# ***Christmas trees question?

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Posted by SpudMama [SpudMama] on November 27, 1999 at 23:15:41 {nwG7wj0NI.JfsbqtErSUPGEmg6dhnA}:

In Reply to: **Christmas trees question? posted by Bibleman on November 27, 1999 at 20:47:45:

> These pagan pseudo-Christians think they can bow down to the the Tree Goddess and then expect God to let them into the kingdom. At least you know better. You KNOW its wrong and want to admit it.

No, Bibleman. Read again. When I said "but I know it's wrong," I was referring to Deut. 12:30, 31 – not to my own religious practice. It is the Bible's prohibition of mixing religions that I know from experience to be wrong – not so much "evil" as untenable, unworkable, laughable.

> But wouldn't you rather serve God?

I don't know if my relationship to god can accurately be described by the word "service." Once again I invoke the Asatruar saying, "The gods are your friends, not your masters."

> ... he promises those who obey him life beyond their 80 years. Eternal life. Why not go for it?

I've been a Jehovah's Witness, honey; I know the patter. The longer I served as a Jehovah's Witness, the less Christian, the less humane, I became. Oh, I can hear Alan now – why not stay behind and be a good example? I wasn't strong enough to be the kind of non-conformist required, not when I had accepted the idea that conformity was one of the best ways to please God. (Actually, I think Cheeky has an advantage over me here. Well, that's another post. C'est la vie.)

I won't quote the rest of your post, but I will say that this kind of preaching is precisely what kept me away from Christianity until I became a JW. It was their "turning the hose on hell" that attracted me. If I ever become any kind of Christian it will be Universalist or maybe Quaker or Episcopalian. Highly unlikely.

One last thing: Jesus said, "By their fruits you will know them." My experience of Christianity ended by producing rotten fruit in me. I am a more honest, ethical, and (slightly more) courageous person now that I have left it behind. Two of the greatest and most frequent pleasures I experience are the pleasure of a clean conscience and the pleasure of showing kindness. No true god will constrict, trample or legislate against them.

Merry Christmas, Good Yule and Happy Solstice –

e xuberant potato grrrl

P.S. No, I didn't see The Blair Witch Project. Unfortunately, the first thing I heard about it was that it was fiction, which kinda spoiled the effect. :)

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- ****Christmas trees question? Bibleman 12:39:32 11/28/99 (0)

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