THE GENTLE WAY NEWSLETTER 12/22/07 by Tom T. Moore

THE ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS

How did December 25th become the day that is celebrated as Jesus’ birthday?  The origin of this celebration dates back many centuries to the time when the early Catholic Church was trying to convert large numbers of pagans to Christianity.  

Roman pagans at that time celebrated the holiday of Saturnalia from December 17-25 when the pagans would force one person from each community to gorge on food and drink for one week and then sacrifice that person.  During this time the Roman courts were closed, so there was widespread intoxication, sex, rape, and people going from house to house singing naked.  They also consumed human-shaped biscuits.  

In the 4th Century, the Catholic Church was able to convert masses of pagans to Christianity by promising them they could continue their celebration.  The church chose December 25th at the end of the celebration as Jesus’ birthday.  The singing in the streets was the forerunner of caroling today.  

In order to convert more pagans, the Catholic Church allowed the Asheira Cult, which worshiped trees in the forest and brought them into their homes, to continue this practice—thus the origin of the Christmas tree.  

The origin of Christmas presents dates all the way back to pre-Christian times during that same Saturnalia celebration where the most despised citizens were forced by the emperor to bring him presents.  Later there was general gift giving among the citizens, and so the Catholic Church changed it to the supposed gift giving of St. Nicholas.

Nicholas was a Bishop involved in assembling of the Bible during the Council of Nicaea in 325-327.  He was not given sainthood until the 19th Century.  A group of sailors moved his bones from Turkey to Bari, Italy where they rid the community of a lady nicknamed Grandmother who filled the stockings of children, and established a cult of Nicholas.  They sent each other gifts on December 6, the date of Nicholas’ death.  The cult spread north and was adopted by pagans who worshipped Woden.  Woden sported a white beard and rode a horse through the heavens.  This was changed into riding the horse through the winter heavens with heavy winter clothing.  The Catholic Church adopted the Nicholas cult (in order to convert more pagans) and changed the gift giving to December 25th.  

In 1809 Washington Irving referred to saint Nicholas by his Dutch name Santa Claus.  In 1822 Dr. Clement Moore wrote the famous “Night Before Christmas” referring to Saint Nicholas.  

You have to admit it is really amusing that all of our Christmas traditions and rituals were from pagan celebrations.   And you can also look upon it as tragic, that the early Christians would stoop to incorporate pagan practices in order for their church to grow and PROSPER—as that was the name of the game.  

I have read where there are doubters as to Jesus’ actual existence.  I would remind you that three of the largest religions of the world, all of which began in Israel, include him in their histories, with three quite divergent opinions of his significance.  This man was the Master of Love, whatever else you believe.

Since I’ve been asking questions and receiving answers in my “active” meditations (which anyone can do with a little practice) for the past couple of years, I decided to ask if I had a life during the time of Jesus.  Little did I know what this would open up to.  Here are the questions first posed to the soul of the Earth Gaia, and then my Guardian Angel Theo:

Gaia-was I a follower of Jesus during his lifetime?

Yes you were.  You were in his close circle but not a disciple.  It has affected your soul in a beautiful way ever since, as you have worked to bring people together and love one another.  Truly magnificent work on your part.

OK, I’m sure I need to ask something more here, but not sure what to.

As you have been told your soul group are teachers and you bring the Master’s messages in a more pure form to the masses.  

I understand I was a woman during Jesus’ time on earth.  Was Mary Magdalene his wife or just the female equivalent of a disciple and did I know her?

Of course you knew her.  She was your friend and the two of you with the other women worked together doing the chores of the time, as you moved from one city or town to the next as He preached or told his stories.  Mary Magdalene was his wife.  They did bare children together.  She escaped with here child to France as has been told in legends.  You did not go with her, but stayed with your husband.  It was a sad parting, but was necessary as there were people that wanted to kill his family so that there would be no danger to the ruling clergy at that time.  This is sufficient information for you at this time.

(Another day) Gaia – Did Jesus have 12 female disciples?

Ah a good question Tom to start the day.  Jesus did have female disciples but the Catholic Church erased all mention of them in their records, although they do still have records of their existence.  

Were there 12?

Yes there were.   The Master of Love would not have excluded them although his own disciples did not particularly like it, as women were not looked upon very highly in that time period.  But Jesus liked to balance the Yin with the Yang.

Was I just one of the women –perhaps the wife of one of the disciples or was I a disciple too?

No you definitely were a disciple –albeit a female one--of the Master.  You certainly took part in doing all the chores that women were supposed to do at that time, but Jesus gave the group of you many messages, and someday some of those will come to light.  As you might suspect, Mary Magdalene headed the group, as she was the leader of the female group and Jesus’ wife.  

Did Judas Iscariot betray Jesus at his request, as the Gospel of Judas claims?

Yes, it did happen as it was written.  He acted on his master’s command although he naturally had a heavy heart in doing so.  The Christian Church needed a scapegoat, and he was the one they could blame.  There are more writings about this in the Vatican library that will come to light in the next few years, when the new Pope takes office.

This will take place when the Catholic Church finally opens its achieves?

Yes certainly.  As I have mentioned before, there is a time coming when the Catholic Church will start revealing these hidden truths in order to attract followers by dishing them out one by one-- to again use a little pun.

How long in the future before revelations come out about the hiding of information in the Vatican?

That will be much sooner, within the next 5 to 10 years.  It will happen when the next Pope takes office.   It will not be so long a time.  

Theo—what month and year was the birth of Jesus?

Ah, what a good question to start the day Tom.  Yes the year was 4 BC as you knew deep within you and the month was August you see—yes you are receiving this correctly.  The timetable became confused over the next couple of centuries and was settled upon in that infamous gathering at Nicaea in 327.  They just did not keep accurate records during that time period, as they had to rely on the stories being passed from one person to another until a scribe wrote them down.  That’s why a lot of the New Testament is inaccurate to say the least.  And yes what you heard is correct –the book of Thomas discovered not too long ago was more accurate as it was written down within the first 100 years after the Master’s death.  The others were written down later than is normally thought to be.

I think I have received conflicting information from Gaia as to whether I was a female disciple of Jesus or just in his inner circle--perhaps just as one of the women as a wife of one of the disciples or what have you, so could you please clear that up for me.

Yes, Tom, you were a female disciple, but there are virtually no records of that, except in the bowels of the Vatican, as they only wanted men to be the priests and hierarchy.    So you were both, in his inner circle and one of the female disciples, so both are correct in this case.

Theo was there more than one disciple that did not incarnate again as a Jew, whether it would have been anytime after that life?

A good question today, Tom.  Yes there were two disciples that did not incarnate again as Jews.  They decided on life paths that would assist more people than if they had incarnated again and again as a Jew.  They had to incarnate to be both Christians and even other religions in order to spread the word of love that the Master had conveyed to them.

It took about 1,700 years for the Catholic Church to state that Mary Magdalene was not a prostitute.  What other revelations must there be in their archives?  Time will tell.

So finally, may I make a suggestion to bring back the true meaning of Christmas?  Say a prayer for the world.  In my book—The Gentle Way:  A Self-Help Guide For Those Who Believe in Angels, I have a chapter titled “Living Prayers.”  In it I explain that there is a whole set of angels that have volunteered to act INSTANTLY on prayer requests.  Here’s an example for a world prayer, “I ask that I and all my friends, family and neighbors live and work together in a most benevolent way with all other human beings now and in the months and years to follow.”

Here are a couple more:  “I ask that the general attitude of all peoples on the earth become compatible with the general attitudes of all other people on Earth.”  This is a good one to say right now.  On another day you can say, “I am asking that the hearts of all beings come to love peace, cherish it, and involve themselves in its creation.”  Say these requests only ONE TIME.  That’s all that’s needed.  

If you don’t feel comfortable saying these prayers out loud then imagine sending the most pure white light you can possibly imagine out from your heart, and send it all over the world to where it is needed most.  That acts the same as a Living Prayer I’m told.  

Good Life!

Tom

Tom T. Moore

Email: TomTMoore6@aol.com