When was Jesus Really Born ?

World Mythology

Long time Ago Bethlehem,

So the holy bible said,

Mary’s Boy Child Jesus Christ,

Was Born on Christmas Day,

Hark Now hear the Angels Sing

A king was born today

Mary’s Boy Child Jesus Christ

Was Born on Christmas Day

The Holy Bible did Say that “Mary’s boy child was born but he was not born on Christmas Day. There was nothing Like Christmas till 4th century. Then when was Christ Actually born? What does the bible say about the story of Jesus birth?

What the Bible and Gospels have to say?

The exact date of Jesus’ birth is unknown, as the Bible does not give specifics as to the dates of either His birth or conception. However, his crucifixion date that is celebrated as Easter is mentioned in the bible. In the ‘New Testament’ (1 Corinthians 5:7–8: “Our paschal lamb, Christ, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us celebrate the festival…”). Each of the Four Gospels provides detailed information about Jesus disappearance. According to ‘John’, Jesus is crucified just as the Passover lambs are being sacrificed. This would have occurred on the 14th of the Hebrew month of Nisan, just before the Jewish holiday began at sundown. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, however, the Last Supper is held after sundown, at the beginning of the 15th. Jesus is crucified the next morning. Details of Easter is very much mentioned in the Bible.

However, with regards to the birth of Jesus, only early writings of ‘Mathew’ and ‘Luke’ illustrate accounts of his birth but provide no hint of day, date or time. In the gospels such as ‘Infancy Gospel of Thomas ‘ and ‘Proto-Gospel of James’ also there is no specific mention of day, date or time. The only difference occurring is that in the ‘Gospel Of James’ is Jesus is born in a cave while according to ‘Luke’ of the New Testament Jesus was born in a manger. Apart from the Birth details, all the pastimes of Jesus are mentioned in great details in the gospels. So we can say that at least with evidence from the bible and gospels the time, date and day are mot mentioned. But still, we will try to investigate a bit more.

Jesus was not born at Midnight

We are not even sure that Jesus was born during the day or at Midnight. ‘Luke 2.8’ says that a few shepherds were watching their flock by the night and they heard that Jesus was born. This may also indicate that Jesus might have been born at dawn or the news that reached the shepherds had reached at night as according to the verse Jesus had already been born. If we take a look at ‘chapter 18 -20’ of the ‘Gospel of James’ then according to the gospel it is said that Joseph saw everything frozen, he saw grazing sheep’s frozen, birds frozen, river, goats everything stood still while Mary was resting in a cave. Joseph ran down the hill and found a midwife and asked her to help Mary. When the midwife came to the cave dark clouds surrounded the cave. This indicates that the time according to the events was before sundown at least. As with sundown one loses the visibility of events in such great details. And when we refer to Luke then comparing the two we can make out that Jesus must have born during the time period of sundown or late afternoon. But one thing is sure that it is not Midnight.

The Two Christmas Days or Two birth dates of Jesus

There is great uncertainty but by the fourth century we find references to two dates that is 25th December in the Western Roman Empire that is during the pagan festival of ‘Saturnalia’ or ‘Winter Solstice’. And January 6th is celebrated as the birth of Jesus in the eastern region that is Egypt and certain parts of Asia. I would talk about the 25th December date a little later but let us look at the January 6th date first.

January 6th Christmas.

‘Epiphany’ also known as ‘Three Kings’ Day’ is a Christian feast day that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ popularly in the east. Whereas in Western Christianity, the feast commemorates principally the visit of the Magi to the Infant Christ. Thus Jesus’ physical manifestation to the Gentiles. The observance had its origins in the Eastern Christian Churches and was a general celebration of Incarnation of Jesus Christ. It included the commemoration of his birth; the visit of the Magi, all of Jesus’ childhood events, up to and including his baptism in the Jordan by ‘John the Baptist’; and even the miracle at the wedding at Cana in Galilee. The earliest reference to Epiphany as a Christian feast was in A.D. 361, by Ammianus Marcellinus St. ‘Epiphanius’ says that January 6 is’ Hemera Genethlion Toutestin Epiphanion’ (Christ’s “Birthday; i.e. His Epiphany”). He also asserts that the Miracle at Cana occurred on the same calendar day. The modern Armenian church continues to celebrate Christmas on January 6; for most Christians. However, December 25 would prevail, The period between became Christmas and Epiphany was later known as the 12 days of Christmas.

Why 25th December?

25th December has its roots in connection to Preaching and spread of Christianity. The most popular theory for December 25th being the date is that it was borrowed from the ‘pagan calendar’. When Romans had their winter festival of ‘Saturnalia’, and December 25th was established as the feast of the birth of ‘Sol Invisctus’ the Roman Sun God by Roman emperor ‘Aurelian’. {To know what is Saturnalia and Sol Invisctus you can read my article “The Original Christmas” on my Blog}.

Early Christians deliberately chose these dates to encourage the spread of Christmas and Christianity throughout the Roman world. If Christmas looked like a pagan holiday then more pagans would be open to both the holiday and the God whose birth it celebrated. Therefore such a decision would be of great aid to preach and convert Pagans to Christianity.

One manuscript writings of the Syriac Biblical Scholar ‘Dionysius bar-Salibi’ of the 12th century states that in ancient times the Christmas holiday was actually shifted from January 6 to December 25 so that it fell on the same date as the pagan ‘Sol Invisctus’ holiday. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Bible scholars also claimed that because the early Christians didn’t know when Jesus was born, they simply assimilated the pagan solstice festival for their own purposes, claiming it to be the Birthday of Jesus.

Also, a lot of Christmas rituals such as feasts, Christmas trees, gifts, and many such seem to be adopted from the pagan rituals. The Christmas tree, for example, has been linked with late medieval Druidic practices. This has only encouraged modern audiences to assume that the date, too, must be pagan.

Is January 6th Real Christmas Day.

Not too sure as there is no proper reference but the first dating reference that we find is for January 6th, the earliest reference of January 6th is dated 361 AD, that is just 300 years after Christ. As compared to December 25th. So we can consider giving January 6th preference.

Concluding the argument over Birth-Dates of Jesus, the Birth-Dates still remains unknown and uncertain whether it is December 25th or January 6th. Jesus being the son of the supreme God He will always be unborn and eternal and will shower his mercy and love to all of us eternally. Amen

The Original Christmas

World Mythology

Merry Christmas, Christmas is Here, The festival of Christmas trees, Sweets and Santa clause, family feasting and how can we forget Christmas gifts? Christmas is a popular Winter holiday celebrated by large numbers of people all around the world. On this day people have a family get-together, sing Christmas Carols, exchange gifts and children hang stockings and wait for Santa Clause to arrive with their gifts.

But ever wondered What was really a Christmas Holiday? When did really Christmas begin? is Christmas originally Christmas? However, the Bible does not mention the celebration of Christmas unlike the celebration of Passover. Then what is the Mystery of its origin?

The Real Christmas Holiday.

Christmas, A winter holiday was actually a Roman Pagan Holiday that was called Saturnalia which was a week-long fest starting December 17 till December 25 in honor of the Roman God Saturn. The holiday was celebrated with a sacrifice at the Temple of Saturn, followed by a public banquet, private gift-giving and continual partying in a carnival-like atmosphere. That overturned Roman social norms where gambling was permitted, and masters provided table service for their slaves. This day Masters and slaves were on equal status. The slaves enjoyed the utmost freedom from slavery. The poet Catullus called it “the best of days”.

Who is Saturn?

Saturn was a Roman agricultural deity who reigned over the world during the Golden age. He was also said to be a Greek equivalent of Cronus. Cronus was a Greek Titan God that overthrew his father Uranus and ruled the world.

How Cronus became Saturn?

There is a story of how Cronus became Saturn. Cronus married Rhea and their offspring were the first Olympians. just to make sure that Cronus was safe He started to eat his own offspring and Rhea was really saddened by the loss of her children. When Zeus was born to Rhea, she tricked Cronus to swallow a rock instead of Zeus. years later when Zeus grew up he revolted and battled his father and titans and banished them to the underworld. Cronus managed to escape to Italy and ruled as a Roman God Saturn during the golden age.

What is Saturnalia?

Not much is known about the festival of Saturnalia in the ancient sources, however certain Roman literature gives a brief understanding of the festival and its customs. Latin Writer Macrobius coined the word Saturnalia in his dramatic multi-volume work. which was then used as a name for the festival. In his interpretation of the festival, Saturnalia is a festival of light leading to the winter solstice, with the abundant presence of candles symbolizing the quest for knowledge and truth.

How Kronia became Saturnalia.

Most of the Practices and Rituals of Saturnalia were adopted from the Greek festival Kronia which was celebrated in Honor of Cronus when he was ruling the world. Kronia was celebrated as a harvest festival and a festival of freedom as well where masters and slaves dined together and played games such as dice, board games, etc. It was this time when slaves were released from their duties and were allowed to participate in the festivities alongside the slave owners. Slaves could do anything run around the city, have riots, shout, make noise and live free of restrictions. Kronia then evolved to the festival of Saturnalia just as the Greek god evolved to the Roman.

Practices and rituals in celebration of Saturnalia.

The statue of Saturn at his main temple had its feet bound in wool, which was removed for the holiday as an act of liberation. The sacrifice was then officiated by a priest with his head covered by a special fold of the toga. Following the sacrifice, the Roman Senate arranged a meal that was offered to the god Saturn. The days were supposed to be a holiday from all forms of work, including Schools, the city administration, and also law enforcement.

It was celebrated as a festival of complete freedom. After the public rituals, observances continued at home. On 18 and 19 December, which were also holidays from public business, families conducted domestic rituals. They bathed early, and those with means sacrificed a newly born piglet, as a traditional offering to the earth deity.

The Head of slaves had the responsibility to sacrifice to the god and also to make all the arrangements. when everything was arranged according to annual customs they would then summon the masters to the dinner table and dine with them. Saturnalia also permitted slaves to disrespect their masters without the threat of punishment. Slaves were treated to a banquet of the kind usually enjoyed by their masters. This festival embarked on equality among Men, Women, and Slaves. Gambling and dice playing were otherwise prohibited but were allowed during the festival and even slaves could part take. Coins and Nuts became the stake for the Gamble.

Time for Gifts.Then on 19th December, the Gift-giving Day Sigillaria was celebrated. gifts such as pottery, wax figurines called Sigillaria, candles, or joke gifts were made especially for this day and were exchanged as part of celebrations. Children were gifted toys. Also, there are mentions in poems about Saturnalia about gifts such as writing tablets, dice, moneyboxes, combs, hat, hunting knives, crockery, perfumes, animals, slaves, clothing, and many more. The gifts Whether exotic or not, they were a token of love and friendship the individuals had. along with gifts, verses accompanied them as an expression of feelings and thoughts.

New year celebration in Ancient Rome

The renewal of light and the coming of the new year was celebrated in the later Roman Empire at the Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, the “Birthday of the Unconquerable Sun”, on 23 December. Sol Invictus was the sun god of Romans. However, was Sol Invictus really the foundation of the ancient Roman soar deity sol is debatable. But in 274 AD the Roman emperor Aurelian made it an official cult alongside the traditional Roman cults. and Sol Invictus was worshiped as the sun god.

Saturnalia and Sol Invictus connection.

According to Porphyry a Modern Platonic Philosopher, the Saturnalia occurred near the winter solstice because the sun enters Capricorn, the astrological house of Saturn, at that time. In the Saturnalia of Macrobius, the proximity of the Saturnalia to the winter solstice leads to an exposition of solar monotheism, the belief that the Sun ultimately encompasses all divinities as one. Therefore Saturnalia became a prominent winter holiday.

The popularity of Saturnalia continued into the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, and as the Roman Empire came under Christian rule, many of its customs were recast into or at least influenced the seasonal celebrations surrounding Christmas and the New Year.

All the rituals of Saturnalia were transformed into Christmas when Europe came under the rule of Christianity and it was called Christmas. Christmas became a notable holiday during the renaissance period and the American revolution. It was during the 1800s when America started observing Christmas as a popular holiday. Christmas and the Birth of Jesus are two different aspects. Jesus was not born on Christmas Eve but it is celebrated as such. The Bible gives no written evidence of the birth of Jesus nor does any gospel. Then what does the bible say about the birth of Jesus? How did Christmas day become the birthday of Jesus ?. This will be answered in my next article on Christmas.

Who really is the Dark Age Kali ?

Indian Mythology

The Dark Age of Misery, The Age that we are living in is called the Age of Kali. (Not to be confused with goddess Kali). In this age, there is no Dharma (Righteousness) and we are spiritually degraded heavily. It is believed that human civilization degenerates spiritually during the Kali Yuga, which is referred to as the Dark Age because in it people are as far away as possible from God.

In the Sat Yuga, everything was free from deceit, slyness, and greed; and morality was like a bull, with all four legs complete. In the Treta Yuga sin took away one of these legs and morality had three legs. In the Dwapara Yuga, sin and morality got mixed up and morality was left standing on two legs only. In the Dark Age of Kali Yuga, Sin overpowered Morality, and the left is hanging on one leg which is said to collapse soon and Sin will be at its Peak in Kali Yuga. The Age of Kali started when Lord Krishna left this planet for his abode. In this age, the evil force will proclaim the weak and the weak will just be tormented more and more.

Mahabharat’s Vana Parva, Section CLXXXIX says that in Kali Yuga there will be no morality, each one will be deceitful, cows will be extinct, Brahmins will stop doing fire sacrifices, the land will eventually become non-cultivable, and many more terrible mishaps are revealed in there.

Ever thought who is this Kali? How was He born? Why is He so Evil?

The Birth of Kali

All sages were gathered at the Naimisharanya forest and they all wanted to know of Kali’s birth they asked Suta to enlighten them to which Suta said.

After the annihilation of the universe, Lord Brahma, from the Dirt (Maleen) accumulated from his back a son was born, having a black complexion. This son was named Adharma (Irreligion). This Adharma married a beautiful cat-eyed lady named Mithya (Falsehood) and they begot a son named Dambh (Pride) who was always very angry and energetic and a daughter named Maya (Illusion). Dambh went into his sister Maya and begot a son named Lobha (Greed), and a daughter named Nikrti (Cunningness). Lobha also went into his sister Nikrti and they begot a son named Krodha (Anger) and a daughter Himsa (Envy). Again Himsa and Krodha performed incest and got a son Kali. Thus Kali was born. Kali is always seen to be holding his genitals in his left hand. His complexion is pitch black. Kali’s abdomen is like that of a crow, his face is frightening to behold, and his tongue is red and appears to be full of greed. His appearance is very fearful and a bad smell emanates from his body.

Kali is very fond of playing chess (gambling), drinking wine (intoxication), enjoying the company of prostitutes (illicit sex), and associating with gold merchants (greed). Further, Kali’s sister was Durukti (Harsh Speech). From Durutti’s womb, Kali begot a son named Bhay, (Fear), and a daughter named, Mrtyu (Death). Bhaya begot a son named Niraya (Hell) from the womb of Mrtyu and Niraya begot ten thousand sons in the womb of his sister, Yatana (Excessive Pain). All these relatives of Kali were the destroyers of sacrifice, the study of the Vedas, and charity because they transgressed all the Vedic principles of religion. They were reservoirs of mental distress, disease, old age, destruction of religious principles, sorrow, lamentation, and fear. Such is the Monstrous evil Kali and his clutches.

Let us try to Analyze the birth of Kali as according to Human traits, the first thing born is Irreligion, when we remove religion from a person’s life we are removing faith, belief, and fear of a higher power which when removed takes away disciple, etiquette and many things. Now let us mix this irreligion with Falsehood, the person at once becomes fake, unfaithful, and also untrustworthy and that leads the person to his own world of Pride and Illusion. Such a person starts to think that he is really on a higher platform and starts to quench for power, by becoming a leader, Godman, or being the center of attraction in any way. Improper leaders make misguided improper followers. People who gain positions of leading society automatically get so attracted to a sense of gratification that they become blinded with Pride and Illusion making them crave more power, followers, and the ability to fulfill their desire. With every desire getting fulfilled emerges more and more leading to Greed and with Greed to stay in power and in position comes strange ideas, Cunningness.

When Cunning ideas grow with greed and at times if things are not going your way or if you fail in something then such a situation will lead to Anger and if someone else is getting the success then Envy is sure, that Envy can drive a sane man Insane and all intelligence, choosing what is right or wrong vanishes, and then that every person becomes a personification of Kali. A monster that is on a Rampage to bring the world under him by all means.

Don’t we see cases of a Child killing parents for money or, property? Don’t we see cases when a father rapes his daughter or sells off his daughter for some money just to buy his drinks? We see friends getting violent, mortals claiming to be God, no helping hand during an emergency; Doctors focused on minting money without caring for humanity.

All this is nothing but a Personification of Kali and the goal is to satisfy the senses and enjoy gambling, spend lavishly on intoxication and also indulge in illicit sex. To talk of Kali’s progeny Fear and Death, it is Fear that does not let us take a stand and Death is the ultimate suffering but for a pious person death is happiness, and with Death and sin comes Hell and in Hell, there is Extreme Punishment for the sins The idea of Kali is not just Literary but it is Practical and we can experience in our day to day life.

To save ourselves from Kali we need to first eliminate the root cause of the birth of Kali that is Adharam (Irreligion) we need to Serve the Supreme Personality Of Godhead and by his Mercy, we will be freed from the evil clutches of Kali. And serving God will take away our sins which will free us from any misery of this material world.

December 2016