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What do rabbits, painted eggs and colorful Easter baskets have to do with the death and resurrection of the Savior of mankind?

It may sound like an odd question to ask—but then it's truly odd that these symbols should have ever come to be associated with Jesus Christ's resurrection in the first place!

To answer the question, what do these things have to do with Christ's resurrection? The plain answer is NOTHING.

So how did it happen? The same way that holly, kissing under mistletoe, decorated evergreen trees and a jolly plump man in a red suit (riding in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer!) came to be associated with Jesus' birth.

Curiously, all these odd customs and symbols do have one thing in common. All were important symbols in pagan religions that had nothing to do with Christianity—most long before Christianity even started. So why are they part of the world's most important holidays today?

Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Keep?You need to discover the facts. And most important, since most people think they are worshipping God through these customs, you need to understand what He thinks about them! Our eye-opening free booklet Holidays or Holy Days: Does It Matter Which Days We Keep? will help you discover the surprising answers.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

March/April 2007
Vol. 12, Num. 2

Editorial: Does Satan Exist?
A Good News editorial

Cover Story

Is There Really a Spirit World?
Have you wondered about the spirit world? Popular culture and religion bombard us with references to it. But does a spirit world really exist? If so, what's it all about? Where did it come from? Is it beneficial, or is it dangerous? It's crucial that you know the answers, but where can you turn to sort out fact from fable?

- Sidebar -
What if You Are Confronted by the Dark Side of the Spirit World?

The Spirit World's Dangerous Dark Side
Strange practices and religions such as Wicca, Santeria, voodoo and channeling are growing in popularity. What's behind them? Are such things harmless, or is there more to them than meets the eye?

-Sidebar-
What Is Channeling?

What Will It Mean for the West if Radical Islam Triumphs?
Defeat in Afghanistan and Iraq may not worry the average American or European citizen, but could defeat there also mean defeat at home? Could the advance of radical Islam continue into the West?

Teaching Values: How to Make Wise Media Choices
It's no secret that much of our popular entertainment sends messages that contradict basic Christian values. How can we teach our children to properly decide what music to listen to and which movies to see?

Christians Who Don't Celebrate Easter: What Do They Know?
Easter is the most important holiday for hundreds of millions of believers around the world. Yet thousands of Christians don't observe it. Do they know something about this holiday that others don't?

-Sidebar-
The Length of Jesus' Time in the Tomb Proves He Was the Messiah
What Some Christians Know—and Why They Don't Observe Easter

Radical Liberalism: What's the Harm?
Lawyers argue that pornography is constitutionally protected free speech. Radical feminists denounce traditional family. Homosexuals want to totally redefine marriage. What is happening to America?

The Jesus So Few Know
Why is the Christianity people see around us so different from the Jesus Christ of the Bible? Could it be that many professing Christians have a fundamental misunderstanding of His teaching?

-Sidebar-
Did Jesus Do Away With the Law?
What Did Jesus Teach About Sin?

Spiritual Growth: From Immaturity to Immortality
In the previous articles of this series we have explained seven essential tools for spiritual transformation. Now we consider how to use all these tools together to attain our ultimate destiny of eternal life!

-Sidebar-
Contact With God's People: A Key to Spiritual Success or Failure
Bearing Fruit: A Crucial Part of Spiritual Growth

Regular Features

World News and Trends
An overview of conditions around the world.

Letters From Our Readers
Readers of The Good News share their thoughts.

Questions and Answers
Answers to readers' questions.


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