Robert T. Handy wrote:
> Pardon me. In what way is a tree symbolic of the birth of Christ?
Dear Robert, dear list-ners,
>Sorry, you did misunderstand, what I said. Not a tree is a symbol of Christ,
but the real (i.e. living tree) with lit candles (real or not) on it is symbolic
of Christ.
As some other symbols of western christianity like the ring made of green fir
branches of the Advent season, adorned with four candles, the x-mas tree refers
to Christ as a redeemer of mankind. The Asian-European culture is based on
simple ideas, most of them are based on the changes of seasons. Winter was the
time of the dead, of a big sleep. The basis of the culture is also characterised
by simple correlations like good-bad, dark-bright, god and devil.
The candle flames are signs of joy over the birth of the person who brought life
into darkness, who fought the devil and defeated the death. For this reason,
also on Easter morning, in many parts of christianic countries, a special large
Easter candle is been lit in the dark church very early in the morning.
As I have said, the x-mas seems to me a very good symbol, because it also
remembers the tree of Adam and Eve and the cross, referring to the cause of
darkness and the redeeming at Eastern itself.
By the way, in Germany we do have a maior discussion on the "pope's cross" at
Ausschwitz. Jews declared that they are unable to pray in front of such a large
cross erected some years ago at a place, where Jews, Gypsies and Polish were
killed by the Nazis. As this place was not only made to kill Jews, but also
communists, (catholic) gypsies and Polish, there might be a certain right to
erect such a cross. On the other hand: It is not diplomatic. Such a holocaust
memorial should not be occupied by a large symbol of one belief.
On the other hand, what should pioneer museeums do at x-mas? Look into the
archives, what belief people had, when they lived in these houses. Reconstruct a
typical oldtime x-mas, when they were Christians. It is your right and duty as a
museum director to reconstruct. Do not care about persons with other beliefs!
If the inhabitants were not Christians, forget x-mas and show
typical winter occupations (knitting, skating, apples in the stoves etc.)or
their specific (religious) festivities in the wintertime.
Christian Mueller-Straten
>
> ------
> Robert Handy
> Brazoria County Historical Museum
> 100 East Cedar
> Angleton, Texas 77515
> (409) 864-1208
> museum_bob
> [log in to unmask]
> http://www.bchm.org
>
> ----------
> From: Verlag Dr. C. Mueller-Straten[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Tuesday, August 25, 1998 2:09 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: CHRISTMAS SYMBOLS (was "The Holidays")
>
> Allison Weiss wrote:
> > I don't care WHAT the origin of the Chirstmas tree is or how many
> > centuries back dates the tradition of decorating trees.
> > The fact is that in 1998, in this country, this tree symbolizes
> > Christmas!
> > If i walked into a public building and saw a cross hanging on the wall,
> > the explanation that the Christian cross was derived from an ancient
> > Egyptian symbol is irrelevant. it has a definite meaning today and is
> > unmistakable and instantly recognized the minute it is seen by anyone
> > born in this country.
> >
> > Allison Weiss
> >
> > _____________________________________________________________________
> >
> Dear Allison,
>
> I do not agree with you. And this by some reasons:
> 1) the x-mas tree is a symbol. Like all symbols it is loaded with meanings.
> Part
> of the meanings is also the origin of the symbol and its history.
> 2) It makes a difference if a symbol is 100 years old or 1000-2000 years. The
> x-mas tree is quite a young symbol and only "the" symbol for x-mas in a
> certain
> region of the world. In most parts of the world the x-mas tree is not "the"
> x-mas symbol.
> 3) In North America and more and more also in Europe, the x-mas tree stands
> not
> for x-mas, but for the x-mas time. This makes a slight, but not unimportant
> difference. In northern catholic countries, the x-mas tree is set in the
> beginning of December and removed at least on the 2nd of February. Christian
> people believe that Jesus Christ brought light into the darkness, like the
> light gods of the western world. Light, sun, relevation, overwhelming the
> death,
> and, of course, setting his day of birth at the winter solstice, this is all
> entwined into this symbol. Therefor the real (!) tree with candles on it is a
> good symbol for all these connotations.
> 4) To cut all these connotations, means to treat a symbol unhistoric. Of
> course
> a symbol being valid in a certain society is a fact, but these existing
> connotations are also a fact.
> 5) To treat these connotations of symbols as "irrelevant", as you prefer to
> do,
> means to declare the here and now as the only interesting level. But the cross
> or the x-mas tree is not a traffic sign: it is grounded in the first myths of
> mankind (The cross, by the way, is much older the Egyptian ankh-sign, from
> which
> it is not directled derived! See the cross signs for example in early
> Australia). If you do not care for this dimension, which is of course your
> private right (but not as a scientist), you miss a lot.
>
> Yours
>
> Dr. Christian Mueller-Straten
>
>
> Verlag Dr. C. Mueller-Straten, Kunzweg 23, D-81243 Muenchen,
> Tel/Fax: 089-839 690 43, http://WebMuseen.de/VERLAGCMS
> MAGAZINES AND BOOKS IN MUSEOLOGY (GERMAN/ENGLISH)+ GERMAN THESAURI
Verlag Dr. C. Mueller-Straten, Kunzweg 23, D-81243 Muenchen,
Tel/Fax: 089-839 690 43, http://WebMuseen.de/VERLAGCMS
MAGAZINES AND BOOKS IN MUSEOLOGY (GERMAN/ENGLISH)+ GERMAN THESAURI
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