From: herbertwarmstrong@cog-web-svc.com   
      
   Yes, and Even Santa Claus!   
      
   But surely dear old Santa Claus is not a creature of pagan birth? But he   
   is, and his real character is not so benevolent and holy as many suppose!   
      
   The name "Santa Claus" is a corruption of the name "St. Nicholas," a   
   Roman Catholic bishop who lived in the 5th century. Look in the   
   Encyclopaedia Britannica, volume 19,12 pages 648-649, 11th edition,   
   where you'll read: "St. Nicholas, bishop of Myra, a saint honored by the   
   Greeks and Latins on the 6th of December....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. 6],   
   subsequently transferred to Christmas day. Hence the association of   
   Christmas with Santa Claus...."   
      
   Through the year, parents punish their children for telling falsehoods.   
   Then, at Christmas time, they themselves tell their little children this   
   "Santa Claus" lie! Is it any wonder many of them, when they grow up and   
   learn the truth, begin to believe God is a myth, too?   
      
   One little fellow, sadly disillusioned about "Santa Claus," said to a   
   playmate, "Yes, and I'm going to look into this 'Jesus Christ' business,   
   too!" Is it Christian to teach children myths and falsehoods? God says,   
   "Thou shalt not bear false witness!" It may seem, right, and be   
   justified by human reason, but God says, "There is a way that seemeth   
   right to a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death!" "Old Nick"   
   also is a term for the devil! there a connection? Satan appears as an   
   "angel of light," to deceive! (II Cor. 11:14; Rev. 12:9.)   
      
   And so when we examine the facts, we are astonished to learn that the   
   practice of observing Christmas is not, after all, a true Christian   
   practice, but a pagan custom--one of the ways of Babylon our people have   
   fallen into!   
      
      
   Title: The Plain Truth About Christmas   
   Author: Herbert W Armstrong   
   Date: 1952, 1972, 1974   
   Type: Booklet   
   Type Media: PDF   
      
   https://cog-hwa.org/pub/bb/xmas.pdf   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)