If you don't celebrate xmas: Do you consider the "xmas tree" as a religious symbol or just a secular custom?

Question

If you don't celebrate christmas, what is your opinion on christmas trees? Is it disrespectful or dishonorable for you to have one if you observe a different religion? Do you consider the christmas tree to be a religious item?

do u see it as christian brutality? did you ever envy those with trees? what about hanukkah bushes (lol)?

Answer 1

I fail to see how a Christmas tree is a religious symbol. It's religious of you're a pre-Christian pagan, but the tree has no relevance to the Nativity. It is just a custom from ancient times.

Answer 2

A Christmas tree is the biggest Christian symbol there is. When a person converts to Judaism, the first thing the Rabbi tells them is that they should never again have a Christmas tree. There could be an item in a store called a Hanukkah bush, but it is a ridiculous concept. It would be like a store selling "vegetarian hamburger".

Answer 3

It really does not matter to me.
People get so bent out of shape over this issue.

Sure, one could argue that a tree is a symbol of Christianity...but I would counter with this:
At what point in history did it become a Christian symbol?

There are several views on this, that date back to the first century and the worship of pagan images.

So, is the tree really a pagan symbol in disguise?

My point being: it's a tree, it has lights and ornaments.
So what?

Sure, I suppose it would be nice to see a chanukkiah alongside the tree...but I'm not gonna threaten a lawsuit over the issue.
Look, less than 2% of Americans are Jewish.
And there probably aren't a lot of those that are serious about our religion.
Me - I go nearly every Friday night to Shabbat service and try to participate in synagogue activities throughout the year.

But the fact is Christmas has become a big secular federal holiday and the image of a tree is not offensive to me.
Why?
Because I know that without Jews, Christianity wouldn't have a theological leg to stand on!

Oy!

So, with that said, let me wish all my Jewish friends "Happy Hanukkah"...and to the rest of you (whatever your faith or lack thereof) Happy Holidays!

Answer 4

I have heard of Hanukkah bushes but I don't know anything about them.
As far as Christmas trees go, I know that it has nothing to do with Jesus, his birth, etc- but then none of the other Christmas traditions have anything to do with any of that either. I know that the root is pagan but on today's culture, the tree is nothing more than a secular custom for a national holiday.

Answer 5

Christmas should simply be a 'good time when all issues are not allowed to interfere'.

In World War One, on the battlefields of both Europe and Russia, both sides declared a 'time-out'. In the case of Europe, soldiers came out from their foxholes with little gifts wrapped up for the 'enemy'. The German lines for nearly a week were seen for miles around with lit trees and such and their English counterparts often had the very same.

There was even a Christmas Day Soccer match between an Austrian unit and a British unit across the trenchlines.

Answer 6

As someone who is a practicing Jew, I can say for myself and my family - the Christmas tree has taken on the status of "Christmas symbol" and therefore has become a religious symbol.

Judaism has a holiday to plant trees and we are taught to nurture the earth, so chopping down a tree goes against my belief system. I think they are beautiful in the homes of others but would never have one.

Answer 7

I was raised in a multi religious home. We are Jewish we celebrate jewish holidays, but we did and still do have a christmas tree. We do presents on dec. 25 have dinner all that stuff. Haunkkah was celebrated as our religion but christmas was not realy celebrated as a religion but as a time to decorate our house, exchange gifts, santa brought presents stuff like that. We use a lot of snow men to decorate, never angels!

Answer 8

i'd could say that I actually have experienced non secular Ecstasy, for the list ecstasy comes from the inspiration observe 'ex stasis' to face outside oneself. With that definition in ideas i'd say that I actually have had a number of such thoughts, ones that folk may label as Out Of body thoughts, close to lack of lifestyles adventure, previous lifestyles memory, Astral go back and forth, Oneness and also the bliss obtainable to us in the time of altered states of understanding. All non secular phenomenon are perplexing to describe, depict and percentage by technique of their very nature of direction. What i am going to assert is that states of non secular Ecstasy would look alien in case you do not bear in mind having experienced them (all of us have at your time had one as far as i'm worried) yet at the same time as they're taking position we develop into conscious that they are area of our universal state of being, our personal finished human nature. in certain circumstances they go away us extremely joyful, in certain circumstances afflicted, yet continuously surprised.

Answer 9

Many years ago there was a church publication that quoted the scriptures from either isiahah or one of the other old testament prophets that seemed to describe a tree with ornaments. The conclusion of the same verse says that this thing is neither GOOD OR EViL.

Answer 10

A tree is just a tree. It has no 'religious' symbolism.

I'm Buddhist, but i have a tree up either way, in my family (they're all catholic) its never been a day to celebrate the death or birth or whatever it is of 'jesus' (i forget which it is.) Due to all the hype about it, its just a day of gift giving and family reunions since we get days off of work & school for the kids.