Another Global Warming Expose

[Chicopee John]

Fox News last night. 9:00 - 10:00 PM.

 

As Cal likes to say, the bark is falling off the tree.

 

It is INCREDIBLE how these politcoscientists have altered, doctored and, in other ways coerced people into fabricating data. The peer review process is a complete mess and world class climatologists challenge the faulty and unrepresentitive data that these 'conclusions of doom' are based on.

 

Now - more than ever - do I dismiss Global Warming alarmists as a bunch of determined kooks - but kooks in the end. Vicious, but kooks.

[Mr. T]

Vicious or vindictive? Just watch how they react to being called out on their lies.

[Chicopee John]

Vicious or vindictive? Just watch how they react to being called out on their lies.

 

And the shills CBS and 60 Minutes turn a blind eye to this evidence.

 

[Chicopee John]

A meteorologist replies

 

“A new American attitude on the environment” (Dec. 10 essay) is a cruel joke on the American people.

 

Lisa Jackson bases her actions on the so-called “consensus” global warmers toss around. Their consensus is bought and paid for with billions of dollars in research grants from the U.S. and other governments.

 

Give me a few billion dollars and I’ll drum up a consensus of 2,500 people to support most any hypothesis. And that’s all anthropogenic global warming is — a hypothesis that has yet to be proved. None of their wild predictions have come true. Oceans are only rising at 1.7 millimeters per year. Temperatures, which warmed from 1978 to 1998, have leveled off and trended down since.

 

If you want to get the straight story from a top scientist, try professor Richard Lindzen at MIT. Jackson is just another bureaucrat and her actions are a thinly veiled play for power and control.

 

Calling carbon dioxide a pollutant shows how uninformed she is about true science. Perhaps she and others would be better informed if top independent scientists weren’t prevented from publishing their research by the small group running the global warming show. This was illustrated in the “Climategate” e-mails.

 

Carbon dioxide is a clean, clear gas necessary for plant growth and life on earth. Of 100,000 molecules of air, only one molecule of CO2 is due to man.

 

Water vapor is a much more prevalent greenhouse gas and is included in climate models — boosting their predictions of warming. But, they ignore clouds and precipitation, which negate that warming. Climate models also ignore the effect of solar variations and great ocean oscillations such as El Nino, La Nina, and ENSO.

 

Climate models can’t even predict what is happening now (cooling). With the sun in a quiet phase, the cooling may continue.

 

In any case, warming and cooling cycles have been occurring throughout history, something they tried to cover up by shamelessly fudging data to wipe out Medieval warming from 900-1300 and the little ice age in the 16th to 18th centuries. This was done by Michael Mann for the IPCC in an attempt to trumpet the lie that our recent warming was the greatest in 2,000 years. This fabrication was discovered by Canadian researcher Steve McIntyre. This is just one of the data manipulations that have been discovered. Almost all of the data sets have been contaminated by this.

 

They violated every rule of ethical science and are a disgrace, needlessly costing the nation billions of dollars. It galls me that the major media gives them a pass.

 

James Macdonald

 

South Windsor

 

The writer is a retired chief meteorologist for Travelers Weather Service and WFSB-TV.

 

[Pumpkin Eater]

A meteorologist replies

 

“A new American attitude on the environment” (Dec. 10 essay) is a cruel joke on the American people.

 

Lisa Jackson bases her actions on the so-called “consensus” global warmers toss around. Their consensus is bought and paid for with billions of dollars in research grants from the U.S. and other governments.

 

Give me a few billion dollars and I’ll drum up a consensus of 2,500 people to support most any hypothesis. And that’s all anthropogenic global warming is — a hypothesis that has yet to be proved. None of their wild predictions have come true. Oceans are only rising at 1.7 millimeters per year. Temperatures, which warmed from 1978 to 1998, have leveled off and trended down since.

 

If you want to get the straight story from a top scientist, try professor Richard Lindzen at MIT. Jackson is just another bureaucrat and her actions are a thinly veiled play for power and control.

 

Calling carbon dioxide a pollutant shows how uninformed she is about true science. Perhaps she and others would be better informed if top independent scientists weren’t prevented from publishing their research by the small group running the global warming show. This was illustrated in the “Climategate” e-mails.

 

Carbon dioxide is a clean, clear gas necessary for plant growth and life on earth. Of 100,000 molecules of air, only one molecule of CO2 is due to man.

 

Water vapor is a much more prevalent greenhouse gas and is included in climate models — boosting their predictions of warming. But, they ignore clouds and precipitation, which negate that warming. Climate models also ignore the effect of solar variations and great ocean oscillations such as El Nino, La Nina, and ENSO.

 

Climate models can’t even predict what is happening now (cooling). With the sun in a quiet phase, the cooling may continue.

 

In any case, warming and cooling cycles have been occurring throughout history, something they tried to cover up by shamelessly fudging data to wipe out Medieval warming from 900-1300 and the little ice age in the 16th to 18th centuries. This was done by Michael Mann for the IPCC in an attempt to trumpet the lie that our recent warming was the greatest in 2,000 years. This fabrication was discovered by Canadian researcher Steve McIntyre. This is just one of the data manipulations that have been discovered. Almost all of the data sets have been contaminated by this.

 

They violated every rule of ethical science and are a disgrace, needlessly costing the nation billions of dollars. It galls me that the major media gives them a pass.

 

James Macdonald

 

South Windsor

 

The writer is a retired chief meteorologist for Travelers Weather Service and WFSB-TV.

 

Wow, that sums it up perfectly.

 

[Kosar_For_President]

Gee wizz, what about the peer review groups?

[Chicopee John]

Gee wizz, what about the peer review groups?

 

There were editors and collaborators, K, not scientists looking for the truth.

 

[Pumpkin Eater]

There were editors and collaborators, K, not scientists looking for the truth.

 

 

AS revealed by the leaked emails, the scientists looking for the truth were shut out of the peer review groups that verified and of the MMGW malarkey.

[Kosar_For_President]

There were editors and collaborators, K, not scientists looking for the truth.

 

I know I'm joking. Remember that Ed Begley video in here, he had no explaination other then, "Look at the peer review evidence".

[osusev]

Really?, there are hundreds of different studies from tons of different fields that have been published by hundreds of different universities and scientific agencies....... the source material is so large i could bog this entire section down from just the domestic universities published studies in muliple science journals, magazines, other publication etc...

 

That really wont matter to the opposing "CONSERVative" position.... you are going to fit any sensationlism into any narrative regardless that the AP just went and fact checked the "email scandal" and found that it did NOTHING in the context of the overwhelming information from every scientific agency,every major university in the world, every industrialized nation etc....

 

I mean seriously? The same INDEPENDENT and than REPLICATED peer review overseen by universities and science agencies world wide is the same testing and methodology for virtually every major science application you use daily...... suddenly it is a faulty system...

 

Ok than you should not take any more presciption medication, see any medical doctor, dont use that microwave, forget the safety of the internal combustion motor, our solar system revolves around the earth not some fireball in the sky......., a MRI that must be magic... forgo cell phones because the sounds cant be based off of radio frequencies......

 

I always like it when people position a argument by attacking the methodology of peer reveiw and publication of scientific data and studies...... gravity does not exist.... its magic....... no evolution is just a "theory" sure.... those dog breeds happened from "god" not from human selective breeding or EVOLVING dogs....... crazy...... vaccines? no those are evil little spirits not weakened viruses....... maybe we should not send people with the flu anywhere except to a exorcist..... lol really you guys are seriously attacking literally the smartest people on the earth...... makes perfect sense.......

 

Yes the NSA i am sure only classified global warming as a national threat because they think the data is faulty also...... sure those guys are notoriously dumb.....

[calfoxwc]

Sev,

 

"gravity doesn't exist" so anyone who doubts man made global warming, in light of the fraud, and the intentionally

 

slanted cherry picking of data, are wrong?

 

Just how do you seriously go about believing that ?

 

ONE freakin tree ring that DOES correspond to this vast doofsliberal-winged conspiracy means ALL the rest

 

of the trees in that Siberian forest don't matter?

 

WHAT?

 

You do better when you try to be honest and come up with some legit responses.

[osusev]

Sev,

 

"gravity doesn't exist" so anyone who doubts man made global warming, in light of the fraud, and the intentionally

 

slanted cherry picking of data, are wrong?

 

Just how do you seriously go about believing that ?

 

ONE freakin tree ring that DOES correspond to this vast doofsliberal-winged conspiracy means ALL the rest

 

of the trees in that Siberian forest don't matter?

 

WHAT?

 

You do better when you try to be honest and come up with some legit responses.

 

cal did you read the AP study and review on the emailgate? slanting information and cherry picking are wrong..... like i said you take one sensationlist type story as your basis of disproving all of the THOUSANDS OF DIFFERENT FINDING FROM EVERY MAJOR SCIENTIFIC FIELD verified independently from literally every major university in the world an every major scientific organization?

 

seriously? Since that south korean geneticist committed fraud and altered his data and findings the entire genetic cloning fields other studies and findings are now discounted....... that guy cherry picked and altered data and than published it..... that whole field must not exist anymore and the mountain load of advancements and findings are all false now........... sure

 

 

[DieHardBrownsFan]

cal did you read the AP study and review on the emailgate? slanting information and cherry picking are wrong..... like i said you take one sensationlist type story as your basis of disproving all of the THOUSANDS OF DIFFERENT FINDING FROM EVERY MAJOR SCIENTIFIC FIELD verified independently from literally every major university in the world an every major scientific organization?

 

seriously? Since that south korean geneticist committed fraud and altered his data and findings the entire genetic cloning fields other studies and findings are now discounted....... that guy cherry picked and altered data and than published it..... that whole field must not exist anymore and the mountain load of advancements and findings are all false now........... sure

 

 

A ha! Now I understand why you're in such a frenzie!

[osusev]

A ha! Now I understand why you're in such a frenzie!

 

lol

 

South korea is one of the most highly competitive education societies in the world, and the scientific community/business there is no exception. We have a pretty high rate of teenage suicide because of the pressure from education achievement expectations.

 

Believe it or not this same fight (though no one is questioning the scientific validity) in South korea. The BIG difference is that this is all about economic viability and increased costs/fallout to go green..... We are going green in industry but at a slow pace...... When your president is former president for Samsung (one of the most powerfule companies in South korea if not the most powerful) well Business first.....

 

Corruption is rampant in south korean economics and government just like here.

[Westside Steve]

When your president is former president for Samsung (one of the most powerfule companies in South korea if not the most powerful) well Business first.....

So that's been bad for S Korea?

 

WSS

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mr. T]

lol

 

South korea is one of the most highly competitive education societies in the world, and the scientific community/business there is no exception. We have a pretty high rate of teenage suicide because of the pressure from education achievement expectations.

 

Believe it or not this same fight (though no one is questioning the scientific validity) in South korea. The BIG difference is that this is all about economic viability and increased costs/fallout to go green..... We are going green in industry but at a slow pace...... When your president is former president for Samsung (one of the most powerfule companies in South korea if not the most powerful) well Business first.....

 

Corruption is rampant in south korean economics and government just like here.

 

 

Maybe its time your nation stops worshipping the state and finds the Lord. Then maybe the teen suicide rate will go down. It sounds as if the whole S. Korean value system has been turned upside down all in the name of greed.

[osusev]

yes and no, our healthcare system which the assets are mostly held by for profit corps (like here) is only getting worse. A hyper pro right wing conservative that is backed by military hawks is always a dangerous mix. We dont have the real estate that China or the U.S. has so whatever ground we ruin we really cant go anywhere..... not to mention poisoning the same ground you eat from for immediate profit is not exactly logical.

 

Short term gains in favor of long term sustainability is not conservative thinking, its childish/selfish....... IF we are thinking about our children and grandchildren than we should definately shift our actions and sacrifice some comfort now for them. IF not than continue on its really pretty simple.

[osusev]

Maybe its time your nation stops worshipping the state and finds the Lord. Then maybe the teen suicide rate will go down. It sounds as if the whole S. Korean value system has been turned upside down all in the name of greed.

 

T, we are currently 1 and 2 in math and science rankings in the world, our education competency and graduation rates are above 97%, our economics are booming, we are the most broadband connected country in the world, our people do not 'worship" the state we respect the state. Our culture and family models are vastly more conservative than here....

 

The educational EXPECTATIONS and social priority on life achievement/sacrifice/service i dont think are "upside down"...... the "lord" /christianity by the way has a pretty strong foothold/invasion of korea for quite some time..... however because the nature of how proficient and wide spread science understanding it keeps a sub 30% foothold. Unlike here 46% or more are athiests, but you will have that with educational priorities. Our morals of family/respect/service/achievement/sacrifice our grounded with our culture for thousands of years.... we are not exactly a young country like this one....... we did not need Christianity and still do not.

[Mr. T]

Time will tell, maybe if you would spend equal time looking into the texts of the bible and studying the history of it, as you do studying science you would feel differently about what you say.

[osusev]

Time will tell, maybe if you would spend equal time looking into the texts of the bible and studying the history of it, as you do studying science you would feel differently about what you say.

 

T I dont have a problem with some of the moral values that are basic axioms of that religion, however those moral values have been espoused by multiple different religions that well predate christianity and even the hebrew origins. I have studied quite extensively religions because of my basic curiousity and ever evolving need to understand myself and the world I inhabit.

 

Really I dont have a problem with humans practicing moral behavior based upon whatever system, I just happen to think that Christiniaty is a blatant rip off of the Egyptian and other older religions from the death/rebirth/virginal birth/dieties son sacrificing himself to be "reborn" 3 days later, the winter solstice birth, the three wiseman and the star alignment, spring/easter rebirth, apostles, the odd eating of a flesh and blood facsmilies in the eucharist, pagan witchlike chanting and rituals, a spellbook and stories, robes and orders with a high priest (pope/bishops/pasteurs whatever) hell the pentagon was almost your symbol to represent the religion. It was a cult until constantine married a daughter practicing it and made it the state religion.......

 

either way i find good people are just good people with or without some system of faith and countries dont need them and definately should not be led by them.....IE the middle east and the middle ages of europe...

[osusev]

Time will tell, maybe if you would spend equal time looking into the texts of the bible and studying the history of it, as you do studying science you would feel differently about what you say.

As for the time thing.... well we have been a country for over a thousand years more than 4 times as long as this one...... barring the communist movement.... and even before we were three seperate countries. I think we have passed the time test.

[DieHardBrownsFan]

T I dont have a problem with some of the moral values that are basic axioms of that religion, however those moral values have been espoused by multiple different religions that well predate christianity and even the hebrew origins. I have studied quite extensively religions because of my basic curiousity and ever evolving need to understand myself and the world I inhabit.

 

Really I dont have a problem with humans practicing moral behavior based upon whatever system, I just happen to think that Christiniaty is a blatant rip off of the Egyptian and other older religions from the death/rebirth/virginal birth/dieties son sacrificing himself to be "reborn" 3 days later, the winter solstice birth, the three wiseman and the star alignment, spring/easter rebirth, apostles, the odd eating of a flesh and blood facsmilies in the eucharist, pagan witchlike chanting and rituals, a spellbook and stories, robes and orders with a high priest (pope/bishops/pasteurs whatever) hell the pentagon was almost your symbol to represent the religion. It was a cult until constantine married a daughter practicing it and made it the state religion.......

 

either way i find good people are just good people with or without some system of faith and countries dont need them and definately should not be led by them.....IE the middle east and the middle ages of europe...

 

FIVE MAJOR WORLD RELIGIONS

by Stan Griffin

 

Religion has played an important part in the history of our world. Religious teachings have shaped the lives of people since prehistoric times. Judaism, Islam, and Christianity have been major influences in the formation of Western culture. They have also played an important role in the development of Middle Eastern life. Asian civilizations have been affected by Buddhist teachings.

 

 

Religion has been a major source of inspiration for the arts. Houses of worship are some of the world's most beautiful buildings. A lot of great music is religious. Many paintings, sculptures, books, dances, and motion pictures have been created with religious themes.

 

 

The five religions summarized in this story have a combined membership of 3 1/2 to 4 billion people. This is about 80 percent of the world's total population.

 

 

JUDAISM is the world's oldest, a religion of just one people: the Jews. They were the first to teach belief in only one God. Two other important religions developed from Judaism: Christianity and Islam.

Jews think that God will send a Messiah (a deliverer) to unite them and lead them in His way. Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah. The Jewish people do not agree; they anticipate His arrival in the future.

Judaism teaches that death is not the end and that there is a world to come. Precise details of the afterlife are not part of Jewish belief.

The "Torah," the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, is the most important Jewish scripture. It contains the basic laws of Judaism. Another important book is the "Talmud," serving primarily as a guide to the civil and religious laws of Judaism.

The Jewish house of worship is called a synagogue. Rabbis (spiritual leaders) conduct services, act as interpreters of Jewish laws, and deliver sermons. Assisting with Jewish services is the cantor; he chants the prayers and may also direct a choir.

Today there are over 18 million followers of Judaism scattered throughout the world. A large number of those people live in the Jewish nation of Israel. Over six million live in the United States.

 

 

CHRISTIANITY is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Followers are called "Christians." They believe in one God who created the universe and continues to care for it. Their God sent his son Jesus (called the "Messiah") into the world to save humanity from sin and to make eternal life possible for them. That son died to accomplish this purpose. This is the same God that followers of Judaism worship.

Christians believe they can be delivered from sin through their belief in Jesus. If they repent their sinful ways, they will be forgiven; after death, they will be judged and either rewarded or punished.

The sacred book of Christianity is the "Bible." It consists of two parts: (1) The Old Testament describes life before the birth of Jesus; parts of this scripture is identical to a sacred book of Judaism; (2) The New Testament describes the life and teaching of Jesus, how the early church developed, and explains what faith in Jesus means.

Christianity is divided into a number of individual denominations. The Roman Catholic Church is the largest Christian denomination with over a billion followers worldwide. Protestants number nearly 400 million; they include such churches as Methodist, Baptist, Congregationalist, Episcopal, Lutheran, and Presbyterian.

Christianity is the major religion in Europe and the entire Western Hemisphere (all of the Americas).

 

 

ISLAM is the name given to the religion preached by the prophet Muhammad in the 600s A. D. He was an Arab born in Mecca who believed he had been sent by God (Allah) to guide his people and be their messenger. People who believe these ideas are called Muslims. Islam in Arabic means "submission," and Muslim translates to "one who submits" (to God). There is only one religion which has more followers worldwide than Islam: that religion is Christianity with its many denominations.

The holy book of Islam is the "Koran." Muslims believe its words to be those of Allah himself, spoken to Muhammad by an angel. Parts of the Koran resemble the Christian Bible. It contains stories about the prophets who appear in the Old Testament and stories from the New Testament about Jesus.

Muslims learn that life on earth is a period of testing and preparation for the life to come. Angels record good and bad deeds. People should behave themselves and help others, trusting in Allah's justice and mercy for their reward.

Muslims pray five times daily in their mosques (churches). While praying, they face the holy city of Mecca (in Saudi-Arabia) and sometimes kneel with faces to the ground.

All Muslims are required to make a pilgrimage (trip to a sacred place) to Mecca at least once in their lifetime.

 

 

HINDUISM is one of the world's oldest religions. It was named for the Indus River in India where it began over 4,000 years ago. Over 2/3's of the world's Hindus live there; large numbers reside in Africa also. Hindus believe in many gods, numbering into the thousands. They recognize one supreme spirit called Brahman ("the Absolute.")

The goal of Hindus is to someday join with Brahman. Until that union takes place, believers are in a continuous process of rebirth called "reincarnation." At death, the Hindu's deeds (karma) determine what the next life will be. Followers work to break this cycle--birth, death, re-birth-- (referred to by writers as the "Wheel of Life") and gain release. The Hindu's soul then merges with Brahman in a condition of spiritual perfection (moksha).

Hinduism has many sacred books, the oldest being a series called the "Vedas."

Traditional Hindu society was divided into groups of four classes (or varnas). This was known as the "caste system." People were generally grouped by occupations. As children were born, they became members of their parents' caste and remained there for life. After death a person's karma determined whether he or she was reborn into a higher caste or moved downward to a lower caste.

Included in the caste system was a category called "untouchables." People in this group were considered impure, shunned by the other varnas, and given jobs that no one else would do. This category was outlawed in 1950, and everyone in it was awarded full citizenship.

The entire caste system has weakened through the years, and today some members intermix and work with one another.

 

 

BUDDHISM was founded in India about 2,500 years ago by a teacher whose name was Prince Siddhartha Gautama. To his followers he was the Buddha ("Enlightened One"). At various times in the past, it has been a dominant religious, cultural, and social force in most of Asia. Today there are about 300 million Buddhists in the world; most live in Sri Lanka, southern Asia, and Japan.

Buddhism states that existence is a continuing cycle of death and rebirth. (In this, it agrees with Hinduism; both religions use the term "Wheel of Life.") Each person's position in life is determined by his or her behavior in the previous life. This is known as their "karma" (also a Hindu belief). As long as a person remains in this cycle of birth and death, he or she cannot be completely free from pain and suffering. To break out of the cycle, it is necessary to lose all desire for worldly things. Once that has been done, people are ready to pass into a place of eternal bliss, perfect peace, and happiness. They call it "nirvana," a state of mind rather than a place. (This is similar to Hinduism's moksha.)

Buddhists do not believe in a god or gods, nor in the existence of a human soul. Instead, they have faith in Buddha, his teachings (called "dharma"), and the religious community he founded ("sangha"--an order of monks). These are known as the "Three Jewels." Buddhists rejected the Hindu caste system.

A scripture called the "Tripitika" was developed by Buddhist scholars. Various Buddhist schools have developed in India and within the Asian continent.

These five religions have many obvious differences, of course; but they share certain elements. Those are: (1) belief in a power beyond the individual; (2) accepted teaching of salvation (goal of a life after death); (3) a code of conduct; (4) use of sacred stories; and (5) religious acts and ceremonies.

 

 

 

 

[Chicopee John]

Thanks for passing this along, DieHard.

 

Nice and concise summary for those of us who knew certain things and have forgotten and for some who might have never known.

 

In particular I liked the summary that identified 5 similarities. I wish more people would focus on the similarities more than the differences.

 

As a Christian, I don't have to 'buy into' the details of each religion but I do need to understand certain cultural and geo-political aspects that shape the world we live in.

 

 

I happen to car pool with a Hindu woman and am intrigued - albeit not ALL that interested in going beyond the surface - by the way she and her husband remain true to their religious teachings while fitting into and loving the American way of life (they have been here for nearly 35 years and are US citizens).

 

PS I believe the section on 'Islam' and the teachings of M. were soft-peddled.

[Kosar_For_President]

I try to lead my life to the little I know about Buddhism. I have been learning more and more everyday. Wouldn't say I am a Buddhist though. It's especially hard in American society.

 

I was Christian for the first 15 years of my life, but after years of seeing how the Catholic hypocrisy works, what a bunch of bullshit. Plus the stories, while they teach good lessons and keep people in check, are so outrageous.

 

Sorry if I offend someone (I have never held back before), but it's science fiction. Just add a picture of L. Ron Hubbard to the forward and add a space ship to the bible and you got Scientology. This applies to all religions, just saying, but the stories are meant to illustrate a way of life, I understand that. It's just when people are so tied to the gospel they think that shit really happened.

[Chicopee John]

Thanks for your input, K.

 

I disagree with your take and see that you, like many, confuse the words of God with the deeds of man (including so-called 'men of God').

 

Have a healthy and happy 2010 and I hope your employment situation improves. Dare I say that I pray it happens

 

[Kosar_For_President]

Thanks for your input, K.

 

I disagree with your take and see that you, like many, confuse the words of God with the deeds of man (including so-called 'men of God').

 

Have a healthy and happy 2010 and I hope your employment situation improves. Dare I say that I pray it happens

 

First off how do you know they are the words of God? And faith is not proof, just to get that out of the way.

 

So because I'm not Christian I don't pray? I hate when the deeds of God get confused with the words of man.

[osusev]

I like how judaism is the worlds oldest religion.... odd how the sumerians were not counted....nor any other tribalistic/natural/shamistic etc are totally discounted..... by the way there are other religions that well predate any sort of one god theology and are still in practice.

 

Religions did not create positive social axioms of behavior.... survival and natural selection pushed those beliefs...... either way or whatever someone wants to credit positive behavior models that are socially constructive I dont care as long as they cant force their system on me...

 

The funny thing about Diehards summations by mr griffin I bet he also thinks that the United States was created to be a Christian country confusing colonial fleeing of the british empire to the formation based on economics of the United States.

 

[Kosar_For_President]

I like how judaism is the worlds oldest religion.... odd how the sumerians were not counted....nor any other tribalistic/natural/shamistic etc are totally discounted..... by the way there are other religions that well predate any sort of one god theology and are still in practice.

 

Religions did not create positive social axioms of behavior.... survival and natural selection pushed those beliefs...... either way or whatever someone wants to credit positive behavior models that are socially constructive I dont care as long as they cant force their system on me...

 

The funny thing about Diehards summations by mr griffin I bet he also thinks that the United States was created to be a Christian country confusing colonial fleeing of the british empire to the formation based on economics of the United States.

 

[osusev]

lol

[DieHardBrownsFan]

Comparing Pre-Christian Religions to Modern Christianity

by Rit Nosotro

 

Modern day Christians received much of the traditions and holidays they celebrate from the pre-Christian Celts of Ireland and the pre-Christian practices of the Romans. Ireland, which was the only major area of Europe that was free from Roman control, was home to the Celtic people and religion. Romans, who believed the Celtic religion was a horrible, wicked, and rowdy religion, practiced their beliefs right up to the beginning of the spread of Christianity.

 

The Celtic religion was a Pagan religion that had high priests whom they called “Druids.” The name Druid originated from two separate things. The word “druh” is a Sankskrit word for oak and the word “wid” means “to know.” Combining the words gives us, “The knowledge of the oak.” Considering the “trees of knowledge” and “trees of life” are very symbolic in the Celtic religions, this definition makes sense. Druids were men who were in charge of the worshipping of the gods, monitoring sacrifices, and answering people’s religious questions. Holding the position of a druid was seen as a very high honor. Also, a druid was required to memorize all of the religious teachings, history, laws, and folklores of their people.

 

One of the Druids main jobs was too help with the four major celebrations of the Celtic religion. The first festival of the year was called “Imbolc.” Imbolc, which is a feast of renewal and purification, was celebrated on February 1st in honor of their goddess Brigit. Following the spread of Christianity, the goddess Brigit became called Saint Brigit. Second of the Celtic celebrations was Beltaine. Beltaine, celebrated on May 1st, was a celebration that included prayers for a good farming season. Lugnasad, the festival of fertility, is celebrated on August 1st. Finally, the fourth festival is Samain. Samain, celebrated on October 31st, is a festival in which all gods of the Celtic religion are celebrated. Few people realize that Halloween evolved from Samain. Christians later changed the name Samain to “All Saints Day” and “All Hallows Eve.” Aside from Halloween, we also receive our tradition of the Christmas mistletoe from the Celts. People would pay the druids in order to receive pieces of mistletoe; they believed the mistletoe would protect them from witches. Later, Christian priests ordered that mistletoe not be allowed into the church. However, mistletoe still found a place inside of churches regardless of the priest’s commands.

 

Druids had the power and ability to ban people from sacrifices. This was the strictest punishment one could sentence a person too. People who were banned from the sacrifices were considered wicked, godless people. Unfortunately, these sacrifices were human. Though we now think of human sacrifice as an animalistic act, back in the times of the druids, few people thought anything about sacrificing humans. It was actually considered an honor to be chosen as a sacrifice to the gods.

 

The Roman people also had an interesting, pre-Christian religion. Although the Romans looked down on the Celts for their beliefs, the Romans had their fair share of odd beliefs. The Romans had two triads of high gods. The first was made up of Jupiter, Mars, and Quirimus. The second triad, which was the main focus of Roman veneration, had Jupiter as the central figure with the goddess Juno and Minerva on either side of him. Mars, the Roman god of war, is where the calendar month of March received its name. Besides these main gods, the Romans worshipped countless other gods as well. Gods took on interesting forms in the Roman religion. One god, Junus (January was named after this god), was believed to take the shape of a gate inside of the forum. Numerous animal sacrifices were made unto the god Terminus, god of boundaries. He was believed to keep neighbors at peace with each other. The Romans believed in these gods (and many more—the Romans had a god for just about everything) right up until the beginning of Christianity.

 

Modern day people have gathered several practices and beliefs from the Celts and Romans. As was mentioned earlier, our present day calendar bases several of its months from names of Roman gods. Holidays such as Halloween and Christmas evolved from Celtic festivals. Halloween evolving from Samain and Christmas evolving from the celebration of the winter solstice. Around the 25th of December both Romans and Celts celebrated and worshipped the sun. Desiring to make others come to Christianity, Constantine “Christianized” these pagan holidays. By taking a holiday that was familiar to the people and changing it into something related to Christ, Constantine thought he could convert more people. Therefore, as a result of Constantine’s changing of this holiday, we now celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25th instead of the sun. Interestingly, we also received the beginning of our new year from the Celts. On the winter solstice, they would worship the sun in hopes for the sun to not desert them. They did this because they noticed the days getting continually shorter. After approximately a week, they would notice that the days were, once again, getting longer, therefore they would start a new year. Though many traditions and celebrations have changed throughout the years, pre-Christian religions of the Romans and Celts have definitely shaped the current beliefs and practices of Christians.

 

The most obvious influential pre-Christian religion that exsisted in Europe was Judaism. Rome saw early Christianity as a Jewish sect which followed a Jewish religious teacher that had been crucified. The Apostle Paul, a Jewish theologian, taught the that the resurrected Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the Sacred Scriptures. Of all the customs synthesized into Christianity, Judaism is the tree onto which Christianity has been grafted.