What meaning do trees have in your religion?

[Weeping Raven]

I'm curious to hear your responses, as outside of paganism I don't hear much about other religions views and thoughts on trees.

What meaning do they have in your religion? If your religion says nothing about them, what meaning do they have to you personally?

 

[Kemosloby]

In the bible trees are used for wood products, also symbolically like a "family tree" and for other metaphorical purposes.

 

[Native]

In the Bible trees are used in order to punish the first and following humans.
In the Norse Mythology Ask Yggdrasil positively resembles the World Tree of Creation.

 

[Eliab ben Benjamin]

My tradition has ראש השנה לאילנות‎‎
at which i plant a tree, common sense suggest a fruit or nut i can use.

 

[omega2xx]

I'm curious to hear your responses, as outside of paganism I don't hear much about other religions views and thoughts on trees.

What meaning do they have in your religion? If your religion says nothing about them, what meaning do they have to you personally?

In Christianity, it depends on the type of tree. Oaks and cedars usually symbolize pride. The fig tree symbolizes Israel's national privilege. The olive tree a symbol of Israels religious privilege.

The can represent the joy of God's people---Isa 55:12

There are a few more but maybe these will be a little helpful.

 

[Nietzsche]

In the bible trees are used for wood products, also symbolically like a "family tree" and for other metaphorical purposes.

I feel like you're missing an extremely prominent example involving a Jewish carpenter, some nails and a telephone pole.

 

[Flankerl]

We got a Holiday about them.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I'm curious to hear your responses, as outside of paganism I don't hear much about other religions views and thoughts on trees.

What meaning do they have in your religion? If your religion says nothing about them, what meaning do they have to you personally?

"Treeness"

;0)

 

[metis]

Extremely important and in so many different ways.

 

[Shiranui117]

I'm curious to hear your responses, as outside of paganism I don't hear much about other religions views and thoughts on trees.

What meaning do they have in your religion? If your religion says nothing about them, what meaning do they have to you personally?

In Christianity, we primarily think about the two trees in the Garden--the Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Jesus' Cross is very often called the Tree of Life in our hymnography and in the writings of the Saints. The Church is also likened to a tree, with the Gentiles being branches that are grafted onto the tree. Also, there are a couple parables involving trees. There's the parable of the gardener, where the master of a garden orders a tree to be cut down because it isn't bearing any fruit, but the gardener convinces the master to give him more time to tend to the tree, water it and prune it so it will bear fruit. And then there's the saying in Christianity: "You'll know a tree by its fruit." Or, in other words, you'll know whether a person is good or bad by looking at their deeds.

 

[David T]

I feel like you're missing an extremely prominent example involving a Jewish carpenter, some nails and a telephone pole.

Telegraph poles get your history correct. Nietchzche never wood have gotten that wrong.

 

[David T]

Resource. Its a mindless stupid object created and accidently manifesting for consumption and only exists for me to enjoy to look at and cut down !!! Oh wait that's atheism oh wait that's theism oh wait that's atheism oh wait that's theism oh wait......

 

[David T]

In Christianity, we primarily think about the two trees in the Garden--the Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Jesus' Cross is very often called the Tree of Life in our hymnography and in the writings of the Saints. The Church is also likened to a tree, with the Gentiles being branches that are grafted onto the tree. Also, there are a couple parables involving trees. There's the parable of the gardener, where the master of a garden orders a tree to be cut down because it isn't bearing any fruit, but the gardener convinces the master to give him more time to tend to the tree, water it and prune it so it will bear fruit. And then there's the saying in Christianity: "You'll know a tree by its fruit." Or, in other words, you'll know whether a person is good or bad by looking at their deeds.

That's actually a terrifically structured statement very poetic, to bad it's not understood and ignored at the same time in christianity!!!! Muir taps on that rythmm very deeply in his writings. Is Muir even discussed in theology Settings? No not at all. That's a huge problem. That pope francis himself recognizes about theology.

 

[outlawState]

And then there's the saying in Christianity: "You'll know a tree by its fruit." Or, in other words, you'll know whether a person is good or bad by looking at their deeds.

Very good analysis. As a fruit is to its tree, so a person's words and deeds are a reflection of their heart, which in turn is a reflection of the one whom is worshipped, whether God or money.

As a tree is at the mercy of a man, whether to allow it to grow or cut it down, so is a man is at the mercy of God.

 

[Quintessence]

There are many good works out there on treelore. I've taken a gander at a few of them, but I have to say this one is my favorite as it is a rare gem that combines good scientific information with mythos and folklore: Tree Wisdom

IIRC, it is out of print, however.

 

[Sakeenah]

I'm curious to hear your responses, as outside of paganism I don't hear much about other religions views and thoughts on trees.

What meaning do they have in your religion? If your religion says nothing about them, what meaning do they have to you personally?

According to Islam planting and maintaining trees are an act of faith.Like all of creation they should be respected and represent the signs of God.
The Quran has verses that describe the gardens and trees in heaven highligting their value not only in this world but also their importance in the hereafter. Planting trees is considered an act of charity in Islam.


Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said, "There is none amongst the Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a charitable gift for him."

Trees are to be treated with respect and not to be unnecessarily harmed

"I was throwing stones at a date-palm belonging to some of the Ansar. They tool me along with them to the Prophet (ﷺ). He said: "O Rafi'! Why were you throwing stones at their date-palm?'" He said: "I said: 'Out of hunger, O Messenger of Allah! He said: 'Do not throw stones at them, eat what falls. May Allah fill you and quench your thirst.'"

 

[SabahTheLoner]

I follow LaVeyan Satanism, which is a bit more of an atheistic philosophy but to me it's religion. It's not a nature-based religion however many Satanists respect nature because the philosophy is naturalistic and amoral. Trees aren't significant religiously to Satanists but trees might be respected, especially if any action taken to trim or remove the tree would do harm to those who don't deserve it. For a very simple example, a Satanist would not cut down a tree if they found a nest inside and cutting down the tree would kill the baby birds inside. To cut it down in that situation without relocating the nest would go against the Law of the Earth that states non-human animals are not to be killed unless you plan to eat the animal or the animal attacks you and you must defend yourself. In general (for LaVeyan Satanists), all nature is respected as we are animals who originated from it. I personally respect trees because I recognize that they are natural and generally good. I won't cut them down unless they pose a threat or it's an emergency.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

They're associated with various Divinities and oracles.

Oracle Trees in the Ancient Hellenic World

 

[arthra]

I'm curious to hear your responses, as outside of paganism I don't hear much about other religions views and thoughts on trees. What meaning do they have in your religion? If your religion says nothing about them, what meaning do they have to you personally?

I'll provide a few examples of trees from the Baha'i Writings:

The fairest tree of knowledge is this sublime word: 'Ye are all the fruit of one tree and the leaves of one branch.' Pride is not for him who loves his country, but for him who loves the [whole] world."

It is hoped that ye will be nurtured in the shade of the lote-tree of Divine Grace, and practice that which God desireth. Ye are all leaves of one tree and drops of one sea."

We must strive with energies of heart, soul and mind to develop and manifest the perfections and virtues latent within the realities of the phenomenal world, for the human reality may be compared to a seed. If we sow the seed, a mighty tree appears from it. The virtues of the seed are revealed in the tree; it puts forth branches, leaves, blossoms, and produces fruits. All these virtues were hidden and potential in the seed. Through the blessing and bounty of cultivation these virtues became apparent. Similarly the merciful God our creator has deposited within human realities certain virtues latent and potential. Through education and culture, these virtues deposited by the loving God will become apparent in the human reality even as the unfoldment of the tree from within the germinating seed.

Through the power of the divine springtime, the downpour of the celestial clouds and the heat of the Sun of Reality, the tree of life is just beginning to grow. Before long, it will produce buds, bring forth leaves and fruits, and cast its shade over the East and the West. This Tree of Life is the Book of the Covenant.


Advance, O people, with snow-white faces and radiant hearts, unto the blest and crimson Spot, wherein the Tree beyond which there is no passing is calling: 'Verily, there is none other God beside Me, the Omnipotent Protector, the Self-Subsisting!'

Sadratu'l-Muntaha means the Tree beyond which there is no passing!

Sadratu'l-Muntahá

 

[VioletVortex]

In Norse Paganism, along with most other forms of Paganism, trees are very important both in the mythology and as symbols. The most notable example of this is Yggdrasil, the huge ash tree that connects the Nine Worlds. Midgard is the world we call the "material world", Asgard is the home of the Aesir, the deities associated with war, Helheim the underworld, Nifelheim the world of fog and darkness, and so on.

Another tree related myth is the one of Askr and Embla, who were said to be the first two humans. Askr means "Ash" and Embla means "Elm". In a ritual these two deities were likely symbolized by their respective trees. There is also a theory that Embla in fact means "vine", but "Elm" seems more likely. This myth is very similar to the Christian one of "Adam and Eve", and the Christians probably adopted and inverted this legend from the Indo-Europeans, who were traveling through the area at the time.

Also, I think trees have a significance because of their age and importance to us. We cannot survive without them, thus they should be held in high regard. The fact that some are centuries old makes them "living gateways to the past" so to speak, giving them even more value.