At that link in post 2 (http://www.erm.ee/pdf/pro18/chuvyurov.pdf ) about Finno-Ugric traditions, the article then goes on to show some examples of how christianism insinuated itself into the local traditions regarding trees. Something like how christianism stole Northern countries' traditions such as people putting out a plate for their neighbouring "Kabouters" Gnomes during mealtimes; christianism changed it to a plate for "jesus".
Forgot to add in #2's list of comparisons, but have now included it there also:
- Bodhi tree is sacred to and well-respected by Dharmics <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> eh, Bodhi?
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Muhammed and a date tree ... Just before he was to depart finally, he asked Abu Bakr to call all the principal followers. He was seated under a tree. So they assembled near him surrounding the tree. As they gethered, he asked Abu Bakr to first bring down that tree. ... he said, people should not start worshipping the tree under which muhammed took the last shelter.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->So different from the rest of us. Only islam and christianity - as we've seen - are that weird. We don't go around killing other characters (people or trees) just because we fear it may become connected to our person and that people would worship it instead of us ('us' as in mohammed).
Meanwhile Buddha did no such thing. Rather, his Bodhi tree (or a representative) is venerated by Buddhists - at least in E Asia - along with other Buddha-related relics.
And in Hindu Dharma it is considered as grave a crime to cut down a tree in bloom as it is to strike/hurt/kill a pregnant woman. (These are considered terribly serious offences in Hinduism.)
Forgot to add in #2's list of comparisons, but have now included it there also:
- Bodhi tree is sacred to and well-respected by Dharmics <!--emo&
--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> eh, Bodhi?<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Muhammed and a date tree ... Just before he was to depart finally, he asked Abu Bakr to call all the principal followers. He was seated under a tree. So they assembled near him surrounding the tree. As they gethered, he asked Abu Bakr to first bring down that tree. ... he said, people should not start worshipping the tree under which muhammed took the last shelter.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->So different from the rest of us. Only islam and christianity - as we've seen - are that weird. We don't go around killing other characters (people or trees) just because we fear it may become connected to our person and that people would worship it instead of us ('us' as in mohammed).
Meanwhile Buddha did no such thing. Rather, his Bodhi tree (or a representative) is venerated by Buddhists - at least in E Asia - along with other Buddha-related relics.
And in Hindu Dharma it is considered as grave a crime to cut down a tree in bloom as it is to strike/hurt/kill a pregnant woman. (These are considered terribly serious offences in Hinduism.)