Just had a long, long talk with le bf regarding traditions. The following are my notes and personal thoughts on our conversation. They are by no means to be taken as the absolute truth. Even the ones pertaining Christianity. I love God, but I am still (and possibly thinking that I would never be able to finish) learning about Him.
Wearing red during Chinese New Year is auspicious and symbolizes bringing prosperity.
Does that mean by intentionally following this tradition, we are secretly wishing for luck to come to us? Following this thought, well-wishes and prayers ("May God grant you a clear head for your exam tomorrow").
Folklore and ethnic traditions.
Ok so Halloween is evil, because "there are always more evil rituals, animal sacrifices, desecrations of
cemeteries and thefts of sacred bones at the time of the 31 October" (quote a Catholic exorcist). Hari Gawai promotes animism, which is totally in opposition to Christianity, never mind that Thanksgiving holds the same meaning, that o being thankful and giving thanks to (God, forefathers, the rain god, etc). DuanWu Festival, a day to commemorate the death o Qu Yuan (a faithful advisor to an emporor o China), should be banned, because QY actually committed suicide, and the original dumplings were made to be thrown into the river to deter fishes from eating his body, which makes it an extremely pagan festival; even though this story holds many morals (ie faithfulness, kindness).
It is not about the content at all, is it? Life is not about moralities and good values.
Tradition of cleaning ancestral graves, lighting candles and bringing fresh flowers, in remembrance o our ancestors.
I agree wholeheartedly that they would not be smiling down from heaven because we do that. I argue that following this (family) tradition does not affect my ancestors a jot, but matters a lot to the people left behind. We take this day to remember our forefathers, what they did during their lifetimes, how they helped us; we teach our children to emulate the kindness o Great-Aunt Sally, we remind them that Cousin Matt was a cheerful young man before cancer took him from us.
These stories show us the light o Christ, or the darkness o Satan, is within each o us, and how life can throw us curve balls.
Why a special day set aside when one can easily do that any time, you ask? (Celebrating Easter, birthdays and anniversaries comes to mind. But I shall not presume.)
Baptism and Christianity.
So Baptists practice full immersion in baptism even if God did not decree it so. Traditional Anglicans follow (most o) the Roman Catholic liturgy and a lot o their traditions (saints, Eucharist, modified 'Hail Mary's). Pentecostal Christians call to the Holy Spirit, when they should be devoting 90% o their energies to understanding the Gospel. (This last is just the basic assumption o a lot o my friends). Some churches (denomination unknown, but Protestant) even preach that good works is necessary (in addition to Jesus' D&R) for salvation.
These are the same people who identify themselves as Christians. They (mostly) acknowledge each other to be brothers in Christ.
Tell me again why Christians tend to reject Roman Catholics outright, and refuse to see them as followers o Christ?
The White Wedding Dress.
I have not had time to look up the origins o this tradition, but Google tells me, "It is a symbol of the wife's purity in heart and life, and in reverence to God. It is also a picture o the righteousness o Christ described in Rev 19:7-8".
If it is just symbolism, can I dispense w it? If I refuse to wear white to my baptism, would they still baptize me?
Did God tell us exactly what we do in our lives, or did he just give us guidelines?
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