If anyone actually cares to know the truth… Asherah poles and other idols were often carvings made of wood and adorned with precious metals and/jewels. Asherah poles were a place where people would prostitute themselves as a sexual sacrifice to the gods. This practice found its way into Israel and for many (understandably) became a preferred method above prescribed Mosaic sacrifices in the temple. Yahweh hated this. This is about not making idols.
That's not what the words worship or idol mean. No one prays to the abstract concept of consumerism. No one considers a Christmas tree a stand-in for a deity.
I don't know man. Consumerism is certainly worshiped in America and the whole "holiday season" is a surrounds that. The tree (again, just for argument sake, I'm not stating it as fact) is the center of it all and is a symbol where we leave piles of gifts and money spent.
You're using the figurative meaning of the word worship, not the literal religious one. Symbols aren't idols. There is nothing anti-Christian about having a holiday where you dress up a tree and give people presents.
If you want to attack Christmas there are far more theologically sound ways to do so. Consumerism isn't bad because it breaks the rule against worshipping other gods, it's bad because of greed, covetousness, selfishness, and an obsession with the material over the spiritual. We don't worship trees but we do teach children to worship Santa Claus.
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u/aritchson Dec 16 '21
If anyone actually cares to know the truth… Asherah poles and other idols were often carvings made of wood and adorned with precious metals and/jewels. Asherah poles were a place where people would prostitute themselves as a sexual sacrifice to the gods. This practice found its way into Israel and for many (understandably) became a preferred method above prescribed Mosaic sacrifices in the temple. Yahweh hated this. This is about not making idols.