Winter Solar Feasts: Burn down the Yule log with the Star of Bethlehem in hopes that Santa doesnt get shot down by the Military while leaving Turkey!

This post is being done on Monday rather than Sunday, Wednesday or Thursday to show respect for the particular celebrations (of Solstice or Yule, Sol Invictus, Solemn Incarnation Octave, and Chanukah) and faith paths of the many varied readers of this blog. This started out as my Christmas homily, prepare yourself for it.

We are going to take an honest look at all of these Winter Sun Festivals, aside from any particular bias that I or anyone else may have. This is done, in hope that one day, whether religious or secular, we can eventually achieve enough mutual respect for each others celebrations that we wont have a fit of carnality over whether we are following the traditional meanings of the holidays.

Eventually we can celebrate together as one people!

This post is going to be so intense that I don't want to bold any fonts, just take your time to read and pray about everything please. And then also please share your thoughts in the comments below. Thank you and Peace Be With You!

He sees you when you're sleeping. He knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good, so give me a fucking break!

So lets settle something first and foremost, Santa, or at least America's version of the jolly elf, is completely fictional and secular in origin. While he still derived some attachment from the historical figure of St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra in Turkey, the secularized version that promotes crash consumerism and big brother antics is hardly what St. Nicholas, in any of his particular apparitions throughout history would ascent too. However as The United States of America is a Country "that in no way was founded on the Christian religion", and celebrates Christmas as a secular holiday with respect to the individuals choice to celebrate as a religious holiday; the climb of popularity of this astute judge of character in the hearts of children and even in the intimate thoughts of adults, is understandable in a post modern, and post Christendom, society.

So knowing that Santa was invented by greed and the corporate desire to propagandize the public into buying the latest, greatest piece of crap for 30 dollars more (only to be sold a month later for 70 dollars less): What is one left to do if they want to tone down the stress of the holiday season or restore the "traditional meanings of the holiday celebrations" in their lives and the lives of their children?


~Silent Night by London Gay Men's Chorus from December 2006

O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see the lie?
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent Stars go by.

So apparently scientist in Australia have actually taken the time to figure out that Joshua Emmanuel of Nazareth was born on the 17th of June of 2BCE, as marked out in the sky by "when Venus and Jupiter conjoined in the sky as a singular beacon."

'Jesus was born in June', astronomers claim

Astronomers have calculated that Christmas should be in June, by charting the appearance of the 'Christmas star' which the Bible says led the three Wise Men to Jesus. They found that a bright star which appeared over Bethlehem 2,000 years ago pinpointed the date of Christ's birth as June 17 rather than December 25. The researchers claim the 'Christmas star' was most likely a magnificent conjunction of the planets, Venus and Jupiter, which were so close together they would have shone unusually brightly as a single "beacon of light" which appeared suddenly.

Australian astronomer Dave Reneke used complex computer software to chart the exact positions of all celestial bodies and map the night sky as it would have appeared over the Holy Land more than 2,000 years ago. It revealed a spectacular astronomical event around the time of Jesus's birth. Mr Reneke says the wise men probably interpreted it as the sign they had been waiting for, and they followed the 'star' to Christ's birthplace in a stable in Bethlehem, as described in the Bible.

Generally accepted research has placed the nativity to somewhere between 3BC and 1AD. Using the St Matthew's Gospel as a reference point, Mr Reneke pinpointed the planetary conjunction, which appeared in the constellation of Leo, to the exact date of June 17 in the year 2BC...."Venus and Jupiter became very close in the the year 2BC and they would have appeared to be one bright beacon of light.

"This could well have been what the three wise men interpreted as a sign. They could easily have mistaken it for one bright star. "Astronomy is such a precise science, we can plot exactly where the planets were, and it certainly seems this is the fabled Christmas star.".... "Often when we mix science with religion in this kind of forum, it can upset people.

Sky Show December 1: Jupiter, Venus, Moon Make "Frown"
Andrew Fazekas
National Geographic News
01 December 2008

...In fact, some historians think that a similar conjunction between Jupiter and Venus in 2 B.C. may be the source of the "star of Bethlehem" story related in the Bible. The stellar pair would have appeared so close together, scholars think, that they might have seemed to meld into one brilliant beacon of light.

Of the eight official planets in the solar system, five are visible at night without the aid of a telescope or binoculars. Jupiter and Venus are particularly bright, partly because both have highly reflective clouds that completely envelop them, but also because Venus is Earth's closest neighbor while Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system....The next time a so-called planetary occultation with Venus will be visible from North America is on the morning of April 22, 2009.

Planetary conjunctions are relatively rare events, especially ones involving such a close encounter between Venus and Jupiter. The next visible conjunction will be on the evening of March 14, 2012, but the two planets will appear farther apart in the sky, separated by more than three degrees. Historically, striking planetary groupings have held special meaning to ancient astronomers and astrologers. A similarly close conjunction between Venus and Jupiter occurred in June of 2 B.C., .... According to the Bible, three magi in the East were alerted to the birth of Jesus and led toward Bethlehem by a superbright star....

Staring down the barrel of another holiday. Force fed a Christmas Carol of another time,
another place, another way. What child is this who laid to rest on Mary's lap is sleeping?

~ UnStable Boy by Jay Brannan

Above all powers and thrones, let us look at what we do actually know.

While slouching towards Bethlehem we find the story of the babe in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes in fact we also encounter the Epiphany and Communion with the Saints. It is a matter of faith only not fact that, LORD Joshua-Emmanuel (aka Jesus Christ) was born in a stable and placed in a feeding trough in the City of David, Bethlehem, the "House of Bread".

What we do know for a fact is that, The Gospels (starting with John Mark's) were written in response to social uprising and political circumstances 40-120 years after the events took place, the towns were devastated or destroyed, and the people scattered to the four corners of the Earth. What a great way to keep the faith and the Christian Community alive then but by talking about Joshie's humble beginnings without a home or a bed to rest his weary head.

This is the message of Bethlehem: From the very moment of his Incarnation he was to offer himself up by laying down his life on a piece of wood and we were to come and worship, offer our finest gifts (our first fruits if you will allow that assertion), consume his body, and become more like Him, reaching out to our fellow man in good will and peace. The story of Bethlehem is a metaphor of Communion with bread and wine, and the common bonds of humanity, aside from any particular religion, even though it has been used to assert Christian primacy of religion over the last 2000 years.

My pointe is simply this, the details of the Eucharistic metaphor don't have to be verified by science to still be true, because Bethlehem is a metaphor of something greater than the actual event, whether or not it took place exactly as written. When He comes back and asks us, "What the hell were you all thinking?", and says, "That is not what I said", Christians are going to be in for a big surprise! Pagans are not much different, they just are not as judgmental.

Roman and Greek Mythos

Ironically, with a basic knowledge of Roman (and Greek) mythology, Jesus being a Gemini instead of a Capricorn, would make sense: Jupiter (and Zeus) the God of Sky and Thunder and father of Mars (and Ares), the God of War but originally Agriculture, who was also the lover of Venus (and Aphrodite) the Goddess of Love and Fertility. Mars is also credited as the father of twins Romulus and Remus.

Romulus and Remus are the founding brothers of the City of Rome, were born forth to the imprisoned Virgin Rhea Silvia, Priestess of Vesta (a Vestal Virgin was sworn to celibacy for thirty years), who claimed that the God Mars "came upon her and seduced her" in the forest, hence her conception and later birth of the twins. The illicit King (Herod) then ordered the boys to be floated down the river (Moses, Book of Exodus) to be killed by drowning but they survived only to kill the King and restore the proper King's heir in his place.

It should also be noted that Mars has an impressive list of consignments with other deities all the way to the Celtic Lands and the Iberian Peninsula. The titles are very similar in fashion to the ones assigned to Joshua Emmanuel of Nazareth by the Roman Church and throughout Sacred Scriptures.

This story has unfolded within humanity more than once, maybe even in the same time frames, and this story definitely shows continuity between the two mythologies. With the mythology between the Greek-Roman Pantheon and the Judea-Christian Divinity having completely intertwined stories, any person, with an open mind and an honest heart, would be willing to ask (everyone else has refused to ask under fear of repression or murder by those in power), the following questions:

If The Blessed Virgin Mother, Mary of Nazareth, was also a temple virgin, as recorded in the Gospel of St. James the Just, and she was "overshadowed by God", exactly as described by Rhea Silvia, then in regards to her birthing forth Joshua Emmanuel of Nazareth one would have the following concerns or queries:

• Why was there not a second child born in this version of the metaphor?
  
• Did Jesus have a twin or triplet brothers?
• Who would most likely be his twin/triplet?
  
• Is there any proof in secular or religious history that would back this question up?
  

This would explain first and foremost the story of the Resurrection, certain accounts of double appearances later in earthly life, or after his crucifixion, and the multiple assertions of romantic encounters and companionship with either St. Mary of Magda, St. John the Beloved, or St. Lazarus, each of which is alluded to, if not point blank declared as obvious, within Scripture.

Keep in mind that, via the honour rights of the first born, these questions do not diminish the authority of the Christian claim of Divinity and Lordship of Joshua Emmanuel of Nazareth, nor His succession and claim to the Throne of David, as the King of Israel.

In fact, this would enhance His claim and prove it to be stronger. If this proves to be accurate (or at least a better explanation), it opens up a full conversation about the facts as we have known them versus what the truth actually is. And that is a good conversation to have once in awhile.

My personal thoughts on the matter, without cite, are that the Apostles St. James the Just, first Patriarch of Jerusalem, and St. Jude Thaddeuss, who carried the "image of Jesus' face" (to or from King Abgar of Edessa, whom was healed) were not cousins or just brothers of Jesus, but identical triplet brothers of Jesus. So of course whose story gets told? The first born's does, because he has the birth right, and anything else that the brothers do is seen as supporting the head (or the one with the birthright) of the family's legacy.

I should also note that my religious name, by receiving Holy Orders, is half in tribute to St. Jude Thaddeuss and to Mother Mary, under her patronage of Prompt Succor.

"Mary and Mohammed are screaming through the clouds, for you to lay your goddamned arms down, rip up your bigoted roots up from the Earth and salt the goddamned ground!"

~ Goddamned by Jay Brannan

To Tell Tallied Tales To Triumph!
Try saying that fast multiple times, geezers!

Of course it sure wouldn't be the first time one people usurped another people's Divine encounters either. The Hebrew people especially have a knack for usurping other stories and asserting practices. Like the idea of weekly worship or communal prayer, which came as a direct result from their captivity in Babylon (Iraq). For their own survival in a new land they constantly usurped stories and continued to assert those patterns when they returned to their own land (eg: the Festival of Lights or Chanukah), including the piss poor theological idea of the inerrant nature of Scripture, to maintain order and power over the people, as they returned to "the land promised to their ancestor".

Portions of Exodus and most of the Book of Genesis, came as a direct result from their captivity in Babylon (Iraq). The Patriarch Abraham was from the land of Ur (which is approximately 50 miles down wind from Baghdad). The Scriptures were modified and added to to stave off the obvious assimilation of another culture that takes place when the Hebrews were ransacked and forced from their homeland, which is proven by the annulment of mixed marriages when they returned many years later.

Unfortunately in their effort to establish themselves as a separate people in a foreign land, they had to assume a local heritage to tell the story, and understand local customs and culture to weave a story, that made them distinct from their neighbor. In doing so vilified their Babylonian captors and at the same time made them their ancient ancestor by common Patriarchy. The Garden of Eden is a land mass located, as reported via Scripture, at the headwaters of the Tigris and Euphrates River, which means Paradise is located smack dab between Kuwait and Turkey, Santa Claus or Saint Nicholas' homeland.

In Closing My Friends,

Is it any wonder we are in a state of chaos over the Middle East? The confusion was created, when one group of people tried to separate themselves from another. When are we going to realize that, fabricated ancestry or not, Jews, Muslims, and Christians claim the same blood line and history of faith. It is about damn time for us to embrace our brethren, drag ourselves across the sands of time, to draw out the message of Bethlehem. Coming from far and wide, we will consume the goodness of God once again with each other, and finally share peace on Earth and good will towards our fellow man. That is the message of Bethlehem! Now will you join me at the Altar, to receive the Bread of Life that has come down from heaven?

I want to live in a land called Paradise; I want to go to the Valley of the Kings

~ Kareem Salama: American, Muslim, County Music Artist,

CREDITS
Kareem Salama: Website | MySpace |
Jay Brannan: F6 Links Page Post | buy his 1st ind. albumn |
London Gay Men's Chorus: Website

LINKS
Coming Out @ Chanukah
The Gay Witch Network

RESOURCES
Star of Bethlehem Again
by Phil Plait, Founder, Bad Astronomy Blog
Gay Chanukah
HRC Reflection
Tips for Yule
by Dyke Notes

Psalm 133:1
How good it is, how pleasant, where the people dwell as one!