CHRISTMAS AND THE TREE -- THE DEBATE CONTINUES

Each year as Christmas approaches the old debate starts a new. “Should Christians celebrate Christmas?”. There are many subtopics concerning this issue one of them being the Christmas tree

Many people wish to celebrate Christmas but not have the tree, this write up will concern the Christmas Tree but as you will see it is impossible to talk about the tree without touching on all the other points of Christmas as well.

REASONS TO HAVE NO TREE:

Some people believe that the tree is wrong to have for a number of reasons. Being

It is a pagan practice
Christmas was started by the Catholics
It is not scriptural
Jeremiah 10:3 speaks against it
It is part of the world, so stay away from it.
Worshipping it other then God


I would like to take the time to touch on each of these points and see how well they do stand up in the light of scripture and Christianity in today’s world.

THE ACCUSATIONS:

A Pagan Practice:

When people mention this they usually refer to the many mentioning of Fir and Fir Trees being used throughout history as ways to worship different types of gods.

HISTORY:

Before Christianity took over strongly throughout the world there was a strong belief that ever green plants held special meaning. They used to hang ever greens around their houses, doing so was supposed to scare away evil spirits, witches etc..

As many know the shortest day and longest night falls around December 21st or 22nd. People used to believe that this happened because the sun god was growing weak, the ever green reminded them that soon the sun god would get well again.

There are many legends that could be told, but the one that people try to associate the most with Christmas is the Roman practices. They would celebrate the solstice by having a feast called the Saturnalia. This was done in honour of Saturn, the god of agriculture. They celebrated this because they felt that the solstice marked a sign that soon their fields would be fruitful again. To mark the celebration they would decorate their houses with temples with boughs of evergreen.

This celebration would last for around a month. During this period the wealthy and slaves would switch roles. The slaves would become masters.

Around the same time the Romans also celebrated Juvenalia. This was a feast that honored the children of Rome. Also Romans of the upper class celebrated the birth of Mithra, the god of the unquenchable sun on a very familiar day -- December 25th. This was a very sacred day for some Romans.



The Romans also used to celebrate their fertility god Bacchus by decorating a tree with bits of metal and replicas of their god. They also decorated the tree with 12 candles to honour their god. They also exchanged gifts during this time of year which usually were made of silver, but could be made from anything.



Christmas Was Started By The Catholics:

Many people in the world today feel “if it was started by the Catholics it can’t be good.” People who dislike the catholic church and all things in it, will use this as an argument to stay away from the celebration of Christmas and the Christmas Tree.

It Is Not Scriptural:

There is nothing in scripture to support this idea of a tree, or decorating or anything like this. We are to stick to scripture -- God’s word. If it’s not there, we’re not doing it.

Jeremiah Chapter 10 Speaks Against The Tree

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.

People claim that Jeremiah here in chapter 10 which was written 500-518 B.C. is referring to the Christmas tree. That it is an obvious statement and clearly teaches that to have a tree is wrong.

It is part of the world, so stay away from it.

2 Cor. 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

This verse, they would say clearly, shows that a Christmas Tree or Christmas is wrong, because it is a thing of the world. So therefore we should not be playing around with the things of this world.

Worshipping The Tree Other Than God

Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

People will tell you, having the tree in your house, taking the time to decorate it, admire it, and then bow down to it to get every gift under it is giving it un needed attention. You are worshipping the tree and it is wrong. All attention should be given to God, and God only.







THE REBUTTAL:


It Is A Pagan Practice

Is Christmas a truly Pagan practice? The reason for saying this is because certain things done by some in the world today during Christmas is associated with a pagan ritual as well. If we have a problem with fir trees being associated with pagan or ungodly things then what about these?

Christian Fish symbol. To the Christian it represents salvation and evangelism, but there are pagan worshipping out there that uses a fish symbol too.

The Easter Egg: Why do we never question the reason for the Easter egg? Throughout history people used to bury eggs under buildings to ward off evil. Roman women who were pregnant used to carry an egg around with her to foretell the sex of her baby. Even French women before crossing the threshold of her new house would step on an egg. The Christians saw how the egg was a sign of rebirth and new life. So early Christians attempted to associate it with Christ’s resurrection…. So why don’t we condemn the egg?

The Neck Tie: Throughout history the neck tie was a symbol for self glorification, so why do we wear them? We believe it’s a form of humbleness and respect to wear a tie when Remembering the Lord on a Sunday morning or throughout the week. But if we wish to stick with what it used to mean, we are actually not approaching God in a humble manner but in a manner to say “hey look at me!”

So before we play the “it’s pagan” card let us examine many other things in our life. These are only a couple, there are many that can be associated with pagan rituals. Then look at the Christian world, do they have a Christmas tree or celebrate Christmas for a pagan reason?


Christmas Was Started By The Catholics:

Having problems with the fact Catholics started the Christmas holiday seems to be someone who is attempting to find an excuse to have a problem with Christmas.

The Catholics did begin the Christmas holiday on December 25th and associated Christ’s birth with that day. They original name of Christmas was “The Feast of the Nativity”. But why would the Catholics do this? Were they trying to stir up problems? Trying to not realize the importance of the Saviour? When Christmas started first of all by the Catholics, this did not include the Christmas tree, the Christmas tree came much later.

The Catholics saw the worshipping of the Romans to their gods, they saw the worshipping of Mithra on the 25th so decided to do something about it.

The Catholics -- Pope Julius to be specific, started the “Feast Of The Nativity”. His goal was for the people to focus on Christianity. To realize that one too was born -- Christ. Of course once the idea started off, the Catholic church had to step back, how Christmas was to be run was out of their hands now, and many people started mixing the Roman paganism with it and soon Christmas after the feast was over, it ended in a drunken brawl, much like the Mardi Gras of today. This was not the intention of the Church however. Their goal was to proclaim Christianity -- they were successful in this part. Even though I am not Catholic, hats off to the Catholic church for trying to bring forth a Christian idea in the midst of so much heathenism.



It is Not Scriptural

In saying the practice of Christmas is not scriptural and the practice of having a Christmas Tree is not scriptural would be correct. There is no scripture to back up this activity at all. The birth of Christ was not what God wanted us to remember, or we’d have been given his birthdays in the Bible. His main purpose was Calvary.

But with that said, because Christmas is not in the bible does that make it wrong?

Isaiah 55:13 does use the fir tree in a good sense,. In 2 Chronicles 3:5 Solomon covers the temple with fir trees and decoration.

People will claim the tree is not scriptural so therefore, it’s not being allowed in the house. Is the wrapping of gifts scriptural? Is the giving of gifts to one another scriptural? -- Something that the Romans did?

No these are not scriptural either, but many people allow the gift wrapping and gift exchange to happen, no questions asked. People will try to claim that the wise men giving gifts gives us an example in giving gifts to one another as well. That is a nice example, but the gifts given, were given to Christ, to bring glory to Him. Are all our gifts given, given to Him, to bring glory to Him? Is the gift wrap bring glory to Christ?

The Bible is our handbook for our lives as Christians. To celebrate Christmas, is it taking away from God? Or adding to it? Is it a sin? The conclusion of this article will touch on it.


Jeremiah Chapter 10 Speaks Against The Tree

Look closely at this chapter. What do you see here? The people who are cutting down this tree and decorating it are worshipping it, they are believing it is as great as God himself. They are believing that worshipping that tree and the god associated with it will help them. Jeremiah laughs at them, telling them for something they have to worship why would they have to cut it down and carry it themselves? Why is it then that it can’t even hold itself up?

A Christmas tree is not mentioned here, why is that?

When the Catholics introduced Christmas by the year 432 a.d. it had finally reached the nation of Egypt. Some stories claim that in the 7th century (around 200 years after Christmas reached Egypt) a monk from Credition, Devonshire visited Germany. He used the fir tree to represent the Holy Trinity. The converted at the time began to call it “God’s tree” and by the 12th century it is reported that people were hanging trees upside down from their ceilings.

One of the best records of a Christmas tree is from 1601. A visitor to Strasbourg reported that there was a tree there decorated with paper flowers of all colours and wafers and golden sugar-twists (barley sugar). It is also reported that on December 24th missionaries would hold a time where they would speak on the Trees (tree of life) in the Garden of Eden. The decorations of different types of food was a symbol of plenty, the flowers which were at the beginning only red were a symbol of Knowledge and white, a symbol of Innocence.

Concerning the lights of the Christmas tree, there is a story of Martin Luther, whether it is true or not is to be disputed, but lights on a tree concerning Christians as the story goes started with Luther. As he walked through the forest one night, he could see the stars shining up through the fir trees. In an attempt to explain what he enjoyed so much to his children, he decorated a small fir tree and put candles in it, in an attempt to copy what he saw.



It is part of the world, so stay away from it.

2 Cor. 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

Christians will attempt to use this verse and evidence that Christmas is wrong, but is this verse truly speaking against it? Is the tree truly a thing of this world?

As mentioned before and after this, the Christmas tree is a symbol of Christianity. The world associates it with Christmas.

To use the argument that the tree is of this world, is to also use the argument that perhaps we should not have any form of media links provided to use, from the T.V. or Internet right to the Newspaper.

The world celebrates birthdays perhaps because birthdays are celebrated by the world then therefore we should stop that too.

The verse used is meaning a fellowship or a partaking in something of this world that can lead you away from Christ. Christmas was not and is not designed to do this. It is designed to remember the birth of the Saviour. The tree not used to promote any heathen, or worldly view either.


Worshipping The Tree Other Than God

Dictionary.com could explain worship as this:
The reverent love and devotion accorded a deity, an idol, or a sacred object.
To regard with ardent or adoring esteem or devotion.


If a Christian is acting as if they worship their tree, then perhaps there is a problem. In fact that is not just a tree but anything. Anything you bring into your home are you treating it in a way that you are losing fellowship with God? If so then perhaps it should go, why just concentrate on the Christmas tree? Or Christmas? There are many other things in our life that represents no good at all yet we tolerate them.

Exodus 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

Make = “make in order to bow (worship). The simple act of making something or having an artifact or image of something, did not mean it was wrong. It was the act of worshipping that item in a way that would take precedence over God.
 

THE CONCLUSION

As seen above, there is no solid evidence against or for Christmas or the Christmas tree. Many Christians today who have a Christmas tree, would deny any claims to paganism as their means of having a tree, the origins of the tree in Christianity seems to be used to represent the story of the Garden of Eden, God’s plenty and also the eternality of the Trinity.

For a moment, let’s not think of the world as it was 500 years ago, 50 years ago or even 5 years ago. Think of what the world is like today. There are problems throughout North America with people who have problems with Nativity scenes, cause they feel that having a nativity scene on your lawn is offensive cause it is portraying Christianity. In Pakistan extremists can be calling for the death of all Christians. The acceptance of world religions is on the rise. Christianity is just another belief many think.

People around the world is trying to change the word “Merry Christmas” to “Happy Holidays”. Why? Because not everyone believes in God, why should someone have to say things that they don’t agree with? Christ is in Christmas, we can’t have that.

We have Christians who are trying to take the tree out of Christmas cause it’s wrong, we have unbelievers trying to take the tree out of Christmas cause it’s too “Christian”

In the year 2000 the manager of the city of Eugene in Oregon, made a public ban on Christmas trees on public property because he felt it was a Christian Symbol.

The city of Boston, MA this year (2005) decided that the name Holiday Tree would sound better then Christmas Tree.

So what are we going to do? Are we going to help the world in destroying Christmas? Of course it’s not in the Bible, but when commercialism is set aside what is the true meaning of Christmas? It is a day chosen to remember the entry of our Saviour into this world. It succeeded centuries ago in overcoming myths and legends. The tree to a Christian and even to the world is and should be a symbol of our claims with the birth of the Messiah. Why are we ashamed of this? In a world filled full of hatred for Christianity we should stand with a smile on our face. We don’t believe we have the only way. We simply believe that Jesus Christ is the only way. And when Christmas time comes, I’m proud to say “Merry Christmas”, and to me a Christmas tree does not represent paganism, it does not show idol worship. But shows a picture to the world that I associate myself with Christmas… with God.

Many traditions associated with Christmas has been added over the years, Such as gift wrapping, or even giving of gifts to others. In doing so are we causing harm? Because some practices similar to Christmas were once pagan rituals, the fact they are used to represent the glory of Christ today, does that make them wrong? In a world today we can use all the reasons we can find to tell the world about our Savour, and to not forget the true meaning of Christmas. Christmas is a time to generate peace and harmony, something that should be happening all year round, but is a time the world sets aside. Should not the Christian be glad to see this? The gift wrap? To the Christmas season, with children, family and friends, it’s exciting to be surprised on Christmas morning. Even though sharing of gifts to one another in the way we do it today may not be very scriptural, it causes us to think back anyhow to the gift that God has given us, His Son -- The Saviour of The world.

 

Lu 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
 

 Information for this article was taken from: www.historychannel.com, www.religioustolerance.org, http://headlines.agapepress.org, http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/8149/egg.html, www.en.wikipeda.org
 

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