Are birth stones pagen?

[SueKrum]

I was wondering about the origen of birth stones. are they like zodiac signs? are they associated with any powers or luck or anything like that? does anyone know? I’ve never heard anything one way or the other, I’m just wondering.

I"m sure their history can be traced back to something of some sort of pagen origen, like most things. I just want to make sure they aren’t anythin glike horascopes or lucky rabbet’s feet or anything like that.

 

[Della]

Gemstones, especially their colors, have stood for certain virtues and values from ancient times. Consider the description of the New Jerusalem in the book of Revelation. Each layer of the foundation is a different gemstone, and thus a different color. Each color meant something to the those in the early Church who understood the “language” of gemstones from their cultures. The same can be said of flowers and their significance to birth months.

If we were to take it seriously, I suppose it could become an obsession or be harmful to our souls, but most people now days don’t associated gemstone colors with anything in particular and so have nothing of any sinister kind influencing them. For example, my birthstone is the dark blue sapphire. Why is the sapphire the birthstone for September? I haven’t a clue, but I do truly like dark blue sapphires and see no reason why I can wear them or enjoy having them. After all, God made the gemstones just he made everything else and pronounced it “good.” It’s only how we use the things in nature that make them good or evil, not the things in and of themselves.

 

[jasm]

I had my Rosary made with mine and my childrens birthstones. Each child has a decade (2 clear, 1sapphire, 1 peridot, 1 aquamarine and my stone (ruby) for the Our Father beads.

 

[Lapsed]

In the OT, there are the stones on the ephod of the High Priest which appear to be associated with the Twelve Tribes. Whether there is a direct stone-to-tribe correpondence, I’m not sure.

That being said, modern birth stones have developed from astrological correspondence. Originally each stone was associated with the Zodiac sign rather than the calendar month. But then our months are also derived from Zodiacal associations as well. I’ve wasted several years on the study and practice of astrology and other occult subjects.

So yes, they are astrological in origin and association, though in modern usage that association has declined significantly.

 

[Toni]

Its funny that you ask that. Last week I was talking to a priest about the colors in the stain glass cause I was coloring some for the church I made. He made the statement as I was using pink that stained glass in a church is the color of precious gems. I said well I know pink is one of the birthstones and he said what are those is that like astrological signs. The first time I have ever heard this.