Christmas With a Capital "C" - Christian Santa

[Omnitrix12]

It's sick, really, how these people talk about inclusion of everyone but us. Christmas is why the celebration got so big!

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 Keep the Sol in Solstice

[Omnitrix12]

@sammyhain13 And just what is the point of a solstice?

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 Ah the Winter Solstice illustrates the best in human nature. Our ancestors chose the coldest darkest time of the year to celebrate light and hope. We celebrate the returning sun that which gives us light and life. We gather together with our loved ones and the warmth of that gathering holds back the cold. This theme of hope in the darkness is so powerful that most cultures have their own version of it whether we celebrate the Sun God or Son Of God. It's all the same

[Omnitrix12]

@sammyhain13 Ah, but there is a difference. The solstice only offers a temporary light, even in the polar regions where that light may last for weeks. The sun cannot offer eternal light; only the Son can do that.

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 True. To extend your metaphor eternal light would be a curse and would leave the earth as a burned wasteland. Life depends on the interplay of light and dark, hot and cold, summer and winter. As such we celebrate the Summer Solstice just as much. In this we are assured that death is likewise followed by rebirth. The idea of eternal life in some far off heaven and being separated from the life cycle is anathema to us. But whatever works for you...

[Omnitrix12]

@sammyhain13 Ah, but I was not speaking metaphorically, at least no more so than one must when addressing any new frontier, as it were.

I surmise from your statements that you believe in reincarnation. Are you a Buddhist?

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 Wiccan

[Omnitrix12]

@sammyhain13 I stand corrected about your beliefs. The part about fearing separation from the cycle should have been a dead giveaway.

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 It's fine. Admittedly we're such a hodge podge religion that it's easy to get us wrong

[Omnitrix12]

@sammyhain13 I have seen your profile and now have a better understanding of your background. Therefore permit me to ask a few questions.

First, I notice you speak critically of Christians for always wanting to "control" others. It is true, the pursuit of dominating others' wills is a disgrace to any religion. So why are you going to such great lengths to persuade Christians to abandon their beliefs?

Second, I surmise that you believe that we continue to reincarnate ad infinitum. Given the ...

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 I absolutely don't want any Christian to lose their faith. The discussions I have with Christians are aimed merely at asking them to afford us the same respect. Or else I am defending the various holidays as times that Christians, Pagans, and Secularists can all participate in equally.

Therein is the thing about reincarnation. We concern ourselves with this world, because we believe we are returning to it. Too many Christians seem too concerned with the next world not this one

[Omnitrix12]

@sammyhain13 Christians have ample reason to be concerned with this world, because God made it for mankind to "subdue," or to give a better translation of the word, "cultivate." Yes, we are to be masters of the earth, not its subjects, but we are not to be tyrants.

But the fact is that regardless of how we treat the planet, it and the universe it resides in are wearing out. It's not going to last us forever, one way or the other.

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 From the Earth we come and to the Earth we return. We cocreate our destiny together with Her.

Sure, nothing lasts forever. This is the way of things. Which is why this idea of eternal life is alien to us. The Universe bursts forth from the Big Bang, collapses into the Big Crunch, over and over. We are part of that cycle each time

[Omnitrix12]

@sammyhain13 But if nothing lasts forever, then what really is the point? Isn't any meaning we attach to existence basically arbitrary?

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 It's not that nothing lasts it's that nothing remains in stasis. Water can change from solid to liquid to gas, but nothing is lost or destroyed.

[Omnitrix12]

@sammyhain13 Yes, but the question remains, what's the point? If the universe, and our souls as you believe, are ultimately recycled, then what's the meaning of it all? And wherein is the standard for morality fixed? I know you Wiccans have one: "If it harms none, do what you will." But on what is that based? What's the foundation of meaning, of existence?

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 Ah, "What's the point?" the question all our religions and philosophies are trying to answer. The difference between us is that our religion doesn't promise us an answer it offers a path to find our own. Wicca is a practice of meditation, ritual and magick that we use to find our own answers. Our foundation is simply to be servants of humanity. If we're not helping others then we're not walking the path of the witch

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 For us it's hard to understand an answer to "What's the point?" That involves throwing everyone that disagrees with you into Hell. I honestly don't mean to disparage your beliefs with that statement, it's simply honestly how we see it

[Omnitrix12]

@sammyhain13 I appreciate the good wishes. But let me ask you something. Wicca stands or falls with the idea that everyone finds their own way, and that no one can say whether another's way is right or wrong in any particular sense. Correct?

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 Well, it's not as simple as all that. If another's way is to suppress women, harms the environment, to harm or withhold help from others then No. They are not in accord with the highest good and should be stopped. However, to imagine everyone throughout the world should be held to one standard of life, then one is ignoring the beautiful variety of life. "Do as thou Will" means finding our purpose in the Higher Will and going for it with everything we have

[Omnitrix12]

@sammyhain13 Just to get this on the record, I'm all for protecting the environment and helping others, and I've never favored suppressing women (though I would argue that many of the women's lib measures out there these days do suppress men, which is every bit as wrong). But are those not standards to which, by your own philosophy, everyone should be held?

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 It's all part of "Harm Ye None"

[Omnitrix12]

@sammyhain13 Which you believe is a standard to which all should be held. Yes or no?

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 Should people going around hurting others? No

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 And now we are coming towards Valentine's Day. Named for a Christian martyr, and celebrated with images of a Roman God Of Love. What are your thoughts on this?

[Omnitrix12]

@sammyhain13 On Valentine's Day, I think it has more to do with one's own personal understanding of the symbols involved. Consider crosses; they were invented by Romans, and in the first century wearing one would be like wearing a guillotine today. Yet because of what Jesus did on a cross, they can duly be regarded now as a symbol of love outranking any typical Valentine's Day icon.

And speaking of Jesus, look at what He did with Samaritans. He took the word from suggesting infidelity...

[Omnitrix12]

@sammyhain13 ... of the worst kind to being synonymous with selflessness and compassion.

Now, I do find it rather disagreeable to try to incorporate paganism into Christianity, as the early Catholic church did, for example, but I see nothing in Scripture which speaks against putting little chubby angels on cards and boxes of chocolate. Speaking as an individual, and putting my own view as best in line as I can with Biblical instruction, reverencing such images is where I draw the line.

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 This shows that one chooses what one gets out of symbols. The true meaning of Samaritan was a member of the ethnoreligious group. The parable of the Good Samaritan I've always seen as being about condemning bigotry against other religions. The man they associated with infidelity was the one to come to his neighbor's aid. For me Feb 14th is a celebration of all forms of love through worship of Cupid, Aphrodite, and Lupa. However, we're both in the minority as...

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 ... most people see it as a secular day to celebrate their partner or partners. There's something for us both to learn from this. We shouldn't get so lost in the Divine above, that we forget the Divine right before us

[Omnitrix12]

@sammyhain13 And not that I disagree with not harming others, within reason (somebody goes after my family, I can and will kill him if I have to), but if "Harm Ye None" is a standard to which all must be held, then do you not, in effect, impose it on others even if they do not believe it? Are you saying that it is wrong for militant Islamists to murder non-Muslims even if they believe their god wants it done? Is it wrong for someone to kill those with genetic defects if they believe it's best?

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 The complete part of Rede is "Eight words the Wiccan Rede fulfill:

"An ye harm none, do as ye will. Lest in self-defense it be, Ever mind the rule of three." It is very much a Big Picture type of thing. As such defending others who can not defend themselves is very much of what it is to be a witch. We defend individualtiy right up until it causes harm. The thing is no two individuals will agree on where that line is drawn. The debates add to our personal journeys

[Omnitrix12]

@sammyhain13 Ah, but that is just the point. Either "harm ye none" is an absolute or it is not. If it is an absolute, by whose authority is it so? And if it is not, by what right do you require others to abide by it when they are not of your same belief? Either way you impose what you believe is right on another, which from what you have said earlier is, in Wicca, a terrible offense.

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 Not at all. It's not a Law like "Don't Step On The Grass" it's good advice like "I wouldn't put my hand in that fire if I were you." All the Universe is One, so to hurt others you hurt yourself. There's no judgment or punishment involved in it, it's mere cause and effect. It's a personal journey and there will be mistakes and harm done along the way. We learn from this and move on. As for what others do that's mostly a matter for Law and Politics.

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 Also keep in mind while the Rede is our own Code Of Conduct, we're not opposed to people having different ones. I think someone could do worse than to follow the 10 Commandments, even though I personally object to a few of them. People can follow just one god if they wish, so long as they let me serve all mine. I feel it's wrong to condemn a natural emotion like "coveting." But I'm not going to force my idea onto someone unless they ask my advice in dealing with guilt

[Omnitrix12]

@sammyhain13 But letting others do things their way is part of your way. So in effect, you're still saying they can do things their way as long as it's compatable, to some degree, with your way.

Besides, if we consider the possibility that there is one God, is He not entitled to make the rules as He wishes? And is it not arrogant to think and act as if we know better than He does what we should or should not have (which is what coveting is at its root)?

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 If you're saying that I allowing other people is in someway imposing my Will on them then I guess I'll have to go along with that. But it sounds to me like you're just playing with words. In practice if someone is doing something different from me I ask, "Is he hurting anyone?" If not I'm fine with it. If they are I offer protection to whoever is being hurt, even if that person is themselves. Perhaps it means getting the law involved

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 I disagree. Even assuming one god (which I don't) a parent offers guidance but allows children to make their own way

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 Ah, and now we come to St Patrick's Day. This holiday creates many conflicts for pagans. Most of us closely identify with Celtic culture and our religion owes much to Celtic Pagan tradition, however, the St Patrick's 'driving the snakes out of Ireland" is a symbol for driving out paganism. As such we haveno reason to celebrate him. We tend to call it either Irish Heritage Day or something fun like "All Snakes Day"

[sammyhain13]

@Omnitrix12 Merry Christmas to you this day. May the triumphant story on your Lord's birth inspire us all through the coming year

[Omnitrix12]

@sammyhain13 ...manner in which this world continues to deteriorate, assuming that your view is correct, what fate could possibly be worse, except the fate that awaits you if you are wrong and Christians are right?

[grendelee]

We need to destroy everyone who isnt Christian! Im tired of all this Politically Correct talk of christmas being about "peace" and "love". Its about punishing those who do not follow the True God Christ. Jihad on all unbelievers

[Omnitrix12]

@grendelee Show me where Jesus approved that.

[sammyhain13]

@grendelee rofl

[alunawulf]

great vid!

[SHSH1212]

"Few people realize that the origins of a form of Christmas was pagan & celebrated in Europe long before anyone there had heard of Jesus Christ. Jesus was never born on Christmas. this is the work of the christian church. look it up."

-screamerican56

[bherren79]

I really like your video! I did one as well!