Cheerful Charlie
Contributor
It's a bit early for Xmas music, but....
It's a bit early for Xmas music, but....
I tend to agree with you. Christmas was a lot of fun when I was a child, although it was a bit stressful, worrying about what gifts I would get for Xmas. Maybe Xmas made kids too materialistic. Nothing to with Santa, just basic greed.I have no problem with beliefs as long as it stays within the law and leaves me alone.
Obviously I have issues with American Christianity, bit I understand why someone would believe in Christian god. I don't begrudge anyone their beliefs.
Sneering at a childhood myth like Santa Claus represents to me a kind of bitterness. Who was it that called Chrtimas humbug?
Only the very young do not realize it is not real. Commercialization aside, Christmas that grew put of A Christmas Carol is a social ritual that people enjoy.
Science does not own the sun.What Rhea said. It's about the Winter Solstice. It's actually quite the scientific celebration that's been overlaid with religious voodoo.
Bloody right.Science does not own the sun.What Rhea said. It's about the Winter Solstice. It's actually quite the scientific celebration that's been overlaid with religious voodoo.
Christian denominations piggyback on it by hijacking pagan rituals. Neither of them own it. Scientists don't either. They don't try to. They just examine it - from a scientific angle.Science does not own the sun.What Rhea said. It's about the Winter Solstice. It's actually quite the scientific celebration that's been overlaid with religious voodoo.
Poli is simply saying the reason we celebrate Christmas is not because a magic spaceman had a baby. Obviously I agree.Christian denominations piggyback on it by hijacking pagan rituals. Neither of them own it. Scientists don't either. They don't try to. They just examine it - from a scientific angle.Science does not own the sun.What Rhea said. It's about the Winter Solstice. It's actually quite the scientific celebration that's been overlaid with religious voodoo.
Even the pagan rituals and celebrations occurred because of the solstice. Our ancestors were great natural observers and astronomers because their survival literally depended on it. I wonder how many folks today actually know that. On a quiz would they say the reason for christmas is a space baby or the winter solstice. Likewise Easter. Would people say it's because the space baby came back to life or because of the vernal equinox?We all know that Christians stole Xmas from the pagans, but who cares? Groups make ups their own holidays and rituals. Xmas can be celebrated as a religious or secular holiday.
My husband and I don't care about rituals or holidays. We don't celebrate any of them any longer, now that we have no family nearby forcing us to participate. But, if I move closer to the son and grandkids before I die, I'll do whatever makes the rest of them happy.
My son is an atheist, so his Xmas is a secular one too. HIs wife has some assorted woo, but she's not a Christian. Still, if one is into holidays. Xmas is one that most people celebrate, and even a lot of Jewish people I've known do the tree and gift thing. It's cultural more than anything else.
Easter is for getting candy from the Easter Bunny. I'm surprised you didn't know that.Even the pagan rituals and celebrations occurred because of the solstice. Our ancestors were great natural observers and astronomers because their survival literally depended on it. I wonder how many folks today actually know that. On a quiz would they say the reason for christmas is a space baby or the winter solstice. Likewise Easter. Would people say it's because the space baby came back to life or because of the vernal equinox?We all know that Christians stole Xmas from the pagans, but who cares? Groups make ups their own holidays and rituals. Xmas can be celebrated as a religious or secular holiday.
My husband and I don't care about rituals or holidays. We don't celebrate any of them any longer, now that we have no family nearby forcing us to participate. But, if I move closer to the son and grandkids before I die, I'll do whatever makes the rest of them happy.
My son is an atheist, so his Xmas is a secular one too. HIs wife has some assorted woo, but she's not a Christian. Still, if one is into holidays. Xmas is one that most people celebrate, and even a lot of Jewish people I've known do the tree and gift thing. It's cultural more than anything else.
Water Music is one of my favorites.Long before I became a Christian, I loved the Christmas holiday for one reason (other than Santa Claus! And presents! And good food!): the music. Handel's Messiah is some of the most glorious music I have ever sung. I have participated many, many times in a choir which performed this at Christmas. You can love the music without being a Christian.
My performing days are over, but I still listen to a recording of this every year at Christmas.
Ruth
I had a recent conversation on the word "Easter." The person is not overly religious or preachy, mostly just enjoys the old habits of going to church and socializing. But they had no idea where the word came from so I had to explain that it is named after a pagan goddess. This is why christians try to rename it the feast of the resurrection, it gets rid of the obvious pagan origins. I don't know if Eostre is resurrected in the original so maybe that phrase will have to be abandoned as well in time.I doubt that most traditional Christians, the ones who don't read or aren't very educated about such things know that Christians took a lot of the pagan Solstice Day rituals and appropriated them as part of their own celebrations.
It's fairly easy to get a grip on.Not so crazy about Handel
They started celebrating that in the third century to coincide with pagan celebrations. The space baby myth didn't have a fixed birthday before that.I think the RCC moved the Jesus birth celebration to coincide with the pagan winter festivals because it was competion.
I love Mozart's Mass in C Minor. Not so crazy about Handel, but I can understand why a music loving Christian would love it. The words are a bit too much for me. At least the Mass is in Latin. I love listening to it as I drift off to sleep during cold winter nights.