Traditions and wrong traditions.

What are traditions? Let us see in the dictionary what the definition of the word tradition is.

From: dictionary.reference.com:

“Tradition”

noun

1 - The handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice.

2 - Something that is handed down.

3 - A long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting.

4 - A continuing pattern of culture beliefs or practices.

5 - A customary or characteristic method or manner.

So traditions are the handing down of beliefs, legends and customs from generation to generation by word of mouth or by practice; a continuing pattern of culture beliefs or practices.

Now the question is: Is it good to follow traditions or not? Well of course this depends if they are good, just and worthy to be followed.

Coming from a country rich in traditions, uses and customs, I must say that I have always considered myself anti-traditionalist in the sense that I do not follow traditions because they are traditions, but if I follow them is because I think they are right. That is if I believe it's wrong to do a certain thing, I would not do it because my ancestors or the people where I live do so because it is tradition.

Having said that, being a believer and fearful of the one God who created the Heavens and the Earth and everything that is contained in them, I think that carrying on certain traditions means going against the will of our Father and Creator and I know that the day of judgment is not to my ancestors that I have to give an account of my actions but to the Creator, therefore in everything I do I try to always be within his commandments, and not to leave the path of his will.

It is written in the scriptures that God has said that people are ever more ready to follow the traditions of their fathers than the commandments of God and therefore suffer punishment. It is written not to make images of what is in Heaven and on Earth, and not to worship them because there is only one God Creator of all creatures, He is able to see, hear, speak and do everything while the idols of stone, wood, gold, silver and any other material have eyes but do not see, have ears but do not hear, have mouths but do not speak, have legs but cannot walk, must be carried on the shoulders of men or carts pulled by animals, if someone hurts or does them good they cannot neither defend themselves neither thank them. 

source: http://www.therecord.com.au/news/local/sun-shines-on-st-kierans-celebration/

It is written that he who prays to these is like them, does not see, hear, and will do the same end; it will be burned as stubble. It is written that there is one only way by which man can reach God, only one intercessor through whom we can and should pray and the prayers are heard, and of those who are in his hands not one is lost: and the way is Jesus who gave his life, his blood for our salvation and redemption, if we follow idols we do offense to his gesture of sacrifice and make it null and void, although only towards us because we can only do harm to ourselves, no one can harm God.

source: http://www.sicilia24h.it/cataniafesta-di-santagata_45588/

Now at the beginning of time man knew God and knew that He is the only one to be worshiped, in the course of time and with the intervention of the devil and his followers, men have forgotten who is their Creator and began worshiping almost everything that they see: the sun, moon, stars, fire, water, and of course the devil and his followers who have done all sort of things to divert man from the right path. For this reason we have so many religions with many idols and many rituals, paganism developed enormously spreading throughout the earth with real rules and customs to follow.

When in Roman times the Messiah arrived on Earth and the people began to open their eyes thanks to his teachings, those who held the reins of religions (priests, kings, emperors, etc.) thought at first that it was necessary to eliminate those who followed the Messiah. But over the centuries seeing that more and more followed Jesus, they realised that so much people would have to be killed to the point that they wouldn’t have enough people left to gain from, thus losing a good portion of their income and power, therefore they decided to embrace this doctrine and teachings so that they would have derived huge profits and continue to exercise the greatest authority over people.

At the same time they were not ready to leave their pagan religion (as many others) and decided to merge their beliefs with the new doctrine to reach the masses and impose to all the new faith: was so born Christianity, allowing pagans to continue their rituals and traditions, allowing believers in Jesus to follow Him and at the same time allowing the rulers to reap the profits and have total authority over the people.

 So the Roman authorities took into their hands the faith of the Israelites and the teachings of the Messiah and turned them into a new religion so that they could take advantage of the huge interest attached to it: the payment of tithes, total control of the masses and also implement the plan of the devil that always tries to deceive man to make him fall before God. It has been enough changing a few words in some verses, omitting some and adding others to achieve their goals, not to mention entire chapters and books.

When in all Catholic countries, we see demonstrations of certain traditions we can see that they are the very things that God said not to do, they are the passing on, the handing down of pagan traditions mixed with Christianity, they are wrong for two reasons: first because they are in fact pagan and second because we should never associate God with paganism; it is written that one can not follow two masters, or is followed one or the other, because by following two we cannot help but displease one, or we follow God or we follow Mammon.

Making processions with statues of saints and decorating wagons and animals is not right because these are pagan customs and traditions transformed into "Christianity" and the representation of statues of saints are forbidden by God in the 10 Commandments, also we must not pray to them for graces but only to God and through Jesus. In the churches there are thousands of statues covered in gold jewels given by the "faithful" who ask the saints to help them for what they need; people kisses and bows to them and all of this is wrong in the sight of God. All this in the sight of God means to worship these things and to have more respect of them than of God, in a word it means to sin.

source: http://sphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/76999_321674044605657_1265869928_n.jpg

source: http://www.koelner-dom.de/index.php?id=17004&L=1

All the holidays that have pagan origins (easter, christmas, mother’s day etc) should not be kept, God has established certain feasts to be held to celebrate certain occasions and meanings, if we want to celebrate in His honour these are the ones that owe to be celebrated and not those that do not honour Him but He only disapproves of.

Let us all try to follow God according to his will and not ours, that of our ancestors or that of our rulers; verily they will have their reward and so will we, do we want to live forever or do we want to burn forever?