You better stay away from the Aztec first nation. They may sacrifice you to the earth mother.
Christmas Star,' not seen in 800 years, will light up on longest night of the year
- Thread starter Charlemagne
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Saw him on Howard Stern, I think. A gay guy was talking about how his room mate was getting too comfortable around him and had taken to farting in front of him. Gottfried asked "is that a mating call?"
It is an interpretation that most of the Christmas celebration (and for that matter Easter) was an attempt to convince non-Christian Europeans to convert as it wouldn't make much of a change. Plenty of (northern) European celebrations on the two holidays are barely masked adaptations of winter solstice and equinox/fertility rites or Mediterranean celebrations of Saturn/Zeus. Evergreen trees, mistletoe, wreaths, mulled wine or spiked eggnog. rabbits and eggs?
But who knows, it's a matter of faith, not evidence.
It looks like the attempt worked. Why get rid of celebrations that are fun if they can be re-purposed?
So continuing to worship 'heathen' gods while paying tithes to the church satisfies your god?
That's the whole point. Heathen gods are not being worshipped because the intention is no longer there. What is left are externals which now have a different purpose because the intention has changed. There is nothing inherently evil about a Christmas tree , in itself. The Catholic Church has always valued other cultures, and these pagans became Catholics. There would be no protestants for another 1000 years.
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So that whole 'graven idol' bit doesn't matter any more? Why is it god's rules keep changing.
A Christmas tree is not a graven idol. It's just a tree that's been decorated. No one worships it so how could it be an idol?
Here is part of the famous work by St. John of Damascus (8th C) in defense of icons:
But when you think of God, who is a pure spirit, becoming man for your sake, then you can clothe him in a human form. When the invisible becomes visible to the eye, you may then draw his form. When he who is a pure spirit, immeasurable in the boundlessness of his own nature, existing as God, takes on the form of a servant and a body of flesh, then you may draw his likeness, and show it to anyone who is willing to contemplate it. Depict his coming down, his virgin birth, his baptism in the Jordan, his transfiguration on Mt Tabor, his all-powerful sufferings, his death and miracles, the proofs of his deity, the deeds he performed in the flesh through divine power, his saving Cross, his grave, his resurrection and his ascent into heaven. Give to it all the endurance of engraving and color. Have no fear or anxiety; not all veneration is the same. Abraham venerated the sons of Emmor, impious men who were ignorant of God, when he bought the double cave for a tomb. [Gen. 23.7] Jacob venerated his brother Esau and the Egyptian Pharaoh. [Gen 33.3] He venerated, but he did not worship in the full sense. Joshua and Daniel venerated an angel of God [Jos. 5.14, Dan. 8:16-17] they did not worship in the full sense.
Jupiter and Saturn's Great Conjunction Is the Best in 800 Years--Here's How to See It
The giant planets will appear spectacularly close together in Earth’s sky during the solstice on December 21
Have you been inside a catholic church? Last time I was, people were praying to a statue of a dude hanging up on the wall.
Read the excerpt I included from St. John of Damascus. Those people were using the image to focus their minds on Christ to whom they were praying. When God took on a human form, he presented a visible image which we could portray. Moses himself was instructed to put two angel statues on to he Ark.
It's tonight. Happy winter solstice! 
Apparently, the best time to see it will be today, 45 minutes after sunset on the southwest horizon.
Apparently, the best time to see it will be today, 45 minutes after sunset on the southwest horizon.
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