Winter is reason enough to celebrate
Dec 30, 2012
Kennebec Journal
http://www.kjonline.com/opinion/letters/winter-is-reason-enough-to-celebrate_2012-12-29.htmlWhat was Jesus's actual date of birth?
We can start with the fact that it was definitely not Dec. 25.
This date was not celebrated as the birth of Christ until 354 AD, when Pope Julius I chose this date because it coincided with pagan rituals.
The main purpose was to supplant the pagan holiday with a Christian holiday.
If you read the Bible carefully, you will recognize that Jesus was actually born in March or April; i.e., at Purim time.
Purim celebrates the spring harvest and so the Roman imperial rulers ordered that taxes be paid to them then and the census be taken at that time when families had to return to their place of registration.
That is why the inns were full, and Jesus's family had to settle for spare emergency accommodations in the stables.
The winter solstice is the real reason for the season and it is such a beautiful gift from God.
No wonder the early Christians in Europe wanted to rejoice in finding a chance to look to the coming of spring and rebirth of their natural world after the cold and snow of the winter.
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