Refs:
http://interiordec.about.com/od/cmasartificial/a/upsidedowntree.htm
http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/aburnham/eng/seahenge.htm
2006-11-10 06:59:56 · 9 answers · asked by Perseus 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Whatever next? Sing a Christmas carol backwards ? Regurgitate your Xmas dinner for full redemption? I'm off down to the bottom of the garden and going to get wasted with the fairies!
2006-11-10 07:06:32 · answer #1 · answered by Eso_ uk 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The "Upside Down Tree" does not represent the 'afterlife'! The Christmas Tree is of the Roman era,it has nothing to do with Christmas or the Birth of Christ.
2006-11-10 07:05:16 · answer #2 · answered by Marcy L 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Upside-Down Christmas tree doesn't represent the afterlife in any pagan ceremony that I've ever heard of!
It is just another christian marketing gimick.
Christianity has been marred as a marketing gimick right from the start - with the setting up of the 'Roman' church as a need for a power-base and the subsequent indoctrination of hundreds of generations.
The taking of a 'yule log' into the dwelling was an important ritual in ancient lives... it was to represent life in the darkness and cold of winter and the re-birth of the SUN (rather than the son) at the solstice. And yes, just like Easter, re-birth and the egg were appropriated from the more ancient tales of Attis, Adonis, Dionysus and Mithras by the early Christians in order to make their rituals fit more easily with those they forced to convert, so it was with the Christmas story and attendent rituals.
If you read the play "The Bacchae" written by the greek playwright Euripipides, you will find the story of Dionysus. Written about 5 centuries BC, it tells of a quiet stranger who brings a new religion to the people. He is a tall, gentle young-ish man in his early 30's with long hair and a beard.
The despotic king (Pentheus) does not believe in him and sends out his men to capture him... he is outraged at the stories of Dionysus's divine parenatage saying " Whstever the man may be, is not this arrogance an outrage?" Just as in the stories of Jesus, Dionysus is passive when surprised by the soldiers and allows himself to be captured.
Although the guards protest to the king that the man was meek and performed healings in front of them, King Pentheus interogates Dionysus. Dionysus refuses to bow down before the king's (earthly and self-proclaimed) authority. When the king says that he has the power to have Dionysus killed for not bowing to him, Dionysus replies: "Nothing can touch me that is not ordained".
He also says to Pentheus - when sentenced to death: "You do not know what you are doing, nor what you are saying, nor who you are."
Sound familiar??
Fundamentalists will no doubt argue (as they have for hundreds of years) that these stories were put down in the past - before Jesus' time - by the 'devil' so as to allow people to be confused into thinking it was all made up from earlier tales and mythologies.
But, of course, the bible is true, coz the bible says that the bible is true, and you have to believe it as it is in the bible and the bible is the one true word of god, not some stuff written over hundreds of years by dozens of different people with their own agendas, honest. I know it's true coz the bible says so.
And on and on ad nauseum....
2006-11-10 08:28:04 · answer #3 · answered by Colin A 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi!
Don't know about that, but we've had an upside down tree for many years, and it is THE best tree we have ever had.
It is absolutely stunning once dressed because all the ornaments dangle elegantly from each branch.
Can't wait to put mine up!!
Merry Christmas everyone!!!
2006-11-10 07:06:42 · answer #4 · answered by Moofie's Mom 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, the Christmas tree is indeed based off the pagan idea of the afterlife. I don't think the pagan's really care what you do with their tree these days though.
2006-11-10 07:03:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ok...that first article was really stupid. I am a Christian, and I could care less what my Christmas tree looks like.
BTW- The Christmas tree is NOT a variation of a pagan ritual, and neither is Christmas. The only thing we stole was the date of the winter solstice, and sadly enough, the pagans are stealing it back...
2006-11-10 07:03:50 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Perhaps they represent Satanmas, and what's wrong with that, we have religious freedom don't we?
Set your tree up sideways if you are an agnostic and see if anyone cares, it won't look very good though.
2006-11-10 07:06:27 · answer #7 · answered by CHEESUS GROYST 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Oy! I just think it's ugly...
Plus, there would be no more funniest home videos of trees falling on kids on Christmas! that's the best part!!!!!
2006-11-10 07:03:56 · answer #8 · answered by Heck if I know! 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Way to Go Colin A!!
2006-11-10 10:05:49 · answer #9 · answered by marjojung 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋