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From: piet@mcvax.UUCP (Piet Beertema)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: church and state and atheism
Message-ID: <5764@mcvax.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 28-Mar-84 09:29:05 EST
Article-I.D.: mcvax.5764
Posted: Wed Mar 28 09:29:05 1984
Date-Received: Fri, 30-Mar-84 00:39:20 EST
References: <418@ucbtopaz.CC.Berkeley.ARPA> <7254@watmath.UUCP>
Organization: CWI, Amsterdam
Lines: 15

Christmas a Christian feast? No. At least not on the date that's now
set for it.

Originally Christmas was celebrated on Jan 2; after the violent prosecutions
of Christians under the Roman emperors another emperor (sorry, can't remember
his name now) was far more tolerant towards them (for his own benefit by the
way). Under this emperor the Sun God, under the name "Sol Invictus" was
worshipped. The big "Feast of Sol Invictus" was on Dec 25. Now this emperor
allowed the Christian to celebrate their "Christmas", as long as they would
do that on the Sol Invictus feast!

So basically, given the date, "Christmas" is a pagan feast.
-- 
	Piet Beertema, CWI, Amsterdam
	...{decvax,philabs}!mcvax!piet