Pastor’s Thoughts: They’re Dead and in your Home

Awareness is growing that our Christmas’ are saturated with pagan symbols from Saturnalia. Several of our traditions find their origin in the worship of the agricultural god Saturn. 

One of the most popular customs of worship to Saturn is the inclusion of evergreen trees in the home, which are decorated during the December festival. The Christmas tree, as we know it today, has an association with pagan worship. So for many Christian’s homes, why does permissibility get granted to trees but not to Harry Potter, Pokemon, or Santa? Why do certain pagan associations and symbols have a license in American Christian culture and not others? 

Now, having a Christmas tree in your home doesn’t make you a follower of Saturn just because it has its roots in Saturnalia tradition. Likewise, having a Christmas tree in your home doesn’t make you a Christian just because followers of Christ have adopted it into their customs. 

Although caroling, lighting candles, and Christmas trees are some of the associations found in the pagan festival Saturnalia, you’d be hard pressed to find anyone still venerating Saturn as a deity. Christians in their praxis might be limited or hypocritical as they reject products associated with Harry Potter or Pokemon. They might neglect the aforementioned logic and grace shown to evergreen owners during December festivals. When dealing with questionable activities or products, the one who calls them selves Christian must return to the concept of the willful act of worship.

Right after receiving the 10 commandments, the Israelites fashioned two angels to adorn the Ark of the Covenant. Artisans born, raised and influenced by Egyptian religions created these two graven images. These two angelic beings on the ark resembled the Egyptian gods, Isis and Nepthys. It wasn’t purposefully similar, but these Israelite craftsmen were influenced by their culture. You’d be hard pressed to find any of the Israelites, followers of Yahweh, worshiping the angels on the palanquin. 

King David lived with an idol in his house. Read 1 Samuel 19 and you’ll see he and his wife Michal had an object associated with a false deity in their home. Where would he find the liberty to keep that under his roof? Paul, when preaching to the church in Athens says, in Acts 17:29, that ‘we are his offspring.’ He’s referring to Zeus, a poem of Aratus. Where would he find the freedom to make the parallel to a false god?

Back to the perfect houseplant, our beloved evergreen trees; they’re dead and in your home. They have associations with Saturn. But that doesn’t mean they have intrinsic evil to them. This line of thinking needs to be applicable to the film franchise of your disliking or the game associated with paganism. If there is idolatry of these things, willful worship and intent to glorify then yes, reject whatever might set itself up in the place God should rule. But we know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. 

So is it okay to have a Christmas tree in your home? Sure, just don’t worship it. Is it okay to have refrigerators, NBA jerseys, Yu-gi-oh cards, and careers? Sure, just don’t idolize them. Jesus should be the center of our affection, worship and lives, not just at Christmastime, but as we move forward into the New Year.