QUOTE(izabadgirl @ Oct 1 2009, 07:10 PM)
I don't think the ancient Druids was as innocent as you think.
While other
Roman writers of the time, such as
Cicero,
Suetonius,
Lucan,
Tacitus and
Pliny the Elder, described human sacrifice among the
Celts, only Caesar mentions the wicker man as one of many ways the Druids of
Gaul performed sacrifices.
[3] Not having witnessed the ritual himself, Caesar reports that some of the
Gauls built the effigies out of sticks and placed living men inside, then set them on fire to pay tribute to the gods. Caesar writes that though the Druids generally used thieves and criminals, as they pleased the gods more, they sometimes used innocent men when no delinquents could be found.
While some modern authors like Barry Cunliffe, author of
The Ancient Celts are convinced that the Druids practiced human sacrifice
[4], others dispute Caesar's accounts as repeating a sensationalistic rumor as propaganda to encourage his supporters back home. By the first century AD, human sacrifice "was a thing of the past" among the Celts.
[5] One medieval commentary, the 10th century
Commenta Bernensia, states that men were burned in a wooden manikin in sacrifice to
Taranis.
[6]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wicker_manArchaeological evidence
Druidic associations with the ritual deaths of some of the bog bodies recovered in the British Isles and northern Europe from the Netherlands to Denmark, presented by Anne Ross[43] is resisted by some historians, such as Jane Webster, who asserted in 1999, "individual druids (let alone druid princes) are unlikely to be identified archaeologically"[44] A.P. Fitzpatrick, in examining astral symbolism on Late Iron Age swords[45] has expressed difficulties in relating any material culture, even the Coligny calendar, with druidic culture. Slain bodies as far east as Celtic Galatia and elsewhere in Northern and Western Europe are widely cited as evidence of human sacrifice.[46]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Druidhttp://www.geocities.com/druidhe/romans.htmlActually IZA, I agree that the Druids probably did perform sacrifice, or at least were present. (One historian said that a Druid must be present for any type of sacrifice, not that the Druid actually performed the sacrifice, kink of like just to watch to make sure things are done correctly, their version of "kosher".)
However, this aside, nearly every single culture on earth has practiced human sacrifice. Acutally, I can't even thing of one culture who hasn't practice human sacrifice at one point.
But we all know that Christianity is founded on human sacrifice, and before them the Jews practiced humans sacrifice, or at least one accoutn of it is listed in Judges.
But seriously, why the hatred toward Halloween? I'll tell you.
THINLY VEILED ANTI-CATHOLIC SENTIMENT
Sure, Halloween has pagan origins, like every other Holiday, but Halloween is also directly conncted to Catholicism (All Saint's Day). Protestants, disbelieving in saints, have no need for the holiday, which is why it remains completley secular.
There is no harm in celebrating Halloween. It's a nice and fun holiday for children (and adults like me!) to celebrate.
I for one am tired of all the lies and B.S. from fear-mongering paranoid Christians who try to demonize the holiday as being Pagan and Satanic while turning around and decorating their homes with Christmas trees, wreathes, and beautiful lights come December.
(FYI: I have no problem with Christians who don't celebrate Halloween, Christmas, or Easter. I actually like how they are not hypocrites and don't celebrate any of the holidays, unlike those hypocrite Christians who celebrate all the holidays except Halloween.)
