Nativity Myths You Probably Believe + Contradictions!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Hope everyone has a wonderful day! Heading off to our first christmas celebration. Catch up on comments soon.

[@maggienewton8518]

happy holidays, Brandon. Every day is family day but it's nice to mark them with special gatherings, hope yours are great.

[@mark.guitar]

Enjoy! Happy Christmas to you and your family (other winter festivals are available...).

[@YNWA-1]

At least Brandon you only have one Christmas celebration. My wife is from the Republic of Georgia 🇬🇪. I have to do this all over again on Jan 6th.

[@Explodington]

Merry Christmas!

[@n.c.1201]

Make the best of your family time!

[@dougt7580]

In 4th grade, one of my classmates got suspended at our catholic school for drawing a nativity scene with Herod's soldiers performing their task. Literally got kicked out of school for three days for depicting what Matthew actually says happened. Caused a big'ol controversy.

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

And they're worried about content in other books that they want banned 🤔🙄

[@dougt7580]

​@@CatDaddyGuitarNot that they've read those other books either....but man on Faux News says they're scary!

[@AdamKlownzinger]

Christians hate their own Bible. Truly stunning what people will fight to the death for because their mom believed it and passed it on to them.

[@Noise-Conductor]

@@dougt7580 Faux News...🤣

[@lukastemberger]

Superstitions can get you banned from school in the US?! I'm European and I was openly asking the priest questions in class. Like are they allowed to masturbate and about inconsistencies in the Bible...

[@ar-pxp]

The more you know the harder it is to coexist with people who don't.

[@Sological]

This is so incredibly true

[@tandrew651]

You find it hard to coexist with Christians?

[@benjalucian1515]

@@tandrew651 Did he say Christians?

[@tandrew651]

@@benjalucian1515 That's why I'm asking

[@Badficwriter]

@@tandrew651 Your question seems removed.

[@chadwynn5051]

My favorite nativity scene is the one where the guy sneaked a Yoda action figure in and his mom had never noticed

[@tperson8347]

@@chadwynn5051 My dad always puts a G.I.JOE in his nativity scene every year and send us the pictures. :) Here lately, he's included a baby Yoda figure. :)

[@chaospoet]

My friend, behold the greatest Nativity Scene in all of human history! Lots of swearing,.so don't have kids nearby, but so, so funny. 😆 kzbin.info/www/bejne/foqwn6CvosxkpJIsi=tJwIt3RPIEvPSZ4l

[@elliottpaine9259]

LMFAO!!

[@mrjustadude1]

Blasphemy.

[@craigsmith1443]

Yes, trading on the trust of others (also known as a 'confidence game') is always a considerate, honest thing to do.

[@user-yf1sg5pp5f]

I thought the world was going to end for months due to my Christian ideology and it was extremely mentally taxing, to say the least. Thanks to you I am now able to be normal again.

[@kurbeez]

im so glad youre out of that. Enjoy your newfound mental liberty

[@stuffthings1417]

why would you think the world was ending? odd.

[@tandrew651]

Due to that particular Christian ideology. Most churches aren't end times cults

[@ARCtheCartoonMaster]

@@user-yf1sg5pp5f Ironic, considering those same people probably deny climate change, which ultimately *will* end the world if we don’t do something about it.

[@TonyLambregts]

@@tandrew651 certainly it's better to be out of that flavor of Christianity.

[@That_Tuning_Guy]

Thank you so much for all you do. You have been an encouragement to me and many others. Happy Holidays!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

This is so very generous. Thank you for this level of support and encouragement!

[@iluvtacos1231]

One of the reasons I love your channel is the way you go over the Bible. I never put together that the townsfolk get this announcement about the miraculous birth of Jesus and then 30 years later are like "who's this loser?*

[@theol64]

He "goes over it" alright. Dumping his garbage at the speed of sound.

[@iluvtacos1231]

@theol64 And what, pray tell, is the "garbage" he's dropping?

[@victory8928]

@@theol64I mean I would imagine that news and tales of his miracles would make them thing of him differently no?

[@Explodington]

@@iluvtacos1231 It's things that disagree with his favorite fanfiction.

[@theol64]

@@iluvtacos1231 He opens his maw

[@SimplySkeptical22]

16:59 “If this is perfect truth it can hold up to anything.” What a compelling statement. I think anyone afraid to question their beliefs should keep that in mind. Great video!

[@TonyLambregts]

Yes!

[@craigsmith1443]

_I think anyone afraid to question their beliefs should keep that in mind_ That includes atheists. I have yet to encounter an atheist who honestly questions his belief system (and atheism is a belief system).

[@TonyLambregts]

@craigsmith1443 OK I'm game. Atheism is definitely a part of my personal beliefs. I am an agnostic atheist, agnostic because I don't claim certainty that a god cannot exist. My personal favorite is that god is the universe. A close runner up is Einstein's God or Spinoza's God. I have seen enough about the God as variously described within the Bible that it most probably doesn't exist or if it does that it isn't worthy of worship.

[@craigsmith1443]

@@TonyLambregts _ I have seen enough about the God as variously described within the Bible that it most probably doesn't exist or if it does that it isn't worthy of worship._ May I suggest that that 'enough' isn't enough? I would wager that, if you kept studying, you'd see much more that you have missed.

[@TonyLambregts]

@craigsmith1443 go on. What do you think I have missed?

[@AdamKlownzinger]

I’ll always love what Christmas means for me and my family regardless of the religious substrate. Thank you for still making content for us even so close to a day like Christmas. I genuinely appreciate it.

[@maggienewton8518]

:)

[@gowdsake7103]

Ummmm Christianity IS the book

[@liamlynch2115]

This is like having a watch party of Harry Potter and debating which parts are real.

[@zxys001]

My deconstruction started at about 12-14 years old when my Lutheran mother who married into catholicism was teaching us about the bible. My mom was great at teaching and she openly admitted and did not shy away from the inaccuracies and contradictions of the text. Thanks for your work. Although I'm a non-believer, I still love this time of year and I miss my mom and dad (or, my reality) Merry Christmas!🎅

[@cynthiasloan3867]

It was the slaughter of the innocents that started me really beginning to question. It seemed to me that there would be some kind of record of Herod ordering such a thing and yet I could find nothing outside of the Bible that mentioned it.

[@emilywyatt9340]

Surely historians like Josephus would have mentioned it. Given Bethlehems size it would only have been a few. He was paranoid and eliminated any competition. 2000 years ago so we can't know if he would have drawn the line at babies. The Gospel writers were just trying to make parallels to Moses.

[@ladyeowyn42]

Also why would god allow that? He could have kept the birth low key easily.

[@onedaya_martian1238]

If an ALL KNOWING gawd had simply shown up in a dream to the magi BEFORE they were to show up at Harrod's palace, no murders would have had to occur. And why would an ALL LOVING gawd allow this slaughter to occur just to make a prophecy come true ? (A prophecy about a different event even!). Take that pro-lifers !!! Finally, f the messiah was supposed to come out of Egypt, the Christ family could have just decided (with all that gold they got) to move to a better neighborhood. This story has more plot holes than a Marvel movie !!

[@craigsmith1443]

_yet I could find nothing outside of the Bible that mentioned it._ 1. The Argument From Silence is a well-known logical fallacy 2. I presume that you are not a history major nor a historian, amateur or professional? Then you might not know all that there is to know about it 3. Herod had a way of killing those he saw as threats to his throne, like his own sons. His execution of Alexander, Aristobulus, and Antipater prompted Augustus to remark that it was safer to be Herod's pig than his son. 4. Bethlehem was a small village not far from Jerusalem (about 9 kilometers), so killing all the infant sons in it would be, what, up to ten? Hardly a ripple in the news of the day outside of the village. 5. Most documents from the ancient world have disappeared. 6. It's not a cardinal doctrine but is far down on the list of what a Christian must accept to be a Christian. 'Jesus is Lord' is cardinal. The Slaughter of the Innocents is not.

[@NAYR8]

@@craigsmith1443it’s all make believe nonsense

[@anonymonymoose]

'Tis the season for atheist KZbinrs to be dropping absolute bangers.

[@ColinWrubleski-eq5sh]

Correction... time for atheist bloggers to re-propagate their satanically-inspired falsehoods and deceptions. In truth, Satan must know that the Incarnation is a necessary prelude to his final overthrow and defeat, but though he actually cannot lie to himself about what happened, he is clever enough to work double-time to get more and more humans to lie and deny what witnesses actually saw with their own eyes.

[@benjalucian1515]

@@ColinWrubleski-eq5sh Satan is also a myth

[@emilywyatt9340]

Always fun to dissect the fantasy story being peddled.

[@vulpixelful]

atheist content has definitely gotten better

[@dylanc4376]

Great video, Brandon. As an atheist with a Christian family, I know the frustration that this time of year can bring. Your commentary is empowering and fills me with confidence, something I sometimes lack around Christmas. You're the man!

[@hailsagan8886]

Happy Saturnalia,fellow heathens

[@tperson8347]

Happy Saturnalia, old Bean, and a Merry Mithras to all. :)

[@aidenmartin6674]

Saying that should make some Christians eyes bug out. lol

[@VictoriousCatholic]

A holiday that was never celebrated by the majority of Romans?

[@jackstiv8395]

Feliz Saturnalia 🪐🎄 from the bottom of my heart 💜 😅😂

[@tperson8347]

@@jackstiv8395 I heard the music when I read your comment. Thanks for bringing the tunes. :)

[@user-yf1sg5pp5f]

One of the top streamers for this content out there Brandon. Keep going king. I appreciated your liberating stories during my deconstruction. I thought I was never going to be the same again, but you literally changed my perspective. You helped my mental health and brought me to a life i thought I wasn't going to have ever again. I am living my best conscious experience.

[@pansepot1490]

Free therapy: what more do you want? ;) Jk, thanks for sharing. Knowing that people are doing well makes me happy. 😊

[@TonyLambregts]

@@user-yf1sg5pp5f I am very happy for you.

[@sillymamacita3854]

I love this ❤❤❤

[@PapiCthulu2]

Mary didn't like the name Emanuel. She told the baby-daddy to come up with another name

[@hamobu]

Mary: "Emanuel? That sounds Latino to me. Better name him Jesus"

[@chipjohnson9283]

Yeah. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Joseph, Mary, etc....And then out of nowhere....Jesus! 🤷

[@josephblue4135]

The baby daddy was supposed to be the holy ghost 😅

[@AndrewPoolman]

@@hamobu Since deconverting I really enjoy referring to the character as "Hey Zeus."

[@emilywyatt9340]

So there is no way that verse refers to Jesus. Not named Emmanuel and is about a young woman currently pregnant in the Kings palace during an Assyrian siege.

[@ashleywanner4656]

Another thing, I don't remember where, but I saw a video that said that the shepherds were most likely girls, as the culture wouldn't allow male strangers to visit a woman who just gave birth. Just another interesting tidbit.

[@theol64]

And you say we're the "myth-believers".

[@TheHookahSmokingCaterpillar]

I always thought the shepherds were there to pre-figure the 'sacrificial lamb' angle of the crucifiction narrative.

[@theol64]

@@TheHookahSmokingCaterpillar "Crucification"??????? Sthu

[@emilywyatt9340]

Also not have been out in fields in December. I think the citizens only census was in spring.

[@johntiggleman4686]

@ashleywanner4656 I believe that is accurate. Years back, I attended a two-nights a week, 4 week seminar taught by a Christian school teacher who had visited the Holy Land several times. His series was called "That The World May Know." That was one of the things he had discovered while over there. Why would the adult male shepherds be out at night? They most assuredly handed that task off to teenage girls willing to make a few shekels.

[@chipjohnson9283]

Christians: "X-mas is taking Christ out of Christmas! We are oppressed!" Pagans: "So....we aren't gonna talk about how you guys stole ALL of our holidays and beliefs?"

[@lilykitty111]

I've heard it was easier to convert the pagans by doing that. I guess that does show that the religious people (Catholic, I guess} would change things and do whatever to convert people.

[@NYCHFAN]

Bingo!

[@JustJayNicole1]

They adopted the practices to convert them over and to decrease the frequency of Christians unaliving Pagans during the Christian Crusades.

[@cdsworkshop2855]

What's even more ironic is that the "X" in X-mas literally stands for the name "Christ" because it resembles the Greek symbols "chi rho" which means "Christos" (i.e. Christ). So not only does using "X" for "Christ" not take his name out, it follows a long tradition of abbreviating his name this way.

[@dande3139]

"X" was the greek symbol for Christ. But "Christ" is a Greek title (not a name). "Jesus" is Greek as well, and wasn't his name. Reading the bible, it sounds like Jesus didn't think much of Greeks (gentiles). I bet he'd hate the whole thing, if he was alive. "We pray in the name of Jesus..." Immortal human-god being, called by the wrong name - "Shut up!"

[@chellyberry4434]

I was just thinking about this yesterday and happy i didnt go to church. I knew I couldnt handle the vast comparisons between the gospels and wanting to say “that never happened”. I just cant do it anymore and be around it.

[@franciswalsh8416]

The Flight to Egypt was the oddest story to me, that and the fact that, odd or not, the other 3 Gospels make no mention of such a newsworthy event! I am with you, I want everyone to have a peaceful Holiday Season. Thanks for another great video!

[@andrewward5891]

The Egypt thing is the author trying to make the case to the Jews that Jesus is the new Moses.

[@BluStarGalaxy]

The fact that Christians accept the Nativity Story as true without question is crazy. Even as a Christian when my family read the Nativity Story I had to convince myself that this happened. I have read history and the Nativity doesn’t feel like history. I remember the knot in my stomach when I heard it. It just felt off.

[@dougt7580]

Once you get through the boring begat intros the stories definitely have the "Once upon a time in a land far, far away....." vibe.

[@KaleidoAbridged]

@@dougt7580 All of the stroeies felt that way to me. I got a religious upbringing but I never once thought any of it wa s real, I thought all of them were bedtime stories. Noahs ark, Jonah in the fish, Adam and Eve in the garden of eden, all fantastical storytime fare. I was like 15 when I found out people actually believed the bible happened.

[@BluStarGalaxy]

@@dougt7580 The whole world being taxed is what got me. I’m like really?

[@BluStarGalaxy]

@@KaleidoAbridged I was like, “All these people believe it so they must have good reason to think it is true.” It turns out, “Nope.”

[@ChinonsoNnadozie]

Merry Christmas everyone

[@markschlotter1282]

When I was a little kid I read part of the old testament, I thought it was about all kinds of positive feel good stories BUT all I read was all kinds of killing, sexual deviant stuff, lying, cheating, debauchery, and God had his hand in most of this stuff. I still try to get something good out of it.

[@jamie5mauser]

BART ehrmans “dark side of Christmas” is also a great talk

[@SeekingTruth2023]

I enjoyed it as well... though I wonder.... the bible says, that Mary rejoices. Which makes the Christians think, she consented and was happy about it (even though, she might as well been stoned for being pregnant when still unmarried)....

[@healthyselfwithkristi7459]

Merry Christmas and happy holidays! I plan on sending this video to a few of my fundamentalist Christians! Love it! 😂

[@traildoggy]

A modern nativity should include a health insurance CEO denying Mary and Joseph their benefits.

[@pansepot1490]

And Luigi…

[@wakkowarner7391]

Lol

[@DavidRichardson153]

​@@pansepot1490...In a kart about to throw a blue shell while giving the stare from the meme?

[@reverbscherzo7850]

@@DavidRichardson153 green fire

[@daydays12]

Excellent. And making billions of $$$$$$$$$$ in profits!!!!!!!

[@Ashy_Slashy3]

Today is my birthday. This is my bday video to enjoy, thx u 🎉

[@maggienewton8518]

happy birthday!

[@altyrrell3088]

Happy birthday!

[@Sological]

Happy birthday 🎉 🎉 🎉

[@Explodington]

Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas!

[@Ashy_Slashy3]

Thx u all and merry Christmas as well 🎄

[@mmpessoa]

OMG, I'm so glad you posted this. I've always wondered what happened to the gifts given to Mary and Joseph by the three kings. It's a FORTUNE! Did Joseph waste the money on his carpentry business? Did the family make bad investments? Was it all taken in taxes? Did the kings check up on the family periodically? When Jesus disappears for a few decades, was he actually interning with the kings in the East?

[@felicciasc]

All spent betting on chariot races.

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

LOL I was going to say dies from cirrhosis bcuz we don't know what happened to him later on.. never got over having to raise a kid that wasn't his 😂​@@felicciasc

[@Uryvichk]

Have you seen the prices on a timeshare in Egypt? And then they probably broke lease early when the angel told them to return.

[@onemishelle]

Thank you for this. I am at constant odds with a good friend of me about the bible and this entire "Jesus" story. Don't even get me started on the damn Trinity! Anyway, thank you for this and enjoy this time with your family, Brandon.

[@hamobu]

It wasn't the three kings that brought present, but Santa, who poped into existence at that moment since Christmas was just created.

[@Bob-wr1md]

Hell is actually just Santa's naughty list, it just got misinterpreted over time

[@Badficwriter]

@@Bob-wr1md So that's where the coal comes from...

[@mwituamweene9850]

😂 😂

[@hamobu]

@@Badficwriter Of course that's where coal comes from. What did you think, that coal comes from ancient forests that have been buried hundreds of millions of years ago? Lol, some people!

[@2pacaveli257]

Santa = Satan...ChristMas = Christ Mass

[@Volleyball_Chess_and_Geoguessr]

It sounds like a red flag that his own town didn't see him as a prophet. It's similar to how we can fall for it because it's from 2,000 years ago but wouldn't if it was modern day. It needs to be foreign to be believed.

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

One Of The Earliest Depictions Of Jesus that we have shows him with a Donkey head on a cross. Its called, The Alexamenos Graffito. It was engraved by someone mocking their friend for worshiping him.

[@JamesRichardWiley]

As a lifelong atheist I have no problem repeating Merry Christmas to friendly folks that I meet. It just isn't an issue with me. On the other hand when I am involved in a serious conversation I love arguing against god belief.

[@ARCtheCartoonMaster]

I mean… most normal people celebrate Christmas anyway, regardless if they’re Christian or not. Not sure what your point is.

[@onedaya_martian1238]

Me too !!

[@jovenc4508]

Christmas isn't even a Christian holiday. It's a Frankenstein's monster of pagan traditions so an atheist has every right to say "Merry Christmas" as much as they want.

[@nathanaellamb8647]

“Inherited cultural storytelling” That’s a great line. It is worth adding that the scriptures themselves were based on cultural storytelling that itself was then synthesized down into what we have…and even then Christian’s embellish it. Most of what they believe about hell comes from Dante’s inferno and/or Roman Catholic teaching hundreds of years later.

[@craigsmith1443]

_the scriptures themselves were based on cultural storytelling that itself was then synthesized down into what we have_ No, actually. the Scriptures are carefully preserved and transmitted history that Jan Vansina shows is regularly transmitted carefully and Eugene Lemcio showed was of the type to be done so. Bultmann's idea (the sort that you refer to) was wrong. _Most of what they believe about hell comes from Dante’s inferno and/or Roman Catholic teaching hundreds of years later_ A very different issue, irrelevant to your first point. One's concept of hell is not a cardinal doctrine, and therefore one is free to think of it as you will.

[@zacharylehocki]

Great topic for the holidays Brandon it goes to show you Nativity scenes on public property don`t just violate a separation of Church and State it violates a separation of reality and fiction.

[@craigsmith1443]

_it violates a separation of reality and fiction_ That expresses a truth.

[@zacharylehocki]

@@craigsmith1443 Even if we assume there`s any truth to it (you have to believe it you don`t know) its still messy to have so many untrue things mixed into it. We should expect better from the creator of the universe trying to communicate the most important thing to us.

[@craigsmith1443]

@@zacharylehocki _you have to believe it you don`t know_ We have to believe all the history that we read. By your apparent definition of 'know,' we don't know anything we have not experienced. Therefore we have to believe in just about everything we learned in school, read, or hear. That doesn't mean that it all is false. _its still messy to have so many untrue things mixed into it_ Welcome to the world of history. _We should expect better from the creator of the universe trying to communicate the most important thing to us_ It's not his fault. We just don't listen. It's a lot like school.

[@zacharylehocki]

@@craigsmith1443 I agree we can`t know anything for sure (especially in History) but that doesn't mean we still can`t have far greater confidence in some things over overs. The claim Caesar Augustus lived and the claim Jesus was born a virgin are not on the same level! (even if we can`t absolutely 100% know either) Ordinarily it`s normal for stories to become lost in tradition yes, but what I was saying (and Brandon) is if a God intentionally wanted to communicate something important to us we should expect better then the normal processes of history and instead its exactly the same.

[@craigsmith1443]

@@zacharylehocki _that doesn't mean we still can`t have far greater confidence in some things over overs._ That is correct, as long as we remain cognizant (which takes deliberate effort) over what we choose to be confident about. Confidence in the familiar is as much a desire for security as for truth. We fear ambiguity and so recoil from the different at first and must be convinced of it, which is an emotional progress, not a rational one. My 'confidence' in a proposition may just be my 'settling' for what I can accept at the moment. We are very complex, we humans, and don't always recognize our own processes. _The claim Caesar Augustus lived and the claim Jesus was born a virgin are not on the same level!_ No, they aren't, because they are very different claims with very different purposes, therefore we must approach them differently and not with a wooden insistence that all propositions be thought of alike. Who said, 'A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds'? In this context we can substitute 'fearful' for 'little,' I think. Fear is a much greater motivation for us than we'd like to admit to ourselves. Yet they can both be true. That we have multiple corroborations of Augustus's living and none for the virgin birth of Christ is irrelevant to each claim's truth, only to our willingness to accept either. The virgin birth, by the way, is not a cardinal doctrine. It is accepted, but it does not determine one's salvation. 'Jesus is Lord' is cardinal, but not the virgin birth. One can decide that Jesus is Lord and think about the virgin birth later, independently. _if a God intentionally wanted to communicate something important to us we should expect better then the normal processes of history and instead its exactly the same._ Not apparently for a God who loves his creation, through which he does his work on his earth. That's the point and quiet proclamation made throughout the Bible, from 'God created man in his own image' to 'God placed man in the Garden to tend and keep it,' to 'When you go to a banquet, take the lowest place,' to 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself,' to 'Love your enemy'. Everywhere in the Bible we are told that our duty and thus opportunity on earth is to live in God's work of good or others. This much is easily seen, that's how easy it is to understand. Like all areas of endeavor, however, we learn more as we do more. The doing is the learning. Our privilege is to grow in God as we live in Christ. That's the reason it takes time to learn. It isn't God or the Bible that causes our learning to be slow and effortful, it's us, and God is patient, consistent, and loving. Jesus said, 'Follow me.' That's the only way.

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

The star guiding the magi was a drone 😂

[@maggienewton8518]

well why not? Time to update this ancient text to make it relatable. Not like it needs to make sense, anyway.

[@Noise-Conductor]

From New Jersey.

[@ChinonsoNnadozie]

Merry Christmas 🎁⛄

[@zacharylehocki]

Lol that's funny I like that!

[@davidgibson5756]

Ah, so Jesus was born in NJ?

[@MarkMiller-gt5tu]

Thank God for these shows!! 🎄

[@DarqueSyde66]

I agree with you 100% that knowing and understanding the truth of this stuff and why we believe what we believe is so very important. Great job, sir.

[@denisebaldwin9292]

Merry Christmas! I hope your holidays are filled with love and peace!

[@simonkoster]

The Emanuel-Jesus discrepancy was one of the first things that started to bother me as a kid. Seeds were planted...

[@craigsmith1443]

'Emanuel' is symbolic. The ancient world had a far different relationship to names from our own. Jesus *is* Emmanuel, which the text translates for us, 'God with us.'

[@thing1thing2themediamaniac43]

Merry Christmas Brandon Happy New Years I ❤❤❤ your videos

[@timmauro6915]

Another problem with the two birth stories is that Matthew’s account takes place at the end of Herod the Great’s reign. Luke’s account takes place when Quirinius was governing Syria. The problem is that King Herod died about ten years before Quirinius was appointed governor of Syria.

[@danielmalinen6337]

In many languages, "apographe" is still translated as "taxation" and "kataluma" is translated as "inn" and many criticize the Gospel of Luke for these translations, such as, for example, in ways like the emperor never taxed the entire empire at once, but the provinces collected taxes independently and Bethlehem was too small a village to have an inn, and besides, it would have been rude to turn away a pregnant woman in a culture that values hospitality. But in reality "apographe" means "registration" or "census" or "enrolment" and "kataluma" means "lodging" or "chamber" or "room".

[@benjalucian1515]

Do you know why the authorities even hold a census? It makes zero sense to make people go back to the 'land of their ancestors' when the authorities are trying to find out how many people are in their location so they can tax them. And no one in their right mind would take a woman, 9 months along, on a road trip on donkeyback!

[@ARCtheCartoonMaster]

Is it weird that I always misheard it as “no room at the end”? Even though the word “inn” was in my vocabulary by that point - granted, I’d pretty much only seen it written by that point.

[@keith6706]

Except at the time Judah wasn't a province of Rome. Judah didn't become directly administered by Rome (and thus Rome would need to conduct a census to figure out taxation) until something like 10 years after the death of Herod the Great when his son turned out to be a colossal idiot and the Romans finally deposed him and took over direct rule. So it doesn't matter what the translation is because the story is just made up.

[@danielmalinen6337]

@keith6706 Herod the Great was not an independent king but a vassal, client and puppet ruler placed in power by Rome. Judea had become part of Rome some years earlier when, during the civil war between Pompey and Julius Caesar, Pompey had marched his armies through Judea, captured Jerusalem with the help of the Pharisees and deposed the Maccabean dynasty. Pompey even desecrated the temple by killing the priests who were on duty, entering the Holy of Holies, and burning on the altar the scrolls he found there. And the incident with Pompey was so horrific that some of the surviving priests moved out of the city and founded the Essenes sect. Herod, on the other hand, received Judea as a reward for helping and supporting Mark Antony. He was originally an Idumean (Edom) and Herod was always considered a foreign ruler by the Judeans as Josephus tells us. Herod, however, eventually won some Judean sympathy when he built a new temple to replace the desecrated one, but also horrified the people by placing a large Roman golden eagle on the roof of the temple (or the main gate of the temple).

[@gailnicholson9094]

Thanks!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Appreciate this!

[@xtina2189]

There's so much peace in not being obligated to execute the mental gymnastics necessary in order to make these myths believable. 😌

[@joysoderquist4665]

Check out "The Power of Myhs"by Joseph Campbell

[@FactStorm]

Exactly, its sad seeing literally billions of theists engaging in mental gymnastics. Their delusions are frightening

[@NTR-Impact]

I'm baffled on how Christians don't see the stupidity. Merry xmas to you all btw 🎄👍

[@theresemalmberg955]

Fun fact: the Puritans who broke away from the Church of England because they felt it was "too Catholic" did not believe in celebrating Christmas. You want to talk about "sola scriptura"--these were the OG "sola scriptura" folks. No tradition there, people; if the Word of God does not explicitly mention it, we don't do it. What a lot of people do not realize is that celebrating Christmas was actually illegal in Puritan-dominated American colonies. They came here to GET AWAY FROM CHRISTMAS! I think they would take a very dim view of Nativity scenes in public parks and public Christmas celebrations in general. So, for those who want to talk about America being a Christian nation, founded by Christians for Christians, I think they ought to do their homework because they just might not like the kind of Christianity they find. What was practiced at Plymouth, home of the Pilgrims and the "First" Thanksgiving, what was practiced in the Massachusetts Bay Colony, is a far cry from Christianity as it is generally practiced today. These were people who make the strictest fundamentalist groups look liberal. The Sabbath (Sunday) was a day set aside for church and nothing else. When you came home from church you were expected to sit quietly all day, even the littlest kids. No running around and playing games for them, oh, no. And as far as public entertainment, well, there really wasn't any. Theater was banned. Reading novels was likewise discouraged. And all these rules were imposed through various forms of corporal punishment, often publicly administered. Need I say more?

[@craigsmith1443]

_They came here to GET AWAY FROM CHRISTMAS!_ No, they came to get away from the persecution of King James I. Christmas isn't very important in the history of the Church, you know. For the first three hundred years it was not celebrated because no one thought they needed to. Today it is. The only reason Christmas is important at all is because it leads to Easter. Either is fine. No one will care...except maybe the children.

[@robinharwood5044]

Yep. They felt persecuted because they weren't allowed to bully everyone else into their ways. They didn't like freedom of religion, and they didn't like fun.

[@craigsmith1443]

@@robinharwood5044 I so appreciate your use of examples and detail in your understated declaration. There's hope for the world when we see such calm logic, reason and reliance on facts.

[@robinharwood5044]

@@craigsmith1443 Glad you like it. Of course, you king James had a duty to protect his subjects from people who would make them miserable.

[@Pharmfresh]

Happy Christmas! Love the content as always

[@ToonamiT0M]

The best nativity is two T-Rexes fighting over a table saw.

[@matildabryant8398]

When I was a child I was taken to a planetarium during the Christmas season and I was so disappointed when there was no explanation for that star. 😂

[@ARCtheCartoonMaster]

I getcha, bud. When I saw Disney’s _Pinocchio_ as a kid, I believed there was an actual Wishing Star like in the movie, and when none of my wishes came true, I concluded that it was Polaris, and hence I couldn’t wish upon it. (I live in Australia.)

[@TheNamelessOne888]

Jesus Christ calls himself the Bright Morning Star, and so does his disciples, so it's probably Venus when it rises in the morning. Jesus Christ is clearly Lucifer, Son of the Morning.

[@suicune2001]

Happy Holidays! Thanks! It's crazy to hear how many contradictions there are. And yeah, why didn't anyone in his town care about him? If he had all these powers then they, over everyone, should have backed him up.

[@Badficwriter]

Mm. Imagine if Superman had to be a normal human in Smallville. His neighbors would think Superman stories were like UFO mythology.

[@luizr.5599]

Merry Christmas and a happy new year.

[@insylem]

I grew up Christian and my dad told me that the Bible doesn't ever say there were three wise men. He said there was probably a much larger caravan of them. He also said they weren't at the birth with the Sheppards. He told me Jesus would have been about 2 by the time the wise men arrived. As an adult I figured out that Harold died before Cornis became governor of Syria. . .

[@DrakeTimbershaft]

This video made me think of a short story by Arthur C. Clarke titled "The Star." In the story, there is an astronaut who is a member of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit), who explores the sole surviving planet of a star that went supernova. He learns that a civilization whose world was doomed to be consumed by the star's ignition left a great archive of their works and deeds on the surviving world. The Jesuit was astonished by what the civilization had achieved, but he was in grief and was having a crisis of faith. Why? Because he calculated that the supernova that destroyed this alien civilization turned out to be the Star that shone over Bethlehem during the birth of Jesus. Like the Nativity, the story does not match up exactly with scripture, but it is an intriguing, intimate story about a man's faith being torn in two. That said, Happy Holidays to one and all, and I hope this story outline doesn't bum you out.

[@Badficwriter]

That was a good story! Sadly, killing a whole planetary population is in character for Yahweh.

[@darinwood2183]

I recall reading that story decades ago.

[@mrwallace1059]

I'm looking forward to seeing some great videos in 2025. Possibly even a debate or discussion with christain apologist as well. Keep up the quality work.

[@ianchisholm5756]

Isaiah: a kid in the 7th century BCE will be called Immanuel. Matthew: well, this clearly refers to a 1st century CE kid who wasn't called Immanuel.

[@Uryvichk]

Ironically, the 7th Century BCE kid was also not called Immanuel. I don't think anyone was actually ever called Immanuel.

[@Badficwriter]

@@Uryvichk Its a mistranslation. Meant to say "I'm Manuel!"

[@rochelebierhalspereira7106]

Not really relevant, but I think the word for Nativity Scene in Portuguese is so awesome: "Presépio". Also, anyone who wants a good laugh, look up pics of cats who displaced baby Jesus and took his place in the manger😂.

[@altyrrell3088]

Cats like to be worshipped, so that tracks. 😂

[@catsanddogs8983]

Merry Christmas everyone! Thanks Brandon for your content.

[@sauron69447]

It's quite funny that Christians want things to be biblical, but disliked the birth of Jesus so much they added extra stuff that wasn't there lol.

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

It's gotta feel right, it's gotta feel good, it's gotta fit the narrative.

[@sauron69447]

@CatDaddyGuitar Happy holidays to you mate! 🥂

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

@@sauron69447 back at ya 💥🙋🏼‍♂️🎸🤘🏼

[@SeekingTruth2023]

Hey Sauron, have a lovely Christmas holiday 🤗🎁🎄☕️

[@lilbrittle77]

Christmas can be... challenging for me. Mostly, because I say things like this when my family tells me that Jesus loves me or I need Jesus, etc. Simply pointing out things that should be apparent to any thinking person about the gospel is met with "bless your heat" or "He has a plan for you" or simply, "That's not true!" How is it that I have read this book and they haven't? Thank you for your content! It is a resource to help those of us that aren't quite as articulate, especially in the face of the vitriol that seems to always surface whenever a simple question is raised! Good job!

[@Colddirector]

I’ve never had someone say it to me, but if someone said god has a plan for me, my first question would be “did that plan involve me becoming an atheist?”

[@lilbrittle77]

@@Colddirector Exactly! With a slightly sarcastic Amen!

[@Cat_Woods]

No shepherds at the Nativity??? Next you're going to tell me Santa isn't real. Someone tried to tell me that when I was 6, using all the mall Santas as evidence. But I confidently retorted that Santa's elves dressed up as Santa so that every store could have a Santa. And we know he's real because we know his birth name is Kris Kringle and the North Pole is a real place. So there! 😋

[@williamwatson4354]

Apologists of the Nativity story remind me of flat Earthers. They take isolated parts of the story and prove they can be reconciled, usually by adding details not in the text. But placed side by side they clearly don't match. Such as the fact that Herod died in 4 b.c.e. and the census took place in 6 c.e. Flat Earthers do the same thing. They make a model to explain the movement of the sun and another one to show the seasons, but they don't fit together.

[@Noise-Conductor]

Some Flat Earthers just got a trip to Alaska to prove that the earth is round & they're still making excuses.

[@williamwatson4354]

@Noise-Conductor I think you mean Antarctica. To see the 24 hour sun

[@aleguitarra]

I'm Christian and this helps a lot. Thanks

[@CharlesPayet]

The only way to really accept the whole Nativity Story as it’s conventionally understood, is to NOT read the Gospel stories side by side.

[@Hexsmasher2099]

Merry Christmas Brandon! The most important thing about Christmas is not the present, or about the Christian values of it. It’s about spending time with those around us.

[@maggienewton8518]

yes!

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

And fighting with them 😂

[@benjalucian1515]

Building onto a story (from Xmas film, "Love, Actually" where mother is talking to her young children after their school's Christmas pageant): Karen : In the nativity play? Daisy : [beaming] Yeah, *first* lobster. Karen : There was more than one lobster present at the birth of Jesus? Daisy : Duh.

[@theCommentDevil]

Ive often thought most christians only have a Sunday School understanding of the bible. They know the stories, the big plot points, but never the details

[@diandian9827]

I think because they don't actually READ their bible.

[@EarnestApostate]

"They were afraid of what they might find out," hey! Why are you calling out my past self? Merry Christmas man! Thanks for all you do.

[@midwinter78]

Another thing in nativity scenes - animals. This is an invention of Francis of Asisi, he was also the guy who invented nativity displayed - I think the first ones were live-action. Adding in the reverential animals suited Francis's theology... I'm suddenly reminded of the bit in Jonah where even the livestock repent, except wasn't Jonah meant to be a spoof?

[@duskzehedgie3840]

I knew all of these =DD I'm so glad someone's helping correct it. I grew up strict Christian but my mom would always make us read the bible so, in her words, other Christians couldn't lie to us about the bible. It happens all the time with all kinds of things. It's very annoying and more people need to point out when stuff is inaccurate or straight up not in there.

[@kevinnazario1015]

A lot of what people believe is based mostly on movies, based on classical paintings and writings by artists who used mostly their imagination.

[@elainejohnson6955]

Many people point out that the census Quirinius took in +6 AD when he became Governor of Syria didn't happen historically the way the Bible describes. And they therefore believe the other story is more likely true. However, in my research on the nativity stories, I found out there is absolutely no historical documentation that King Herod ever killed the babies that were 2 years and under either. There is supposedly lots of evidence that before he died in -4 BC, King Herod killed many other people, including family members, in an effort to retain his power. He was a horrendous monster. But, there is no evidence he ever did what was only a story told in one book of the Bible. I always quip that anybody who goes to a King that is well known for killing anyone who is blocking his reign as King and tells him this baby was born who will dethrone him, could not have been wisemen!!! Why didn't the angel warn the wisemen not to do that?!? And, couldn't God have given them better directions? There are so many things that make the Bible narratives extremely unlikely and virtually impossible to have happened.

[@jaflenbond7854]

REJECTION of GOD and JESUS CHRIST versus REJECTION of RELIGIONS and ATHEISM Atheists, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and fanatics of all kinds of Religions who rejected all that were written in the Bible about GOD and Jesus Christ as nothing but lies, myths, fictions, fantasies, and fairy tales will never be glorified in their make-believe and fairy tale Heaven nor "murdered" in their fake Armageddon and tortured for eternity in their invented and fictitious Hell but just turn into worthless and useless dusts on earth forever after their inescapable deaths while LOVING, KIND, RESPECTFUL, and SUBMISSIVE persons on earth who rejected Atheism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, and all Religions as worthless and useless and honor and obey Jesus Christ instead as their loving, kind, and merciful Master and Heavenly King in their obedience to what's written in Matthew 28: 18 will definitely bring themselves honor and the Sovereign GOD's favor and reward of ETERNAL LIFE and existence on earth without sufferings, pains, griefs, sickness, and death as written in Revelation 21: 3, 4 and the teachings of Jesus Christ about the "Kingdom of God" and "Resurrection of the Dead" written in Luke 4: 43 and John 11: 25, 26 are the guarantee that all the LOVING, KIND, RESPECTFUL, and SUBMISSIVE persons on earth who died recently and thousands of years ago like Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Job, Naomi, Ruth, King David, Jesus Christ's Followers and disciples, and many others will all be RESURRECTED back to life in the right and proper time so they can happily and abundantly live and exist on earth forever as submissive and obedient subjects of the "KINGDOM of GOD" and fully enjoy the eternal love, kindness, goodness, generosities, compassions, favors, and blessings of GOD and his Christ for eternity under the loving and kind rulership, guidance, and protection of Jesus Christ as the Sovereign GOD's Chosen King and Ruler of the heavens and the earth as written in Revelation 11: 15.

[@voidagent]

The census of Quirinius was for Syria, not Israel. Caesar Octavian Augustus didn't care how many Jew men there were. The Roman census was for the purpose of taxation. There is a lot of Apologist backpedaling trying to fit the fictional fantasy story into Real History, and it is a square peg trying to fit a round hole. There are multiple proofs in the new testes-ment itself that YAHWEH-incarnate Jesus the Jew never existed.

[@Badficwriter]

I read some ancient account of Herod. It was just unending abuses due to crazy paranoia. His wife got mad he locked her up and ordered her to be killed if he died. She would trick people into revealing this stuff, then he'd execute the person who talked to her, and eventually, her too, for complaining. He preserved his favorite wife's body in honey. One channel's implication is..he kept using her body. But original text is unclear on that point IMO.🧐 My favorite part was when he was dying, he gave authority to his loyal sister, who knew how to play him to stay alive. He had all the most necessary people in the city confined in the palace, with orders to kill them all when he died. Because he'd realized the city would celebrate once he was dead and he wanted everyone to suffer instead. Upon his death though, his sister said, "F THAT," and let everyone go. I suspect she retired a rich and respected woman. I know people say that killing babies ought to show up in that, but soldiers massacred children back then. If it was a small number, had a non-supernatural cause without important political connections, it could have happened. Like a small plague.

[@elainejohnson6955]

@Badficwriter Just because John Wayne Gacy is known to have raped and killed 33 children in Chicago doesn't mean we can blame him for every child killed in Chicago when there is no evidence in a specific case. We have no evidence for the babies being killed. Let alone for King Herod killing them. There isn't even any contemporary evidence that Jesus ever lived. The only two birth stories we have for him can't have taken place at the same time and both stories have serious problems.

[@voidagent]

The new testes-ment is a hot mess of paradoxes as far as the time span goes. Remember first of all that it was the Vatican that had the audacity to split Time in two, BC and AD. When Pope Gregor did that, it set 0 AD as the supposed birth year of YAHWEH-incarnate Jesus the Jew, which everything revolves around. Except they don't synch up. Herod the Great died in 4 BC, four years before the "virgin birth". Applying the Salome/John the Baptist to Herod Antipas makes no rational sense at all. The census that was supposed to identify all the first born sons wasn't the census of Quirinius, that was for Syria in 6 AD, not Israel. Caesar Octavian Augustus didn't care about the Jews and never called for a census of Israel. The dates not lining up and the events never happening is just one of the proofs that YAHWEH-incarnate Jesus the Jew never existed.

[@giuseppelogiurato5718]

This guy must be hungry for Christmas dinner... He keeps talking about "Beth-le-HAM" 🍖

[@benjalucian1515]

Ham at Christmas. Celebrating a Jewish messiah 😂😂🤣🤣

[@emilywyatt9340]

It is Beth le Chem. House of bread in Hebrew.

[@teddrickmilsap5994]

One thing that always messed me up on this story is why this special guiding star led the 3 stooges to King Herod. Allowing babies to be killed while an angel warns only Joseph and not the other parents is more than enough to shut that Bible closed.

[@jaflenbond7854]

WILL CHRISTIANITY and ALL RELIGIONS LAST on EARTH FOREVER? ANSWER - No, because the Sovereign GOD's favor and reward of ETERNAL LIFE and existence on earth without sufferings, pains, griefs, sickness, and death as written in Revelation 21: 3, 4 is definitely NOT for Jehovah's Witnesses, SDAs, Mormons, Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, Born Again Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and fanatics of all kinds of Religions who condemn their co-human beings as "SINNERS" and undeserving to be honored and respected and insult and slander the Sovereign GOD too as cruel, merciless, and will "murder" human beings in their fake Armageddon and torture them for eternity in their invented and fictitious Hell but ONLY for LOVING, KIND, RESPECTFUL, and SUBMISSIVE persons on earth who treat their co-human beings with love, kindness, and respect and honor and obey Jesus Christ too as their loving, kind, and merciful Master and Heavenly King in their obedience to what's written in Matthew 28: 18 and the teachings of Jesus Christ about the "Kingdom of God" and "Resurrection of the Dead" written in Luke 4: 43 and John 11: 25, 26 are also NOT for fanatics of Christians and non-Christian Religionsa but ONLY for all the LOVING, KIND, RESPECTFUL, and SUBMISSIVE persons on earth who died recently and thousands of years ago like Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Job, Naomi, Ruth, King David, Jesus Christ's Followers and disciples, and many others who are all worthy and deserving of being RESURRECTED back to life in the right and proper time so they can happily and abundantly live and exist on earth forever as submissive and obedient subjects of the "KINGDOM of GOD" and fully enjoy the eternal love, kindness, goodness, generosities, compassions, favors, and blessings of GOD and his Christ for eternity under the loving and kind rulership, guidance, and protection of Jesus Christ as the Sovereign GOD's Chosen King and Ruler of the heavens and the earth as written in Revelation 11: 15.

[@phrygd]

My mom started talking about this recently, and her take on it (probably heard it from someone else) was that the wise men went to Jerusalem of their own accord because that’s where they thought a king should be born. As a result, the star disappeared until they left Jerusalem. It’s supposed to demonstrate that when they trusted their own wisdom, they lost the star, but when they trusted God, the star returned. I reread the related verses, and Christians read into the text to an epic level. It does sound like the star disappeared and reappeared, but it makes it sound like they were led to Jerusalem, so the whole excuse falls apart. Just proves the point about Christians adding things to the text to make it make sense.

[@serpenking]

Very interesting! Would love to see a continuation of this series, with more stories that have been warped by art and tradition over the years.

[@DavidRichardson153]

I'm just glad to not have to spend time with the relatives who seem determined to drive me into a rubber room at Big Springs.

[@michaelhenry1763]

Merry Christmas 🎄 thank you for a wonderful video.

[@Ezekiel365Days]

My problem with Christianity is that they have four gospels and not just 1 consistent one. It’s as if god sent his Holy Spirit and forgot to keep the record straight in the minds of these unknown writers. I already know it’s all man made but Christians don’t even read their Bible, they don’t know the historical and cultural context and ways so we are given whatever these preachers want to give us by their lies

[@OfficialSuede]

Im not a believer anymore but i always assumed the "star" was just an angelic light that happened to look like a star, so that one's never been quite so ludicrous to me 😅

[@MG-ot2yr]

Well, its Festivus eve and I'm making crab cakes and serving them with pickles and beer.

[@Jesper-bl2ns]

Remember the airing of grievances.

[@Cincyboy56]

Incredibly powerful conclusion

[@andysanford3272]

I teach comparative religion on the junior college level, and the fact that religion, all religions are a human creation is the core of my focus in class. Teaching in an adjunct to the Bible Belt this is a complicated sell, but the sooner people realize this, the sooner they can start being honest. I don't particularly care which myths you believe, or why, what I admire is honesty and that is what I find lacking. If you believe a certain set of myths that is fine, religion is created by humans for human comfort, if your myths bring you comfort - go for it! But do not engage in proselytizing and shaming of other religious traditions. Traditions are important to social groups, they tend to bond people together, often in good ways, but treating traditions as facts and elevating them to the level of doctrine is extremely dangerous and divisive. Nations and wars are a testament to religious divisiveness, and the minutia of religious disagreement, but the religious are so blinded by their own dysfunction that they don't see the disaster they are creating. Believe what you want, but don't be stupid, be honest!

[@TonyLambregts]

Thank you for that. It was inspiring.

[@FactStorm]

Bible belt? LOL..good luck with the cultures there that are so adamantly religious

[@stevenbolin7688]

Brandon, enjoy your week of holiday season 🎉

[@benjalucian1515]

All hail the nativity of the Unconquerable Sun! Happy belated winter solstice!

[@johntiggleman4686]

All Hail Aten!

[@CoryMartz]

Good point you made concerning the Hoopla that was made during the birth regarding the angel visitations, making the magi travel to see this event. Simeon and Anna etc. THEN it ALL fades away for 30 years. I think that topic would be a good video. Best regards.

[@reverbscherzo7850]

90% of Christianity is based on tradition rather than text

[@CommonSense_Skeptic]

great job here, hope you guys have a merry Christmas

[@imjustsayingthough2261]

Imagine the arrogance there has to be to put completely different accounts about the birth of the " messiah " in one book and dare anyone to question it. It's complete gaslighting at its finest. Anyways Merry Christmas Brandon

[@benjalucian1515]

They weren't put together until like 4 centuries after the 1st century.

[@emilywyatt9340]

And about the execution and supposed resurrection.

[@baronghede2365]

Happy new years everyone.

[@yacaattwood2421]

As a person who has given birth to three human beings, I always wondered at the depiction of Mary as so tranquil -- and clean after the birth of Jesus Birth is noisy, messy; after my third son was born, I was shaking so hard that the bed was moving - an angel nurse put a heated blanket over me, and 32 years later, I still remember it Birth is a very HUMAN thing, not done by ‘Star Trek’ sort of creatures who have Evolved Beyond The Need For A Physical Body - Mary is very otherworldly in the Nativity

[@THXx1138]

Oh gosh, with my 4th child I was shivering pretty violently after and remember the kind nurse covering me with freshly heated blankets. They were so calm about it but that shaking is our body going into shock. Giving birth is no small feat. Happy holidays to you, mama

[@kayanneyoung9788]

Catholics are taught that Mary's hymen didn't break during delivery. 🙄 Catholicism gives Mary a raw deal. A magical no-touchy conception and then stays a virgin for life. I'm seriously wanting to find a RC priest so I can ask him if Mary had a clitoris. Not because I care; I just want to see the reaction.

[@benjalucian1515]

Imagine someone knowing so little about pregnant women that they thought a story of putting a 9 months pregnant women on a donkey and taking her on a road trip and having her give birth in a filthy manger with manure and flies was totally reasonable.

[@Badficwriter]

@@benjalucian1515 You have to mentally fill in the bloody afterbirth in the room!

[@CutTiesWithYourCaptor]

Herod is briefly mentioned in Luke chapter 1. He was ruling when Elizabeth became pregnant. It creates a weird timeline since Jesus was born 6 months after John the Baptist, but somehow also born years later during the census...?

[@OldMotherLogo]

It’s a miracle! 😅

[@TomJudson]

Hold on: so you’re saying that Christians believe things that aren’t necessarily… true???? I’m shocked! Shocked! Lol! Another terrific video, Brandon. Thanks so much for all the great work and research you do. Happy New Year!

[@starscreamthecruel8026]

Happy Holidays Brandon

[@montrose252]

As CS Lewis said: "Either the Christ is the Messiah, or He is insane." And indeed, He is a psycho Karen! (While making my Christmas party meal). Cheers!

[@MichaelMcCallister097]

It’s funny how a piece of art that has no actual tie to the Bible can have such a massive influence on how we perceive the religion. Dante, Milton and so on kind of just work their way into the religion because they are such masterpieces that people want it to be true.

[@a.b.2405]

When I was still Christian, I stopped taking Christians seriously once I found out how Christmas and Easter were all pagan. I felt lied to and shocked. These are the same people who claim crystals can bring demons to your house and pagan gods are demons. But they’ll make excuses for the appropriation. That baffled me. So whenever they talk about sin, I stop listening. Sin is subjective at this point.

[@Badficwriter]

They did change the name in Latin and Greek to Pascha! But Easter preserves the original goddess Eos' festival name, so its weird!

[@FactStorm]

Don't underestimate the stupidity of theists and crystal ball dummies

[@montanahelton1272]

We have a nativity scene at work with Santa leaning over Jesus 😂 wtf

[@Badficwriter]

There's a picture online of a Christmas store decoration in Japan. *Santa* is being crucified on the cross. 🤣

[@sauron69447]

Merry Christmas everybody! & a happy new year!

[@maggienewton8518]

Merry Christmas, Sauron!

[@TonyLambregts]

Happy Holidays to all.

[@sauron69447]

@maggienewton8518 Merry Christmas!

[@sauron69447]

@TonyLambregts Happy winter solstice Tony!

[@mark.guitar]

I will raise a glass to you guys. Thanks for all the insight. Happy Christmas.

[@notadem406]

The Protoevangelium of James tells Mary's backstory. It also has the wise men showing up at the cave. It fills in some of the details Luke and Matthew leave out. Jame's gospel is a quick and interesting read. Merry Christmas 🎅

[@codeincomplete]

I don’t think you emphasize enough that the stories are completely different stories with almost nothing with Luke contracting Mathew at every turn. You could have also mentioned that Mark doesn’t even mention Jesus’s birth.

[@andrewward5891]

That’s true. Mark starts with an adult Jesus being baptized by John. And Mark is the earliest book of the New Testament. So the whole nativity story was a later invention. “Matthew” realized Jesus needed to be more godlike so a virgin birth was needed.

[@andrewschaeffer8147]

There wasn’t 3 Wisemen, there was only a mention of 3 gifts. It just makes sense practically (for the Xmas play) to have 3 Wisemen. But there’s no way 1, 3, 15 magi didn’t show up with their entire entourage. Which means them showing up would have been a huge deal