Holidays – End Times Prophecy Report

Memorial Day 2023

MONDAY is Memorial Day in the USA, a day on which Americans show some respect to those who gave their lives in American wars past.

TOMORROW (Friday) begins the Memorial Day weekend. Although the 3-day weekend doesn’t have it’s beginning until the next day (Saturday), as Americans have embraced the holiday, MANY appear to ‘get ready’ on Friday–making Memorial Day weekend a FOUR-DAY weekend.

The holiday is observed on the last Monday of May, as weather is turning warm and most schools and universities are adjourning for the summer, establishing Memorial Day weekend as the unofficial beginning of summer.

On that three-day weekend, many people travel to visit friends and family. They attend events ranging from community gatherings to large sports competitions. The Indianapolis (“Indy”) 500 motor race, for instance, attracts an estimated 300,000 people on the Saturday before Memorial Day. But many Americans also visit cemeteries, where volunteers often place American flags on graves. On Memorial Day itself, a national moment of silence takes place at 3 p.m. local time to remember the war dead.
—Memorial Day: Reflection and Celebration

Memorial Day has ALWAYS been celebrated–whether it has been acknowledged or not–as a sort of UNOFFICIAL beginning to SUMMER and vacation season.

This unofficial season of SUMMER usually runs until the first weekend in September, when Labor Day unofficially marks the END of SUMMER.

So, Americans have not only celebrated a number of FEDERAL holidays (recognized and promoted by the US government), they have also celebrated the summer vacation season in the most UNOFFICIAL way–both the beginning and the end of that normally hot season.

ETPR MAY be writing MORE about this uniquely-American holiday–OR, we may not.

Time will tell.

This is as good a time as any to ask readers a few questions about Memorial Day.

1- IS the reader planning on doing anything ‘SPECIAL’ to remember those who died in American wars?

2- HAS the reader EVER celebrated Memorial Day as it was INTENDED to be celebrated?

3– IS Memorial Day anything ‘OUT-OF-THE-ORDINARY’ for the reader?

4- HAS Memorial Day EVER meant anything other than what the government and the media have claimed it to be?

REGARDLESS of PAST BEHAVIORS, ETPR would like to take this opportunity to wish ALL readers

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY 2023!

DOES the reader have any thoughts which pertain to Memorial Day?

It is not YET too late–although time is surely running out: there is still a LITTLE time to change direction (repent), place your faith (hope) for the future entirely on Jesus Christ and enter the kingdom of heaven.

DOES the reader believe he is saved?

Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival

DOES the reader believe he is NOT saved?

Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. ”
—1 Corinthians 15:1-8

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16

MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report

A Reminder: The Gospel is Simple

[Portions of this piece appeared originally in End Times Prophecy Headlines: May 26-28, 2023]

MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report

RELATED ARTICLES

by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier

image: Image by Hannah Edgman from Pixabay.com

© Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report, 2012-23. © Mondo Frazier and End Times Prophecy Report, DBKP 2007-2023. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Easter 2023

Sunday was a day normally called “Easter Sunday” by the church folk.

What, EXACTLY, is the Christian supposed to be celebrating on ‘Easter’?

Let’s take a look at some history behind the day called EASTER.

First, a little background on the day modern Christians celebrate as ‘Easter.’

Easter is a pagan festival. If Easter isn’t really about Jesus, then what is it about? Today, we see a secular culture celebrating the spring equinox, whilst religious culture celebrates the resurrection. However, early Christianity made a pragmatic acceptance of ancient pagan practises, most of which we enjoy today at Easter. The general symbolic story of the death of the son (sun) on a cross (the constellation of the Southern Cross) and his rebirth, overcoming the powers of darkness, was a well worn story in the ancient world. There were plenty of parallel, rival resurrected saviours too.

In an ironic twist, the Cybele cult flourished on today’s Vatican Hill. Cybele’s lover Attis, was born of a virgin, died and was reborn annually. This spring festival began as a day of blood on Black Friday, rising to a crescendo after three days, in rejoicing over the resurrection. There was violent conflict on Vatican Hill in the early days of Christianity between the Jesus worshippers and pagans who quarrelled over whose God was the true, and whose the imitation. What is interesting to note here is that in the ancient world, wherever you had popular resurrected god myths, Christianity found lots of converts. So, eventually Christianity came to an accommodation with the pagan Spring festival. Although we see no celebration of Easter in the New Testament, early church fathers celebrated it, and today many churches are offering “sunrise services” at Easter – an obvious pagan solar celebration. The date of Easter is not fixed, but instead is governed by the phases of the moon – how pagan is that?
—The Pagan Roots of Easter

The name “Easter” was derived from “Eostre,” “originally a Saxon word (Eostre), denoting a goddess of the Saxons, in honour of whom sacrifices were offered about the time of the Passover.” This very fact causes many to wonder if Easter is really a pagan holiday and if it should be celebrated by Christians.

The origins of Easter are wrapped up in a celebration of seasonal renewal that has taken place in numerous cultures for thousands of years around the time of the Spring Equinox. Some argue that even the Christian version of Easter merely perpetuates a pagan age-old, familiar theme of resurrection rather than honoring an actual person or event in history.
—Is Easter Pagan in Origin and Roots?

Easter arrives this year on Sunday, April 17, 2022, but if you think Easter started as a Christian holiday, think again.

The history and origins of how Easter began aren’t rooted in what Christians know as Resurrection Sunday, but rather, as part of the lexicon of Pagan holidays and traditions.

Even as Christians celebrate the day of Jesus Christ’s resurrection, people of other faiths and religious traditions which existed for millennia before Christianity was established celebrate their own stories of gods and goddesses being brought back to life again after death.

From the Egyptian god Osiris to the Greek god Dionysus, among others, resurrection and rebirth have been a fairly common theme among religions and mythology.

—The Pagan Reason We Celebrate Easter With Colored Eggs & Bunnies

The one thing all of these bits of published information have in common: although the article’s author PRETENDS to bring up pagan roots in order to examine and discredit them, the articles do a fairly good job of justifying pagan Easter practices–including calling Jesus’ resurrection a fairy tale.

This is pagan Easter apologetics–and the reader may expect to see LOTS of these types of articles around the Easter (and Christmas!) season.

So, modern Christians have not only used a pagan holiday to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, they have adopted a NUMBER of pagan practices which have NOTHING to do with the rebirth of the Son of God.

Quite a number of ‘Easter traditions’ are pagan in nature, honoring fertility by using eggs, rabbits and other fertile animal symbolism.

Easter and Christmas aren’t technically Pagan holidays, but they occur on the same days as pagan festivals and have similarities in the traditions of each.

Pagan traditions remained as Christianity took over, because Christians actually found the pagan traditions special.

That’s why many Christian holidays fall around the same time as many Pagan festivals — Easter being on the same day as the Pagan spring festival Ostara, Christmas occurring on the same day as the Pagan winter festival Saturnalia, which is the celebration of the birth of the Sun god.

Though some mistakenly believe so, Easter does not mean Ishtar. However, the original celebration of Easter was named Ishtar, after the Assyrian and Babylonian goddess of fertility.
—The Pagan Reason We Celebrate Easter With Colored Eggs & Bunnies

Easter 2023 has come and gone and now it is only a memory. BUT Easter 2024 and beyond is coming up.

We at ETPR COULD write a LOT more about the paganism which surrounds the holiday of EASTER–but we’ll hold our fire for Easters to come, God willing.

HOPEFULLY, the reader will have celebrated the day commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ by NOT resorting to pagan symbolism or practices.

DID the reader celebrate Easter in some way?

DID the reader have access to ANY of the information in this piece previously?

DID it matter?

DOES the reader believe he is saved?

Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival

DOES the reader believe he is NOT saved?

Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16

MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report

A Reminder: The Gospel is Simple

[Portions of this piece appeared originally in End Times Prophecy Headlines: April 10, 2023.]

MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report

RELATED ARTICLES

by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier

image: Image by Robert Armstrong from Pixabay.com

St Patrick’s Day 2023

The day after tomorrow (Friday March 17, 2023) sees the ‘celebration’ of the man elevated by the churches (and the world!) as “St Patrick.”

The story of St Patrick is a familiar one IF the reader has researched those men and women proclaimed to be “SAINTS” by the Catholic Church.

Almost ALL of the proclaimed men and women started their lives as confirmed PAGANS.

The man called ‘St Patrick’ was no different.

Almost ALL of the men and women designated as ‘saints’ are associated with stories of their MIRACULOUS power.

The man called ‘St Patrick’ was no different.

BUT, the stories of the (mysterious!) MIRACULOUS power of those ‘saints’ were added YEARS after the ‘saint’ died. In many cases, HUNDREDS of years after the ‘saint’ had passed on, stories appeared which associated the person with MIRACLES!

Patrick was no different.

A FEW of the stories moderns have come to know the man proclaimed as “Saint Patrick” follow.

1- St Patrick drove the snakes out of Ireland.

But there has NEVER been any record of ANY snakes EVER being in Ireland–either before or after Patrick supposedly drove them out.

From Why Are There No Snakes in Ireland?:

Legend tells of St. Patrick using the power of his faith to drive all of Ireland’s snakes into the sea. It’s an impressive image, but there’s no way it could have happened.

There never were any snakes in Ireland, partly for the same reason that there are no snakes in Hawaii, Iceland, New Zealand, Greenland, or Antarctica: the Emerald Isle is, well, an island.

Once upon a time, Ireland was connected to a larger landmass. But that time was an ice age that kept the land far too chilly for cold-blooded reptiles. As the ice age ended around 10,000 years ago, glaciers melted, pouring even more cold water into the now-impassable expanse between Ireland and its neighbors.

Other animals, like wild boars, lynx, and brown bears, managed to make it across—as did a single reptile: the common lizard. Snakes, however, missed their chance.

As one biologist put it, “Patrick could not have driven the snakes from Ireland because there were NO snakes in Ireland to begin with.”

But the ‘legend’ of St Patrick includes the story of him driving the snakes from Ireland.

2- Patrick wasn’t the ONLY personage associated with the color green.

The color GREEN has LONG been associated with St Patrick.

But he wasn’t the only one linked to green.

Why was the colour green associated with Satan and how did that relationship decline?

Recently my professor explained how in English literature the colour green often represented the devil, he used “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” as an example. He said a contemporary of Fitt would have been aware of this association.

One way modern men and women have ‘celebrated’ the day proclaimed as “St Patrick’s Day” is to indulge in drinking large amounts of beer.

GREEN beer (Actually, beer that has been colored green by adding dye to it).

As is the case with MOST of the pagans-turned-saints, Patrick was proclaimed to be the PATRON SAINT of a country. In Patrick’s case, it was Ireland.

Drinking intoxicating drink has ALWAYS been frowned upon by God’s Word.

“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”
–Proverbs 20:1

“For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.”
–Proverbs 23:21

Because so many Irish immigrated and stayed in the New York City area, that area has FOND MEMORIES of the man called St Patrick.

The largest Catholic Church in the area is named ST PATRICK’S CATHEDRAL and NYC celebrates Patrick with the annual St Patrick’s Day Parade–which usually attracts the attention of all those wanting Irish VOTES for one reason or another.

[This has been ETPR’s 2023 contribution to the man called St Patrick.]

HAS the reader ever devoted much thought to St Patrick or St Patrick’s Day?

DOES the reader believe he is saved?

Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival

DOES the reader believe he is NOT saved?

Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16

MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report

A Reminder: The Gospel is Simple

[Portions of this piece appeared originally in End Times Prophecy Headlines: March 15 2023.]

MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report

RELATED ARTICLES

by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier

image: Photo by K. Mitch Hodge on Unsplash.com

Valentine’s Day 2023

Today is February 14, 2023.

February 14 is known as Valentine’s Day in most of the world.

While we have nearly exhausted (for the time being) our cache of information on MODERN LOVE, we thought a nice, informative piece on VALENTINE’S DAY might be in order.

So here it is!

MODERN LOVE

VALENTINE’S DAY is the day when the USA celebrates LOVE–or what we’re taught is LOVE.

Valentine’s Day, also called Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, through later folk traditions, has become a significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romance and love in many regions of the world.

So how did the world move from Saint Valentine–a man supposedly who died for the testimony of Jesus Christ–to a holiday about love and romance?

The day became associated with romantic love in the 14th and 15th centuries when notions of courtly love flourished, apparently by association with the “lovebirds” of early spring. In 18th-century England, it grew into an occasion in which couples expressed their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as “valentines”). Valentine’s Day symbols that are used today include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid.

Here’s a quick Valentine Day’s tidbit: Where did the ‘heart’ (or ‘heart-shaped outline) come from? It looks NOTHING like a human heart, so where did this almost-universal symbol of love originate?

A professor of psychology who studied the symbolism, origin and history of Valentine’s Day said the traditional double-lobed heart symbol on candy and cards is inspired by the shape of female buttocks as they appear from behind, according to Discovery News.

A number of writers picked up on this salacious symbol.

Though the world’s ‘authorities’ are not enthused about the revelation, it is something to think about the next time the reader is tempted to give a ‘heart’-shaped box of candy to a sweetie.

At one time, it was claimed that Valentine’s Day was the second-biggest gift-giving day of the year (after Christmas).

Is that true?

The answer is hard to pin down–though there are a LOT of gifts given to sweethearts (real and imagined) on the day.

Like most other things which, once-upon-a-time began from religious beginnings, Valentine’s Day has morphed into something that its acolytes CLAIM is symbolic of love and romance.

But is it?

The reader will have to make up his own mind on this one.

MORE: Valentine Day’s Quotes: 37 Valentines Day Quotes to Share with Your Someone Special

DOES the reader have any thoughts on Valentine’s Day which he has picked up over the years?

DOES the reader believe he is saved?

Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival

DOES the reader believe he is NOT saved?

Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16

MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report

A Reminder: The Gospel is Simple

[Portions of this piece appeared originally in End Times Prophecy Headlines: February 14, 2023.]

MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report

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by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier

image: Image by 0fjd125gk87 from Pixabay.com

For Christmas to Be TRULY Appreciated, It Needs…?

Christmas time is a time when so much has been wrapped up, around and with CHILDREN.

For those who came from multiple-child families, Christmas will almost always be about the children involved.

Children are such an integral part of Christmas, there are a number of resources dedicated to those who face those holidays childless.

13 Holiday Traditions for Couples Without Kids

CREATING CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE KIDS

How Does It Feel To Be Childless at Christmas?

Children are such a necessary part of Christmas, that those without kids frequently ‘borrow’ a few for the holidays. In this manner, such folks are able to enjoy MANY of the traditions associated with Christmas–instead of a FEW–while the ‘borrowed’ children usually enjoy a few perks of their own.

Whether it is trimming a tree, preparing to cut down a tree OR surrounding one’s self with the plans for SUPREME GIFT-GIVING, children appear to be part of the Christmas equation.

Maybe that is why so many who have had children in their families, look back with such fondness on those days when children were once loud, noisy and–nice.

Children are such a NEEDED part of many Christmas traditions, it almost goes without saying that they are a NECESSARY PART of the Christmas equation.

[For all those still stumped by the headline: don’t be. The answer (obviously) is CHILDREN.]

DOES the reader have any thoughts on celebrating Christmas without children?

DOES the reader believe he is saved?

Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival

DOES the reader believe he is NOT saved?

Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16

MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report

A Reminder: The Gospel is Simple

[Portions of this piece appeared originally in End Times Prophecy Headlines: December 26, 2022.]

MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report

MORE

RELATED ARTICLES

by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier

image: photo by Freestocks.com from Pexels.com

© Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report, 2012-22. © Mondo Frazier and End Times Prophecy Report, DBKP 2007-2022. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Link Disclaimer: inclusion of links to other blogs/websites is not necessarily an endorsement of all content posted in those blogs/websites.

Christmas Day 2022

Ground Zero for the Christmas season is Christmas Day.

Which means Ground Zero for the 2022 Christmas season is Christmas Day 2022.

As a day becomes the focal point of an entire holiday season, it naturally picks up some myths and legends along the way. And so it has been with Christmas Day 2022.

Let’s deal with a few of those less-than-truthful hangers-on NOW, shall we?

1- Christmas is a day which reflects the type of people we are at present.

This may be true, but it is NOT that the day reflects the type of people we are.

It is more likely that the day reflects the type of people WE HAVE BECOME. A look back at Christmases past and a person will have a fairly good idea of where the ‘people’ referred to ONCE WERE.

Christmas is more an imperfect reflecting tool rather than a mirror.

Yes, a people can be seen by looking at Christmas past BUT who the people are and where those people once were is a subject which needs CONTEXT in order for the information gained to be of much use.

2- Christmas is a day which softens the hard hearts of all which it touches.

Christmas does appear to soften hardened hearts.

Christmas Time Appears to Soften Men’s Ways

But rather than any form of spell which Christmas mysteriously casts on those who are nearby, it may be that any softening of men is due to the EXPECTATION that men will be merry and bright at Christmas.

Men EXPECT that others will be easier to deal with around the Christmas holidays–and so, they are.

HOWEVER, any easing of hardened hearts may have more to do with WHAT IS EXPECTED OF MEN AT THAT TIME OF YEAR rather than the time of the year itself.

3- Christmas 2022 seems more in keeping with the Christmases of the RECENT past rather than the Christmases of the long ago past.

Whereas the Christmases of the LONG AGO PAST featured a day which emphasized SELFLESSNESS and Good Will towards Men, the Christmases of the RECENT PAST appear to emphasize that which modern man has come to focus on: SELF and SELF-GRATIFICATION.

This has to do mainly with the focus of modern man in general during the end times.

These are the thoughts which have been churned up by Christmas 2022.

Did the reader have any unique thoughts on Christmas Day?

DOES the reader believe he is saved?

Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival

DOES the reader believe he is NOT saved?

Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16

MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report

A Reminder: The Gospel is Simple

[Portions of this piece appeared originally in End Times Prophecy Headlines: December 26, 2022.]

MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report

MORE

RELATED ARTICLES

by Jeremiah Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier

image: Photo by cottonbro from Pexels.com

Link Disclaimer: inclusion of links to other blogs/websites is not necessarily an endorsement of all content posted in those blogs/websites.

A Few Retros

Information assembled for last year (2021). The information still appears valid in 2022.

Though the information sources are undoubtedly RETRO, the information itself is undoubtedly up-to-date and TRUE.

CHRISTMAS! AND CHRISTMAS EVE!

WAS the reader current on all of the information presented here?

DOES the reader believe he is saved?

Make Your Calling and Election Sure: End Times Survival

DOES the reader believe he is NOT saved?

Time is Running Out: Today is the Day of Salvation

THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
-–Romans 1:16

MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report

A Reminder: The Gospel is Simple

[Portions of this piece appeared originally in End Times Prophecy Headlines: December 26, 2022.]

MORE: Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report

MORE

RELATED ARTICLES