The Petra Zone

what are the excuses?

Christmas trees are pagan
I never understood this. What does decorating a tree have to do with celebrating the birth of Christ? Not much. There are some Christian Christmas tree apologists out there. But, like so much of what is sold for a buck now-a-days, I don't know if any of it is true. Still, it is not a deal breaker. How many of us have trees in our yard? What difference does it make if you want one in your house for a short time, risk burning the place down, put lights and decorations on it? Who cares. Does that mean I worship the devil because I move a tree from outside to inside and let my girls put stuff on it? Please. I think I do more to serve the devil when I flip someone off who pulls out in front of me, or when I curse because I power stapled my fingers together. Even then, I am not SERVING the devil, I am just not the best testimony for God. Salvation is not tied to my ability not to sin, and having a Christmas tree is not a sin. So, it doesn't matter.

The Catholic Church set the date in response to the pagan world's holiday.
So what? Genesis was written in response to people thinking gods were mating and creating life, etc, etc, etc. Jesus is a response to the world's sin. There is nothing wrong with a response, no matter if it was made by a bunch of lying, cheating, salvation selling, child molesting, homos in religious TBN togas?

Anyone else?

Folks who don't celebrate Christmas because it's "pagan" or whatever you want to call it are giving the "pagans" too much credit and focusing on the wrong thing.

I do celebrate Christmas because it's something I've always done and nobody has given me a good reason not to.

If you worship the Devil on Halloween than I think it's a problem, but if you dress up in a fun costume and go and get candy. I'm pretty sure you're not going to Hell for it.

brent wrote:what are the excuses?

Christmas trees are pagan
I never understood this. What does decorating a tree have to do with celebrating the birth of Christ? Not much. There are some Christian Christmas tree apologists out there. But, like so much of what is sold for a buck now-a-days, I don't know if any of it is true. Still, it is not a deal breaker. How many of us have trees in our yard? What difference does it make if you want one in your house for a short time, risk burning the place down, put lights and decorations on it? Who cares. Does that mean I worship the devil because I move a tree from outside to inside and let my girls put stuff on it? Please. I think I do more to serve the devil when I flip someone off who pulls out in front of me, or when I curse because I power stapled my fingers together. Even then, I am not SERVING the devil, I am just not the best testimony for God. Salvation is not tied to my ability not to sin, and having a Christmas tree is not a sin. So, it doesn't matter.

The Catholic Church set the date in response to the pagan world's holiday.
So what? Genesis was written in response to people thinking gods were mating and creating life, etc, etc, etc. Jesus is a response to the world's sin. There is nothing wrong with a response, no matter if it was made by a bunch of lying, cheating, salvation selling, child molesting, homos in religious TBN togas?

Anyone else?

Many old churches in Sweden (I mean year 1100, 1200 and such) are built on old pagan cult places. Does that mean those churches are pagan? Of course not. It's just the same as with Christmas (and some other holidays right?) The pagan things were replaced with Christian things when we became Christians. That is not strange at all. It's exactly as when you become a Christian yourself, you replace old bad things in your old life with good things from God. (Or at least try to).

Jerusalem was once controlled by pagans as well. God's people took it.

The practice of building pagan temples predates (by centuries or maybe even millennia ) the Tabernacle built by the Hebrews, which predated Solomon's Temple. It was a practice God's people took from pagans ... at God's command of course ... and used for His Glory.

Vernal equinox was a pagan celebration. God's people took it and call it Easter.

You see, Proverbs 13:22 says "A good [man] leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner [is] laid up for the just."

Satan doesn't get to KEEP anything ... not Christmas trees, not MUSIC, not the Internet, and not any day on the calendar. ALL days belong to the LORD, and His People will use them to His Glory.