Estados de ánimo
A veces me siento
como un águila en el aire.
-Pablo Milanés
Unas veces me siento
como pobre colina
y otras como montaña
de cumbres repetidas.
Unas veces me siento
como un acantilado
y en otras como un cielo
azul pero lejano.
A veces uno es
manantial entre rocas
y otras veces un árbol
con las últimas hojas.
Pero hoy me siento apenas
como laguna insomne
con un embarcadero
ya sin embarcaciones
una laguna verde
inmóvil y paciente
conforme con sus algas
sus musgos y sus peces,
sereno en mi confianza
confiando en que una tarde
te acerques y te mires,
te mires al mirarme.
sábado, 22 de diciembre de 2007
miércoles, 19 de diciembre de 2007
NADAL Salvat-papasseit/Ovidi montllor
Sento el fred de la nit
i la simbomba fosca.
Així el grup d'homes joves que ara passa cantant.
Sento el carro dels apis
que l'empedrat recolza
i els altres qui l'avencen, tots d'adreça al mercat.
Els de casa, a la cuina,
prop del braser que crema,
amb el gas tot encès han enllestit el gall.
Ara esguardo la lluna, que m'apar lluna plena;
i ells recullen les plomes,
i ja enyoren demà.
Demà posats a taula oblidarem els pobres
-i tan pobres com som-.
Jesús ja serà nat.
Ens mirarà un moment a l'hora de les postres
i després de mirar-nos arrencarà a plorar.
i la simbomba fosca.
Així el grup d'homes joves que ara passa cantant.
Sento el carro dels apis
que l'empedrat recolza
i els altres qui l'avencen, tots d'adreça al mercat.
Els de casa, a la cuina,
prop del braser que crema,
amb el gas tot encès han enllestit el gall.
Ara esguardo la lluna, que m'apar lluna plena;
i ells recullen les plomes,
i ja enyoren demà.
Demà posats a taula oblidarem els pobres
-i tan pobres com som-.
Jesús ja serà nat.
Ens mirarà un moment a l'hora de les postres
i després de mirar-nos arrencarà a plorar.
RELIGION Y MIEDO
La separación creó el miedo. Por eso en la antigua India se adoraba al fuego, porque no lo podían controlar, y lo convirtieron en Dios. Y así también se adoraron las demás cosas, como el viento y la lluvia. Lo adoradores del sol aparecieron porque sin el sol no podríamos sobrevivir. Si el sol no estuviera por unos pocos días sería el final. Si la Tierra dejara de girar sería en final de todos nosotros. Y así, naturalmente, aparecieron graduaciones y el sol terminó siendo el más importante, porque la supervivencia misma depende del sol. En Egipto hay muchos templos y no queda duda de que se adoraba al sol. ---- En este blog ustedes podran leer al respecto, ya que he publicado algunos textos en referencia a estos temas.
martes, 18 de diciembre de 2007
LEONARDO BOFF
Historia de la sostenibilidad
2007-11-30
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
La categoría sostenibilidad es central para la cosmovisión ecológica y, posiblemente, constituye uno de los fundamentos del nuevo paradigma civilizatorio que procura armonizar ser humano, desarrollo y Tierra entendida como Gaia.
Comúnmente la sostenibilidad viene unida al desarrollo. Oficialmente el concepto de desarrollo sostenible fue usado por primera vez en la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas en 1979. Fue asumido por los gobiernos y por los organismos multilaterales a partir de 1987 cuando, después de casi mil días de reuniones de especialistas convocados por la ONU bajo la coordinación de la primera ministra de Noruega, Gro Brundland, se publicó el documento «Nuestro futuro común». En él aparece la definición que ya se ha vuelto clásica: «sostenible es el desarrollo que satisface las necesidades presentes, sin comprometer la capacidad de las generaciones futuras de atender sus propias necesidades».
En realidad, el concepto posee una prehistoria de casi tres siglos. Surgió de la percepción de la escasez. Las potencias coloniales e industriales europeas deforestaron enormemente sus territorios para alimentar con leña la incipiente producción industrial y la construcción de los navíos con los que transportaban sus mercancías y sometían militarmente a gran parte de los pueblos de la Tierra. Entonces apareció la pregunta: ¿cómo administrar la escasez? Carl von Carlowitz respondió en 1713 con un tratado que venía con el título latino de Sylvicultura Oeconomica. En él usó la expresión nachhaltendes wirtschaften que significa: administración sostenible. Los ingleses tradujeron por sustainable yield que quiere decir «producción sostenible».
Muy pronto surgió también la pregunta, válida hasta el día de hoy: ¿cómo producir de manera sostenible? Se presentaban al autor cuatro estrategias. La primera era política: corresponde al poder público, y no a las empresas ni a los consumidores, regular la producción y el consumo y así garantizar la sostenibilidad en función del bien común. La segunda era la estrategia colonial: para resolver la carencia nacional de sostenibilidad, era necesario buscar fuera los recursos faltantes, conquistando y colonizando otros países y pueblos. La tercera era la liberal: el mercado abierto y el libre comercio van a regular la demanda y el consumo, de donde vendrá la sostenibilidad, que resultará mejor asegurada si es apoyada por unidades de producción en los países donde hay abundancia de los recursos necesarios para la producción. La cuarta era la solución de la técnica: para superar la escasez y garantizar la sostenibilidad, se buscará la innovación tecnológica, o la sustitución de los recursos escasos: en vez de madera, carbón, y más tarde, en vez de carbón, petróleo.
Hoy con la distancia que da el tiempo podemos decir: si hubiese triunfado la estrategia política en razón del bien común, la historia económica y social de Occidente y del mundo habría seguido el camino de la sostenibilidad. Habría seguramente más equidad (los costos y los beneficios estarían más igualitariamente distribuidos), se viviría mejor con menos y habría mayor conservación de los ecosistemas.
Pero no fue ése el camino escogido. Fue el del colonialismo, el del imperialismo, el del globalismo económico y financiero y de la economía política de mercado, que produjo la gran transformación (Polanyi), con la mercantilización de todo y el sometimiento de la política y de la ética a la economía. La crisis ecológica actual deriva de este camino que, mantenido, podrá amenazar el futuro de la vida humana. Estamos a tiempo de revisar y de buscar
2007-11-30
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
La categoría sostenibilidad es central para la cosmovisión ecológica y, posiblemente, constituye uno de los fundamentos del nuevo paradigma civilizatorio que procura armonizar ser humano, desarrollo y Tierra entendida como Gaia.
Comúnmente la sostenibilidad viene unida al desarrollo. Oficialmente el concepto de desarrollo sostenible fue usado por primera vez en la Asamblea General de las Naciones Unidas en 1979. Fue asumido por los gobiernos y por los organismos multilaterales a partir de 1987 cuando, después de casi mil días de reuniones de especialistas convocados por la ONU bajo la coordinación de la primera ministra de Noruega, Gro Brundland, se publicó el documento «Nuestro futuro común». En él aparece la definición que ya se ha vuelto clásica: «sostenible es el desarrollo que satisface las necesidades presentes, sin comprometer la capacidad de las generaciones futuras de atender sus propias necesidades».
En realidad, el concepto posee una prehistoria de casi tres siglos. Surgió de la percepción de la escasez. Las potencias coloniales e industriales europeas deforestaron enormemente sus territorios para alimentar con leña la incipiente producción industrial y la construcción de los navíos con los que transportaban sus mercancías y sometían militarmente a gran parte de los pueblos de la Tierra. Entonces apareció la pregunta: ¿cómo administrar la escasez? Carl von Carlowitz respondió en 1713 con un tratado que venía con el título latino de Sylvicultura Oeconomica. En él usó la expresión nachhaltendes wirtschaften que significa: administración sostenible. Los ingleses tradujeron por sustainable yield que quiere decir «producción sostenible».
Muy pronto surgió también la pregunta, válida hasta el día de hoy: ¿cómo producir de manera sostenible? Se presentaban al autor cuatro estrategias. La primera era política: corresponde al poder público, y no a las empresas ni a los consumidores, regular la producción y el consumo y así garantizar la sostenibilidad en función del bien común. La segunda era la estrategia colonial: para resolver la carencia nacional de sostenibilidad, era necesario buscar fuera los recursos faltantes, conquistando y colonizando otros países y pueblos. La tercera era la liberal: el mercado abierto y el libre comercio van a regular la demanda y el consumo, de donde vendrá la sostenibilidad, que resultará mejor asegurada si es apoyada por unidades de producción en los países donde hay abundancia de los recursos necesarios para la producción. La cuarta era la solución de la técnica: para superar la escasez y garantizar la sostenibilidad, se buscará la innovación tecnológica, o la sustitución de los recursos escasos: en vez de madera, carbón, y más tarde, en vez de carbón, petróleo.
Hoy con la distancia que da el tiempo podemos decir: si hubiese triunfado la estrategia política en razón del bien común, la historia económica y social de Occidente y del mundo habría seguido el camino de la sostenibilidad. Habría seguramente más equidad (los costos y los beneficios estarían más igualitariamente distribuidos), se viviría mejor con menos y habría mayor conservación de los ecosistemas.
Pero no fue ése el camino escogido. Fue el del colonialismo, el del imperialismo, el del globalismo económico y financiero y de la economía política de mercado, que produjo la gran transformación (Polanyi), con la mercantilización de todo y el sometimiento de la política y de la ética a la economía. La crisis ecológica actual deriva de este camino que, mantenido, podrá amenazar el futuro de la vida humana. Estamos a tiempo de revisar y de buscar
jesus
Evidence that Jesus Never Existed
The three topics which suggest that Jesus never existed are:
History
Comparative Religion
Solar Mythology
History. It's inconceivable that during the alleged time of Jesus no one bothered to write down anything about this most extraordinary person, yet we have nothing. Even the earliest Bible reference to Jesus dates to at least A.D. 64, and the first Gospel, the Gospel of Mark, dates to at least A.D. 70 (and probably to A.D. 170).
Comparative Religion shows that the story of Jesus already existed in numerous religions prior to the alleged time of Jesus. Chrishna, Horus, Orpheus, Bacchus, Osiris, Dionysus, Buddha, Apollo, Hercules, Adonis, Ormuzd, Mithras, Indra, Œdipus, Quetzalcoatle, etc. The motif of a Crucified Savior was already extant prior to the alleged time of Jesus.
Solar Mythology shows the story of Jesus is just an allegory for the sun passing through the Zodiac and the passage of the seasons of the year. Jesus travels throughout his one year ministry, and the description of his travels exactly match that of the sun traveling through the Zodiac during the year. Here we have the origin of the Jesus story. This common origin explains why all the stories of crucified saviors are essentially the same.
HISTORY.
If Jesus actually existed and did all the miraculous things he is said to have done then surely many people would have written about it during and immediately following Jesus' life. Writing was common at the time, yet an extensive search by many scholars over centuries has turned up nothing. The very few references to Jesus that allegedly date back to his lifetime are clearly forgeries, forged no doubt hundreds of years later by people who realized this embarrassing lack of evidence needed to be rectified (see Joseph Wheless Forgery in Christianity).
Even if we ignore the evidence that they are forgeries, the very small number of these questionably authentic writings that allegedly date back to his alleged lifetime are still far too few. There should be a huge wealth of writing about this person that was written during his lifetime.
Jesus allegedly had crowds of thousands follow him around. Once he fed 5000 people with only a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish (Mark 6:39-44). Later he repeated the miracle again feeding a crowd of 4000 people (Mark 8:1-9). Jesus cured sick people miraculously and raised people from the dead. He changed water into wine at a wedding reception. He exorcised demons. He commanded 2000 pigs to rush into a lake and drown themselves, inciting the people of the nearby town and countryside, who asked him to leave. (No mention is made of what happened to the poor pig hearder whose livelihood must have been ruined. Mark 5:1-20).
Wherever Jesus went a crowd gathered and wondered in amazement who this person was. Jesus was a very controversial person. Finally he got himself into so much trouble that huge crowds of Jews demanded his execution. There was a controversial trial followed by his public execution. Three days later he is seen walking around alive again. And no one wrote any of this down when it allegedly happened?
Even the earliest full account of Jesus in the Bible, the Gospel of Mark, is admitted by the Catholic Church to date to at least A.D. 70, a full 40 years after Jesus' alleged death and resurrection. (Mark makes reference to an event that happened around A.D. 70, so it could not have been written any earlier. Modern scholars now date the Gospels as being written near A.D. 170, a full 140 years after the alleged event, since no one makes any reference to a Gospel of Mark, or any other Gospel, prior to this time.)
It's inconceivable that no one at the time bothered to write down anything about the most important person in the whole of human history. Writing was common back then. People wrote letters. Historians wrote commentaries on current events. The Romans wrote and kept legal documents about trials. It's considered one of the best documented periods of history. Yet no one wrote anything about this Jesus; no one painted a portrait of this Jesus; no one drew a sketch of this Jesus; no one cast a coin depicting this Jesus; no one made a statue of this Jesus; no one makes any reference whatsoever to this Jesus. The historical evidence is overwhelming—the Jesus of the Bible never existed.
NEGATIVE EVIDENCE PRINCIPLE
When is absence of evidence, evidence of absence? In general a mere lack of evidence is not sufficient to conclude a proposition is false. We must also demonstrate:
All of the evidence used to support the proposition is untenable.
Adequate tenable evidence should exist.
A thorough search for this tenable evidence has been made and none has been found.
At this point I leave it to the reader to decide for him or her self whether the above three points have been satisfied or not, as every individual must ultimately decide what one chooses to believe. Any counter-argument will be an attack against one of the above three points. We can not prove that Jesus never existed, just as we can not prove that Santa Claus never existed. Quite a lot of people believe Santa Claus exists (mostly young people).
Being suspicious of "The Jesus Story is a Biography" theory frees our thinking and allows us to look in other places for the origin of the story. Indeed we will discover that the Jesus Story is not unique. We will find that the motif of a crucified savor who dies and is resurrected was common in other religions prior to the alleged time of Jesus. We will also discover that the story of Jesus' one year ministry parallels that of the Sun's annual journey through the Zodiac and the Sun's apparent death in Autumn and subsequent resurrection in Spring.
We will pursue these studies in parts 2 & 3. First let's examine what other scholars throughout history have said about the existence of Jesus.
—David W. Deley (2003
The three topics which suggest that Jesus never existed are:
History
Comparative Religion
Solar Mythology
History. It's inconceivable that during the alleged time of Jesus no one bothered to write down anything about this most extraordinary person, yet we have nothing. Even the earliest Bible reference to Jesus dates to at least A.D. 64, and the first Gospel, the Gospel of Mark, dates to at least A.D. 70 (and probably to A.D. 170).
Comparative Religion shows that the story of Jesus already existed in numerous religions prior to the alleged time of Jesus. Chrishna, Horus, Orpheus, Bacchus, Osiris, Dionysus, Buddha, Apollo, Hercules, Adonis, Ormuzd, Mithras, Indra, Œdipus, Quetzalcoatle, etc. The motif of a Crucified Savior was already extant prior to the alleged time of Jesus.
Solar Mythology shows the story of Jesus is just an allegory for the sun passing through the Zodiac and the passage of the seasons of the year. Jesus travels throughout his one year ministry, and the description of his travels exactly match that of the sun traveling through the Zodiac during the year. Here we have the origin of the Jesus story. This common origin explains why all the stories of crucified saviors are essentially the same.
HISTORY.
If Jesus actually existed and did all the miraculous things he is said to have done then surely many people would have written about it during and immediately following Jesus' life. Writing was common at the time, yet an extensive search by many scholars over centuries has turned up nothing. The very few references to Jesus that allegedly date back to his lifetime are clearly forgeries, forged no doubt hundreds of years later by people who realized this embarrassing lack of evidence needed to be rectified (see Joseph Wheless Forgery in Christianity).
Even if we ignore the evidence that they are forgeries, the very small number of these questionably authentic writings that allegedly date back to his alleged lifetime are still far too few. There should be a huge wealth of writing about this person that was written during his lifetime.
Jesus allegedly had crowds of thousands follow him around. Once he fed 5000 people with only a few loaves of bread and a couple of fish (Mark 6:39-44). Later he repeated the miracle again feeding a crowd of 4000 people (Mark 8:1-9). Jesus cured sick people miraculously and raised people from the dead. He changed water into wine at a wedding reception. He exorcised demons. He commanded 2000 pigs to rush into a lake and drown themselves, inciting the people of the nearby town and countryside, who asked him to leave. (No mention is made of what happened to the poor pig hearder whose livelihood must have been ruined. Mark 5:1-20).
Wherever Jesus went a crowd gathered and wondered in amazement who this person was. Jesus was a very controversial person. Finally he got himself into so much trouble that huge crowds of Jews demanded his execution. There was a controversial trial followed by his public execution. Three days later he is seen walking around alive again. And no one wrote any of this down when it allegedly happened?
Even the earliest full account of Jesus in the Bible, the Gospel of Mark, is admitted by the Catholic Church to date to at least A.D. 70, a full 40 years after Jesus' alleged death and resurrection. (Mark makes reference to an event that happened around A.D. 70, so it could not have been written any earlier. Modern scholars now date the Gospels as being written near A.D. 170, a full 140 years after the alleged event, since no one makes any reference to a Gospel of Mark, or any other Gospel, prior to this time.)
It's inconceivable that no one at the time bothered to write down anything about the most important person in the whole of human history. Writing was common back then. People wrote letters. Historians wrote commentaries on current events. The Romans wrote and kept legal documents about trials. It's considered one of the best documented periods of history. Yet no one wrote anything about this Jesus; no one painted a portrait of this Jesus; no one drew a sketch of this Jesus; no one cast a coin depicting this Jesus; no one made a statue of this Jesus; no one makes any reference whatsoever to this Jesus. The historical evidence is overwhelming—the Jesus of the Bible never existed.
NEGATIVE EVIDENCE PRINCIPLE
When is absence of evidence, evidence of absence? In general a mere lack of evidence is not sufficient to conclude a proposition is false. We must also demonstrate:
All of the evidence used to support the proposition is untenable.
Adequate tenable evidence should exist.
A thorough search for this tenable evidence has been made and none has been found.
At this point I leave it to the reader to decide for him or her self whether the above three points have been satisfied or not, as every individual must ultimately decide what one chooses to believe. Any counter-argument will be an attack against one of the above three points. We can not prove that Jesus never existed, just as we can not prove that Santa Claus never existed. Quite a lot of people believe Santa Claus exists (mostly young people).
Being suspicious of "The Jesus Story is a Biography" theory frees our thinking and allows us to look in other places for the origin of the story. Indeed we will discover that the Jesus Story is not unique. We will find that the motif of a crucified savor who dies and is resurrected was common in other religions prior to the alleged time of Jesus. We will also discover that the story of Jesus' one year ministry parallels that of the Sun's annual journey through the Zodiac and the Sun's apparent death in Autumn and subsequent resurrection in Spring.
We will pursue these studies in parts 2 & 3. First let's examine what other scholars throughout history have said about the existence of Jesus.
—David W. Deley (2003
lunes, 17 de diciembre de 2007
christ's mass
History of Christmas
How the tradition of Christmas celebration evolved?
From the Old English 'Cristes Mæsse' ~ meaning the 'mass of Christ' ~ the story of Christmas begins with the birth of a baby in Bethlehem. It is believed that Christ was born on the 25th, although the exact month is unknown. It was in 350 A.D., that December 25 was declared the official date for celebrating Christmas by Pope Julius I.
Members of the pagan order have always celebrated the Winter Solstice...the season of the year when days are shortest and nights longest. It was generally believed to be a time of drunkenness, revelry and debauchery. The pagan Romans called this celebration Saturnalia, in honor of their god Saturn. The festivities began in the middle of December and continued until January 1st. On December 25th, "The Birth of the Unconquerable Sun" was celebrated, as the days gradually lengthened and the Sun began to regain its dominance. It is a general pagan belief that the Sun dies during the Winter Solstice and then rises from the dead. With cries of "Jo Saturnalia!", the Roman celebration would include masquerades in the streets, magnificent festive banquets, the visiting of friends and the exchange of good-luck gifts known as Strenae...or "lucky fruits." Roman halls would be decked with garlands of laurel and green trees, adorned with lighted candles. Again, as with Sacaea, the masters and slaves would exchange places.
Saturnalia was considered a fun and festive time for the Romans, but Christians believed it an abomination to honor such a pagan god. The early converts wanted to maintain the birthday of their Christ Child as a solemn and religious holiday...not one of cheer and merriment, as was the pagan celebration of Saturnalia.
As Christianity spread, however, the Church became alarmed by the continuing practice among its flock to indulge in pagan customs and celebrate the festival of Saturnalia. At first, the holy men prohibited this type of revelry, but it was to no avail. Eventually, a decision was made to tame such celebrations and make them into a festive occasion better suited to honor Christ.
According to some legends, the celebration of Christmas was invented to compete against the pagan festivals held in December. The 25th was sacred not only to the Romans, but also to the Persians whose religion of Mithraism was one of Christianity's main rivals at that period in time. The Church was, however, finally successful in removing the merriment, lights and gifts from the Saturanilia festival and transferring them to the celebration of a Christian Christmas.
Prior to the American Civil War, the North and South were divided on the issue of Christmas. Many Northerners considered it sinful to celebrate Christmas since Thanksgiving was a much more appropriate holiday. In the South, however, Christmas played an important role in the social season. Perhaps not surprisingly, the first three American States to declare Christmas a legal holiday were located in the South: Alabama in 1836; and Louisiana and Arkansas, both in 1838.
In the years following the Civil War, Christmas traditions began to filter across the country. Children's books played a vital role in spreading the customs of Christmas celebrations, particularly the tradition of trimmed trees and gifts delivered by Santa Claus. Sunday School Classes encouraged participation in such celebrations. The emergence of women's magazines also played an important part in promoting the festival of Christmas, by suggesting various ways to decorate for the holidays, as well as supplying instructions on how to make such decorations.
The colors most often associated with Christmas decorating are green, red, white, blue, silver and gold. These colors have been used for centuries and, as with most traditions, the reason may be traced to religious beliefs. In this instance, green represents everlasting life, red represents the bloodline of Jesus Christ, blue represents the sky from which the angels appeared, white represents the purity of the Virgin Birth, and silver and gold represent the richness of God's Blessings.
Santa Claus
Santa Claus (also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle or simply Santa) is the source of Christmas presents given to children on Christmas Day. Conventionally Santa Claus is portrayed as a kindly, round-bellied, merry, bespectacled man in a red suit trimmed with white fur, with a long white beard. On Christmas Eve, he rides in his flying sleigh lifted by reindeer from house to house to give presents to children. In most countries, it is said that he lives near the North Pole. He comes into houses down the chimney at midnight and places presents for the children in socks or bags by their beds or in front of the family Christmas tree.
Who Was He?
The year 1841 was a significant year in the Christmas celebration in England. Prince Albert, the German husband of British Queen Victoria, brought the first Christmas tree in England to the royal castle of Windsor. And just a year later, America too was to discover the Christmas tree. In 1842, Dr. Charles Frederick Minnegerode, professor of Greek at the College of William and Mary, brought the first Christmas tree to Williamsburg, Virginia, America.
Christmas Tree
A beautifully decorated evergreen tree, with colored lights ablaze is the most beloved and well known Christmas symbols.
The tradition of a holiday tree has been around since ancient times and has played an important part in winter celebrations for many centuries. Many pagan festivals used trees when honoring their gods and spirits. In Northern Europe the Vikings considered the evergreen a symbol and reminder that the darkness and cold of winter would end and the green of spring would return. The Druids of ancient England and France decorated oak trees with fruit and candles to honor their gods of harvests. At the festival Saturnalia the Romans decorated trees with trinkets and candles.
In 1841 the English Royalty help popularize the tree in England by decorating the first Christmas tree at Windsor Castle. Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, decorated the first English Christmas Tree with candles, candies, fruits, and gingerbread.
Early Christmas trees were often decorated with apples, nuts, cookies, colored popcorn and candles. The invention of electricity in the early 20th century and use of electrical Christmas lights helped spread the use of the Christmas tree.
Christmas Celebrations
Christians celebrate Christmas all over the world. This is the most important and the gayest festival of the Christians. Other communities also look upon it as a festival of goodwill and greetings.
Shops and homes take on a festive air. Streets and markets go gay with festival wares. Dances, songs, Christmas trees, Santa Claus moving through the streets with his glittering colorful robes, glowing long white beard and shaking hand with children in the streets form the main attraction of this festival. Families get together around sparkling Christmas trees from whose branches hang numerous lovely gifts. Christmas raises everyone's spirit. It is a hue of joy, celebration and festivity.
How the tradition of Christmas celebration evolved?
From the Old English 'Cristes Mæsse' ~ meaning the 'mass of Christ' ~ the story of Christmas begins with the birth of a baby in Bethlehem. It is believed that Christ was born on the 25th, although the exact month is unknown. It was in 350 A.D., that December 25 was declared the official date for celebrating Christmas by Pope Julius I.
Members of the pagan order have always celebrated the Winter Solstice...the season of the year when days are shortest and nights longest. It was generally believed to be a time of drunkenness, revelry and debauchery. The pagan Romans called this celebration Saturnalia, in honor of their god Saturn. The festivities began in the middle of December and continued until January 1st. On December 25th, "The Birth of the Unconquerable Sun" was celebrated, as the days gradually lengthened and the Sun began to regain its dominance. It is a general pagan belief that the Sun dies during the Winter Solstice and then rises from the dead. With cries of "Jo Saturnalia!", the Roman celebration would include masquerades in the streets, magnificent festive banquets, the visiting of friends and the exchange of good-luck gifts known as Strenae...or "lucky fruits." Roman halls would be decked with garlands of laurel and green trees, adorned with lighted candles. Again, as with Sacaea, the masters and slaves would exchange places.
Saturnalia was considered a fun and festive time for the Romans, but Christians believed it an abomination to honor such a pagan god. The early converts wanted to maintain the birthday of their Christ Child as a solemn and religious holiday...not one of cheer and merriment, as was the pagan celebration of Saturnalia.
As Christianity spread, however, the Church became alarmed by the continuing practice among its flock to indulge in pagan customs and celebrate the festival of Saturnalia. At first, the holy men prohibited this type of revelry, but it was to no avail. Eventually, a decision was made to tame such celebrations and make them into a festive occasion better suited to honor Christ.
According to some legends, the celebration of Christmas was invented to compete against the pagan festivals held in December. The 25th was sacred not only to the Romans, but also to the Persians whose religion of Mithraism was one of Christianity's main rivals at that period in time. The Church was, however, finally successful in removing the merriment, lights and gifts from the Saturanilia festival and transferring them to the celebration of a Christian Christmas.
Prior to the American Civil War, the North and South were divided on the issue of Christmas. Many Northerners considered it sinful to celebrate Christmas since Thanksgiving was a much more appropriate holiday. In the South, however, Christmas played an important role in the social season. Perhaps not surprisingly, the first three American States to declare Christmas a legal holiday were located in the South: Alabama in 1836; and Louisiana and Arkansas, both in 1838.
In the years following the Civil War, Christmas traditions began to filter across the country. Children's books played a vital role in spreading the customs of Christmas celebrations, particularly the tradition of trimmed trees and gifts delivered by Santa Claus. Sunday School Classes encouraged participation in such celebrations. The emergence of women's magazines also played an important part in promoting the festival of Christmas, by suggesting various ways to decorate for the holidays, as well as supplying instructions on how to make such decorations.
The colors most often associated with Christmas decorating are green, red, white, blue, silver and gold. These colors have been used for centuries and, as with most traditions, the reason may be traced to religious beliefs. In this instance, green represents everlasting life, red represents the bloodline of Jesus Christ, blue represents the sky from which the angels appeared, white represents the purity of the Virgin Birth, and silver and gold represent the richness of God's Blessings.
Santa Claus
Santa Claus (also known as Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick, Kris Kringle or simply Santa) is the source of Christmas presents given to children on Christmas Day. Conventionally Santa Claus is portrayed as a kindly, round-bellied, merry, bespectacled man in a red suit trimmed with white fur, with a long white beard. On Christmas Eve, he rides in his flying sleigh lifted by reindeer from house to house to give presents to children. In most countries, it is said that he lives near the North Pole. He comes into houses down the chimney at midnight and places presents for the children in socks or bags by their beds or in front of the family Christmas tree.
Who Was He?
The year 1841 was a significant year in the Christmas celebration in England. Prince Albert, the German husband of British Queen Victoria, brought the first Christmas tree in England to the royal castle of Windsor. And just a year later, America too was to discover the Christmas tree. In 1842, Dr. Charles Frederick Minnegerode, professor of Greek at the College of William and Mary, brought the first Christmas tree to Williamsburg, Virginia, America.
Christmas Tree
A beautifully decorated evergreen tree, with colored lights ablaze is the most beloved and well known Christmas symbols.
The tradition of a holiday tree has been around since ancient times and has played an important part in winter celebrations for many centuries. Many pagan festivals used trees when honoring their gods and spirits. In Northern Europe the Vikings considered the evergreen a symbol and reminder that the darkness and cold of winter would end and the green of spring would return. The Druids of ancient England and France decorated oak trees with fruit and candles to honor their gods of harvests. At the festival Saturnalia the Romans decorated trees with trinkets and candles.
In 1841 the English Royalty help popularize the tree in England by decorating the first Christmas tree at Windsor Castle. Prince Albert, husband of Queen Victoria, decorated the first English Christmas Tree with candles, candies, fruits, and gingerbread.
Early Christmas trees were often decorated with apples, nuts, cookies, colored popcorn and candles. The invention of electricity in the early 20th century and use of electrical Christmas lights helped spread the use of the Christmas tree.
Christmas Celebrations
Christians celebrate Christmas all over the world. This is the most important and the gayest festival of the Christians. Other communities also look upon it as a festival of goodwill and greetings.
Shops and homes take on a festive air. Streets and markets go gay with festival wares. Dances, songs, Christmas trees, Santa Claus moving through the streets with his glittering colorful robes, glowing long white beard and shaking hand with children in the streets form the main attraction of this festival. Families get together around sparkling Christmas trees from whose branches hang numerous lovely gifts. Christmas raises everyone's spirit. It is a hue of joy, celebration and festivity.
sábado, 15 de diciembre de 2007
BACK HOME IN DERRY
Back Home in Derry
(Gordon Lightfoot / Bobby Sands)
In eighteen-o-three we sailed out to sea
Out from the sweet town of Derry
For Australia bound, if we didn't all drown
The marks of our fetters we carried
In our rusty iron chains we cried for our weans
Our good women we left in sorrow
As the main sails unfurled, our curses we hurled
On the English and thoughts of tomorrow
At the mouth of the Foyle, bade farewell to the soil
As down below decks we were lying
O'Doherty screamed, woken out of a dream
By a vision of bold Robert dying
The sun burnt cruel as we dished out the gruel
Dan O'Conner was down with a fever
Sixty rebels today, bound for Botany Bay
How many will reach their receiver
Oh oh oh oh oh I wish I was back home in Derry
Oh oh oh oh oh I wish I was back home in Derry
I cursed them to hell as our bow fought the swell
Our ship danced like a moth in the firelight
White horses rode high as the devil passed by
Taking souls to Hades by twilight
Five weeks out to sea, we were now forty-three
We buried our comrades each morning
In our own slime we were lost in the time
Endless night without dawning
Oh oh oh oh oh I wish I was back home in Derry
Oh oh oh oh oh I wish I was back home in Derry
Van Diemen's Land is a hell for a man
To end out his whole life in slavery
Where the climate is raw and a gun makes the law
Neither wind nor rain care for bravery
Twenty years have gone by, I have ended my bond
My comrades' ghosts walk beside me
A rebel I came, I'm still the same
On the cold winds of night you will find me
Oh oh oh oh oh I wish I was back home in Derry
Oh oh oh oh oh I wish I was back home in Derry
As sung by Christy Moore
Tune: The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
jueves, 13 de diciembre de 2007
FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK
It was Christmas Eve babe
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me, won't see another one
And then he sang a song
The Rare Old Mountain Dew
I turned my face away
And dreamed about you
Got on a lucky one
Came in eighteen to one
I've got a feeling
This year's for me and you
So happy Christmas
I love you baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true
They've got cars big as bars
They've got rivers of gold
But the wind goes right through you
It's no place for the old
When you first took my hand
On a cold Christmas Eve
You promised me
Broadway was waiting for me
You were handsome
You were pretty
Queen of New York City
When the band finished playing
They howled out for more
Sinatra was swinging,
All the drunks they were singing
We kissed on a corner
Then danced through the night
The boys of the NYPD choir
Were singing "Galway Bay"
And the bells were ringing out
For Christmas day
You're a bum
You're a punk
You're an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas your arse
I pray God it's our last
I could have been someone
Well so could anyone
You took my dreams from me
When I first found you
I kept them with me babe
I put them with my own
Can't make it all alone
I've built my dreams around you
________________________________________
copyright 1988 Shane MacGowan & Jem Finer FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me, won't see another one
And then he sang a song
The Rare Old Mountain Dew
I turned my face away
And dreamed about you
Got on a lucky one
Came in eighteen to one
I've got a feeling
This year's for me and you
So happy Christmas
I love you baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true
They've got cars big as bars
They've got rivers of gold
But the wind goes right through you
It's no place for the old
When you first took my hand
On a cold Christmas Eve
You promised me
Broadway was waiting for me
You were handsome
You were pretty
Queen of New York City
When the band finished playing
They howled out for more
Sinatra was swinging,
All the drunks they were singing
We kissed on a corner
Then danced through the night
The boys of the NYPD choir
Were singing "Galway Bay"
And the bells were ringing out
For Christmas day
You're a bum
You're a punk
You're an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas your arse
I pray God it's our last
I could have been someone
Well so could anyone
You took my dreams from me
When I first found you
I kept them with me babe
I put them with my own
Can't make it all alone
I've built my dreams around you
________________________________________
copyright 1988 Shane MacGowan & Jem Finer FAIRYTALE OF NEW YORK
domingo, 9 de diciembre de 2007
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS- An answer to the climate change?
The Nuclear Age began in July 1945 when US tested their first nuclear bomb near Alamogordo (New Mexico). IN deember 1951 an experimental reactor produced the first electric power from atom, lighting four lights bulbs.
As of May 2007, 30 countries worldwide were operating 436 nuclears plants for electricity generations. Thirty-one new nuclear plants were under construction in 12 countries.
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) todai issue its fourth in a serie of reports assessin scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant for the understandig of climate change. This latest report recognizes the role of nuclear energy in reducing greenhouse gases. So nuclear energy is the world's largest source of emission-free energy. Therefore nuclear technology is curently used in medical diagnosis and treatement as well as in many variety of industrial applications.
On the other hand, ecologist organizations such as Greenpeace fought and are still fighting seriously against nuclear power and defend an energy system based on renewable energies ans efficiency. In its opinion despite what the nuclear industry tell us; building enough nuclear power stations to make a meaningful reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would cost trillions of dollars, crease tens of thousand of tons of lethal high-level radiactive waste, contribute to further prolifaration of nuclear weapons materials. Perhaps squandering the resources to enhance other solutions. The risks from nuclear energy are real, inherent and long-lasting.
Also no country in the world has a method of isolating their wastes from the enviorenment for the hundred of thousands--of years they will remain a threat.
In my opinion the future is worriying, so I share mostly the opinion of ecologists organizations especially after Chernobil disaster. To sum up I would say we have a disturbing lookout.
As of May 2007, 30 countries worldwide were operating 436 nuclears plants for electricity generations. Thirty-one new nuclear plants were under construction in 12 countries.
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) todai issue its fourth in a serie of reports assessin scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant for the understandig of climate change. This latest report recognizes the role of nuclear energy in reducing greenhouse gases. So nuclear energy is the world's largest source of emission-free energy. Therefore nuclear technology is curently used in medical diagnosis and treatement as well as in many variety of industrial applications.
On the other hand, ecologist organizations such as Greenpeace fought and are still fighting seriously against nuclear power and defend an energy system based on renewable energies ans efficiency. In its opinion despite what the nuclear industry tell us; building enough nuclear power stations to make a meaningful reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would cost trillions of dollars, crease tens of thousand of tons of lethal high-level radiactive waste, contribute to further prolifaration of nuclear weapons materials. Perhaps squandering the resources to enhance other solutions. The risks from nuclear energy are real, inherent and long-lasting.
Also no country in the world has a method of isolating their wastes from the enviorenment for the hundred of thousands--of years they will remain a threat.
In my opinion the future is worriying, so I share mostly the opinion of ecologists organizations especially after Chernobil disaster. To sum up I would say we have a disturbing lookout.
WHY WOMEN ARE BETTER AT RISING CHILDREN THAN MEN
Is a fact that women are not men. In contrast to the feminist premise that woman can do anything men can do, science is demostrating that women can do things better, that they have many biological and cognitive advantages over men. Yet there are some things that women seem not to do so well.
Aside from physical differences, men are usually taller and stronger, one of the most important differences between women and men is the larger size of the connector in women between the two hemispheres of the brain. Otherwise it is not only our brain functions, but just about every aspect of our physiology and this is due to hormones. Sexual dimorphism in the behaviour of social mammal is influenced by biology; these facts could be the reason of the signicant differences in male and female way of thinking.
A mother is the biological and/or social female parent of an offspring. In the case of mammals such as humans the mother gestates her child. However, with the current medical tecnologies we can have a range of 'mothers' such as genetic, gestational mother, etc, in theory neither migth be the social mother ( the one who brings up the child) apart from adoptive mother and stepmother.
According to the Theory of Patriarchy, this system was created at a specific time in History as a result of many complex procecess of external and internal influences, involving factors such as changes in languages, economy, social culture and religious beliefs. It seems that men in cattlers tribes learned to domestivate animals during the neolitic era; this fact meant they relized it took male and female to produce offspring. It is thought these herder men were the first men to realize their role in paternity whereas mothers have historically fullfiled the primary role in the raising of children, but since the late 20th Century the role of the father in child care has increased especially in western countries.
The maternal bond is tipically the relationship between a mother and her child. This tie begins during pregnancy with her; normally adapting her lifestyle to suit the needs of developing child. Nevertheless, we have to consider that every mother is unique as well as a traumatic birth, experienced stress, social suport and the influence of the partner. During the period of lactation , the prodution of oxytocin predisposes women to form bonds and show bonding behaviour.
On the other hand, fathers can develop the bond during the pregnancy of their partner, feeling the attachment to developing child. Research indicates that this may have some biological basis. Therefore a hormone called progesterone more nornally associated with pregnancy and the maternal bond may also control the way men react towards their children. So that paternal behaviour would be based in the same biology as maternal behaviour.
Fathers find many ways to establish bonds with their children, some of them could be : soothing, consoling, changig diapers, dresssing, playing and so on.
To sum up I would say the mother indeed plays a thorougly important role in infant's chilhood.
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