We are approaching the time of the year, where Christians around the World celebrate the supposed birth

of Jesus Christ (peace be upon him), which is December 25th. uestion arises!" #is there any e$idence from the %ible for the assumed date, 25th December&' (he )ospel of *u+e relates the time, the birth of Jesus Christ!

*u+e 2!, -.nd there were shepherds li$ing out in the fields nearby, +eeping watch o$er their floc+s at night./ .n angel of the *ord appeared to them, and the glory of the *ord shone around them, and they were terrified. 01 %ut the angel said to them, -Do not be afraid. 2 bring you good news that will cause great 3oy for all the people. 00 (oday in the town of Da$id a 4a$ior has been born to you5 he is the 6essiah,the *ord. 02 (his will be a sign to you! 7ou will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.8

9otice, the shepherds were abiding out"door in the field. (hey had their floc+s in the field at night. (he imagery of the shepherds li$ing out in the fields', in the open field at night, and it is the coldest part of the day, and the coldest season of the year is absurd for some Christians to say that #Jesus was born in December'. 9o shepherd would be outside at that time of the year, sitting outside in the field watching their floc+s. Common wisdom suggests that Jesus Christ was born in spring and possibly summer time the latest, but not winter time. (he e$idence presented from the )ospel of *u+e thus shows that Jesus could not ha$e been born in December.

C. *. Chapman in his boo+ #:ightly Di$iding the Word of (ruth' writes!

-(he 2dea of shepherds being in the field in the middle of winter is outrageous. (he birth of Jesus had to be in the spring, summer or, most probably, the fall.8;0<

=olman Christian 4tandard %ible #=armony of the )ospels' also comments!

-(he closest thing to biblical e$idence is the reference to the shepherds watching o$er their floc+s at night in the open fields (*+ 2!,). (his would indicate a night"time birth (hence our Christmas >$e traditions). 2t would also

seem to indicate a birth between 6arch and 9o$ember, since the sheep were usually +ept in folds rather than in pen fields during the winter months, ma+ing our December date of the obser$ance suspect.8;2<

2t is commonly +nown among Christian clergy that 25th December was chosen by the Church to adopt and absorb pagan festi$als. 4o whose %irthday are Christians really celebrating on the 25th December& (he answer, they are celebrating the pagan god 6ithras. (he ?ersian god 6ithras's birthday had always been celebrated on 25th December.

>piscopal Deacon @ic+i A. %lac+ says!

-B.Christians in the fourth century decided to adopt December 25 as their feast of Jesus birth. (his was the day that the :omans celebrated the birthday of the #unconCuerable sun,' a festi$al in honor of the sun"god 6ithra, a deity of ?ersian origin. (he festi$al was lin+ed to the winter solstice and was a day mar+ed by 3oyful celebration and great splendour in :ome, ma+ing it a fitting date for Christians to celebrate the birth of their own #unconCuerable 4on.' 4o from the $ery beginning Christians has shared it day with celebrations from other religions.8 ;D<

:e$erend 4cotty 6c*ennan also admits that the birthday of the god 6ithra was celebrated on the 25th December!

-2n the ancient :oman world, December 25 was celebrated as the birthday of the god 6ithra, who was identified with the sun and called the sun of righteousness. .long with his December 25 birthday date, the title #sun of :ighteousness' was subseCuently transferred from 6ithra to Jesus and is preser$ed that way in the third $erse of the Christmas carol #=ar+ the =erald .ngels sing.'8 ;E<

2n the boo+ #.n 2ntroduction to the %ible' written %y :obert Augler and ?atric+ J. =artin say that #December 25 the was ta+en o$er by Christians to celebrate the birth of )od's son', in reality as they will eFplain, it was copied from the pagans!

-(he mysteries of 6ithras originated in ?ersia, and the cult was $ery popular among :oman soldiers. 2n the Drd Century C.>. it became the state religion of :ome. Women were eFcluded from participation. 2nformation about this cult is gleaned from car$ings found in ca$es (called 6ithraeum) where rituals too+ place. 6ithras was worshipped as the sun"god, who was born on December 25 (the winter solstice) and was $isited by shepherds. *ater sacrificed a bull (the Godiac sign of (aurus), and from this bull's blood came new life. 2nitiates had to go through se$en stages of initiation, each under the protection of a planetary god. (hese se$en stages were a preparation for the e$entual sal$ation that the initiate would eFperience at death when the soul mo$ed through se$en planetary stages to the place from which it originated. >$ery 6ithraeum had a central statue of 6ithras slaying a bull. Hne can note many similarities with the rituals of Christianity! December 25 was ta+en o$er by Christians to celebrate the birth of )od's 4on on earth, while baptism and common meals were two features that 6ithraism and Christianity held in common.8 ;5<

4ince it is established clearly that Jesus was not born in December, but most probably in 4pring or summer time, why do Christians still continue to celebrate Jesus Christ's birthday on December 25th&

:eferences!

;0< :ightly Di$iding the Word of (ruth ;Copyright 2101< %y C. *. Chapman page 012 ;2<=C4%";=olman Christian 4tandard %ible< =armony of the )ospels ;Copyright 211I< %y 4te$en *. CoF, Aendell =. >asley page 2/1 ;D< Welcome to the Church 7ear! .n 2ntroduction to the 4easons of the >piscopal Church ;Copyright 211E< %y @ic+i A. %lac+ page 2, ;E< Jesus Was a *iberal" :eclaiming Christianity for .ll ;Copyright 211/< %y :e$erend 4cotty 6c*ennan page 210 ;5< .n 2ntroduction to the %ible ;Copyright 211/< %y :obert Augler, ?atric+ J. =artin page DE5