Paganism

Same for me, the birth of the Christ Child

In so far as I celebrate Christmas it is mainly because it is thrust upon me!

Mid winter was chosen/overlaid by Christianity because it has always been a pagan celebration of the return of the sun amongst other stuff. Things like the Yule log, mistletoe etc have all been incorporated into the Christian festival

does the church of england count as a religion seeing it was made simply to validate a king who couldn't keep it in his pants

It is part of the world wide fellowship of the Anglican Church which is a Christian church

Yes of course it does paddyann because the C of E recognises Jesus as the son of God and it's that which differentiates between Christian and non Christian.

I would agree that certain traditions as you've mentioned whitewave have been incorporated into the festival of Christmas, but not all who celebrate Christmas do so because they're Christians, so these things have not necessarily been incorporated into the Christian festival but into the festival of Christmas.

so the dubious beginnings dont matter ..anyone can say they've started a religion and as long as they conform to "Jesus is the son of god" they can do whatever they like ...sorry but old Henry didn't appear in the least bit "christian " from where I stand ...lol The fact he's a serial killer shouldn't make any difference should it...or does it only apply to monarchs?So if the yorkshire ripper decides to start his own branch of "christianity" that'll be fine? After all it will still believe Jesus is the son of God!

although to be fair Henry probably never wielded the axe himself

Well I very much doubt that just anyone could have started a religion in the 1530's that would still be 'on the go' today paddyann.

There was a lot of disillusion with the Catholic Church at the time so the people had an appetite for change. The Protestant reformation began in 1517 with Martin Luther, Ann Boleyn was herself a protestant but was very subtle in her conversations with Henry about it.

I wouldn't say that Henry V111 was a serial killer, regardless of whether or not he "wielded the axe himself" but his faith appears to have been very important to him as was the way in which he practiced it. Even after the formation of the C of E he celebrated Mass with all the ritual associated with Catholicism.

Anglicanism isn't a religion, are you claiming nethodists , baptists, Calvinists, Jehovah Witnesses are not Christian because they were break away churches ? The religion is Cristianity, and the Yorkshire Ripper has the same rights as I to be a Christian,

I'm not sure that Jehovah Witnesses are Christians because they don't believe in the Trinity Anniebach but the others that you've mentioned do.

They believe in Christ Smileless,

satanism has nothing to do with paganism or wicca
satanism requires you to believe in the christian god
pagans,wiccans animasts etc do not believe in satan
and pagans are not religious, they honor all living things more like buddism wicca is a whole nother thing and
modern wicca is a mishmash of a bunch of different beliefs not the celtic/gaelic witches.even so do no harm is the golden rule.

ANd the first rule of paganism is do no harm/
christian holidays were co=opted by the church from pagan beliefs and holidays.YULE is pagan
and the church has done and still is doing horrifying things to children

And no Pagan has ever harmed a child? Plus you are wrong, the church is Christ therefore cannot hurt a child, members of a church have just as fathers and grandfathers have and do.

and jesus wasn't born in the winter
even theologians admit it

www.livescience.com/42976-when-was-jesus-born.html

and henry was a serial killer/there was no reason for what he did excpt the freakin monarchy and his need to fuck everything in sight/couldnt stand that a female would be his heir

Christmas Day celebrates Christ was born, not he was born on 25th December, it means throughout the world christians can celebrate together

then the same holds true for paganism/paganism is the belief in DO NO HARM/live and let live..there are bad people everywhere
pagans don't/ didn't
burn people who don't believe like them.
.and the crusades were just a childs picnic
you are confusing paganism with druidism and witchcraft.

nothing wrong with celebrating your child of god
i have no problem with others beliefs/philosophy
i do have a problem with people spouting off about things they dont understand
ie;satanism being the same as witchcraft/paganism/budhism etc
wisest words i ever heard"do not decide how to worship until you have studied at least 7 other beliefs/religions.
i am a buddhist pagan and yes you can be both

I respect all faiths and would not criticise any belief , excluding the dark arts.

Jehovahs Witnesses believe that they are the only Christians and that others who say they are Christians are not.

Jehovahs Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas or birthdays because they believe they are pagan.

It is not true about JW's, they acknowledge others are Christian, I have attended bible discussion groups with them.

I have worked with them. I have one in the family.
I know what they say, after all their learning of the bible.
They think that all other Christian sects died out and they are the true Christians, carrying Jehovah's message.
But you carry on thinking what you want. As a non-witness, you will be destroyed along with the rest of us.

I say what I have learned from listening and discussing. You have one in your family? Good grief you sound as if you have a leper in your family.

Can any one add to this, just to really rub it in.