Solstice

[mibn2cweus]

Solstice greetings to all our heathen friends.

[Khandro]

rowanwitch; //Surely the god thing rep!aced the veneration of the natural cycles of the earth, not the other way round.//

Absolutely right! early civilizations worshipped the sun, because though they didn't know what it was, they were aware that it sustained them, so its veneration was both intellectually & spiritually right & comprehensible to us today.

We now know that the sun has a material, astrological reality, as we also know exactly what conditions produce the solstices & there's nothing spiritual about any of it.

So wishing people a happy solstice is not only daft, it has no place in 'Religion & Spirituality', I think.

[naomi24]

//We now know that the sun has a material, astrological reality, as we also know exactly what conditions produce the solstices & there's nothing spiritual about any of it. //

So you transfer that to something else you imagine to be a giver of life.

[douglas9401]

Astronomical, shurely?

[rowanwitch]

Except you have missed a level....

We know the science, but what we observe in that understanding is symbolic of the need for renewal in our lives. The need to review and introduce changes that we may plan for the now lengthening days. The Sun's light is something we use to represent how we seem to shine a light on our inner selves, . Many pagans don't really worship the sun, the moon, old gods but use what they have meant to people in earlier times to structure a model to organise their thoughts and ideas towards a particular goal.

[naomi24]

Khandro seems to think that spirituality applies only to those who adhere to religions he recognises. Would you consider yourself spiritual, Rowan?

[Meaghan27]

The OP should be made aware that the term 'Heathen' is offensive

" Heathen: a derogatory term used to describe a member of a people that does not acknowledge the God of a particular religion "

[naomi24]

I know people who happily describe themselves as 'heathen'. Everything upsets someone.

[Khandro]

OMG! OOPS can't believe I wrote astrological for astronomical

[Radagast]

"OMG! OOPS can't believe I wrote astrological for astronomical"

Freudian slip?

[Meaghan27]

I’m not suggesting being called heathen will upset anyone. I was giving the dictionary definition of it.

[mibn2cweus]

'Heathen', ' atheist', both terms invented with the intention to disparage those who do not conform to a particular tenet of religious beliefs. Many if not most religions invoke a divisive, us vs them mentality that is ultimately a disservice to both. Celebrating the Solstices brought people together. I find anything that unites us a humans commendable.

[Atheist]

Another version of the Golden Rule is "Live and let live."

[rowanwitch]

I think others might say I was,

[naomi24]

What do you think of Rowan’s answer, khandro?

[Canary42]

Many folk did (and some still do) worship the sun.

Worship=Religion.

So this [is] the right category.

Attempting to contradict the placement is a smokescreen to hide the inability to deny the argument rationally.

[Khandro]

Canary; //Many folk did (and some still do) worship the sun.//

Yep, & then there's the Prince Philip movement, which is a religious sect followed by the Kastom people around the villages of Yaohnanen and Yakel on the southern island of Tanna in Vanuatu. It is a cult of the Yaohnanen tribe, who believe in the divinity of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1921–2021).

[Khandro]

Like the man said, those who stop believing in God will believe in anything-

[naomi24]

Khandro, unlike the God followers, the Prince Philip Movement has at least a being proven to exist to attach their beliefs to - however irrational that might be.

For the record, I'm not a member of that group - further evidence that Mr Chesterton was wrong. I won't believe in anything.

[Khandro]

n. //I won't believe in anything.//

Then you have my sympathy. :0)

[naomi24]

Your sympathy is surplus to requirements, Khandro.