Solstice

Dan Baker is the Co-President of the Wisconsin based Freedom From Religion Foundation which has been responsible for the placement of the Winter Solstice sign at the Washington State Capital that in part reads...

"May reason prevail...

There are no gods,
no devils or angels,
no heaven and hell.

There is only our natural world.
Religion is but myth and superstition
that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."

What makes this presentation so attention grabbing is that it has been placed directly next to the Nativity Scene that recognizes and celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. To Dan, its an 'equal rights' type of thing. According to his 'reason', there are so many religions, (all of them harmful and ignorant) that there must be a place for agnostics and atheists to make expression of their disbelief. What better time than Christmas and what better place than directly alongside the Nativity Scene? A stroke of genuis for sure by those pledged to secularism!

Marketing unbelief in a season devoted to those whose faith is in Christ as Messiah is pretty much an 'in your face' tactic. Secularists, like many religionists can be people of indescribable charm.

Dan is right on some counts, and Christians need to be on full alert.

It is true that December 21 or 22 is when the Winter Solstice normally occurs over the Northern Hemisphere. This is the result of the 23.5 degree tilt of the earth spinning upon its axis toward the plane of its rotation, (all the while making its rotation about the sun). Because of all these agreeing and delicately balanced factors, (this is where you have to debunk your faith and trust in the logic of reason), our Hemisphere receives less direct sunlight which creates winter as well as the shortest day and the longest night of the year.

Our present day Christmas focus of December 25 came from the Roman holiday known as Saturnalia. This holiday celebrated the birthday of the unconquered sun, (Saturn) and began each December around the 19th of the month. Seven days of unrestrained revelry ensued. Many of the Christmas traditions we celebrate today have their origins in these quite pagan customs, (aren't you glad I waited until Christmas came and went before I spoiled it for you?). Feasting, parades, gift giving, special music, candlelighting, green trees and other traditions originated with the 'Saturnalia Solstice' so to speak. As Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, Emperor Constantine declared Christ's birthday an official Roman holiday, December 25th being the date of choice.

Christians kind of 'baptized' Saturnalia in an attempt to trump the season with Christ rather than align with pagan practice and custom. Many Christians at the time of Constantine to this present day have refused to honor December 25th as 'Christmas' as the designated birthday of Jesus because of the history of 'Christmas'.

"The chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus..." Luke 22:2

Dr. Dan is smart enough to know that he is not the first one to come along and feel the threat of a coming Messiah. Even the ancient King Herod did all that he could to eradicate the possibility that there was truly a God worthy of worship that was not himself. That is why he had so many innocents slaughtered in the regions of Ramah (Matthew 2:18) seeking to depose a King who had yet to be discovered and receieved.

Christians do not need Christmas to celebrate the Advent of Christ as Messiah, King and Savior. It is nice, but not necessary. Christians do not need to be daunted by the Equal Rights advocates that trash Christmas and every good, worthy, and spiritual focus that leads all to recognize and reflect upon God's gift to the world through His Son, Jesus the Christ. Like many others, I am offended that people of no faith have a need to use the season of faith to market their agenda of Christ rejection. Yet, this affords opportunity to open the message of Christmas more fully in Washington State and beyond as well as days and months after the holiday has been celebrated.

Your life in Christ is the full time announcement on a daily basis that He is Who He says He is, a Grace Giving Savior and a Life Changing Lord. That is a truth that just confounds logic!