I wanted to share this since this is where my screen name comes from, and because it's that time of year!

Belsnickel-wha?: Holiday Traditions in the Shenandoah Valley

That is an interesting read.  I've never heard of that before.  I always like hearing stories of the old days.  Kind of reminds me of the Krampus legend.....but not as evil. 

(12-13-2017, 04:20 PM)BengalHawk62 Wrote: That is an interesting read.  I've never heard of that before.  I always like hearing stories of the old days.  Kind of reminds me of the Krampus legend.....but not as evil. 

Yeah, this is a fun little tradition that mostly died out. But, I grew up with the legend of Belsnickel (I didn't know about the twist in later years) and always thought it was a unique part of my heritage that I liked to share with people.

Keep your pagan shit to yourself, kraut.

(12-13-2017, 08:05 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: Keep your pagan shit to yourself, kraut.

As if idolator papists have much room to talk.

(12-14-2017, 09:55 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: As if idolator papists have much room to talk.

After taking the World Religions class on a field trip to other places of worship, it's shocking how much ritualism is in Christianity (particularly Catholicism) compared to the other Abrahamic religions. 

(12-15-2017, 11:10 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: After taking the World Religions class on a field trip to other places of worship, it's shocking how much ritualism is in Christianity (particularly Catholicism) compared to the other Abrahamic religions. 

It is definitely interesting. The idolatry iconography in Christianity is much more akin to the idea of darshan in Hinduism than it is to anything in Judaism and Islam. There are many more similarities between Islam and Judaism than there are between Christianity and those two. I blame the Europeans.

If you try climbing through my window wearing rags and a whip, you will get JuJu'ed so quick Goodell won't even be able to fine me.

I always figured you were typing in your preferred screen name when you suffered a massive sneeze that caused your hand to spasm and involuntarily strike keys just as you were hitting 'enter.' But, this explanation works too.

I'd not heard of that tradition, and we had family of German heritage that lived in Pennsylvania some generations back. Interesting.

(12-15-2017, 11:30 AM)Belsnickel Wrote: I blame the Europeans.

Hey! That is... ok, it is fair. The concept of monotheism is highly doubtful for the catholic tradition that knows many pagan traditions and also quite many holy people to pray to when you want rich harvests or lost your keys.

And Krampus only takes care of bad kids still. (Common practice were bigger kids dressing up and beating up smaller kids on that occasion.)

(12-17-2017, 02:31 PM)hollodero Wrote: Hey! That is... ok, it is fair. The concept of monotheism is highly doubtful for the catholic tradition that knows many pagan traditions and also quite many holy people to pray to when you want rich harvests or lost your keys.

Christianity, when looked at through a more academic lens, is very interesting. If you look at it from an outsider perspective, it is difficult to see Christianity as truly monotheist, especially when taking into consideration all of the other differences between the other Abrahamic faiths. This gets into a discussion that belongs in P&R, though.

(12-17-2017, 02:31 PM)hollodero Wrote: And Krampus only takes care of bad kids still. (Common practice were bigger kids dressing up and beating up smaller kids on that occasion.)

Yeah, Krampus is from your neck of the woods and in Bayern. Over to the west, along the border with France, is where my ancestors hail from and is where this legend/tradition comes from. Krampus is much better known, probably because Americans tend to see Bavarian culture as being synonymous with German culture in general and they ignore the diversity in the country.

I wondered about that screen name. Pretty cool story.