Christmas-A Christian Holiday? (Catholics, Biblical, bless, organization)

[Alpha8207]

Originally Posted by renriq02

it's talking about the 'practice' of cutting trees, decorating it, and fastening it down....

whether it was done 2,000 years ago, and we have a new name for it today...it wouldnt make a difference IMHO

So artificial trees are OK?

No, I bet you'd call them graven images or something.

I do hope you live in a plain, white vanilla box, because by the standard you use, it will be used on you.

[renriq02]

Neither is the word rapture....

People label stuff with names but it doesnt make it 'wrong'

It's like Good Friday.
Is it wrong because of the name or because of the idea or neither?

Originally Posted by Marianinark

It is my understanding that a Christian is a follower of Christ....one who follows His doctrine. I am having an awful hard time finding Christmas in Christ's doctrine!!!! I can not even find "mass" in His doctrine!!!

[CatManDoo]

Originally Posted by renriq02

Jeremiah 10
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.

putting up trees in decking it with silver/gold ornaments has been around longer than you think

Why didn't you post verse 5?

Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good.

Jeremiah is referring to idol worship. The Old Testament is full of examples of people cutting down trees, carving them into idols, adorning them, and then worshipping them. BIG difference. Do you honestly not see that or are you just trying to stir the pot?

[renriq02]

when/where did Xmas trees come from?
Where did that practice come from?

Don't you find it funny that the bible speaks about it in Jeremiah in details

A christmas tree is cut down from a forest

It is adorned with silver/gold.
Today they use similar ornaments like silver bells

then they fasten it to the ground so it can stand up.
I never seen a XMAS tree laying down...it's usually erected.

I have find it VERY WEIRD that Jeremiah 10 goes in DETAILS of the practice of a XMAS tree, and yet it doesnt strike anyone

Originally Posted by Alpha8207

So artificial trees are OK?

No, I bet you'd call them graven images or something.

I do hope you live in a plain, white vanilla box, because by the standard you use, it will be used on you.

[alicenevada]

Originally Posted by Alpha8207

My comments on the Christmas tree weren't directed at you....

.....but anyway....

....so when I sit down on Christmas eve, open my bible with my family gathered around and read the story of the birth of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Jehovah's Witnesses think I am sinning.

I'll be sitting in my living room being pro-Christ but you'd have me do what?

Yep! Reason number #434,342,423 to not be a Jehovah's Witness (denominationally speaking, of course)

haha. No. I will probably sit down with my family on Christmas Eve, open my bible, and read from it with my family too. Just like I do every night. That is not celebrating Christmas. I have no problem with being pro-Christ. That's wonderful. What I have a problem with, is worshipping God , praising his son's sacrifice, in the company of trees, lights, and Santa-all of which have nothing whatsoever to do with Christ himself-but instead were things affiliated with the winter solstice.

No one is asking you to become a JW. However, I have to wonder what would makes a person keep track of so many things they dislike about an organization. Why can you not appreciate their integrity and leave it at that?

[renriq02]

Gee I wonder what we do with xmas tree that IS NOT WORSHIP?

1. adorn it
2. leave presents under it
3. erect it in our home

You're right...nobody worships the XMAS tree.

Originally Posted by CatManDoo

Why didn't you post verse 5?

Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good.

Jeremiah is referring to idol worship. The Old Testament is full of examples of people cutting down trees, carving them into idols, adorning them, and then worshipping them. BIG difference. Do you honestly not see that or are you just trying to stir the pot?

[Alpha8207]

Originally Posted by renriq02

when/where did Xmas trees come from?
Where did that practice come from?

Don't you find it funny that the bible speaks about it in Jeremiah in details

A christmas tree is cut down from a forest

It is adorned with silver/gold.
Today they use similar ornaments like silver bells

then they fasten it to the ground so it can stand up.
I never seen a XMAS tree laying down...it's usually erected.

I have find it VERY WEIRD that Jeremiah 10 goes in DETAILS of the practice of a XMAS tree, and yet it doesnt strike anyone

My tree has crosses and hand made ornaments from my kids and things of that nature.

It also ALWAYS has a Christmas Tree nail some very good friends gave us.

So again, as I said to Alice, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. And those that judge me will be judged......and that's not a slam, renriq. I'm just telling you that the Holy Spirit has never convicted me that Christmas is something I shouldn't be doing. I try and honor God everyday of my life. Christmas actually helps give me more opportunities to share the love of Christ and the gospel message....if that's the devil's work, well.....I don't really know how to respond to that.

[Alpha8207]

Originally Posted by alicenevada

Why can you not appreciate their integrity and leave it at that?

With all due respect (and I mean that), I do not see the integrity in your organization the way you do. I do believe you to be a person of ingrity (based on my limited exposure) but I do not see that in the Jehovah's Witnesses as a whole and certainly not in The Watchtower Society.

but this thread is on Christmas, so let's not go too far down that road...my apologies if I contributed to a straying of the subject matter.

[Alpha8207]

Originally Posted by renriq02

Gee I wonder what we do with xmas tree that IS NOT WORSHIP?

1. adorn it
2. leave presents under it
3. erect it in our home

You're right...nobody worships the XMAS tree.

Where does condemnation come from? Not Christ!

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

[Towhee]

Originally Posted by renriq02

Neither is the word rapture....

People label stuff with names but it doesnt make it 'wrong'

It's like Good Friday.
Is it wrong because of the name or because of the idea or neither?

Since you quoted my post, I presume you are addressing this to me.

The word 'rapture' is not used by my brethren in the sense as it is used in other 'faiths'. It is used in the 'old fashioned' sense.
And "Good Friday" is not a scriptural observance either. We do not observe it either. By 'we' I mean those whom I assemble with.