Re: OT: It's a Christmas tree daggone it!

Peter Aitken wrote:
> <roger_pearse@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:1134588522.290002.70510@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >> >Actually there is nothing in the historical record to associate Mithras
> >> >with this time of year at all...
>
> >> LOLOL You are full of it of course. But then I see that you were not
> >> willing to post the truth about Christmas. And don't even presume to
> >> know about me at all. You don't and never will.
>
> > Why not get your facts right about Mithras, hmm? Repeating scurrilous
> > hearsay is for losers.
>
> Funny, there's a ton of info available, some from very respectable
> organizations, that does in fact associate with Mithras with this time of
> year. Do you know something all these people don;t?

I don't know about that, but I think I probably do know something most
such people do not. It's only a little thing, but I think it's
crucial: I think that I know the right question to ask. And that
question is "Which ancient source specifically says this?"

Now a caveat: I know that we get a lot of morons who think it a
crushing refutation of anything to demand 'proof' while sitting on
their backsides making other people run around. Not being that way
inclined, I've had a go at finding any possible stuff myself (albeit I
was looking for stuff on Mithras generally, not just on Mithras+25
Dec).

If you're interested, I've compiled what I believe to be every literary
reference to Mithras from antiquity (using Clauss, Ulansey, Cumont and
a google search to locate possible references):

http://www.tertullian.org/rpearse/mithras

although contributions are always welcome if anyone has one I've
missed. You'll note that there is nothing in there associating him
with Dec. 25.

What it doesn't contain is inscriptional material; but I have doubts
that this will contain what would be needed. However I certainly
intend to look when I can work out how to access this information.

Faced with the double evidence -- inability of those asserting to offer
any source, plus lack of presence in any data I can find -- I feel
fairly safe in saying it isn't true. It's hard to absolutely prove a
negative, but I think this is a pretty fair attempt.

Anyone who disagrees gets to provide evidence to the contrary...

All the best,

Roger Pearse
Roger Pearse

.