I've been reading up on Pagan origins of Christmas recently and it's quite interesting.

http://de.essortment.com/christmaspagan_rece.htm

http://www.zenzibar.com/articles/christmas.asp

http://www.serve.com/shea/germusa/pagan.htm

I don't think there is much controversity on the topic, but it would be great to hear other people's opinions.

A better question might be to ask what parts of mainstream Christinaity DIDN'T come from pagan souces.

(answer: Very bloody little).

Happy Mithras-mas everyone!

quote:Originally posted by jackketch:

A better question might be to ask what parts of mainstream Christinaity DIDN'T come from pagan souces.

(answer: Very bloody little).

Happy Mithras-mas everyone!

This is definitly true. Since Christmas is coming up, I figured I would base the topic on that.

Jackketch, I have a question for you, sir.

I'm under the impression that you are a Christian, but yet you seem aware of the shortcomings of the Bible and other parts of Christianity. I also remember reading that you read the Bible in its true form. I apolgize for posing the question so poorly, but what exactly do you read. You speak of "mainstream" Christianity, I must ask what kind of Christian you call yourself?

Once again, apolgize for posing the question so poorly, I ask these question in the upmost respect cause you seem quite knowledgable about religion.

quote:Originally posted by AnAsTaSiO:

This is definitly true. Since Christmas is coming up, I figured I would base the topic on that.

Jackketch, I have a question for you, sir.

I'm under the impression that you are a Christian, but yet you seem aware of the shortcomings of the Bible and other parts of Christianity. I also remember reading that you read the Bible in its true form. I apolgize for posing the question so poorly, but what exactly do you read. You speak of "mainstream" Christianity, I must ask what kind of Christian you call yourself?

Once again, apolgize for posing the question so poorly, I ask these question in the upmost respect cause you seem quite knowledgable about religion.

Well according to people like my friend Digi I am not a christian. But I take the biblical view that to be a christian simply means that I believe that Jesus(or whatever his real name was) was the promised messiah and I try and fail badly to follow his teachings.

I do not believe in the christo-myths of pagan origin such as the trinity, immortal souls, heaven and hell, Sunday as the sabbath(in the classic form), the Eucharist (in the classic form), nor do I recognise the canon as it is normally held to be.

Basically I aspire to be a 'righteous gentile' , a 'ger toshab' (and i KNOW i spelt that wrong).

This was a pretty cool essay in TIME this week: here (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout/0,8816,1568483,00.html)

It's somewhat related and worth a read, methinks.

quote:Call me a purist, but as Christmas approaches, it's worth noting that the ancient and traditional idea of a holiday did not include attempted murders over PlayStation 3 or CNN advisories on how to beat "holiday stress." According to anthropologists, human festivities--probably going back to the Paleolithic era--featured the universal ingredients of feasting, dancing, costuming, masking and/ or face painting, for days at a time. These things didn't happen indoors, within the family circle, but around bonfires, in the streets or on the "dancing grounds" of prehistoric civilizations. Holidays bonded whole communities together, not just families.

conjuror

caught22.com (http://caught22.com)

[This message has been edited by conjuror (edited 12-14-2006).]

What it shows is how many Christian churches (Catholic, Protestant, etc.) changed and added to their religion simply to make it more accepting to others. I think that is just wrong. Truth is eternal, a church's beliefs should not change just because society around it changes. I am Christian, but for these reasons I find many flaws with the Bible. Too much change because of arrogant and selfish religious leaders.