Re: OT Christmas tree/ traditions

You aren't boring me girl!  Very interesting indeed.


---------- Original Message ----------------------------------
From: TeichFlora@aol.com
Reply-To: gardenchat@hort.net
Date:  Sat, 14 Dec 2002 20:10:18 EST

>Well, David, I'm not an authority by any means.  My mom and I are VERY much 
>into cultures and traditions of some parts of Europe as a hobby.  From our 
>studies we found that very much comes from the early pagan beliefs, symbols, 
>etc. the meanings of which are similar throughout the world.......these 
>traditions, customs, designs were already in use, so when the monks, etc. 
>were converting the people to Christianity, they used these things already in 
>use to get the people to understand Christianity better.  It was impossible 
>to try to change every aspect of their lives, including changing their belief 
>system, so by incorporating christian doctrine into their everyday life 
>...they were more easily accepted and understood.
>
>For instance, the symbol of a tree coming out of a heart....the Tree of 
>life...is used in cultures all over the world.  In pagan times and in some 
>cultures today, it symbolized the heart of mother earth from which all life 
>comes,.....when they became Christians, this same symbol became the heart of 
>Jesus from where all life comes.  
>
>Another example....the egg....used in practically every culture in the world 
>also, having the same meaning.  During pagan times, and still in some 
>cultures, it means Fertility and New Life, the blood of life, etc.  In 
>Christianity it means the same except it symbolizes not only Fertility, but 
>the Resurection of Jesus, the blood of Christ.  In Egypt in the ancient tombs 
>two eggs were always found to be placed in with the entombed.....a black egg 
>and a red egg.  The black egg was for the food along the journey to the 
>afterlife, and the red for the blood to be reborn....and in many Christian 
>cultures today, eggs are still placed in the caskets along with the dead, or 
>on the graves.  
>
>David, now aren't you sorry you asked??  LOL   This and plants are something 
>I could go on and on about.....but won't bore you all.  LOL  Sorry, didn't 
>mean to make this so long.
>
>Noreen
>zone 9
>Texas Gulf Coast
>
>
>In a message dated 12/14/2002 11:49:07 AM Central Standard Time, 
>dfranzma@pacbell.net writes:
>
>
>> .  Another fascinating part (not looking to
>> offend here) is how religions usurped pagen rituals and turned them into 
>> their
>> own.  I often wonder how they chose which rituals to bring in, what 
>> criteria they
>> used and ultimately how they incorporated them into the belief system.  
>> Mexico's
>> Day of the Dead (Dias de la Muerda...hmmm, sp.) is another wonderful 
>> example.
>
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
>message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT
>
>

--
Pam Evans
Kemp TX/zone 8A
--

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index