Now before everybody starts getting pissy with me and accusing me of attacking Christmas, let me just say that is untrue. In fact I LOVE Christmas, and unlike some people, am perfectly happy saying "Merry Christmas" as opposed to "Happy Holidays."
Of course part of the reason for that is because I know the real Christmas story. (If you are somebody who does not enjoy learning that your preconceived notions about this holiday are all hooey, I beg you NOT to click this link. You clicked it didn't you?)
In fact this so-called "War on Christmas" is NOT the creation of liberals or atheists at all, and in fact was initially waged by those Christian hating Puritans! Wait, what?
Courtesy of Slate:
Liberal plots notwithstanding, the Americans who succeeded in banning the holiday were the Puritans of 17th-century Massachusetts. Between 1659 and 1681, Christmas celebrations were outlawed in the colony, and the law declared that anyone caught "observing, by abstinence from labor, feasting or any other way any such days as Christmas day, shall pay for every such offense five shillings." Finding no biblical authority for celebrating Jesus' birth on Dec. 25, the theocrats who ran Massachusetts regarded the holiday as a mere human invention, a remnant of a heathen past. They also disapproved of the rowdy celebrations that went along with it. "How few there are comparatively that spend those holidays … after an holy manner," the Rev. Increase Mather lamented in 1687. "But they are consumed in Compotations, in Interludes, in playing at Cards, in Revellings, in excess of Wine, in Mad Mirth."
Sort of puts things in a different perspective doesn't it?
Anyhow like I said I am a huge fan of Christmas and always enjoy celebrating it in the traditional manner, by giving gifts to my loved ones, eating a big feast with my family, and sacrificing a newborn reindeer to the demonic spirit of St. Nicholas.
Okay, okay I made that part up.
I mean WHO actually eats with their families? Such a primitive custom!
Gryph, that's a perfect illustration of exactly how ignorant people like Bill O'reilly actually are
ReplyDeleteTurns out that Increase Mather, and his band of theocrat militants were far to the right of even Billo the clown, and even they were against Xmas?
In all of my 60 years, it seems that the last 25 or so years, we are finally recognizing other religious holidays. But it has always been Christmas- sales starting after Thanksgiving on through Dec. 24, holiday decorations going up,etc. This "War on Christmas" is political.
ReplyDeleteYahoshua (Jesus) the Christ was not born on December 25, as many Christians have been taught to believe. Scholarly research on the subject shows he was born on or around 1 Tishri on the Hebrew Calendar - the first day of the Hebrew Civil New year - which at that time, corresponded to about September 29 on the modern Julian Calendar.
ReplyDelete(You can find various versions of this all over the 'net.)
"Christmas" was moved by the church to coincide and coopt winter pagan celebrations.
The early Pilgrims and Puritans DID NOT observe "Christmas" other than by prayer, believing that holiday revelry on that day was "papist" and "pagan." Not to mention downright rude.
MicMac
I hear a lot of that around here. It's kind of ironic that the very people screaming for us to leave the "Christ in Christmas" honor him by trampling each other for a $2 waffle iron.
ReplyDeleteMost of my Christian friends are very tolerant, but some are so dim. I put up my tree last week and posted a photo on FB. He instantly remarked. "Let me guess. You put up a holiday tree. Well, I'm putting up a Christmas tree."
I remarked back that his tree was just as pagan as mine since it was a pagan Yule solstice tradition to bring a tree into the house in hopes the spirits would bless the inhabitants for the coming year. And I included the brilliant link you posted today.
Bill Maher had an excellent part of Religulous about the origins of Christmas, too.
You know, if I was the kind of person who thought that everyone else should simply understand that my religion was the 'right' one around this time of year and they had better acknowledge it ---- well, I wouldn't shop any place that didn't 'get' the fact that Christians ripped off my religion. Oh, and I'd demand that every store order employees to wish everyone a Happy Yule or Happy Winter Solstice. But, then Pagans don't need others to bow to our beliefs in order to feel secure.
ReplyDeleteSo, Happy Yule, Happy Winter Solstice, Happy Holidays and if it pleases you, Merry Christmas. Because, it is a season of feeling, not a season of words.
There is no war on christmas. It is just whiney scroogeyness from people who didn't get enough goodies in their stockings when they were kids and now they have a big christmas chip on their shoulders. Bah!
ReplyDeleteAnd here is a quote from a book about the origins of language: "The first recorded use of the letter X for "Christ" was back in 1021, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. But don't blame secularists. If you want, blame the monks in Great Britain who used the X while transcribing classical manuscripts into Old English. Christos, the Greek word for Christ, begins with the letter chi, or X. It's spelled in Greek letters this way: XPIETOE. In early times the Greek letters chi and rho together (XP)and in more recent centuries just chi (X) were used in writing as an abbreviation for "Christ." Sometimes a cross was placed before the X and sometimes not. Thus for nearly ten centuries, books and diaries and manuscripts and letters routinely used X or XP for "Christ" in words like "christen," "christened," "Christian," "Christianity," and of course "Christmas." The OED's first use of "Xmas" for "Christmas" dates back to 1551." (this is from "Origins of the Specious, by Patricia T. O'Connor)
Thanks for showing us another case of liberals and atheists getting the blame for something started by the blamers themselves (or their forbears).
ReplyDeleteVery cool, thanks! I had a vague understanding of the pagan roots of the Christmas holiday, so I appreciate the detailed info at the link.
ReplyDeleteWell Gryphen, without picking nits with Christians, it takes very little reading to come to understand that Christmas is NOT about Christ - at least His supposed birthday. Anecdotal readings of that pesky thing called scripture and other religious readings reveal that Jeebus wasn't born in December. That was just the Christian holiday chosen by the Pope when they hijacked the Pagan holidays. Christmas is the winter solstice, one of the most holy pagan holidays. It got separated from the Solstice on December 21 when they made the shift to the Gregorian calendar. Many of the so-called Christmas traditions are simply stolen from the Pagans - and I don't even want to get into the Easter Bunny.
ReplyDeleteSo when a Christian wants to bitch about losing sight of white Christmas is about tell him to STFU - Christians are nothing better than horse thieves when it comes to stealing the pagan celebrations.
Interesting evolution. Pagan holidays -> Christian holiday -> corporate marketing campaign.
ReplyDeleteNot trying to get my Scrooge on but I can't stand how commercial Christmas has become. Black Friday is a ground zero-esque example - a feeding frenzy that has the credit card issuing banksters circle jerking.
Can we please put the Nimrod back in Christmas?
One of my neighbors put his Christmas lights up the day after Halloween. winner! lol.
ReplyDeletePeople like that are the ones ruining Christmas. I cringe every time I hear the word Christian because it always seems to come from some bully like this poster. Some of us are ashamed of that kind of intolerance. I wish I could say "most" but I'm not sure anymore....
ReplyDeleteMy Orthodox Catholic Ukranian friend with the Victoria-magazine beautiful home and feasts laid out at Christmas amid twinkling candles, perfectly wrapped presents for a family of five under a sugar & spice tree etc etc... said this year, "I am so over Christmas."
ReplyDeleteWe who have had too many of them salute anybody who can summon up the energy to endure the season that "gets you by the throat". But, live and let live, everybody!
My husband and I shut the door, curl up in bed, and watch movies. Works for us. Gotta problem with that?
I don't hear these rightwing "christians" complaining about the basketball deal that makes it so basketball can resume on Christmas.
ReplyDeleteCan we please put the Nimrod back in Christmas?
ReplyDeleteThis comment wins the thread!
Great post, Gryphen.
ReplyDeleteToo many people do not understand that the "traditions" they cling to are actually fairly recent inventions to either promote religious identity or promote commercial enterprises.
What may have started as a sincere homage to a philosophical or faith tenant has morphed back into a seasonal celebration of life and survival. The winter solstice was significant for many centuries before the supposed birth date of Christ and will continue to be significant in climates where it marks the harshest time of the year turning towards renewal in the Spring.
It didn't take long for religious leaders and businesses to realize how they could turn the season to their profit. People want to celebrate being alive, want to celebrate hope, and want to give and receive gifts. Nothing wrong in that.
However, Christians should perhaps understand the real origins of their celebrations, the controversies around the date of Christ's birth, and contemplate how their celebrations do or do not reflect upon his life and teachings. Going into debt, drinking eggnog, and spending untold hours and money on decorating trees and houses may not be the best way to pay homage to a man who, to all reports, was a humble reformer.
Goodness, no one "owns" a day. Ours is a secular society. It has to be because of our Constitution and our values. We need to develop a tolerance for all beliefs, a respect for privacy and keep our religious beliefs closer to our own hearts instead of splaying them out all over the place.
That said, I am one pagan who wishes everyone a Merry Christmas because I mean it to be a simple wish for joy and contentment and appreciation of life.
Happy Nimrod to all!
ReplyDeleteI do believe that further research shows that X Boxes and $2 Waffle Irons were an integral part of early Christmas celebrations.
The Happy Holidays vs Merry Christmas crap is totally manufactured hyped up bullshit. I have never ever heard anyone complain about being wished Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays can include Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and any other holiday celebrated during that season. Would someone say Happy New Year on December 2? If not, why would anyone say Merry Christmas on December 2?
ReplyDeleteThe so called 'war on Christmas' is a part of a larger movement that is insisting that Christians are being persecuted. Horsepucky!!
I hate it every year when, after Halloween is done, Christmas stuff appears in the stores. Used to be it wasn't until after Thanksgiving. Pretty soon the Christmas stuff will start coming out after July 4th, then, it'll be after Easter, then, the whole crass business will be year-long and it will be even more completely meaningless.
ReplyDeleteOur days of the week are pretty darn pagan, hey? At least the fundies haven't figured that out yet. (shhhh!)
There's nothing more Christ-like than getting offended by people who fail to use the EXACT PHRASE YOUR REQUIRE when they wish you well.
ReplyDeleteMorgan - love your "It's kind of ironic that the very people screaming for us to leave the "Christ in Christmas" honor him by trampling each other for a $2 waffle iron."
ReplyDeleteSo true, sadly. However, that started my day off with a giggle. Thanks.
Love the answer to that email. By substituting Thursday for Christmas the writer is making a very good point.
ReplyDeleteLet me carry this a bit further:
Friday - Freia (Germanic/Nordic Goddess)
Saturday - Saturnus (Roman Saturnalia anyone?)
Sunday - Sun
Monday - Moon
So what do we have this year:
Christmas Eve Saturnalia? Hmmm
Or, for those of us who see the Universe as the Absolute,
Saturn, Sun and Moon (and a New Moon at that!)
No matter, all traditions celebrate nothing more, nothing less than the beginning of another Turn around the Sun.
I wish you happy...
Molly, When I lived in California a few years ago, the Hallmark stores in the malls started displaying their Christmas ornaments in late July-early August. Ridiculous!
ReplyDeleteMerry Nimrod to All.
ReplyDeleteCheers.
Headset (a retired Lutheran who tolerates any religion that does not seek to convert or destroy others)
"Astarte/Asherah/Ashtoreth/Isis/Ishtar/Easter in other pagan religions) claimed that after the untimely death of her son/husband Nimrod (yes she was married to her own son)"
ReplyDeleteThis is why at Easter when people say "Happy Easter" to me I always say back to them, "Have a happy ancient fertility rite day!"
I manage a very multi-cultural building in a large city where laws favor tenants. The number one rule is "Don't discriminate". They even have secret shoppers that may call & ask questions or come & pretend they are apartment hunting so I have to be extremely careful to treat everyone exactly the same. I have tenants who are from Taiwan, Ethiopia, India, Russia, Yugoslavia, China, Japan, Nepal, Thailand, Latino, Pacific Islands & So. Africa. To be on the safe side when I decorate the foyer for Christmas I have to leave out anything religious and my sign has to say Happy Holidays rather than Merry Christmas. I don't want the state discrimination police on my case.
Happy Nimrod, Happy Solstice, Happy Xmas, Happy Festivus, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Boxing Day! And Happy Bah-Humbug day too! BTW, I left my outside lights up last year and flipped the switch this year about a week after Halloween. Firsties!!(on my block). My husband wouldn't let me turn them on for Halloween. What a scrooge. This year I am not getting out the xmas decorations. Tired of doing all the work myself. So this year is Solstice celebration. Our scruffy little Charlie Brown tree in a pot in our back yard comes in and gets a string of lights with an antenna ball for a tree topper. We will decorate some yule logs and burn them in the fireplace while drinking various alcoholic concoctions and wrestling for Ruler of Festivus. I'll throw a handful of Solstice cards in the mail, mostly to the friends I don't stay in touch with regularly. And I'll make a turkey on xmas because I missed out on turkey at Thanksgiving and the entire point of most holidays for me is the food.
ReplyDeletehttp://blogs.discovermagazine.com/intersection/2011/03/25/origins-of-mankind-canada-vs-the-united-states/
ReplyDeleteAs long as we're beating up on myths, how about the myth that the Pilgrims came to America with the ideal of religious freedom. They came to America b/c they had been run out of pretty much everywhere they had ever been in Europe, and had to seek a new continent on which to practice their self-righteous intolerance of others. I mean, come on, you don't have to read very much about them to figure out how obnoxious they would be to have around the neighborhood. And America is still suffering from their legacy. They seem to be the role models for modern fundamentalists who look to them as the roots of our Christian heritage, and Colonial America seems to be the America they want back - the America where daring to question that the Bible is the inerrant word of God would get you a hot poker through your tongue. Had the Founders not had the wisdom to kick the church to the curb, this country would never have thrived. Their phony whining about a war on Christmas and the nonexistent persecution of Christians seems to mimic the tactic used by supporters of Israel, who attack anyone who criticizes Israeli atrocities for being anti-semitic. The sad thing is, the reason the Christian fundamentalists have adopted it is that it silences people, and America suffers as a consequence.
ReplyDeleteThe current "war on Christmas" was started by Walmart in 2005. It was Walmart that changed their policy and instructed their employees to use "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas".
ReplyDeleteIt's a marketing ploy to include more people in shopping.
Another is Black Friday. Which will eventually extend to the day after Halloween. All the retailers need to do is minimize Thanksgiving and they can gain several more weeks of Christmas shopping season, thus moving to the black a little sooner in the year.
Let's face it. They tried but retailers have never been able to cash in on Thanksgiving like they have Christmas, Easter, Halloween, St. Pat's, Valentine's and Fourth of July.
Those chocolate turkeys weren't big sellers. No one puts up Thanksgiving lights or decorates the yard with pilgrims. And no one sends Thanksgiving cards even though Hallmark probably still stocks a few.
The attack on Christmas was started by Walmart. Which last I checked was a very RIGHT WING corporation. But the reasons weren't political, religious or inclusive. It was simple capitalistic greed, nothing more.
This just in from the department of their god is telling them what to do and he says all the non believers are doing it wrong. Their leader gets the message direct and just as soon as his 'sexual counseling' sesssion is done, they will wreak some more vengeance on the non believers.
ReplyDeletetpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/12/agents_found_drugs_clippers_during_raid_on.php?ref=fpnewsfeed
Federal agents say that they found evidence of marijuana and cocaine, as well as clippers and scissors during a raid on the compound of the Amish beard-cutting suspects, now charged with hate crimes.
In a bail hearing on Wednesday, prosecutors reportedly introduced video evidence that included evidence of drug use, sex and the information related to the attacks.
The 'sexual counseling' and other details and a picture of the alleged perps (or pervs?) at the TPM link.
Thanks for the post, it should be saved for annual publication. I burn Franchinsense and mihr on the Winter soulstice in memory of lost friends and family. It's just my tradtition and don't ask anyone else to participate. My friends know about it and come by if they want. Celebrate life as you find it and enjoy it.
ReplyDeleteOn u-tube, unde molinelobo, is my effort as Nimrod Wildfire and the Bobcats.
Have a great season, whatever you want to call it.
Don
My family has developed humanist versions of all the major religious holidays. Thanksgiving is cool as it is; Easter is "baby day," when we celebrate all our baby friends and animals; Christmas is "peace day."
ReplyDeleteAnon 6:49, your apartment building must be a fascinating place to live.
ReplyDeleteAm a christian and that facebook point is offensive. First of all, the bible never suggested we celebrate the birth of Christ. Especially the way we do in North America. Someone along the line, throw in a few emperors, pagans, stories of St. Nicklaus, mix it all in a bag and, voila! - you have what we know as Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI'm not insulted one bit about someone trying to take the name out of Christmas, because simply, Christ himself would not have approved of this celebratory spectacle anyway. I can't imagine Jesus coming back around the holidays in NYC and walking past a guy in a Santa suit ring a bell for a few measly coins, while shoppers with pepper spray, lights, trees, the whole gamut is before his eyes. I take the holidays as a way to enjoy family and friends before that long draggy winter ahead.
Although in the Old Testament, Jews were encouraged to "celebrate" the feast days, to commemorate miraculous things that happened to them. So, in a way, christians can celebrate and make merry to an extent. But, like that facebook poster, to feel entitled that others not take "his" Christ out of Christmas is silly. He and only he needs to just pray alone and celebrate in his heart-felt way. No one has closed down church services or masses on Christmas Eve or day. He/she doesn't have a leg to stand on with their complaint. Rant over.
This is an excellent post and the comments make it even better.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in a family that didn't ever get caught up in the materialism of the Happy Holiday.
Lately it seems the Happy Holiday is really about a bunch of lemmings going into debt to buy all the things that no one really wants. I think this War on Christmas thing may be counter productive for the rightwingers in the end. The more discussion it starts the better. In the meantime it is just more 24/7 noise to ignore.
I'm a Christian and I like the term 'happy holidays' because it acknowledges all the holidays of the season - Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. It's the trifecta of seasonal celebrations.
ReplyDeleteThis is off subject a tad...but Greta at FOX is in trouble for not disclosing her husband's affiliation w/primary candidate Cain.
ReplyDeleteHer husband also had/has a relationship w/Sarah Palin. Greta recently interviewed Cain's wife and her affiliation w/Mrs. Cain's husband was never disclosed prior to, or after, the show. (Which I didn't watch.)
My thought: Greta and her hubby do a horrid job in selecting whom they want to guide and support. Both Palin and Cain have been proven to be: liars, unethical, horrid Republicans and ONLY street smart - not educated as to government affairs worldwide or even in their own USA!
Greta would have been fired if she were on any other media outlet. I've not watched her for years because of her relationship w/Sarah Palin and Toad! She has the lowest ratings of all the FOX announcers and I suspect, will drop further.
Just had this argument with my reichwing brother who wants to force us all to say Under God and Merry Christmas. Nothing says freedom like demanding that other people believe the way you do or else...
ReplyDeleteAs I told the tea-turd in my own family, December has more holidays than just Christmas (think Hanuukah, Kwanzaa and New Years eve among many) and saying Happy Holidays is perfectly appropriate.
Also, if someone wants to get "offended" because I wish them happy holidays instead of Merry Christmas, then they are incredibly petty and small. They should be glad someone wishes them happiness and blessings instead of bitching about how the message is said.
For a people of "faith" these Christo Fascists are incredibly insecure.
Olivia said...
ReplyDeleteThe Happy Holidays vs Merry Christmas crap is totally manufactured hyped up bullshit. I have never ever heard anyone complain about being wished Merry Christmas. Happy Holidays can include Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and any other holiday celebrated during that season. Would someone say Happy New Year on December 2? If not, why would anyone say Merry Christmas on December 2?
The so called 'war on Christmas' is a part of a larger movement that is insisting that Christians are being persecuted. Horsepucky!!
5:40 AM
Welcome to my place, Olivia. Happy Holidays is a great way to cover all the bases. But blanket Merry Christmas shows either a total lack of awareness (not everyone celebrates it-ok frm a 4 y o ) or a deliberate militant bigotry.
Oh, and Happy Hanukkah to you. Or Happy Anniversary! What, this isn't your anniversary so you aren't celebrating? Well, it's mine and I AM so you must be too!!! What? you're not even married. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!! What do you mean you, "please stop wishing you happy anniversary?" WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH YOU - do you hate marriage or something?
SO you have now officially heard form one person who would appreciate using Merry Christmas as a blanket holiday greeting.
Cool Mimi.
ReplyDeleteMy Dad likes lamb for Easter.
I always found it a strange choice bordering on the hypocritical. We celebrate Spring by eating babies. (Baby animals, I.E. lamb) Then there is the whole Lamb of God thing.
As for Xmas being the holiday of Peace, funny how celebrating the King of Peace seems to bring out the war in so many who claim to follow his teachings. Well, to be truthful, they are religious grazers, picking and choosing what parts to follow and what to ignore. They love to follow the gay hating scripture (they make up) but ignore all the peace and love they fellow man tolerance stuff.
Eostre was also a European pagan goddess associated with the hare who was celebrated as both a harbinger of spring, good times, and fertility.
ReplyDeleteThe Easter bunny is the Eostre bunny.
I am a Christian who doesn't give a crap if people say Happy Holidays, Seriously, people, if Jesus and the rest of the Godhead wanted us to make a big stinking deal out of Christmas, they would have given us the date of his birth. And it is also funny how the days that He DOES tell us to make holy and keep sacred, most Christians insist don't matter.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't even get me started on the whole issue of America as a Christian nation. That would be a book!
I like the part where the Donkey-Headed God, an ass, Pales, is crucified at the time we call Easter (Oester, the opening of the fertility of the Earth) at the time of the first full moon of the Vernal Equinox.
ReplyDeleteThere is NOT ONE story in Christianity that has not been usurped from ancient mythologies that had been active for centuries and eons before.
Not one.
I don't care what people worship or do as long as they don't try to convince me that they are right and I am wrong.
ReplyDeleteThere is absolutely no proof that Christ was born on the approx.day of, or at least near, the Winter Solstice.
ReplyDelete"Christ's Mass" date was chosen, like so many "Christian" days of celebration to usurp a non Christian celebration.
The celebration of the harvest fest became Thanksgiving. The Celebration of all souls day became the day when traditionally the last days to bury the dead had come until the spring thaw was celebrated.
The celebration of the mid winter solstice was the celebration of the promise of coming spring and the rebirth of life.
Easter is even timed specifically by the Mid Winter Solstice,and the phases o fthe moon, both being pagan symbols. It is the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Winter Solstice. Leave out the last modifier,first Sunday, and it is a pagan day of celebration of new birth.
It may have been good PR for the Catholics to take over what they saw as unholy celebrations but in reality it diluted their message by confusing Them with the preexisting celebrations.
So if Christ' Mass is what you want Christmas to be - great, do that. No one is stopping or even discouraging you.
But don't go all shitty minded when most of the rest of the population wants to celebrate the Mid Winter solstice in a different way, and maybe Christ's Mass as well.
The two are not mutually exclusive for most of the population.
It is fully possible to celebrate the birth of the Savior and to celebrate the promise of coming spring and new life at the same time.
So, Billie O,et al., shut up about it already, you are beyond boring.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
ReplyDelete"...I don't even want to get into the Easter Bunny.
5:07 AM
Oh puleez don't get into the Easter Bunny. You brought up images of Herb Cain hopping down his bunny trails.
I need to go wash my mental download file with Lysol my inner monitory screen has gotten a Horrible virus.
FWIW, if you want the original holidays look up Saturnalia, Brumalia and Juvenalia. Then all sorts of other stuff was larded onto these over the centuries.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the links, Gryphen. This whole "keep the Christ in Christmas" thing is bullcrap. Now if someone wants to keep the "Ho" out of "Holiday", then I have a serious problem with that!
ReplyDeleteI was raised Catholic, my parents celebrated Christ's birth in January, three kings day, was the day we feasted, went to churches and celbrated the religions holiday.
Christmas was the commercial holiday, where you got one or two presents you listed for Santa to leave you, left cookies for the Reigndeer and Santa, and hung out with the goobersmooher extended family.
When I began my spiritual awakenting, I questioned a Priest why the immaculate conception wasn't celebrated eight to nine months before Christmas. I was flogged with a wet noodle and told to sit down and shut up.
I was later excommunicated, and I learned much of what your links so eloquently explain. I have no problem with wishing people Merry Christmas or Happy Holiday. What get's my goat is how uppity SOME Christians get over Christmas or Xmas. Who does it hurt, one day out of the year, to wish happiness, health, prosperity, good will, and genuine concern for another person? It's only one day, SOME Chistians, let it go.
Happy Festivus, I triple dog dare you!
Gryphen, the link you provide is bogus. It expands on the theories of a 19th century protestant minister, who was not even aware that, at his time, only northern Europe had evergreen trees and gifts to children on Christmas.
ReplyDeletePeople in my family remember that evergreen trees and gifts on Christmas began after WWII, brought by the US soldiers, just like Halloween began about 2003 in my country. All that may be old English traditions, coming from Scandinavia or elsewhere up north, but it's not millenia-old tradtion coming from Mesopotamia - because Southern Europe never heard of it before the 20th century.
Sure, Christ was not born on Christmas. But poor Semiramis had nothing to do with it. Linking to pseudo-science weakens your post.
There are just as many liberal Christians as there are conservative Christians.
ReplyDelete