Posted by Ian E-N on October 29, 2006 at 18:22:37 from 86.130.88.169 user IanEN.
In Reply to: Re: PC again (Was Taking another tack (was Contemporary Appeal) posted by PeterH on October 29, 2006 at 16:46:10:
must surely be balanced with just a little bit of consideration
the consideration to discuss honestly, so I repeat :-
"Christmas" is a muddled mish mash of various vaguely symbolic mythic flummery - eg "Christmas" trees, Yule logs, Father "Christmas", Santa Claus, Rudolph, Holly and Ivy, baby's born to virgins, pixies and toy making elves etc etc etc patched onto a pre-existing mid winter festival. It was imported into this country as part of a franchised cult and has been dressed up since with a wide variety of borrowed gimcrackery. If you don't wish to see people stating views in public - don't come into a public arena stating your views.
Whether you or I like it or not, this is a post-Christian country, and much of our nomenclature reflects that. It is part of our history,
the "Christmas" period following on from the blossoming Halloween period is a commercial trading concept. It is also an actual religious festival of a currently active cult and thus somewhat different to historic quirks such as days named after Nordic Gods. A council representing people from a range of faiths and none has no need to celebrate the specific Mass of a single cult.
and one might note that various 20th century regimes in other countries have tried to blot out history they didn't like by altering place-names
and as I pointed out it was a 'Christian' godly parliament that abolished christmas celebrations in this country - the council in question did no such thing - their actions were to enable and support whatever celebrations people carried out over the winter solstice period.
except to say that a mistake often made is to assume that a 'myth' must always be totally untrue
Father Christmas is untrue ? There are elves that make the presents ?#
Ancient folk-myths have a validity of their own, and can contain some elemental 'truths'.
completely beside the point