Archaeologica.org

My people are a stiff necked people,

I agree!

Sorry, but I hold to a much, much simpler explanation for the December 25 date.

The winter solstice was celebrated for thousands of years before Jesus. It is usually on December 21 or 22

In the early day of Christianity, it was not at all uncommon for early Christians to continue celebrating the old pagan holidays.

I think they just picked December 25 to give the congregation a couple days to sober up from the solstice party.

I celebrate Western Christmas, Greek Orthodox Christmas, solstice, the first day of Hanukkah, and Festivus, myself.

I am also open to any other excuses you might propose to have a party.

The 25th of Dec. was decided on by the Council of Nicea. It was meant to coincide with another solstice festival. No one knows the actual birth date of Jesus.

The Council of Nicea made a lot of decisions regarding the Bible. Pretty interesting mess they made.

The Roman celebration of The Lupercalia was celebrated on December 25, the winter solstice under their old calendar from deepest antiquity. In fact, many cultures had a winter celebration...nothing new.

The Romans first usurped the Lupercalia to celebrate the 'birthday' of Sol Invictus (their version of Mithras) and it was later borrowed by the christians when they decided that their boy needed a holiday, too.

Barracuda wrote:I celebrate Western Christmas, Greek Orthodox Christmas, solstice, the first day of Hanukkah, and Festivus, myself.

I am also open to any other excuses you might propose to have a party.

Kwanzaa is conspicuously absent from your list.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwanzaa

It could carry you right through to the New Year.

Hell, Yeah! I'll do that one, too!

BTW: Merry Greek Orthodox Christmas! It was on Monday, January 7

Kwanzaa is conspicuously absent from your list.

Barracuda wrote:Sorry, but I hold to a much, much simpler explanation for the December 25 date.

The winter solstice was celebrated for thousands of years before Jesus. It is usually on December 21 or 22

We know this Barracuda. But there was a reason for this worldwide pagan festival. It was to celebrate the birth of the Sun God, as directly after the solstice, the sun begins moving north again, and the days start to lengthen again. The pagan birth of the Sun God was changed by Christians into the birth of the Son of God.

Sun worship is the oldest form of worship by man.

You awake already?

Yeah...it's cold and it's dark and it's raining, here!

Ishtar wrote:The pagan birth of the Sun God was changed by Christians into the birth of the Son of God.

That little word play only works in english language.

Ishtar wrote: Sun worship is the oldest form of worship by man.

Probably true, but I wonder how old is ancestor worship? I am thinking it is very ancient as well.

Forum Monk wrote:

Ishtar wrote:The pagan birth of the Sun God was changed by Christians into the birth of the Son of God.

That little word play only works in english language.

But God is English, isn't he?

Yep..and he's light skinned.

Yep..and he's light skinned.

The Sistine Chapel aside, where does it say that?

I've been to the Uffizi gallery and believe me, in every picture God is depicted as a light skinned, european type. In fact, in some pictures he even wore medieval clothing so I conclude he was also well ahead of his time in fashion.

see for yourself here:

http://www.virtualuffizi.com/