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COGwriter <\/a><\/p>\n The Bible has a lot of warnings about trees:<\/p>\n 2″Do not learn the ways of the nations 2 Thus saith our Lord: According to the ways of the Gentiles learn not: and (a) of the signs of heaven, which the heathen fear, be not afraid: 29 When the Lord thy God shall have destroyed before thy face the nations, that thou enterest in to possess, and thou shalt possess them, and dwell in their land: While the trees themselves cannot harm us, God says that they cannot do any good.<\/p>\n And nowhere in the Bible is there any hint that trees should be associated with the birth of Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n Catholics used to warn that because of Martin Luther’s promotion of Christmas trees, that this form of idolatry made Protestantism the “Tannenbaum religion” (tannenbaum literally means “fir tree” and is the German term for Christmas tree.<\/p>\n The “Venerable” Cesare Baronius, a Catholic of the 16th century, wrote about a practice of using lights (which are commonly used on Christmas trees):<\/p>\n If the candles which were formerly distributed at the Saturnalia are now identified with the feast of the Purification of our Lady? What, I ask, is there so surprising if holy bishops have allowed certain customs firmly rooted among pagan peoples, and so tenaciously adhered to by them that even after their conversion to Christianity they could not be induced to surrender them, to be transferred to the worship of the true God?” (Baronius, “Annales”, ad ann. 58, n. 77). (as cited in Thurston, Herbert. “Lights.” The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 9. Nihil Obstat.<\/em> October 1, 1910. Remy Lafort, Censor. Imprimatur.<\/em> +John M. Farley, Archbishop of New York. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1910. 21 Dec. 2009 <http:\/\/www.newadvent.org\/cathen\/09244b.htm>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Thus, Baronius seems to be saying that Saturnalia lights are a pagan practice, yet using them is acceptable.\u00a0 The period of Saturnalia coincides with the Christmas-New Year’s period in modern times.<\/p>\n But even the Rheims<\/em>‘ version of the New Testament (a Catholic approved translation) states the following about pagan practices:<\/p>\n 15. And what agreement with Christ and Belial? or what part hath the faithful with the So unclean practices associated with idols are prohibited by God. Does not that include celebrating as the idolaters celebrate, like using evergreen trees?<\/p>\n Wyatt Cieselka noted:<\/p>\n But even the Roman Saturnalia and Persian Mithraism was an adaption of an even earlier<\/em> mystery religion \u2013 the Babylonian mystery cult<\/em>.\u00a0 The ancient Babylonians celebrated the reborn<\/em> Nimrod as the newborn<\/em> Tammuz by worshipping an evergreen tree (now the common Christmas tree).\u00a0 The Babylonians also<\/em> celebrated this rebirth during the winter solstice.\u00a0 Jeremiah condemns ancient Israel for copying this terrible paganism, and even specifically mentions the evergreen tree in Jeremiah 3:13. (Cieselka W. Why Satan loves Christmas. LCG Commentary, December 19, 2009).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n To take this a step further, notice that using green trees as part of worship was condemned by God thousands of years ago:<\/p>\n 2 ‘You must completely destroy all the places where the nations you dispossess have served their gods, on high mountains, on hills, under any spreading tree; 3 you must tear down their altars, smash their sacred stones, burn their sacred poles, hack to bits the statues of their gods and obliterate their name from that place. (Deuteronomy 12:2-3, New Jerusalem Bible, NJB, a Catholic translation)<\/p>\n 2 Destroy all the places in which the nations, that you shall possess, worshipped their gods upon high mountains, and hills, and under every shady tree: 3 Overthrow their altars, and break down their statues, burn their groves with fire, and break their idols in pieces: destroy their names out of those places. 4 You shall not do so to the Lord your God (Deuteronomy 12:2-4, DOT, a Catholic translation).<\/p>\n 16 Beware lest perhaps your heart be deceived, and you depart from our Lord, and serve strange Gods, and adore them (Deuteronomy 11:16, DOT).<\/p>\n 24 God is spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24, NJB)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Catholic translations of the Bible show that spreading shady trees, like evergreens, were not to be part of the worship of the true God–and that people should not be deceived and serve such strange practices. The truth is that Christmas reminds us that people are often unwilling to worship God as He intended, but instead often prefer pagan substitutes that they rationalize as somehow acceptable if they pretend the holiday is about Jesus.<\/p>\n Those who truly believe Jesus\u2019 words, \u201cHuman beings live not on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God\u201d (Matthew 4:4, NJB) will not celebrate a compromised pagan holiday such as Christmas because it contains practices and symbols (see also What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons?<\/a>) warned against in the Bible and was never enjoined upon true believers to practice.<\/p>\n And although many Catholics now have Christmas trees, notice something from the Vatican:<\/p>\n Rome, Dec. 22: Sant Claus, and Christmas trees, have been condemned in an editorial in the Vatican weekly newspaper, \u201cL\u2019Osservatore della Domenica.\u201d The editorial describes Santa Claus as a \u201cmonstrous substitute\u201d for the Christ Child, and says that the idea of Santa \u201cis offensive to the faith\u201d and \u201cwill not and must not be accepted or tolerated by Christians.\u201d The use of Christmas trees \u2014 which have only recently become a part of the Italian Christmas \u2014 is condemned<\/strong> as \u201can attempt to substitute the Crib ….. with a certain feeling of naturalism and paganism<\/strong>.\u201d (http:\/\/www.deccanchronicle.com\/dc50\/vatican-paper-disfavours-santa-claus-684<\/a>)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n No one should be using Christmas trees, Santa Claus, etc. And even some in the Vatican are telling people that.<\/p>\n The Catholics once considered that having a decorated fir tree in one’s house, which of course is not a symbol associated with the birth of Jesus in the Bible, during the Christmas season was a form of idolatry.<\/p>\n However, over time, as the use of trees gained more universal acceptance, those of the Catholic faith decided to no longer decry their use.<\/p>\n The Bible, Church of God sources, and Catholic sources have warned about the use of objects like Christmas trees.\u00a0\u00a0 Since the use of them most certainly does not come from the Bible, no Christian should wish to have one.<\/p>\n Some articles of possibly related interest may include:<\/em><\/p>\n Hope of Salvation: How the Genuine Church of God differ from most Protestants<\/a> How the real Church of God differs from mainstream\/traditional Protestants, is perhaps the question I am asked most by those without a Church of God background. COGwriter The Bible has a lot of warnings about trees: 2″Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by signs in the sky, though the nations are terrified by them. 3 For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14350","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-church-history","category-doctrine"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
\nor be terrified by signs in the sky,
\nthough the nations are terrified by them.
\n3 For the customs of the peoples are worthless;
\nthey cut a tree out of the forest,
\nand a craftsman shapes it with his chisel.
\n4 They adorn it with silver and gold;
\nthey fasten it with hammer and nails
\nso it will not totter.
\n5 Like a scarecrow in a melon patch,
\ntheir idols cannot speak;
\nthey must be carried
\nbecause they cannot walk.
\nDo not fear them;
\nthey can do no harm
\nnor can they do any good.” (Jeremiah 10:2-5, NIV).<\/p>\n
\n3 Because the laws of the people are vain: because the work of the hand of the artificer hath cut a tree out of the forest with an axe.
\n4 with silver and gold he hath decked it: with nails and hammers he hath compacted it, that it fall not asunder.. .(Jerermie\/Jeremiah 10:2-4, The Original And True Douay Old Testament Of Anno Domini 1609. Prepared and Edited by Dr. William von Peters, Ph.D. Copyright \u00a9 2005, Dr. William G. von Peters. Ph.D. 2005 copyright assigned to VSC Corp.).<\/p>\n
\n30 beware left thou imitate them, after they be subverted at thy entering in, and thou require their ceremonies, saying: As these nations have worshipped their Gods, so will I also worship.
\n31 Thou shalt not do in like manner to the Lord thy God. For all the abominations, that our Lord doeth abhor, have they done to their Gods, offering their sons and daughters, and burning them with fire (Deuteronomy 12:29-31, DOT).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\ninfidel?
\n16. And what agreement hath the temple of God with Idols? For you are the temple of the
\nliving God. as God saith, Then I will dwell, and walk in them, and will be their God: and
\nthey shall be my people.
\n17. For the which cause, Go out of the midst of them, and separate yourselves. saith our
\nLord, and touch not the unclean: and I will receive you (2 Corinthians 6:15-17, The Original And True Rheims New Testament Of Anno Domini 1582. Prepared and Edited by Dr. William von Peters, Ph.D. Copyright \u00a9 1998, Dr. William G. von Peters. Ph.D. 2004, copyright assigned to VSC Corp.).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\nThe Similarities and Dissimilarities between Martin Luther and Herbert W. Armstrong<\/a> This article clearly shows some of the doctrinal differences between in the two. At this time of doctrinal variety and a tendency by many to accept certain aspects of Protestantism, the article should help clarify why the genuine Church of God is NOT Protestant. Do you really know what the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther taught and should you follow his doctrinal example?
\nWhich Is Faithful: The Roman Catholic Church or the Genuine Church of God?<\/a> Do you know that both groups shared a lot of the earliest teachings? Do you know which church changed? Do you know which group is most faithful to the teachings of the apostolic church? Which group best represents true Christianity? This documented article answers those questions. Portugu\u00eas: Qual \u00e9 fiel: A igreja cat\u00f3lica romana ou a verdadeira igreja do deus?<\/a> Tambien Espa\u00f1ol: \u00bfQue es fiel: La Iglesia Cat\u00f3lica Romana o la Iglesia verdadera de Dios?<\/a> Auch: Deutsch: Welches ist treu: Die r\u00f6misch-katholische Kirche oder die Kirche Gottes Original?<\/a>
\nWhat Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons?<\/a> What about the use of the cross, by the early Church?
\nDo You Practice Mithraism?<\/a> Many practices and doctrines that mainstream so-called Christian groups have are the same or similar to those of the sun-god Mithras. December 25th was celebrated as his birthday. Do you follow Mithraism combined with the Bible or original Christianity?
\nWas Jesus Born in the Grotto of the Nativity?<\/a><\/span> Was Jesus born in a below ground cave? Was Jesus born below the “Church of the Nativity”? Were the wise men there?
\nIs Keeping Christmas a Sin?<\/a> Is keeping Christmas acceptable for true Christians? What are some scriptures to consider?
\nWhat Does the Catholic Church Teach About Christmas and the Holy Days?<\/a> Do you know what the Catholic Church says were the original Christian holy days? Was Christmas among them? Is December 25th Jesus’ birthday or that of the sun god?
\nThe History of Early Christianity<\/a> Are you aware that what most people believe is not what truly happened to the true Christian church? Do you know where the early church was based? Do you know what were the doctrines of the early church? Is your faith really based upon the truth or compromise?<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"