Christmas is Christian?

Ok, so the holiday we call Christmas does have the word Christ in it. But, what about all those traditional Christmas customs?

Let's begin with the timing.  If one reads the Bibe, it certainly points to a time other than late December as the birth of Jesus. Oddly enough, many pagan rituals predating Jesus' birth take place in this time of year. Late December, specifically, the 25th, seems to be the time of birth for many deities - all predating Jesus.

Now then, what about those trees? Our beautiful Christmas trees, surely they are strictly christian in nature? Sorry, no they are not. The use of evergreen trees is a European pagan tradition. The evergreen symbolized rebirth to these pagans and was used in the celebration of the winter solstice. Which occurs, amazingly enough,  in late December. These was referred to as the celebration of Yule, for their "Sun God".

The fat man in a red suit? Well, it seems he may have started out as Odin, the pagan Norse god, a frightful character if ever there was.

None of which means a damned thing. Just don't try to convince me that "Jesus is the reason for the season". Because, it seems he has little to do with it after all.

Happy Holidays, pagans ;-) 

a diversion

Once in a land far, far away there lived a group of people called Trids. The Trids were happy except for the huge ogre that lived on the mountain. The ogre would periodically terrorize the Trids.

The Trids tired of the ogre and sought to reason with him. They thought one of their religious leaders would be a good intermediary.
So a group of Trids and their minister went up the mountain and before they could even say one word the ogre kicked them down the mountain.
Not being dismayed the Trids thought that maybe the ogre was Catholic, so they sent another delegation, this time led by the local priest.
 But alas, as they approached the ogre he once again kicked them all down the mountain.

The Trids were upset until they thought that perhaps the ogre was Jewish. Unfortunately, no Trids were Jewish, so they wrote to the people of another land and asked them to send a Rabbi to help them with the ogre.
The Rabbi arrived and led a delegation of Trids up the mountain. The ogre saw them coming and kicked all of them, except for the Rabbi, down the mountain. The Rabbi, having been told of the previous expeditions, wondered why he alone had not been kicked down the mountain, so he asked the ogre. The ogre laughed and replied:

"Silly Rabbi, kicks are for Trids!"










Update:
Since Pliny has graced us with his genius, g'head everybody, give me your best groaners ;-)

Go to Hell, an exercize in playful perfidy

I have been assigned to defend the punishments of Hell.

Let's examine The Bible's description of Hell:

"The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb:

And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name." - Revelation 14:10-11

Wow, that's pretty harsh, an eternity of fire and brimstone - with not even single break to rest their weary souls.

Dante writes of a Hell that is personalized to fit our sins. Lusters, like myself, are given to blow in the winds of Hell for all eternity. Violent folks are boiled in a bloody river. The worst possible punishment is to be next to Satan, frozen in the ninth circle of Hell. This Ninth Circle is reserved for the most treacherous of people - those treacherous to their masters


Who could possibly deserve such a treatment?
Jacob Schafer!

Schafer started his killing spree in Huntsville Alabama. He killed the man he thought to be his wife's love interest. He murdered the man with a hammer, beating him to death.
Then Schafer traveled across state lines into Tennessee where his wife and family lived.
Schafer's first stop was at his Father-in-Law's home where he killed the Father-in-law and his brother-in-law. He used knives this time - with a stun gun back-up, lest the fight get the better of him.
Next Schafer went two doors down to his wife's home. He killed his 16 year old step son and one of the boy's friends (another 16 year old boy- unlucky kid was in the wrong place at the wrong time, just visiting). Schafer saved his wife for last (so she could witness his crimes?). Stabbing and hacking her with a knife as well.
Killing all he wanted, Schafer called the local police, took his four year old daughter to the porch and sat and waited for the police to arrive.

Yes, Hell is justified for this guy.
I believe there is no punishment we, as a society, can met out that will do justice for this guy.