Wicca *is* a religion- and a really easy way to meet fat chicks. I know there are some thin ones somewhere. Jerry

is a goof, they are just rebelling, none of them believe it. Anyone who believes their religion is rather dense. And if there were real wiccans and I wanna rebel wiccans. Salem would attract the latter and be unimportant to the former. Jerry

Because Christianity was partly derived from The Old Religion - Pagans. Technically true, but for outside influences on the old RCC before the splits into the modern RCC, Orthodox, and Protestant churches, there has been far more influence from Greek and Roman philosophers such as Aristole and Plato, very few of whom were devoutly religious in any pagan religion. Many of them considered the Gods merely useful constructs to keep the population in line.

An a good dunkin' would show 'em the folly of their ways. Kinda like some MMAers I know of. Jerry

the winter solstice not to ride its coattails, but to override it. His birthdaw was placed on Dec 25, the day the Romans thought was the solstace, because emperor Constantine wanted to create a state religion he could head so as to help consolidate his control over the Roman senate. In addition to making Christianity (called 'followers of the way' at the time) the state religion, he made christian holidays out of popular existing ones. There were two that became Christmas. The Saturnallia, a popular public orgie lasting most of December, and the birthday or Mithras (Dec 25). The worship of Mithras was the one left most intact by the conversion. Most of the Christian churches created at the time were converted temples of Mithras, and much of the Mithras mythology was applied to the Jesus myth. Trees and the colors came much later (qv The story of Christmas on The History Channel). As a more interesting holiday, lok at easter. IIRC, the third sunday after the first full moon after the spring equanox. Jerry