XMAS AND XMAS TREES OF PAGAN ORIGIN? POSSIBLY NOT! (page 4)

badboy

I understand from an article in the Varsitarian? that St Cyril asked Julius 1 for permission to search Roman census(brought by Titus from Jerusalem) records to ascertain jesus's birthday.

lilparrottx

I am in AWE of leolaia!!! Your posts here are so detailed and well reasoned. Thanks!

Brigid

Leolaia, you are awesome (and so smart, too--oye!)

I'm always amused at the energy that the WTBTS puts into removing everything "Pagan" from their schema when it is as integral to the human experience as skin. Fact: "Pagan" symbols are everywhere---everywhere from the wedding ring to Christmas. Why the urge to extract it? Fact: We humans were once all polytheistic (even the Hebrews) and connected to the divine via different "facets" of this force we currently call "god", so of course, we have these origins interwoven into everything. Just like on the individual level, we have experiences of our childhoods hardwired into our view of the world as adults.

I personally prefer the colorful gods of old in my winter celebrations (though I have both lit the Channukah lights and decorated a Christmas tree thus far)....my personal preference is gathering with my closer friends for Yule and Winter Solstice (which will not be happening tonight due to inclement weather we're having here in Denver).

In the end, all three of different ways I have celebrated thus far are just we chilly little humans, tired of the short days welcoming back the Sun (Son) to shine once again in Spring/Summer.

daystar

While Christmas is not exactly "of pagan origin", it does remain influenced by and align itself with many non-Christian festivities. But this is quite natural. This time of year is associated with renewal and rebirth. Sol Invictus "the undefeated sun", as Leolai indicated, which among other things was a celebration of the Mithras divinity, a solar deity, meets perfectly with the birth of Jesus Christ, also a solar deity (solar-phallic in fact; the cross being an overtly phallic symbol, while also symbolic of this same solar energy).

badboy

DIDN'T HIPPOLYTUS SUPPOSEDLY SAY DECEMBER 25 BEFORE SOL INVICTUS DAY WAS INTRODUCED?

clarity

wha happened?

I miss badboy

Dagney

LOL, I know...me too.

mP

@tophat

a green evergreen tree is a symbol of fertility & vitality. All religion and especially the holidays are fertility rituals. All religious holidays mark equinoxes & solstices, because the ancients were very much interested in when these things happened so they could plant, harvest stop worrying because its going to get warmer etc.

XMAS AND XMAS TREES OF PAGAN ORIGIN? POSSIBLY NOT!

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