Ouija Boards etc. fro Christians

[traveller]

People - take a break from this thread and cool off.

[Giaour]

I asked around today about this topic...I asked people from my church, people from the Baptist church, people from the Methodist church...I asked Christians and Non-Christians. I asked a Wiccan who works at the court house. I asked an athiest who works at the newspaper office. I called my mother and asked her and my grandmother. I asked anybody I could think of that would show diverse opinions.

EVERYBODY I asked said if they walked down the sidewalk and saw a garden gnome in a person's garden, they would not think, "This person has an image of a demon in their garden, this is causing me to think about demons, this is causing me to sin, this should not be happening, I feel in my heart I need to say something about her demonic garden gnome..." I don't know if I have ever met a person who thinks garden gnomes are an appearance of evil...until I started reading these posts. I think it is really odd.

I do not have a garden gnome, nor does my neighbor, so I am not becoming defensive because I already own one or because I know some one who owns one. I am offended that some of you really believe that if an elderly Christian woman has decided to put a tacky lawn ornament in her yard, that she should be living in fear of what will happen to her on judgement day.

I also think that Satan has a really strong foothold on Christians who believe in the superstitious realm enough to judge people who place decorations in their home or yard that are harmless. I don't believe that people talk to gnomes or fairies. I don't believe people can genuinely commincate with fairies and gnomes. I don't believe they are REAL! I believe that if a person is "talking" to a fairy, or a gnome, or any other character, there is something wrong with the PERSON, not the object (or the imaginary character). Maybe the PERSON has made wrong choices and are going down a slippery slope, but a fairy or a gnome didn't make them choose the wrong path. God can't MAKE us do anything, and neither can Satan. We all have choices, it's called free will. Some of us exercise free will and find freedom in Christ (even with garden gnomes in our petunias), some of us exercise free will and begin to delve in the supernatural...some become paranoid and some embrace it.

Well said

I dont have a garden gnome either.

[LossForWords]

LOL!!

I wonder what the people who actually own garden gnomes would say...

[Giaour]

The only time discussions get heated is when someone judges another and makes it personal.

We were civil up until that point. I only defended myself.

Maybe if we chastise the FIRST person who judges another, we can stop the threads from going south.

But we also get in trouble when we make jokes to lighten the tension and cool things off.

[Vickilynn]

I do not think that gnomes and fairies are "so associated with evil"as you have stated. Gnomes are associated with tacky yard art.

Fairies are associated with peter pan and hans christian andersen type children stories.

Shalom Giaour,

Your opinion and you are entitled to it.

Obviously, I believe quite differently and that's why I started this thread. I believe very strongly that gnomes and faeries are indeed associated with Wicca and other religions and to have them for me is wrong. I hope and pray others will prayerfully consider how these idols affect others.

[Emily~Anne]

For some people, faeries and such make people think of things such as 'Peter Pan', for others, it makes them think of Wicca. My aunt is very much into witchcraft. She has the word 'Faery' in her e mail address, and her house is filled with faeries, mermaids and dragons. She makes faery type dolls and sells them, and she is an artist and draws murals at other people's houses for a living. She often includes faeries, elves, gnomes, mermaids, and such in her art. The people who have them on their walls, probably just think it is neat to think about faeries and such, and how pretty they are. Truth is, they are tied directly to witchcraft beliefs and there is a special story behind each one. We can't ignore the witchcraft aspect of it. I certainly can't anyways. Her murals, though very beautiful, are in God's eyes the appearance of evil.

I bet if you asked a witch wether if she thought gnomes and such were harmful, she'd want you to believe they are just innocent fun.

Edited to add, I have pictures of my aunt and cousin all dressed up for their witchcraft rituals. Guess what they dressed as? Faeries.

[Vickilynn]

I asked around today about this topic...I asked people from my church, people from the Baptist church, people from the Methodist church...I asked Christians and Non-Christians. I asked a Wiccan who works at the court house. I asked an athiest who works at the newspaper office. I called my mother and asked her and my grandmother. I asked anybody I could think of that would show diverse opinions.

Shalom LFW,

I addressed this in the last thread when you said you were going to take a poll of opinion. If that is how you make your decisions about your walk with the L-rd (I say this in all sincerity, not sarcastic), then that's fine for you.

However, I put NO stock in taking a poll of other's opinions concerning something the L-rd has shown me clearly and is supported by Scripture. So, thank you, but these people's opinions are not relevant to the discussion.

If you think it's "odd" to be concerned about gnomes, fine. Then how about praying for your Brothers and Sisters who are led by the L-rd and have the conviction that it is wrong to have gnomes.

Again, you have not seen Emily Anne or myself call it a "sin" or to castigate or judge or condemn anyone, yet we have been ridiculed and mocked. How about some prayer and consideration for someone's deeply sincere convictions? That's what the Body does, or rather should do.

[Giaour]

Emily, In your case, maybe it is best to abstain from having them around so you dont give the appearance of evil to those who DO worship such things.

I'm thinking that we have a different thought on what an idol is.

I believe that an idol is something that is worshipped other than God.

A tree in my yard is not an idol, but a tree in a wiccans yard that is worshipped is an idol.

A buddah statue in my yard is not an idol, but a buddah statue in a buddhists yard is an idol.

A gnome in my yard is not an idol, but a gnome in a gnome worshippers yard is an idol.

I worship my Lord and my God, Jesus Christ ,so these decorations are nothing but things to me.

I do not worship them. I give them no power over me. They are nothing but plastic.They are not idols.

To a person that worships gnomes and buddahs and fairies and trees, these things are idols. They pray to them,give offerings to them and put them above the true God which makes them idols and a sin.

[Vickilynn]

Emily, In your case, maybe it is best to abstain from having them around so you dont give the appearance of evil to those who DO worship such things.

I'm thinking that we have a different thought on what an idol is.

I believe that an idol is something that is worshipped other than God.

A tree in my yard is not an idol, but a tree in a wiccans yard that is worshipped is an idol.

A buddah statue in my yard is not an idol, but a buddah statue in a buddhists yard is an idol.

A gnome in my yard is not an idol, but a gnome in a gnome worshippers yard is an idol.

I worship my Lord and my God, Jesus Christ ,so these decorations are nothing but things to me.

I do not worship them. I give them no power over me. They are nothing but plastic.They are not idols.

To a person that worships gnomes and buddahs and fairies and trees, these things are idols. They pray to them,give offerings to them and put them above the true God which makes them idols and a sin.

Shalom Giaour,

I'm not Emily Anne, nor do I play her on TV , but I wanted to comment on a couple of things you said:

A tree in my yard is not an idol, but a tree in a wiccans yard that is worshipped is an idol.

A tree is created by G-d for His purposes and is not inherently evil, whether some people worship it or not. (ex. Christmas Trees)

A buddah statue in my yard is not an idol, but a buddah statue in a buddhists yard is an idol.

A Buddah statue is a likeness of a false god. This is something very concerning to me. I would not have a likeness of a false god in my home or in my yard. That is quite different than a tree. Just because YOU don't worship it does not negate the fact that it is a false idol, a false god and it serves no purpose other than that. Why would a Christian even have a statue of a false god? For what reason? This is addressed in Scripture:

2 Corinthians 6

14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15What accord has Christ with Belial?Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

"I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,

and I will be their God,

and they shall be my people.

17Therefore go out from their midst,

and be separate from them, says the Lord,

and touch no unclean thing;

then I will welcome you,

18and I will be a father to you,

and you shall be sons and daughters to me,

says the Lord Almighty."

I worship my Lord and my God, Jesus Christ ,so these decorations are nothing but things to me.

I do not worship them. I give them no power over me. They are nothing but plastic.They are not idols.

If they are statues of false gods, they are indeed idols. Whether or not you acknowledge or worship them, they are what they are - false gods.

[Emily~Anne]

Vickilynn, you said it better than I could have, thank you.