Christ Never Had a Christmas Tree

[berni_mccoy]

Why do republicans think Christmas is under attack because a tree that originally was celebrated during winter solstice by PAGAN religions is once again being titled a "Holiday Tree"? Christians didn't create the concept of a "Christmas Tree", they ADOPTED it from other religions.

As a Catholic, I think WIDENING the definition of the celebration is a GOOD THING for Christians and NOT AN ATTACK on my religion. By getting more people involved in the celebration, you succeed in the Christian philosophy of being a missionary. I believe if Christ were here today, he'd be disgusted by those who want to make Christianity an EXCLUSIVE group. I believe Christians are being used by republicans who make hay out of these issues because they BELIEVE it will give them support among Christians.

Well, this Christian is disgusted by Mr. Hastert and no manner of PATRONIZING my religion will get me to EVER SUPPORT SUCH A HEATHEN as Hastert.

[havocmom]

1. Bet he didn't get caught up in a lot of mindless shopping either.

I do seem to recall something about him clearing the decks of a bunch of pompous and greedy bastards who thought they got to call the shots...

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Hastert and all the Pharisees offend me

[DKStreet]

3. Bravo, well said n/t

[Dogmudgeon]

4. Heathens? Nasty paleo-pagans in Christian clothing.

And note, "paleo" -- I refer to the violent tribes like the Gauls, the Germanic and Celtic tribes, the early Greeks and Romans, and the Hittites, Aryans, and Tocharians of the Indo-Iranian branch.

Isaac Bonewits, probably one of the most learned neo-pagan scholars of the entire scope of pagan history, has written at some length about this. And modern "Fundies" come close to being carbon-copies of those paleo-pagan berserkers.

As the western Celtic druidry embraced academic habits, things calmed down. From the Merovingians onward, the Christian church took over the role of those who would sow the ground with blood, and they excelled in it.

Being a Christian (IMO) means being about "objectless" and brotherly love (agape and philia), not swordsmanship. (Eros is good, too, but just like Sara Lee, nobody doesn't like erotic love.) Therefore, let us beat our swords into Christmas tree stands, and into wire clippers to open our children's gifts on Xmas Day. Amen.

--p!

[Nomad559]

5. The Christmas Quiz

http://www.hedning.no/humor/flash/xmasfinal.swf

The Jesus Test
http://www.hedning.no/humor/flash/jesusfinal.swf

:evilgrin:

[ewagner]

10. CONFIRMED!

I'm going straight to hell :evilgrin:
on edit: thanks for the links....

[Yollam]

6. I personally think "holiday tree" sounds stupid.

You wouldn't call a menorah a "multicultural candelabra". Christmas trees, despite their pagan origins are primarily culturally tied to the celebration of Christmas, which has a Christian spiritual aspect, a secular cultural aspect, and a huge commercial aspect. My family celebrates the secular cultural Christmas, but we are not Christians by any means.

But even though "holiday tree" sounds stupid and disingenuous, I can't say that it offends me.

And people who bitch about "Happy Holidays" are out of their gourds. Inclusive greetings are nice. I'll take all the friendly greetings I can get. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, whatever. Unless people are being BANNED from saying "Merry Christmas", what's there to gripe about?

[Norquist Nemesis]

7. Why??? Because Jerry Falwell tells them it is!!!

These guys have more than a stranglehold over our government, I'm beginning to think they're the Shadow Government for Social Policy in America!!!

Think I'm kidding? If you get a chance to catch the hearing on Decency in the Media that occurred yesterday, please check it out! There were at least four or five groups representing "American Families". Guess who these people with a seat at the table were?? The President of the Christian Coalition, Brent Bozell, the President of Trinity Broadcasting, and at least one or two others.

The Pres. of the Christian Coalition starting talking about Senator Brownback's bill and was aggressively grilling Ted Stevens about a bill he said they can't put up due to lack of votes. She firmly stated "We'll help you with that"...while that sounds innocent, her tone was not. It was a "We'll get that done for you and you get it put into law." Their whole tone was brazen the entire hearing.

Why they even got a SEAT at the table is mind boggling! The only "family" they represent is a group of followers with traits equal to a Cult!!

[H2O Man]

8. Then how do you explain

the three tele-ministers bringing gifts that they placed under the baby Jesus's Christmas tree?

[bmbmd]

9. Well-he wasn't born with one

but he sure as heck died on one.

[rustydog]

11. IF he did, what was it called? Huh Huh?

[hopeisaplace]

12. and a Menorah can be called a candle holder

so as to be more inclusive..??

holiday tree?
Christmas is the celebration of Jesus' birthday?

But if someone wants to call it a Holiday Tree in their house cause they are of another nationality and want to put up a tree and give their kids some presents..hey freedom to all.


edit: spelling

[berni_mccoy]

14. I hear you, but if we are going to make it a NATIONAL Celebration

A National Celebration of the Holiday Season should have a Holiday Tree, not a Christmas Tree. Christmas is but one religious holiday among many during this time of year and I don't see why it should be the only one recognized by our Gov't that is supposed to practice of SEPERATION of CHURCH AND STATE.

And don't buy into the B.S. about the Founding Fathers. Congress was HELD ON CHRISTMAS DAY until the MID-1800s! The Founding Fathers rebelled against religion and they'd be planning another revolution if they were alive today!

[hopeisaplace]

15. I get your point about "national"

Actually, personally, I really don't care what they call it..for our family it's Christmas.

Just thinking though, other countries have their religious celebrations, are they also making "generalities" of their religious terms so as to be inclusive? Maybe they do, I really don't know.

I do get your point about it being a national holiday (days off for everyone) so make it inclusive. ...How 'bout if I'm Canadian and I live and work in the US..should you call Independence Day something different for me, cause it's not my holiday ...but I do get the day off? But then again, Independence day is not "religious" so it's a bad example..I dunno, just babbling..:)

[Catchawave]

13. Denis Leary's Merry F**king Christmas ?

Must see TeeVee :)

[hopein08]

16. Well put...It was Prince Albert who brought Christmas trees

to England, and by that, America in the second half of the 19th century. Had nothing at all to do with Christ.

But, overall, thank you for saying what I was thinking.