Merry Mithrasmas (and Merry Saturnalia,
and Merry Juvenalia)
(Top Posts - Social/Legal - 122508)

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The wishes which preceded the 'switch'
of the pagan holiday festival to a chris-
tian symbol a few decades after Constan-
tine made christianity the de facto favored
religion of the Roman Empire (a decision
which took many decades of bloodshed
before it was accepted by a majority of
Romans, and many centuries of blood-
shed, war, and torture before all of Eur-
ope was entrapped within its "believe or
else" web of seduction/threat).

"Christ"mas, merely reflecting replace-
ment of pagan myths with christian ones,
something most Americans have been
misled/misinformed about by their reli-
gious leaders (and by fellow followers),
under the guise of "honesty" and so-called
"real truth" and the promise that "if you
believe, you'll get a pleasant eternal life,
but if you dare to doubt or disbelieve or
conduct any independent freethought or
fact-finding endeavor, you risk eternal
death or (even worse, the doubt/disbelieve
threats still held sacred by many religions)
eternal torture.

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Christmas Mythology
by William Edelen
  http://secweb.infidels.org/?kiosk=articles&id=706
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Excerpt:

This is a season of myth, legend, folklore,
fantasy, make believe and superstition. In
the interest of mental and spiritual health
a few historical facts need to be kept in
perspective.

I know that is difficult while being drowned
in an emotional/devotional frenzy.

The Christmas Jesus stories are pure myth-
ology. That is a fact that is accepted and
taught in the Religion departments of every
major university in this country, or the world.
By "major" university I am talking about
those schools that are free of the financial
and academic coercion that is always present
if the school is under the control of a Chris-
tian denomination.

I will use only one example out of many.
Mithraism (6th century B.C. Persia and India).
Mithras was born of a virgin, with only shep-
herds present. Mithras was known as "the way,"
"the truth," "the Life," "the Light," "the Word,"
the "Son of God," and "the Good Shepherd."
He was pictured carrying a Lamb on his shoul-
ders. Sunday was sacred and known as "the
Lord"s Day" centuries before Jesus was ever
born.

On December 25th, there were glorious cele-
brations with bells, hymns, candles, gifts, and
"communion" was observed by the followers.
From December 25 until the Spring Equinox
(Estra or Easter) were the "40 days" which
later became Christian Lent.

Mithras was finally placed in a rock tomb
called "Petra." After three days he was removed
with great festival, celebrations and joy.

The followers of Mithras believed there would
be a day of "judgement" when non-believers
would perish and "believers" would live forever
with Mithras in "paradise," which is a Persian
word, not Hebrew.

All of these mythological formulas were later
absorbed, by diffusion, into the Christian cult
and their rituals.

As hundreds of eminent scholars have brought
to our attention, Christianism is saturated with
the mythology of Mithraism, Zoroastrianism,
Egypt and Babylon.

...

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Saturnalia
  http://www.history.com/content/christmas/the-real-story-of-christmas/saturnalia
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Excerpts:

In Rome, where winters were not as harsh as
those in the far north, Saturnalia-a holiday in
honor of Saturn, the god of agriculture-was
celebrated. Beginning in the week leading up
to the winter solstice and continuing for a full
month, Saturnalia was a hedonistic time, when
food and drink were plentiful and the normal
Roman social order was turned upside down.

...

Also around the time of the winter solstice,
Romans observed Juvenalia, a feast honoring
the children of Rome. In addition, members of
the upper classes often celebrated the birthday
of Mithra, the god of the unconquerable sun,
on December 25. It was believed that Mithra,
an infant god, was born of a rock. For some
Romans, Mithra's birthday was the most sacred
day of the year.

...

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(a post I made on December 21, 2004)

The main focus of christian religions at this time
of year is promoting all the mythos of christianity,
with music, christmas carols/caroling, manger
scenes, stories of the "virgin birth", etc.

The main focus of corporate America is promoting
commercialism, as if Americans can consume their
way to happiness, or heaven-on-earth.
 
Added to that, assorted traditions like trees, lights,
all the Christmas mythos inclusive of Santa Claus
and the like, and enormous pressure to be happy,
with all this supposed joy and spending (regardless
of how much pressure all this spending puts on
people, and regardless of all the stress put on con-
sumers and those who work in retail).

Perhaps the best name for this time of year is the
Borrowdays, with December 25th being You'll-be-
lucky-to-pay-for-all-this-stuff-by-next-December-
25th-day.

It's interesting that for many, this is the most depres-
sing time of year, and suicide rates are highest at this
time of year.

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