Happy Ember Week!

From Wiki:

"In pagan Rome
offerings were made to various gods and goddesses of agriculture in the hope that
the deities would provide a bountiful harvest (in June), a rich vintage (in
September), or a productive seeding (in December). Others point to much more
specific Celtic origins, linked to the
Celtic custom of observing various festivals at three-month intervals: Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasadh
and Samhain."

Of course, some Christians coopted these special days and made them into Christian religious days, but I celebrate them they way they were originally intended, as pagan festival days. This week's ember days are Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Jim

The Catholic Fanatics Are At It Again!

So, the latest from the religious fanatics on the right comes from the Catholic League, which is calling for a boycott of the movie "The Golden Compass." According to a report I watched on local TV news this morning, the Catholics are upset in part because "the movie promotes atheism." Well, the last time I checked we were still a pluralistic society, so I don't see anything wrong with promoting atheism. The Catholics promote Catholicism all the time. Why shouldn't we atheists be able to promote atheism?

Author Philip Pullman, who wrote the book on which the movie is based, has this to say about Catholic League chief nutcase William Donohue:

"Why don't we trust readers? Why don't we trust filmgoers? Oh, it causes me to shake my head with
sorrow that such nitwits could be loose in the world."

Nitwits indeed!

PHOTO: The third in the series of Macy's Phila. holiday windows.

Jim