As I am currently discovering that I am more Pagan (with some Hindu leanings) than a fundamentalist Christian, I am curious as to how Christmas fits in with your beliefs?
Merry Meet Tarabelle, nice to see you here. =) I celebrate Yule with close friends and we do sacred ritual on the 21st. We decorate the home altar with a bounty of greens and holly, fresh baked goodies and I make a spiced wine this time of year. The indoor tree is decorated with tarot cards, apples, homemade ornaments that symbolize nature, the moon and stars, and heirlooms from my grandmother. The outdoor tree is decorated for the birds and critters with pine cones with peanut butter and birdseed,(thank you velvet) popcorn strings and Pandora's stocking to remember her. (Pan was my familiar of 17 years and died this year). I make alot of goodies like fresh incenses that are wintery, bake up a storm and do alot of free readings this time of year. The house is always aglow with candles. Hubby and I do spend the Christian holiday with his family, we respect their beliefs and do the whole present thing, we do our own gift exchange the 21st on Yule. Not too different really, should you walk in the house, looks like most others save for a nature theme going on. Yule is about joy, honoring, rejoicing, warmth, family, friends, and reflecting over the past seasons and giving from the heart. Not unlike Christmas. May your Yule be blessed and bright. )0(
I came across a book by Weigall, called 'paganism in our Christianity'.. it's kinda controversial in the Christian world, some accept it, some say he is 'of Satan' because he doesn't take the Bible as Gods word. He tries to make a distinction between the early days of Christianity (stuff Jesus said according to different source eg.) and the Paganism of those days. I haven't read it myself, but it seems mucho interesting, since I DO believe that the Bible is more a 'cultural, sociological' book than a 'divine' one. Here is a link to a review of the book where you can read examples of it, but the review is from a 'he's satan!' point of view I think. Ah well.. so.. are you trying to combine the two (since according to Weigall you are pretty much doing so already) or focussing more on it or making the crossover to paganism completely? That's a pretty big steps, especially since you call yourself 'fundamentalist Christian'. Ah well.. good that there are openminded folk like you! And about Christmas.. yeah.. do a google search on Yule! Good luck! http://www.bible.ca/trinity/trinity-Weigall.htm
About the book (amazon review): Christian theology, the author asserts, is in part quite acceptable and in part totally unacceptable to the modern mind: such of its doctrines and beliefs as have the genuine authority of the historic Jesus Christ are unassailable and eternal, but those which are based upon the early Christians' interpretation of our Lord's nature and mission are largely untenable. Much of the generally accepted Christian doctrine, the author continues, is derived from pagan sources and not from Jesus Christ at all, a great deal of ecclesiastical Christianity being, indeed, so definitely paganism redressed that one might almost speak of it as the last stronghold of the old heathen gods.
I am learning 2 observe Yule, but still take part in x-mas festivities. I will most likely do a simple solitary ritual. I like 2 think celibrate the festivities, not the religious dogma.
I'll do a kind of solitary ritual as well on the 21st (looking forward to that! ) and then celebrate Christmas with my family as usual, including going to church and exchanging presents, but for me Christmas has been something with a Yule-like meaning even beofre I heard about paganism at all, so I guess that's what it'll be like this year as well - Christmas as my own little yule celebration in my mind. PS: Did you know that in Scandinavia Christmas is called Jul (Yule)?
it doesn't. christmas is a christian holiday celebrating the birth of christ. yule is the celebration of the winter solstice. they are completely unrelated holidays, except that they are celebrated in very similar ways (trees, gifts, etc.) this is because - like wicca - when christianity was first forming, it was an "underground" and persecuted faith, and as a religion it did not have the freedom to openly develop on its own. and so it borrowed from various sources, the popular religions around it. the concept of the good shepherd was originally associated with the egyptian pharoahs (notice the famous symbol of the crook and flail crossed over the heart. yes, that is also where wiccans get the "osiris" posture with the wand and the scourge used in some rituals.) the basilica, which was used for early churches once the faith was legalized was a type of roman building used for, among other public ceremonies, the freeing of slaves (who were often christian). so anyway, early christianity was an incredibly adaptable and flexible religion, and as it spread across europe, it absorbed the traditions there - bringing trees indoors to be decorated at the winter solstice, for example, or the association of fertility symbols like rabbits and eggs with the spring holiday season. other than that, christmas and yule really don't have much to do with each other, at least not in religious meaning. in some wiccan traditions, the sun god is born at yule, but in others the goddess is pregnant at imbolc, so the mythology is only occaisionally similar. many wiccans and pagans, like myself, do celebrate both holidays, but that has more to do with the shared values of family togetherness, love and and respect than a religious observance. sharing and giving is as important to my parents and in-laws at christmas as it is to us on our holidays. my christian parents often share the mabon feast with our family, and we share christmas with them, so it works both ways.
I'm going to my first group celebration this Yule, which should be fun. But I do celebrate Christmas with my family, since they're all Christian... I just don't go to church...
Thanks everyone! You guys are wonderful! And for Velvet, what I was trying to say is that I'm not a fundamentalist Christian and have been searching for a way to describe my personal spirituality. Now, I am going to do some research on Yule - thanks. (But I'm bummed, too, because I have to go to the hospital on the 21st evening to do another sleep study and so won't be home. )
Dur, So Yule is the Winter Solstice. I'm such an idjit. I've been celebrating that for quite a few years now. But, I've gotten some great new tips for celebrating this year. Thanks, you nice people.
There are probably more non-Christians celebrating Christmas in a secular way than there are Christians doing religious things for Christmas. At least in the USA, Christmas has been co-opted by the larger culture.
I'm pretty sure that's true everywhere in the western world. Never been a big fan of Christmas, but go through the ropes for/with my folks. I'm going to do something for Yule too, but on my own. Really like that I can have quiet personal observence, and also do the more sociable thing too (much prefer the former though) A couple of days ago I explained the concept of Yule to my brother. He didn't realise about the pagan origins of Christmas (if it's not taught in school or on quiz show then it's not worth knowing ) he listened respectfully but isn't interested.
