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Post by gravesidemaster on Nov 26, 2004 8:47:25 GMT -5
With the holidays coming up, here is the age-old question of "Should we as pagan's celebrate Christmas?" And, to extend that, should we celebrate Thanksgiving or the calendar New Year?
I mean, since Samhain or Yule (depending on your Trad) is considered the beginning of the New Year.. should we also celebrate the calendar new year which is more secular than anything else?
Justin
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Post by Celestin on Nov 26, 2004 19:54:30 GMT -5
I will most likely celebrate the new years... but I might have trouble doing christmas. After all. I live with christans, so I have a hard time dealing with them, closed minded people. *begs that one day he meets a lot of open minded christians*
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Post by DreadLordDarkness on Nov 27, 2004 4:08:15 GMT -5
I believe you should do what you feel is right in your own heart. Personally I don't really celebrate the Christian Holidays. I do spend time with my children who do celebrate them though. I keep things on as even a level as I can.
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Post by WinterWitch on Nov 27, 2004 9:56:58 GMT -5
I see nothing wrong with the majority of what christians do in the celebration of their God's supposed birthday. After all the majority of their traditions are pagan anyhow.
The Christmas tree is a pagan tradition. I believe that the singing of carols is too. The exchange of gifts is something that pagans do in celebration of Yule. So by participating in all these traditions even if your doing them with chrisitans takes nothing away from our pagan hoilidays or our beliefs.
Your christian family members are celebrating the birth of their god and you are celebrating Yule. And doing it together. What could be more in the spirit of the holiday than that???
Sage
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Post by Celestin on Nov 27, 2004 20:01:38 GMT -5
Not really along the topic here, but sigrid. I have no friends in this state. So there is no one I can go to except my computer, the phone, or spend the night out on my bike or locked in my room. I lead a sad life, but I have gotten very used to it
Blessed Be
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Post by AcaciaPhoenix on Nov 29, 2004 9:01:39 GMT -5
ok here is my take on this...I was born and raised in the Roman Catholic Faith, I've turned towards the wiccan path two years ago and I work for the Archdiocese (going on 6 yrs now). I've still alot to learn Wiccan wise, but I do what works for me...
As for the holidays, regardless of the meaning of the actualy holiday in question...it is a time of celebration among family and friends to be with each other in happiness, harmony and peace. How can it be wrong regardless of your faith or followings?
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Post by Sigrid on Dec 8, 2004 12:58:54 GMT -5
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Post by scarletfaer on Dec 15, 2004 19:26:14 GMT -5
I think it is perfectly fine for pagans to celebrate Christmas or other relgious holidays. I have been in turmoil over this for a long time, but since having a child, my thoughts have changed. Winter holidays and celebrations have been around since antiquity. Egyptians celebrated in December for the rebirth of the god. This celebration lasted 12 days. Mithiris (sp?) was a god of ancient peoples who was thought to be born on Dec 25 and had many similarities to the Christian Jesus. In fact, the mainstream thought is that Jesus was probably born in the summer months and the early Christians came up with Dec 25 to coincide with the pagan celebrations already in existence to help the people become more comfortable with the new religion. This is true for many "Christian" holidays, even the Christian Easter is really an extension of the Spring Equinox and pagan celebrations such as Ostara. I guess the point I am trying to make is that pagan and Christian traditions are interlinked more than most people understand. Major holidays and religious observances are celebrated around the same time of the year. Also, for many pagans today, their extended families may still be Christian. The case may be that their families don't know they are pagan. Even so, there is no harm is celebrating with family even if your religion is different. For those pagans who are not in this situation of family being Christian, I see nothing wrong with celebrating Christmas since it is an intrigual part of our society. The concept Christmas is more about celebrating the season, appreciating each other, and making merry than a religious celebration for most people anyway. As for Thanksgiving and New Year's, I say yes as well. It is perfectly fine to celebrate these days.Many cultures and country's have a Thanksgiving celebration and for the US it is part of our country's history. It is a time to get together with friends and family and remember those who are less fortunate and to reflect on what we have to be thankful for in our lives. New Year's is fine too because even though it isn't the real new year for most of us, it is the new year for what we base our calendar for society. I know that many people celebrate the Chinese New Year as well and there is no harm in observing other cultures' celebrations. Everything is interrelated and I don't see why we have to separate ourselves from the ideas and celebrations of others while maintaining our own relgious beliefs and practices.
Scarletfaer
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Destra
New Member
Where Ego Ends... Light Begins
Posts: 33
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Post by Destra on Jan 4, 2005 14:25:25 GMT -5
Celebrate whenever you possibly can... celebrate each new day, each new moment, each second... Just Celebrate life! Call it Christmas, Channuka, Kwanzaa.. whatever, be your own rule maker and forget worrying about the "shoulds" and "should nots" of Paganism. The grand fundamental of being Pagan is that you choose to follow the road less travelled, and that makes you a Pilgrim... and pilgrims made the rules and blazed the trails.
My point ~ Celebrate whatever is in your heart and soul to celebrate!
Brightest Blessings Destra
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