Are Dream Catchers bad?

[BlondieLashes]

Just wondering... My Mom has given my son a Native American Dream Catcher to hang above his bed. I know nothing about what they are or why someone would want to hang it over their bed. Any thoughts?

 

[Boidae]

I have two dream catchers and my wife has one that I bought her when at the Florida Folk Festival for work a couple weeks ago. We use them for decoration.

A couple years ago i sent one to my middle daughter who was having bad dreams. She hung it up and those bad dreams have gone away and have not returned. I believe it was psychological for my daughter because I told her that if she hung it up it would catch the bad dreams. I wasn't a Christian at that point. Since my children don't live with me and my ex-girlfriend is an atheist I don't talk about Christianity to them.

I am half native American so for me it's a part of my culture. Both of mine have what's called a war shield in the middle of them. The one has wolves up on a mountain with a wolf pup howling and the other one has a wolf lying down along a river bank looking into the water with the face of an Indian look back at it.

My favorite animal is the wolf as you can probably tell.

My wife's is a regular dream catcher. All three of them are just hanging on the walls of our apartment.

 

[heron]

People assign power to objects; you don't need to.

 

[Boidae]

People assign power to objects; you don't need to.

I agree!

 

[jpcedotal]

People assign power to objects; you don't need to.

I agree too.

 

[heron]

I have mixed feelings on worrying about objects. Generally, I think that Christians fuss over anathemas too much; and that the fussing can create new problems. Assigning power suddenly gives it power through fear.

But I have to admit that I've had a couple incidents where "something" seemed to come along with an object, and I ended up rebuking nasties and throwing it out.

I have also found some freedom in removing things from sight that bring on negative emotions... photos of family members that were controlling, gifts people gave me that were associated with anger or frustration... these things make bad memories resurface. There is a benefit to putting good, freeing things in our line of vision. Think only on what is good and righteous.

The dreamcatcher is a craft, part of heritage, made with fondness and care. The legend that goes along with it gives temporary relief, but might turn into a larger doctrine later. It seems to go along the same lines as tooth fairies and Easter bunnies -- things invented to cheer children, that they end up believing in.

 

[BlondieLashes]

Thank you all for answering me. I really appreciate it.

 

[coolchicka]

I have a big one hanging above my bed. I just use it for decoration.

 

[Steve Petersen]

People assign power to objects; you don't need to.

Well said.

 

[preachthewordfaithfully]

Dream Catchers are from a pagan religion. Would you hang a pentagram, goats head, or inverted cross in your house? If it is just a matter of someone else assigning power, why not? Because it is an afront to a Holy God! He is jealous for us, and will not share His glory. These things are occultic and you are possibly opening doors you don't want opened by having them.
If you didn't know the origins of these things, you have not sinned, but now you do. Repent and take them down and throw them away....please.

 

[L0NEW0LF]

Hang a Cross above your bed instead. You'll be better for it.

 

[IisJustMe]

Hang a Cross above your bed instead. You'll be better for it.

Heron's earlier response fits your comment as well.

People assign power to objects; you don't need to.

 

[Steve Petersen]

Dream Catchers are from a pagan religion. Would you hang a pentagram, goats head, or inverted cross in your house? If it is just a matter of someone else assigning power, why not? Because it is an afront to a Holy God! He is jealous for us, and will not share His glory. These things are occultic and you are possibly opening doors you don't want opened by having them.
If you didn't know the origins of these things, you have not sinned, but now you do. Repent and take them down and throw them away....please.

You have to say the same thing for Christmas trees and Easter eggs.

 

[L0NEW0LF]

Heron's earlier response fits your comment as well.

I'm just saying that if you need something above your bed, hang a Cross, not a dreamcatcher.

 

[janny108]

I have two dream catchers and my wife has one that I bought her when at the Florida Folk Festival for work a couple weeks ago. We use them for decoration.

A couple years ago i sent one to my middle daughter who was having bad dreams. She hung it up and those bad dreams have gone away and have not returned. I believe it was psychological for my daughter because I told her that if she hung it up it would catch the bad dreams. I wasn't a Christian at that point. Since my children don't live with me and my ex-girlfriend is an atheist I don't talk about Christianity to them.

I am half native American so for me it's a part of my culture. Both of mine have what's called a war shield in the middle of them. The one has wolves up on a mountain with a wolf pup howling and the other one has a wolf lying down along a river bank looking into the water with the face of an Indian look back at it.

My favorite animal is the wolf as you can probably tell.

My wife's is a regular dream catcher. All three of them are just hanging on the walls of our apartment.

I also agree this is very artistic and decorative. I think it depends what you believe about having them around in your home. Kind of reminds me of the post about kachina
I dolls

 

[SuziTiri]

some are very pretty <3 from first nations culture i got one as a gift..I don't necessarily use it as its "intended" use but I honour the gift i was given by my friend <3

 

[SarKris]

I like dreamcatchers. I've had mine for years and gave it to my stepson when he moved in with my husband and I. He would have terrible nightmares that would keep his father or I up all night trying to get him to sleep by himself. Once he learned there was something to "catch" the bad dreams, he was able to go to sleep better and faster. Since he was only four at this time, it was easier to get him to understand that an object he could see was going to do the catching. Now that he is six, he is able to understand a bit better about God's ability to do the same.

It is true that people have a bad habit of giving objects more power than they should have. However, I believe that sometimes people must do this for specific reasons, like getting a child to understand that nightmares have no control over them. And then, when they are older, to get them to understand that it was God's power that enabled the objects to work. But that without God, an object is just an object.

 

[L0NEW0LF]

Couldn't we just explain to them to the best of our ability about Jesus and the meaning of the Cross, and hang a Cross instead, and tell them that the Cross means Jesus is right here with you and He will protect you and keep the scary dreams away? That's what I do with my daughter. Both of my kids have a Cross above their bed. My son goes to sleep just fine but my daughter gets scared to be alone. I explained all of this to her (she is 3) in a way she could best understand and it has helped a lot.

 

[ILWJ]

After watching the Stephen Dollins (ex Satanic high priest, now Christian) video on youtube, I would be very wary of dream catchers. He talked about everyday occult items in our homes and mentioned an incident where a baby was having severe sleep problems until the dream catcher in the room was removed.

 

[janny108]

I like dreamcatchers. I've had mine for years and gave it to my stepson when he moved in with my husband and I. He would have terrible nightmares that would keep his father or I up all night trying to get him to sleep by himself. Once he learned there was something to "catch" the bad dreams, he was able to go to sleep better and faster. Since he was only four at this time, it was easier to get him to understand that an object he could see was going to do the catching. Now that he is six, he is able to understand a bit better about God's ability to do the same.

It is true that people have a bad habit of giving objects more power than they should have. However, I believe that sometimes people must do this for specific reasons, like getting a child to understand that nightmares have no control over them. And then, when they are older, to get them to understand that it was God's power that enabled the objects to work. But that without God, an object is just an object.

I can understand this; sort of like the dreamcatcher was an aid to believing that the bad dreams would be caught and relating it to God's permanent ability to do that. Cool