If you love Christmas, thank a Pagan



GQ wrote:
> Unfortuately that seems to be the case for a goodly portion of them
> but there are true Pagans that people would not even know because they
> just live their lives without belittling others and without bothering
> others.


Well ****, what good is a religion if you can't use it to belittle and
bother others? Isn't that how you know and display that you (only)
have the Truth?

Best line in the thread this time around so far is the one about Santa
on his knees in the manger. Beautiful example of blending traditions.
Relax and enjoy it. -aem
 
"Gregory Morrow" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> kevnbro wrote:
>
> > >The Pagans I've encountered are just about the stupidest persons I've

ever known...they fall into the "New Age" category and IMNSHO that should
re - named the "Moron" category...
> >
> > Yet another fine example of "believe what I believe or you're a
> > moron/evil/unpatriotic/going to hell/immoral/unethical/a liberal/a
> > terrorst etc. etc. etc. etc. insert self-rightious accusation here".

>
>
> Yet you cannot refute the veracity of what I said - go ahead, TRY...


Without knowing those specific "pagans" you have encountered,
it's obviously impossible to refute the statement. However, as
given here, with the apparent implication that - based on whoever
or whatever it is you've "encountered" - all pagans are proven to
be "stupid," is itself pretty nonsensical.

Bob M.
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"Gregory Morrow" <[email protected]> wrote:

> The Pagans I've encountered are just about the stupidest persons I've
> ever known...they fall into the "New Age" category and IMNSHO that
> should re - named the "Moron" category...
>
> --
> Best
> Greg "I think it's time to get re - birthed..."


<snork> I know what you mean...

I am pagan myself, but, like any "fad" religion, we get our share of
nutcases as well.

Oddly enough, I've met more quack x-tians than I have quack pagans tho'.

;-)

Cheers!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-*****." -Jack Nicholson
 
In article <[email protected]>,
GQ <[email protected]> wrote:

> On 17 Dec 2005 09:03:28 -0800, "Gregory Morrow"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >The Pagans I've encountered are just about the stupidest persons I've
> >ever known...they fall into the "New Age" category and IMNSHO that
> >should re - named the "Moron" category...

>
> Unfortuately that seems to be the case for a goodly portion of them
> but there are true Pagans that people would not even know because they
> just live their lives without belittling others and without bothering
> others.


Indeed... ;-)
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-*****." -Jack Nicholson
 
In article <eq%[email protected]>,
"Bob Myers" <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Gregory Morrow" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > kevnbro wrote:
> >
> > > >The Pagans I've encountered are just about the stupidest persons I've

> ever known...they fall into the "New Age" category and IMNSHO that should
> re - named the "Moron" category...
> > >
> > > Yet another fine example of "believe what I believe or you're a
> > > moron/evil/unpatriotic/going to hell/immoral/unethical/a liberal/a
> > > terrorst etc. etc. etc. etc. insert self-rightious accusation here".

> >
> >
> > Yet you cannot refute the veracity of what I said - go ahead, TRY...

>
> Without knowing those specific "pagans" you have encountered,
> it's obviously impossible to refute the statement. However, as
> given here, with the apparent implication that - based on whoever
> or whatever it is you've "encountered" - all pagans are proven to
> be "stupid," is itself pretty nonsensical.
>
> Bob M.
>
>


I used to attend a pagan retreat/festival twice per year. The membership
grew from 50 to 1,200 over a period of about 15 years.

When the membership got to be that high, the idiot to true ratio got to
be about 50/50. In the beginning, it was not so bad.

<sigh>

I think the fact that those events are clothing optional might have had
something to do with it. As the word got around, more attendees were
just looking for an excuse to party naked. :p

Oh well!
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-*****." -Jack Nicholson
 
On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 17:27:12 -0600, OmManiPadmeOmelet
<[email protected]> wrote:

>In article <[email protected]>,
> "Gregory Morrow" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> The Pagans I've encountered are just about the stupidest persons I've
>> ever known...they fall into the "New Age" category and IMNSHO that
>> should re - named the "Moron" category...
>>
>> --
>> Best
>> Greg "I think it's time to get re - birthed..."

>
><snork> I know what you mean...
>
>I am pagan myself, but, like any "fad" religion, we get our share of
>nutcases as well.


I am also and you are correct.
>
>Oddly enough, I've met more quack x-tians than I have quack pagans tho'.


Me too.
>
>;-)
>
>Cheers!
 
It was Golden Gate University in San Francisco, about 25 years ago.

Kate B wrote:
>
> What are you talking about and please identify the "secular" college that
> had text books that taught that the Roman Empire was operating with the
> Roman Catholic church as its guiding light? Christianity was not exactly
> popular during the empire building era of ancient Rome. While I agree with
> what Peter Aitken said what you contributed is pure and utter BS.
 
Sheldon wrote:
>
> Considering *all* those who subscribe to any god centered religion are
> morons, then ergo, all pagans are morons too. All one can argue is
> degree...[snips]


Well, you gave colorful examples for two of the three Abrahamic
religions. Just couldn't think of one for the third, huh? You gotta
be careful to be as shitty to the Jews as you are to the Christians and
Moslems or somebody'll think you're biased. -aem
 
aem wrote:
> Sheldon wrote:
> >
> > Considering *all* those who subscribe to any god centered religion are
> > morons, then ergo, all pagans are morons too. All one can argue is
> > degree...[snips]

>
> Well, you gave colorful examples for two of the three Abrahamic
> religions. Just couldn't think of one for the third, huh? You gotta
> be careful to be as shitty to the Jews as you are to the Christians and
> Moslems or somebody'll think you're biased. -aem


You know better. I'm equal opportunity. Judaism, with all it's
fercocktah versions, has over time produced more screwed up morons than
all the others put together. Wait, here comes Charlton Heston with his
wooden spoon, which sea is he going to part today...

Bet yoose didn't know IRS is an anagram.

Sheldon
 
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] says...
> On 17 Dec 2005 09:03:28 -0800, "Gregory Morrow"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >The Pagans I've encountered are just about the stupidest persons I've
> >ever known...they fall into the "New Age" category and IMNSHO that
> >should re - named the "Moron" category...

>
> Unfortuately that seems to be the case for a goodly portion of them
> but there are true Pagans that people would not even know because they
> just live their lives without belittling others and without bothering
> others.


Precisely.
 
Tony P. wrote:

> I suppose I'm not really pagan but do know what it was about. The light,
> plain and simple. And early Christians (Circa 500 A.D.) had to associate
> him with the light.
>
> Funny how light pretty much opened up the world of physics.


I haven't been reading this thread at all, but when I saw how much bandwidth
was going into this thread, I thought I'd check it out. I see it lacks one
crucial element: "Doctor" Chung. Somebody want to cross-post to one of
Chung's groups? I'm sure his input would be priceless.

Bob
 
Bob Terwilliger wrote:
> Tony P. wrote:
>
>
>>I suppose I'm not really pagan but do know what it was about. The light,
>>plain and simple. And early Christians (Circa 500 A.D.) had to associate
>>him with the light.
>>
>>Funny how light pretty much opened up the world of physics.

>
>
> I haven't been reading this thread at all, but when I saw how much bandwidth
> was going into this thread, I thought I'd check it out. I see it lacks one
> crucial element: "Doctor" Chung. Somebody want to cross-post to one of
> Chung's groups? I'm sure his input would be priceless.
>
> Bob
>
>


oooh, you're evil :)

--

saerah

"Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a
disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice."
-Baruch Spinoza

"There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly
what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear
and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There
is another theory which states that this has already happened."
-Douglas Adams
 
"Melinda Meahan - take out TRASH to send" <[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
> It was Golden Gate University in San Francisco, about 25 years ago.
>
> Kate B wrote:
> >
> > What are you talking about and please identify the "secular" college

that
> > had text books that taught that the Roman Empire was operating with the
> > Roman Catholic church as its guiding light? Christianity was not

exactly
> > popular during the empire building era of ancient Rome. While I agree

with
> > what Peter Aitken said what you contributed is pure and utter BS.

>

I was crabby in my reply but can you honestly believe that Golden Gate
University selected text books that opined as you stated:

>"My secular history textbook at a secular college
> said that the reason why the Roman Empire made such phenomenal conquests
> is that they would incorporate the pagan religious customs of each group
> into some Roman Catholic ritual(s) in order to more easily attract
> them so they could be more easily conquered. If you think about it, it
> was a really intelligent way to assimilate them." ????


Are you, perhaps, just "mis-remembering" what you were supposed to have
learned 25 years ago: i.e. That the Roman Empire was more than happy to
accept the traditions of conquered folks and adapt them to "meld" with
whatever they felt needed to be part and parcel of being a "new Roman".?
This had nothing to do with "Roman Catholic" rituals. The first Roman
Emperor that embraced "Christianity" was Constantine and he wasn't baptised
until shortly before his death in 327 a.d. (reminder, BTW, he was the
Emperor who moved the capital of Rome from Rome to Constanople and let's not
mention the false decretals like the "donation of Constantine"). The Roman
Empire, at least in the west, didn't long survive that move. You do recall
the sack of Rome and the so-called beginning of the "dark ages"? Probably
not. Never mind!

Kate
 
Pan Ohco wrote:


>
> Christmas is one of two core beliefs in christianity.
> The "x" was use as replacement for "Christ" during years of
> prosecution. Until modern times when it is being use, to remove the
> word "Christ" from Christmas.



FWIW, I found this in our local newspaper under the heading "The Facts
about Christmas":

The common abbreviation for Christmas to Xmas is derived from the Greek
alphabet. "X" is letter "Chi", which is the first letter of Christ's
name in the Greek alphabet.


--
Cheers
Cathy(xyz)
 
On 17 Dec 2005 09:53:35 -0800, "Gregory Morrow"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>kevnbro wrote:
>
>> >The Pagans I've encountered are just about the stupidest persons

> I've ever known...they fall into the "New Age" category and IMNSHO
> that should re - named the "Moron" category...
>>
>> Yet another fine example of "believe what I believe or you're a
>> moron/evil/unpatriotic/going to hell/immoral/unethical/a liberal/a
>> terrorst etc. etc. etc. etc. insert self-rightious accusation here".

>
>Yet you cannot refute the veracity of what I said - go ahead, TRY...


Well. How about you supply hard data--enough for anyone who examines
said data to make their own conclusions about the persons you've known
(pagan and otherwise).

I know "New Age"-ish pagans and "New Age"-ish Christians as well as
"New Age"-ish atheists/agnostics/Ba'Hai/etc. Some are stupid, some
not. I know members of the above groups who aren't "New Age" at
all--again, some are stupid, some are not. I do know that making
sweeping statements such as yours above is highly likely to be one
sign of stupidity.

So supply data--put up or shut up, in other words.

--
-denny-
"Do your thoughts call ahead or do they just arrive at your mouth unannounced?"

"It's come as you are, baby."

-over the hedge
 
On Sat, 17 Dec 2005 19:29:35 GMT, GQ wrote:


>>>>It's actually more accurate to say that
>>>> modern Xmas has no Christian origins. It was at best a very minor Christian


>>Christmas is one of two core beliefs in christianity.
>>The "x" was use as replacement for "Christ" during years of
>>prosecution. Until modern times when it is being use, to remove the
>>word "Christ" from Christmas.

>
>LOLOLOLOL Actually, most people use the "x" just to shorten the word
>and nothing more. I am sure some use it to not use the word Christ but
>more often than not is for shortening the word and nothing more. Do
>you also see conspiracies in a can of corn?


Yes, you save a whole five letters.(sarcasem mode off)
 
On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 09:45:38 +0200, cathyxyz wrote:

>Pan Ohco wrote:
>
>
>>
>> Christmas is one of two core beliefs in christianity.
>> The "x" was use as replacement for "Christ" during years of
>> prosecution. Until modern times when it is being use, to remove the
>> word "Christ" from Christmas.

>
>
>FWIW, I found this in our local newspaper under the heading "The Facts
>about Christmas":
>
>The common abbreviation for Christmas to Xmas is derived from the Greek
>alphabet. "X" is letter "Chi", which is the first letter of Christ's
>name in the Greek alphabet.


Yes, it is a form of abbreviation of Christ. That's like going into an
area of Buddhist, and saying "Bs the Man". Disrespectful as least.
 
Just out of curiosity as I've never had a Christmas tree before, and think I
might buy a small one this year (potted so it can be used again!), has
anyone suggestions on what to put on the top? When I was a kid we had a
fairy... I thought of a star, but would prefer a more non-Christian symbol.
Although I am sort-of Christian on paper, I lean more towards
non-conformist/humanist/pagan (whatever) these days and can't think of
anything tasteful and pretty (no santas or snowmen please).
 
Pan Ohco wrote:

> Yes, it is a form of abbreviation of Christ. That's like going into an
> area of Buddhist, and saying "Bs the Man". Disrespectful as least.


Do you feel the same way about the Jesus-fish? Same idea of abbreviation.

Bob
 
On Sun, 18 Dec 2005 16:16:12 GMT, EastneyEnder
<[email protected]> wrote:

> Just out of curiosity as I've never had a Christmas tree before, and think I
> might buy a small one this year (potted so it can be used again!), has
> anyone suggestions on what to put on the top? When I was a kid we had a
> fairy... I thought of a star, but would prefer a more non-Christian symbol.
> Although I am sort-of Christian on paper, I lean more towards
> non-conformist/humanist/pagan (whatever) these days and can't think of
> anything tasteful and pretty (no santas or snowmen please).


The pagans that I know have faeries (gotta spell it that way) as part
of their belief systems. So maybe a fairy would be an appropriate
tree topper, after all.

Last year, we had a tree decorated completely with porcelain birds and
the standard glass ornaments - with birds on them. Maybe you could
use something like that, or anything else that can be found in Nature.
Wow, this is giving me ideas. Like tying a pretty ribbon around
cinnamon sticks and so on.

Crash and I alternate between an angel, a star, and a Santa riding a
carousel (animated). Angels are part of our belief systems.

Also, Crash has suggested a beer can as your tree topper. <rolling
eyes>

Carol
--

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/head_trollop/my_photos