Christian, Pagan Holidays, Beliefs And Traditions

Today is December 31, 2018, as that next Sun rises it will bring in a New Year. On this last day of the Old Year I have continued to reflect on my past, present and future. The stringing together of written words and listening to the stringing together of musical notes are a form of therapy to me. My thoughts turn to the lyrics of one of my favorite songs.

"And when my mind is free

You know a melody can move me

And when I'm feelin' blue

The guitar's comin' through to soothe me

Thanks for the joy that you've given me

I want you to know I believe in your song

Rhythm and rhyme and harmony

You help me along makin' me strong

Oh, give me the beat boys, and free my soul

I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away..."

As my mind drifts away to some of the readings I have been doing as research for my fictional character/alter-ego of medieval days, which I have found to be very interesting, I have also learned more about Celtic history and mythology. With that, I've also found some articles that discuss the comparison between Christianity and Paganism.

One starts with this, "Pagan traditions and celebrations preceded the onset of Christianity. Arising spontaneously in the ancient world, holidays and feasts developed in Syria and Egypt, Persia and Mesopotamia, in Gaul and the dark woods of present day Germany, and in the Roman Empire. The Norse of Scandinavia, the Druids in England and Ireland, the indigenous peoples of the Americas, all celebrated holidays throughout the year. Despite the lack of communications all of these celebrations shared something in common. They all followed the sun.

Festivals, feasts, and celebrations, centered round the winter and summer solstices, appeared in all pagan civilizations centuries before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, and continued for centuries after. Originally the Christian Church frowned upon these pagan rituals, but when traditions were too difficult to overcome the Church absorbed them, creating the ecclesiastical calendar around there existence. Scholars doubt that Jesus was born in December, even the Biblical account of shepherds watching over their flocks in the fields – which would not have happened in winter – make a winter birth unlikely. But celebrating Jesus birth’ during the time of the existing pagan celebration of the solstice was convenient and the Church usurped the holiday."

And since New Year’s Day is upon us, that article further reads, "As early as 2000 BCE the Mesopotamians celebrated the New Year, but the timing of the celebration was centered on the vernal equinox, in March. The first calendar of the Romans, which contained only ten months in a solar year, placed the start of the year as March 1. The last four months of today’s calendar reflect their position in the year through their names; September contains Septem, Latin for seven, October, Octo meaning eight, and so on. The exact time of the appearance of the months January and February is uncertain, but they were originally placed at the end of the year, rather than at the beginning.

The Roman celebration of Saturnalia, which centered on the winter solstice, spread with the growth of the empire. Exactly when the celebration of the New Year came to be placed at the first of January is disputed, but by 153 BCE much of the Roman Empire was using that date to salute the beginning of a new solar year. This continued through the first five centuries following the birth of Christianity, and in 567 CE the Council of Tours officially banned January 1 as the start of the New Year. Instead, the date of the New Year floated throughout medieval Europe, dependent on the calendar used in differing regions, some using December 25, some March 1, and some other dates, all of which were selected for their astrological significance.

The Gregorian calendar, which appeared in 1582, corrected errors in the Julian calendar and returned the start of the year to January 1. It also made January 1 the date on which Roman Catholics celebrated the Feast of the Circumcision. January 1 was thus established as the eighth day of the Christmas season in the Roman Catholic calendar. While Catholic nations adopted the Gregorian calendar immediately, as demanded by a Papal Bull, most protestant nations did not. Great Britain (and its American colonies) did not adopt the Gregorian calendar until 1752. Until that time New Year’s Day remained in March in the British Empire.

In selecting January 1 as the New Year and a feast of the Christmas season, the Gregorian calendar marked a date which was already a day of celebration among the Christian community, absorbed by them from pagan rituals which celebrated the restoration of the sun. The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, immediately following it the days begin to grow longer in terms of hours of sunlight, and it was this which had been celebrated in the ancient world. The Gregorian designation of the date as a religious feast did little to impair the celebration of the return of the sun, or the traditions it established.

Under the Gregorian calendar New Year’s Day remains the octave of Christmas, but many other cultures and religions celebrate other days as the New Year, including China, Southeast Asia, India, and in Islam (which uses a lunar, rather than solar, calendar causing New Year’s Day to float). Although officially a solemn religious holiday in the eyes of several Christian Churches, the celebration of New Year’s Day and Eve are more given over to hedonistic pursuits, as it was before the date was selected to be a major feast day of the Roman Catholic and Christian calendar."

(Read the entire article here: "10 Christian Holidays and Beliefs Steeped in Pagan Traditions")

But is it wrong to compare Christianity and Paganism? I'm sure that there are some that say that the two should not be compared because they are too far different. Another article I read, in part, states the following.

"What is Paganism? What is Christianity?

Paganism has different definitions, depending on the person or source you ask. Some will say paganism is any religion that isn't one of the Abrahamic religions (Islam, Christianity, or Judaism), while others will say paganism is a religion that follows a more polytheistic view of deity and seeks to revive the old ways of our ancestors. Paganism is an umbrella term, meaning it covers a wide range of religions and belief systems, including (but not limited to): Wicca, Neo-paganism, Asatru, Voodoo, Indigenous traditions, Hellenic paganism, witchcraft, and more. Still others will say that paganism is equivalent to satanism, which isn't a correct definition, but as I said before it all depends on who you ask.

Christianity is one of the three major world religions and is one of the Abrahamic religions. Its roots are embedded in the Middle East, and its furthest beginnings reach back to the time of Abraham. This religion is based off of the Holy Bible, which is a collection of ancient books selected and compiled by a group of religious officials and Constantine in the 300s AD. Christianity is also an umbrella term in that there are hundreds of branches of Christianity, including but not limited to: Catholicism, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Greek Orthodox, 7th Day Adventist, Mormon, Pentecostal, and more.

What do these two have in common? The roots of Christianity are interlaced with some of the most ancient pagan traditions and elements, mainly because the Church gained power through conversion. In order to convert the people of Europe (and the world) from their pagan beliefs, they either had to turn them against their beliefs by fear or accept and adopt some of their beliefs into the Christian religion."

I was raised in a Christian home, my Father and Grandfather were Southern Baptist Preachers. Our family was in church just about any time the doors were open. Such as Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, Wednesday nights, the week of a Revival and "All-Day Singin' and Dinner on the Grounds". There was a time, way back when I was still a teenager, that my Mother once related to me that I had better only marry a White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant Girl. No, she didn't use that exact terminology, but the words she used to me meant the same. Interestingly enough, the young lady I dated off and on for awhile back when I was in high school had Greek Orthodox beliefs. I was married in 1999 to someone of Pentecostal beliefs.

The above mentioned article continues.

"Pentecostalism: Healing with Hands, Speaking in Tongues, Filled with the Spirit

Growing up in the Pentecostal Church, one hears that any other religion outside of Pentecostalism are made up of people who are going to Hell. At least this is what is taught in many of the Assemblies of God churches. Catholics? Going to Hell. Methodists? Going to Hell. Why is this when Pentecostals are doing the same things and using much of the same symbols as the other branches of Christianity? They do not realize they too carry on pagan elements and traditions of the past, as well as engage in "occult" or "magical" forms of practice which we will examine here.

One of the beliefs of the Pentecostal Church is in Divine Healing. This is the belief that when one is "saved" or "born again" then they will also be granted physical healing through God. When this doesn't happen automatically, there are questions as to why. In addition to the Divine Healing, Pentecostals also believe in the "laying on of hands" or healing by using their hands on another person to allow God's healing power to flow to the necessary ailment or illness. This practice is reflected in numerous healing traditions outside of the Christian tradition dating back thousands of years. A similar, more recent tradition is the Japanese relaxation technique known as Reiki. Reiki is the practice of using one's hands to allow Divine or Universal energy to flow into another person or object in order to aid in relaxation, stress reduction, and to promote healing. Reiki originated before Pentecostalism in the late 1800s. Other "hand healing" techniques and traditions outside of Christianity include: polarity therapy, massage, Qigong, acupressure/shiatsu, and matrix energetics.

One particular practice of the Pentecostals is called speaking in tongues. While evidence doesn't show a strong relation to pagan practices of similar kind, new age traditions demonstrate a similar sounding practice called "light language". The Pentecostals see speaking in tongues as one of the "gifts of the spirit", which means they believe the Holy Spirit "comes upon" them (enters their bodies) and gives them the gift of speaking in another language or in a heavenly language. The connection between the speaking in tongues and light language is uncanny. They sound nearly identical and both claim to be channeling, if you will, higher powers in order to speak in these other "tongues". Are the Pentecostals tapping into the same power as those in the new age movement? Whatever the source, these practices are nearly one and the same.

Another strong relation that can be made between the Pentecostals and what they deem a "pagan" religion is the idea of being "filled with the spirit". Pentecostals believe the spirit of God descends upon them and fills them with its presence, upon which they may dance, laugh, be "drunk in the spirit", speak in tongues, jump up and down, etc. If you were to attend a New Orleans voodoo ceremony/ritual, you will see a comparable practice of the practitioners allowing the Loa to "ride them", meaning they allow the spirits of the Loa (angel spirits of sorts) to enter their bodies, during which they do similar things to the Pentecostals - shake, dance, run around in circles, seemingly speak in other languages or voices, etc. One may say that these two are different because the Pentecostals are allowing the spirit of God to enter their bodies while the voodoo practitioners are allowing something more sinister to enter their bodies, but when the two practices are so alike, how can you tell one from the other?

The point here is that our religions have similar roots and most likely go back to the same place. They are all branches on one gigantic tree. They share the same roots. For one to deny the other or reject the other as being a true religion or practice is absurd when one takes into account the ancient history and origins of these religions."

This article concludes with this.

"Conclusion - This Must Be Said.

By no means am I trying to degrade or insult any religion or belief by writing this article. On the contrary, I seek to demonstrate just how connected we all are as human beings on this planet. We have been told for centuries that we are different, separate from one another, and to hold to those differences. But in reality, when we examine our roots, our traditions, our most basic beliefs and morals, we see that we are all connected.

Just because I am pointing out the similarities between Christianity and Paganism doesn't mean I believe one or the other is correct or incorrect. I am simply comparing. Many individuals might take offense, but this is not to offend...it is to enlighten and educate. We are not as different as you may have believed."

(Read the entire article here: "Christianity's Pagan Roots: Traditions, Practices, and Holidays")

I remembered a time, as a child, attending a Pentecostal church of some friends of our family. Quite frankly I found it to be frightening but I was just a child, I knew no better. And just as the writer states they do not wish to degrade or insult any religion or belief with what is written in this article, that is mine own hopes too with what I have written here as well. But in regards to some of what was pointed out in the article about Pentecostalism, and taking into consideration some of that research I've been doing, one of the things I learned was about Shamanism is that I can see some similarities between it and Pentecostalism. Shamanism involves a practitioner reaching altered states of consciousness in order to perceive and interact with what they believe to be a spirit world and channel these transcendental energies into this world. And Shamanism harkens back to Paganism. You may recall that Taliesin, the Welsh Bard of the 6th Century was mentioned in the "Scrolls of Taloned Claws", if you've read anything I have written there, was said to have been a Shaman.

Another article by the same writer starts with this.

"You Can't Follow Two Religions?

Most people will say you cannot be both Christian and Pagan. They are two opposite religions, in many cases one blaming the other for all of the world's problems. Christians say Pagans are devil-worshipers and are corrupting the souls of the world. Pagans say Christians are dogmatic and closed-minded and are bringing us down. But what if the truth is somewhere in the middle? What if the truth is something that isn't discussed a whole lot? What if I told you being Christian and Pagan is a possibility?

I know what you're thinking. She's crazy. And I used to believe that a person could not be more than one religion, especially if those religions seem in opposition to one another. But I've grown up, not only physically and mentally but spiritually. I've studied world religions for many years and have found that they aren't as different as we've been taught. Society might try to sway us one way or another, but if you are anything like me and like to make your own way in this world...read on."

Before we get too far here the word "dualism" comes to my mind and I want to share the meaning of this word. As it pertains to religious doctrine, which is that the universe contains opposed powers of good and evil, especially seen as balanced equals. And in Christian theology, the heresy that in the incarnate Christ there were two coexisting persons, human and divine.

This article further reads.

"Christianity is Paganism At Its Core

First we must address this idea of division between Christianity and Paganism. Yes, there are fundamental and extremist Christians and Pagans that will tell you there is a division. That these religions are too distinct and different to blend together. But here's the thing - these people aren't seeing past the dogma that's been ingrained in them from other very dogmatic, closed-minded individuals."

So now once again my thoughts turned to the words I heard my own Mother utter. She had at least once, to me, said that any religion, other than Protestantism, was not a true religion. No, she didn't use that exact terminology, but the words she used to me meant the same. Then there was a time, as I was an adult, when it was time for her side of the family to get together for their family reunion. As was tradition, when this took place, the entire family, and it was a huge extended one, would always attend the Sunday morning services at the church that the family had grown up in. One of her brothers was also a Southern Baptist Preacher and usually the Pastor at the local church would invite him to deliver the Sunday morning sermon. On this occasion my Uncle mentioned his Catholic Brothers and Sisters in Christ. He spoke of the one and true God. As I was sitting right next to my Mother I had an urge to lightly elbow her in the side to see if she was listening to what her own brother was preaching about. Yes, I loved my Mother but she was a closed-minded individual at times. I lost her to pancreatic cancer in 2000, just about a week before my first-born son's 1st birthday. We had just only recently found out she was sick and had plans to visit her where she could at least spend one more special day with him. Christmas of 1999 turned out to be the one and only holiday we all had together.

I have also recalled of when I lived in Florida, as a young teenager, for a short time and about an incident that took place at school one day. I heard a boy that was sitting behind me talking with a girl that was sitting beside him. Their conversation turned to one's personal religious beliefs and when she told him she was Catholic he started making fun of her. His words were hateful and spiteful, I cold tell they were hurting her because she started to cry. I then turned around and asked him to stop, I don't remember what I said but he did stop. She then turned and looked at me, thanked me and then asked if I was Catholic too. When I told her I was a Baptist she had a look of shock and amazement. Perhaps she was surprised that a person of a different religion, a Protestant, was defending her's, Catholicism. Not long ago I had related this story to someone who has closer generational ties to Ireland than I do from my own ancestors as mine arrived in what one day would become America in the 1630's. This person invoked the names of Wolfe Tone and Emmet and said that both were held in high regard when it comes to Irish history. I thought this to be a great compliment but felt unworthy of such a comparison.

With some of my past reading on Irish history, long before I started writing about my fictional character/alter-ego, I had already learned about Theobald Wolfe Tone who was posthumously known as Wolfe Tone and was a leading Irish revolutionary figure and one of the founding members of the United Irishmen. He is regarded as the father of Irish republicanism and leader of the 1798 Irish Rebellion. He was captured at Letterkenny port on 3 November 1798, and he died sixteen days later for reasons that are disputed. A second rising in 1803, led by Robert Emmet, was quickly put down, and he was hanged. On further reading back then I also learned about the Irish Republican Brotherhood, founded in Ireland by James Stephens and others in 1858. They made up a movement commonly known as "Fenians" which was dedicated to the overthrow of British imperial rule in Ireland. In 1867 they staged the Fenian Rising. I wonder if that James Stephens could he be a distant ancestor of mine?

Okay let us get back to that article.

"Syncretism: Why You Can Be Two Religions

For the fundamental pagans and Christians, they will still argue that you can't "mix" two religions - particularly two religions that have been at war for thousands of years. The fact is that most religions have fought one another at some point in history, and often different branches within the same religions fight one another. An example of this is the Protestants versus the Catholics. Do you think they differed in opinions and split from each other peacefully? No. It was bloody. It was violent. It was wrong and inhuman, but it happened. How about the different sects of Buddhism that fight one another? Or the different branches of Islam that fight one another? We can't blame religion for our human faults and differences, we can only blame ourselves - our fear and hatred and ignorance. So the argument of two religions being "at odds" with one another is not a legitimate argument.

If you are a person who believes any religion could be "right" and no one is exactly "wrong", then you are a person who might want to blend different religions like Christianity and Paganism. This is what some call Syncretism, which is defined as the amalgamation or attempted amalgamation of different religions, cultures, or schools of thought. People will tell you this is wrong. People might even say you are being racist or culturally appropriating. In the end, it is up to you to study, practice, and show respect for whatever spiritual practices you decide to blend for your own enlightenment. If you decide to go to church on Sunday but then also believe in multiple gods, who is it really hurting? If you allow others to choose in what they believe, why can't you believe what you want to believe? If you show a respect for others' beliefs, then you are more than entitled to believe what you want to believe even if that is blending pagan customs with Christian ones.

I've heard so many people say "you can't be Buddhist and Christian" or "you can't be this and that at the same time". Why not? Most religions are a blend of various belief systems that have come together over a course of hundreds and sometimes thousands of years, some are even newer than that. When people tell you you can't do something when it comes to religion, they are merely trying to control you. Don't let them."

(Read the entire article here: "Can You Be Christian and Pagan?")

Growing up as a child I had a fairly strict upbringing, especially being a "Preacher's Kid"! But I have never disbelieved what I was taught back then. However as I have gotten older I do feel that there may be some things that took on a little different meaning to me. Could there actually be the roots of Paganism buried in Christianity? Again, over the past many years as I've been learning more about Celtic history and mythology, another thing I learned was about St. Patrick, who is known as the Patron Saint of Ireland. There are some stories that say he is the one that allegedly drove ancient Irish Paganism away from the Emerald Isle. He did however have a hand in spreading Christianity over Ireland. I'm sure most everyone has heard of Saint Patrick's Day.

Do I wish to convert to Paganism? Can I delve into a little bit of that "dualism" I mentioned earlier? Why not Druidism? I mean after-all a druid was a member of the high-ranking professional class in ancient Celtic cultures. Druids and Trees go together, right? I read somewhere that Druids are thought of as being a type of ancient Celtic hippie and trees were said to be very sacred. According to Celtic Tree Astrology my "tree" is that of the Hazel. It is said that "Hazel people are clever and detail-oriented, often analyzing every situation. They tend to have low self-worth and a lot of nervous energy. Their strength is their mind. They are great planners and organizers, and often excel as scholars." Sounds a little like me I think perhaps.

A little more reading on Celtic Tree Astrology shows.

"Characteristics of the Celtic Hazel Sign (August 5 - September 1): It you're a Hazel Tree individual, you are very intelligent and clever. You know a lot about everything, and an expert in your field. You're a great communicator - both in writing and when speaking. You are very detailed oriented, often planning things out far in advance. Once you commit yourself to something, you throw everything you have into it.

Full Moon Hazel: If you were born during the last two weeks of the Celtic Hazel Sign, you are a Full Moon Hazel. You are very honest, with a tendency to be too blunt at times. You enjoy teaching, where you're likely to focus more on theory than practical application. This preference for theory carries over into other area of your life."

I was born on the 28th of August, under the Full Moon Hazel. Again, this sounds a little like me I think. Now depending on your age you may have heard a song that includes the following, "When the Moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter aligns with Mars, then peace will guide the planets and love will steer the stars". That, of course, was in the 1967 musical "Hair", from the heyday of the hippie and New Age movements in the 1960's and 1970's. Astrology, while I have found it to be interesting, I've never centered or lived my life around it. Oh, by the way, my Celtic Animal Sign is the Rainbow Salmon.

"The salmon was one of the Celts most sacred creatures. The salmon had the meaning of wisdom and esoteric knowledge. The Celts believed that eating salmon gave a person great wisdom and the ability to see the future. When a salmon appeared, the Celts believed it meant a person had an increased ability to sense changes in the environment. A salmon's appearance also meant that a person needed to look at where they had been or where they were thinking of going - things were about to change. Persistence would bring success."

The information that I have referenced here that are not mine own memories or thoughts are just that, information. It does not make it true, it does not make it false. It is just meant to make you think, even for a short moment, that there are other ideas out there that may be worth considering. Then you can make your own decisions to accept them or not, including those personal thoughts that I have included.

I am a Christian but I will admit that I am not one that acts and lives in a way that I should as one. I am not perfect and I will never be. I will continue to make mistakes for the rest of my life. I also know that deep down in my heart and soul, that it has been and will always be the love of God that protects me when I need it most. Without reservation I can say if it were not for that belief in the one and true God, I could not survive in this world.

I now want to revisit that made up quote that I have attributed to my fictional character/alter-ego of medieval days. "In this life one should have hope and perseverance in the face of adversity. But at times one may come to question everything that was once regarded as an absolute truth and consider the realization that everything you once believed in might not exist." - Tallen Cyenns. Remember I said that it seems to almost perfectly sum up my life? To me, things in my life, such as the past, present and future are starting to make more sense now as each New Year comes and goes.

As the bells begin to ring, and if you have read this far, I leave you each with this last thought...

"May you get all your wishes but one, so that you always have something to strive for!" - Irish Blessing