[Ten Virgins photo]It's always something. In a new twist on the old "war on Christmas," the National Clergy Council and the Christian Defense Coalition -- two right-wing, extremist christianist groups -- are in process of setting up a Christmas nativity scene this morning on the sidewalk in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.
This pious plot to portray the birth of Jesus is called Operation Nativity, "an annual effort to promote the display of nativity scenes across the country on private and public property." At 10:30 this morning, November 20, 2008, there will be a news conference featuring such christianist wingnuts as Bob Schenck, Charles Nestor and Patrick J. Mahoney.
This is, of course, another attempt by radical christianist theocrats to push their notion that the United States is a Christian nation and therefore Christian symbols should be allowed in all of our public spaces. If liberal Christians, non-Christians, and atheists don't like it, tough. Go live somewhere else.
The funny thing is that the Jesus birth story is all a myth anyway.
Except for two contradictory stories in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, the birth of Jesus goes unmentioned in the New Testament. The birth of Jesus was so unimportant, it was not celebrated by Christians for 400 years.
Not only so, but there just happen to have been a number of "saviors" down through history whose birth stories (and lives) are very similar to the legends in the Gospels. One of these was the god, Mithras, who derived from Persia and India. Many scholars believe Paul used Mithraism as the basis for his version of Christianity.
Mithras (6th century BCE) was born on December 25, of a virgin, in a cave, with only a few shepherds present.
Virishna, of the East, (1200 BCE) was another "savior" born of a virgin, conceived through the agency of a spirit or ghost, his birth attended by angels and shepherds, and given gifts of frankincense, and myrrh. He was threatened by a evil ruler so that his parents had to flee to another city. A miracle man, he was crucified between two thieves, descended to hell, rose from the dead, and ascended into heaven.
Beddou (b. 1027 BCE), is an ancient Chinese god who "is incessantly rendering himself incarnate." His most recent and important incarnation was 3,000 years ago under the name of Fot. In this case he derived from a young virgin of royal blood. The king became concerned that this child would want the throne so he tried to kill him along with all the male children born at that time. The child was sent to the desert where he was kept free from harm by shepherds.
Quexalcote of Mexico (born about 300 BCE). Quexalcote was an incarnate god born of a "spotless virgin," lived a life of "piety and humility,' went into the wilderness where he fasted forty days and was worshipped as a god, and "was finally crucified between two thieves; after which he was buried and descended into hell, but rose again the third day.
Krishna (India) was another incarnate god born of a virgin. His father was a carpenter; he was considered a "savior" and like many others, ended up being crucified between two thieves.
Horus, the sun god of Egypt was born of a virgin on December 25.
There are many others, including:
Dionysis, born of the virgin Semele.
Buddha.
Hertha, an "old Teutonic goddess ... was a virgin impregnated by the heavenly Spirit and bore a son.
Frigga, a Scandinavian goddes, "was impregnated by the All-Father Odin and bore Balder, the healer and savior of mankind.
Zoroaster (Persia) was born of a virgin.
Tammuz was born of a virgin.
Adonis was born of a virgin.
In light of the above, I therefore move that any Christmas creches erected in public places in the United States include hymns of praise and joy to each and every one of the aforementioned "saviors of mankind" as a means of celebrating their births.
We won't be able to call them "Christmas" creches anymore, so we'll change the name to "Saviors born of virgins" creches.
That should solve the problem and make everyone happy. Right?
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