Christmas for Atheists

[rstrong]

This has piqued an interest in religious history east of Constantinople.. .. .. . Not that it exists.

I highly recommend the BBC series A History of Christianity, specifically the first episode The First Christianity.

In a series sweeping across four continents, Professor MacCulloch goes in search of Christianity's forgotten origins. He overturns the familiar story that it all began when the apostle Paul took Christianity from Jerusalem to Rome. Instead, he shows that the true origins of Christianity lie further east, and that at one point it was poised to triumph in Asia, maybe even in China.

The headquarters of Christianity might well have been Baghdad not Rome, and if that had happened then Western Christianity would have been very different.

Perhaps you can find it on iTunes or NetFlix if you subscribe to one of those.

I'm familiar with the sects and schisms that separated them but how is it that they avoided the violence and misery brought on by the Western Church.. i.e. Was their belief tempered with the more pacific Far East religions.. ?? Were the locals already accustomed to subjugation??.. hummm..

Or perhaps it was because they were subjugated themselves, (unlike the imperial church to the west) which might have stopped their urge to subjugate others. And once subjugated by Islam, any appearance of empire building to the west could have gotten them wiped out as a threat to Islam.

[JTA]

This was a pretty interesting book:

Christianity: The First Three-Thousand Years
http://www.amazon.com/Christianity-Firs ... sand+years

Additionally, this:

Germanization of Early Medieval Christianity:
http://www.amazon.com/Germanization-Ear ... ristianity

[Wneglia]

Hey Banni:
Is this your house?

[k9nanny]

Thank you, sistah. It is joyous, indeed, that a literary gem was not lost in the cyber trash bin.

Love ya, MrB. Merry Christmas!

[neoplacebo]

neoplacebo, I think I speak for many of us in saying that we often laugh at your posts even if we don't say so.

Well, thank you. I was beginning to worry that I would have to jog naked for three miles along Highway 64 West toward Brevard to get the "attention" I think I should have.

[k9nanny]

This has piqued an interest in religious history east of Constantinople.. .. .. . Not that it exists.. I'm familiar with the sects and schisms that separated them but how is it that they avoided the violence and misery brought on by the Western Church.. i.e. Was their belief tempered with the more pacific Far East religions.. ?? Were the locals already accustomed to subjugation??.. hummm..

I shall consult the Oracle..

I am not an oracle.
The Eastern Church saw themselves as preceding the Roman Church. They considered themselves closer to the true origins of Christianity, and I have no doubt they were. So much of Christianity, as well as the Old Testament, are borrowed from older Eastern religions. Paul spent a lot of time in the Eastern part of the Empire - Jerusalem, Ephesus, Corinth, Athens. Original Christianity was a peaceful religion before the Romans politicized it.

By the time Constantine set himself up on the old Byzantium, the West was in a shambles, and Rome was finding it difficult to find the money and manpower to protect herself from the barbarian hordes. Western Europe was beginning its descent into the dark ages. Constantinople was also well situated militarily, a buffer between Old Rome and invaders from the East. Had most of the Eastern world not already been conquered by Rome, I have no doubt Rome would have marched eastward. As it was the Eastern Empire was constantly under attack.

The Eastern Empire was far more civilized and advanced philosophically, artistically, scientifically. Rome is decorated with Egyptian obelisks, not British menhirs. Greece, Egypt, and Persia were way ahead of Britain, Germany, and France.

As for the timing of Christmas, the celebration of the return of the sun has been marked by cultures all over the planet since men (probably women) figured out the most elementary astronomy. The days grew shorter and darker and colder until that "magical" day when the sun stood still, then began to rise and set a wee bit further North. (Which begs the question, why isn't Christmas celebrated in June in the Southern hemisphere.)

[O Really]

A Soldier's Fight For The First Amendment: Decorated War Hero Challenges Christian Displays At North Carolina City's Veterans' Memorial

"Hewett said he is optimistic about his chances of success.
“I think we will succeed,” he said."

Without doubt, he will. I guess the "7,000" residents of King have plenty of money to spend on lost causes. Hopefully they aren't cutting funds for fire, police, etc. while doing so.

[Stinger]

"Actually, all you need to enjoy Christmas is your mistletoe belt and your favorite partner."

Atheist or not, I'm sure your "partner" or your kids found that comment highly amusing;
Your cronies, however, haven't laughed yet.

You assume that we have some need to post our reactions on the forum.

Check out "da funnies" thread. There's a lot of funny stuff in that thread, yet no one feels the need to post up smilies to indicate that we thought it funny.

[Sometime Lefty]

Actually, all you need to enjoy Christmas is your mistletoe belt and your favorite partner.

That's how I celebrate Xmas!

[Leo Lyons]

Actually, all you need to enjoy Christmas is your mistletoe belt and your favorite partner.

That's how I celebrate Xmas!

You and our new "First Orificer"? I'm sure he appreciates you.

[Stinger]

It's flattering that you're obsessed with my sex life, but you ain't gonna get any.

I thought he was obsessed with making stupid, unfunny posts.

He's certainly covering all the bases in that category.

[Stinger]

...such as you always do with your (sic) marks...

You're the one griping about spelling while misquoting here (page 1). Also:

operatable ?

It's a real word and Colonel Taylor used it appropriately. Too bad he let himself be bullied into making an unnecessary excuse and correction.

That this is the second time in 3 days that you screwed up while trying to correct spelling is a hoot, that you bitch at me for accurately doing so makes it even funnier.

It's Leo Lyin's only schtick. He thinks he's clever when he spots someone's error but whines and plays the victim card when you catch him at his own game. Epitome of "You can dish it out, but you can't take it."

[scooter]

A Soldier's Fight For The First Amendment: Decorated War Hero Challenges Christian
Displays At North Carolina City's Veterans' Memorial

Would the story have been as great a sensation if the complainant hadn't been a soldier? Why does his being a Decorated War Hero make the story any more of a sensation? What did your posting the headline in large type do to senationalize the story? What point was any of that supposed to drive home?

[Colonel Taylor]

I normally stay out of the religious hatred of the left but, oh well.
I think it's funny how they spend so much more time here hating or degrading Religion the the Religious do supposedly pushing it on them.

[Wneglia]

It's really sad when the celebration of Christmas has come to this.

[O Really]

A Soldier's Fight For The First Amendment: Decorated War Hero Challenges Christian
Displays At North Carolina City's Veterans' Memorial

Would the story have been as great a sensation if the complainant hadn't been a soldier? Why does his being a Decorated War Hero make the story any more of a sensation? What did your posting the headline in large type do to senationalize the story? What point was any of that supposed to drive home?

One reason it got attention is that the unconstitutional display is supposed to be a veterans monument, and it's a veteran who's complaining.

[Colonel Taylor]

Vred you still have the crown of forum liar which is undisputed. But for the 10,000 time please show one place where I said I hate Jewish folk? OK continue your lying ways and continue to post.
Also thanks for proven my point that you hate all.

I normally stay out of the religious hatred of the left but, oh well.

"the left"? We all saw how you couldn't bring yourself to pan homerfobe for calling another poster "kike".

I think it's funny how they spend so much more time here hating or degrading Religion the the Religious do supposedly pushing it on them.

If you're imagining me, you are confused, as usual. The current issue is about King, N.C.'s hatred of religions other than Christianity. Kind of like how you feel about Jews:

Det.Thorn hates jewish people.

...liberal Jewish community in Hollywood...

...could be from the (jewish) NY financial sect...

...most of the Hollywood folk are Jewish...

[Colonel Taylor]

Vred you still have the crown of forum liar which is undisputed.

Everyone can see that your stereotyping of Hollywood/banker Jews and choice not to retract when called on it, and your refusal to condemn a con for calling another poster "kike" while panning the supposed "religious hatred of the left" can only be hatred for Jews.

Keep running and Lie and Deny something you have mastered. Still waiting by the way. The only thing I remember about kike was someone wanted to write Mike and put kike instead. Butt you being the forum know it all read someone's mind and knew their intent, right?

But for the 10,000 time please show one place where I said I hate Jewish folk?

Where? still waiting?

Yes, you do run away from your own posts 10,000 times or more. We expect it of you by now.

So where's the answer? You just keep proving you are the forum liar. Keep it up!

OK continue your lying ways and continue to post.

Yep, keep lying about your own clearly posted antisemitism, and whining about being called out on it. We expect it of you by now.

Also thanks for proven my point that you hate all.

Not Jews like you do, and unlike you ever, I have no partisan reticence about panning libs or cons when it rears its ugly head.

Keep proving us right, you make it so darned easy.

[Colonel Taylor]

Keep running and Lie and Deny something you have mastered. Still waiting by the way. The only thing I remember about kike was someone wanted to write Mike and put kike instead. Butt you being the forum know it all read someone's mind and knew their intent, right?...

That was DooHickey, idiot. She waited 3 pages to claim it was a typo and I did not dispute her belated excuse-making.

As the link I provided clearly shows, homerfobe said it deliberately and you remained silent about it even though you posted very soon afterwards. So, is it confusion, poor memory, or illiteracy this time? You've always got some excuse for your lying.

Keep proving us right, you make it so darned easy.

Us? You and homerfobe are the only two unrepentant antisemites I'm aware of here.

This all easy for you to resolve, just post: "I was wrong to stereotype Hollywood/banker Jews, and homerfobe was wrong to call another poster "kike" and I should have spoken up immediately about it."

But, we all know that you don't have the spine to post that. You'd rather be seen as an antisemite and mewl like a little baby when it's pointed out. Fine, I'm happy to oblige.[/quote]

I am still waiting where I even hinted I hate anyone????????????????????????????????????????????????

[Reality]

Vred's in the gasp mode. Memories of the old TN forum.

A very sick person!