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Dominus Paradoxum · 12-14-2003, 08:20 PM

Topic.

mike_decock · 12-14-2003, 08:46 PM

That would probably be Jeremiah 10:2-8

2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. 6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might. 7 Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee. 8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.

-Mike...

Toto · 12-14-2003, 10:09 PM

The Church of God takes this very seriously. They also point to other passages:

Quote:

In Deuteronomy 12:2-4 is the instruction of God to utterly destroy all the elements of pagan worship. What is so noticeable especially in verse 2 is the mentioning of the "spreading [green] tree where the nations [pagans]�worship their gods" (NIV, North American Edition). Moreover, in verse 3 the "Asherah poles" is also mentioned. What are these that are connected in pagan rituals? And why specifically mention "green trees"?

The Hebrew word for "green" used in this verse is not the common word for vegetation which is "yaraq." The word used is "raanan" and it means full of sap and fresh, just as the fir tree. According to Strong�s Concordance, "all the expressions about these trees which means �verdant,� �new,� and figuratively used to mean "prosperous and �flourishing� has all the reference to idolatrous tree-worship practices" (I Kings 14:23; 2 Kings 16:4). What we can see from looking at the Hebrew word to ascertain these kinds of trees are its leaves are always green all year round, even in winter times. Because of this quality, the pagan Canaanites believes that this is a manifestation of the divine power of trees, that is why they worship it (see J. Ridderbos Commentary on Deuteronomy).

Tree worship is very prominent in the Bible in which God condemns. It is always associated to pagan practice. The "groves" mentioned in the Bible with an indication of the "asherah poles (asherims) or trees" are all associated with the fertility religion of Astarte (the one we commonly call today as Easter). Hosea 4:13 indicates the apostasy of Israel by burning incense under the "oaks and poplars and the terebinth trees" shows the extent of tree worship in ancient Biblical times. In fact, centuries before Hosea, during the time of the Judges in Israel, after Gideon, then rose Abimelech as a judge in Israel, there was a specific place that people went to use divination from a tree (Judges 9:37). Most scholars have researched it to be an oak tree from which the phrase "holy oak" was derived.

. . .

Amazingly, millions of human beings delightedly gather around their "Christmas tree" each year with gifts and presents underneath. They don�t have any slightest knowledge that it came from a pagan practice and is demoniacal.

emph added.

Toto · 12-14-2003, 10:16 PM

Here's another True Christian site:

Quote:

there are millions of Christian believers who do this very thing [put up a decorated tree] at the time of the Winter Solstice. It is well recognized by all educated people today that the practice is purely and simply a retention of pagan doctrines in the Christian home and church and the custom has nothing to do with the teachings of the Holy Scriptures.

Indeed, because of the command of the apostle Paul in the New Testament that Christians ought to "flee idolatry" (I Corinthians 10:14) and the statement of the apostle John to "keep yourselves from idols" (I John 5:21), the authorities in Post-Reformation England condemned the celebration of Christmas altogether as being a pagan institution (without the slightest warrant in the Bible) and made laws forbidding it to be celebrated. Anyone found cooking a Christmas ham had their dinner taken away and they themselves were arrested. Similar laws were put into effect in the American colonies. In Massachusetts, the following law was passed in 1659 and was enforced on the people for 22 years before it was finally repealed.

"Whosoever shall be found observing Christmas, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way, every such person shall pay as a fine five shillings to the county."

Merry Xmas everyone!

12-14-2003, 08:20 PM	#1
Dominus Paradoxum Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: California Posts: 1,000	Looking for the passage where the Bible condemns Christmas trees Topic.

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12-14-2003, 08:46 PM	#2
mike_decock Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 1,505	That would probably be Jeremiah 10:2-8 2 Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them. 3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. 5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good. 6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might. 7 Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee. 8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities. -Mike...

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