Jeremiah 10:1-4 and the practice of decorating trees during Christ-mass
- Thread starter Jake
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For those that are making a god; yes. For those who do it because that's what you do at this time of year, it has as much significant linkage to paganism as the names of the days of the weeks and months.
brendanchatt
Puritan Board Freshman
Deuteronomy 16:21-22 might be a helpful passage to understand your passage
Dearly Bought
Puritan Board Junior
I think those who are attempting to instill the tree with Christian meaning are unwittingly coming closer to the practice described in Jeremiah 10 than "those who do it because that's what you do." It may be with great intentions, but it still seems to be false worship even if ostensibly offered to the true God.
Did the Israelites think their adorned wooden idols were pagan gods or that they represented pagan gods (1st Commandment)? Maybe some did, but I get the impression that many attempted to offer worship to Yahweh through such means (2nd Commandment issue). In a very similar way, we should not adopt a pagan practice and give it Christian meaning as though that made everything fine and dandy. Like Mr. Coldwell, I'm not quite as concerned with those who adopt a Christmas tree simply because that's the fun seasonal thing to do. I am concerned with the creation of annual rituals created by men for the purpose of honoring our Lord's birth which are not found in the pages of Holy Scripture.
Did the Israelites think their adorned wooden idols were pagan gods or that they represented pagan gods (1st Commandment)? Maybe some did, but I get the impression that many attempted to offer worship to Yahweh through such means (2nd Commandment issue). In a very similar way, we should not adopt a pagan practice and give it Christian meaning as though that made everything fine and dandy. Like Mr. Coldwell, I'm not quite as concerned with those who adopt a Christmas tree simply because that's the fun seasonal thing to do. I am concerned with the creation of annual rituals created by men for the purpose of honoring our Lord's birth which are not found in the pages of Holy Scripture.
Nomos
Puritan Board Freshman
Hi Bryan,
I am confused as to why putting up a decorative object in one's home would be construed as an act of worship. To me, the tree is just a seasonal object, not unlike a pumpkin in October. Do you know people that actually worship the tree OR think they are worshipping God by means of the tree?
For those that see a Christmas tree as an object or form of worship, I would like to ask the following:
What is the necessary part of a Christmas tree that differentiates it (as a false form of worship) from any other non-seasonal decorative object in the home that is not construed as act or object of worship?
Cheers,
Ryan
Dearly Bought
Puritan Board Junior
Ryan,
I was referring to the many Christians who imbue the tree with Christian symbolism as seen here in a fairly representative piece:
Based on what I've heard, I might also refer to the recent Kirk Cameron film as another such example.
Nomos
Puritan Board Freshman
Interesting. I've never met someone that believed the xmas tree was a symbol of the 'paradise tree' or had even heard of someone believing that. Maybe that just speaks of my circle of exposure more than anything else. The last Kirk Cameron I watched was when he was on Growing Pains in the mid 80s.
I can certainly see your point when one incorporates the tree as your quote describes. Thanks for the response.
Warren
Puritan Board Freshman
Thinking of Christmas trees does not make me gay, it makes me think of the day after Christmas, when I have to take it back out to the shed.
Jack K
Puritan Board Doctor
We put up a Christmas tree, but we don't try to force any spiritual meaning into the tree itself. It's just a seasonal decoration. I'm aware that some believers try to come up with Christian symbolism to fit the tree, but this always seems a stretch, and I suspect most of them know that it is.
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