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The WORLD TOMORROW
A WORLDWIDE BROADCAST
HERBERT W. ARMSTRONG
Proclaims to the World the
GOOD NEWS OF THE WORLD TOMORROW
BOX 111, Pasadena, Calif. 91109
Publishing:
The PLAIN TRUTH
a Magazine of UNDERSTANDING
December 11, 1961
Dear Co-Workers with Christ:
Here we are in the very thick of the most frenzied
Christmas shopping splurge in American history. Unemployment has
gone to a new LOW. People are enjoying incomes at record levels
--they have more money to spend than ever before--and they are in
a spending mood right now--with this "Christmas spirit" inspired
by commercial advertising to sell goods gripping them.
But also, HERE WE ARE, in the very crusade of the living
CHRIST--the Work of God which is the Work of the most important
magnitude of any activity on earth--at this time of CRISIS, having
to SUFFER and be threatened by this commercial shopping spree.
While people spend their money freely and lavishly
TRADING GIFTS with one another, nearly all are forgetting any gift
for CHRIST! They suppose Christmas is Christ's birthday. IT
ISN'T! Jesus was not even born in the winter. Have you read the
factual article proving WHEN He was born in the December issue of
The Plain Truth? READ IT! Have you read the free booklet, "The
PLAIN TRUTH About Christmas"? If not, be sure to write for it by
return mail--READ IT!
People suppose the Bible teaches us to give presents at
Christmas. IT DOESN'T. The wise men did not EXCHANGE GIFTS
between themselves--they gave THEIR gifts to CHRIST--not to each
other. IT WAS NOT HIS BIRTHDAY. He was born in late September or
early October. The wise men did not arrive until many days later.
Their gifts were not birthday presents at all. It has always been
CUSTOM to present a GIFT when visiting a KING or chief of a
government. These wise men knew Jesus was born to be KING of the
world. People present gifts to President Kennedy when they visit
the White House--and these are not birthday gifts at all!
People suppose that Christians are taught by the Bible to
give birthday presents. NOWHERE does the Bible recognize honoring
birthdays, except by pagans who are in defiance of God.
The shocking TRUTH is that Christmas is one of the PAGAN
holidays celebrated long before Christ--and the BIBLE CONDEMNS IT!
(See Jer. 10:1-5, where Christmas trees are condemned as
IDOLATRY!). People say, when this fact is recognized, that it is
all right to use a PAGAN CUSTOM, as long as we worship and honor