Okay well more of an FRQ but pretty much

I wasn't writing an essay. Sorry it rambles, but most people don't do alot of prewriting for weblog entries. I understand that the message may have been lost amid the ideas that flew into my head. Hopefully this helps clear it up.

As I stated at least once: Christmas is what we call this time of year, but it has actually become a general holiday celebration of the MESSAGE of christ which happens to be the message of most other religions. i has always been referred to as christmas because there are more christians in the United States than any other religion. Having the most people agree with you does not make you right (i.e. The German Nazi Party)

Also stated at least once: the first winter celebrations did NOT center around the birth of Christ (probably not during december)the reason that this holiday is at this time is because of the original pagan festivals which celebrated the solstice.

Stores make money based on marketing to demographics. It was Christmas shopping to motivate the largest demographic into a spending frenzy. Seems to have worked don't you think.

What I believe was my point was that we should stop worrying about trivial things such as this and concentrate on the spirit of the season.

This began as a comment on a previous post but got a bit long

As Mike said, that date(ish) was originally used to celebrate the winter solstice, which is the end of the darkening days (Dec. 21 being the day of the year with the least daylight) it has been considered a time of rebirth and renewal. This, like many other holidays merged with the Christian celebration of Christ’s birth, as they have a similar spirit. Many cultures rotated the date so that eventually took place in each month of the year. Several eastern orthodox areas observe January 6 as Christmas. The exact date of Christ's birth is generally accepted as unknown.

Christmas is accepted as a time to celebrate the general message of Christ, which many atheists generally accept, as they are the foundations of Humanist thought: "Love thy neighbor as thyself" "with good will to all men" Most cultures have come to embrace these ideals. Many philosophers from Catholics to atheists have been leading humanist thinkers. The message of Christmas is not to worship Christ but to celebrate his teachings, and to value each individual.

To say that our culture in inherently Christian based on the writings in the constitution and the beliefs of our fore fathers is a mistake.

All the heretics I have known have been virtuous men.

                                                                        -Benjamin Franklin

Christmas has taken hold in the world due partially to its commercial potential. It may have for another purpose. Christmas is a time for general good will toward our fellow man. In a way, each December is a miniature renaissance. An explosion of humanist thought into a Darwinist society. Christmas is officially a Christian holiday, (but then again history is written by the victors.)  but it is embraced because of its lofty purpose in uniting mankind into one harmonious voice of peace. Even in times of war western cultures observe a ceasefire on the 25^th of December. In Bastogne the German army launched an offensive that stalled on the 24^th of December, no action was taken on either side until the 26^th. In the First World War across the western front, both sides sang Christmas carols together on Christmas Eve, nothing was planned.

We see what we now call the holiday season as a time of renewal and charity, and though commercialism has made Christmas the dominant holiday, this is primarily due to the prevailing demographics of the United States. Few presidents are elected by the collective minorities. The holiday season has general tone of humanism, and some of the most brilliant humanists were atheists and deists. Christmas is truly a collaboration of many holidays from past cultures which stress the value of each person and a rebirth of good will.

People celebrate Christmas because of the message not the specific theology, (Which is not the only religion that stresses these messages). Do not tear apart others because they have issues with your faith, accept that they may have a point, if you evaluate the arguments against your faith and your beliefs can find your answers to those questions then your faith will be stronger for it. In closing, Christmas is an official Christian holiday, but its message can transcend all faiths. People may celebrate the time of year and the spirit of human interaction that occurs (tickle-me-Elmo scrums aside.) if not the specific Christian beliefs.

To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time

Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles to-day
To-morrow will be dying.

The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun,
The higher he's a-getting,
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.

That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times still succeed the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time,
And while ye may, go marry:
For having lost but once your prime,
You may for ever tarry.

Time

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an offhand way.
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way.

Tired of lying in the sunshine staying home to watch the rain.
You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today.
And then one day you find ten years have got behind you.
No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.

So you run and you run to catch up with the sun but it's sinking
Racing around to come up behind you again.
The sun is the same in a relative way but you're older,
Shorter of breath and one day closer to death.

Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time.
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over,
Thought I'd something more to say.

Either sound vaugely familiar?

ahem.....WHO DEY!

thank you

Come to battle of the bands @ Lazer Kraze Sat. night. $2 cover charge but free soft drinks so.........

sorry to be competing w/ Derda but...

I'm working

if you need directions call, mapquest, whatever

just be there