The general whining of the AFA and other parties this time of year just begs me to post this link…
http://www.religioustolerance.org/winter_solstice.htm
Here is a snippet for just one of the religions mentioned
CHRISTIANITY: Any record of the date of birth of Yeshua of Nazareth (later known as Jesus Christ) has been lost. There is sufficient evidence in the Gospels to indicate that Yeshua was born in the fall, but this seems to have been unknown to early Christians. By the beginning of the 4th century CE, there was intense interest in choosing a day to celebrate Yeshua’s birthday. The western church leaders selected DEC-25 because this was already the date recognized throughout the Roman Empire as the birthday of various Pagan gods. 1,2 Since there was no central Christian authority at the time, it took centuries before the tradition was universally accepted:
Eastern churches began to celebrate Christmas after 375 CE.
Many symbols and practices associated with Christmas are of Pagan origin: holly, ivy, mistletoe, yule log, the giving of gifts, decorated evergreen tree, magical reindeer, etc. Polydor Virgil, an early British Christian, said “Dancing, masques, mummeries, stageplays, and other such Christmas disorders now in use with Christians, were derived from these Roman Saturnalian and Bacchanalian festivals; which should cause all pious Christians eternally to abominate them.” In Massachusetts, Puritans unsuccessfully tried to ban Christmas entirely during the 17th century, because of its heathenism. The English Parliament abolished Christmas in 1647. Some contemporary Christian faith groups do not celebrate Christmas. Included among these was the Worldwide Church of God (before its recent conversion to Evangelical Christianity) and the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
And I heard about this on the radio and made me chuckle… read between the lines…
5% of Americas are offended by the greeting “Merry Christmas”…
32% of Americans are offended by the greeting “Happy Holidays”…
http://www.christianpost.com/article/20061209/23973.htm
IMO, celebrate and focus on what it is that makes you happy. Don’t focus on what makes you unhappy and chastise others for celebrating what they enjoy. I personally don’t care if I see Happy Holidays, Feliz Navidad, Fleas on Your Dog, or Happy Independence Day when I walk into a store, none if it will impact my ability to enjoy or not enjoy the experience. But then I am a busy person and not a busy body person in search of things and people to control.
Fleas on your dog…
Fleas on your dog…
Fleas on your dog, oh won’t you help me to get them off.
joe
