The true history of Christmas

[abudabit]

Here is when Christmas really started:

217 BC At Lake Trasimenus, the Carthaginians kill all but a few Roman soldiers, and in the wake of this disaster, on December 17th, Rome introduces a festival to lift the morale of its citizens, a festival called Saturnalia for the god of agriculture, Saturn. The courts and schools close and military operations are suspended so that soldiers can celebrate. It is a time of goodwill and jollity that includes visiting people, banqueting and exchanging gifts.

Taken from http://www.fsmitha.com/timeline.html

This is posted in response to the anti-Christmas shits who suggest the government shouldn't recognize it since it's a "Christian" holiday.

[patbattlefield]

...and the church celebrated the birth of christ on that holiday to get the pagans to come to church. as they did with a lot of holidays now known as "christian" holidays. if christians new the true origins of a lot of the rituals they practice they would lose their minds. every ritual we have has a pagan influence, yet the first thing the church does is take away a cultures identity when it converts them. i guess our pagan roots are better than their pagan roots:icon_roll

[PCLoadLetter]

And the truly Froot-Loop Ultra-Christians refuse to "celebrate" Halloween because of its' roots... Conveniently ignoring the true background of their own most hallowed (heh heh) holidays.

Just another Ultra-right-wing inconsistency that makes me want to scream... And almost makes me want to vote Democrat. :)

[whoisisthis]

seriously now, christianity's pretty new, and it'd be kinda hard to whip up a holiday that didn't resemble some long ago pagan holiday...they had one for every fucking day


face it, christmas is a religious celebration, that morphed into a secular consumerism-fest


I'm not for the pc thugery that's going on with christmas/religion debate, but I doubt the tribute to the god of agriculture would have made it all these years.

[frankjg]

Just another Ultra-right-wing inconsistency that makes me want to scream... And almost makes me want to vote Democrat. :)

Now, thats not going to help anything.. we need to take back the GOP!

[Bill]

Now, thats not going to help anything.. we need to take back the GOP!

We can't take it back until the far right wing, who currently is in control, starts losing elections. So, if you want to take the party back, you need to hope that Democrats start winning some elections so that the religous nuts lose their stanglehold on the GOP.

[abudabit]

That's not how it works. You take the GOP back by voting in the primaries, and getting out the moderate vote during the primaries. You don't sabotage the entire GOP.

[THE FEZ MAN]

i'm an atheist. i like to work xmass because it pays double

[d0uche_n0zzle]

The only way to take back the GOP is to hang them all. Fucking wacky religion freaks, you are all mentally unstable.

[Screwtape]

why is this even an issue? you can bicker all you want about religion or lack thereof, im still getting drunk christmas eve

[Onuris]

damn i always heard that christmas was based on a roman holiday celebrating the birth of the sun god mithras. i also always heard that it was celebrated with an orgy

[ShooterMcGavin]

You all are stupid. Haven't any of you seen the Passion?

*crash*

Yeah, I'm an athiest. I still celebrate Xmas though. Who doesn't like presents? Besides, Christmas ain't religious anymore, it's just a celebration of corporate America and obnoxiously large pine trees.

[HummerTuesdays]

Besides, Christmas ain't religious anymore, it's just a celebration of corporate America and obnoxiously large pine trees.

Not if you take the route I did. A few years ago I got tired of giving my money to Corporate America during the holidays. Instead of shopping, I make a donation in the name of my friends/family to the charity of their choice. I send an email out around Thanksgiving, and as people give me a charity I make the donation. If I don't hear back by the middle of December, I pick a charity for them.

I don't have to leave the house and battle mall crowds, and I don't have to worry about going over my budget. I'm beginning to like the holidays again!

[Chimpo]

Black Peter is going to get you all.

[Harvey_Birdman]

The true history of Christmas is that it's just another excuse for government employees to take a day off with pay.

Fuck the distinction between religious or non-religious holidays, the government shouldn't recognize any holidays.

[DoughBoy]

Not if you take the route I did. A few years ago I got tired of giving my money to Corporate America during the holidays. Instead of shopping, I make a donation in the name of my friends/family to the charity of their choice. I send an email out around Thanksgiving, and as people give me a charity I make the donation. If I don't hear back by the middle of December, I pick a charity for them.

I don't have to leave the house and battle mall crowds, and I don't have to worry about going over my budget. I'm beginning to like the holidays again!

So you're feeding tax-exempt corporations your hard earned dollars and not getting a damned thing in return? Damn, you're really showing the man!

[HummerTuesdays]

I'm getting a stress free holiday season, and that's what's important to me. Sure, now that I own a house I get a tax deduction, too, but I started this before I was a home owner.

[jarabforlife]

Christmas is only religious to a small group of people, (this has been said before) it's a completely secular holiday that people from about 5 religions I know celebrate even though they are not christian

[Hudson]

The Catholic Church/Christianity "incorporated" alot of pagan Holidays/Images in order to gain converts.
Christmas Tree: a Pagan Symbol of rebirth and everlasting life. It was used during the festival of the winter Equinox
Eggs and Rabbits: Pagan Symbols of Fertility and Birth. Figured prominantly in the spring rituals.
The Advent Wreath (Wreath with Candles in it) used to mark off the time before the Vernal Equinox like a calendar.
The Priest's Cassock Color: Each color was to signify a particular mood/ thought eg: Purple= Hope

[BigDanNOLA]

And the truly Froot-Loop Ultra-Christians refuse to "celebrate" Halloween because of its' roots... Conveniently ignoring the true background of their own most hallowed (heh heh) holidays.

Just another Ultra-right-wing inconsistency that makes me want to scream... And almost makes me want to vote Democrat. :)


What about all South Park Conservatives vote Democrat in 2006? This way, you might make an impact by changing how the house looks and the Republican party will know WHY you voted the way you did (because you would be vocal about why you are doing it) and realize that the South Park Conservatives COULD be more powerful than the religious right.

Just a thought.

[BigDanNOLA]

We can't take it back until the far right wing, who currently is in control, starts losing elections. So, if you want to take the party back, you need to hope that Democrats start winning some elections so that the religous nuts lose their stanglehold on the GOP.
\

I guess brilliant minds think alike.

[Hudson]

Funny though, All of the names and classifications of the angels were compiled and set down by the Jewish religion. (No Lie!)

[Irishcurse]

Hey Christmas falls on a Sunday this year so I get the Monday off. Yeah with New Year thats two 3 day weekends. Screw the religous side of the holiday. Just gimee gimee gimee my fucking presents.

[PCLoadLetter]

What about all South Park Conservatives vote Democrat in 2006? This way, you might make an impact by changing how the house looks and the Republican party will know WHY you voted the way you did (because you would be vocal about why you are doing it) and realize that the South Park Conservatives COULD be more powerful than the religious right.

Just a thought.

"South Park Conservatives"! I like that! Did I somehow miss this movement? Political conservatives who don't subscribe to the dogma of the religious right?

Nice!

[kloraferm]

So does this mean I don't have to do any shopping this year?