Well I don't generally involve myself in these little discussions any more but I'll delve into this post.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TGBTG
Oh c'mon bro, that prophecy has nothing to do with celebrating christmas.
1Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
2Thus 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.
3For 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.
4They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5They 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.
This prophecy in context was dealing with Israel's idol worship. They were literally doing what the heathens were doing, by worshipping objects.
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I agree with you that the mentioned of taking a tree and fastening it with nails etc is probably not speaking of the pagan rituals that eventually became the christmas tree... and if it was... who could prove it. So I don't hold onto that scripture for that purpose. It's a losing battle that is based on flimsy evidence.
But I do believe that these scriptures do pertain to the christmas tree issue in this manner... Learn not the way of the heathen...
The holiday and all of it's trappings would have never become a part of christianity had this portion of scripture been obeyed. The traditions of the season are clearly of heathen origin and they should have never been learned and practiced by God's church.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TGBTG
Rom 14
5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.
6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.
Christians who are celebrating christmas (or easter) are celebrating unto the Lord (not unto the christmas tree...lol).
And those who do not feel like celebrating, they also are doing it unto the Lord
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This is one of the scriptures that have formed my comparitively moderate approach to my refraining from the holiday. Of course I don't believe that pagan celebrations were the intent of this scripture. I don't think the writer intended to be saying that using heathen practices designed and intended for a heathen god were okay to take and place a thin veneer or christianity over and then use as worship to the one true God.
But... again... it is a favored candy stick of those who differ and I find it useless to press the point. So I don't.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TGBTG
Rom 14
10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.
13 Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
14 I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself: but to him that esteemeth any thing to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
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Did he really mean that as it is being expressed here? Nothing is unclean of itself? Adultery is not unclean of itself? Murder is not unclean of itself?
No... I am not comparing these things to christmas. I am simply making the statement that this verse is not saying what it is accused of saying. There are things that are wrong.
I believe that the apostles would have warned against combining the worship of heathen gods with the worship of the true God.
But... again... this is my take and my interpretation and to press it on others would be useless and unfruitful.
There are times in the history of God's people where they had picked up practices of heathen worship and they had given that worship unto the Lord. God does not have a history of viewing that worship as acceptable.
When the nation returns to God what we see happen is a good leader will come and tear down the high places etc. What were they doing with those high places? They were using ways of heathen worship and they were performing these methods of worship as unto God. I see no example where God accepted that worship as His own. The ridding of these heathen worship methods was always seen as coming back to God.
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