Jeremiah 10:2-6 and Christmas/Yule Trees

It is often claimed that Jeremiah 10:2-6 has nothing to do with Christmas trees, but that it is speaking of heathen idolatry. The thought behind this is to leave one with the thought that the modern-day Christmas tree ritual is purely Christian, and that there is nothing in the scriptures against such. The evidence, however, suggests that usage of such trees in worship existed long before any Christians made use of such a decorated tree:

The Origins of the Christmas Tree
www.prevailmagazine.org/the-origins-of-the-christmas-tree/

On the other hand, there are many "pagans" today who claim that the decorated tree tradition is indeed "pagan", and that Christians adopted and adapted the decorated tree tradition from pagans.
www.wicca-spirituality.com/wiccan-holidays.html

Nevertheless, Christians should recognize that "no idol is anything in the world, and that there is no other God but one." (1 Corinthians 8:4) It is not the act of decorating a tree that is idolatrous, but rather Paul's thought is that "that knowledge isn't in all men. But some, being used until now to the idol, eat as of a thing sacrificed to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled." (1 Corinthians 8:7) The thought is, therefore, although we know an idol is nothing, the way our neighbor views matters may be different from our what we know, and thus, if we indulge in behavoir that mimicks idolatry, the one who views the idol as being something may be "be emboldened to eat things sacrificed to idols." (1 Corinthians 1:10) In this method we, even though we know an idol is nothing, may become sharers with "of the table of demons." -- 1 Corinthians 10:21.
See:
The For the Sake of the Other's Conscience
living.rlbible.com/?p=97
Idolary Provokes Yahweh's Anger
living.rlbible.com/?p=103

While it is true that Jeremiah 10:2-6 is not speaking directly of the modern-day Christmas tree rituals, indirectly it does so. Many try to disregard that the modern-day Christmas tree ritual is directly linked to the heathen tree/Yule worship. Thus they overlook the import of Jeremiah 10:2. The true point is that Christmas tree worship is based on, and imitates, heathen yule/solstice tree idol worship. The presenting of presents under the tree mimicks heathen idolatry of presenting presents before their idols. The practice is also rooted in heathen witchcraft (crafty wisdom), and heathen occultism/magick. God has told his people to avoid the idolatrous ways of the heathen, not to adopt and imitate those idolatrous ways and bring them into Christian worship.

See:
How Should a Christian View Thanksgiving and Christmas?

For how modern-day Wiccans (witchcraft) view the "yule tree" (I am presenting these for information only; I do not agree with all that is stated on the sites):

www.wicca-spirituality.com/wiccan-holidays.html
www.witchology.com/contents/december/yule/
wicca.com/celtic/akasha/yule.htm
voices.yahoo.com/12-great-decorations-pagan-yule-tree-2182982.html
paganparent-ivil.tripod.com/yule.html
learningwicca.com/12-days-of-yule-day-4-the-yule-tree/
www.angelfire.com/wa3/angelline/yule_lore.htm
www.thedomesticwitch.net/2012/12/9th-day-of-yule-yule-tree-and-blessing.html

www.the-wisdom-of-wicca.com/winter-solstice-symbols.html
www.bellaonline.com/articles/art13941.asp

Yes, many of our neighbors are indeed highly involved in tree idolatry of Yule!

Some resources from Google (Presented for information purposes only. I do not necessarily agree with the viewpoints expressed).

www.google.com/search?q=pagan+tree+decoration

www.google.com/search?q=solstic+tree+heathen

www.google.com/search?q=heathen+yule+tree

www.google.com/search?q=pagan+yule+tree

www.google.com/search?q=wicca+yule+tree

See also: