From: rickheit@dragon (Erich Rickheit KSC)
Subject: Re: Jesus was a pagan and lonely wiccians
Organization: University of Lowell Computer Science, Lowell MA
Date: Thu, 9 Apr 1992 04:45:07 GMT

In article <1992Apr8.165113.2823@wvnvms.wvnet.edu> nc313127@wvnvms.wvnet.edu writes:

>	1) I have heard that Jesus Christ was originally a Celtic Myth...

Well, I've heard Celtic stories like that one, of course, but most of the
modern Christs myths seem more like ripoffs of the Attic myth of Greece (and
Persia, I think, but memory is vague), ond of the Osiris story.

>	2) I have been reading "LLyweLLens(sp?) Guide for the Individual
>	Wiccan."

This book sounds like the attack of the Episcopagans. "All gods are one God,
all goddesses are are one Goddess, there is one Initiator, thank you Dion
Fortune." All the gods I know would take offense at being identified with all
the others, but you'll have to decide the nature of the gods' identity
yourself.

Since modern Paganism (neopaganism, if you like) is still a developing
faith, you'll find that most everyone has a different notion of the nature
of the gods. Most people worship aspects of gods they feel some affinity for.
Many pagans who at least pretend to scholarship (like myself :) feel
uncomfortable associating wildly different dieties wih each other.

There is a popular 'generic Pagan myth cycle' that most modern pagans work
with that follows the circle of the year. Each part is associated with a
holiday, and goes something like this: (starting point is arbitrary)

Beltane:
   The God and Goddess (in her Maiden aspect) marry, and conceive their child.
Summer Solstice:
   The God reaches his full adulthood, is crowned King.
Lammas:
   The first fruits begin to appear. The King's rule makes the world strong.
   The Goddess begins to take her Mother aspect.
Fall Equinox:
   The Goddess in her Mother aspect gives the harvest to the world.
Samhain:
   The King is dying. The Goddess takes her Crone aspect and searches for her
   lost Maiden-self.
Winter Solstice:
   The old God dies. After the longest night, the new God is born.
Imbolg:
   The Crone completes her search. She returns, once more the Maiden.
Spring Equinox:
   The Maiden and the young God meet.

Most traditions have stories that fit into most of these holidays, at least
enough so that everyone can talk to each other about the holidays. In some
traditions, there are two solar gods, one of winter (the Horned One or the
Holly King) and one of summer (the Green Man, or the Oak King). Somrtimes
the Goddess is mourning a lost daughter, sometimes a son, sometimes her
lover. Sometimes the God is resurrected instead of dying and being reborn.

>	3) Any opinions on this book(above)?  Are there any better books I
>	should read?

Hit the mythology section of your library, and read anything that looks
interesting. I suggest the Mabinogion, the Prose Edda and the Poetic Edda,
The Death of Arthur, and Aradia. Look for a copy of the Golden Bough. No,
don't try to read it; it's in seventeen volumes. Use it like an encyclopedia.
And look for modern pagan standards like _Drawing_Down_the_Moon_, _The_Spiral
Dance_, and stuff by the Farrars.

I don't know the book in question, but Llewellen has a lot of crappy titles
with some good stuff thrown in. The only real way to tell is to develop a
critcal eye, and the way to do that is to read a lot.

>	5) Anyone know anything about the Land Of Summer Twilight?

Well, it's the land where the Fair Folk live. In your search through the
mythology above, look for True Thomas (Thomas the Rhymer) and Tam Lin. Read
(or better yet, see) _A_Mid-summer_Night's_Dream_.

	Hope it's some help,
-- 
			Erich the hahaha Mad
rickheit@hawk.ulowell.edu     AT&T: 508 453 1753  : USnail : Erich Rickheit KSC
         "Here, my ice lolly's melted --          :          85 Gershom Ave, #2
          You really _are_ the devil!"            :          Lowell, MA 01854