Sunday, December 18, 2016

To forestall the annual argument






So we have a tree.

Every year about this time someone messages me and asks me why an Atheist/Maltheist has a Christmas tree.  Because typing it out every year is a pain I'm just going to put it here and point people back to it.

Guest:  So why does an Atheist/Maltheist have a Christmas tree?

Me:  Because I want a holiday tree.

Guest:  So you want to give glory to God?

Me:  No.  A tree doesn't give glory to god.  Especially not your god.

Guest:  Of course it does.

Me:  No, actually it doesn't.  In fact the bible specifically bans decorated trees from the house of a true believer.

Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel.
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 ax.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not; they must be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them, for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.”
Jeremiah 10:1-5

So, you know, cutting down a tree, decorating it with silver and gold, fastening it into a place of reverence in the home is not evil but very much a heathen practice.  You're not supposed to practice the ways of the heathen, are you?

They usually stop at that point.  I suspect I don't get the best debaters though.

Anyway, we have a tree.

No comments:

Post a Comment