The White's

<<On Thursday Nov 7, 2002 9:29 am susan marie wrote: okay, this may seem like an odd question, but does anyone else unschool
religion? (unchurch?)>>

I guess you could call what we do unschooling religion. We read about and talk about all kinds of religions. When my kids ask what I think or believe, I tell them, but I don't ask them to believe as I do. We are, for want of a better term, atheists who grew up in churches. Myself in Southern Baptist, my husband in Methodist. We teach our children what Christians believe, what Hindus believe, and what ancient cultures believed. We don't tell them what to think or feel, just expose them to all thoughts and let them take what feels right for them. And we tell them that's what we want. That religion/spirituality/faith is personal and just like choosing what clothes to wear or what foods to eat, it's okay for everyone to be different and no one is wrong as long as it's what is truly in their heart.

We never condemn other's or keep them from "religious" things. They participate in blessing food at friends homes, they understand Christian holidays (as well as others), they are going bowling with their babysitter and her church youth group on Saturday. The only thing we do ask of them is to live by the Golden Rule, which is universal to all religions.

Cindy


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Do those of you who are non-christians celebrate Christmas?
Why or why not? If not do you celebrate a winter holiday?
Elissa


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Shyrley

On 7 Nov 02, at 10:41, Earthmomma67@... wrote:

> Do those of you who are non-christians celebrate Christmas?
> Why or why not? If not do you celebrate a winter holiday?
> Elissa
>
We celebrate Yule at the Winter Solstice and then do xmas as a
secular holiday. It really means nothing more than decorations, day
of work for DH and presents to us.

Shyrley


"You laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you are all the same."

rebecca delong

Hi, we do it all :-). We celabrate Yule/Winter Solstice with dh family and quite a few of our close friends. We have kinda an open house. Then we celebrate X-mas with my family, although we celebrate it as a family holiday, not as the birth of christ. We have asked that my family respect that we don't want christianity pushed on our kids and if they choose that path it will be thier choice. So, in our home I guess you could say the kids get the best of both (IMO) worlds and it lasts for about a week, they love it.
Rebecca
Earthmomma67@... wrote:Do those of you who are non-christians celebrate Christmas?
Why or why not? If not do you celebrate a winter holiday?
Elissa


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Deborah Lewis

> Do those of you who are non-christians celebrate Christmas?
> Why or why not? If not do you celebrate a winter holiday?
> Elissa

Oh, we do! We celebrate Christmas because it's fun, my mom is Jewish
and several of our relatives are so sometimes we celebrate that "OTHER"
holiday.<g> My brother, who lives near us celebrates Yule at the
Solstice so we get in on that. December is just one fun month around
here. Lots of family, lots of friends, lots of food, lots of
decorations. We get the best parts of everything. We might be
cheating, but we don't seem to care.<g>

Deb L

Kelli Traaseth

We grew up celebrating Christmas, as Lutherans, I just yesterday was talking about religion with a friend and she asked if I knew that Jesus' birthday was actually in July or something, she thought? Blew me away!! She said Christmas was actually a pagan holiday? See, I really do need some education on religions, even Christianity!! Which I thought I was! <g>

Kelli

Earthmomma67@... wrote:Do those of you who are non-christians celebrate Christmas?
Why or why not? If not do you celebrate a winter holiday?
Elissa


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Want to talk about a strange experience, try being at the home of a
Jehovah's Witness, and hearing "Christmas" music coming from the piano? I
don't recall what the tune was, but the person was actually playing
"Greensleeves (sp?)". I think it's an old folk tune, or Celtic, or
something, but the music is identical to a Christmas carol!

Kevin



We grew up celebrating Christmas, as Lutherans, I just yesterday was
talking about religion with a friend and she asked if I knew that Jesus'
birthday was actually in July or something, she thought? Blew me away!!
She said Christmas was actually a pagan holiday? See, I really do
need some education on religions, even Christianity!! Which I thought I
was! <g>

Kelli

Earthmomma67@... wrote:Do those of you who are non-christians
celebrate Christmas?
Why or why not? If not do you celebrate a winter holiday?
Elissa


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


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In a message dated 11/7/02 8:43:14 AM, Earthmomma67@... writes:

<< Do those of you who are non-christians celebrate Christmas?
Why or why not? If not do you celebrate a winter holiday? >>

I suppose we're "culturally Christians," we do Christmas and Easter. If I
didn't have kids, I'd go to church those times. I've invited kids and
they've declined. Now they're old enough to stay home and I might go.
There's just nothing like a midnight mass in an adobe church in Northern New
Mexico. But I haven't been in years, so maybe there's REALLY nothing like
what I remember.

Sandra

Shyrley

On 7 Nov 02, at 10:02, kevin.tucker@... wrote:

> Want to talk about a strange experience, try being at the home of a
> Jehovah's Witness, and hearing "Christmas" music coming from the
> piano? I don't recall what the tune was, but the person was actually
> playing "Greensleeves (sp?)". I think it's an old folk tune, or
> Celtic, or something, but the music is identical to a Christmas carol!
>
> Kevin
>
Greensleeves was written by Henry 8th when he was smitten with
some bird.
So it said in my history book.

Shyrley


"You laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you are all the same."

Nicole Nichol

i've heard of lots of christians who celebrate the birth of Jesus in another month.i wonder what dec. 25 stands for,then?something must have happened on that day,but i wonder what?
Renee
Kelli Traaseth <kellitraas@...> wrote:
We grew up celebrating Christmas, as Lutherans, I just yesterday was talking about religion with a friend and she asked if I knew that Jesus' birthday was actually in July or something, she thought? Blew me away!! She said Christmas was actually a pagan holiday? See, I really do need some education on religions, even Christianity!! Which I thought I was! <g>

Kelli

Earthmomma67@... wrote:Do those of you who are non-christians celebrate Christmas?
Why or why not? If not do you celebrate a winter holiday?
Elissa


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


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Shyrley

On 7 Nov 02, at 8:55, Kelli Traaseth wrote:

>
> We grew up celebrating Christmas, as Lutherans, I just yesterday was
> talking about religion with a friend and she asked if I knew that
> Jesus' birthday was actually in July or something, she thought?
> Blew me away!! She said Christmas was actually a pagan holiday?
> See, I really do need some education on religions, even Christianity!!
> Which I thought I was! <g>
>
> Kelli
>
Celebrating the Winter Solstice (Yule) is/was a pagan tradition. It
involved, feasting, gift giving and bringing greenery into the house to
celebrate the rebirth of the sun and son of the Goddess and the .
beginning of the return of light.
The Goddess gives birth to her son at yule, they (umm, he
becomes her consort) frolick in te greenwood at Beltane. He
marries her as her consort at Midsummer when he is the King of
Summer. At Lammas he sacrifices himself for the land and the
seasons turn to Autumn as the Goddess mourns. Then he is
reborn at Yule again.
The main 8 pagan celebrations have all has Christian ones put on
or at the same date.
For example - Spring equinox - Oestara. Our word Easter comes
from that. Its why Europeans get Easter Eggs and look for the
Easter Hare.

Actaully I rambled on more than I meant too. Maybe I shouldn't
have drunk *all* that coffee....

Shyrley the twitchy



"You laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you are all the same."

Nicole Nichol

thanks for explaining yule,i never knew what it meant.
Renee
Shyrley <shyrley.williams@...> wrote:On 7 Nov 02, at 8:55, Kelli Traaseth wrote:

>
> We grew up celebrating Christmas, as Lutherans, I just yesterday was
> talking about religion with a friend and she asked if I knew that
> Jesus' birthday was actually in July or something, she thought?
> Blew me away!! She said Christmas was actually a pagan holiday?
> See, I really do need some education on religions, even Christianity!!
> Which I thought I was! <g>
>
> Kelli
>
Celebrating the Winter Solstice (Yule) is/was a pagan tradition. It
involved, feasting, gift giving and bringing greenery into the house to
celebrate the rebirth of the sun and son of the Goddess and the .
beginning of the return of light.
The Goddess gives birth to her son at yule, they (umm, he
becomes her consort) frolick in te greenwood at Beltane. He
marries her as her consort at Midsummer when he is the King of
Summer. At Lammas he sacrifices himself for the land and the
seasons turn to Autumn as the Goddess mourns. Then he is
reborn at Yule again.
The main 8 pagan celebrations have all has Christian ones put on
or at the same date.
For example - Spring equinox - Oestara. Our word Easter comes
from that. Its why Europeans get Easter Eggs and look for the
Easter Hare.

Actaully I rambled on more than I meant too. Maybe I shouldn't
have drunk *all* that coffee....

Shyrley the twitchy



"You laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you are all the same."


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Shyrley

On 7 Nov 02, at 9:10, Nicole Nichol wrote:

>
> i've heard of lots of christians who celebrate the birth of Jesus in
> another month.i wonder what dec. 25 stands for,then?something must
> have happened on that day,but i wonder what? Renee

Yule was on the 21st and the old Roman feast of Saturnalia more
towards the 25th.
Generally a week of partying for the people before Christianity

Shyrley
"You laugh at me because I'm different. I laugh at you because you are all the same."

[email protected]

In a message dated 11/7/02 10:18:23 AM, mom23princess@... writes:

<< thanks for explaining yule,i never knew what it meant. >>

That's not all Yule means. The word is used in several northern Germanic
languages to name Christmas. It's an older word, yes, but Christmas cards
from Germany or any Scandinavian country (and a few others) are going to wish
you some version of "good yul."

Easter, the word "Easter" is of entirely Pagan origin.
There are lots of sources on the internet about the histories of those words.

Sandra

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In a message dated 11/7/02 9:57:36 AM, kellitraas@... writes:

<< I just yesterday was talking about religion with a friend and she asked
if I knew that Jesus' birthday was actually in July or something, she
thought? >>

Since nobody knows or CAN know, one day's as good as another, and it's been
midwinterish always.

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In a message dated 11/7/02 10:03:53 AM, kevin.tucker@... writes:

<< I
don't recall what the tune was, but the person was actually playing
"Greensleeves (sp?)". >>


What Child is this, who laid to rest on Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthem sweet; their (I forget what) keeping
This, this is Christ the King whom shepherds guard and angels sing
Haste, haste to bring him laud, the Babe, the Son of Mary.

Why lies he in such mean estate, where ox and ass are feeding...

I'm not thinking of all the words. It's beautiful.

(heading to google.com...)

WELL!!!!

WITH music playing, it's at http://www.oremus.org/hymnal/w/w056.html


What child is this, who laid to rest,
on Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
while shepherds watch are keeping?
Refrain:
This, this is Christ the King,
whom shepherds guard and angels sing;
haste, haste to bring him laud,
the babe, the son of Mary.

Why lies he in such mean estate
where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christian, fear: for sinners here
the silent Word is pleading. Refrain

So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh,
come, peasant, king, to own him;
the King of kings salvation brings,
let loving hearts enthrone him. Refrain

------------------------------------------------------------------------
Words: William Chatterton Dix, c. 1865

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In a message dated 11/7/02 10:05:30 AM, shyrley.williams@... writes:

<< Greensleeves was written by Henry 8th when he was smitten with
some bird.
So it said in my history book.
>>

The words maybe, but the tune's traditional.

And the words are usually marked "traditional," but Henry VIII did do a fair
amount of composition of music and verse!

Lisa M. C. Bentley

> Since nobody knows or CAN know, one day's as good as another, and it's been
> midwinterish always.

I belonged to the RLDS church for quite some time and I was always
"taught"/told that Jesus was born on April 6th or 7th. I believe that
the RLDS and the LDS churches are still saying this. Here's one site
that I just found to back this up (I've read several in the past, so I'm
sure you'd be able to find more if you are interested):
http://members.aol.com/EarlyRR/jebrt.html

This site says maybe September or October:
http://www.compass.org/gml/archive/2002/GML-03_13_2002.html

I don't think that it really matters in the grand scheme of things, but
the Mormon church has a better argument IMO.

-Lisa in AZ

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In a message dated 11/7/02 10:11:39 AM, mom23princess@... writes:

<< i've heard of lots of christians who celebrate the birth of Jesus in
another month.i wonder what dec. 25 stands for,then?something must have
happened on that day,but i wonder what? >>

Roman festival began.

Christianity has often "commandeered" existing holidays and practices and
overlaid Christian significance on them. They did it here with the Pueblo
Indians. Their winter dances and feasts have had Christian symbolism added.

Sandra

kayb85

--- In Unschooling-dotcom@y..., SandraDodd@a... wrote:
>
> In a message dated 11/7/02 9:57:36 AM, kellitraas@y... writes:
>
> << I just yesterday was talking about religion with a friend and
she asked
> if I knew that Jesus' birthday was actually in July or something,
she
> thought? >>
>
> Since nobody knows or CAN know, one day's as good as another, and
it's been
> midwinterish always.

Another interesting aspect to trying to figure out the actual date of
Jesus' birthday is that there is no Biblical mandate to celebrate His
birthday. That's just something that the religion of Christianity
added. Big difference between the Christian religion and a
relationship with Jesus.
Sheila