Christmas

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Agreed that Christmas and many aspects of religion are "synthasized" with the religous beliefs of the locals.I have read that even the image of a "snake" as Satan was based on the snakes(fertility symbols)that were abundant in the temples,that housed religous prostitutes in Greece.It is no coincidence that Christmas is the time of winter solstice and represented by evergreen trees or Easter in spring solstice period and the "rising of the sun/son" and represented by the "eggs",another fertility symbol in paganism.

My understanding is that they have a good idea of when Jesus would have been born, due to the roman census taken at that time. It was the purpose of Mary and Joseph being in bethlehem. The jews in the area were all roman nationals(but likely not citizens).

So disregarding the religious aspects of it all, the season and year that census took place are well known to history, and a birth is easy to extrapoliate from that.

Fuzzy,

Assuming you are correct, WHEN is that date? Some cultures are off by 12 days! Some rumors say they are off by around 6 YEARS! SO, what is it?

Steve

Not sure Stevek. Its an area of little interest to me. All I know is that the bible directly or indirectly indicates who the roman emperor was at the time, and it is known when census were taken during his life.

Maybe I'll google..

Some determine that Jesus was born towards the end of September/beginning of October based on Elizabeth's (Mary's cousin) husband being a priest and what time he was serving in the Temple and how far along Elizabeth was when Mary visited her. So some feel that justifies some sort of celebration of the Incarnation which then could have occurred some time around Hannukah. There are many Christians though who do not believe in the celebration of Christmas because of it's pagan origins. As far as it being stolen - it was more likely incorporated or used as a lure to allow those who wanted to keep the pagan festival and they just gave it another name. The Puritans did not celebrate Christmas - and Christians in other parts of the world probably did not celebrate either until this European custom was brought in.

I would also like to point out that Christianity is bigger then Western society and Europe in particular. So maybe some art and movies IN THE WEST have encouraged an innacurate portrayal of Jesus as someone of European descent, but not everyone buys into that or ever has.

I celebrate Winter Solstice with thought and a good ration of indulgence.

I did like Christmas, until the demise of the AEC Routemasters. Now I feel like crying, everytime I walk into a store that's way too done-up for Christmas, because that's what Christmas decorations remind me of. The fate that me Buses met, last December.

The music at Christmas is highly annoying and it's an expensive time of year. However, I love Christmas dinner and I like to make the best of it in my way. This year, my boyfriend and I are having Christmas together and we are going to eat lots of food and drink a lot. We are going to do this whilst watching cpoious amounts of DVD's and videos methinks as the TV looks like it's gonna be crap. We are just going to be in our own little world together for the day