my first pagan tree!

by Aussie Oz 9 Replies latest jw friends

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  Aussie Oz

  well, I went to a xmas tree farm today and cut down a pagan tree. Brought it home much to the delight of the wife and daughter.

  Been 40 years!

  I often wondered why I couldnt come at a tree for the last 12 years out of christianity. I knew it was stolen from 'the dreaded pagans' but just could not and still can not get into the christian version of the whole time of the year. But seeing that I do not identify as a christian, and that the word 'pagan' is from the latin meaning ''rural'' or ''of the country'' and I do live in a rural area, I am much more comfortable revelling in the real root of all that this time of year is: PAGAN

  I will quite happily do the whole shebang and wish my family and friends ''happy pagan tree festival''

  Oz
• 

  stuckinlimbo

  We put our first xmas tree up a few weeks ago also, but it is an artificial one. It looks fantastic though if I do say so myself! Has to be kept in a room though not main oart of house so any visiting JWs don't come across it. It has acually been very stressful for me because I have know idea what I will say if we are discovered, but I am not going to make my kids miss out because of that fear. I don't want them to be different to everybody else for no reason.

  I am also in a rural area in NSW.

  Here's to our new pagan trees
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  Chariklo

  There's nothing like a Christmas Tree!
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  LouBelle

  I'm no christian and agree that is a pagan time of year. However, I do enjoy this time of the year. I enjoy putting up the tree, seeing it light up and wish upon a star. I always wish that people could take joy in the simplicity of life and not get caught up in the illusion of religions, status, politics etc. I enjoy wrapping presents and don't go over board with spending. I enjoy cooking a variety of roasts for the day, seeing people eat their full and just chill with family.
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  Pams girl

  So glad you are enjoying your tree!
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  stuckinlimbo

  My tree has nothing to do with Christianity or religion whatsoever lol...

  Xmas will be about spending time together as a family for us, and presents too!
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  THE GLADIATOR

  Pams girl Glad to see you are still around. We'll keep a welcome in the hillside.

  Aussie Oz The term pagan is from the Latin ' paganus' and refers to rural, rustic or of the counrtry. People living in the country who decided not to become Roman Christians were refered to as pagans. So most trees are pagan as they are from the country.
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  WTWizard

  I could hardly be described as a Christian, yet I still celebrate Christmas. There are so many other ways to appreciate this holiday, including its original pagan roots. I enjoy the festive lights, sounds, and the general atmosphere of Christmas. Even the cross has been stolen--representing the sun dying on the Cross of the Zodiac. I have a few of those sun on the Cross of the Zodiac crosses, and even the Nativity scene cross I have has one of those Sun on the Cross of the Zodiac symbols on the top. All stolen from astrology.

  And yes, putting up a real (natural or artificial) Christmas tree is good. You will never get the optimal number of lights (144,000). However, putting excessive numbers of undersized lights is the best way to get a good effect. Using LED lights, the smallest ones you can get, you simply run them up and down every branch--if you really want a spectacular effect, run them up the greens as well). The number of lights makes up for the size, and you get light into the center of the tree. For those who are new at it, I suggest getting double the number you think you will need of everything (if you think you need 30-40 of an ornament, get 80). And even then, you will be surprised at how wimpy it still it--which you can add to next year.
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  Aussie Oz

  Best thing for me is the smell.

  My last xmas was when i was 10 and i still vlearly remember the smell and going to cut one down with my dad, so, it had to be a real one...

  Oz
• 

  ziddina

  HEATHEN tree, man, HEATHEN tree...!!

  http://www.ecauldron.net/forum/index.php?topic=4116.0

  Yes - from the Latin paganus=village.
  It was picked up form there by the church C14th to mean much the same thing - still civilian but this time not a soldier of God.
  
  Heathen comes from the Old English hæthen It hasthe same meaning as pagan but also has the meaning barbaric, uncivilized.
  
  Latin predates Old English by a long shot. And so do the crusades.
  
  One of the reasons I asked is because is because heathen is commonly used as an insult so I wondered why they would prefer it topagan but I think I just figured out a perfectly good reason for Asatru/Norse/Germanic religion followers to use it. If it is an Old English word it will have a Germanic root somewhere. I can see why a Germanic word would be preferable to a Latin word for those people.
  
  The main reason I asked is if someone says "I follow a Heathen path" it is meaningless to me if I don't know which paths refer to themselves as Heathen because I only have the dictionary definition of the word to go on - not the special purpose meaning applied here. That information has been supplied so now I will know what the Heathens here are referring to.

  Us heathens prefer the term precisely because it is Germanic in root. Northern Europe, with the exception of part of the British Isles, was never conquered by the Roman Empire. so, sure it may be childish, but it's our way of thumbing our noses at the southerners . It's one of *our* words, not one that came from Latin.