Christian and Pagan holidays

A friend brought to my attention a rant she had over the Wiccans and Pagans not getting their holidays versus Christians demanding that we not offend their rights. Well, I have to agree with her. If they want the respect they deserve, why can we have ours? Since the days of Author and Merlyn, our “kind” has been hunted down. In the past they were told bluntly, “convert or die”. In this era, no one can get away with slaughtering which is a good thing. But we’re still shunned, insulted, banned, and to add insult to injury, have our holidays completely over run and taken away from us. Including Samhain. So where can there be a compromise made? Finding a dividing point of respecting one another.

I can’t speak for ALL Wiccans and Pagans, but I can speak for those I know to be really good people. We’re not all bad. Judging us is like judging all Christians and putting the good in with the bad. Talk about not fair. I purposely wait before telling anyone my religion for a reason. Now, mind you, I am more open than I ever was in the past about it because I’m tired of having to “keep quiet”. But, back to the subject at hand. I always seem to get off topic, don’t I?

Well, in this case, I guess that’s a good thing because today’s blog is about how I personally feel along with some others I know. All the good in every religion seeks to follow their “deity’s” word and law. They want to do the right thing and they want to just be able to do their thing and feel good about it along with themselves. I agree that we should all be able to have that right.  Now, if you pull up a search on the web about the “origins of Thanksgiving”, you find mostly Christian explanations for it. I found one site that tells the gruesome tale of the slaughter of the Indians after they took the time to “teach” the Pilgrims how to grow food. Talk about unfair to the Indians. They were here first and certainly didn’t have to “teach” anybody anything. So really there is more at stake than just Christians versus Wiccans and Pagans, it’s against the Indians too.

History is filled with violence, modern day’s society is filled with violence, so, unfortunately will be our future. Another really good friend brought to my attention about racism still being in existence, but that’s for another blog.

Fact of the matter is, every generation, starting with our ancestors, had their own holidays each and Christianity did what it knew to do, take it away from others as the Muslims took it away from them. I can certainly understand that they want what’s theirs. We do too! When you think about it overall, there has been someone somewhere that has “taken” away from others. So, now the next question is, when does it stop? When do we all, “Just Learn to Get Along”? Apparently that’s not going to happen anytime soon because you have new “groups” forming everyday just to raise hell over the name D.C. which means District of Columbia. Which apparently has something to do with a Pagan Goddess. Ok, that’s all good too, but I believe it was named from an explorer who discovered it, IE Christopher Columbus.

Here are some sites who give their meanings of the holidays Christmas (Xmas), Easter (Ostara), and Thanksgiving. I found them to be really interesting. Along with the site listed, here are a few quotes from each.

Thanksgiving…”A harvest feast did take place in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621, probably in mid-October and the Indians who attended were not even invited. It later became known as “Thanksgiving” but the Pilgrims never called it that. The pilgrim crop had failed miserably that year, but the agricultural expertise of the Pilgrims’ Indian friend Squanto had produced 20 acres of corn without which the Pilgrims would have surely perished.” The rest you can find here from the author Bruce K. Gagnon.

Xmas(Christmas)…”Where did Christmas originate? From the Bible or paganism? What is the real origin of Santa Claus—mistletoe—Christmas trees—holly wreaths—and the custom of exchanging gifts? Many are concerned about putting “Christ back into Christmas.” Was He ever there? Here are the stunning answers!” Find the rest from the author David C. Pack.

Ostara (Easter)…”Modern-day Easter is derived from two ancient traditions: one Judeo-Christian and the other Pagan. Both Christians and Pagans have celebrated death and resurrection themes following the Spring Equinox for millennia. Most religious historians believe that many elements of the Christian observance of Easter were derived from earlier Pagan celebrations.” See  more here from the author B.A. Robinson.

Hope you enjoyed these, and see you soon! One more thing, something has to give as far as hating each other just for religious or sexual preference. We’re human, would Angels want us acting like this toward one another? Would the Gods and Goddess’ or the One True God above all want us acting like this toward one another? I think not. So Blessed Be to all of you, have a safe holiday, whatever it may mean to you. And last off, whether you’re Wiccan, Pagan, Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or whatever, think about how many issues would be solved if the hate just stopped and we all found a compromise. The compromise being, Loving each other, respecting one another, and most of all, trying to find the compromise that ALL can learn from one another to find the most important thing to all life,

Spirituality.

 

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