Maggie's Farm

We are a commune of inquiring, skeptical, politically centrist, capitalist, anglophile, traditionalist New England Yankee humans, humanoids, and animals with many interests beyond and above politics. Each of us has had a high-school education (or GED), but all had ADD so didn't pay attention very well, especially the dogs. Each one of us does "try my best to be just like I am," and none of us enjoys working for others, including for Maggie, from whom we receive neither a nickel nor a dime. Freedom from nags, cranks, government, do-gooders, control-freaks and idiots is all that we ask for.

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Sunday, December 14. 2014

An Advent sermon from Pastor Keller

 Especially if not a believer, this ordinary sermon will give you an idea of what the fuss is about.


I do not recall the history of it, but in the early days of American settlement, celebration of Christmas was a crime. It was considered Anglican or, worse, Papist. Talk about political correctness! Even baking a pie at Christmastime was a crime. Somewhere along the way, Protestants came to embrace Christmas but only in minimalist ways. I still think of it as a partial Saturnalia (which is how it really began, sort of - and is why it's celebrated on or close to the Winter Solstice. Ancient Roman, plus some German paganism.).


But, ok, the birth of a savior from sin is worth celebrating. We're all sinners for sure.




Posted by Bird Dog in Our Essays, Religion at 04:56 | Comment (1) | Trackbacks (0)

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Look at who came over on the Mayflower - "mostly English Puritans and Separatists" (Wikipedia). It wasn't the regular Anglicans who were moving west, it was this new group, founded in perhaps to the excesses of the Anglo-Catholics (the Twelve Days of Christmas had become exceedingly rowdy). So it makes sense that they would leave behind all the fun bits of Christmas.

In addition, the Puritans were infused by the teachings of John Knox, among others, particularly his teachings on predestination. Perhaps as a reaction to what they saw as the excesses of the Anglican Church, the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, and the general perfidity of the laity, they became extremely strict, with an emphasis on the Old Testament sayings of the prophets and the harsher writings of St Paul.

When Cromwell won the Civil War in England, Christmas was effectively abolished (1642 - ? 1660). Organs were ripped out of churches, and music was forbidden as being the work of the devil. Robert Neill's historic trilogy ("Crown and Mitre", "The Golden Days", and "Lillibullero") paints a great picture of the Puritan/Anglican division from 1660 - 1688, and the politics involved therein.
#1 Frances on 2014-12-14 20:58 (Reply)

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