What Christmas is all about

[andrewducker]

It's true too

Comments

[cavalorn.livejournal.com]

GAH NO. That passage from Jeremiah is about the manufacture and worship of idols. It has nothing to do with Christmas trees at ALL.

[sigmonster.livejournal.com]

So when we cut down a tree, place it in a focal point within our homes, decorate it in ritualistic and gorgeous fashion, and finally receive real and tangible gifts disbursed from this temporary altar, there's nothing in common with idol worship? Interesting.

[cavalorn.livejournal.com]

Yes, absolutely. Furthermore, the notion that a Middle Eastern Jewish tribal record from between the 12th and 2nd Century BCE could possibly be prohibiting a 16th Century North European Christian custom is obviously absurd, but some especially cracked fundamentalists have apparently taken the idea on board.

As many Christians understandably retort, they don't worship their Christmas trees.

[sigmonster.livejournal.com]

The passage prohibits a class of conduct. That class of conduct shares many features with christmas trees, such that it's occasionally amusing to overstate the case.

However I have just found a two-spotted ladybird in bed with me and am unable to reply coherently at any greater length. It's cute! Hope it finds somewhere to hibernate.

[cavalorn.livejournal.com]

It's amusing up to the point at which people begin to take it seriously. But hurrah ladybirds! Yours is probably very drowsy and I am sure you will treat it with avuncular kindness.

[andrewducker]

Of course it doesn't! If nothing else, The Book of Jeremiah is Old Testament and predates anything like Christmas trees by a very long time.

But I initially didn't believe that was in the Bible at all, and was amused to discover it did.

[marrog.livejournal.com]

...and predates anything like Christmas trees by a very long time.

Reread this. Do you think that's entirely true, hm?

[andrewducker]

Yup. So far as I can find, bringing trees inside and decorating them doesn't have any roots in ancient history at all.

[robhu.livejournal.com]

According to Wikipedia, bringing a Christmas tree in to ones home (or at least cutting one down!) does have some 'positive' Christian meaning.

[andrewducker]

Oh, absolutely - although I find the 16th century origin more convincing than the 6th century one. In any case, as a symbol of life decorating an evergreen is good symbology :->

[d-c-m.livejournal.com]

OH AMEN BROTHER! AMEN!!

Blessing Be too. ;)