In Defense of Christmas

Are Christmas trees evil?

The argument against them I have heard quotes Jeremiah 10:1-2 and was as follows:

• We should not learn “the ways of nations.”
• One of these ways was a unskilled “workman”(KJV) cuts down a tree out of the forest (and other versions changed this word to “craftsman” so they must be up to something).

Concerning the ways of nations, of what ways does this passage speak?  Does this include modest styles of dress, agriculture, architecture, science, decorating with plants?  Reading the whole chapter, the passage is clearly about making graven images. These cut down trees are decorated with silver plates, gold, and purple clothing(KJV) and are the work of cunning men.  

The argument that it was a simple workman cut down the tree is weakened when you look at the Hebrew.  This argument is somewhat typical of KJV-only argument that if a translation uses a different word than KJV; it must be wrong.  Nothing wrong with liking the KJV, but believing that English word choices were the result of divine inspiration is extra biblical.  The real question is what do the original manuscripts say?  In this case it is quite enlightening.The word Charash-2796 in Strong’s is translated the follow ways: Carpenter 11x, Workman 6x, Craftsman 4x, Artificers 2x, Smith 2x. The KJV usually uses the word carpenter to refer to the men who worked on the temple or holy objects.  Every incidence of the English word “craftsmen” in the KJV is this word (2796) so other translations using it here in Jeremiah 10:2 is within the bounds of translation and it is not clear why the KJV translator chose craftsmen or workman is various verses.  2796 always refers to a skilled man and usually refers to the maker of graven images.  We must not worship graven images but it would appear we can decorate with plants.

The process describe in Jeremiah 10 or Isaiah 40 does not match our process of sawing down a tree, bringing it in our house and having the kids hang things on it.  In the KJV  the strong number words 2404 and 2672 are translated as hewer, someone who is less of an artisan and more of a lumberjack.  This would have been a better word choice if Jeremiah or Isaiah was a warning against Christmas tree harvesting.

It is interesting to me that in Jer 10: 5, Israel is commanded to not be afraid of this former tree because it cannot do evil or good.  Avoiding the world can look much like superstition and paranoia.  

Another verse quoted in the discussion was 1 Thess 5:22 “avoid the appearance of evil.”  Most other translations say “avoid every form of evil.”  The contextual and word-definition arguments for the later translation are compelling.  A strong argument is my mind is that the KJV makes an arbitrary standard for the life of a believer.  According to the KJV, how we should act is based of the opinions of others(what would appear evil to them--which could be anything), not the standards of Scripture and what it defines as evil.  To be consistent in their translation, the KJV should have translated “hold fast that which is good.” as an encouragement to appear good.  This passage was written by Paul, the same guy who considered it a right to plop down in the temple of Athena and order some pork chops (I Cor 8).  He didn’t seem concerned about appearing evil.  An interesting article dealing with this passage can be found at http://www.padfield.com/1996/appear.html

Our Agenda enclosure

We included the following with the copies of Agenda which we gave out.

This video is available at http://agendadocumentary.com/

Dear Friends,

Enclosed is a documentary we thought important enough to buy copies to share. We think this movie has several great things about it.

1. It was made by a family man who took a year off work to make it because he felt that the message was important enough for the sacrifice
2. It presents an excellent historical review of socialist thought, its horrific outcomes, and its connections to current political figures.
3. It shows that we are not victims of a conspiracy we never saw coming but rather that we God- fearing Americans have been idle. The growth of the welfare state has occurred in a vacuum left by the church. Much of the direction of our government reflects the lack of doctrinal understanding of the nature of man, work, personal responsibility, authority, ownership, God's sovereignty in all events, and the role of marriage.
4. It ends on a hopeful note. The man who made this movie makes it clear that the solution is not in political parties alone but is in the power of God working through his humbled people. I am amazed at how many people think it's all over. From my infancy, I was raised in church where “Jesus is coming any day.” They were right, but here I am thirty-five years old, a father of young children, feeling very unprepared, left searching the Scriptures and reading from Godly men on what God requires of me in my home. The Bible certainly speaks to the role of authority in the home and in the church. But outside those two realms, the Scripture is not silent. In our family reading through Proverbs, we have been struck by how many verses are related to rulers. Given the context that these are a King's advice to his sons, future kings, this is no surprise. But that so many of these sayings should be preserved for us in God's Word is significant. Scripture is sufficient for the ruling of nations. When Christ returns, I want to be found about his business, teaching the nations, including mine (Matt 28:19).

Please pass this video on. We love you and look forward to standing by you in the days ahead.

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. (Proverbs 29:2 KJV)

My Highest Compliment

The following is a prayer I gave at the memorial service for Olivia Miller, who died shortly before she was to be born.  Someone who heard it paid me a high compliment by say that I prayed like a puritan.   I would like to think that meant sticking close to the scriptures and godly men who have gone before.

Gracious Heavenly Father,
We come before you confident of these glorious truths reveled in your Word.
That you are good
That you are loving and gracious
That you do not treat us as our sins deserve
That a sparrow does not fall apart from you
That we are intricately woven by you in the secret place
That the Kingdom of God belongs to little children
That you work all things together for the good of those who love you.
We rejoice that you are a personal God, existing in eternal relationship and establishing relationship with us.
As it says in Psalm 142, we can pour our complaints before you and tell you our troubles. And we can trust in you at all times, pouring our hearts out before you for you are our refuge.
Father, our hope is an eternity long enough to make amends for all, made possible because Christ has been raised from the dead In this life daily we are confident all that takes place in our lives is for our good and your glory.

Lest you think any of this is original

"an eternity long enough to make amends for all" is taken from John Newton quoted in John Piper's The Roots of Endurance pg 57

 "for our good and your glory" is taken from John Paton's Autobiography quote in John Piper's Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ pg 78

The whole Swans are not Silent series is excellent and free online.

Thanks to a tip from Credenda Agenda, I rented How to Train Your Dragon tonight.  The differences in world view from most movies are subtle yet profound (maybe that is why movies are so powerful are conveying such ideas):

• It's "your dragon."  This is a movie about taking dominion.  The Vikings do not come to see the dragons, their mortal enemies, as equals but as "pets."  To take dominion, the mighty dragon enslaving the others had to be slayed.
• The father and son both have a difficult time in their relationship and both apologize.
• The hero ends up losing a limb.  Though a happy ending, it reminds us that great deeds are not without sacrifice and loss.

It reminds me of the subtle points of The Emperor's New Groove.  Those were dorky kids with cool parents, a family with three children (population growth--in a rainforest nonetheless!), and a lesson about humility.  The movie is really a retelling of the humbling of Nebuchadnezzar from Daniel 4.

I was also inspired to rent the dragon movie after reading A Landscape with Dragons which talks about the importance of analogies in fables and myths and popular culture.

How did people live without headlamps?

I love my Princeton Tec EOS Tactical. I had a headlamp like the Princeton Tec Fuel.  I liked how the FUEL look alike it could be angled down without changing its balance and the broad light of the quad LEDs.  Now it sits on my desk, waiting for another attempt with the super glue. So the EOS tactical wins on durability.  It had been through much and has never failed.  It is my coyote night hunting shotgun bead illuminator and can handle cold.  It is so handy for doing chores at night or working on parts of the house where the lighting is not in yet.  It is amazing how I don't even notice the dark when it is properly focused on what I am doing.

Argument against Pacifism pt.1

When I worked at agricultural training school in Florida we had many young people from Mennonite Central Committee(MCC) come through so we talked about pacifism several times.  One of the staff, who had served as a missionary to Mozambique claimed that MCC’s in country training included teaching people how to work a pump action shotgun.  The racking of the slide, or firing of a blank or rubber bullet was very useful in scaring off assailants.  At first I thought that was a sensible real-world adaption of their pacifist belief.  But then I realized that it only worked to frighten people because there were others who loaded their shotguns with lead and were willing to kill.  It wouldn’t work without those people.  That is how I feel about pacifism in general.  Where do you find pacifists?  Generally, in countries with strong rule of law enforced by violence or the threat of violence.  I have a hard time classifying “true” Christianity as a cultural parasite.

The New Testament gives a very positive pictures of soldiers and those who enforce the rule of law.  John tells them to do their duty and be content with their pay(Luke 3:14), a centurion had greater faith than all of Israel(Luke 7:9), a thief affirmed the justice of capital punishment and Christ, by his silence, gave his assent(Luke 23:40-43), a centurion was an upright, and God-fearing man (Acts 10:22).  Christ said to turn the other cheek but that if he strikes you on your right cheek (Matt 5:39) and the “right” is significant or it wouldn’t be there.  He also tells a parable assuming everyone understands the protection of property (Luke 11:21).

What I find really odd if we are not to be in a position where we might take another’s life is Paul’s repeated use of soldier metaphors.  If being a soldier were inherently wrong, why does Paul refer to “fellow soldiers” and encourages believer to be a “good soldier?”  Could he just as easily encouraged them to be a good rapist for Christ Jesus, getting the seed of the word past all resistance?  Sorry, that is really crass and I ashamed I thought of it but I think the point is valid.  In I Cor 9:7 Paul talks about soldiers, vine tenders, and shepherds.  Are two good and one bad, inherently? Is one good and two bad (because it it wrong to kill people or get drunk)?  Couldn't Paul find three inherently good examples and not muddle things?

Why talk about the armor of God?  It seems odd Paul would point out as example to imitate metaphorically, people who are in disobedience to Christ.  In the wisdom of God, he chose those metaphors because any people through out time who have a language to read God’s word in will, by necessity of the predatory nature of sinful man, be under the protection of the rule of law and will have soldiers/warriors to look to. 

They only point I contending for is that being in the position to enforce the rule of law is not inherently wrong. Terrible atrocities have been committed by soldiers. There are times when we are called to give our lives for Christ.  But persecution is different than crime.  See pt.2 for a biblical example.

A simple argument against premillennialism

The premillennialism rise has corresponded with a decline in the understanding of english grammar.  For example Revelation 20:6 has been cited as proving Christ will reign for 1000 years.  But that is not want it says.  Plug the last part of the verse into a sentence diagrammer and you get this

The subject of the clause is "they" not "him."  They will reign and for a thousand years (a long but not infinite period of time).  If I say I worked with my neighbor for a few hours, that does not tell you how long he worked.  Information provide about the subject of the clause cannot be assumed true of the determiner of the prepositional phrase (a.k.a. object of the preposition).  To determine how long my neighbor worked or how long Christ reigns we need more information.  The Bible provides that...about Christ, not my neighbor.

"Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet and there were loud voices in heaven saying The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ and he shall reign forever and ever" Rev 11:15

"For to us a child is born to us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulder and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor Mighty God Everlasting Father Prince of Peace Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end on the throne of David and over his kingdom to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this" Isaiah 9:6-7

"And Jesus came and said to them All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me." Matt 28:18