Is it OK for our churches to have Christmas trees, bingo games, or Easter egg hunts?ts,

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Grace911

Grace911

Active member
#241
Nov 11, 2018
595
148
43
#241
hornetguy said:
Um.... what does that have to do with playing bingo?
Click to expand...
Every church that I know of that has Bingo will either collect money from the players and then if they BINGO they are paid from that pot. It is an exchange of money and a form of gambling. The BINGO I have seen at the nursing homes give the participants a gift - that is not a form of gambling but a work of charity.
 
CS1

CS1

Well-known member
#242
May 23, 2012
13,003
4,315
113
#242
Grace911 said:
Every church that I know of that has Bingo will either collect money from the players and then if they BINGO they are paid from that pot. It is an exchange of money and a form of gambling. The BINGO I have seen at the nursing homes give the participants a gift - that is not a form of gambling but a work of charity.
Click to expand...
the money taken from Bingo also helps it's a good fund RAISER although I don't do Bingo, it is no different than a firework booth. or pie auction
 
Grace911

Grace911

Active member
#243
Nov 11, 2018
595
148
43
#243
CS1 said:
the money taken from Bingo also helps it's a good fund RAISER although I don't do Bingo, it is no different than a firework booth. or pie auction
Click to expand...
Right, and when the sell of birds and other sacrificial animals were being sold at the temple, believing they were doing it for a just cause, Jesus turned those tables over and quoted Isaiah.

Matthew 21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Isa 56:7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

Those things that are holy and set apart for the service of God/LORD, such as a church, should not use the same space for pagan traditions. God hates the pagan ways and does not want us to MIX the unholy with the holy.
 
hornetguy

hornetguy

Senior Member
#244
Jan 18, 2016
7,075
1,702
113
#244
Grace911 said:
Those things that are holy and set apart for the service of God/LORD, such as a church, should not use the same space for pagan traditions. God hates the pagan ways and does not want us to MIX the unholy with the holy.
Click to expand...
But Jesus was in the Temple.... which was ONLY used for Jewish religious ceremonies. That was it's purpose..it was "God's dwelling place" here on earth.

After Jesus' sacrifice, we no longer have a building that is God's dwelling place. WE are God's dwelling place.... the building in which a body of believers meets is no more holy than a warehouse.
If a building is used to raise money for good purposes, while also "rewarding" those that participate, that is not a violation of a "holy place"...
 
The_Watchers_2017

The_Watchers_2017

Banned
#245
Jun 20, 2022
6,460
1,330
113
#245
lawrence101 said:
we're saying those things don't belong in church.
Click to expand...
who all is part of the ""we're saying"" that church organized bingo could lead to :
lawrence101 said:
Suuure , perhaps we should also bring beer and all other alcoholic beverages along with cigarettes and legal pot smoking into church after all its all just social right ?
Click to expand...
who is this WE you keep mentioning?

you and the spirits inside of you?
 
Nehemiah6

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
#246
Jul 18, 2017
26,074
13,771
113
#246
CS1 said:
the money taken from Bingo also helps it's a good fund RAISER although I don't do Bingo, it is no different than a firework booth. or pie auction
Click to expand...
Bingo outside of a church environment is simply a game. Bringing it into churches is what creates a problem.
 
T

ThereRoseaLamb

Well-known member
#247
Jan 17, 2023
4,726
2,023
113
#247
Locoponydirtman said:
I wear my personal best on sunday to church and try to step it up a bit for ressurrection celebration. This year i got a new vest and my wife got a dress that matched one of my shirts.
My personal best is not what others would call their personal best, but we all have our own positions in life. As a mechanic im just a working class joe.
Click to expand...

It's not about what you spend it's about the respect. My dear grandmother use to say "How would you dress if you were going to meet the Queen ( or a president)? Shouldn't we have more respect for the house of God"?
 
The_Watchers_2017

The_Watchers_2017

Banned
#248
Jun 20, 2022
6,460
1,330
113
#248
we probably have a bastardized 12th Disciple, knowing they Gambled to see who would win!

oh no! Peter GAMBLED!

we should burn all the homes down and hide in the caves now, Peter, GAMBLED!

Matthias, won by having the longest straw :cry::cry::cry::cry::cry::cry::cry:
 
Grace911

Grace911

Active member
#249
Nov 11, 2018
595
148
43
#249
hornetguy said:
But Jesus was in the Temple.... which was ONLY used for Jewish religious ceremonies. That was it's purpose..it was "God's dwelling place" here on earth.

After Jesus' sacrifice, we no longer have a building that is God's dwelling place. WE are God's dwelling place.... the building in which a body of believers meets is no more holy than a warehouse.
If a building is used to raise money for good purposes, while also "rewarding" those that participate, that is not a violation of a "holy place"...
Click to expand...
I've never heard anyone compare a church to a warehouse. Are you saying Christians are like in a warehouse when they go to church? Times are changing for sure. In the early settler's days, the school house was also used for the church. But, hey, back then the Bible was a text book.
 
T

ThereRoseaLamb

Well-known member
#250
Jan 17, 2023
4,726
2,023
113
#250
Blik said:
I did not make a post at all saying "I deny". I HAVE given my thoughts about this. Did you read my thoughts as very important gospel? Even I don't do that, but keep my mind open to the Lord's voice.

I have considered every post with interest and most of them with thanks.
Click to expand...

What I am saying is you already had a side in mind when you wrote the post, you have a belief about it. So instead it would be better to say "This is what I believe, what are you're thoughts".
 
P

presidente

Senior Member
#252
May 29, 2013
9,160
1,787
113
#252
Blik said:
Do you think Christ established our churches to teach us about the Kingdom of God and does not want to teach anything about the kingdom of the world?

When Nebuchadnezzarii (ruler of ancient Babylonia) conquerored Judah to send Jews to Babylon to live as prisoners, they lived in a land very like our land today. The people looked to the stars and idols to quide them, as people do today. Instead of metal and stone idols, they use man made rules in self help books and psyciatry. Every newspaper today gives an article about what the stars say about people's star sign.

Gradually, the Jews accepted the ways of the pagans they lived among, as the Christians of today are accepting the pagan ways of the pagans we live among.
Click to expand...

I think it is unlikely the Christmas tree derived from an idol. But if we were to accept the premise that Christmas trees and Easter eggs had roots in idolatrous practices, why would Bingo games be in the same category? Is Bingo supposed to be pagan? I've never heard that. What about Chutes and Ladders, Old Maid, or Shuffleboard. Would those be pagan, too?
 
The_Watchers_2017

The_Watchers_2017

Banned
#253
Jun 20, 2022
6,460
1,330
113
#253
presidente said:
I think it is unlikely the Christmas tree derived from an idol. But if we were to accept the premise that Christmas trees and Easter eggs had roots in idolatrous practices, why would Bingo games be in the same category? Is Bingo supposed to be pagan? I've never heard that. What about Chutes and Ladders, Old Maid, or Shuffleboard. Would those be pagan, too?
Click to expand...
better not draw straws!
 
Cameron143

Cameron143

Well-known member
#254
Mar 1, 2022
18,892
6,485
113
62
#254
presidente said:
I think it is unlikely the Christmas tree derived from an idol. But if we were to accept the premise that Christmas trees and Easter eggs had roots in idolatrous practices, why would Bingo games be in the same category? Is Bingo supposed to be pagan? I've never heard that. What about Chutes and Ladders, Old Maid, or Shuffleboard. Would those be pagan, too?
Click to expand...
Chutes and Ladders is evil. Did you see how far back you fall on that one ladder when you are just about to win?
 
CS1

CS1

Well-known member
#255
May 23, 2012
13,003
4,315
113
#255
Grace911 said:
Right, and when the sell of birds and other sacrificial animals were being sold at the temple, believing they were doing it for a just cause, Jesus turned those tables over and quoted Isaiah.

Matthew 21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Isa 56:7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

Those things that are holy and set apart for the service of God/LORD, such as a church, should not use the same space for pagan traditions. God hates the pagan ways and does not want us to MIX the unholy with the holy.
Click to expand...
LOL


We do not hold Bingo inside the temple or church or sell pies there. Also, no pie we have sold was for Sacerfices as those who sold doves were doing. In church, everyone gives their free offerings.

Context is important :)
 
CS1

CS1

Well-known member
#256
May 23, 2012
13,003
4,315
113
#256
Nehemiah6 said:
Bingo outside of a church environment is simply a game. Bringing it into churches is what creates a problem.
Click to expand...
never seen Bingo in a church :)
 
hornetguy

hornetguy

Senior Member
#259
Jan 18, 2016
7,075
1,702
113
#259
Grace911 said:
I've never heard anyone compare a church to a warehouse.
Click to expand...
i'm saying that what you call a church is simply a building... the church is the body of believers. The building is simply that.... a building. It is not "holy"... only the people that meet there for worshipping God are.....
 
Grace911

Grace911

Active member
#260
Nov 11, 2018
595
148
43
#260
CS1 said:
the money taken from Bingo also helps it's a good fund RAISER although I don't do Bingo, it is no different than a firework booth. or pie auction
Click to expand...
Right, both of those things are usually done on the parking lot and not on the inside of the church.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.