I swear I'm not trying to be contentious, merely curious.
But what does Valentine's Day not being Jewish have to do with your participation in the meme (thinking the holiday is actually morally evil, sure, I get that)? Is there a personal or institutional prohibition against it, given its tenuously Christian roots? I know you enjoy celebrating Halloween for instance, a custom with (and yeah, yeah, I know it was pagan a long time before the Christians coopted it) a similar Christian history.
Actually, both Valentine's Day and Halloween incorporate pagan iconography -- in the former case Germanic worship of the god Vali, whose month fell between January and February and who was celebrated as a light-bringer who wielded a bow and arrow; in the latter...well, most folks know the Celtic story there.
And both are now decidedly secular holidays in America, much more so than Christmas or Easter.
As I said, not trying to pick any sort of fight, just intrigued to hear your reasoning/thoughts on the matter?
no subject
Date: 2007-02-06 01:09 am (UTC)But what does Valentine's Day not being Jewish have to do with your participation in the meme (thinking the holiday is actually morally evil, sure, I get that)? Is there a personal or institutional prohibition against it, given its tenuously Christian roots? I know you enjoy celebrating Halloween for instance, a custom with (and yeah, yeah, I know it was pagan a long time before the Christians coopted it) a similar Christian history.
Actually, both Valentine's Day and Halloween incorporate pagan iconography -- in the former case Germanic worship of the god Vali, whose month fell between January and February and who was celebrated as a light-bringer who wielded a bow and arrow; in the latter...well, most folks know the Celtic story there.
And both are now decidedly secular holidays in America, much more so than Christmas or Easter.
As I said, not trying to pick any sort of fight, just intrigued to hear your reasoning/thoughts on the matter?