WWJD—
What would Jesus do? It’s a popular slogan with many Christians, but sadly an unnecessary one. Jesus, Yeshua, would do exactly what He did do! He would keep the TORAH! Like He said, He came to do His father’s will. So rather than try to imagine what Yeshua might do in any given situation, study the TORAH. Then you won’t have to guess. After all, TORAH means instructions. If we study God’s instructions, we will know what to do and not do.
Take for instance celebrating Valentine’s Day.
The Father warned in Deuteronomy 12: 29-31 not to be snared into following the ways of the gentiles. The Hebrew word is goy. It means nations not in covenant with YHVH. The passage warns us not to worship God the way (heathen) nations worship their gods.
Isn’t it a Christian holiday?
But it’s Saint Valentine’s Day. Saint…you know! It’s Christian!
No it’s not. Pope Gelasius in AD 496 renamed two raucous pagan feasts, Lupercalia and Juno Februata, Saint Valentine’s Day, after one of its martyrs whom the Roman emperor had executed in A.D. 270, in an attempt to whitewash the two highly sexualized festivals.
But it’s about Love!
But Valentine’s Day is about love. And doesn’t the Bible say they will know Christians by their love?
Yes. But Valentine’s Day is all about sex! And don’t think it has only recently devolved with all those sexually charged commercials you see on television. The origins of the two pagan festivals renamed St. Valentine’s Day were always all about sex. It was the festival of sexual license in ancient Rome.
Lupercalia
Luperci priests, assisted by Vestal Virgins, sacrificed goats and dogs, conducting their purification rites in the same cave in which Romans believed a she wolf had nursed their city’s founders, Romulus and Remus. These loincloth-clad Luperci priests then ran about Rome smeared in blood, flogging naked young women with whips called februa–from whence we get February–made from the skins of the sacrificed animals to guarantee fertility.
Juno Februata
Juno Februata was the goddess of fever! Sexual fever! On February 14, the names of teenage girls were written on bits of paper called billets then placed in a jar. Teenage boys would draw the names, and in today’s vernacular “hook up” for a day of erotic games which were celebrated throughout Rome. They would remain sexual partners for the year.
In the Roman Catholic Church’s attempt to Christianize the popular pagan festival, the rules were changed. Boys and girls were to draw names of saints and emulate their lives. Though the sexual lottery had been banned by the Church, young men continued to practice a cleaned up version of the original, in which they’d send desirable young women romantic messages containing St. Valentine’s name, from whence developed the tradition of sending Valentine cards.
Well, what could be wrong with a Valentine card? They have cute little angles!
You mean Cupid?
His name comesfrom the Latin verb cupere. It means “to desire.” In Rome, Cupid was known as the son of Venus, the Roman goddess of beauty and love. But in Greece, he was called Eros, the son of Aphrodite. Cupid, the child-like archer with wings, found on Valentine cards to this day, was said to sometimes be happy, but more often cruel. Mythology had him impregnating both goddesses and mortals. For fun he would shoot invisible gold tipped arrows at unsuspecting men and women to drive them crazy with passion, and then laugh at their misery.
In 1969 Pope Paul VI, to his credit, had Saint Valentine removed from the Church’s calendar. But it would have been so much better had the Roman Church never tried to Christianize the pagan holiday. All through Scripture God warns us to have nothing to do with pagan ways. They are to be done away with, not reformed.
Syncretism is never God’s answer!
What about Now?
In our time, Valentine’s Day is about two things, and two things only, sex and money. And though it is popular with school children, just like Halloween, and good for the economy, grossing sales in the billions, I can assure you that Jesus, Yeshua, would not celebrate it!
And as a believer, neither should you!
Thanks Christine, great article as usual. May I ask where do you get your research? I am in graduate school and would love to have other sources, especially this style for my liberal college professors. Shalom
I simply use the internet. When I find at least 2 to 3 different reputable sources saying the same thing, I go with it. But even old fashioned encyclopedias will give you the history of the pagan origins of holidays. It’s never been secret, jut ignored. And I think that is because Christians don’t seem to realize that God said not to learn the way of the heathen. But although these origins are “news” to us, it is not “news” to YHVH. And that is why when someone says, “Oh, but that is not what this holiday means to me,” our response should be: “It doesn’t matter what it means to you! It only matters what it means to Him!”
Blessings…Chris
Shalom and thanks Christine for this article. I was in prayer yesterday when I felt led to read Deuteronomy 12 where we were demanded to destroy pagan places of worship and not do so unto YHVH by serving Him accordingly. I don’t believe in coincidences, when I read your article this confirms that we should utterly destroy pagan practices and beliefs that have crept in awares into the Faith onced delivered to the Saints. We don’t have a lot visible places of pagan worship, or altars dedicated to false gods however, people have set up these pagan altars unknowingly in their minds and hearts under the guise Christianity. Once again thanks for this encouraging article that surely edifies the body of Messiah!
Shalom Aleichem and Blessings in Messiah!
Thank you so much! I learned a lot myself from researching before writing. I am so pleased to see how well this was received. Praise Yah!
Awesome Article, Chris! I didn’t know about some of it. So glad to get the full story. Thanks.
LOL I didn’t know a lot of it either. That’s one of the reasons I love writing, the research that comes first. Praise Yah!
Right on! That’s some bullozerfaith….. 🙂
Thanks, Joe! I am so delighted to see how well the article has been received. As I told someone else, I was a bit afraid at first that I might get a lot of poison pen-mail, the way I did after writing “Error of the Lawless.” I am glad to see that is not the case. Praise Yah!
He, Joe, are you sure your name isn’t Rico Cortez? If that is your picture, you look just like him! LOL!
Thank you, Living in post Christian America we need to unlearn those things which we practiced and celebrated in the “church”. Keep on writing, we will learn together. It is all about HIM.
Absolutely. As I told someone else, the research before writing this job entails is wonderful! We do all learn together. Praise Yah! And thanks!
Very informative! Thank you, Chris.
Thanks, Suzi! I’m so glad you found it interesting. Are you enjoying our snow-day? I am!
SIR KENNY,
SHALOM! HAVE A GOOD DAY TO YOU AND TO ALL OF GOTTALIFE STAFF.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SENDING ME THIS MESSAGE, THIS IS A VERY GREAT HELP, VERY INFORMATIVE ABOUT VALENTINES PAGAN.
HALLELUYAH!!!
YHVH BLESS YOU ALL…
Spot on, once again!!!!!
Thanks. I’m always a bit afraid when I write something like this that I will be stepping on toes. So thanks for the kind words…Chris
I am grateful for your boldness. Keep up the good work!
Thank you , Tracy. It delights me to see how well this info has been received, and that I need not to have been afraid of the fallout. It’ shows Yah is at work in hearts and minds, restoring all things. Praise Yah!