Hello!
I was talking with a lady who has recently lost her husband, she reports being under intense peer pressure, which she thought was a form of legalism, to do silly stuff she doesn't want to do. Specifically regarding trees/decorations/turkeys and the like. She said she hates this time of year, wishes it was over and that people would stop pressurizing her. I agreed with her, at this time of year there is pressure to do things you don't want to do from other Christians. Maybe well meaning people, sometimes maybe trying to make conversation, but I find it rather wearing. Pressure and competition, I detect a lot of people are trying doing this stuff as a form of oneupmanship. Like the guy who needs a bigger tree and more glowing gnomes and Odins in their garden than the person next door.
Leaving aside the possible pagan origins of much of this stuff is it Biblical to pressure people to do something they don't want to do? There's no biblical command telling us to put up a 'Christmas Tree', or to take a present from a man dressed as Santa aka Odin at a church party, or to sings songs about flying deer. Or forcing someone to wear a Santa hat or an Elf hat when they don't want to (yes, in a previous year I was forced to wear an elf hat to participate as a helper at a church event). Why then are people pressured into doing this if they don't want to? Isn't it a form of legalism? Being forced to partake in possible Paganism in Church? I detect churches are more likely to have a Santa and a tree than a nativity scene.
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1).
I have been told that's it's a form of legalism to tell people not to engage in certain activities, so why then isn't it legalism to compel people to engage in those activities?
I have been told that it would be legalism to acknowledge various Old Testament Biblical Feasts or to encourage others to do so. Why then isn't it Legalism to compel others to revere a flying fat all knowing midget from the North pole?
For those who don't think churches could revere demons or compel others to do so, there's 'Tuesday' for example. A day of the week named to honour a pagan god of war. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are the same. Living in a pagan world aren't we meant to be aware of the devil's schemes, rather then going along with anything and everything, afterall Satan masquerades as an angel of light.
God Bless All
and happy Christmas. Hope you find a time of peace and joy in remembering the Saviour's birth and please don't take my post as critical or judgemental. I'm asking Qs from a place of frustration is all.