by Bob Walsh
Sunday
(Dec 21 2:02 a.m. Pacific Time) is the Winter Solstice. This day is
the shortest day and longest night of the year. It is symbolic of the
change of the seasons, rebirth and the light overtaking the darkness.
Throughout
history saviors of one sort or another have been born at or near the
solstice, typically in caves, stables or other very humble places. They
had somewhat mysterious or murky parentage. Jesus was no where near
the first. Hercules, Mithra, and Osiris are among the more well-known
of the pagan saviors.
However,
the early Christian church knew they would not endear themselves to the
peasants by cutting off their holidays, so pretty much all of the major
Christian holidays are actually ripoffs of pagan holidays that have
been around for literally a few thousand years.
It's
really OK. Pagans are the most ecumenical people imaginable. We don't
really mind our holidays being appropriated. It would be nice,
however, if the monotheists gave us credit for them once in a while.
Happy Yule.
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