John Lindsay Barltrop

Sorry you feel that way Ann, but, that's OK...........it is only what was quoted in the Watchtower.........also quoted in 1964 Watchtower, pages 347, 348 and we sometimes mentioned some of those points in field service in the early seventies???

Origin of Christmas and Its Spirit THE Christmas spirit is not Christian, because it did not originate with Christ. It predated the Christian era by many centuries. Shortly after the Flood the spirit and the whole celebration of Christmas had its beginning. It began with Nimrod, grandson of Ham the son of Noah, a wicked, ruthless dictator, responsible for the great organized worldly apostasy from God that continues to this day. In contempt for God and all decency Nimrod married his own mother, Semiramis. After his untimely death, his mother-wife, Semiramis, taught the lie that her husband-son was a spirit god. She claimed a full-grown evergreen tree sprang overnight from a dead tree stump, which symbolized the springing forth to new life of the dead Nimrod. (i.e. christmas tree......my comment) She taught that on the anniversary of his birth, which was December 25, Nimrod would visit the evergreen tree and leave gifts upon it. The historian, Professor Hislop, says: “Now the Yule Log is the dead stock of Nimrod, deified as the sun-god, but cut down by his enemies; the Christmas-tree is Nimrod redivivus—the slain god come to life again.”—The Two Babylons, pages 97, 98. This is the beginning of Christmas with its spirit. This is also the origin of the yule log, the Christmas tree, the celebrating of birthdays, the spirit of exchanging gifts, the spirit of feasting and merrymaking, visits and salutations, jocularity, revelry and drunkenness. All of this is an outgrowth of the first lie, nurtured by the spirit of Satan the Devil, who told it. In Eden to Eve he said: “You positively will not die. For God knows that in the very day of your eating from it your eyes are bound to be opened and you are bound to be like God, knowing good and bad.” Like Eve, Semiramis believed Satan’s lie and proclaimed Nimrod as a spirit god. With this proclamation a wild celebration began on his birthday that has stuck down through the centuries to our day. In the Western world it is called Christmas.—Gen. 3:4, 5, NW. Nimrod became worshiped as the “divine son of heaven,” “the Messiah, son of Baal the sun-god.” Devil-worshiping pagans believed that life and immortality proceeded from Nimrod, and so they worshiped the never-dying sun in the heavens as the personification and representation of Nimrod’s “divinity.” Mother and child, Semiramis and Nimrod, became chief objects of worship. The pagan world idolized this combination. In Egypt they were worshiped as Isis and Osiris, in Asia as Cybele and Doius, in pagan Rome as Fortuna and Jupiter-puer. Even in China, Japan, Tibet and in other non-Christian lands is to be found the counterpart of the Madonna, held sacred in Christendom. Pagans adored these symbols long before the birth of Christ, yet Christendom hails these as Christian and adoringly speaks of them as “the beautiful spirit of Christmas.” Jehovah God, on the other hand, commanded his people Israel: “Learn not the way of the heathen, . . . For the customs of the people are vain.” “You must not bow down to their gods or be induced to serve them, and you must not make anything like their works, but you will without fail throw them down and you will without fail break down their sacred pillars.” “You must not serve their gods, because that will be a snare to you.” Jehovah’s declaration against pagan gods has not changed, nor has his attitude toward pagan worship, because, says he: “For I, Jehovah, change not.”—Jer. 10:1-3; Ex. 23:24; Deut. 7:16, NW; Mal. 3:6, AS. The Bible studiously avoids the recording of the date of anyone’s birthday, nor is there any record of birthday celebrations by Jehovah’s servants, either before or after Christ. The conspicuous silence of the Bible regarding birthdays is powerful testimony that the same were not kept, that they were frowned upon as pagan. Origen of Alexandria (A.D. 185-254) wisely discerned: “In the Scriptures sinners alone, not saints, celebrate their birthday.” The only birthday celebrations mentioned in the Bible are that of Pharaoh, when a man was hung, and that of the adulterous King Herod, whose step-daughter Salome danced to make the celebration “merry,” yes, merry by having the head of John the Baptist chopped off. FROM PAGAN SATURNALIA TO “CHRISTIAN” CHRISTMAS How, then, did these pagan customs become a part of the greatest “Christian” holiday, Christmas? That first-century Christians did not celebrate Christmas is borne out by early “Christian” writers. The Catholic Encyclopedia makes the following admission: “Christmas was not among the earliest festivals of the Church. Irenaeus and Tertullian omit it from their list of feasts.” When apostate Christians began to fall away to pagan practices, Tertullian complained: “By us, who are strangers to Sabbaths, and new moons and festivals, once acceptable to God, the Saturnalia [and other pagan feasts] are now frequented, gifts are carried to and fro, . . . and sports and banquets are celebrated with uproar.”—Gal. 4:10, 11; Col. 2:8. For more info on this see 1954 Watchtower page 741

I agree with the Joan......Argentina..........because the actual town of the atrocity is given as Pozo del Molle, which is near the city of Cordoba, in the province of Cordoba, which is in Argentina.

I enjoyed listening to this Public Talk............although we are familiar with Bible prophecy concerning the Day of Jehovah, especially if we have been in the truth for many years, it is always good go back over scriptural truths and bring them back to mind..........this is always useful to enhance our ministry and the preaching of the good news.

Looks a little chilly there by the way they are rugged up...........shows we are not just preachers of the good news in fine weather conditions..........we are all weather Christians. We have summer coming up "down under" (Adelaide, South Australia) and no doubt we will see a few 400C+ coming up........that is not nice weather to be out in!!!

The photograph reminded of this one of the Lone Cypress on the Monterey Peninsular in California.

Yes Queen Esther, as you said very, very rare in this system , BUT, common place in Jehovah's new order when man and the animal creation will be at peace with one another..........that will certainly be something to behold.

Looks so impressive, I would love to visit, but cannot see it happening in this system of things..........definitely* in the new order. *(If it is Jehovah's will for it to still be standing)

93 years "young"

I will try and remember this photograph when it gets to a shivering 9 or 10 degrees C in Adelaide, South Australia????

Although this video highlights younger ones, it certainly contains an imprtant message for us who maybe older.

I guess that is why they it is called false religion.........they would not know the truth if they tripped and fell over it.........as God's word says, Satan has blinded the minds of the unbelievers (that's why they tripped over????)

I thought the comments in paragraph 6, Chapter 4 of God's Kingdom Rules were appropriate in the Congregation Bible Study this week. The end of paragraph 5 said that "Jehovah will sanctify his name before all creation," then in paragraph 6 it says that we cannot make God's name more sacred, as it is already sacred in the absolute sense and we can assist by regarding his name as separate from, and higher than any other name.......and show our reverence when we recognise Jehovah as our ruler and obey him with all our heart.

Another fine example of the professionalism of the Brothers............it is certainly evident in everything that they do.

The association of the Moon with both oceanic and crustal tides has led to claims that the supermoon phenomenon may be associated with increased risk of events such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, but the evidence of such a link is widely held to be unconvincing. There was a reasonably large earthquake in New Zealand as most will have no doubt heard about.......coincidence???? Probably.

The universe is a closed system ? I not believe to that, bec. its always going bigger and bigger A physical system that does not interact with other systems. A closed system obeys the conservation laws in its physical description. Also called isolated system.

Just a little extra on my previous............if you are scientifically minded (not rocket science) - the first law of thermodynamics, also known as the law of conservation of energy basically says that energy can neither be created nor destroyed in a closed system..........the universe is a closed system. The question is where did the energy come from in the first place to create the universe? Answer: Isaiah 40:26.........Jehovah God a vast source of dynamic energy

This video reminded of this scripture, which I like to use in discussions with evolutionist as to the origin of the universe: (Isaiah 40:25, 26) 25 “To whom can you liken me to make me his equal?” says the Holy One. 26 “Lift up your eyes to heaven and see. Who has created these things? It is the One who brings out their army by number; He calls them all by name. Because of his vast dynamic energy and his awe-inspiring power, Not one of them is missing. Then use this scripture in Psalms as to where Jehovah originated: (Psalm 90:1, 2) O Jehovah, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. 2 Before the mountains were born Or you brought forth the earth and the productive land, From everlasting to everlasting, you are God. You can then ask from where and from what did evolution originate? (Revelation 4:11 “You are worthy, Jehovah our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they came into existence and were created.”)........also good to keep in mind.

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I think she looks a little grumpy...........I always thought that serving god made you happy.........maybe she will come to know the true God in the not too distant future, then she could have a kingdom smile!

Wow! I think I could handle it there.........fancy having to put up with that scenery every day?????

I like it. After all isn't our purpose to preach the Good News to all those who wish to hear.........this is something we need to clearly explain when offering a Bible study to an interested person.

Yes!...................little do they know.

After looking at this photograph, I ask the question...........are eyesight problems a real concern among the inhabitants of Ecuador?? Pardon my ignorance, but, it just strikes me as rather unusual to see the photograph of six Sisters all wearing glasses.