In article >,
GQ > wrote:

> Judging from recent columns and letters, it seems many readers believe
> Christians were the first to have the idea of a midwinter holiday.
> It's time to set the record straight.

No, they were the first to come up with a holiday commemorating the
birth of Christ. Perhaps this is the misunderstanding?

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

In article >,
GQ > wrote:

> But many Christians are saying otherwise. It is not a misunderstanding
> at all. I know that Jesus was not born in Decemeber and I know that
> the Christmas Tree is really a Yule Tree and I know that the reason
> the early Christians took these Pagan holidays was because they wanted
> any way possible to get more converts for the money and land. Not too
> much different than these days actually.

You are quite mistaken. The date was chosen as a way to hide the
celebration under persecution. The Christmas tree wasn't made common
until after the Protestant Reformation, when pagans and their practices
weren't all that common in Europe, and I believe was introduced by
Martin Luther on walking in a wood and seeing the stars shining through
the trees. Thus, the lighting of the candles, now lights, on the tree,
which was to symbolize the light of Christ.

Regards,
Ranee

Remove do not & spam to e-mail me.

"She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands." Prov 31:13

http://arabianknits.blogspot.com/
http://talesfromthekitchen.blogspot.com/

On Tue, 20 Dec 2005 19:35:51 GMT, GQ wrote:


>
>I do know the truth about the Yle tree
>and you proved that you do not.

>
>Merry Christmas and happy Holidayd and Happy Yule.
>
>The facts are that Pagans were using the Yule tree long before your
>religion took it over.
Gq that was a Yule and was burned. There is some debate ,as to when
(before A.D. or not) this practice started. And in some scandinavian
countries a fir tree was brought into the home as a symbol of
continuing life, again debate as to when this practice started.
I never heard the story about Martin Luther starting the Christmas
tree custom, a germanic custom.

On Thu, 22 Dec 2005 00:33:57 GMT, GQ wrote:



>>>The facts are that Pagans were using the Yule tree long before your
>>>religion took it over.

>>Gq that was a Yule and was burned. There is some debate ,as to when
>>(before A.D. or not) this practice started. And in some scandinavian
>>countries a fir tree was brought into the home as a symbol of
>>continuing life, again debate as to when this practice started.
>>I never heard the story about Martin Luther starting the Christmas
>>tree custom, a germanic custom.
>
>What you are thinking about is the Yle Log and not the tree and the
>Yule tree still came from the Pagans and not Martin Luther at all.

GQ Please reread my above message.
Notice that I agree with you about the Martin Luther statement.
Also notice that there,I said there is some debate about the timing of
the beginning of the pagan yule tradition.
I believe that there is a similarities in the celebrations.

Now as to your definite statement that the custom of Christmas tree
absolutely comes from a Pagan ritual, prove it.

In article >,
Pan Ohco > wrote:

> On Thu, 22 Dec 2005 00:33:57 GMT, GQ wrote:
>
>
>
> >>>The facts are that Pagans were using the Yule tree long before your
> >>>religion took it over.
>
> >>Gq that was a Yule and was burned. There is some debate ,as to when
> >>(before A.D. or not) this practice started. And in some scandinavian
> >>countries a fir tree was brought into the home as a symbol of
> >>continuing life, again debate as to when this practice started.
> >>I never heard the story about Martin Luther starting the Christmas
> >>tree custom, a germanic custom.
> >
> >What you are thinking about is the Yle Log and not the tree and the
> >Yule tree still came from the Pagans and not Martin Luther at all.
>
> GQ Please reread my above message.
> Notice that I agree with you about the Martin Luther statement.
> Also notice that there,I said there is some debate about the timing of
> the beginning of the pagan yule tradition.
> I believe that there is a similarities in the celebrations.
>
> Now as to your definite statement that the custom of Christmas tree
> absolutely comes from a Pagan ritual, prove it.

Here's a start:

http://www.christmas-tree.com/where.html

Google for "origins of the Christmas tree".

It sure as heck isn't from any "Christian" origin. ;-)

Cheers!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson