STRAIGHT TALK FROM THE BIBLE: Luke 2:1-33 IS the one and only TRUE Christmas story!

LUKE 2:1-33
1. And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
2. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
5. To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. 20. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
21. And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.
22. And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
23. (As it is written in the law of the LORD, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)
24. And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.
25. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
26. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
27. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,
28. Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
29. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
30. For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
31. Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
32. A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.
33. And Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.

CHRISTMAS In The News:

PERSECUTION.org - INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CONCERN: Philippines - "GRENADE WENT OFF NEAR CATHEDRAL IN SOUTHERN PHILIPPINES" (SNIPPET: "A grenade was thrown into a military truck patrolling Cotabato City near the Immaculate Concepcion Cathedral while Mass was underway on Sunday evening. According to the police, at least 12 people, including eight soldiers on patrol, were wounded in the blast. Another improvised explosive device detonated nearby a few minutes later, wounding a passerby.") (December 23, 2019)

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS: "TERROR SUSPECT WAS WEARING A HOMEMADE BOMB AS HE RODE THE SUBWAY FROM BROOKLYN TO PORT AUTHORITY BUS TERMINAL" (SNIPPET: "The weapon he had chosen to sow death that morning was a 12-inch pipe, filled with powder and detonated by a pulse from a broken Christmas bulb, powered by a 9-volt battery." SNIPPET: "Ullah told police he detonated the bomb after seeing a Christmas poster.") (December 11, 2017)

CNS NEWS - Blog: "BELGIAN RED CROSS ORDER CRUCIFIXES REMOVED FROM ITS BUILDINGS" by Michael W. Chapman (SNIPPET: "The Red Cross in the Liege province of Belgium, near the border with the Netherlands and Germany, has ordered all 28 of its facilities to remove all Christian crosses and crucifixes on its walls in order to appear religiously neutral...") (December 4, 2017)

Video - FOX NEWS - Todd Starnes: "STUDENTS SING 'ALLAH AKBAR' AT HOLIDAY CONCERT" (SNIPPET: "Nothing says Merry Christmas like a Ramadan song.") (December 18, 2015)

THE DAILY SIGNAL: "SCHOOL DISTRICT CASTS OUT BIBLE VERSES FROM 'A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS'" by Natalie Johnson (SNIPPET: "Another school reportedly replaced the hymn "Silent Night" with a Christmas rendition of the rap song "Watch Me (Whip/Nae Nae)," which is full of nonsensical rhymes.") (December 17, 2015)

YNET NEWS.com (REUTERS): Paris - "MAN RAMS VAN INTO CHRISTMAS MARKET IN WESTERN FRANCE, INJURES 10" (SNIPPET: "According to local newspaper Ouest France, citing a police officer and witnesses on the scene, the driver of the white van shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest" in Arabic) and then stabbed himself with a knife.") (December 22, 2014 21:38/Israel News)

REUTERS.com: Abuja - "BOMB IN NIGERIAN CHURCH CAUSES DEATHS AT CHRISTMAS" by Felix Onuah (December 25, 2011, 4:32 am EST) (SNIPPET: "It was not known who exploded the bomb but Nigerian security forces are battling the militant Islamist Boko Haram group, which wants to impose Islamic sharia law across the country split roughly equally between Christians and Muslims.") (December 25, 2011, 4:32 am EST)

MEMRI.org - Special Dispatch No. 4385: "British Islamist Anjem Choudary Releases 2011 Christmas Message..." (SNIPPET: "British Islamist Anjem Choudary is spokesman for the banned Islam4UK organization, co-founder of Al-Muhajiroun, and spiritual advisor to the UK Islamist group Muslims Against Crusades (MAC).") (December 23, 2011)

Radio.FOX NEWS.com: "AIR FORCE WILL NOT REMOVE HOLIDAY DISPLAY" by Todd Starnes (SNIPPET: "Travis Air Force Base has decided they will not remove or relocate a Nativity scene and a Menorah in spite of a threat from The Military Religious Freedom Foundation.") (December 18, 2011)

ISHTARTV.com: Mosul, Iraq - "GUNMEN KILL CHRISTIAN COUPLE IN MOSUL" by Nahro Farid (SNIPPET: "The incident comes as the chief of police of the Nineveh province told journalist this week that his department has received information on a plot against the Christian minority in Mosul during the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays.") (December 14, 2011, 11:43)

Radio.FOX NEWS.com: "AIR FORCE ACADEMY BACKS AWAY FROM CHRISTMAS CHARITY" (SNIPPET: "The attack on Operation Christmas Child has generated outrage across the country. "It's another anti-faith effort that we are seeing by this administration," said Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA), who just pushed a congressional effort to reaffirm "In God We Trust" as the national motto. "This is beyond political correctness," Forbes told Fox News. "This is an anti-faith mode that we see over and over again coming from this administration and the people serving in it." Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, told Fox News that this is evidence that the Obama administration "has engaged in a culture war beyond measure." "We see here the collateral damage -- the fallout of religious freedom and the attack on Christian organizations that are simply reaching out to help those in need," Perkins said. "This is a long pattern under this administration under a president who apologized for everything that is American." "It's so outrageous," said Jordan Sekulow an attorney with the American Center for Law and Justice. He said the controversy is an example of the cultural shift happening in the United States." (November 4, 2011)

VOA NEWS.com: "REPORTS: 30 KILLED IN BLAST IN NIGERIAN CAPITAL" (SNIPPET: "Officials say the bomb went off inside Mammy market where people were eating and drinking to celebrate New Year's Eve.." SNIPPET: "Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan blamed the bombing on the radical Islamist group Boko Haram. The group claimed responsibility for Christmas Eve bomb attacks in the central city of Jos, and for attacking several churches in the northern city of Maiduguri. More than 80 people died in those attacks.") (December 31, 2010)

SLTRIB.com - THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE - LDS: "POLICE SHOOT ARMED MAN OUTSIDE MORMON TEMPLE" (SNIPPET: "Police fatally shot a man armed with a shotgun outside the Oquirrh Mountain LDS Temple in South Jordan on Christmas Day." SNIPPET: "After the shooting, officers inspected the man's vehicle and found numerous weapons, including multiple guns, swords, and ammunition, Starks said.") (December 25, 2010, 05:26 pm)

Edition.CNN.com: "OFFICIAL: CHRISTMAS EVE BOMBINGS IN NIGERIA LEAVE DEAD, INJURED" (SNIPPET: "Five blasts went off in the Nigerian city of Jos Friday night as residents were clebrating Christmas Eve, leaving dead and injured, a regional government official said.") (Updated December 25, 2010, 0214 GMT)

CHANNEL NEWS ASIA.com - Zamboanga, Philippines - "CHRISTMAS CHURCH BOMBING WOUNDS SIX IN PHILIPPINES" (SNIPPET: "Military officials would not immediately name any suspects in the blast on Jolo island but the island is a known bastion of the Abu Sayyaf, a group linked to the Al-Qaeda network. "The explosion occurred at around 7:15 in the morning while the mass was going on. Six people were slightly wounded in the explosion," military spokesman Lieutenant Randolph Cabangbang said.") (Posted December 25, 2010, 0944 hrs)

DAILY MAIL.co.uk - UK: "RED CROSS BANS CHRISTMAS" by Steve Doughty (SNIPPET: "Christmas has been banned by the Red Cross from its 430 fund-raising shops. Staff have been ordered to take down decorations and to remove any other signs of the Christian festival because they could offend Moslems.") (December 18, 2010)

LONG WAR JOURNAL.org: "TERRORIST BOMBINGS IN STOCKHOLM KILL 1, INJURE 2" by Lisa (SNIPPET: "Two people were wounded in the bombings, which took place in a street filled with Christmas shoppers." SNIPPET: "It also exhorted militant Muslims in Sweden and Europe to rise up against the West.") (December 11, 2010)

KFVS12.com: Carbondale, Illinois - "CHRISTMAS CAROLS SILENCED IN SIU BELL TOWER" (SNIPPET: ""We took the music off the clock tower as a result of some complaints we received that religious music was offensive to non-Christians," said SIU Chancellor Rita Cheng.") (Updated December 9, 20109:28 am)

Portland.FBI.gov - DOJ Press Release: Portland, Oregon - "OREGON RESIDENT ARRESTED IN PLOT TO BOMB CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING CEREMONY IN PORTLAND" (SNIPPET: "Mohamed Osman Mohamud, 19, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Somalia and resident of Corvallis, Ore., has been arrested on charges of attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction (explosives) in connection with a plot to detonate a vehicle bomb at an annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony earlier this evening in Portland, Ore., the Justice Department announced. According to a criminal complaint signed in the District of Oregon, Mohamud was arrested by the FBI and Portland Police Bureau at approximately 5:40 p.m. (PST) Nov. 26, 2010 after he attempted to detonate what he believed to be an explosives-laden van that was parked near the tree lighting ceremony in Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square. The arrest was the culmination of a long-term undercover operation, during which Mohamud had been monitored closely for months as his alleged bomb plot developed. The device was in fact inert; and the public was never in danger from the device.") (November 26, 2010)

TIME.com: "GOING TO CHURCH ON CHRISTMAS: A Vanishing Tradition" by Amy Sullivan (SNIPPET: "For most Christians, Christmas is a day for family, not faith.") (December 24, 2008)>

EUROPE NEWS.dk: "ITALY: PLOT TO BLOW UP MILAN CATHEDRAL" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Two Moroccans arrested in Italy yesterday wanted to blow up the Milan Cathedral on Christmas." ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The two belonged to an Islamic terror cell...") (December 4, 2008)

CHICAGO TRIBUNE.com: "MAN IS DRAGGED BY CAR AFTER DEFENDING CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS FROM VANDALS 'There was about 7 or 8 boys, just absolutely destroying our Christmas decorations,' Hoffman Estates man says" by Jeff Long (December 2, 2007, 7:47 PM CST)

JIHAD WATCH.org (AsiaNews): "INDONESIA: JIHADIST WAS PLANNING CHRISTMAS ATTACKS AGAINST CHURCHES" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: Jakarta - "Azahari bin Husin and his terrorist group were preparing a series of bomb attacks against churches in Malang to coincide with the Christmas festivities, this according to police sources." (November 11, 2005)

CNS NEWS.com: "'NONTHEISTS' ADD 'WINTER SOLSTICE' SIGN TO RELIGIOUS DISPLAYS" by Susan Jones (December 8, 2004)

WorldNetDaily.com: "'NO CHRISTIAN SYMBOLS AT CHRISTMAS' Red Cross stores bar religious decor fearing it might be offensive" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Fearing they might offend someone, Red Cross stores in Britain have taken the Christian out of Christmas this year, banning any display of overtly religious decorations.") (November 18, 2003)