The Real Reason for the Season - A ChristMyth Tale

[Lee]

The accident of history that had Christianity usurp the celebration of Saturnalia is historical fact. Saturnalia, to a then superstitious civilisation, was when the sun returned after the Northern Hemisphere’s winter months of cold, starvation and death, foreshadowing warmer weather with the promise of renewed life. It was a time to celebrate, and the hedonistic revelry of Saturnalia is legendary.

Around the time of Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, Christianity began to systematically repress pagan ideas and rituals. But during this process of forced conversion the early Church set out to absorb and appropriate elements of the very religion it was trying to stamp out.

And so the festival of Saturnalia slowly took on the trappings of the newest myth on the block. The hugely popular celebrations, which the Roman people would not willingly have relinquished, gained a new theological meaning by force. At its origins, Christmas was not so much a celebration of the alleged birth-time of the alleged Jesus, as a ploy to win converts through the merging of differing religions.

Thankfully the hedonistic nature of Saturnalia has returned, although the Atheist Foundation of Australia considers the excessiveness of the season more than a little over the top.

We should all be joyous at having survived another year and remember in sadness those who did not. After all, this is the only life we are ever going to have.

It is a time some will gather together with loved ones, mark the occasion by giving presents and relax in a fashion of preference. Others take on board the philosophy that each day is a celebration of life and consider ‘goodwill to all persons’ to be a year-round event.

The President of the AFA, David Nicholls said, “It is well past the time that ChristMyth along with all the other religious myths were not taken so seriously by civilisation. None of them has any universally accepted evidence in support of their extraordinary supernatural claims. They are harming real people and threatening the planet with annihilation. There could be no better time than now to contemplate this.”

Media Contact:
David Nicholls
President
Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc
Private Mail Bag 6
MAITLAND SA 5573

Ph: (08) 8835 2269
Email: info@atheistfoundation.org.au
Web: http://www.atheistfoundation.org.au
Forum: http://atheistfoundation.org.au/forums/
Convention: http://www.atheistconvention.org.au
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Twitter: http://twitter/atheistaus

[simonecuttlefish]

Ahhh - ok. I've seen a fight over Sol Invictus and Christmas, but I think the argument was Sol Invictus was much later than Saturnalia and not the Christmyth replacement .... or something. Anyway, thanks for the heads up. Just enough time for some research and an alternative Chrissy

[Sir Patrick Crocodile]

I hope the AFA isn't against all those fantastic sales. 75% off w00t!

But seriously, I think that people should realize that Christianity doesn't own christmas. In fact no where in the bible does it mention anything about December 25 or Christmas either.

[simonecuttlefish]

Originally Posted by Crocodile

I hope the AFA isn't against all those fantastic sales. 75% off w00t!

But seriously, I think that people should realize that Christianity doesn't own christmas. In fact no where in the bible does it mention anything about December 25 or Christmas either.

The various Orthodox Christian churches could get into a real fight over the date of Christmas, and Easter, and and and and ... But Croc - I'm sure as GOD does not strike people down, that you are well aware of what the Sabbath means .... and it's a commandment, and they don't even do THAT! .... ROFLCOPTER ROFLCOPTER ROFLCOPTER ROFLCOPTER, abort, ABORT ..... CRASH!

[Goldenmane]

I don't know if it's just my browser, but I do wish I didn't have to squint or hit Control ++ every time Lee starts a thread.

[Sir Patrick Crocodile]

Well Goldenmane, that makes two of us.