Well said Dedication. I see nothing wrong with taking a day that pagans intended for the celebration of a pagan deity and instead using it to reflect on the marvel of the incarnation. God created time and it is appropriate to celebrate God's goodness all the more whenever Satan attempts to draw us toward himself by claiming days for himself. One thing also to keep us safeguarded regarding holidays is to always remember God's Holy Day -- the 7th.

The Day Not to Be Ignored.
Christmas is coming. May you all have wisdom to make it a precious season. Let the older church members unite, heart and soul, with their children in this innocent amusement and recreation, in devising ways and means to show true respect to Jesus by bringing to him gifts and offerings.{RH, December 9, 1884 par. 9}

--As the twenty-fifth of December is observed to commemorate the birth of Christ, as the children have been instructed by precept and example that this was indeed a day of gladness and rejoicing, you will find it a difficult matter to pass over this period without giving it some attention. It can be made to serve a very good purpose. {AH 478.1}
The youth should be treated very carefully. They should not be left on Christmas to find their own amusement in vanity and pleasure seeking, in amusements which will be detrimental to their spirituality. Parents can control this matter by turning the minds and the offerings of their children to God and His cause and the salvation of souls. {AH 478.2}
The desire for amusement, instead of being quenched and arbitrarily ruled down, should be controlled and directed by painstaking effort upon the part of the parents. Their desire to make gifts may be turned into pure and holy channels and made to result in good to our fellow men by supplying the treasury in the great, grand work for which Christ came into our world. Self-denial and self-sacrifice marked His course of action. Let it mark ours who profess to love Jesus because in Him is centered our hope of eternal life. {AH 478.3}

The Interchange of Gifts as Tokens of Affection.-- The holiday season is fast approaching with its interchange of gifts, and old and young are intently studying what they can bestow upon their friends as a token of affectionate remembrance. It is pleasant to receive a gift, however small, from those we love. It is an assurance that
we are not forgotten, and seems to bind us to them a little closer. . . . {AH 478.4}

It is right to bestow upon one another tokens of love and remembrance if we do not in this forget God, our best friend. We should make our gifts such as will prove a real benefit to the receiver. I would recommend such books as will be an aid in understanding the word of God or that will increase our love for its precepts. Provide something to be read during these long winter evenings. {AH 479.1}

Books for Children Are Recommended.--There are many who have not books and publications upon present truth. Here is a large field where money can be safely invested. There are large numbers of little ones who should be supplied with reading. ... The many trifles usually spent on candies and useless toys may be treasured up with which to buy these volumes. . . . {AH 479.2}

Let those who wish to make valuable presents to their children, grandchildren, nephews, and nieces procure for them the children's books mentioned. For young people the Life of Joseph Bates is a treasure; also the .. volumes of The Spirit of Prophecy. These volumes should be placed in every family in the land. God is giving light from heaven, and not a family should be without it.

Let the presents you shall make be of that order which will shed beams of light upon the pathway to heaven. {AH 479.3}

Jesus Not to Be Forgotten.--Brethren and sisters, while you are devising gifts for one another, I would remind you of our heavenly Friend, lest you should be unmindful of His claims. Will He not be pleased if we show that we have not forgotten Him? Jesus, the Prince of life, gave all to bring salvation within our reach. . . . He suffered even unto death, that He might give us eternal life. {AH 480.1}



Christmas--a Time to Honor God.--By the world the holidays are spent in frivolity and extravagance, gluttony and display. . . . But it is our privilege to depart from the customs and practices of this degenerate age; and instead of expending means merely for the gratification of the appetite or for needless ornaments or articles of clothing, we may make the coming holidays an occasion in which to honor and glorify God. {AH 480.3}

Christ should be the supreme object; but as Christmas has been observed, the glory is turned from Him to mortal man, whose sinful, defective character made it necessary for Him to come to our world.
481
{AH 480.4}
Jesus, the Majesty of heaven, the royal King of heaven, laid aside His royalty, left His throne of glory, His high command, and came into our world to bring to fallen man, weakened in moral power and corrupted by sin, aid divine. He clothed his divinity with humanity, that he might reach to the very depths of human woe and misery, to lift up fallen man. By taking upon himself man's nature, he raised humanity in the scale of moral value with God. These great themes are almost too high, too deep, too infinite, for the comprehension of finite minds. {AH 481.1}

Parents should keep these things before their children and instruct them, line upon line, precept upon precept, in their obligation to God--not their obligation to each other, to honor and glorify one another by gifts and offerings. {AH 481.2}

Turn Thoughts of the Children Into a New Channel.-- There are many things which can be devised with taste and cost far less than the unnecessary presents that are so frequently bestowed upon our children and relatives, and thus courtesy can be shown and happiness brought into the home. {AH 481.3}
Like the wise men of old, you may offer to God your best gifts and show by your offerings to Him that you appreciate His Gift to a sinful world. Set your children's thoughts running in a new, unselfish channel by inciting them to present offerings to God for the gift of His only-begotten Son.
482
{AH 481.4}
"Shall We Have a Christmas Tree?"-- Letters of inquiry have come to us asking, Shall we have a Christmas tree? Will it not be like the world? We answer, You can make it like the world if you have a disposition to do so, or you can make it as unlike the world as possible. There is no particular sin in selecting a fragrant evergreen and placing it in our churches, but the sin lies in the motive which prompts to action and the use which is made of the gifts placed upon the tree. {AH 482.1}

The tree may be as tall and its branches as wide as shall best suit the occasion; but let its boughs be laden with the golden and silver fruit of your beneficence, and present this to Him as your Christmas gift. Let your donations be sanctified by prayer. {AH 482.2}

Christmas and New Year celebrations can and should be held in behalf of those who are helpless. God is glorified when we give to help those who have large families to support. {AH 482.3}

A Tree Laden With Offerings Is Not Sinful.--Let not the parents take the position that an evergreen placed in the church for the amusement of the Sabbath school scholars is a sin, for it may be made a great blessing. Keep before their minds benevolent objects. In no case should mere amusement be the object of these gatherings. While there may be some who will turn these occasions into seasons of careless levity, and whose minds will not receive the divine impress, to other minds and characters
these seasons will be highly beneficial. I am fully satisfied that innocent substitutes can be devised for many gatherings that demoralize. {AH 482.4}

Provide Innocent Enjoyment for the Day.--Will you not arise, my Christian brethren and sisters, and gird yourselves for duty in the fear of God, so arranging this matter that it shall not be dry and uninteresting, but full of innocent enjoyment that shall bear the signet of Heaven? I know the poorer class will respond to these suggestions. The most wealthy should also show an interest and bestow their gifts and offerings proportionate to the means with which God has entrusted them. Let there be recorded in the heavenly books such a Christmas as has never yet been seen because of the donations which shall be given for the sustaining of the work of God and the upbuilding of His kingdom. {AH 483.1}

Johann, do you know any SDA clergy who believe and follow EGW's counsel?

____________________

No one is saying that Christmas is holy or set apart by God. Kland, your argument is a striking example of a straw man.

There is nothing sacred or hallow about Dec. 25. In fact we have our family gatherings whenever all the family can get together which this year will be next week. We spent Dec. 25 getting the house ready for company!

It's not the day -- it's the season, and we do well to honour Christ's birth and reflect on the incarnation in a special way each year. During the Easter/Passover season we reflect in a special way on Christ's death and resurrection. We need seasons of special reflection on the great events of salvation history.

But do you?

And do you?

[quote] The youth should be treated very carefully. They should not be left on Christmas to find their own amusement in vanity and pleasure seeking, in amusements which will be detrimental to their spirituality. Parents can control this matter by turning the minds and the offerings of their children to God and His cause and the salvation of souls. {AH 478.2}

The desire for amusement, instead of being quenched and arbitrarily ruled down, should be controlled and directed by painstaking effort upon the part of the parents. Their desire to make gifts may be turned into pure and holy channels and made to result in good to our fellow men by supplying the treasury in the great, grand work for which Christ came into our world. Self-denial and self-sacrifice marked His course of action. Let it mark ours who profess to love Jesus because in Him is centered our hope of eternal life. {AH 478.3}
...

Whenever it is possible, let religious services be held on Sunday. Make these meetings intensely interesting. Sing genuine revival hymns, and speak with power and assurance of the Saviour’s love. Speak on temperance and on true religious experience.—Testimonies for the Church 9:233. {ChS 164.2}

Early Christians protested the heathen day of worship. Mithra originally was an ancient god of Iran worshiped as a god of strength and war. By the first century, it was transformed into the leading sun god of the western world. Romans called him, Sol Invictus. Mithraism came complete with a cleverly conterfeited dying-rising savior, a special religious supper, a weekly holy day, and baptism of converts. It also included athletic feats of skill and war-like manliness. The fifth century western church ordered its celebration.

About the time of Christ, the days of the week were given names indicating which god ruled over it, with the most important god, Mithra, given the first day of the week, the day of the sun, or sun day. The week was known as the planetory week. Although the day's names were new, sun worship was not new but had been worshipped long before this time and was considered the earliest form of idolatry. Such is evidenced in the Bible.

Job 31:26 If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;
27 And my heart hath been secretly enticed, or my mouth hath kissed my hand:
28 This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judge: for I should have denied the God that is above.

Jer 43:12 And I will kindle a fire in the houses of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them, and carry them away captives: and he shall array himself with the land of Egypt, as a shepherd putteth on his garment; and he shall go forth from thence in peace.
13 He shall break also the images of Bethshemesh, that is in the land of Egypt; and the houses of the gods of the Egyptians shall he burn with fire.
(Bethshemesh: 1053 - house of the sun)

2Ki 21:3 For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
(grove: 842 - Asherah or Astarte, a Phoenician goddess)

2Ki 23:4 ¶ And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel.
(grove: 842 - Asherah or Astarte, a Phoenician goddess)
5 And he put down the idolatrous priests, whom the kings of Judah had ordained to burn incense in the high places in the cities of Judah, and in the places round about Jerusalem; them also that burned incense unto Baal, to the sun, and to the moon, and to the planets, and to all the host of heaven.

2Ki 23:11 And he took away the horses that the kings of Judah had given to the sun, at the entering in of the house of the LORD, by the chamber of Nathanmelech the chamberlain, which was in the suburbs, and burned the chariots of the sun with fire.

Eze 8:13 ¶ He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do.
14 Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD'S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.
15 Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.
16 And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD'S house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.
17 Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.

Zep 1:5 And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham;


By the middle of the second century, Emperor Aurelian, whose mother was a priestess of the sun, made sun worship the official religion of the Roman empire. Priests of the templ of the Sun at Rome were called "pontiffs". The pagans called their god, "Lord Mithra" and his day of worship, "The Lord's Day". The Christians in Alexanderia and Rome tried to justify their worship of Mithra by saying this was the same Lord's day or Sabbath of the Bible.

Constantine, in 321 A.D. decreed the first Sunday Law commanding rest on "the Venerable Day of the Sun". At the time, Constantine, still a worshiper of Sol Invictus, was the "Pontifix Maximus", or the supreme pagan pontiff of the state religion.

While the celebrated day of Mithra was established for December 25, no date had been established by the middle of the third century for celebrating Jesus' birth. Various dates were presented for the official celebration of the birth of Jesus: January 2, January 6, March 21, April 18 or 19, and May 20 were among several. It wasn't until the fourth century that the commemoration of Christ's birth was included in the Feast of Epiphany on January 6 at most places. About 330 A.D., the church of Rome assigned December 25 as the celebration of the birth of Christ. Even though many Eastern churches kept other dates, by the end of the fourth century, the customs of Rome became universal.

Even though Rome stated the actual date of Christ's birth was unknown, various traditions made up explanations for the choice of the date. Without any reason given for Rome's choice of the date, one is left to consider if the date was chosen to inspire the people to turn from their worship of the sun to the worship of the Son.


The winter solstice occurs on December 21 with the first observable return of the sun being December 25 - "the birth of the sun god". This is the day Mithraists celebrated the birth of their god.

It was also the Roman feast of Saturnalia, which began on December 17 and lasted for 7 days with licentiousness and gambling and exchange of gifts such as candles to symbolize the increase of sunlight after the winter solstice. Many of the customs were transferred to the celebration of Christmas.

While attempts have been made to whitewash Mithra and morph it into some kind of Christian celebration, can any amount of whitewash remove the evil origins and intent? Given the origins of a pagan holiday, so evil and sinister, planned and designed by satan in an attempt to usurp the Creator God, should Christians have anything to do with such a holiday?

Yule

Yule Day is also another name for Christmas. Yule means "infant" or "little child" in Chaldee. December 25 was called the "Child's day" and the night before, the "Mother Night". Isn't that so sweet? Mother and child. Except for the fact that it was called that long before Christianity came into existence.

The Yule log came from the heathen Celtic worship practices in Britain. The evergreen branches were stripped of a log and used for decorations. The remaining log was considered sacred, the end being round like the sun and the length symbolizing the the sun's path through the sky. When it was burned, it gave out heat, just like the sun god.

In our local churches we have the greatest evangelistic meeting each year on Christmas eve. This service usually has the greatest attendance of any other service in the church during the whole year. Many of the people attending are not members of the church.

Yule

Yule Day is also another name for Christmas. Yule means "infant" or "little child" in Chaldee. December 25 was called the "Child's day" and the night before, the "Mother Night". Isn't that so sweet? Mother and child. Except for the fact that it was called that long before Christianity came into existence.

If you study paganism enough you will find that just about everything pertaining to Christianity has a counterfeit in paganism. And paganism had the ideas FIRST.

I shared you sentiments about Christmas until I made a study of what Ellen G White had to say about this subject. It seems to me like you feel ill at ease following what she has to say. Should we disregard all of that now?

R: Is a tree shaped to the pagan symbol on which Christ was hung, a sin to have in church........?

k: Rick, are you referring to the cross of tau?

´- - -

I would challenge you to find any date in the year that does not have a pagan association.

If you have studied Hinduism in depth, you know that every day in the year is celebrated as the birth day of multiple Hindu gods and goddesses. There is no day in the year on which Hindus do not believe multiple gods and goddesses were born. The followers of those gods and goddesses celebrate their birthday on that day in the year. IOW, every day in the year is associated with a Hindu religious day of celebration.

You can add to the above all of the other gods and godesses that exist in other religions.

WHAT'S A CHRISMON? Chrismons are a type of Christmas Tree decoration used in many churches and often in the homes of Christians. The symbols used represent a variety of biblical and theological concepts that are well known among most believers. Often, if the ornaments on a Christmas tree are comprised mostly of Christian symbols, the tree is known as a "Chrismon Tree." Chrismons are white with gold decorations of beads, ribbon, glitter, etc. It is common, however, to see these ancient Christian designs in other colors than white and gold.

I know another church which had a simple undecorated tree out in the foyer.

Do you know any who do not?

Let's assume that you're transparently representing the honour of your SDA clergy colleagues Johann - they are all following EGW's counsel to the best of their knowledge - and to the best of your recollection as a world-traveled minister.

Take a small item, flesh eating clergy, given sharp emphasis by EGW, but laughably legalistic to the world.

S.A. Nagel hosted you at his home, and you spoke highly of him in a recent post I recall. Yet he wrote a book "Anti-Meat Special" where he testified that most of his G.C. brethren ate flesh in the cafeteria. Surely it was a bold move for brother Nagel to place inspired counsel above his peers' ridicule. Or was brother Nagel a liar?

Or have the ministers now evolved to heed all the counsel of EGW, shunning not only dead flesh but all animal foods?
Or possibly, have they adopted this 100 year-old light and built upon it, as is their duty & privilege, bringing new light to the people?
Was Sherman Nagel a disgrace or a beacon of light?

Is EGW relevant to ministers today?
_____________

I agree with these points, Johann. Well said. Compilations of Ellen White frequently fail of transmitting her thoughts accurately. She was far more balanced than people make her to be when they quote the more outlying statements.

Blessings,

Green Cochoa.

Compilations of Ellen White frequently fail of transmitting her thoughts accurately. She was far more balanced than people make her to be when they quote the more outlying statements.

How many of you have heard that she said that every woman should have a red dress to wear--Not what she actually said.

I know lots of churches that have beautiful bouquets of flowers on the platform. Most have greenery, or floral arrangements of some sort in the foyer, on the piano, or on the platform. In the fall (thanksgiving) we often have colorful garden produce near the front as decoration. And yes, I've often seen small trees used as well (not just at Christmas)

Are you saying it's wrong to decorate churches with nature?

Johann, was there something about Ellen White's writings regarding Christmas you would like to discuss? I got the feeling you thought she meant differently.

Re. Red Dress:

Johann, there is a 3rd statement by EGW that you did not cite. in writing to a specific woman, EGW stated that she (the other woman) looked well in red. And, EGW sent that woman a gift of three pieces of cloth, one was red, and encouraged her to make herself a dress out of each of the pieces of cloth.

Well, yes, since you asked. In this discussion I noticed DEDICATION presented quite a few wonderful quotations by Ellen G White on Christmas. It appears to me that some of the people participating in this discussion prefer ignoring anything presented by such an authority, and displaying their own vain wisdom about some pagan gods, rather than what the Lord Himself is able to bring to His children.

Am I too concerned about this matter?

Johann, one claim you seem to imply to me is that you think Ellen White supports the way most people celebrate Christmas today. All the quotes I know of, show a much different view. Is there one of them you'd like to discuss? No?

Jer 10:2 So says the LORD, Do not learn the way of the nations, and do not be terrified at the signs of the heavens; for the nations are terrified at them.
3 For the customs of the people are vain; for one cuts a tree out of the forest with the axe, the work of the hands of the workman.
4 They adorn it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers, so that it will not wobble.
5 They are like a rounded post, and they cannot speak. They must surely be lifted, because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them; for they cannot do evil nor good, for it is not in them.

As for SUNDAY --
Indeed worship Jesus on Sunday, (and Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday) oh wait -- better get rid of those names as well, they also come from paganism.

However, the seventh day, (dare I call it Saturday) is the day God blessed for SPECIAL holy time.

Thus that day is the SABBATH and we acknowledge that God is our Creator, Savior, and Lord.

"Shall We Have a Christmas Tree?"--God would be well pleased if on Christmas each church would have a Christmas tree on which shall be hung offerings, great and small, for these houses of worship. [NOTE: REFERENCE IS MADE IN THIS ARTICLE TO CURRENT BUILDING PROJECTS. AS THE PRINCIPLES SET FORTH IN THIS CONNECTION ARE APPLICABLE TODAY, THESE SPECIFIC REFERENCES ARE LEFT IN THE ARTICLE.] Letters of inquiry have come to us asking, Shall we have a Christmas tree? Will it not be like the world? We answer, You can make it like the world if you have a disposition to do so, or you can make it as unlike the world as possible. There is no particular sin in selecting a fragrant evergreen and placing it in our churches, but the sin lies in the motive which prompts to action and the use which is made of the gifts placed upon the tree. {AH 482.1}

The tree may be as tall and its branches as wide as shall best suit the occasion; but let its boughs be laden with the golden and silver fruit of your beneficence, and present this to Him as your Christmas gift. Let your donations be sanctified by prayer. {AH 482.2}

Christmas and New Year celebrations can and should be held in behalf of those who are helpless. God is glorified when we give to help those who have large families to support. {AH 482.3}

A Tree Laden With Offerings Is Not Sinful.--Let not the parents take the position that an evergreen placed in the church for the amusement of the Sabbath school scholars is a sin, for it may be made a great blessing. Keep before their minds benevolent objects. In no case should mere amusement be the object of these gatherings. While there may be some who will turn these occasions into seasons of careless levity, and whose minds will not receive the divine impress, to other minds and characters these seasons will be highly beneficial. I am fully satisfied that innocent substitutes can be devised for many gatherings that demoralize. {AH 482.4}

That should not take away from the specialness and holiness of the 7th day Sabbath.

I agree that treating Christmas as a pagan holiday is extreme. There is nothing pagan about it if it is treated properly. Our pioneers did so with gusto.

But that's what we are talking about. You knew that, didn't you? So why did you talk about all days are for worship?

What in your mind would be a most satanic holiday?

Do you view Ellen white as one of "our pioneers"? What did she say about Christmas? (Note: see what Green quoted) Is that how it is "celebrated" in our churches today? Or is what is in our churches today merely a celebration which demoralizes, a season of careless levity and amusement?

A satanic holiday??? -- Halloween -- that's when death, violence and spirits are celebrated, an unholy holiday for sure.

There is a huge difference between Christmas and Halloween.

The Christian world and even many non-Christians do focus on Christ and His first advent during the Christmas season.
Though santa tries to choke that out, it is there none the less.

Halloween on the other hand, has nothing in it that is Christian.
But yes, even on Halloween, we should find an alternative to focus on -- like the Great Controversy Theme, the State of the Dead, how sin causes violence and death, and how Christ brings peace and life.

Satan has counterfeited EVERY aspect of Christ's mission and ministry. And all those counterfeits were in place BEFORE Christ's first advent.

Interesting how you suggest we should not take seriously certain versions of the scripture because the Vatican had hold of them, but yet at the same time, when the Vatican promoted the Christianization of a pagan holiday, you say embrace fully!

Winter Solstice

December 21st was the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, after which the days become longer, the rebirth of the sun. It's also celebrated by some as the rebirth of the sun god. The 21st was technically the solstice. Since this is when the sun reaches it's furthermost point south, it happens the same time throughout the northern hemisphere. And only varies a day, depending upon when the technical time crosses midnight.

" The earth was dark through misapprehension of God. That the gloomy shadows might be lightened, that the world might be brought back to God, Satan's deceptive power was to be broken....Upon the world's dark night the Sun of Righteousness must rise, "with healing in His wings." Malachi 4:2. {DA 22.1}

The Child of Bethlehem, the meek and lowly Saviour, is God "manifest in the flesh." 1 Timothy 3:16. And to us He says: "I AM the Good Shepherd." "I AM the living Bread." "I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life." "All power is given
unto Me in heaven and in earth." John 10:11; 6:51; 14:6; Matthew 28:18. I AM the assurance of every promise. I AM; be not afraid. "God with us" is the surety of our deliverance from sin, the assurance of our power to obey the law of heaven. {DA 24.3}

Here, where the Son of God tabernacled in humanity; where the King of glory lived and suffered and died,--here, when He shall make all things new, the tabernacle of God shall be with men, "and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God." And through endless ages as the redeemed walk in the light of the Lord, they will praise Him for His unspeakable Gift,--


Immanuel, "God with us." {DA 26.3}

Again you mix apples with grapefruits.
The Bible is God's Word to us, and we want the true word.
It's not the fact that the Vatican "had hold of them", but what happened to the manuscripts.
It wasn't the Catholic Church that "gave us the true scriptures".

Nor do I "embrace the pagan" or the "mass" of Christmas.
Catholism didn't give us the true picture of the incarnation of Christ either.

I see the Christmas Season as a time to focus on Christ's birth, and for some family togetherness. After all it's a time when we all get PAID time off work and can get together -- which we will do next week. I'll be cleaning and cooking tomorrow in preparation.

Christmas--a Time to Honor God.--By the world the holidays are spent in frivolity and extravagance, gluttony and display. . . . Thousands of dollars will be worse than thrown away upon the coming Christmas and New Year's in needless indulgences. But it is our privilege to depart from the customs and practices of this degenerate age; and instead of expending means merely for the gratification of the appetite or for needless ornaments or articles of clothing, we may make the coming holidays an occasion in which to honor and glorify God. {AH 480.3}
Christ should be the supreme object; but as Christmas has been observed, the glory is turned from Him to mortal man, whose sinful, defective character made it necessary for Him to come to our world.
{AH 480.4}
Jesus, the Majesty of heaven, the royal King of heaven, laid aside His royalty, left His throne of glory, His high command, and came into our world to bring to fallen man, weakened in moral power and corrupted by sin, aid divine. He clothed his divinity with humanity, that he might reach to the very depths of human woe and misery, to lift up fallen man. By taking upon himself man's nature, he raised humanity in the scale of moral value with God. These great themes are almost too high, too deep, too infinite, for the comprehension of finite minds. {AH 481.1}

Parents should keep these things before their children and instruct them, line upon line, precept upon precept, in their obligation to God--not their obligation to each other, to honor and glorify one another by gifts and offerings. {AH 481.2}

While sinful amusements are condemned, as they should be, let parents, teachers, and guardians of youth provide in their stead innocent pleasures, which shall not taint or corrupt the morals. Do not bind down the young to rigid rules and restraints that will lead them to feel themselves oppressed and to break over and rush into paths of folly and destruction.

Christmas is coming. May you all have wisdom to make it a precious season. Let the older church members unite, heart and soul, with their children in this innocent amusement and recreation, in devising ways and means to show true respect to Jesus {RH, December 9, 1884 par. 9}

Eze 8:13 He also said to me, You turn again, and you shall see greater evils that they are doing.
14 And He brought me to the opening of the gate of the LORD's house, toward the north. And behold, women were sitting there, weeping for Tammuz.
15 And He said to me, Have you seen, O son of man? Turn yet again, and you shall see greater evils than these.
16 And He brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house, and behold, at the opening of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about twenty-five men with their backs toward the temple of the LORD and their faces toward the east; and they bowed themselves eastward to the sun.

Is Drew Carey wrong?