tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post7167911893435778016..comments2007-12-16T11:58:43.428-08:00Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-88737562730755121692007-12-16T11:58:00.000-08:002007-12-16T11:58:00.000-08:00Steve - I always appreciate your willingness to share your POV here. <BR/><BR/>I think what Rachel said is a really common and strongly held evangelical view, and I can't fault her for holding it. However, I feel like we can't credit the devil for Paganism, seeing as how (in my understanding) Pagans don't even believe in the devil. <BR/><BR/>If I was going to credit satan with something, it wouldn't be other religions, but the suffering in the world which many Christians ignore. Satan wants us to turn a blind eye to things like starvation, genocide and AIDS, etc., so he distracts us with arguments about religion, sexual orientation and politics, none of which directly cause or create suffering.<BR/><BR/>Does that make any sense?<BR/><BR/>Anyhow, I wrote this post from feeling rather than fact. I personally am tremendously affected by this time of year...I think at least as much by the solstice as by Christmas...in both, a sense of bringing light. It might be heretical to say so, but it's true. <BR/><BR/>Maybe it's ignorant of me to assume that the other religious observances this season are of equal significance to their observers as Christmas is to Christians. I guess I still think, though, that there are so many religious observances this season, major and minor, that it has to mean something. Maybe, too, that has to do with the Gregorian calendar's end...I don't know.<BR/><BR/>Maybe, like you say, thin spaces/times are created by us because we need them to be. I guess I can't help but wonder if there isn't something greater at work in that.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-47485635413369394062007-12-14T22:23:00.000-08:002007-12-14T22:23:00.000-08:00I am sure I don't correctly read, and thus don't understand what Rachel is getting at, but the way I read it piqued my curiosity.<BR/><BR/>She states that the devil can only distort what has already been put in place. In regards to this season I can't see where she is going with this comment, as Christmas traditions (and the reason for the chosen date) are the second most guilty of christian holidays that rip off of pre-existing traditions/holy days. This would imply that the devil's work was in christmas, but surely this is not what she meant?<BR/><BR/>As for your post, your reflection on the thin seasons is interesting. I must admit that I don't feel that nearly as much at Yule as I do at Samhain and Beltane. Then again, our traditions tell us that these are the days at which point the veil is at the thinnest. <BR/><BR/>Steve points out that Hannukah was a minor holiday in the Jewish calendar. I will add to that point by pointing out that while Yule is one of eight Holy Days in our calendar, it is in fact consider a minor festival as well.<BR/><BR/>I have always taught that the biggest factor that separates us from the Goddess is us. Perhaps these seasons are thin because we make them so. Because the traditions that have been set down lead us to believe we can better understand a higher power, better reach and communicate with it, and as such it becomes so.<BR/><BR/>Think about it. If you choose for whatever reason to believe that a certain day is the best day,in terms of likely success, to speak to a neighbor you have been feuding with, it doesn't matter if there is any basis to that theory. What matters is that he finds it easier to speak to you once you open the door and step through it.Wandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07205347723383170605noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-12819066103023838832007-12-13T17:45:00.000-08:002007-12-13T17:45:00.000-08:00Rachel - Good point...I'm not sure where it comes from...but I think it exists.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-37873882000221786872007-12-13T17:44:00.000-08:002007-12-13T17:44:00.000-08:00Che - Let me know what you think.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-45371285710940945542007-12-13T17:43:00.000-08:002007-12-13T17:43:00.000-08:00Steve - Thanks for commenting. I honestly thought about whether or not there are more celebrations this time of year...but in some ways I think they are more significant celebrations this time of year.<BR/><BR/>I wrote this post instinctively, so I could be wrong.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-12253474366607280682007-12-13T17:41:00.001-08:002007-12-13T17:41:00.001-08:00Thanks, Pastor Phil.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-51297479950794940022007-12-13T17:41:00.000-08:002007-12-13T17:41:00.000-08:00Hey Erin. It's a really interesting idea. I think it's quite possible, especially as the devil has no original thought and can only copy then distort things God has set in place and so many 'pagan'(for want of a better term) rituals centre around specific times of the year. I don't know, but it's a fascinating concept!<BR/>Rach.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10211874508525395449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-56949503655408411652007-12-13T16:16:00.000-08:002007-12-13T16:16:00.000-08:00Hey Erin..I like this thought..<BR/>I think I want to mull it over for awhile...Ché Vachonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15721110123682449128noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-74786702092791958312007-12-13T00:53:00.000-08:002007-12-13T00:53:00.000-08:00Are there more festivals in other religions at this time of year than there are at other seasons? There are only so many days in the year, and it is difficult to find any time when there isn't a festival for some religion or other. <BR/><BR/>Hanukkah was a relatively minor observance in Judaism. It has achieved more prominence because of the fuss made about Christmas, so Jews can have something to justify it.<BR/><BR/>Yes, it is a thin place (or season) for Christians, because it is specifically the time that God draws near, and we think of the theme "God with us". Others who have celebrations at roughly the same time might have different understandings of it. <BR/><BR/>When I was an Anglican there were different expectations from what there are now I am Orthodox. Back then the Anglicans had a series of nine Sundays before Christmas, which began in spring, and gave quite a powerful build-up to Christmas. I believe they've dropped that now, so the experience of Anglicans now may well be different from what I remember.Steve Hayeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11283123400540587033noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-32553648794018943222007-12-12T18:11:00.000-08:002007-12-12T18:11:00.000-08:00Thanks for connecting the Thin Places to the season. Good post.Pastor Philhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07344719487413688550noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-89127815351162895152007-12-12T16:32:00.000-08:002007-12-12T16:32:00.000-08:00Lauren - I used to think it was something we made up...kind-of. But when looking at the multitude of religious celebrations which occur this time of year, I had to think about that.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-7471547261904398812007-12-12T16:31:00.001-08:002007-12-12T16:31:00.001-08:00Paul - Do you wander, too?Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-68303322373208702612007-12-12T16:31:00.000-08:002007-12-12T16:31:00.000-08:00Glenn - Interesting thoughts. After pondering, I still think it originated with God, but who knows...in any case, you're right that we should not ignore it.Erinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01067954787472463337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-2256426784054025192007-12-12T12:57:00.000-08:002007-12-12T12:57:00.000-08:00Oh, I definitely need to come back and read this more thoroughly later. I've never heard of any of this!<BR/><BR/>I guess I've always thought that we've essentially convinced ourselves that this year is a time of more reflection and deepness and joy-- being aware that it is, makes us more aware, and it's a circular effect-- not that it's less meaningful, not at all, but I've never connected anything spiritual or natural to it. But, it definitely could be something more significantly spiritual, I suppose.Laurenhttp://fizleglitz.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-77943824732943066882007-12-12T11:54:00.000-08:002007-12-12T11:54:00.000-08:00I wonder and wonder...Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15634161472310018109noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16714549.post-11822182821572400002007-12-12T07:14:00.000-08:002007-12-12T07:14:00.000-08:00Thanks for your thoughts on this subject. I just recently heard the term "thin season" for the first time. It's a very interesting theory and I think it has some validity to it. I wonder, though, if the thin season is not created by culture and used by God rather than created specifically by God for culture. The feelings we have around our birthdays, anniversary's, and other holidays make me wonder this. Regardless of how these thin seasons developed, I think there is definitely an air of opportunity that we should not ignore. Thanks for your post!Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01902969699533103440noreply@blogger.com