Yule - Reflections From a Murky Pond

I Celebrate Christmas

Posted in Musings, Politics, Religion, Society on December 13th, 2011

Coca-Cola's Iconic Santa Claus I’m Pagan and I celebrate Christmas. I also celebrate Yule. To my mind there’s no inherent conflict in this. Yule is my religious holiday and Christmas is my American holiday and is largely secular in nature.

Perhaps this should be of some concern to Christians, a wee bit more so than arguments about “Happy Holidays” vs. “Merry Christmas.”

After all, the customs, trappings, and imagery of an American Christmas: Santa, Frosty The Snow Man, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Christmas Trees and decorations, and so very many others have nothing to do with Missa Christi aka Crīstesmæsse aka Christ’s Mass.

I think that “the war on Christmas” is one that Christians have already largely lost and that the current trend towards anti-theism and anti-Christianity is just a mopping up operation, the Christians, by and large, having already ceded the field.

Solstice Bells

Posted in Religion, Society on December 22nd, 2009

Yesterday was Yule for me and mine, and soon it’s Christmas for the Christians. In honor of both holidays here’s a very rare animated video from an old Jethro Tull single, Ring Out The Solstice Bells. It has a pleasing blending of the Heathen and the Christian in its imagery.

An Animated Promo For Jethro Tull’s Ring Out The Solstice Bells

Stay warm and bide during this Winter season, filled as it is this year with discontent. Pray for Spring’s coming and think of what seeds must be sown in order to reap the harvest that we desire.

Blessed Be.

Blessed Yuletide

Posted in Religion on December 14th, 2008

December 21, 2008 is Yule this year. This is the holy day (holiday) of the Winter Solstice, the longest, darkest night of the year. Its celebration is quite different from that of the Christians’ Christmas. In my faith – which differs somewhat from that of Wiccans and many neo-Pagans – Yule is a holiday of sacrifice, propitiating the Crone and Winter King for bountiful new season, and of quiet contemplation and prayer.

Oh Morrigu! When night comes and love is broken, the children in torment, the weak battered, the poor abused, and all the five elements cry out for Your aid I will not disappoint You. I shall be your spear.

From the Darkness is born the Light, From the Void, Fulfillment comes forth… The year’s darkest night stands upon our threshold, Open now the door, and honor the Darkness for its stricture defines all.

At Yule we reach the nadir of the Darkness, but look forward with hope towards Spring and the time of rebirth. Those who follow the same path as myself reaffirm our oaths to our Goddess and God during Yule, and offer up sacrifices to ensure that Spring will return in truth and not just in name.

Blessed Yuletide, one and all.