The Pagan Clause

Ok - For some reason this year I've been deluged by emails reminding me about the "true meaning of Christmas". I get the feeling that some of my friends are maybe trying to save my poor misguided soul - or have been in range during one of my tirades about the commercialism of the season - or seen me have a "Wal Mart Moment" (resembles a conniption, very scary).

A friend put it pretty well when I mentioned that I just might have a tree in my home this year. "How interesting" He said, "A pagan symbol - co-opted by western Christians for their own purposes - tainted by US commercialism (a religion in itself methinks) - in the home of a Buddhist curmudgeon"... "Pretty much sums it up." I said.

In short I refuse to stop using the phrase "Happy Holidays" simply because any one of the religions that lay claim to this time of year think that their assertion is better than anyone else's.

Dear friend, please click the link. Read what the author has written so much better than I. Understand - when I and most people say those two words, it's a genuine wish of goodwill and not an attack on your beliefs. For those too lazy to click the link - Here is possibly the best quote from the page (it's near the end btw):

"The danger is not in the originally pagan symbols, nor in it's establishment by the Bishop of Rome, but in the commercialism and secularization of the holy day; we are losing the real meaning of the holiday to an orgy of spending and politically correct saccharine cuteness. The meaning of Christmas is not found in how many presents we can give or get, nor in how much money we can spend on it, nor in how prettily we can decorate our home, but in the Message of the Child.

Christmas (call it Yule if you want to!) is a holiday and holy day that can be kept by Christian and pagan alike, and one that brings joy to the world indeed.

And if the devil has been trying to "pervert it's symbols thru the ages, giving them pagan meanings," then to view them as such is to fall into Old Scratch's trap, isn't it?

Little Children: Love One Another!"


HAPPY HOLIDAYS one and all!

Update:
Someone pointed out in the comments that the links werent working. Should be now. Look for a link below: