Many of us who live in the United States are told that the winter holidays are supposed to be a time for coming together and focusing on our similarities rather than our differences (i.e., the so-called "Christmas spirit"). That's not a bad idea, so I'd like to do that here by sharing one of the things I have in common with "real Christians."
You see, I do not decorate any sort of tree this time of year. I do not do so because I regard the practice as silly, wasteful, and because I have no emotional attachment to this particular holiday tradition. "Real Christians" do not do so either, as their bible frowns on this pagan practice (Jeremiah 10:1-25 NIV) that predated the time in which Jesus is alleged to have lived. You and I both know that "real Christians" read their bible as the literal word of the god in which they claim to believe. So it should not be surprising that they are fairly serious about doing what it instructs. It is hard to blame them for doing so. After all, it wouldn't make much sense to have a book one held up to others as "holy" and then disregard much of what it said.
The bible informs Christians that theirs is a jealous god. The first of their 10 commandments reinforces this point, and it might not be an accident that this one is presented first. Messing around with pagan practices that could resemble the worship of false gods is not something any "real Christian" would take lightly. It might even be one of the worst things they could do. Their bible is filled with tales of severe punishments being dispensed for those who made this mistake.
You will see many other festive decorations around the home of a "real Christian" this time of year. What you won't see in the home of a "real Christian" is a Christmas tree.
