Changes

A neighbor of mine when I was growing up was a [[Jehovah's Witnesses|Jehovah's Witness]]. According to their teachings, she compassionately warned me that a Christmas tree is an idol, based on Jeremiah 10:3-4 (KJV).

A neighbor of mine when I was growing up was a [[Jehovah's Witnesses|Jehovah's Witness]]. According to their teachings, she compassionately warned me that a Christmas tree is an idol, based on Jeremiah 10:3-4 (KJV).

:"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. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers, that it move not."

:"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. They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers, that it move not."

Of course, she failed to read it within the context of "3 verses before, and 3 verses after, for the context". Jeremiah is speaking of a pagan idol. She was mercifully motivated by a desire for my salvation and blessedness. But she had been given a teaching that misrepresented the intent and had been given an historical fact taken entirely out of its social and historical context misapplied to the present day Christmas tradition originally solely intended to honor God's Son Jesus Christ "''when all of nature rejoiced with new life''" (green). Now, in the context of 1 Samuel 16:7 "for ''the L<small>ORD</small> seeth'' not as man seeth; for '''man looketh on the outward appearance, but the L<small>ORD</small> looketh on the heart,'''" she was guilty of [[falsehood]], but not of [[Lie|lying]]. See '''[[Specious reasoning]]'''.

Of course, she failed to read it within the context of "3 verses before, and 3 verses after, for the context". Jeremiah is speaking of a pagan idol. She was mercifully motivated by a desire for my salvation and blessedness. But she had been given a teaching that misrepresented the intent and had been given an historical fact taken entirely out of its social and historical context misapplied to the present day Christmas tradition originally solely intended to honor God's Son Jesus Christ "''when all of nature rejoiced with new life''" (green). Now, in the context of 1 Samuel 16:7 "for ''the L<small>ORD</small> seeth'' not as man seeth; for '''man looketh on the outward appearance, but the L<small>ORD</small> looketh on the heart,'''" she was guilty of [[falsehood]], but not of [[Lie|lying]]. See '''[[Specious reasoning]]''' and  '''[[Deceit]]'''.

When you had a Christmas tree, were you taught that this tree represented the Norse god Yggdrasil (the World Tree)? Of course not! Were you told that it was an idol representing a pagan god? Of course not!  What was the intention in your heart as you admired the beauty of the Christmas tree? Were you committing idolatry, or were you thinking of the birth of Jesus in the manger, and the angels singing to the shepherds of his birth with glory to God in the highest?

When you had a Christmas tree, were you taught that this tree represented the Norse god Yggdrasil (the World Tree)? Of course not! Were you told that it was an idol representing a pagan god? Of course not!  What was the intention in your heart as you admired the beauty of the Christmas tree? Were you committing idolatry, or were you thinking of the birth of Jesus in the manger, and the angels singing to the shepherds of his birth with glory to God in the highest?