December – Simply COEXIST

Idine Espanyas

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It must be so hard having people wish you a Merry Christmas in an effort to spread goodwill on their own religious festival. I can't imagine the trauma....

Why are you here in this thread? Also, you don’t need to answer this question since it’s semi rhetorical. ;-) The purpose of this thread is to learn about other faith traditions so that we might better coexist with each other and understand each other. I don’t see you trying to do that. Instead I see you causing harm, frustration, and anger for members of one of the world’s most marginalized faith communities. If you are not going to make a good faith effort to learn about other religious traditions here, then it’s better to not post anything at all. You are just derailing the thread at this point.
 
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All these little bits build up and do in fact cause trauma. Minimizing that is cruel. When you strive for kindness and causing happiness in the world, to completely disregard the way people feel is the opposite of that.

You are right. It was a flippant, sarcastic comment and I shouldn't have made it. I apologise to anyone in this thread I caused offence to and will take a long think about this, maybe my perspective does override my views.

Why are you here in this thread? Also, you don’t need to answer this question since it’s semi rhetorical. ;-) The purpose of this thread is to learn about other faith traditions so that we might better coexist with each other and understand each other. I don’t see you trying to do that. Instead I see you causing harm, frustration, and anger for members of one of the world’s most marginalized faith communities. If you are not going to make a good faith effort to learn about other religious traditions here, then it’s better to not post anything at all. You are just derailing the thread at this point.

I came here genuinely to learn but then I took offence at people taking offence - which I shouldn't have done. I then made a sarcastic comment for no other reason than to lash out at a perceived injustice. I should think on this more, as I said my aim is to always just spread happiness to people in daily interactions, but maybe I should consider other perspectives a bit more.

To the OP - please accept my apologies for derailing the thread, it was not justified and not my intention. I was wrong to make that last post.
 

Polegnyn Nemeara

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Threads get derailed. That's just part of posting on forums. The apology should be to those your comment was directed at.
 

Polegnyn Nemeara

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Threads get derailed. That's just part of posting on forums. The apology should be to those your comment was directed at.

"comment was" should read "comments were", but, since I was quoted afterward, I am unable to update my groggy response to accurately reflect my intended response.
 

Ty al'Djinn

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I've made any apologies I intend to. Thanks.

Silencia, when I first arrived in Tar Valon, I was a very angry young man. I couldn’t understand why the world had dealt me the hand it had, and why some people would complain about what seemed small to me. Most of the things mentioned in this thread by Sela and Nymala seemed small to me. Sure, the Holocaust was a big deal, but I could not make any kind of connection between something like that and the daily dismissals of Jewishness and what had happened there.

But that is because we see that as some sort of big evil, not able to be done by us normal people. The Holocaust was the culmination of a million small unkindnesses, dismissals, othering, and angry thoughts that started far earlier, perpetrated by entire populations.

Any dismissal of another person’s right to be heard, of what makes them who they are, can lead to othering. When widespread, it sweeps entire groups of people under the rug- and from there, it is easy to say they don’t matter. And when they don’t matter, they are expendable.

Not taking that first step, is the most important one.

You speak of privilege the way I used to. I do not think you have a full understanding of the concept. Sela explained it, and you dismissed it.

And then you said that you like to spread happiness around. And yet, in this thread, and in several others, you have spread biliousness and fomented conflict for the sake of proving a point. What then, is more
important to you? Bringing joy to your fellow man? Or satisfaction to your ego?

If I say to a Muslim man Eid Mubarak during Eid Al-Fatr, the ending of fast at Ramadan’s conclusion, I am respecting their beliefs and their culture. If Eid Al-Fatr happens to fall on, say, my birthday, and I wish them a happy birthday to me, why should they care? It is a holiday that means something to me and not to them.

We might wish our birthdays were important to the world, but they are not, generally. Christmas is the same- and it is in many traditions, Jesus’ birthday. For many in Europe it was something before that, such as Yule, and it has become something different after. But if it is not a midwinter festival, because you are not in the northern hemisphere, and you do not care about Jesus, what exactly would the holiday be for? Why would you care any more about it than someone saying “Happy my birthday to you!”

Going around declaring your birthday a holiday everyone should care about is absurd. Forcing holidays on others that are not rooted in their beliefs and their cultural identities is equally absurd.

It seems to me, Silencia, that you may be interested in learning, or being curious, or spreading happiness. But you seem to me to be more interested in keeping your ego where it is comfortable, in insisting that your view is the one that matters most, and generally in conflict and argument.

I would love you to prove me wrong- but you will not do that with more words in a single post. You can do it with your actions over time.

And if you do not care about that, well. You do not understand us here.

You see, I am not Jewish, though I have spent time around Judaism as a religion and a culture since I was a child. Sometimes I have put my foot in my mouth, but I know and love Sela, as I know and love Nymala. I gave one of them a near death experience, and the other gave me some life changing advice. I have known both of them for years.

In this community, there is a lot of conflict, but it is generally born out of differences of opinion on how we conduct our lives or on how we run this community. Not on the validity of others.

We have found friends and lovers and spouses here. We have raised children and buried friends here. This community’s roots run as deep as an internet group’s can- and we have grown far since then. We now spread into real life events in four continents. We aren’t just internet friends. Many of these people have shared my home, and broken bread with me, and I with them.

You will want to remember that in every conversation, you are not just speaking to random internet strangers. You are talking to people who have known one another for years- and who will defend each other.

If that sounds like something worthy of being part of, then you may want to reconsider how you make apologies, and take another look at whether or not learning and happiness are more important than being right.
 
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Leala ni al'Dareis t'al'Caleum

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It must be so hard having people wish you a Merry Christmas in an effort to spread goodwill on their own religious festival. I can't imagine the trauma....
But, in the end, it's not up to us whether someone's feelings are hurt, whether or not we intended it. Getting mad about it or arguing about how people are too easily offended makes it that much worse.

Even though I'm a Christian, and I celebrate Christmas, I don't say Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays unless I know the person. If it's said to me, I return it, whatever the phrase. This is how I school my own privilege. It's not a hard trade-off, to be honest. It's how I protect my friends, my chosen family, my fellow humans in my own way..
 
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Silencia, when I first arrived in Tar Valon, I was a very angry young man. I couldn’t understand why the world had dealt me the hand it had, and why some people would complain about what seemed small to me. Most of the things mentioned in this thread by Sela and Nymala seemed small to me. Sure, the Holocaust was a big deal, but I could not make any kind of connection between something like that and the daily dismissals of Jewishness and what had happened there.

But that is because we see that as some sort of big evil, not able to be done by us normal people. The Holocaust was the culmination of a million small unkindnesses, dismissals, othering, and angry thoughts that started far earlier, perpetrated by entire populations.

Any dismissal of another person’s right to be heard, of what makes them who they are, can lead to othering. When widespread, it sweeps entire groups of people under the rug- and from there, it is easy to say they don’t matter. And when they don’t matter, they are expendable.

Not taking that first step, is the most important one.

You speak of privilege the way I used to. I do not think you have a full understanding of the concept. Sela explained it, and you dismissed it.

And then you said that you like to spread happiness around. And yet, in this thread, and in several others, you have spread biliousness and fomented conflict for the sake of proving a point. What then, is more
important to you? Bringing joy to your fellow man? Or satisfaction to your ego?

If I say to a Muslim man Eid Mubarak during Eid Al-Fatr, the ending of fast at Ramadan’s conclusion, I am respecting their beliefs and their culture. If Eid Al-Fatr happens to fall on, say, my birthday, and I wish them a happy birthday to me, why should they care? It is a holiday that means something to me and not to them.

We might wish our birthdays were important to the world, but they are not, generally. Christmas is the same- and it is in many traditions, Jesus’ birthday. For many in Europe it was something before that, such as Yule, and it has become something different after. But if it is not a midwinter festival, because you are not in the northern hemisphere, and you do not care about Jesus, what exactly would the holiday be for? Why would you care any more about it than someone saying “Happy my birthday to you!”

Going around declaring your birthday a holiday everyone should care about is absurd. Forcing holidays on others that are not rooted in their beliefs and their cultural identities is equally absurd.

It seems to me, Silencia, that you may be interested in learning, or being curious, or spreading happiness. But you seem to me to be more interested in keeping your ego where it is comfortable, in insisting that your view is the one that matters most, and generally in conflict and argument.

I would love you to prove me wrong- but you will not do that with more words in a single post. You can do it with your actions over time.

And if you do not care about that, well. You do not understand us here.

You see, I am not Jewish, though I have spent time around Judaism as a religion and a culture since I was a child. Sometimes I have put my foot in my mouth, but I know and love Sela, as I know and love Nymala. I gave one of them a near death experience, and the other gave me some life changing advice. I have known both of them for years.

In this community, there is a lot of conflict, but it is generally born out of differences of opinion on how we conduct our lives or on how we run this community. Not on the validity of others.

We have found friends and lovers and spouses here. We have raised children and buried friends here. This community’s roots run as deep as an internet group’s can- and we have grown far since then. We now spread into real life events in four continents. We aren’t just internet friends. Many of these people have shared my home, and broken bread with me, and I with them.

You will want to remember that in every conversation, you are not just speaking to random internet strangers. You are talking to people who have known one another for years- and who will defend each other.

If that sounds like something worthy of being part of, then you may want to reconsider how you make apologies, and take another look at whether or not learning and happiness are more important than being right.

Thankyou for your considered words, I will give them some thought, and I genuinely mean that. I'm not saying I will change my opinion, just that I am not so fixed in my beliefs that I deny the possibility I could be wrong.

My wife often criticises the way I view the world or how I express myself, strangely she is not religious but often makes a far better Christian than I do. I once complained to her about Barbie making a disabled doll and my wife explained to me how some children never see themselves represented in toys, we had a long discussion and she changed my mind and now I am ashamed I was so dismissive of that and of little girls and boys having a toy that looked like them - it was not a nice feeling to realise that.

Anyway - I didn't come here to make enemies or hurt people emotionally, which is probably what I have done. I have a tendency to put my foot in my mouth which is a bad habit and one I need to learn from. I think I should just read and absorb for a while before I discuss further, but thanks for those words - I can tell you really thought about what you were saying.
 

Ty al'Djinn

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And I thank you for your reply. I look forward to hearing what you think after you’ve had a chance to sit with your thoughts awhile.

Be well.
 

Alexr al'Petros

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@Sela Narian Sedai...how did I get the best mentor ever? Seriously. In exchange, you got the worst Recruit / Soldier ever; but at least I'm collecting the most Class D-type merits in the history of TVN. Thank you for helping me become a better person (and @Zashara Sho'am , it's wonderful to read your voice again!).

@Ty al'Djinn said "I would love you to prove me wrong- but you will not do that with more words in a single post. You can do it with your actions over time." And here lies the truth, not in the words we speak, but in the doing of our lives.

This truth brings me back to the heart of this conversation that the SOAT has offered. Coexist. It is not possible in ignorance, nor in disrespect.
 

Nymala Ingasy

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You are right. It was a flippant, sarcastic comment and I shouldn't have made it. I apologise to anyone in this thread I caused offence to and will take a long think about this, maybe my perspective does override my views.



I came here genuinely to learn but then I took offence at people taking offence - which I shouldn't have done. I then made a sarcastic comment for no other reason than to lash out at a perceived injustice. I should think on this more, as I said my aim is to always just spread happiness to people in daily interactions, but maybe I should consider other perspectives a bit more.

To the OP - please accept my apologies for derailing the thread, it was not justified and not my intention. I was wrong to make that last post.

I accept your apology, since it was offered in honesty. But, Ty's 100% right. We're here for one another as well as to learn from each other. That's the point of this. He's also right in saying that we're more than just random Internet strangers or words on a forum page. That he's learning and growing from being around people of different backgrounds gives me hope that you have the opportunity to do the same. I hope that you can learn that lesson and take it to heart. It's part of being a member of this community...even without being bowled into by Ty. ;) It's sharing homes, food, love and way more than just a book club. I gave Ty and Roh all of my Valdemar books when I moved out of the US. I could have asked them to pay for it (and I think they were surprised that I didn't), but knowing that they'd be in good hands, loved and appreciated meant way more to me than money. They're part of my extended family and I treat them the same.

I have to admit that I was a little nervous when Sela told me she was going to make the type of post that she did, but I am glad she did because of the discussion it's kicked off. Often times, we're taught to keep our heads down, to not call attention to ourselves for fear of the backlash from the larger community. I remember my teacher in 3rd grade, Mar Chaviv, telling us that if we put our menorah in the window, people would come and throw rocks through the window. As a child, it scared me deeply, thinking that people would hate me so much for lighting candles that they'd try to hurt us. I can go through a list of things that have been done to me for my faith, including having swastikas drawn on my desk and on my locker in high school and having a bomb threat phoned into my synagogue during Rosh Hashanah as a child to being told by some idiot in my old IRC D&D channel that I come from a race of "professional victims" because of the Holocaust and its aftermath. You aren't the first, and sadly, you won't be the last person to dismiss, deny, or be outright aggressive to me because of this. I simply hope that you learn what it means to truly coexist and not just pay lip service to it while stroking your own ego and confirming your own preconceived notions. I, too, look forward to what you have to say.
 

Ananke Ruadh

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The fifth summary is mine! Though the symbol more properly represents Wiccan beliefs and practices, we've enlarged this to Paganism as an umbrella term.

Paganism. A word invoking many thoughts or feelings, and in some cases, prejudices. Originally of the Latin pāgānus; "rural," "rustic," and later "civilian"; it was first used in the 4th century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism or any ethnic religion other than Judaism or the newly-rising Christianity. During and after the Middle Ages, the term Pagan was applied to any non-Christian religion. In the modern day, most try to take a more culturally sensitive view. Paganism is considered a wide umbrella, used to denote any religious or spiritual path other than the Main Five religions; Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Judaism (though some also respectfully include Shinto in this list); or any Indigenous belief system. In particular it should be noted that Indigenous American cultures have asked to be removed from the Pagan umbrella, and we should respect their agency.

Okay, so we know what it used to mean, and what it's not. So what is Paganism, broadly speaking?

Most Pagan belief systems are nature-oriented and at least soft polytheistic+; focusing on the relationships between human and deity, and human and the earth. The focus is therefore on fostering a relationship to the Divine, and through the Divine a relationship with the Earth or vice versa. These relationships form the basis of our society, and encourage a more compassionate and broad view of our fellow man and prompt a better stewardship of our planet. Through the Gods we understand ourselves, and through our experiences on earth and our attachments to the land on which we stand, we understand our Gods. While much of what we know of these religions and spiritualities is reconstructed through various oral myths written down centuries after the fact by Christian monks, we are able to reconstruct parts of their lives through anthropology and archaeology. This forms the basis of many Reconstructionist Pagan religions. Alongside of these, there are in some parts of the world living traditions that carry on to this day. Therefore it is often helpful to differentiate between modern practitioners who try to remain as historically accurate as they can to pre-Christian practices; Reconstructionists; and those who follow the spirit, if not the letter, of their chosen practice.

(+"Soft" polytheism is the belief that different gods may either be psychological archetypes personifications of natural forces, or as being one essential god interpreted though the lenses of different cultures. Vs "Hard" polytheism is the belief that gods are distinct, separate, real divine beings, rather than psychological archetypes or personifications of natural forces.)

How do you practice Paganism?
Some Pagan systems are considered closed; meaning that a person must have been raised in a certain culture or be explicitly invited in to learn about them or practice; while most are open to any seeker to begin researching and practicing when they feel ready. Whether a religion or spiritual belief system is open or closed is decided by those already in it, specifically those who have been raised in it, and is largely to do with how much persecution they have faced for their beliefs. A culture who historically traded with many nations might be far more open to sharing their religion; Kemeticism, Asatru, etc; while one who has been ostracized or murdered for it might be closed; ie Haitian Vodou. (Whether this religion qualifies as Pagan is a subject of debate, by those in and out of its practice and is only included for the sake of example.) Even Christianity has closed or initiatory sects, like Catholicism, wherein a person must express desire to learn, enroll in classes, and be taught the proper method and be baptized before they are considered a "practicing Catholic." In much the same way, some branches of Paganism have an initiatory process that must be undergone before a person can properly join, like Druidry.

Regardless of the belief system; whether opened or closed, Reconstructionist or modern practice; there are many members of the Tower willing to discuss their belief systems and religions with the open-minded. Feel free to ask questions here until our next participant posts, or start your own in the Spirituality & Religion area of our Opt-In Discussion Halls! My own thread on Ask An Irish Pagan is here if you'd like to join an ongoing discussion.
 

Alexr al'Petros

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@Cerine Al'Rhynar , this is brilliant and educational. Thank you for sharing this topic. Imma gonna jump over to the Irish Thread because I have a question for you specifically. However, generally I wanted to ask you, why do you think paganism causes (or caused) so much fear?
 

Nymala Ingasy

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@Cerine Al'Rhynar , this is brilliant and educational. Thank you for sharing this topic. Imma gonna jump over to the Irish Thread because I have a question for you specifically. However, generally I wanted to ask you, why do you think paganism causes (or caused) so much fear?

I believe a wise person once said "Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering."
 

Ananke Ruadh

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@Cerine Al'Rhynar , this is brilliant and educational. Thank you for sharing this topic. Imma gonna jump over to the Irish Thread because I have a question for you specifically. However, generally I wanted to ask you, why do you think paganism causes (or caused) so much fear?

Largely, I believe it is either fear of the unknown, or fear of what is assumed. Our Gods make demands of us that must be answered. Our Gods are more present in our daily lives than most are used to, and when we hear Them speak, or feel Them move, we tend to respond. Therefore, while I am often not quite afraid of my Deities, I am reminded frequently that They are not tame. They are not idols that sit on a shelf and watch me and content themselves with whatever is on hand, fruit and flowers and water. They are discarnate entities that I respect, make offerings to, and have at least a relationship with, if not a wholly devotional one. I venerate a war goddess! And while my battles have largely been mental; and there are aspects of Her that are "the Goddess of PTSD"; She still commands me to do what I can physically as well. That can be scary!

To watch a friend or family member accept that a Noinden, a binding command, has been laid upon them and to see what happens if it is not carried through... well. It's not pretty. I've been injured for my hubris before, and it's kept me humble. It reminds me "do not make Vows you cannot keep, do not make promises blindly, and do not give your word if you know you will break it." I pay for my mistakes, and sometimes I am forgiven and other times I must live with the consequences. In a culturally christian nation, that is hard for many to understand. They expect that their god will forgive them. But Badb, the version of the Morrigan I am sworn to, is an Oath Keeper. If you break your Oath, She has the ability to snap it, and it can rebound on you as a curse. (For more info on that, please read the story of Chulainn! Terrifying stuff.)


So. There are Gods in my pantheon that require blood, in some form or function, and in a modern era it can be hard to see that done properly and still remain humane and in line with modern laws. There are entire reams of pages on this subject and what various people think is appropriate or not, but the Morrigan in particular does accept "faux" battles to be dedicated to Her honor. An injury in those sorts of encounters; as with many sorts of LARP or SCA combat groups; might be enough... or She might take more from you, as in this account by Morpheus Ravenna. While I might disagree with some of the conclusions Morpheus comes to, I know her to be a scholar as well as a devotee. And as she quite literally wrote the book on the Morrigan, I'll take her word that she did her due dilligence.


And if anyone wishes to continue this conversation, in public or in private, please feel free! I might not have all the answers, but I may be able to point you in the right direction.
 

Ananke Ruadh

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And so, prompted to return... I bring this: "I am come to bring Freedom, and not Peace."
 

Alexr al'Petros

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@Cursor Wrathwind Gaidin was kind enough to provide us these comments for the Sixth summary and asked the SOA team to post this on his behalf.

Daoism and Confucianism

Daoism (道教, Dàojiào), sometimes romanized as Taoism, and Confucianism (儒家, Rújiā) are the two great moral/philosophical traditions native to China, and while they are separate schools of thought that have often been in conflict throughout China’s long history, their origins, beliefs, and practices are nevertheless closely intertwined. Both originated during the Spring and Autumn Period of Chinese history (c. 770-476 BCE) in close proximity (geographic and temporal) to one another, and both continue to have major socio-cultural impacts in China and in cultures historically influenced by China today.

Daoism is traditionally said to originate with the writings and teachings of Laozi (老子, a title, not a name, meaning “old master”), although the modern consensus is that there was no such person and that the tradition instead comes from the collected thoughts of a number of philosophers packaged together under this semi-mythical figure’s name. The central goal of Daoism is to achieve the “Dao” (which is Chinese for “way” or “path”), but even defining the Dao is a complex and, perhaps, futile task. The Dao De Jing (“The Classic of the Way”), the oldest and most influential Daoist writing, states: “The Dao that can be described is not the eternal Dao; the name that can be named is not the eternal name.” In essence, the Dao is a natural and infinitely complex underlying order to the universe that brings harmony, which involves some concepts familiar to many westerners (such as the opposing yet complimentary forces of yin and yang), yet even saying that much would be viewed negatively in Daoism. As the Classic’s opening illustrates, naming and particularizing things is frowned upon, and adherents should instead seek the hidden mysteries of the universe, as mystery is “the beginning of understanding.” Boiled down to its basics, Daoism seeks to understand the Dao and to bring one’s life and action into perfect harmony with it. This is done through a number of practices, known generally as cultivation, which can vary from sect to sect. Most Daoist teachings and practices do, however, share a few major principles. The first is wuwei (无为), meaning inaction (or, more precisely, acting without intention). This is the notion that the universe, through the Dao, naturally acts in a manner that will result in perfect harmony and the best course of action is therefore to flow naturally with it, not to exert one’s own will upon it, as this may force things out of their proper rhythm and have negative consequences. Another are the so called “Three Treasures,” cardinal virtues by which a Daoist should live their life: compassion, moderation, and humility (humility here being understood as yielding to the Dao and not trying to exert one’s own will over it).

Confucianism is perhaps the more well-known of the two schools outside of China, and by far the more influential when it comes to Chinese society, culture, and history. Unlike Daoism, which includes many religious trappings (it embraces many of the figures and myths from Chinese folk religion), Confucianism is generally a non-religious moral philosophy. Also unlike Daoism, Confucius (孔夫子, Kǒng Fūzǐ, “Master Kong”) is a verifiable historical figure from whom some primary writings still survive. Confucianism largely eschews focus on spiritual or otherworldly affairs and, similarly, draws most of its morality from humanistic sources. Confucianism as a philosophy is built upon the idea that humans are essentially good and are teachable, and that the achievement of harmony and perfection in both the individual and in society writ large is through the proper ordering of relationships and the observance of cardinal virtues. Confucianism thus organizes society into five intertwined relationships: ruler and subject, parent and child, elder sibling and younger sibling, husband and wife, and friend and friend. Social harmony results from every person knowing and acting in accordance with their place in each of these five relationships, which are governed by the cardinal virtues of benevolence (仁, rén), righteousness (义, ), ritual propriety (礼, ), wisdom (智, zhì) and sincerity/faithfulness (信, xìn). The meanings encompassed by these virtues are manifold and complex, and the English translations do not fully cover the scope, which is too large a topic to cover in this short description. They nevertheless work in concert with the five relationships (all of which save friend-friend are strictly hierarchical and involve one side in a position of authority over another, with males and elders being the privileged groups) to define one’s social and moral duties. Acting in accordance with these virtues (which must be reciprocal within the five relationships) is the goal of a good Confucian, and it is the way the philosophy seeks to guarantee a harmonious, perfect society.

Post your questions below! Want to discuss Daoism or Confucianism more after December 23rd? Visit "Ask about Daoism or Confucianism" in the Spirituality & Religion forum for in-depth discussion and additional questions. (You may contact your usergroup admin for access to this opt-in forum).
 
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In a similar vein to Sela and Lyndo, I will add the note that December has no particular significance to either Daoists or Confucians, nor any major holidays therein. Confucianism, as more of a moral philosophy, doesn't really have holidays per se anyway--the only uniquely Confucian holiday would be the observance of Confucius' birthday, which is based on the traditional Chinese calendar and falls in September. Daoism adopted many holidays from pre-existing Chinese folk religion, the most important of which (for Confucians also) being the Lunar New Year (referred to as the Spring Festival in China), which takes place between late January and early February. This holiday is older than Daoism or Confucianism however, and is largely secular in the modern era, although the celebration of it still includes many ritual trappings drawn from Daoism. This is the most important holiday in China, and from my understanding in most of East Asia, which was historically heavily influenced by China's hegemonic position in the region (c.f. Tet, Korean New Year, Losar, Tsagaan Sar, Japanese New Year, etc.). The Lantern Festival, which takes place on the first full moon of the Lunar New Year, potentially originated with Daoism, although that is but one of several theories and we have no definitive evidence of this.
 

Polegnyn Nemeara

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The seventh summary is about Christianity and written by @Rollyn Montagorae (With permission, I'm simply posting on Rollyn's behalf):

Christianity is a belief system founded on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, a human being who lived approximately between 4 BC and 30 AD in the area that is modern-day Israel. Historical accounts record that Jesus began a series of teachings in the area which continued for three years, at which point he was executed by the Romans using the method of crucifixion, on charges of civil unrest and blasphemy among his fellow Jews.

In the immediate years after his crucifixion, his disciples and others claimed he had risen from the dead and had visited with them before ascending back into heaven about 40 days later. His followers then traveled widely throughout the eastern Mediterranean area and over the next few centuries Christianity gradually become the predominant religion throughout Europe, particularly once it became the official religion of the Roman Empire under Constantine in 323 AD.
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As might be expected from such a widespread religion, there quickly became distinctions and variations in the practice and secondary beliefs of different Christian groups. However, over the centuries the larger body of overall Christians have generally held to a stable set of foundational beliefs. In particular, a view that God is understood to consist of one being existing as three persons (the Trinity).

In this view, God is the creator of the universe, the originator and sustainer of all reality. The particular nature of God is three-fold, however, with one being comprised of three persons:

God the Father: The divine sovereign and source of authority, morality, and love in the world.

God the Son: The divine "logos," or thoughts, which created the world and sets out the ways by which it functions. This person eventually chose to incarnate into the world as the human man Jesus Christ, and now has returned to the Father and reigns alongside Him.

God the Holy Spirit: The divine breath that manifests the power of God in the world and motivates/inspires those who follow Him to work out God's will in the world.
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Christians base their beliefs on the Bible, a collection of writings presented as two main halves: the Old Testament (preserved Jewish documents describing the interactions between God and the historic nation of Israel from its founders to its kings) and the New Testament (accounts of the life of Jesus and his disciples and collected letters of the disciple Paul and some others).

Christians see the Bible as a unitary story and natural flow of history in which prophets in the Old Testament predicted that God would someday send a figure called the Messiah, or Christ, to unite and guide the world toward ultimate peace and happiness, and the New Testament as the account of the man Jesus who was that prophesied Christ.

Aside from the Trinity, most of the rest of the main tenets of Christianity are those historical details expressed in creeds like the one Paul lists in the book of I Corinthians, chapter 15 verses 3-7:

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born."

And also from Paul in the book of Romans, chapter 10, verses 9-10:

"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved."
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Beyond this, vast bodies of literature exist to explore and attempt to understand various additional facets of Christian doctrine from the writings in the Bible, but at its most basic Christianity is the view that God created and loves every person, that he came to Earth in the form of the man Jesus and died in such a way that he paid the consequences for all the evil ever done by humans in all of history, and then by resurrecting from the dead he created a pathway that we too can live in joy and happiness both now and after our death by placing our trust in his sacrifice for us.

If anyone has additional questions I would be happy to listen and attempt to answer them, or direct you to places where those answers can be sought.

Post your questions below! Want to discuss Christianity more after December 27th? Visit "Ask a Christian" in the Spirituality & Religion forum for in-depth discussion and additional questions. Contact your usergroup admin for access to this opt-in forum.
 
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Thanks, Polegnyn, for posting this for me. In the spirit of the thread, let me wish everyone peace and joy at this time of year regardless of your worldview in life. To quote The Doctor, we're once again "Halfway out of the dark."
 
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