They should not.
New Year’s Day celebrations are linked to pagan customs and even demonic activities. Professor Philippe Walter’s book, “Christianity—the Origins of a Pagan Religion,” copyright 2003, 2006, makes several startling statements about the real origins of New Year’s Day, as well as its customs.
Walter explains the pagan belief that by the end of December and on “New Year’s Day” (January 1), “fairies… enter the homes of those who worship them… One must take pains to prepare the meal that should be offered to them in a clean and isolated room…”
A German magazine, PM, wrote the following about New Year’s Day, and the customs associated with New Year’s Day, in an article, titled, “What is special about New Year’s?”:
“There is no objective reason, why January 1 is a better day for the New Year than any other day. The Macedonians began the new year in the autumn, and the ancient Greeks in the middle of the summer, at a new moon.
“January 1 as the beginning of the New Year goes back to Roman arbitrariness. Consul Fulvius Nobilor was prevented in 153 B.C., because of a war, to begin his rulership on March 15, which had been the day of the New Year up until then. Therefore, the Consul transferred the day of the New Year to January 1, which was more convenient to him.
“This date was accepted by Julius Caesar and has endured, thanks to the Julian calendar, as it was favorable towards new beginnings. After all, the double-faced Roman God Janus was the protector of the month of January. Pope Gregory XIII, who corrected the Julian Calendar for us, maintained January 1 as New Year’s Day. But the Chinese and the Arabs still determine New Year’s today by using the moon-calendar. And according to the Jews, New Year’s – Rosh Ha-Shanah – is in September/October. The civil celebrations of New Year’s took place for a long time on January 6, the [perceived] day of the [so-called] holy three kings.”
The Bible makes it clear that a new year begins in the spring–not in the midst of winter or in the autumn (compare Exodus 12:1-2). For instance, in 2007, the New Year began on March 21, according to the Hebrew calendar, and in 2008, it will begin on April 6. But the Bible does not command us to celebrate the New Year according to the Hebrew calendar.
The article in the P.M. continued:
“In 1742, a decree of the Pope transferred church celebrations of the New Year to January 1; at the same time, this day was declared to be a fast day, in order to counteract the ‘unchristian’ actions between the two years. For between Christmas and January 6, the ghosts became active. When winter storms howled around the houses of the Germanic tribes, Wotan’s [Wodan’s] wild hunt was present—a frightening train of gods, demons and ghosts of the dead… These ghosts were driven away with big fires and cracks of whips. The ancient placed sacrificial offerings and gifts for the demons in front of their doors… Christianity could not eradicate those pagan customs. Quite to the contrary… The cracks of whips changed with the invention of black powder to fireworks….”
“Why do we still have to drive away – symbolically – ghosts with mortar shots and rockets? Why do we still maintain those New Year’s rites? Psychologists explain this with…the power of tradition, with superstition…This word reminds us of what is ‘standing above,’ what is ‘still there’, what has endured from the pagan past and from the ancient fears of man.”
The article also explained that in Munich, Germany, “Christian” celebrations are held on New Year’s Day with choirs and trumpets to “awake the new sun.”
Another source from the Internet tells us that rituals on New Year’s Day included purgations, purifications, exorcisms, extinguishing and rekindling fires and masked processions. Often exorcisms and purgations were performed with much noise as if to scare away the evil spirits. In China, Ying, the forces of light, fought Yang, the forces of darkness, with cymbals, noisemakers, and firecrackers.
It should be easily seen WHY it is wrong for TRUE Christians to participate in New Year’s Day’s customs.
Lead Writer: Norbert Link
