This week we take a look at some of the more outlandish Christmas conspiracy theories that have gained followers on the internet.  Once we get through all the noise, we can get that much closer to the truth: God loves you! “The works of our Savior were always present, for they were true: those who were healed, those who rose from the dead, those who were not only seen in the act of being healed or raised, but were also always present, not merely when the Savior was living on the earth, but also for a considerable time after his departure, so that some of them survived even to our own times.” (Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., p. 4.3.2) Bauckham, R. (2017). Jesus and the Eyewitnesses. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 1st Corinthians 15, “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.  3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.” (The Holy Bible, New King James Version, 1982) “Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; so he assembled the Sanhedrin of judges, and brought before them the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some others…and when he had formed an accusation against them as breakers of the law he delivered them to be stoned…” 20.9.1 (Flavius, Antiquities of the Jews, 2010) Is Christmas PAGAN? In defense of Christmas - YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugxJBb0lPXQ&list=PLZ3iRMLYFlHtenB8U2zaFeNvAFPbb5-LO Come Let Us Reason, Editors Paul Copan and William Lane Craig, 2012:-        Mary Jo Sharp (Does the Story of Jesus Mimic Pagan Mystery Stories)  -        Mark Foreman (Challenging the Zeitgeist Movie)  “The bishops at Nicaea were more accustomed to persecution rather than pampering.  Many of them had lived through the injustices of Emperors Diocletian (ruling c. 284-305) and Maximin (ruling c. 286-305).  Diocletian was eager to confiscate Christian writings, burn Christian buildings, and arrest Christian clergy.  Maximin didn’t hesitate to execute, disable, or exile those who refused to renounce Christ.  At least one of the bishops at Nicaea had personally experienced Maximin’s cruelty.  Paphnutius lost his right eye and gained a limp in his left leg – before being banished to the mines – as a result of confessing his faith.  There were more victims of persecution at the hands of others.  Some lost use of their fingers because their nerves had been seared with hot pokers.  Still others lost limbs altogether.  The marks of persecution were so prevalent that one ancient writer said, “The council looked like an assembled army of martyrs”!  Of course, men who suffered such physical injuries for the sake of spiritual integrity were not about to be told what they should believe about Christ – imperial pressure or not.”  Reinventing Jesus, Komoszewski, Sawyer, & Wallace, 2006 

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