a facsimile of the New York call girl her suburban father secretly visits during his lunch hours. If I am startled, shouldnt Middle America be horrified? More amazing is the thought that this whorish facsimile could be a gift from her parents. But that is exactly what has happenedand what continues to happen in homes all over North America. Barbie has become one of the family, and nothing can stem this tide. Even the most committed feminists have been known to buy Barbie dolls for their daughters, as have fundamentalist Christians. She is everywhere, even in the enemys nursery. Is Barbie a sneaky trollop who hid the truth when it was convenient, revealing it now to keep up with the Zeitgeist? Or was she, perhaps, one of the great powers behind this cultural shift, helping to make prostitution more acceptable? During the 1980s, Western Publishing was marketing Barbies Dream Date; a board game that Lord says could easily be called The Hooker Game. Players find ways to make Ken spend as much money as possible before the clock strikes 12, then tally their date and gift cards. (Could this make her a role model for hookers who need to get their beauty sleep?) What I objected to in this game was its covert prostitution, Lord told me. In Forever Barbie she suggests that its contradictory to market Barbies Dream Date alongside We Girls Can Do Anything, a Barbie game in which girls strive to become doctors and designers. But the covert behavior makes perfect sense to me. Like many women who use their bodies to pay the rent, Barbie has had to have a straight cover. Almost every successful call girl I know has a customer who can only get it up for a part-time pro with a cute, respectable careeras an interior decorator or journalist, perhaps. A smart hookers entire Rolodex may be composed of guys who think they are helping out a

142

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Good Girl who has temporarily lost her way. In adult magazines, phone-sex ads entice jaded callers to chat with a blonde coed, as do the not-very-pristine stickers plastered strategically (next to the tow-truck stickers) on public phones. As I write this, one of the few remaining peepshows in New Yorks Times Square area still attracts business with this neon message: LIVE MODELS WORKING THEIR WAY THROUGH COLLEGE. In the adult entertainment classifieds of many publications, non-

professional talent regularly tempts men. Nobody would seek out, or feel good about paying, an amateur dentist. But a private strippers amateur status is often a selling point, as is a prostitutes. Purity is a hot commodity in the sex industry. Clients and colleagues have told me alike that my great allure is that I dont look like a hooker. Friends who have seen Bombays notorious cages tell me that a whole section of Bombays sex district is devoted to virgins (who presumably have no repeat customers). Sex, Prostitution, and immorality are most definitely rooted in Babylon and its Pagan rituals & festivals. When studying ancient Babylon, youll find out that all the false deities always revolved around fertility rites, nudity, and sex. Barbie is not

different. She has been introduced to a childs world for the sake of acceptability of fantasizing, lewd behavior, and luring men. The average consumer never hears about Barbie's true origins, but the details of this story reveal a great deal about the "mixed message" of her sexuality. In fact, Barbie's body design is based on a German doll called "Lilli" which was sold in the 1950s as a pornographic sex toy for men. As a symbol for illicit sex, Lilli was originally modeled after a gold-digging tart who had appeared in trashy German newspaper comics. Basically, she looked like a miniature German hooker. Lilli was 11-and-a-half inches high, had breasts, a small waist and long, tapered legs (does this sound familiar?). After purchasing this doll in Europe in 1957, Mattel's Ruth Handler came up with the "original idea" to make Barbie. Lilli's sordid background didn't faze Handler. She commissioned Mattel engineers

143

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

to craft a busty American version of the Lilli doll while she created a marketing scheme that would revolutionize the toy business. For the sake of Statistics, Barbie is the single most successful toy product in toy history. Over 172,800 Barbie dolls are sold every day. Thats two every second! Prov 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:.. KJV

144

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOAKED IN RELIGION:
The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

Toys & Characters


Chapter V, Part II, Teletubbies
I want to make it plain, that the information about these Characters is sometimes shear speculation, and I dont want to speculate. But, when dealing with this subject, it will be hard to find solid, substantial documentation about these characters. Most of which is obscured in secrecy, and cloaked very well. Those who investigate the rudimental The elements will find it too close to call coincidental. Yet, as with many childrens toys and games, we find a heavy element of Sex, Paganism, witchcraft, and new age. information presented here is only to get the readers to investigate for themselves. I am not a T.V. watcher, and dont know much about the Teletubbie episodes, but have studied the ingredients of this series. Those who are very conscientious of what their children are exposed to will endeavor to investigate. So, view through the material, and make a decision for yourself. "Time for Teletubbies. Time for Teletubbies." At the sound of the familiar call, toddlers around the world scamper to their television sets for 30 minutes of simple play, enchantment, and learning. They smile with the baby-faced sun rising in the sky and laugh at four chubby Teletubbies popping out of their under-ground home. When the magic windmill spins its sparkly beams, they share the excitement of a daily mystery: short TV clip? Which tummyscreen will light up and broadcast a

145

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

This simple but captivating Teletubby world is full of pretty flowers, lively rabbits, warm hugs, bumping tummies, and high tech marvels but glaringly devoid of parental love and guidance. Instead, a mystical periscope (the Voice Trumpet) arises from the ground to emit friendly directions when needed. A large toaster makes tubby toast, while a tubby-sized machine spurts tubby custard. A magic vacuum cleaner called Noo-Noo cleans up the mess, and the Teletubbies are perfectly happy! But who are these captivating, big-eyed creatures with television screens on their tummies (that's why they are called Teletubbies) and antennas on their heads? Why do toddlers love them so much? "They are not human," argued their adult fans and the mainstream media during last years controversy over Tinky-Winkys triangular antenna. "Its absurd to criticize their gender. Theyre fantasy creatures, not boys, girls, homosexuals, or toddlers." Thats not what Anne Wood, their creator at BBC (British Broadcasting Co.) tells us. "They are babies," she explains. " technological babies. Like children, they also imitate what they hear, so they will attempt to speak like the Narrator and sometimes like the Voice Trumpets." Others have likened the Teletubbies to aliens, to fetuses, and to mythical halfhuman, half-animal creatures albeit a cuter, more modern version. But what counts is their message, not their looks. What do they teach their little fans? What do those four antennas on their heads symbolize? Why do they wear television screens on their tummies? Why don't mommies and daddies take care of these baby look-alikes? Why does the sun wear the face of a baby? And finally, how does the Teletubby program fit into the global agenda for "lifelong learning"? 1. What do they teach? "children are the same the world over," says scriptwriter Andy Davenport." They grow, they learn language, they learn to talk, to think the same, wherever they grow up." If, as BBC (British Broadcasting Company) claims, small children around the world watch this show, they certainly will learn "to think the same" a major goal of UNESCOs program for "lifelong learning." This cradle to grave process of training 146

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

human resources for the global village needs and has the support of America's PBS as well as BBC. Both help children to imitate their idols four soft, roly-poly creatures played by real people. These actors have been trained to talk like toddlers, run like toddlers, eat like toddlers, and swing to music like toddlers. Thats to help real toddlers love them, follow them, feel at home with them and, dont forget, learn from them. One of the lessons involves self-sufficiency (separation from parents, but not from peers) within a high-tech world. If that's hard to believe, hear it from PBS, which has adapted the show for the American audience: "In 'Teletubbies,' the technological world becomes engaging, playful and, most of all, manageable by the young child. The play technology that hums through Teletubby Land also supplies the Teletubbies' every need Tubby Toast, Tubby Custard, and the conscientious care and support of the comic vacuum cleaner, Noo-Noo." No need for parents or grandparents! This philosophy matches that of Professor John Goodlad, who served on the governing board of UNESCOs Institute for Education before he joined Bill Clinton on the 1987 Study Commission on Global Education. In his Preface to Schooling for a Global Age, he wrote, "Enlightened social engineering is required to face situations that demand global action now. Education is a long-term solution.... The majority of our youth still hold the same values as their parents and, if we dont re-socialize, our system will decay." The Teletubbies may be fantasy creatures, romping in a fantasy world, but toddlers pick up cues fairly indiscriminately from both fantasy worlds and the real world. They dont know enough about reality to separate the two. So they are ready and eager to believe and assimilate the cues they receive. There are plenty of questionable messages. Take a look at some of them from a childs perspective. 2. What does the baby-faced sun tell toddlers? The sun rises from behind the flowery green hills each morning, and shines happily on the Teletubby world all day. It sinks back at the end of each day. Sounds a bit like the real sun, doesnt it?

147

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

But wait, this sun is also a living creature with a congenial personality. Its pretty, blue-eyed baby face giggles when the Teletubbies play happily together and do nice, expected things. It often frowns when a Teletubby is separated from the rest or does something unexpected. That sounds innocent enough. What could be wrong with a happy face framed in the suns bright rays? Could this feel-good image be anything more than simple, whimsical fantasy? Nobody would take it seriously, would they? Probably not. But that's part of the problem. Children fill their minds with images that represent the new global paradigm, and few take either message or the effects seriously. But leading educators who call themselves "change agents" are dead serious about the visual tactics they use to reach their goal. They seek to mold minds that embrace the new global paradigm (worldview) and reject the old Christian paradigm. "The purpose of education and the schools is to change the thoughts, feelings and actions of students," admits Dr. Benjamin Bloom, the "Father of Outcome-Based Education, in his book, All Our Children Learning." Bloom and his followers have come a long way. Suddenly, earth-centered

spirituality with its sun gods, nature spirits, and occult rituals from around the world have become the favored model for the new sustainable communities. This new ideology is reinforced through today's movies, television, books, and schools. As a result, most children face an irresistible array of Pagan images that support the new paradigm. Many already consider Paganism far more normal and acceptable than Christianity. Our political, education, and media leaders want to introduce these influences early -- before children become "indoctrinated" with Biblical truths. (See "Clintons War on Hate Bans Christian Values"). They know that if parents follow God's command to "train up your child in the way that he should go," their children might not start school with the "open-mindedness" needed to create social solidarity. Biblical values would stand in the way. Therefore "early childhood education" has moved to the forefront of the "lifelong learning" agenda.

148

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

America's PBS and its British partner, BBC, fit right into the international program for pre-school education. Their words as well as their programs show their desire to introduce small children to new images and "thinking skills so that [they] will be ready for more formal training." In the context of the new education outcomes, that means opening young minds to global beliefs and values. The Teletubby world is their best attempt to touch pre-schoolers with the seeds of the new ideology. The envisioned global spirituality blends the worlds earth-centered religions into a more universal belief system. Both major and minor civilizations through history Egyptian, Hittite, Babylonian, Greek, Roman, Mayan, Celtic, etc. -- worshipped sun gods that watched the earth and mingled with humans. These man-made gods shared human characteristics and responded to human activities with favor or anger, according to mans compliance with their self-centered standards. In other words, men and women had created gods in their own image. Those old sun-gods have now been revised to fit today's demand for kinder, more permissive gods -- gods that appeal to pre- and grade.

3. What do those antennas on the four Teletubby heads symbolize?


First, look at these official descriptions, for each Teletubby's character fits his or her antenna: "Po is the smallest Teletubby. She often jumps up and down to express her feelings of joy, enthusiasm, and surprise. The natural place for Po is to be on her scooter zipping around the hills. She makes the noise 'quickly, quickly, quickly' or 'slowly, slowly, slowly' when riding her scooter. Po spends a lot of time on her own. Next to riding her scooter, Po likes to keep an eye on the panel switches and controls on the central column inside the Teletubbies' house." "Laa-Laa is the second smallest Teletubby. She is the happiest and smiliest of the Teletubbies. She too loves to sing and dance. Her favorite word is 'nice'. Laa-Laa loves the way her ball bounces and wobbles and grows bigger and smaller. Laa-Laa always likes to know where all of the Teletubbies are. She has her own special La-la-la-la-la song." "Dipsy is the second biggest Teletubby. He is known for his distinctive steps and ways of saying 'hello'. He loves his hat very much. Dipsy sings a song with a reggae beat

149

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

and when he is feeling 'especially cool' will go for a walk by himself, wearing his hat and singing the song." "Tinky Winky is the biggest Teletubby. He is the gentlest of the Teletubbies. His favorite thing is his bag, which he likes to take out with him for walks. He usually sings his song 'Tinky Winky'. He loves to dance and fall over on his back. Tinky Winky loves all of the Teletubbies, and his best friend is Po, the smallest one." In fact, Tinky Winky loves wearing a lacy white ballet skirt when he dances. Dipsy, the slightly smaller male, does not. When pressured to wear the same skirt, he tears it off and runs away. Dipsy's hat has no top; otherwise it wouldn't fit over his antenna. But Dipsy really loves that hat. You can tell by the song he made up: Hat, hat haaat, Hat, hat haaat, Hat, hat haaat hat (repeat). The symbols in the show, like the letters in the alphabet, have meanings. They communicate a message. Familiar symbols may summarize and send messages more quickly and effectively than words. And since visual images tend to bypass the critical scrutiny that words provoke, they serve as tools for transformation in the hands of todays change agents. "There is growing excitement among educators about old myths and symbols, oral history, earth festivals, primitive rites of passage and customs, extraordinary abilities documented in cultures less linear than our own," wrote Marilyn Ferguson in her 1980 blueprint for change, The Aquarian Conspiracy. She had already explained how tomorrows children must learn a new perception of reality. In fact, their minds must be so steeped in this new paradigm that their intuitive response to the old ways would be instant rejection. "The dictionary defines intuition as quick perception of truth without conscious attention or reasoning," Ferguson explains. Training the intuition to fit the new paradigm is simple. Make symbols and their evolving and politically correct meanings more fun and familiar than the home taught words, values, and meanings. To speed the process, children

150

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

would be surrounded by symbols that send the right message and affirm the new way of thinking. Po's antenna is a CIRCLE: An ancient and universal symbol of unity, wholeness, infinity, and the goddess, it also represents the feminine spirit or force, a spiritualized Mother Earth, and a sacred space. To contemporary Pagans and radical feminists, it is "one of the primary feminine signs, as opposed to the line or phallic shaft representing the masculine spirit."1 Dipsy's antenna is a ROD: Earth-centered cultures around the world have worshipped a phallic rod or pillar as symbol of male power to bring the seed of new life to the earth. Hindu worshippers called it a "lingam," Egyptians called it an obelisk. According to 2 Kings 17:9-10, Gods people "set up for themselves sacred pillars and wooden images on every high hill." In the old Celtic fertility rituals called Beltane or May Day (Walpurgisnacht to the Teutons) -- which is now being revived and adapted for modern times by contemporary Pagans -- the May pole symbolized male power and fertility. Laa Laa's antenna is a SPIRAL (see also a circle) and ROD: Ancient symbol of the goddess, the womb, fertility, feminine serpent force, continual change, and the evolution of the universe. Notice how the spiral (female) and the rod (male) are combined in La-Las antenna. Tinky-Winky's antenna is a TRIANGLE pointing down: The triangle in its multiple forms has been pictured in symbols and rituals around the world, from European alchemy to the sexual rites of Tantric Buddhism. Pointing up, it has represented the Trinity to Christians. Pointing down it has represented the female womb. More recently, many members of the homosexual community has claimed this symbol -along with the color purple -- as their own. However, lesbians generally identify with a pink rather than purple triangle. Of course, all these symbols -- the circle, rod, spiral, and triangle pointing down -are simple shapes that occur in nature as well as in the minds and beliefs of people. Apart from a particular ideology, they have little cultural significance. But when shown in the context of the global education agenda, they are no longer neutral. Many of today's

151

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

influential leaders have embraced these symbols as wordless representations that point to certain beliefs. They have given them meanings that match the new global spirituality and promote an anti-Christian global ethic. In our pluralistic society, this process of communicating visual messages through symbols, images, and impressions has been replacing the factual and logical communication using the alphabet. It makes school easier and more fun. Few realize the consequence of eroding the old foundations for truth, history, science and progress. Montalk 2/13/99 Web of Conspiracy, Reality, and Truth.

What you are about to read is the most serious and observative article about the Teletubbies. If you think the Teletubbies are likeable characters in an equally likeable TV show, then read on, for you may never let your toddler watch it again. The Teletubbies is America's number one children's show, with 16 million viewers and over 2 billion dollars in merchandise sales. Critics rave about the show's "excellent" content and educational value, especially for a show aimed at one year-olds. The series is set in "Teletubbie Land," a utopian scene with rolling hills, golf course-style grass, flowers, large rabbits, and the "Tubbiedrome," a domed spaceship overgrown with grass, complete with sliding doors and a ceiling hatch entrance. A typical episode begins with the Teletubbies waking up to the sound of a periscoped raised show, from after loudspeaker the ground the

alerting them to begin the which Teletubbies dance around

and do nonsensical things set to eerily bubbly music. An omniscient voice narrates, and often talks directly to the Teletubbies, disciplining them with a scornful "Noooooo!" After more psychedelic scenes ensue with additional dancing, a giant pinwheel on the horizon emits waves of mind-altering stars symbolizing radio 152

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

waves, which make the Teletubbies' antennas glow in sequence. One Teletubby is chosen by this pinwheel to play a five-minute video of human children on its cathode-ray-tube belly, after which they impatiently yipe "Again! Again!" upon which their yipes are immediately fulfilled with a replay of the exact same five-minute video. After this, a song follows or a skit is done documenting a minor conflict occurring with the Teletubbies, which is eventually resolved. Soon, the periscoped loudspeaker once again commands them to leave the show. After the narrator scolds them for not doing so, they jump into the Tubbiedrome's top hatch, and the sun in the sky, which contains an Aryan baby's giggly face, sets on the horizon and the show ends. Now, let's discuss the Teletubby characters themselves. The older female is LaaLaa, is yellow in color and has a curly pig-tailed antenna on her head. The older male is Tinky-Winky, a purple effeminate character with an upside-down purple triangle for an antenna, carries a red handbag, and sometimes wears a skirt. Next is Dipsy, the younger Negroid male with a green phallus-antenna on its head, and occasionally wears an inksplotched white top hat. Lastly, there's Po, whose name in German translates to "Buttocks" in English, is the younger female, and has an O-shaped antenna. Now that the premise of the show and characters described, the following specific "odd" details if Teletubbies shall be listed and explained. It is easy to discount one observation, such as Tinky-Winky being gay, but try refuting all of the following points. 1. Aryan baby in the Sun: At the beginning of the show and all throughout, numerous camera shots are made of a blond, blue-eyed baby, whose face is superimposed upon a large cartoon sun. The Teletubbies often seem to seek approval of this baby, as if it were a god of some sort, much like the Egyptians sought approval of their sun god, Ra. It is well known that the Nazis not only held beliefs in the Black Sun worship, but also promoted the Aryan race 2. Big Brother as Narrator: Narrating behind-camera is a hypnotic, omniscient voice reminiscent of Big Brother, whose style is patterned after American child psychologists with his low, slow, hypnotizing speech. It disciplines the Teletubbies, and describes their diction to the audience (a toddler audience) with 153

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

fancy diction, often mistranslated from British English when redubbed in American-English, indicating that this voice is authoritarian and knowledgeable, one that must be obeyed at all times.

154

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Periscope Loudspeaker: At the start and end of each episode, a periscope-shaped loudspeaker extends from the ground, and an authoritative female's voice repeats several times, "Time for Teletubbies, time for Teletubbies," as in movie sequences where prisoners or futuristic soldiers are notified by intercom where to go and what to do. Clearly, this symbolizes the dehumanization of authority to a form that must be obeyed without regard to whom the sources of such commands are. Homosexual Tinky-Winky: The most obvious observation, one the author made months ago, is that Tinky-Winky is gay. Is there something wrong with being gay? Anyway, Tinky-Winky is a male character, and described so by the narrator, even though he carries a red handbag and even wore a skirt at one point. The producers of the show explained away the handbag, but not a word yet on the skirt. He is purple, and has the gay pride triangle as an antenna. Unless Tinky Winky is a doctor-bag carrying Scotsman who loves geometry, Tinky-Winky is nothing but gay. Dipsy's phallus: Dipsy, the younger green-colored African-alien male, sports a long, erect penis upon his head (which fits suspiciously into Po's "O" -- rather dramatic considering they are brother and sister). This isn't too spectacular, unless one examines the Teletubby song "Dipsy's Fancy Hat" in which the narrator says "Dipsy's walking with his hat on very proudly into view. If you had a hat like that on, you'd be walking proudly too!" Now why would Dipsy be proud of wearing a hat? Considering he is covering his antenna with a hat and being proud about doing so, one can conclude that his hat symbolizes the condom. Is it not the left-wing agenda of such organizations as Planned Parenthood to promote condom distribution and consequent frivolous sex? In fact, is Britain, the country from which Teletubbies originated not one of the most left-wing countries in Western Europe, going so far as to ban handguns? And don't forget that Nazis were left-wing extremists themselves. Maybe the producers of the show are simply advocating safe sex...especially when it comes to incest with Po. And if Po translates to "Buttocks," then homosexual anal sex is implied, but at least it's protected... 3. Tubbie Newspeak with sexual twist: The Teletubby speech is both Orwellian and sub vocal. Instead of saying "Oh-Oh" or "Hello" as two separate words, one word "Eh-Oh" is used. Restricting a vocabulary by combining two words into one is

155

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Newspeak, a language used by characters oppressed by totalitarian rule of Big Brother in the book 1984. The mispronunciations of common words lead to purposefully comical sounding words different in meaning from the original. For example, the "S" is often dropped, and when "scooter" becomes "cooter," a slang term for the female genitalia, an unprecedented level of covert perversion arises, though undetected by ignorant parents who don't pay attention and thus miss these details. Tubbie custard and Tubbie toast: Tubbie custard is described as a pink fluid that nourishes the Teletubbies, and Tubbie toast consists of round, dark, pieces of bread with a white smiley face drawn on them. This has two meanings. First, drinking a pink fluid and eating bread relates to Catholic communion, in which members eat the Eucharist and drink wine to symbolize the consumption of Jesus Christ's flesh and blood. Why this is blasphemous in Teletubbies is because the characters are lustfully addicted to both Tubbie toast and Tubbie custard. Also, Tubbie custard comes out of a phallic faucet in spurts much like an ejaculating penis, behind the machine of which each Teletubby suspiciously jumps up and down with its hand down by its groin. What, then, is the Teletubby-producers' true agenda? Is this article much ado about nothing? Does the author appear to have too much time on his hands? Maybe. Maybe those who warned German Jews of the coming Holocaust were also equally wasting their time. The evidence points toward Teletubbies not being the innocent show that its creators and ignorant parents across America claim it to be. The question arises as to how significant an effect this show has upon children, considering most are below age-three and not consciously aware of the sinister symbolism the author has uncovered. You, the reader, can blow all of this off as an exercise in trivial paranoia, but be advised that the mental fate of your child, or those young ones you know who watch Teletubbies, lies in your hands. You must weigh his or her future with your desire for ignorance. And if, perchance, you were to make the wrong choice, don't lament when your child becomes a sub vocal, homosexual.

156

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

157

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOAKED IN RELIGION:
The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

Toys & Characters


Chapter V, Part III, Winnie the Pooh

To know the Way, We go the Way; We do the way The way we do The things we do. It's all there in front of you, But if you try too hard to see it, You'll only become confused. I am me, And you are you, As you can see; But when you do the things that you can do, You will find the Way, And the Way will follow you. --The Tao of Pooh To millions, he is a cuddly little teddy bear full of love. But as you read the above passage, there is something much more to Winnie the Pooh. Hes a philosopher! What kind of philosopher would he be? Well, hes a Taoist philosopher! As you will see in this

158

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

part, the subtlety of philosophy is brought into the mind of the child through Winnie the Pooh. You may ask, Why would anyone want to promote Taoism unto children? Well, the answer is this, that the mind of a child is easily conditioned. To bring Taoism to a child would be the first step of indoctrination and preparation for their acceptance of that religion. We will first take a short look at Taoism. Taoism Taoism is an ambiguous term signifying either the thought system, which in ancient times gave the Tao centrality in all thinking and living, or a mixture of magic and religion dating from the two Han dynasties. (206 B.C. 221 A.D.) Under either aspect it has been the vehicle of beliefs and practices, which, during a long emergence form the soil of popular faith and superstition, have expressed the philosophical and mystical aspects of Chinese thought and life. (Mans Religion John B. Noss 1965, 3rd Ed. pg. 344)

The Legendary Lao-tsu


It all began, we have been told, with Lao-tsu or Lao Tan, a legendary scholar or seer of whom so little can be learned, even on the hypothesis that he lived. It has been common for some authorities in the matter to be skeptical about his ever having lived at all! He was born, the old tradition relates, in the State of Chu in 604 BC, and obtained the important post of curator of the imperial archives at Lohyang, the capital city. Since it was the destiny of Taoism to pass through three periods or phases, it will be convenient to consider in turn: (A) the philosophical or formative phase, characterized by strong mystical interests; (B) the magical phase; and (C) the phase of intermittent recognition by the Chinese govt. as the official religion of the empire. Shen Tao discarded knowledge, abandoned self, followed the inevitable, and was indifferent to things He said: Knowledge is not to know. The Tao Te Ching accepts unquestioningly the theory that when things are allowed to take their natural course they move with a wonderful perfection and harmony. This is because, in such case, the Tao (the eternal Way of the Universe) is not hindered in its smooth operation. The Tao is wrapped in cosmic mystery. Yet it is the sole source of the active power (Te) in existent things. The Tao in itself is vague, impalpable, - how impalpable, how vague! Yet within it there is Form. How vague, how impalpable! Yet within it there is Substance. How profound, how obscure! Yet within it there is a Vital

159

New Life Tabernacle Principle.

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Taoism also tries to master prolonged life by mastering ones body and

preventing the process of natural decay. Sounds like eternal life. This is why most of the Herbal remedies derive from China. It may be objected that there is little of religion here. For one thing, it may be urged, the Tao is impersonal; and although persons are its expressions in some areas, it is itself without form and void. Therefore one meditates on the Tao but does not engage in formal worship of it. The Tao is not aware of, nor does it make a compassionate response to persons; it is but the cosmic mode of action by which Non-being becomes Being.

Tao
Tao is an old Chinese philosophy/religion, which assumes that the harmony that naturally exists between heaven & earth, and from the very beginning can be found by anyone at any time. Tao means 'way' and a basic principle of Lao-tse's teaching was that this Way of the Universe could not be adequately described in words, and that it would be insulting both to its unlimited power and to the intelligent human mind to attempt to do so. Still, its nature could be understood, and those who cared the most about it, and the life from which it was inseparable, understood it best. As you can see, Taoism is a messy philosophy. Basically it is the worship of nature, and allowing nature to run its course. Very contrary to the Word of God! Now, lets see how Winnie the Pooh has been used to project the philosophy. It seems that once a character gets well established, then they will initially bring in the real motive behind the scene. Here it is to promote Taoism & Chi to children. `

Now, let us go into the particulars of Winnie the Pooh.


According to Saukkola, Pooh is above all, a kind-hearted big child. The second coming of Winnie-the-Pooh, in most surprising applications, started with Benjamin Hoff's Winnie-the-Pooh and Tao from 1983. In Hoff's book, Pooh's attitude toward life was seen as a manifestation of the original, holy simplicity. Later on, the history of Western philosophy has been seen as a footnote to Pooh's way of thinking, too. Keys to ancient mysteries and to occult sciences, and even to the secrets of business management, have also

160

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

been found in the thoughts of the bear softie. Some of those with larger brains have been wondering if "Poohism" indicates that our culture is becoming intolerably naive, or if it is a manifestation of liberating playfulness or of something else.

Language is Funny
The play with words also appeals to readers of all ages. Reading Winnie-the-Pooh is extreme fun for children because they themselves learn to play with the language through it. Sometimes the humor and the word games are so sophisticated that they give insights for adults, too, Saukkola states, Even literary styles sometimes get into an amusing light when considered through Winnie-the-Pooh. For example, in the episode in which Christopher Robin leads an expedition to the North Pole, the exiting thing is that the characters don't know what they are looking for, but they still keep looking. It's a very light alternative to those serious and gloomy stories from the turn of the 19th century in which the North Pole is frantically searched for. Meanwhile Dutton, the original U.S. publisher of Winnie-thePooh, became aware of a lucrative adult Pooh market in 1982 with the success of Benjamin Hoff's The Tao of Pooh, which blended the East Asian philosophy Taoism with stories from the Pooh books. The Te of Piglet followed in 1992. But the adult is not the highest stage of development. The end of the cycle is that of the independent, clear-minded, all-seeing child. That is the level known as wisdom. When the Tao te Ching and other wise books say things like, "Return to the beginning; become a child again" that's what they are referring to. Why do the enlightened seem filled with light and happiness like children? Why do they sometimes even look and talk like children? Because, they are. The wise are children who know. Their minds have been emptied of the countless minute things of small learning and filled with the great wisdom of the Great Nothing, the Way of the Universe. This is an excerpt from Benjamin Hoffs book The Tao of Pooh.

161

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Winnie-the-Pooh has a certain way about him, a way of doing things, which has made him the world's most beloved bear. In The Tao of Pooh, Benjamin Hoff brilliantly demonstrates that Pooh's way of doing things seems strangely close to the ancient Chinese principles of Taoism. Benjamin Hoff uses Pooh as an example of the real Tao-master. Rabbit, Owl and Eeyore are the characters that are most remote from the Tao, because of their knowledge out of books, bragging and/of pessimism, and the fact that they feel themselves superior to the illiterates.

The Uncarved Block


The essence of the principle of the Uncarved Block is that things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power, power that is easily spoiled and lost when that simplicity is changed. Winnie-the-Pooh is the Uncarved Block: he is able to accomplish what he does, because he is simpleminded. As any old Taoist walking out of the woods can tell you, simpleminded does not necessarily mean stupid. It's rather significant that the Taoist ideal is that of the still, calm, reflecting "mirror-mind" of the Uncarved Block, and it's rather significant that Pooh, rather than the thinkers Rabbit, Owl, or Eeyore, is the true hero of Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner. If it were cleverness that counted most, Rabbit would be the hero of the chapter In which Tigger is unbounced, but that's not the way things work. On the contrary, Rabbit is the one that really loses his way, and Pooh, the silly old bear, is the one that finds his way home by listening to his calling pots of honey. From the state of the Uncarved Block comes the ability to enjoy the simple and the quiet, the natural and the plain. Along with that comes the ability to do things spontaneously, like the wishing of a Very Happy Thursday, the wondering in a Thoughtful Spot, and the taking of a little smackerel of something.

The Cottleston Pie Principle


Everything has its own place and function. When you know and respect your own Inner Nature, you know where you belong. You also know where you don't belong. One man's food is often another man's poison. Qualities can never be too bad, too useless or too

162

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

limited. We only have to recognize what's there. The wise knows their limitations; the foolish do not. Tigger is the example of someone who doesn't know his limitations, and becomes stuck in a tall pine tree, while Tiggers can't even climb trees. Because of his thinking, Rabbit is too much distracted of his own Inner Nature, and the Inner Nature of others. While he is trying to unbounce Tigger and let him lose his way, Rabbit is the one who got everyone lost including himself, and Tigger is the Large and Helpful Tigger who knows the way home. Once you face and understand your limitations, you can work with them, instead of having them work against you and get in your way, which is what they do when you ignore them, whether you realize it or not. And then you will find that, in many cases, your limitations can be your strengths. An example is Piglet, a Very Small Animal, who was able to escape out of Owl's blown down house, through the letterbox.

Wu Wei
Literally, Wu Wei means 'without doing, causing or making'. But practically speaking, it means without meddlesome, combative, or egotistical effort. When we learn to work with our own Inner Nature, and with the natural laws operating around us, we reach the level of Wu Wei. Then, we work with the natural order of things and operate on the principle of minimal effort. Since the natural world follows that principle, it does not make mistakes. Mistakes are made - or imagined - by man, the creature with the overloaded Brain who separates himself from the supporting network of natural laws by interfering and trying too hard. Not like Pooh, the most effortless Bear we've ever seen. For a basic example of the Pooh Way, let's recall something that happened in The House at Pooh Corner when Pooh, Piglet, Rabbit, and Roo were playing Poohsticks. They'd dropped their sticks off the bridge into the river, and had gone to the other side to see whose stick would come out first. Then Eeyore floated out, he was waiting for somebody to help him out of the river. Pooh got an idea. They could drop some stones into the river, the stones would make waves, and the waves would wash Eeyore over to the riverbank. Cleverness, as usual, takes all the credit it possibly can. But it's not the Clever Mind that's responsible

163

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

when things work out. It's the mind that sees what's in front of it, and follows the nature of things. Wu Wei doesn't try. It doesn't think about it. It just does it. And when it does, it doesn't appear to do much of anything, but Things Get Done. The surest way to become Tense, Awkward, and Confused is to develop a mind that tries too hard - one that thinks too much. The mind of Wu Wei flows like water, reflects like a mirror, and responds like an echo. Just like Pooh, who gives Eeyore an empty honey pot as a present. Without thinking of it, he had on his way to Eeyore, eaten all the honey out of the jar. By chance this worked out very well: Eeyore was very happy because the busted balloon, he received from piglet, fit exactly in the empty pot, he received from Pooh.

Tz'u
Tz'u is one of the most important terms of Taoism: Tz'u, which can be translated as "caring" or "compassion" and which is based upon the character for heart. From caring comes courage and wisdom. Just like when Pooh saved Roo, discovered the North Pole and rescued Piglet when he was entirely surrounded by water. It also gave Piglet the courage to go get help for Pooh and Owl when Owl's house blew over. Now Benjamin Hoff explains to us the Tiddely-Pom Principle, which comes from a song by Pooh: The more it snows (Tiddely pom), The more it goes (Tiddely pom), The more it goes (Tiddely pom) On snowing. The Tiddely-Pom Principle is sometimes referred to as the Snowball Effect. Now Piglet has recognized his fears, and has discovered that he had more courage than he had thought he had, he appreciates himself more. And out of this feeling of respect, it is a lot easier to have eyes for others and to be brave the next time again. Just like when Uninformed Eeyore discovered a new house for Owl to move into, and it turned out to be Piglet's. Then Piglet did a noble thing, he didn't embarrass Eeyore, and gave his house to Owl.

164

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

T'ai Hs or the 'Great Nothing'


When Eeyore lost his tail, who found it for him? Clever Rabbit? No. He was busy doing clever things. Scholarly Owl? No. He didn't recognize it when he saw it. Know-ItAll Eeyore? No. He didn't even realize that it was missing until Pooh told him. Then Pooh went off to find it, and he found it by chance, when he saw Owls new bell-rope. An Empty sort of mind is valuable for finding pearls and tails and things, because it can see what's in front of it. The Tao-master Lao-tse wrote, "To attain knowledge, add things every day. To attain wisdom, remove things every day. Enlightenment is reached by emptying the mind of the countless minute things of small learning, and filled with the wisdom of the Great Nothing, the Way of the Universe. 'I like that too,' said Christopher Robin, 'but what I like doing best is Nothing.' How do you do Nothing? asked Pooh, after he had wondered for a long time. 'Well, it's when people call out at you just as you're going off to do it, 'What are you going to do, Christopher Robin?' and you say 'Oh, nothing,; 'Oh, I see,' said Pooh. ' This is a nothing sort of thing what we're doing now.' 'They walked on, thinking of This and That, and by-and-by they came to an enchanted place on the very top of the Forest called Galleons Lap, which is sixtysomething trees in a circle; and Christopher Robin knew that it was enchanted, because nobody had ever been able to count whether it was sixty-three or sixty-four, not even when he tied a piece of string round each tree after he had counted it. Being enchanted, its floor was not like the floor of the Forest, gorse and bracken and heather, but close-set grass, quiet and smooth and green. It was the only place in the Forest where you could sit down carelessly, without getting up again almost at once and looking for somewhere else. Sitting there they could see the whole world spread out until it reached the sky, and whatever there was all the world over was with them in Galleons Lap.' There the Pooh books come to an end, in the enchanted place at the top of the forest. We can go there at any time. It's not far away; it's not hard to find. Just take the path to nothing, and go nowhere until you reach it. Because the enchanted place is right where you are, and if you're friendly with bears, you can find it. Move over, Freud, there's a new psychologist in the forest, and his name is Winniethe-Pooh. In this witty book, Williams cleverly explores the psychological depths of the

165

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

inhabitants of the Hundred Acre Wood: Piglet is compulsively shy, Eeyore is clinically depressed, and so on.

WHAT IS FENG SHUI?


Feng Shui (pronounced "fung shway") means "Wind and Water". Feng Shui has been used in China and the Far East for Thousands of years. It is rapidly becoming a standard practice for creating the ideal environment in which to live and work. It helps us interpret our environment, its affect on us and ours on it. It works because it's the way of the universe and everything contained within it. Our understanding of this brings us closer to nature, the closer we get to a natural form of life the better balanced our lives become, this is the real meaning of harmony. Properly applied, Feng Shui recommendations can result in improvements in the life of the individuals who occupy the property. "Chi", which is literally translated as energy - is an invisible energy that circulates through our surrounding and senses. The practice of Feng Shui is about harnessing that vital force to maximize the positive effect that "Chi" holds. Properly applied, Feng Shui uses only the five elements of Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water to create harmony and balance. The Basic Philosophy To Feng Shui Contains Three Principles: 1. Everything Is Alive 2. All Is Interconnected 3. Everything Is Changing

166

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

FENG SHUI TERMS:


Yin and Yang- the principle of dualism, opposites. Chi - "Cosmic Breath" the life and breath of the universe Pa Kua or Ba Gua - octagonal shaped symbol 8 Trigrams of the I Ching Lo Shu Magic Square 5 Elements -fire, water, wood, metal, earth Luck (Tien Ti Ren)-heaven luck, earth luck, man luck After researching this information on Winnie the Pooh, I dont think my 4-year-old will have her own Winnie the Pooh bear. Even though it seems to be so innocent, yet the blatant display of Taoism, and Feng Shui is something Christians ought not to have in their possession. This Babylonian Systems cloaked and disguised Toys & Characters will be more obvious as time goes on. Theyll not have to disguise their motives as has been done many years ago. Today parents just dont care, or are totally ignorant of what is being presented to their children. Once the society of these children has come to fruition, then we will see the toleration and adherence to such philosophy. Taoism doesnt do anything for anybody! Its a dead belief, for spiritually dead people. One must be very careful in todays world of cover-ups. Remember this: 2 Cor 11:14-15, 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. KJV We must not be ignorant to the things that are CLOAKED IN RELIGION!

167

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOAKED IN RELIGION:
The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

Toys & Characters


Chapter V, Part IV, Harry Potter
Potter Mania and Unconscious Learning: This character seems to be the most present influence of today. Harry Potter is everywhere! Lunch boxes, toys, books, cartoons, movies, school supplies, etc. The list goes on. To an unsuspecting person, he would seem to be a nice clean-cut boy. Hes well groomed, wears his glasses, and looks rather decent, but under all that cloak of decency are the very core of witchcraft, Paganism, and the powers of darkness. Like with many other toys and characters, there is an underlying motive. Its Pedagogy. George Lucas best quotes this, Movies will always be about storytelling, and storytelling is used as a Pedagogical tool. Lets take a look into the real depths of Harry Potter, and what hes cloaked himself in. A revealing scene in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone shows Harry and his friends rushing into the night to find the magical stone supposedly made by a medieval alchemist. Guarded by a monstrous three-headed dog in a forbidden corridor at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, this legendary "philosopher's stone" could grant eternal life -- something the disembodied villain Voldemort desperately needs. But who would reach it first, the evil wizard or Harry, Ron and Hermione? Their friend Neville senses danger and warns the threesome that this is not a good time to break more rules. So Harry lies to his friend and Hermione lifts her wand and casts a spell on him. Neville turns stiff as a board and falls flat on the floor. Our three heroes rush away -- and the audience bursts into laughter. 168

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Why the laughter? Neville was a "good" guy. He was trying to be helpful. But never mind traditional kindness. The crowd has been mesmerized by the plot and is, for the moment, oblivious to home-taught values. The attentive gathering has learned to flow with the brilliant story which makes Ms. Rowling's untraditional values seem right and Christian caution seem wrong. The audience can feel their heroes' need and sense of urgency, so their minds justify the spell as well as the unkind tactics and share a communal relief for a conflict resolved. The communal part is important. Togetherness strengthens the illusion of reality. Harry Potter fans, like other special interests groups, share a new language with terms and meanings that they validate and cheer each other on. The fact that the new language makes little sense to mugglish parents and disinterested peers only strengthens their bond. Together, they explore and affirm the values defined by the story. This exploration has been brought into classrooms across the country. Many

schools that bussed their students to movie theatres on opening day (November 16) now use Harry Potter curricula to continue the informal dialogue led by trained teacherfacilitators. Keep in mind, crowds can easily be manipulated to accept and do what most individuals would not. Like a flock of sheep, they pursue the vision of personal empowerment -- not necessarily into occult experimentation but into an acceptance of a Pagan worldview that turns God's values upside down. [Isaiah 5:20] The fun edutainment frees them from the moral and factual guidelines, which usually filters incoming information. It offers a mind-changing distraction from rational thinking and plants contrary philosophies into the unguarded mind. When the film ends, the images will remain in the viewer's memory, ready to influence future moral choices. Few children or adults notice the change. This involuntary and unconscious process is part of a century-old plan for change. Professor Raymond Houghton described the vision in a book titled, "To Nurture Humaneness," published in 1970 by the ASCD, the curriculum arm of the National Education Association. He wrote, "...absolute behavior control is imminent.... The critical point of behavior control, in effect, is sneaking up on mankind without his self-conscious realization that a crisis is at hand. Man will... never self-consciously know that it has happened." 169

New Life Tabernacle Hard to believe?

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church Then consider the research compiled by Dr. Craig E.

Abrahamson, Assistant Professor of Social Work at James Madison University. He scorns the old factual or didactic learning and calls for the feeling-based, image-rich unconscious learning so popular among today's educational change agents. Storytelling is vital to this process, and few forms of communication transmit stories into the minds more effectively than movies -- especially when based on myths created by master storytellers such as J. K. Rowling. Such movies create persuasive illusions (and delusions) through artificial experiences that stir strong feelings. As Harvard Professor Chris Dede, a global leader for the development of education technology programs, writes, "Sensory immersion helps learners grasp reality through illusion." No wonder educators delight in the Harry Potter movie. It provides the right kind of "illusion." It fits the planned "reality" that both U.S. and UNESCO educators have been seeking for half a century. That is one that would help establish new values, new beliefs, new lifestyles and new ways of thinking. But, our God doesn't change while federal "behavioral laboratories" explore psychosocial manipulation and seductive storytelling in order to mold the global citizen. Children whose daydreams soar into Rowling's supernatural realm of flying broomsticks, empowering spells, golden snitches and everlasting ghosts may feel free -- free from the old constraints and authorities, free from natural and spiritual laws. Few see the danger behind this newfound "freedom." They forget that the author's script, not their own imagination, guides their minds and defines their values. Hypnotic trance through story telling: "The best methodology for education is not simply the use of didactic instruction," explains Dr. Abrahamson in his report, Storytelling as a Pedagogical Tool in Higher Education. (posted on the Encyclopedia Britannica website) "For it needs to be an awakening and moving experience in order for the content to have meaning for the learner." He continues, "...inspiration, encouragement, satisfaction, and fascination must be integrated with information in order to provide an education that has meaning to the learner and will have true, lasting effects on that person's

170

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

life and the society in which he or she interacts. What a person usually remembers the longest is information that has an emotional impact." Emphasis added. Stage 1. "Fixation of Attention:" During this stage, the audience is so caught up in the story that the real world is forgotten. That may sound good to those who need a break from daily tensions, but an intrusive form of mental manipulation follows this mental distraction. While diverting attention away from facts and truths, the movie bombards the audience with captivating images, virtual experiences and vivid sensations that clash with hometaught values. The movie shows Harry communicating with a powerful snake, magically removing the glass barrier to its freedom, walking through a brick wall at Platform 9 3/4, exploring occult shops, and selecting his magic wand. These scenes may all seem "normal" in the context of Ms. Rowling's alternative reality. They also fit the need for suspense and surprises that capture a viewer's attention, block rational thinking, and prepare the mind for a trance-forming focus. Dr. Abrahamson summarized it well, "...if the stage is successful, consciousness has been distracted." Stage 2. "De-potentiating [destroying the potency of] Habitual Frameworks and Belief Systems:" This second stage weakens the influence of traditional beliefs and habits. Harry Potter does it well. The first stage has already freed the mind from the old boundaries. Now, as the movie screen sends a fast-moving stream of occult ideas and supernatural images, the mind begins to switch from the old mental framework or filter based on God's Word to a Pagan perspective. Viewers who have identified with the aspiring wizard are learning to see the world through his eyes, values and feelings. And what do they see? Scenes such as the occult shops in Diagon Alley that may look innocent compared to the scary forest scene showing Voldemort's desperate need for Unicorn's blood, but they carry a potent message. In contrast to three-headed dogs and Nearly Headless Nick, they can be reproduced in the real world. Consider these words remembered by Potter fans who read the first book, "They bought Harry's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books... Even Dudley, who never reads anything, would 171

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

have been wild to get his hands on some of these. Hagrid almost had to drag Harry away from Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges....) 'I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley' [said Harry]" Emphasis added Spells and curses have always been used to oppress people in the world's Pagan cultures. In parts of Africa, Asia and South America, where primitive shamanism and witchcraft continued while the West embraced Christian values, their victims still face the terrifying consequences. In today's post-modern world, the same ancient practices have been revived and redefined. Marketed as empowering white magic that harms no one, they have taken the West by storm. Skeptical students can brush up on the history of Pagan practices by reading the Sorcerer's Companion: A Guide to the Magical World of Harry Potter. It ties Harry's occult skills and formulas to the real world of practical occultism. But please don't buy it. Just remember that many Potter fans have already studied its testimonies to occult realities and now crave more of the same. One newspaper showed a girl clutching it in her arms as she left the movie theater on opening day. 3. "Unconscious Search:" When an exciting story has distracted the Potter fan from actual reality and bombarded him or her with contrary suggestions and feelings, the subconscious mind seeks a way to reconcile the conflict between the old and the new values. This quest for resolution involves the dialectic (consensus) process. Trained by schools to seek "common ground" and conform beliefs to the group consensus, the student simply relieves the tension through moral compromise -- a basic element of the "new way of thinking." "When these processes occur, they initiate an unconscious search for a new solution to a problem or seek out a new altering experience.... with the employment of storytelling as a trance-inducement mechanism in the manner in which this has been discussed, the opportunity is afforded for the student to creatively reorganize information and concepts to allow for the assimilation of new knowledge and concepts which can enhance the learning experience."

172

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

The "new knowledge" to be assimilated includes all the Pagan practices forbidden by God, but idealized in the Harry Potter books and movie. One of the simplest justifications for continued loyalty to Harry is simply to rationalize that Harry and his side of the magical force are good, while Voldemort and his side are evil. You saw this philosophy in the previous stage. It permeates New Age and neo-Pagan spirituality: one universal force two different expressions. This conclusion matches Eastern dualism and the yin yang, which symbolizes the quest for harmony between opposing forces such as good and evil, light and dark, male and female.... [See "Symbols and their meaning"] In the education arena, the goal of the process is to socialize students with the new values fit for the global community. The planned change is incremental and permanent, not temporary. goals and ideology of Hollywood producers. Teachers and principals were not content to simply bus their students to the Harry Potter movie on opening day. Their follow-up includes Harry Potter curricula that prompt students to pursue their occult interests in classrooms across the country. There, trained facilitator-teachers can guide the process toward a fitting consensus. Even Christian students who have not conformed their values to the mystical world of Hogwarts must participate in this manipulative dialogue or face ridicule and unforgiving assessments (be labeled "uncooperative" and "intolerant"). While Hogwarts head master honored Harry whether he obeyed the rules or not, this New World will not reward Christian students for their uncompromising stand. The premiere of Harry Potter The Movie will lead to a whole new generation of youngsters discovering witchcraft and wizardry.... increasing numbers of children are spending hours alone browsing the Internet in search of satanic websites and we are concerned that nobody is monitoring this growing fascination. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone opened on November 16, at a record-breaking number of theaters across the country. "Christians" as well as public schools bussed their students to see the long awaited movie based on the first book in J. K. Rowling's groundbreaking series. Teachers are facilitating classroom discussions that train students 173 It is part of UNESCO's program for lifelong learning and matches the

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

to seek "common ground" and conform to an ever-changing group consensus. While forbidding prayer in the name of Jesus, most schools seem to welcome spells and sorcery in the name of Harry Potter.

1. God shows us that witchcraft, sorcery, spells, divination and magic are evil. 2. The movie's foundation in fantasy, not reality, doesn't diminish its power to change beliefs and values. 3. Each occult image and enticing suggestion prompts the audience to feel more at home in the dark, paranormal setting. 4. God tells us to "abhor what is evil" and "cling to what is good." 5. Immersed in the values taught at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, children & parents become spiritually blind. 6. This inner change is usually unconscious, for the occult lessons and impressions tend to bypass rational scrutiny. 7. The main product marketed through this movie is a belief system that clashes with everything God offers us for our peace and security. 8. The implied sources of power behind Harrys magical feats tend to distort a child's understanding of God. 9. Blind to the true nature of God, children will synthesize or blend Biblical truth with the Pagan beliefs. This is the very reason why I have endeavored to write this book, and place these characters in it. It is the combining of Pagan practices being brought in through shear cloaking. Disguised in a good appearance to the unsuspecting victim. 10. God tells us to "train up a child in the way He should go." 11. While some argue that Harry Potter and his friends demonstrate friendship, integrity and honesty, they actually model how to lie and steal and get away with it.

174

New Life Tabernacle 12. God has a better way.

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

By age ten, Jacqui K. was fascinated with anything supernatural. Since her parents set no limits, she read every fiction and fantasy books she could find on the magical world she craved. In her imagination, she met wizards and witches, power and excitement. "I continued reading Harry Potter-type books through grade school, high school and into college, she says. Three to five a week! The older I got, the easier they were to find. The whole time I considered myself a Christian! If someone had pointed out to me what I was doing, I would have laughed. I was a normal teenager and a leader in my church group." The mystical characters in her fantasy world filled her thoughts during the day and her dreams at night. But when some of them began talking to her, she recognized the power she had pursued. "I cried out to God to help me, and He did. The voices stopped. I was no Bible scholar, but I recognized that they were from Satan. Some people said that I became delusional because I couldn't separate fantasy from reality. They were wrong. The problem was that I COULD, and had no idea that reading fiction could put me in contact with REAL evil. "Thirty years ago, I had to search for those kinds of books, but now they're everywhere. The fantasies I craved then were extreme, but now the child who stays away from occult books is the exception. I fear that what happened to me is happening to more and more Christian children. I can speak with authority on the dangers of straying into territory that God forbids." Ms. Rowling's message fits Huxley's vision and today's global agenda. It mocks traditional values and idealizes Paganism. No wonder Scholastic, a major publisher of classroom fiction promoting Pagan empowerment, won the right to publish the series in America. Nor is it any wonder Warner owns the movie rights. Rowling's storytelling fuels their race toward a post-Christian, neo-Pagan world.

175

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

1.

A vision of a better world: link main characters to Pagan practices.

2. Rebellion against Biblical authorities: link traditional authority figures to intolerant "muggles." 3. 4. An idealized view of Paganism: link occult images to "good" wizards. A Pagan alternative to Christian values: link courage and loyalty to a common quest for occult empowerment. 5. Mystical experiences that excite the emotions: link "good" spells to victory in the timeless battle between good and evil. Though its title, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, was a close-guarded secret until June 28, a spellbound world had already sent book sales soaring into the heights like a magical broomstick. While Harry's fans prepared to celebrate this global event, Amazon.com claimed its own share in the feast: its record-setting sales of the world's most popular fantasy. Though cloaked in secrecy and marketed without a review, J.K Rowling's latest book topped the Amazon.com's "not-yet-published" bestsellers list. That was no surprise. Nor did we wonder why the list included the corresponding Harry Potter audiocassettes. But why did Amazon also list Dungeons & Dragons 3rd Edition Player's Handbook as bestseller #6? What common threads have raised Harry Potter and D&D, "the best-selling adventure game of all time," to the peaks of popularity?

Consider these points: 1. Both immerse their fans in a plausible, well-developed fantasy world, replete with an evolving history, a carefully mapped geography, and wizards that model the thrill-packed and power-filled way of the mythical shaman.

176

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

2. In this fantasy world, adults and children alike are led into imagined experiences that create memories, build new values, guide their thinking and mold their understanding of reality. 3. This process is reinforced by a myriad of other occult images and suggestions created by an entertainment industry eager to please a global market -- a worldwide base of potential customers that favor "inclusive" and "tolerant" Pagan entertainment and turn their backs to Biblical values. 4. In the toys and games industry, two Trans-national giants have been swallowing up most smaller companies: Mattel and Hasbro. The latter bought Wizards of the Coast, which makes and distributes role-playing games and cards for Pokemon, Magic the Gathering, and D&D fans around the world. What's more, Warner Brothers -- producer of the Harry Potter movie scheduled for release next year -- granted Hasbro licensing rights to produce a variety of Harry Potter toys and games. Pagan fun has become big business! Biblical Christianity doesn't fit today's quest for spiritual unity and mix-and-match religions. Paganism does. That's why schools, communities, business... even churches are trading genuine Bible study for consensus groups and earth-centered celebrations. This blended spirituality welcomes a compromised distortion of Christianity. When "Christian" leaders remove the "offense of the cross" -- when they set aside Biblical truths that hinder their quest for the world's acceptance and favor -- their church is no longer a threat to the world Feminist writer Naomi Goldenberg knows that well. In her book, Changing of the Gods, she predicts that "God is going to change. We, women are going to bring an end to God. We will change the world so much that He wont fit in anymore." She and other radical feminists must appreciate Ms. Rowlings part in this process. As we have looked at the ingredients of Harry Potter, we find the acceptance of Paganism into our Christian society. The acceptability of the symbols, rites, magic,

177

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

sorcery, etc. as a way to teach and train our children has caused childrens behavior to alter according to those things presented to them. Harry Potter is a well-cloaked vehicle for the neo-Paganism to be introduced into our society. Desensitized by cartoon characters, movie cartoons, etc. sets the scene for the real onslaught of Paganism to be produced gradually into our society. Looking at the things this generation are exposed to and involved in, shows that by way of trickle down saturation they have accepted Paganism as a norm. Today, teens and adults alike are seen in Gothic clothing, as well as having Pagan symbolism on their clothing, cars, and tattoos upon their bodies. The programs of Pedagogy have worked very well on our secular & Christian society. By way of deception, characters such as Harry Potter are one of many that have influenced our children, but spiritual parents and church will weed these things out before they even get in. Our responsibility to protect our children from the dangers of an evil and adulterous generation needs to be fulfilled. Deut 7:26, Neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house, lest thou be a cursed thing like it: but thou shalt utterly detest it, and thou shalt utterly abhor it; for it is a cursed thing. KJV

178

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

CLOAKED IN RELIGION:
The Infiltration of Babylonian Paganism into Christianity

Toys & Characters


Chapter V, Part V, Little Mermaid
One of the beginnings of Mermaids was the Undines. This is a name given to the family of water elementals that function in the invisible, spiritual essence called humid or liquid ether. In its vibratory rate that is close to the element water, and so the undines are able to control, to a great degree, the course and function of this fluid in Nature. Beauty seems to be the keynote of the water spirits. Wherever we find them pictured in art or sculpture, they abound in symmetry and grace. Controlling the water element which has always been a feminine symbol it is natural that water spirits should most often be symbolized as female. (The Secret Teachings of All Ages Manly P. Hall) There are many groups of undines. Some inhabit waterfalls, where they can be seen in the spray; others are indigenous to swiftly moving rivers; some have their habitat in dripping, oozing fens or marshes, while other groups dwell in clear mountain lakes. According to the philosophers of antiquity, every fountain had its nymph; every ocean wave, its oceanid. The water spirits were known under such names as oreades, nereides, limoniades, water sprites, sea-maids, mermaids, and potamides. - Phoenician relief from the Palace of Sargon c. 700BC, the merman figure can be seen in the top left corner, look closely it's very old!

179

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Oannes (or Dagon, the Chaldean Man-fish) divides his cosmogony and Genesis into two portions. First, the abyss of waters and darkness, wherein resided most hideous beings men with wings, four and two-faced men, human beings with two heads, with the legs and horns of a goat (goat men), Hippocentaurs, bulls with the heads of men, and dogs with tails of fishes. The feminine element they resided in is personified by Thalatth the Sea, or Water , which was finally conquered by Belus, the male principle. (The Secret Doctrine H.P. Blavatsky)

Undines Paracelsus of Hohenheim (1493-1541), whose writings are full of astrological, cabalistic, and theosophical ideas, as well as of apocalyptic and mystic fancies, saw spirits everywhere. Amongst these were female water-spirits called Undines, who could intermarry with human beings and in bearing children could themselves receive human souls. Encyclopedia of Religions) This vase, dated c. 540 BC shows the typical floral pattern and the triton motif. It is believed to have been made by an immigrant Ionian in Etruria. A detail can be seen above. Many ancient figures, statues, and inscriptions have a fish-man represented upon them. The fish has always been a symbol of the deity of Dagon. Oannes was also related as Nimrod, the Babylonian Great Hunter of Biblical times. These vases are a clear example that a Mermaid/Merman type of deity was instilled in ancient times. This symbol was always identified as a fertility symbol. Even with the Nymphs, Mermaids, and sprites, nudity was always a part of these symbolic representations (Canneys

180

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

THE THREE STAGES OF MERMAIDS MYTHOLOGY


Merfolk as Gods - a look at the birth of the mermaid mythology and how it began as Pagan water deities and supernatural female water beings. Merfolk and Christianity - the role of the mermaid mythology changed significantly with the growth of the Christian Church. This is a look at how and why the myth survived when so many other Pagan deities didn't and what the new role of the mermaid was. Merfolk and the Rise of Science - for a long time the mermaid was believed to have existed even by educated men, with the rise of science and the Enlightenment the tides turned back to try and disprove the existence of such a creature as the mermaid. This being done the role of mermaids changed yet again.

MERFOLK AS GODS
THE BABYLONIANS were known to worship a sea-god called Oannes, or Ea. Oannes was reputed to have risen from the Erythrean Sea and taught to man the arts and sciences. In the Louvre today can be seen an eighth century wall-scene depicting Oannes as a merman, with the fish-like tail and the upper body of a man. THE SYRIANS AND THE PHILISTINES were also known to have worshipped a Semitic mermaid moon-goddess. The Syrians called her Atargatis, while the Philistines knew her as Derceto. It is not unusual or surprising that this moon-goddess was depicted as a mermaid as the tides ebbed and flowed with the moon then as it does now and this was incorporated into the god-like personifications that we find in their art and the ancient literature. Atargatis is one of the first recorded mermaids and the legend says that her child Semiramis was a normal human, and because of this Atargatis was ashamed and killed her lover. Abandoning the infant, she became wholly a fish. HOWEVER, NOT ALL ancient water gods or spiritual personifications took on the form of a mermaid or a merman all of the time. Water nymphs for example can be mistaken for mermaids. They are beautiful in their appearance and are also musically

181

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

talented, which mermaids are well known for, be it their singing or playing of a musical instrument. Sirens too are forever being mistaken for mermaids. Even the ancient writers and medieval Bestiary writers would get the two confused or mention only one, when in fact both have to be mentioned to make sense of the literatures and archaeological evidence. This is discussed again below, where one can also see the result of a siren/mermaid illustration. The Siren and the Mermaid are two separate entities. One has the upper body of a young woman and the lower body of a bird, the other the upper body of a young woman and the lower body of a fish. THE INDIANS, amongst their many gods, worshipped one group of water-gods known as the Asparas, who were celestial flute-playing water nymphs. IN JAPANESE AND CHINESE legends there were not only mermaids, but also sea-dragons and the dragon-wives. The Japanese mermaid, known as Ningyo, was depicted as a fish with only a human head; where as the POLYNESIAN mythology includes a creator named Vatea who was depicted as half-human form and half-porpoise. GREEK AND ROMAN MYTHOLOGY is often placed together, as the two are very similar, and it is in the literature from these cultures that one finds the first literary description of the mermaid, and indeed the mermen. Homer mentions the Sirens during the voyage of Odysseus, but he fails to give a physical description. The image seen here shows an old black and white film of Homer's tale depicting the sirens in mermaid form. Ovid, on the other hand, writes that the mermaids were born from the burning galleys of the Trojans where the timbers turned into flesh and blood and the 'green daughters of the sea'. Poseidon and Neptune were often depicted as half-man and half-fish, but the most popular motif of the ancient world that depicts mermen was the representations of the tritons, TRITON being the son of the powerful sea-god. A detail of the vase shown and other typical triton motifs can be seen from these periods in the Art Gallery. Besides the vase, is the trident, known to have been carried by the sea-god and thought to be magical. The figure of Poseidon in the film Jason and the Argonauts, 1973 is shown with the trident. Specimens of tritons in classical times were said to be found at Tanagara and Rome, according to Pausanias, it is presumed by scholars today that they were fakes, just like those mermaid remains that one could find in the later nineteenth century freak shows, but more information on these later. The Nereids, who were the daughters of Nereus and the 182

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Oceanides, who were associated with Ocean and the Naiads who lived in the fresh waters of the ancient world, while being water creatures were depicted as humans and not merpeople. The British Isles too had their fair share of merfolk mythology. The Cornish knew mermaids as Merrymaids; the Irish knew them as Merrows or Muirruhgach and some sources write that they lived on dry land below the sea and had enchanted caps that allowed them to pass through the water without drowning. While the women were very beautiful, the men had red noses, were piggy eyed, with green hair and teeth and a penchant for brandy. Other sources write that the Merrow were believed to forebode a coming storm and W. B. Yeats wrote in his Irish Folk stories and Fairytales: It was rather annoying to Jack that, though living in a place where the merrows were as plenty as lobsters, he never could get a right view of one. In the Shetlands, the mermaid is known as the Sea-trow who are able to take off their animal skin that allows them to swim through the water like a fish, and then walk on land like humans. The neck are to be found in Scandinavia, along with the Havfrue (merman) and the Havmand (mermaid). However, the neck were able to live in both salt- and fresh-water. The Norwegian mermaids known as Havfine were believed to have very unpredictable tempers. Some were known to be kind, others to be incredibly cruel; it was considered unlucky to view one of these havfine. The German mythologies of mermaids are plenty. There are the Meerfrau; the Nix and the Nixe who were the male and female fresh-water inhabitants, and it was believed that they were treacherous to men. The nixe lured men to drown, while the nix could be in the form of an old dwarfish character or as a golden-haired boy and in Iceland and Sweden could take the form of a centaur. The nix also loved music and could lure people to him with his harp, if he were in the form of a horse he would tempt people to mount him and then dash into the sea to drown them. While he sometimes desired a human soul, he would often demand annual human sacrifices. There was also a more evil kind of Nixies that would sometimes appear in the market. The corner of her apron being wet would allow

183

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

one to identify her. If they paid a good price, it would be an expensive year, but if they paid a low price, the prices for that year would remain cheap. In the Rhine were to be found the Lorelei from which the town took its name. The Germans also knew the Melusine as a double-tailed mermaid, as did the British heraldry as well. There is a double-tailed mermaid to be found in the Art Gallery. Russian mermaid mythology includes the daughters of the Water-King who lives beneath the sea; the water-nymph that drowns swimmers known as the Rusalka and the male water-spirit known as the Vodyany who followed sailors and fishermen. The Africans believed the tales of a fish-wife and river-witches. What we have seen here is the beginnings of the mermaid mythology that starts with the merman depictions of water-deities and other such Pagan identities. The stories of mermaids, as one may think of today, were formed after the rise of Christianity.

MERFOLK AND CHRISTIANITY


There is a theory that during the suppression of Pagan deities, the mermaid and other minor supernatural beings were not seen as a threat to the growth and popularity of CHRISTIAN beliefs. Some writers even go so far as to believe that the Church actually believed in the mermaid mythology, and for two particular reasons: 1. The first is that the mermaid served as a moral emblem of sin, the femme fatale label we know so well was nurtured with this form of thinking, and 2. The quality of evidence from contemporary and ancient authors on the existence of mermaids added to this 'belief' the Church found in mermaids. The symbol of the mermaid with her comb and mirror in hand seems to first be depicted during the middle ages. This came to represent to the Church vanity and female beauty, which could cause the destruction of men. And so, the mermaid mythology turned from that of near godlike status, including the fear that the sirens brought, to one of aesthetic values. The mermaid became a focus for misogynists and as thus rather than causing fear in the laity, the mermaid became even more fascinating. The Bestiaries of the early middle ages included the siren and not the mermaid. As the two creatures became confused in popular beliefs and cultures, so too did the bestiary 184

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

writers confuse the two, as can be seen in this illustration of the siren, complete with a mermaids tail. Mermaids were well known in the bestiaries of Physiologus and his predecessors, where they compiled the zoological information of 'real' animals. Mermaids were believed to exist even by the most educated men. In 1403, a mermaid was apparently found stranded in the mud after a storm in West Friesland. She was then taken, clothed, and fed ordinary food. Some say that she lived for fifteen years in capture, trying to escape constantly; she was also taught to kneel before the crucifix and spin, but she was never able to speak. Raphael Holinshed, in his Chronicles of 1587, wrote: that in the reign of either John or Henry II, some fishers of Oreford in Suffolk, caught a man-shaped fish, who would not or could not speak, ate fish be it raw or cooked and finally escaped after two months, back to the sea. There are detailed accounts of recorded sightings that are mostly from the 1800's. In literature, the mermaid began to be used as a description of women, rather than an identification of the creature herself. The mermaid had become a metaphor! Chaucer takes the mermaid and uses her as a scholarly metaphor for beautiful but dangerous song. Shakespeare is known to have used such a device; Comedy of Errors for example III. ii, Antipholus of Syracuse to Luciana: O, train me not, sweet mermaid, with thy note, To drown me in thy sister's flood of tears: Sing, siren, for thyself and I will dote. Oberon's vision of a mermaid in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream II.i, is not however used as a metaphor, it is not however seen on stage either: Once I sat upon a promontory, And heard a mermaid on a dolphin's back Uttering such dulcet and harmonious breath That the rude sea grew civil at her song And certain stars shot madly from their spheres, To hear the sea-maid's music. John Donne however uses the mermaid as myth in his skeptical Song where he doubts constancy in women. More likely than finding this constancy in women he believes would be to: 185

New Life Tabernacle Goe, and catche a falling starre, .................................................................. Teach me to heare Mermaids singing, Or to keep off envies stinging.

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Faerie Queen, by Edmund Spense, contains five mermaids who try to tempt the Knight of Temperance, Guyon. The five mermaids represent the temptations to temperance on the five senses, book 2, canto 12. This does nothing to elevate the moral view of the mermaid as one can imagine.

MERFOLK AND THE RISE OF SCIENCE


With the growth of science, the fantastic became childish amongst the writers of the growing educated, especially during the eighteenth century, but began to flourish again with the Romantic Movement at the turn of this century. It was also the time however, for the scientifically minded to do their utmost to dispel the myth of the mermaid, claiming that all the recorded sightings were simply men who'd been at sea too long and wanting to believe, and so when a seal, porpoise, dugong or manatee was spotted from the ship they'd swear they'd seen a mermaid. It is from the nineteenth century that the reported sightings are so numerous. The sightings show where the sightings were and also the accompanying reports. Prominent, well- respected people writing in prominent papers conflict with the scientists apathy to the existence of such a fantastical creature. Childrens stories are filled with mermaids again, and this time they are written down and published. The mermaid figures in art once again allowing the artist to portray the division within human nature of the "animal" sexual nature and the intellectual thinking; represented by the tail of the mermaid and that human part of her that wishes to gain a soul. This is the first period the mention of the mermaid longing for a human soul is found in the history of the mermaid. The prime example being The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen found in the fairytales, where the young mermaid gains a soul through her faithfulness. The mermaid is also seen as an elemental being and 186

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Charles Kingsley writes about, other water-beings such as The Water Babies. The theme of mermaids longing for a mortal man is continued and broadened which can be seen especially in the plays of Peter Blackmore, Miranda and the sequel Mad About Men which were adapted to film and starred Glynis Johns. It is also the time of frauds and there were many in America during the 1920's and 1930's, with the most famous one being the FEEGEE MERMAID. Japanese freak shows too were notorious for their "mermaids, which merely consisted of the torso of a monkey and the tail of a fish stitched together and advertised as "mermaid corpses". IT IS NOT UNTIL THE TWENTIETH CENTURY that the mermaid is tossed back and forth between those that believe, or want to believe, and those that stand behind their logic and scientific proof that a creature such as the mermaid simply cannot exist. A wonderful film of these two meeting is the film Splash, with Daryl Hannah and Tom Hanks. The mermaid becomes a symbol of fun and fantasy rather than an accepted part of cultural tradition and awe. She is seen as a figure of eroticism mixed with fear of the unknown, or the animal side of her nature. It is a great marketing tool for toys, cartoons, soft porn, and women's swimwear. No matter how the mermaid is used, or what role she plays, she will always retain her mysterious air. Perhaps, the next move is a more feminine one, bringing back the myth of the mermaid protecting women, or the soul of the woman drowned before her natural time of death. . .

The most famous Siren of all is unquestionably The Little Mermaid of Hans Christian Andersen (18051875). It is this mermaid that is the central character Aerial in the Disney film "The Little Mermaid". The story as told by Hans Christian Andersen follows the Little Mermaid from infancy to adolescence. She is fair, blonde, and blue-eyed, and like all seafolk, she spends her life underwater. Her father is a king, and her home is a crystal palace. Thrilled by her grandmothers tales of the 187

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

world beyond the sea, she is amazed that on land flowers emit perfume, that the woods are green, and that the fish hopping on the branches know how to sing. She can hardly wait for her fifteenth birthday when she will be permitted to rise above the surface of the sea. When that day finally arrives, her grandmother places a garland of pearl lilies on her head and, as a symbol of her rank, attaches eight large oysters onto her tail; they hurt, but if one is to be beautiful it is sometimes necessary to suffer. Meanwhile, on a boat above the sea, a party is in progress with music and fireworks. It is the birthday of a young, handsome prince. There is an accident and the boat sinks. The little mermaid saves the unconscious prince. The prince does not know that it was the little mermaid who saved his life. She returns to the bottom of the sea, but she has fallen in love. She embraces the sunken marble statue that resembles the prince, overcome with love and nostalgia. Then she learns something fundamental from her grandmother that will lead her eventually to reject her own nature. She learns about immortal souls. "Do men, when they are not drowned, live for ever? she asked one day; do they not die as we do, who live at the bottom of the sea? Yes, was the grandmothers reply, they must die like us, and their life is much shorter than ours. We live to the age of three hundred years, but, when we die, we become foam on the sea, and are not allowed even to share a grave among those that are dear to us. We have no immortal souls, we can never live again, and are like the green rushes which when once cut down are withered forever. Human beings, on the contrary, have souls that continue to live when their bodies become dust, and as we rise out of the water to admire the abode of man, even so these souls ascend to glorious unknown dwellings in the skies, which we are not permitted to see. Why have not we immortal souls? asked the little Mermaid. I would willingly give up my three hundred years to be a human being for only one day, thus to become entitled to that heavenly world above. You must not think of that, answered her grandmother, it is much better as it is; we live longer, and are far happier than human beings. So I must die, and be dashed like foam over the sea, never to rise again and hear the gentle murmur of the ocean, never again to see the beautiful flowers and the bright sun? Tell me, dear grandmother, are there no means by which I may obtain an immortal soul? No! replied the old lady. It is true 188

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

that if thou couldest so win the affections of a human being as to become dearer to him than either father or mother; if he loved thee with all his heart, and promised, whilst the priest joined his hands with thine, to be always faithful to thee; then his soul would flow into thine, and thou wouldest become partaker of human bliss. But that can never be! For what in our eyes is the most beautiful part of our body, the tail, the inhabitants of the earth think hideous: they cannot bear it. To appear handsome to them, the body must have two clumsy props, which they call legs. Determined to conquer the pedestrian prince and acquire an immortal soul, she flees, venturing into the terrible abyss of the witch. She glides past repugnant octopi holding human remains and even the body of a little mer-maid in their tentacles. She sees chests, sunken ships, and piles of bones that form the walls of the witchs house, whose floor is crawling with snakes. There she makes a pact with the witch. She will give her melodious voice in exchange for a philter to transform her beautiful fish tail into a pair of womans legs. She drinks the philter on the steps of the princes palace, and falls down in a swoon. When the sun rose she awoke, and felt a burning pain in all her limbs, butshe saw standing close to her the object of her love, the handsome young Prince, whose coalblack eyes were fixed inquiringly upon her. Full of shame, she cast down her own, and perceived, instead of the long, fish-like tail she had hitherto borne, two slender legs; but she was quite naked, and tried in vain to cover herself with her long thick hair. The Prince asked who she was, and how she had got there: and she, in reply, smiled and gazed upon him with her bright blue eyes, for, alas! She could not speak. He then led her by the hand into the palace. She found that the witch had told her true; she felt as though she were walking on the edges of sharp swords, but she bore the pain willingly: The character of Little Mermaid is one cloaked in obscurity. Many things are portrayed in the character of this Mermaid. She is patterned after the water spirits of antiquity. It is amazing to see how closely related she is to the ancient Pagan deity spirits that dwelt in the depths of the sea, rivers, and marshes. The Disney character of Little Mermaid is as much related to the Pagan religion as of the ancient gods. This character is a replication of the old legend made afresh. Brought to the children as a cartoon 189

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

character that they will love and want. There are many other things that are cloaked in the Disney series. 'The Little Mermaid' contains a phallic symbol in the center of the royal castle.'' The creators of Little Mermaid have denied that this is not a phallic symbol, but upon inspection, it is in my estimation no doubt a phallic symbol. But, you judge for yourselves. Mermaids always revolved around sex, and sensuality. A mythical being having sensual affection toward human beings. The saddest part about these things is that unsuspecting parents have allowed their children to become affectionate to characters such as this one. Its no wonder why our present day generation is well on its way to a total Pagan society, because of many years of digesting subtle Babylonian Paganism cloaked & disguised in Cartoons, Comics, Toys, Games, etc. After many years of exposure to these Pagan religious symbols, art, and cultures, our generation is rapidly transforming themselves into the very thing this system wants them to be Babylonian!! We are finding more and more Gothic dress, Pagan symbols Tattooed on people, sexual lasciviousness, bestiality, homosexuality, lesbianism, and Pagan beliefs amongst our young generation. In closing, it is overwhelming evidence that helps us make an overall decision based upon the appearance of circumstances provided. In my intense research, it is clear to see that there is a connection tied to communism through subtle deception. If it walks like a duck, and talks like a duck, and smells like a duck, then its a duck. Many would deny these factual characteristics, but the Bible is very plain when it says: 1 Thess 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil. KJV It is very apparent in society today that the attitude toward socialism & communism is rather lax. Many Government officials and lobbyists are pushing hard to reform many laws & regulations. Socialized medicine is well on the way. Many are always crying out about the rich, and that it should be equalized. Our former president, Bill Clinton, is a prime example of a major politician leaning heavily toward communism with his ties to China. As time progresses, we will see more blatant and open displays of an alternative agenda. With homosexuality & lesbianism prancing on our streets without regard of God, the rest is soon to follow. Control in our society by a Socialist & Communist mindset is here. This will finish up this chapter on toys & characters. I could go on, as there are many other characters that

190

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

revolve around witchcraft, Paganism, mysticism, etc. I will list a few that come to my mind at the very end. My challenge to the reader is to search deep into all things to see if there is a hidden agenda. Most likely, youll find something that is contrary to the Word of God.

191

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

192

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

Here is a list of other Toys & Characters to beware of: 1. Lion King 2. Beauty and the Beast 3. Indian in the Cupboard 4. Power Rangers 5. Teenage mutant ninja turtles 6. Transformers 7. Blues Clues 8. All the Disney Characters 9. Barney 10. Troll dolls 11. Free willy 12. Jungle book 13. Peter Pan 14. Aladdin 15. Pokemon 16. Hook 17. Thumbelina 18. Casper 19. Scooby Doo 20. ??????????????

193

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church Bibliography

Mythical and Fabulous Creatures: A Source Book and Research Guide. ed. Malcolm South, Greenwood Press, USA, 1987 - chapter 9, pages 133 - 145, titled MERMAIDS and written by Ruth Berman. Full of good information and most importantly gives a lengthy bibliography of sources used. Folklore and the Sea. Horace Beck, Wesleyan University Press, Connecticut, 1973 on pages 6 and 7 can be found an interesting anecdote of a mermaid and a shipwright. Chapter 9, pages 227 - 253, titled MERMAIDS gives more of an insight into mermaids and the relationship between sailors and fishermen, and the stories told about them. Oxford Companion to Children's Literature. Humphrey Carpenter & Mari Prichard, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 1984 - as seen in this book, it gives a summary of Hans Andersen's The Little Mermaid and also gives references to other fairytale about mermaids, for example Undine, and they in turn give references to even more. A Dictionary of Fabulous Beasts. Richard Barber and Anne Riches, with illustrations by Rosalind Dease, Macmillan, Londan, 1971 - information can be found under entries such as Melusine, Mermaids, Merrymaids on pages 102 - 104, Nymphs on page 111, Sirens on pages 135 - 6 and Tritons on page 144. This book is in the old tradition of the Medieval Bestaries and the accompanying illustrations help to understand the old categorizing of mythological creatures. Fisher Folklore. Peter F. Anson, The Faith Press, London, 1965 - not only does this compact little book give the beliefs of fishing villages and individuals such as the 'King of the Auxcriniers' on pages 108 - 9. From pages 121 - 8 there are reported sightings of merfolk that is fantastic to read. Out of this World: the Complete Book of Fantasy. Michael Page & Robert Ingpen, Landsdowne Press, Sydney, 1986 - a lighthearted book that is easy and enjoyable to read. It also has some lovely pictures. See especially the entry on mermaids - men on pages 199 200; the entry on Sirens on page 211; the entry on Tritons on page 212; and finally the entry on Nereids & Nixies on pages 202 - 203.

194

New Life Tabernacle

Formerly the Davie Apostolic Church

An Introduction to Viking Mythology. John Grant, New Burlington Books, London, 1990 - a great book for those that are just starting on their quest for knowledge of Norse mythology. It is easy to use and has great images and photographs. The History of Ships. Peter Kemp, Orbis Publications, London, 1978 -

195

You might also like