Before Christmas, the “light of peace” is out in the world again. A light lit in the “Grotto of the Nativity of Jesus” beneath the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Connections that cannot be reconciled with the gospel at all.
Inhalt / Content
- 1 Peace light lit in the Nativity Grotto
- 2 Church of the Nativity of Constantine built
- 3 A mystical place
- 4 A rock grotto instead of a stable?
- 5 Peace light is an ecumenical ritual
- 6 Fewer conflicts so far?
- 7 Wollte Jesus Christus Frieden bringen?
- 8 Carrying the Light – Creeping Mithraic Cult
- 9 History repeats itself – now globally
- 10 There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Peace Light symbol
Peace light lit in the Nativity Grotto
Since 1986, a “peace light” has been lit in the “Nativity Grotto of Jesus” in Bethlehem on every third Advent. From there this light goes through Europe and ultimately to America. A journey, like the Olympic torch, but after a duplication. This peace light is an initiative of the Linz regional studio of the ORF television station Austria. Every year in the run-up to Christmas, a child from Austria lights this light in the “Birth Grotto of Jesus”. From there the light goes by plane to Upper Austria. This is followed by a distribution of light throughout the world on Christmas Eve. The recipients of this light include the Pope and the EU Commission.
In view of the violence that is also prevalent in Israel, the Peace Light will be distributed around the world in 2023 under the motto “in search of peace”.
Church of the Nativity of Constantine built
The grotto is located under the main altar of the Church of the Nativity. This underground place has been revered as the (supposed) birthplace of Jesus since the 2nd century. At that time there was resistance from the Roman Emperor Hadrian. He attempted to suppress early Christianity through persecution and reprisals. It was only with Emperor Constantine in the 4th century that the situation changed for the better. He and his mother Helena even had a lavishly furnished church built above the grotto. A basilica 27 meters long and 17m wide (Source). The construction took place in the year 333 and in the year 335 this building was ceremoniously inaugurated. At that time it was already under the sign of the “invincible sun”.
A mystical place
The “Nativity Grotto of Jesus”, which is anything but modestly furnished, is located directly under the altar, i.e. the sacrificial place of this Church of the Nativity. The 14-pointed star is intended to mark the birthplace of Jesus. There is a hole in the middle of the star. This star is framed in a semicircle by a large number of “saints”, with respective “saint sun disks” behind their heads.
Visitors kneel in front of it, pray and kiss the star. The hanging bowls are used to collect voluntary donations from visitors. The 15 different lights each symbolize Christian religious communities. At the grotto, which is open to visitors, the Orthodox priests present are busy scaring away those already present as quickly as possible so that the further rush can follow.
A rock grotto instead of a stable?
The online magazine “Israel Magazin” describes that, according to “most scientists,” it is unlikely that Jesus was born in a stable. According to “findings,” there were numerous shepherds in this region who kept their sheep in caves. Therefore, the widespread opinion in German-speaking countries that Jesus’ birthplace was a stable is rather unlikely.
The following statement can be read in Luke 2:7:
“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”“
The word “manger” means a feeding place for livestock within a stable. In the basic text, the Greek word “phatné” (“φατνη”) stands for “nativity scene”. This word stands for feeding trough in the stable or the stable itself.
Luke thus wrote of a manger in the stable, or the stable, and not of a grotto, a cave or a rock. Science today, a good 2,000 years later, mostly agrees that the birthplace of Jesus was a grotto or rock cave.
Peace light is an ecumenical ritual
Given the decoration of this grotto, the many “holy” images and the Orthodox priests on site, one could assume a purely Catholic tradition. But the Peace Light is an ecumenical ritual and that also shows the great popularity of the Protestant churches. The Evangelical Church in Hesse and Nassau (EKHN) is enthusiastic about carrying the light from the “Birth Grotto of Jesus” all over the world.
The peace candle shows the longing for peace across countries, a speaker for peace work at the EKHN Center for Ecumenism is quoted as saying. An angel proclaimed the Christmas story, the idea of peace, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will toward men.” The light symbolizes this peace of God.
Fewer conflicts so far?
The Peace Light traveled for the first time in 1986. Have wars and trouble spots decreased since then, or have their numbers increased even further? The media is currently focusing on the hostilities in Israel and Ukraine. For example, you rarely hear or read anything about the armed conflicts or serious unrest in Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan-Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iran, Yemen, Kenya, Colombia, Congo (Republic), Myanmar, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Philippines, Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria and Venezuela.
The world experienced a peak in the number of wars raging at the same time in the 1990s. Since then the number has remained at the level of the 1960s. But there is still no sign of global peace.
Wollte Jesus Christus Frieden bringen?
According to King James Version, the verse Luke 2:14 used by the EKHN reads:
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.“
Did Jesus Christ, the incarnated Word of God and God himself (John 1:1-3) want to bring peace to the earth? He said it himself, in Matthew 10:34-35:
“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.”
What then is the goal of Jesus Christ if not global peace? Matthew 18:11:
“For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.“
Is this a contradiction to the angel’s cry according to Luke 2:14? No, absolutely not. Because anyone who reads carefully will also recognize that world peace is not expressed in this verse at all, but rather peace for people who are pleasing to God.
Carrying the Light – Creeping Mithraic Cult
Jesus Christ, as he is now regularly referred to abstractly as “Jesus” in Catholic and once Protestant churches and magazines, was not born in a rocky grotto, but in a stable.
But there is an ancient, pagan “deity” who was sent into the world by a “father god” to save it and was also born in a rock cave. This is the so-called Mithras from the Persian-Roman Mithras cult. Mithras emerged from the so-called “Mother Rock”. He wears a Phrygian cap and is often depicted with a 7-rayed sun crown.
In the Roman Empire, Mithras was also referred to as “Sol invictus” (“the invincible sun god”). This title was borne by Emperor Constantine, the builder of today’s Church of the Nativity. At this point in time he was still “pontifex maximus” and therefore the godlike, worshipful emperor and supreme priest of the religion.
This pagan “deity” Mithras is not the sun itself, but he carries the light of the sun and thus represents the mythologically personified light bearer (light bearer in Latin: “Lucifer”). This “peace light”, lit in a rock grotto, the birthplace of the “light bearer”, now goes around the world at Christmas time. A celebration that culminates on December 25th. The day on which, according to pagan cult, the “light god” Mithras was born (Info).
History repeats itself – now globally
Humanity is doomed to repeat history if it does not learn from its past mistakes. The error was turning away from God through idolatry and allowing pagan elements (syncretism). This cannot and will not last for long.
They already existed, the false prophets who, in their practiced hypocrisy, preached false peace and false security, Ezekiel 13:8-10:
“Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord GOD. And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies: they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord GOD. Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace; and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter:“
(“Untempered morter” is a euphemism for euphemistic false prophecy.)
The consequences of this blatant idolatry announced by the Lord to the prophet Ezekiel affected the people of Israel and the city of Jerusalem at that time. Once again, the announced consequences of this apostasy will not be local, but will also be felt worldwide in accordance with the globally united rebellion against God. Paul also foresaw this development, 1 Thessalonians 5:3:
“For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.“
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the Peace Light symbol
Peace among people is a desirable and worthwhile goal. Any war is terrible. Setting signals for peace is also to be welcomed. But the “catch” with this “peace light from the grotto of Jesus’ birth” is a connected and completely misrepresented gospel. It’s even upside down.
Neither the rock grotto, nor the date of Christmas, nor the statement “bringing peace to the world” have anything to do with the Jesus Christ of the Bible. And that also explains why the story about a “1000-year kingdom of peace on earth” can easily be located in the world of fairy tales (Info).
The distribution of light and the theme of Christmas invariably apply to the paganism of Mithraism, in which the highest priest (7th level) wears a bishop’s hat, a ring and a shepherd’s crook. Even the 14-pointed star in the “Nativity Grotto” has nothing biblical about it. At most, the Catholic legends of the 14 Stations of the Cross, the 14 so-called helpers and also the 14 letters on the Pantheon, which all point to one of the ancient 14 “deities” of Rome, fit in with this.
Distributing the “Peace Light” is a ritual that neither represents nor glorifies Jesus Christ. The real homage falls on the great adversary.
Bible verses from King James Version