I find your logic here rather interesting. You are irritated that the neopagens are "pulling that" yet you acknowledge that the origins are their religions and that Christians raped and pillaged them. And are irritated that they are voicing their irritation?? Are you upset that the Indians aren't happy about being slaughtered and lied to and forced to live on reservations? Just because one party is the *victor* doesn't make them right OR entitled it just makes them more ruthless and conniving.
The early Christians recognized the need to dispense with the other dominant indigenous religions and through that assimilation they had to make it an easy/acceptable transition for the people. So they centered all their holidays around the already known and accepted holidays keeping with that holiday's central theme/celebration.
The 'Christian Story' as you put it just happens to mirror the pagan story behind the feast of Saturnalia - which is allegorical one, not one that makes claims of event. The Christian take on the story has events that are totally unsubstantiated, didn't even occur in December (the date was 'chosen' by Pope Julius and isn't mentioned in the Bible) and is centered around a person who *may* have existed. It is interesting that the Bible is the ONLY document that outlines his life when born into a society of ravenous documentarians.
Justify your beliefs however it makes you feel better, but realize that the egocentric nature of your comments is a sin in your god's eyes.
I'm not a neopagan, mind you, but...
The early Christians recognized the need to dispense with the other dominant indigenous religions and through that assimilation they had to make it an easy/acceptable transition for the people. So they centered all their holidays around the already known and accepted holidays keeping with that holiday's central theme/celebration.
The 'Christian Story' as you put it just happens to mirror the pagan story behind the feast of Saturnalia - which is allegorical one, not one that makes claims of event. The Christian take on the story has events that are totally unsubstantiated, didn't even occur in December (the date was 'chosen' by Pope Julius and isn't mentioned in the Bible) and is centered around a person who *may* have existed. It is interesting that the Bible is the ONLY document that outlines his life when born into a society of ravenous documentarians.
Justify your beliefs however it makes you feel better, but realize that the egocentric nature of your comments is a sin in your god's eyes.