Three Centuries Before Christ's Birth, People Celeberated 25 December, Archaeologists Claim

Independent (UK) ^ | 12-24-2003 | Dr David Keys

[Doctor Stochastic]

I read the short (single volume) of "The Golden Bough" some years ago. (The novel "Day of the Arrow" and movie "Eye of the Devil" were based on ideas from "The Golden Bough.")

But did Fraser get his title (as the movie-makers did) from:

Bring me my Bow of burning gold;
Bring me my Arrows of desire;
Bring me my Spear: O clouds, unfold:
Bring me my Chariot of Fire!

[Doctor Stochastic]

This year we got gifts from several Jewish people, 2 Buddist, 2 Hindus, a Shinto and a Muslim.

Sounds like the group I used to go caroling with during grad school days.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

According to Frasier, it has to do with the priesthood at Lake Nemi in Italy.

"Within the sanctuary at Nemi grew a certain tree of which no branch might be broken. Only a runaway slave slave was allowed to break off, if he could, one of it's boughs. Success in the attempt entitled him to fight the priest in single combat, and if he slew him he reigned in his stead with the title of The King of The Wood."
According to the ancients this branch was the Golden Bough.

The book then goes into a deeeep study of world superstitions.
Be warned, it is not a pro-Christian book.

[msdrby]

ping

[Amelia]

What the athiests are spreading about Mithraism is a lot of bull fertilizer based on what Mr. Ulansey concedes is "extremely sparse" evidence.

That's what it looked like to me as well.

I'm willing to concede there is some overlap in ancient religions - most have a "great flood" story, for instance. I also recognize that many of our current Christmas and Easter traditions derive from earlier pagan customs.

However, there seemed to be just a bit TOO MUCH overlap in the "Mithra legend" as proposed by the atheists.

[Havoc]

Thanks for that post ;) Good info

[carpio]

BTTT