The Merits of a Christian Europe

[Ediruc]

Well lets see, Yule aka Christmas for starters.

Oh and that jolly fat man named Santa? he's actually Odin.

"Odin was sometimes recorded, at the native Germanic holiday of Yule, as leading a great hunting party through the sky.Two books from Iceland, the Poetic Edda, compiled in the 13th century from earlier sources, and the Prose Edda, written in the 13th century by Snorri Sturluson, describe Odin as riding an eight-legged horse named Sleipnir that could leap great distances, giving rise to comparisons to Santa Claus's reindeer. Further, Odin was referred to by many names in Skaldic poetry, some of which describe his appearance or functions. These include Síðgrani, Síðskeggr, Langbarðr, (all meaning "long beard") and Jólnir("Yule figure")."

Christianity is hardly original.

Let's not forget the fact that Jesus is just an encapsulation of different mythic figures and archetypes such as Osiris, Mithras (my favorite), Dionysus, Dagon (Lord of Fish and all ), and, of course, our favorite war god with one eye, Odin

Hmmm...Am I missing any?

EDIT: Oh, I FORGOT BUDDHA LOL!!!

[KasparHauser]

Well lets see, Yule aka Christmas for starters.

Oh and that jolly fat man named Santa? he's actually Odin.

I've heard of many origins for Santa Claus and they are all interesting stories. But I'd like to point out to you that Santa Claus has NOTHING to do with Christianity.
As for Christmas coming from Yule, well no Christian tries to deny this. When pagans became Christian they didn't want to lose their traditional celebrations (far enough, don't you think?) so they decided to use this day to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.
You are claiming that the whole, complex religion of Christianity has no originality because some of our holidays and practices were influenced by pagans? This is a weak argument.

[William Frost]

LOL!
Where exactly did you get that from?
The US Public School System LOL!

Christianity is derived from Judaism, which had little or no contact with Germanic Pagans until well in to the Roman Period. If anything is true, it was converted Germanic Pagans that added pagan symbols to the Christianity they got from the Middle East. As such they were seen as pollution of the original intent, and not as a constructive addition.

Dare I say the Christmas Tree here.



Last time I looked Tennesseans were referred to as "Rednecks" despite of their religion. Assuming that is where you are really from??

As such all you are really doing by using the term "Redneck" is perpetuation a stereo type against yourself.

I am from East Tennessee. Near Knoxville. I do not think that the term "redneck" is a good term in describing all Tennesseans. Granted there are many here.I do not consider myself to be a redneck. How would YOU define "redneck"? You can do research yourself I won't tire my fingers just to prove my point. Converted Germanic Pagans, still christ followers. Monotheism is all proselytist trash. If being self reliant and taking pride in my land makes me a redneck, so be it. That was how I was raised.

[KasparHauser]

Christianity is friendly to all races, ethnic groups, people, tribes, ect... It was a religion designed for the entire world. It was designed as a sort of unifying force for all peoples, no matter what ethnic background or skin color.

As a Christian, I would say the religion was 'designed' for anything. It wasn't designed. It is the result of something. That something being the coming of Christ.

[KasparHauser]

But, the Jews back then were also money-lenders and had a political and societal influences on the German people. That was Luther's primary drive to writing The Jews and Their Lies.

I am a Lutheran and I'm studying theology. As far as I know the biggest reason for Luther's hatred of Jews was that they did not join his new Christianity as he had planned so he turned against them

but who is to say history would not have gone a similar route without it?

I think history would be pretty different without Christianity.

[KasparHauser]

EDIT: Oh, I FORGOT BUDDHA LOL!!!

How is Jesus an encapsulation of Buddha and why do you find this funny?

[KasparHauser]

Monotheism is all proselytist trash.

In an attempt to understand this over-simplistic insult to my faith I looked up the word 'proselytist' in the dictionary. Only to find that the word does not exist. I did, however, find a couple meanings to the word 'proselyte':

"a person who has changed from one opinion, religious belief, sect, or the like, to another; convert."

"a person newly converted to a religious faith or sect; a convert, esp a gentile converted to Judaism"

Now I am confused. Can you please explain what you meant when you labeled monotheism as "proselytist trash"?

[Wynterwade]

I'm getting the feeling the meaning behind my post has slipped over most of your heads. Most of what you guys are arguing about seems insignificant to me.

I thought more posts would be about the possible influence of religion on genetics and our culture/values/morality/family structure. Or about the differences in culture/values/morality/family structure between Christianity and Paganism.

Oh well.

[Hersir]

Christianity has some flaws that leave our people open up to danger through immigration.

The religion is just too flabby for a people that need to defend themselves in this day. Love thy enemy is about the worst advice we can take.

That is not true, in earlier times Christian armies protected Europe from muslim invasion. In the Norwegian constitution from 1814 jews were not permitted to enter the kingdom.

Recommended reading: http://www.amazon.com/Germanization-.../dp/0195104668



Now we have switched from this Madonna:


To worship this one:





Before religion bound the people together, now there is so much liberalism and individualism that everyone has different opinions. We have a large loss of identity, how many people today does not feel out of place in the society?

The priests of today that promote christian values get witch hunted when their values dont fit into the modern and "better" values.

Christ stood for a clear break with the materialist mosaic faith. He threw away about everyting of mosaic traditions and belief.
This galilean didnt even keep the sabbat holy. For some reason Christ is always portayed as soft and weak, but he probably had more guts than any of us.
What he did would be like if someone stands on the market in Tel Aviv and says that the holocaust was a fraud. I think the result would have been the same as in that time.

There is a ocean of difference between modern "christianity" and the one christianity which the temple knights, the german order or the other ones here in the north in the beginning of the 20th century that wanted to "finish the reformation", and finally tear out the old testament from the bible practised.

[KasparHauser]

A sad site.