What are you on? Is that how you celebrate Yule, by smoking some really GOOD ganja...?
How do pagans celebrate Christmas?
- Thread starter kurious_kathy
- Start date
Which is fair enough, as Xianity started out as henotheistic, and has many polytheistic trappings, not least of which is that the Aramaic in which Genesis was originally written uses the plural "elohim"; i.e., "The spirit of the gods moved over the water..."
Yes! And my name is Kimpatsu! Fall down and worship me, and then send me all your money!
Z
Variable Constant
On the 21st, we're going to gather around our tree, open presents, enjoy some hot cocoa, send the little brats out to play in the snow, and snuggle on the couch, just the three of us, cuddling and watching movies.
Well, maybe not - the roomie has to work, I think.
Damn - we still haven't put our tree up yet.
On Christmas, I think I'll dress in my 'Goth Villian' outfit, toss an inverted pentacle on a string, hang it around my neck, and sit on my front porch, smoking my pipe and playing with my athame, watching the Catholics attend the large church across the street, and sing bars of 'Throw Another Christian To The Lions' (sung to the tune of 'Throw Another Log Upon The Fire').
Or not.
Anyway, Klu Klutz Kathy is back, I see...
Well, maybe not - the roomie has to work, I think.
Damn - we still haven't put our tree up yet.
On Christmas, I think I'll dress in my 'Goth Villian' outfit, toss an inverted pentacle on a string, hang it around my neck, and sit on my front porch, smoking my pipe and playing with my athame, watching the Catholics attend the large church across the street, and sing bars of 'Throw Another Christian To The Lions' (sung to the tune of 'Throw Another Log Upon The Fire').
Or not.
Anyway, Klu Klutz Kathy is back, I see...
Flo
Illuminator
My, my, my, ... martyrdom isn't a patch on what it used to be ! What a pity to be reduced to provoking "pagans" on a virtual space, when you compare it to braving lions in Circus Maximus ... 
Genesius
Apathetic Agnostic
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- 1,583
Yes, and if kurious_kathy is here, can Christian Dude be far behind?
Fortunately, I have the power of Apathetic Agnosticism to keep me sane in the face of their Xtian rants.
And (just to stay on topic) if you stretch the definition of "pagan" to mean "anybody who's not a Xtian", my family will be following our usual Saturnalia traditions - opening presents before going over to my parents' house for Solstice dinner. A batch of agnostics and athiests getting together to have a good time,
and no Jesus in sight (unless you count the Buddy Christ on the dashboard of my car).But, hey kathy, in the spirit of the season:
Tricky
Briefly immortal
That's interesting. The vast majority of pagans I know are former Christians. I guess the One True Goddess has the power to turn people around too!
Well, don't you consider being generous to each other is in the spirit of Jesus? Sitting down, eating, drinking, talking together as well. Does it really matter for what reason people do this? I think you should be happy so many cultures already had this tradition. Otherwise there wouldn't be much fellowship, would it?kurious_kathy said:
As so often in biblic matters - it's a matter of interpretation. The word "elohim" sure is plural, but the surrounding words referring to it (adjectives, etc.) indicates singular. This has made most translators interpret it as a 'majestic we' (a bit similar to the 'royal we') and that it's actually referring to just one God.Kimpatsu said:
I'm not saying this is a more correct interpretation, but please, stop referring to this as fact!
Upchurch
Papa Funkosophy
While the ultimate origin is pegan, giving presents to children on Christmas has a legitimately Christian symbolism, i.e. the wise men's gifts.
kmortis
Biomechanoid, Director of IDIOCY (Region 13)
Dude, I love you.
Um, not in THAT way...
..in the manly way of sharing beers and watching [insert sporting event here] together rooting for [insert favorite sports teams here]!
Z
Variable Constant
Favorite sport? Can RPGs be considered sports? Can 'The Heroes' be considered my favorite team?
Of course, I've been advised that being a GM while intoxicated makes the game - strange.
Of course, I've been advised that being a GM while intoxicated makes the game - strange.
kmortis
Biomechanoid, Director of IDIOCY (Region 13)
Since everyone else has jumped on the first part, I'll takle the second.
Really? You've HEARD??? Any actualy witnessing of said turning? As for people becoming Christian from being Pagan. I'd imagine that we'll start seeing more of that as this generation of Pagan kids grows up. They'll get to the rebelous teen-aged years, and convert to tweak mommy and daddy. But, like a goodly portion of the fluffy bunny pagans out there, once the shock wears off, they'll go back to their roots.
I've done countless pagan and Satanic rituals in my day, and here I sit, amlicably chatting with you. I left your god to "test the spirits" of other religions. I'll agree with you in one aspect, every religion I "tested" I found wanting. This includes Christianity.
kmortis
Biomechanoid, Director of IDIOCY (Region 13)
Interesting thought. My own experience was simply by reading the bible without any influence from anyone. After a while you just realize that the whole thing is quite ugly, mean spirited, and so contradictory that it leaves a thinking person stunned.
Cosmo
Radioactive Rationalist
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I tried drinking last time we played, and I definitely failed my fortitude save there.
Psi Baba
Homo Skepticalis
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I'd say so. As a former Catholic who is now atheist, if I were to choose a religion, it would be paganism, as I find it to be the only one that makes any sense (insofar as religions make sense).
That was a Victorian add-on, however. Old-time (or Olde Tyme) Christmas was mainly an adult festival, with Father Christmas being the spirit of revelry and was not described as a gift-giver. It was the Victorians in England who steered Christmas in the direction of being a holiday for children. Americans turned St. Nicholas into Santa Claus, and the English remodeled Father Christmas after the American Santa Claus. Prince Albert brought the Christmas tree to England from Germany and because of an artist's illustrations of the Royal Family around this new-fangled decorated Christmas Tree the custom caught on and spread quickly. And soon, a "family Christmas" with children and presents on a Christmas tree became the "traditional Christmas" even though it was fairly new.Upchurch said:
I love celebrating Christmas, but it's the pagan and other pre-Christian aspects that I enjoy. I love seeing delicate lights on houses and trees glimmering through the cold of a winter night. I love having the house filled with objects that are there for the sole purpose of saying "Look at me! I'm festive." I love Christmas music--can't get enough of it. I enjoy eating chocolate candies just because they are wrapped in red and green foil instead of the regular colors. I even have nativity scenes under my Christmas trees. It doesn't mean I believe what it symbolizes--to me it's all part of the mythology of the whole seasonal celebration. It's no different than images of Santa Claus. I'm an equal opportunity Solstice celebrant! But the figures of the baby Jesus, wise men, and manger are no more real to me than the figures on the other side of the room of Gollum, the Argonath and Minas Tirith from the Lord of the Rings DVDs sets. I would love someday to travel to Great Britain and observe a Mari Lwyd ceremony in Wales and go wassailing apple trees in Somerset.
What we celebrate as Christmas today (especially in America) is an acretion of multiple holidays, traditions, customs, and trappings some aspects of which are still in their original forms, some hybrids, and some completely morphed from one thing into another. Too religious? Too commercial? Bah! People need to lighten up and just have fun. Take what you want from it or take nothing at all. What does it matter?
Yesterday we had a "wintry mix" of snow, sleet, ice, and rain, and I heard someone joke, "Don't worry, Spring is almost here!" Someone always makes this joke when Winter is just getting started, and my immediate thought is always, "Yes, the coming of Spring. THAT is the reason for the season."
Complexity
Philosopher
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- 9,242
kurious kathy - You've left such a bad taste in my mouth, I'm going to see Brokeback Mountain this afternoon.
I think I'll see it again on Newton Day, too.
I think I'll see it again on Newton Day, too.
Marquis de Carabas
Penultimate Amazing
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Well, I'm no Wiccan or Satanist but I am an atheist who was turned around 360 degrees by the power of Jesus.