November 1st, 2005
Halloween, in case you aren’t a history freak, is a remnant of pre-Christian rituals - a night when the spirits came back to walk among us, and a chance to make up for the wrongs we committed against them when they were alive. “All Hallows E’en”. It seems that the urban folks were converted to Christianity but that more isolated country folk - farmers and the like - maintained their pagan rituals in conjunction with the new religion. In some cases, the local church created a festival for some saint to coincide with the Pagan festival in order to try to absorb it. The Christmas tree and the Easter bunny and Easter eggs are prime examples of co-opted Pagan imagery.
We talk about this at our Solstice celebrations.
The point of religion is to give us the illusion of control over a world that we don’t understand. Rituals, magic, prayer, all of them are based on faith rather than on empiricism and an understanding of cause and effect.
Anyway, while you are out having fun, you are also helping to keep the Old Gods alive. Good job!
I highly recommend Sir George Frazer’s “The Golden Bough”. The original 12-volume set is a vast compendium of folk rituals, categorized, compared to similar rituals, and with commentary on their original meanings. The single-volume abridged version omits Frazer’s vast bibliography.
Technorati: 
Halloween 
Christianity 
Pagan 
folk+rituals 
magic
Tags: Christianity, Christmas, Easter, folk rituals, George Frazer, Golden Bough, halloween, magic, Old Gods, Pagan, Pagan festival, pagan rituals, prayer
Posted in Evolution, ImPolitics, Irreverence, Pseudointellectual | No Comments »
October 9th, 2005
INTP - the Architect
You scored 9% I to E, 26% N to S, 71% to T, and 84% J to P! |
You are more introverted than extroverted. You are more intuitive than observant, you are more thinking based than feeling based, and you prefer to go with the flow rather than have a routine. The single word to describe your type is the Architect, which belongs to the larger group of rationals. You wish to sculpt the world around you. Others often find you arrogant, yet you have no desire to direct others, only to inform them.
You must know the structure of things, and have a voracious appetite for knowledge. You are very rational in everything you do, and probably consider yourself smarter than most.
As a romantic partner, you can be playful with great energy to get things started, but not quite as good on follow through. You may have a tendency to hurt the more emotional types unintentionally by not sharing your own reactions and feelings as you can get swept up in your own ideas and projects. You want to be appreciated for your ability to respond quickly and to fix problems creatively. You need plenty of time to yourself - therefore your partner must respect your need for independence and originality.
Your group summary: Rationals (NT)
Your type summary: INTP |
My test tracked 4 variables.
How you compared to other people your age and gender:
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You scored higher than 6% on I to E |
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You scored higher than 24% on N to S |
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You scored higher than 85% on F to T |
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You scored higher than 95% on J to P |
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Tags: energy, evolution, Pseudointellectual
Posted in Evolution, Pseudointellectual | No Comments »
July 11th, 2005
34. lae Apr 25 1988, 4:03 pm
From: l…@pedsga.UUCP - Find messages by this author
Date: 25 Apr 88 20:03:56 GMT
Local: Mon, Apr 25 1988 4:03 pm
Subject: Re: Are Animals Patentable?
in article <1…@qiclab.UUCP> leon…@qiclab.UUCP (Leonard Erickson) writes:
[It will be found] that there are some “humans” who don’t fit the definition … unless the definition is such that some creatures considered “non-human” now will be “human” under it. Both outcomes will cause great outcry. … (… I’d be surprised if it happened in 5 years, and even more surprised if it *didn’t* happen in 25!)
I believe that the answer is to treat all animals as humans and to provide vocational rehab for those who have trouble functioning in human society.
Leslie
Tags: evolution, Leonard Erickson, Pseudointellectual, Science
Posted in Evolution, Meddy-Go-Round, Pseudointellectual, Science, TFTD, The Boob Tube | No Comments »
July 8th, 2005
>The good Christian should beware of mathematicians and all those who make
>empty prophecies. The danger already exists that the mathematicians have
>made a covenant with the Devil to darken the spirit and to confine man in
>the bonds of Hell … –Saint Augustine (heh heh heh)
SSDD, huh?
Feb 11 1988, 12:43 pm in sci.philosophy.tech
Tags: Pseudointellectual
Posted in ImPolitics, Pseudointellectual, TFTD, The Boob Tube | No Comments »
July 7th, 2005
I believe that the answer is to treat all animals as humans and to provide vocational rehab for those who have trouble functioning in human society.
- me, 25 Apr 88 20:03:56 GMT in sci.bio
Are Animals Patentable?
Tags: Humor, Pseudointellectual, Science
Posted in Humor, Pseudointellectual, Science, Snakes on a Plane | 1 Comment »
