Δαφνη Ευτυχια Αρθουρος

"However, as it happens, there is one occasion in American history where the celebration of Christmas was banned by law, with stern penalties imposed on any Christian believers who tried to carry on the practice secretly. And, wouldn't you know it, this assault on religious freedom happened in that most anti-God of states, the liberal hotbed of Massachusetts.

"Who were the perpetrators of this anti-Christian outrage? Liberal activist judges, no doubt? God-hating secular legislators? The ACLU?

"Well, no. Actually, it was the Puritans.

"In May of 1659, the explicitly theocratic Massachusetts Bay Colony passed the following law [...]

[click through to original site for text of law and more commentary]

"[...] here's a lesson here for the would-be theocrats who insist that secularists are on an anti-Christmas jihad. Despite the religious right's overheated rhetoric, the reality is that they have little to fear from atheists. No prominent atheist individual or organization is calling for the outlawing of religion or laws that deny believers the right to practice their own faith. Then, as now, that danger comes only from other believers who are hellbent on imposing their particular notion of God on all of society and using the machinery of government as an instrument of oppression. That is why theists, as well as atheists, should defend a robust separation of church and state. In the end, it benefits all of us."

-- Ebonmuse, "The Real Enemies of Christmas", 2007-12-19

"However, as it happens, there is one occasion in American history where the celebration of Christmas was banned by law, with stern penalties imposed on any Christian believers who tried to carry on the practice secretly. And, wouldn't you know it, this assault on religious freedom happened in that most anti-God of states, the liberal hotbed of Massachusetts.

"Who were the perpetrators of this anti-Christian outrage? Liberal activist judges, no doubt? God-hating secular legislators? The ACLU?

"Well, no. Actually, it was the Puritans.

"In May of 1659, the explicitly theocratic Massachusetts Bay Colony passed the following law [...]

[click through to original site for text of law and more commentary]

"[...] here's a lesson here for the would-be theocrats who insist that secularists are on an anti-Christmas jihad. Despite the religious right's overheated rhetoric, the reality is that they have little to fear from atheists. No prominent atheist individual or organization is calling for the outlawing of religion or laws that deny believers the right to practice their own faith. Then, as now, that danger comes only from other believers who are hellbent on imposing their particular notion of God on all of society and using the machinery of government as an instrument of oppression. That is why theists, as well as atheists, should defend a robust separation of church and state. In the end, it benefits all of us."

-- Ebonmuse, "The Real Enemies of Christmas", 2007-12-19

Wow, it's Christmas Eve, I'm exhausted and unprepared, and there were a bajillion things I'd really meant to have written and posted here before now. Wish me luck finishing up what I really want to have done by tomorrow, and I'll try to get to the writing someday.

Low-priority by any practical terms, but something I definitely want to get done anyhow: arrange a nice display of the Christmas cards I've received, which number a few more than I have room for where I line them up most years. One of these years I hope to be organized enough to send out cards myself. (I guess I'll recycle that New Year resolution yet again ...)

The brief news I really should get out of the way now: I have transportation for everything I need to get to through the 12th Night gig at Riversdale (so, chesuli, I won't be needing you to detour this far over to pick me up after all, but I certainly look forward to seeing you at the dance).

Now to try for a nap and hope that I'm more able to cope with the next couple of things on my to-do list afterward, 'cause right now I'm not going to be able to do anything useful.

Despite the stress and worry (and fatigue and constant pain), there's still a part of my brain stuck in the "Oooooh! It's Christmas! Wheeee!" loop, so I'm not as grumpy as this hastily-written entry makes it sound. I'm just stressed and worried at the same time as holiday-tingly. If I weren't so tired, I'd probably even be cheerful, so let's see whether a nap confirms that.

Lying between sleeping and waking, watching aurorae and inky blooms form and flow across the insides of my eyelids like a lava lamp making love to a kaleidoscope. Until the darling feline reminds me that her dinner is late.

Lying between sleeping and waking, watching aurorae and inky blooms form and flow across the insides of my eyelids like a lava lamp making love to a kaleidoscope. Until the darling feline reminds me that her dinner is late.