I'm confused Christmas tree or not?

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by ImThankful

Some very wise advice here. Plus, If the church you attend preaches against it and your children get old enough to see you doing it anyways that will certainly make them feel they wouldnt need to abide by things the church teaches whether you really feel it is wrong or not. I think the issue would be more about that than a christmas tree.

I agree with advice concerning the fact that the man and woman of the house need to be in agreement, even if it an agreement to disagree. However, kids MUST know that their parents have more authority over them then a pastor. They NEED to know that what mom and dad says is vastly more important than what their pastor says, especially concerning things like family traditions and family life in general.

So basically I am in strong disagreement that the parents need to somehow form a united front with their church in order to point a way for their children. This is coming from someone who was raised more by his pastor, via way of his parents doing whatever he said, then his parents, and is the reason I have still not found a church that I feel comfortable in.

[missourimary]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

I agree with advice concerning the fact that the man and woman of the house need to be in agreement, even if it an agreement to disagree. However, kids MUST know that their parents have more authority over them then a pastor. They NEED to know that what mom and dad says is vastly more important than what their pastor says, especially concerning things like family traditions and family life in general.

I agree. But many kids I've known learned to sneak around to do what they wanted, or they saw through the hypocrisy of the church and stopped believing in God as a result-so parents should also be careful to talk to their kids about why they do and do not do certain things... and if a church is held in higher regard than the Bible or the pastor is highly involved in personal or family matters, I'd find a different church.

[MissBrattified]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

I agree with advice concerning the fact that the man and woman of the house need to be in agreement, even if it an agreement to disagree. However, kids MUST know that their parents have more authority over them then a pastor. They NEED to know that what mom and dad says is vastly more important than what their pastor says, especially concerning things like family traditions and family life in general.

So basically I am in strong disagreement that the parents need to somehow form a united front with their church in order to point a way for their children. This is coming from someone who was raised more by his pastor, via way of his parents doing whatever he said, then his parents, and is the reason I have still not found a church that I feel comfortable in.

The parents need to form a united front with each other. That's important for the security of children in a home. If the parents both agree that they should submit to church rules in certain areas of their lives, then that component should definitely be included in their discussions. Jeff and I definitely consider what our church teaches when we make decisions. We don't want to do anything to misrepresent our assembly or our pastor.

Unless there's some abuse of power taking place, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.

As a sidenote, though, we don't *blame* the church for every parenting decision, e.g., "Well, you guys COULD do that, and WE would let you, but the CHURCH/PASTOR says we can't." That's lame. Every decision we make is either based on a personal conviction or preference, including the conviction that we should follow our pastor. The decisions are still our own, even when they're made for that reason, and we own them and explain it accordingly to our kids.

[RandyWayne]

Originally Posted by missourimary

I agree. But many kids I've known learned to sneak around to do what they wanted, or they saw through the hypocrisy of the church and stopped believing in God as a result-so parents should also be careful to talk to their kids about why they do and do not do certain things... and if a church is held in higher regard than the Bible or the pastor is highly involved in personal or family matters, I'd find a different church.

Now that I am old enough to do so, I am. Someday I will actually find one that doesn't give me the cold sweats when old familiar songs are sung during song service.

[ILG]

Originally Posted by RandyWayne

Now that I am old enough to do so, I am. Someday I will actually find one that doesn't give me the cold sweats when old familiar songs are sung during song service.

Ya think? I am not sure that will ever happen for me. Possible, I guess.

[Paula]

Thank you guys for all your well thought out and kindly put views on the subject. My husband decided to try it, I guess to make me happy. But as I sit here and look at our first Christmas tree, it doesn't feel right. This is not a tradition I would like to start in my home. I'm feel terrible that I put my family through this. It's not at all what I though it would be, it's pretty yes, but I don't feel like it's honoring God in anyway. Like someone said, if my church is against it and I'm forcing the issue, that's not a very good lesson to teach my kids. Besides, I belong to a great Church and they love my family very much.

Today when I pick my kids up from school, I'll have to figure out a way to tell them mommy made a mistake. Since I got you all involved in the beginning, I'll be honest and tell you how they handled it. But honestly, I think the tree is coming down. Thanks again for all your advice everyone especially Miss Brattified.

[houston]

The Christmas tree's purpose is NOT to honor God. Do you ever set a vase of flowers on the breakfast table? Purpose, to look pretty... not to honor God.

If your Great church loves you, they should not love you any less for putting up a christmas tree.

[sandie]

Originally Posted by Paula

Thank you guys for all your well thought out and kindly put views on the subject. My husband decided to try it, I guess to make me happy. But as I sit here and look at our first Christmas tree, it doesn't feel right. This is not a tradition I would like to start in my home. I'm feel terrible that I put my family through this. It's not at all what I though it would be, it's pretty yes, but I don't feel like it's honoring God in anyway. Like someone said, if my church is against it and I'm forcing the issue, that's not a very good lesson to teach my kids. Besides, I belong to a great Church and they love my family very much.

Today when I pick my kids up from school, I'll have to figure out a way to tell them mommy made a mistake. Since I got you all involved in the beginning, I'll be honest and tell you how they handled it. But honestly, I think the tree is coming down. Thanks again for all your advice everyone especially Miss Brattified.

Please forgive me, but this a whole lot of something about nothing.
It's straining at a knat and swallowing a camel.
If your kids are happy, I hope you haven't broke their heart.
It's about people...God cares how we treat each other, not if there's a tree in our home to celebrate the season.
Why we make God out to be such a taskmaster I'll never understand.
I hope you do come back and tell us what happened.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Paula

What about Jeremiah 10 verse 3 and 4?

Jer 10:3 For the religion4 of these people is worthless.
They cut down a tree in the forest,
and a craftsman makes it into an idol with his tools.5
Jer 10:4 He decorates it with overlays of silver and gold.
He uses hammer and nails to fasten it6 together
so that it will not fall over

Pagans went out to the forest, cut down a tree, crafted or carved it to resemble some form of a god or an animal, decorated it with gold and silver then mounted it somewhere so it can't move. That's not talking about a christmas tree

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Sam

You mean like gathering on Sunday, the day devoted to the sun god?

Christians already were gathering on the first day of the week. BTW isn't Saturday a day devoted to the Greek/Roman God Saturn?