The 7 Deadly Sins Of The Christmas Tree

The 7 Deadly Sins Of The Christmas Tree

1. The first Christmas tree was found in the garden.
2. It is a form of idolatry.
3. It is closely associated with paganism.
4. Satan uses it as a force of evil.
5. The Bible doesn’t support its use.
6. The origin of Hanukkah threw the tree out of the temple.
7. When you put a clean thing with an unclean thing, you get dirty.

I would like to start the discussion by stating what apologetics is:

Today the term "apologist" is colloquially applied in a general manner to include groups and individuals systematically promoting causes, justifying orthodoxies, or denying certain events, even of crimes.

In the spirit of Acts 26:2
"In regard to all the things of which I am, . . . I consider myself fortunate . . . . , that I am about to make my defense before you today;

defense - from the original greek word: Apologeomai.

1 Peter 3:15
but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

defense - from the original greek word: Apologia

Originally Posted by Eph4:26

The 7 Deadly Sins Of The Christmas Tree

What a lot of humbug.

There are plenty of things we worship today, which are far worse than the poor old Christmas tree.

Money.
Possessions.
One holiday per year more than our next door neighbour.
Electronic gadgets.
Cars.
Houses.
And of course, not least, our own egos and opinions, particularly if we can use them to make us feel good and other people feel bad. As by telling them that putting up a Christmas tree is worship.

Meanwhile, Abraham worshipped at the Terebinth tree. And so what?

With respects to:

Gen 21:24
(Abraham) planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the LORD, the Everlasting God. As opposed to, for instance,

Not all trees are created equally.

Genesis 2:16 17 -- of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat - But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shall not eat of it.

So fir trees were in the garden, big deal. The tree didn't do anything wrong.

__________________
"If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other." Galations 5:15


"...a vice does not lose its nature, though it becomes ever so fashionable" -John Wesley

"To study too much in retreat can become an inexcusable indulgence. It behooves us to share what we have learned, to practice in administering to others what we have gathered from our experience with books" -the Brother Superior of the Glauxian Brothers of the Northern Kingdoms

Originally Posted by Eph4:26

The 7 Deadly Sins Of The Christmas Tree

1. The first Christmas tree was found in the garden.
2. It is a form of idolatry.
3. It is closely associated with paganism.
4. Satan uses it as a force of evil.
5. The Bible doesn’t support its use.
6. The origin of Hanukkah threw the tree out of the temple.
7. When you put a clean thing with an unclean thing, you get dirty.

If people worshipped THE tree, then yes, you'de have idolatry.
& that's what Pagans did and do; worship the gods of nature & all that is in nature.

But when a tree is used for decoration - like lights are decorative & we decorate presents, etc., I don't see how you tie idolatry to it.


As for #4 there - Satan uses music and money for evil too, it doesn't make
music or money inately "ebil"

the Bible implicitly condemns Christmas trees in the Bible in Jeremiah 10:2-6, for it highly resembles one of the ancient idols worshipped by the Jews, the tree cut out of the forest, decked with silver & gold, & fastened with nails. See my website "PRIMARY PROOF OF THE BIBLE" (type that in Google search engine) for a discussion of the tree & how even Santa Claus are inventions of Satan Claws to turn you away from Christ & His Word (the website even shows how the Bible demonstrates God's foreknowledge of 9/11, for instance in the destruction of the Tower of Babylon the tallest building in the world in the first 9 verses of Genesis 11 at the time when there is a world language).

I agree with Catherine.
Were you the only yes vote?
Where?
Anything can be an idol. It starts with how a person looks at an object. A Christmas tree is a decoration to most people.
Many thing were associated with paganism. That does not make Christmas trees pagan, today.
In your mind it seems.
The Bible doesn't say anything about its use.
Not sure what you mean but many Jews use a Hanukkah bush or tree.
So when God puts his Holy Spirit in with an unclean person the HS is dirty also?

According to the tradition that I have read, the Christmas tree gets its origin in the Germantic regions. They used the Thor's Oak as a symbol. St. Boniface chopped down that tree and used the fir tree as the new symbol. The old paganism being replaced by Christianity.

St. Boniface said, "This humble tree's wood is used to build your homes: let Christ be at the centre of your households. Its leaves remain evergreen in the darkest days: let Christ be your constant light. Its boughs reach out to embrace and its top points to heaven: let Christ be your Comfort and Guide."

Some people have accredited Martin Luther to adding the decorations. There are different stories for that, but most trace the origin to 16th cen. Germany which was christian.

Yarddog

I'm pretty sure Santa Claus isn't turning people away from Christ.

Instead of recognizing that it's Christ's birthday and realizing THAT'S why you're celebrating it. . . many people don't. Once you take him out of the picture. . . THAT is what turns people away from Christ. But Santa isn't doing that nor is having something fun like that for kids.

I don't see anything wrong with a Christmas tree. I'm not worshiping it. It just looks pretty and smells nice. And it's a fun family activity that can bring people closer.

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There is nothing in these verses having to do anything with the Christmas tree. An idol, made out of wood and adorn with silver and gold and fasten with nails so they may dangle has no connection with the Christmas tree.


Jeremiah 10
1 Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, O house of Israel. 2 Thus says the LORD: Learn not the customs of the nations, and have no fear of the signs of the heavens, though the nations fear them. 3 For the cult idols of the nations are nothing, wood cut from the forest, Wrought by craftsmen with the adze, 4 adorned with silver and gold. With nails and hammers they are fastened, that they may not totter. 5 Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field are they, they cannot speak; They must be carried about, for they cannot walk. Fear them not, they can do no harm, neither is it in their power to do good. 6 No one is like you, O LORD, great are you, great and mighty is your name. 7 Who would not fear you, King of the nations, for it is your due! Among all the wisest of the nations, and in all their domain, there is none like you. 8 One and all they are dumb and senseless, these idols they teach about are wooden: An idol is an object made to be worshipped. It is a God in the minds of those doing the worshipping. A Christmas tree is a decoration used during the Christmas season when we celebrate the birth of Jesus. It is God whom Christians worship, not a decorated tree.

Yarddog

Christmas Trees are simply decoration that we end up throwing away after use. That's it, nothing more.

Participating in a Christmas candlelight service, now that's something that touches my heart and affects me in ways that I'm not able to throw away so easly.

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