Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site sdcsla.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!allegra!mit-eddie!genrad!decvax!ittvax!dcdwest!sdcsvax!sdcsla!west From: west@sdcsla.UUCP (Larry West) Newsgroups: net.religion,net.singles Subject: Re: Christmas {report} card Message-ID: <748@sdcsla.UUCP> Date: Sat, 15-Dec-84 05:22:40 EST Article-I.D.: sdcsla.748 Posted: Sat Dec 15 05:22:40 1984 Date-Received: Mon, 17-Dec-84 03:12:34 EST References: <2028@nsc.UUCP> <207@lsuc.UUCP> Reply-To: west@sdcsla.UUCP (Larry West) Distribution: net Organization: UC San Diego: Institute for Cognitive Science Lines: 33 Xref: watmath net.religion:5133 net.singles:4925 Summary: In article <207@lsuc.UUCP> dave@lsuc.UUCP (David Sherman) writes: >In article <2028@nsc.UUCP> chuqui@nsc.UUCP (Chuqui[The Time Traveller]) writes: >|| ... Many religions have major holidays in the >|| month of December... > >Not to flame an article such as this one, but "many religions", Chuq? >Christianity is the only religion I know of with a major holiday in December. >Judaism has only a minor holiday. > >Dave Sherman Actually, many religions have [had] celebrations on Winter Solstice -- the days start getting longer again, thus assuring the coming of spring. This is, in fact, why Christmas is celebrated in December, rather than in July, the most likely time of the birth of Jesus. There were old ("pagan", Roman, Greek, etc.) holidays at this time, and Christians picked the date for the same reasons (rebirth, etc.) -- plus, it's easier to change the meaning of a holiday than to start a new one. These holidays are no longer major perhaps because we have more confidence (less thankfulness?) that spring and summer will return. But it's also unclear as to whether Christmas counts as a "major" Christian holiday. A major commercial holiday, yes. -- Larry West, UC San Diego, Institute for Cognitive Science -- UUCP: {decvax!ucbvax,ihnp4}!sdcsvax!sdcsla!west -- ARPA: west@NPRDC {{ NOT:}} -- -- Larry West, UC San Diego, Institute for Cognitive Science -- UUCP: {decvax!ucbvax,ihnp4}!sdcsvax!sdcsla!west -- ARPA: west@NPRDC {{ NOT: }}