Jeremiah 7-11
: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.
I grew up thinking that these verses were talking about Christmas Trees. They weren't bad, but they weren't goood, either. It was just on the safe side of things to not have one. I don't know anymore, now.
I have no problem with others having trees at Christmas. I think they are beautiful. I have even helped others decorate their trees. We don't have one. Anthony doesn't care weather we have one or not. He thinks on the practical side: why bother with something and spend so much time and effort just to take it all down a few days later. LOL Plus we have no room, so it's easy for me to say we don't have one because we have no room. But, I think part of the reason we don't have a tree at Christmas, is because it would make me feel guilty for going against what , I feel, I was raised to do. I don't necessarily think it's wrong for me to have a tree, I just feel funny thinking of having one.
I think it's the same as the type of clothing I wear. I wore dresses growing up. I never wore anything sleeveless. Now, I do wear pants (not as much as I used to), but I still cannot go out in public in a sleeveles shirt. I feel undresses. lol I wear them at night and sometimes during the day (if I get hot) at home, but NEVER outside my house. I don't think it's wrong, I just feel funny doing it myself. It makes no sense to me, so it probably makes no sense to others, either.
Any thoughts from my readers? I welcome them.
Tomorrow's chapters will be Psalms 42-44.
My research on the tree enabled me to make a list of Christian symbolisms we associate with the Christmas tree, and legends too, which I posted here:
ReplyDeletehttp://everypreciousjoy.blogspot.com/2009/12/heart-of-christmas-o-christmas-tree.html
back in December, if you'd like to take a peek. I don't know if it will do anything for you. Whichever way you go I think that it's good to find a reason why you do or don't to be a witness to your kids and others who may ask. I didn't have a reason until a few months ago so I'm not trying to pressure or judge! Not at all! Lol! I am definately in the newbie club to having my convictions about Christmas straightened out but if you think my research might help sort out some of the thoughts you're pondering, have a gander at the post. I hope that God will grant you clarity to see the way He wants you to celebrate the birth of His Son- tree or no tree! Blessings and HUGS! ♥
Well I have had lots of thoughts on the matter but I don't feel a strong conviction FOR or AGAINST Christians having a Christmas tree. I think that the verse is saying that a tradition in and of itself is not good or evil. It's the symbolism of the tradition that makes it good or evil. I could be totally off base but that's what I think. ;)
ReplyDeleteI did alot of research a couple months ago after my research on helloween made me wonder about the origins of Christmas and it's traditions too. I figured that it would be good to get it straight in my mind what it is I believe and want to do about these things before the kids get old enough to start becoming attached to traditions. It would be hard if I were to be convicted against a tree to then stop getting one and have to explain to them why a beloved tradition is no longer allowed. Or to explain why we are now doing a tradition that I had previously taught them was wrong. So I thought since my oldest is 3 now and remembers alot of stuff I'd better get the whole deal straightened around ASAP! Lol! Or at least the major parts of it like trees and presents and to celebrate it at all and if so then WHEN. Lol! So that's why I did my heart of Christmas series on my blog. It was like live(ish) journalling what I was finding out as I researched. Each day that I would complete a round of research on, I would turn my findings into a Christmas post and link it up to my Heart of Christmas series.
Every year at Christmas since I've been married, hubby and I have been at odds about getting a tree. Not over religious reasons at all though! I knew that there would be something wrong with NOT getting one for me but it took a long time to be able to put it into words- just this past Christmas I could actually articulate it for the first time. My husband wanted to skip getting a tree. Every year. You see, every year we go up north to our families' for Christmas. We just go for a few days but because we're always going to be gone ON Christmas DAY, my husband wondered why we 'needed' a $50 needle-shedding tree if we wouldn't even be home to see it on Christmas. Which makes sense for purely cosmetic reasons but in my heart it felt wrong and here is how I was FINALLY after 7 years of marriage able to describe why to my hubby: If we have a Christmas tree at all we should know WHY. If we have a reason WHY, it will be a pagan reason or it will be a religious reason. It will have some symbolism to us one way or the other. If it had pagan symbolism we wouldn't be having a tree in the first place, but if we have CHRISTian symbolism that we associate with having a Christmas tree, then to NOT have one JUST for the reason of not being home for the actual Christmas DAY to open gifts under it, it's like saying to our selves and our kids that the tree is really nothing but a gift receptacle. If we're not using it as a gift receptacle and centerpiece for the gift opening festivities, then it's useless. This attitude totally nullifies the significance of the tree in the eyes of our children and relatives. Because if it has a purpose beyond gifts, it's worth having up the whole month of December, regardless of whether or not we're home for the main event.
Well, we DO have symbolism for our tree one way or another. So when I explained it to hubby that way it was like a major "ah-HA!" moment. He finally understood why it was so important to me to have a tree regardless of how long or what dates it's seen.