The deception behind February 14(Part 2)

                                     The Heart

 One of the major symbols of Valentine’s Day is the heart.  The use of the “heart” also has a pagan origin. 

   Among the pagans, “The ‘Heart’ was one of the sacred symbols of Osiris when he was born again, and appeared as Harpocrates, or the infant divinity, borne in the arms of his mother Isis”. The fruit of the Egyptian Persea was sacred to him as it resembled the human heart in shape.  He was frequently represented with a heart, or the heart-shaped fruit of the Persea, much as Cupid is often represented with a “heart.”  

Rhea, the mother of Ninus [Nimrod], was Semiramis, “the mother of the gods.”  Semiramis also become Nimrod’s wife.  Says Alexander Hislop, “The Chaldean Mysteries can be traced up to the days of Semiramis, who lived only a few centuries after the flood, and who is known to have impressed upon them the image of her own depraved and polluted mind.  That beautiful but abandoned queen of Babylon was not only herself a paragon of unbridled lust and licentiousness, but in the Mysteries which she had a chief hand in forming, she was worshiped as Rhea, the great ‘MOTHER’ of the gods, with such atrocious rites as identified her with Venus, the MOTHER of all impurity, and raised the very city where she had reigned to a bad eminence among the nations, as the grand seat at once of idolatry and consecrated prostitution”

Cupid’s mother, Venus, is also called “Nemesis” by the ancients.  Nemesis was the “goddess of revenge.”  Pausanius comments on the stature of Nemesis, saying, “Among the Smyrneans, however, who possess the most holy images of Nemesis, I perceived afterwards that these statues had wings.  For, as this goddess principally pertains to lovers, on this account they may be supposed to have given wings to Nemesis, as well as to love,” – that is, Cupid .

This implies that she was the counterpart of Cupid, i.e. Venus, the goddess of love.  Photius speaks of the statue of the Rhamnusian Nemesis, “She was at first erected in the form of Venus.” 

The Original “Valentine”

            Women adored Nimrod.  Even as women seem to adore certain charismatic men, or politicians, today, no matter what their track record or history of adultery, immorality, and promiscuity.  When a woman send a Valentine’s card, saying, “Be my Valentine,” it is a carry-over from those ancient days when women sought a romantic relationship with the god “Baal,” “Nimrod,” “Bel,” or the blessings of “Cupid”!   

            Ninus or Nimrod was also the king of the ancient Assyrians.  As such, says Trogus Pompeius, he “first of all changed the contented moderation of the ancient manners, incited by a new passion, the desire of conquest.  He was the first who carried on war against his neighbors, and he conquered all nations from Assyria to Lybia, as they were yet unacquainted with the arts of war”

Diodorus Siculus wrote of him:  “Ninus, the most ancient of the Assyrian kings mentioned in history, performed great actions.  Being naturally of a warlike disposition, and ambitious of glory that results from valor, he armed a considerable number of young men that were brave and vigorous like himself, trained them up a long time in laborious exercises and hardships, and by that means accustomed them to bear the fatigues of war, and to face dangers with intrepidity”

Valentine’s Day is PAGAN! 

            Should Christians today celebrate this anciently, pagan-derived observance?  Many today may think it is all right, but the opinions of men are not our standard or authority.

            What does the Word of God itself say about this matter?  It is a very serious question.  Is it all right in the sight of God for men to take pagan customs and traditions, and to observe them, calling them "Christian"?  Is it all right to merge and combine PAGAN  practices with the truth of God? 

            According to the prophet Malachi, God does not change (Mal.3:6).  His laws and commandments are eternal (Psa.111:7-8).  Does God say it is all right to observe the traditions and customs of the pagans?

            God commanded ancient Israel, “I am the Lord your God.  You must NOT  DO AS THEY DO IN EGYPT, where you used to live, and you must NOT  DO AS THEY DO IN THE LAND OF CANAAN, where I am bringing you.  DO NOT FOLLOW THEIR PRACTICES.  You must obey my laws, and be careful to follow my decrees” (Lev.18:2-4).

            God hates idolatry!  He detests it with vehement passion.  He tells us, “. . . Be careful not to be ensnared by inquiring about their gods, saying, ‘How do these nations serve their gods?  We will do the same.’  YOU must NOT WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD IN THEIR WAY, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of DETESTABLE THINGS the LORD HATES” (Deut.12:29-31).

            Because of pagan idolatrous practices, God cast the Canaanites out of the Promised Land.  They were worshippers of Baal, or Nimrod, Tammuz, the sun god, the pagan Messiah, the god of wine and revelry.  Their whole religious system stemmed from ancient Babylon, the fount of all heresy and apostasy. 

            Truly, the whole world has been deceived by Satan the devil and his clever masquerades and machinations (Rev.12:9).  God Almighty thunders:  “Wherefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Are ye POLLUTED after the manner of your fathers?  and commit ye WHOREDOM after the manner of THEIR ABOMINATIONS?  . . . ye POLLUTE yourselves with all your IDOLS, even unto this day . . . . But as for you, O house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD:  Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me: but POLLUTE YE MY HOLY NAME NO MORE with your gifts, and with your idols” (Ezek.20:30-39). 

 Written by  William F. Dankenbring