Even as Paul said, earlier quoted, the things the nations sacrifice they sacrifice to demons, and further that one could not eat at the table of God and that of demons at the same time. So, no, I couldn't say God sanctified the festivals of the pagans.
“The Catholic Encyclopedia is just giving a cursory overview — you can't pretend to believe that brief article is an exhaustive scholarly investigation.”
True, but you were provided with a scholarly investigation and that somehow wasn't acceptable.
Pagans had harvest festivals, too, to give thanks in whatever inchoate expression they could manage. Harvest festivals are as old as humanity, as far as we can tell. Granted, the Semitic forms of paganism surrounding the Jews were more brutal and brutish than many other forms. Classical paganism was restrained and civilized by comparison; I believe the temple prostitution and such at that time was confined to various of the "mystery cults" that flourished and not mainstream, but I could be wrong.
So, no, I couldn't say God sanctified the festivals of the pagans.
I believe I said (at least I meant to) that the idea of festivals was sanctified, that the Jews were to keep festivals sacred to God. But festivals were already ancient.
True, but you were provided with a scholarly investigation and that somehow wasn't acceptable.
Do you mean the Newman piece? Newman was brilliant and educated, but (for obvious reasons) dependent on 19th century sources. There's been a lot of research done since.