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Being a big Campbell-ite myself (enjoyer of Joseph's work), I have to slightly disagree with you atheistninja.

Campbell specifically states that at the time of Sargon the Great, war for profit and not for other causes (such as needing land, food, etc.) arose. Concurrent with this warlike mentality was a denial of female-based religions and promotion of ones that are patriarchal, as you so state.

However, I believe the idea of patriarchal religion was not to suppress women as much as to promote war. It is highly unlikely that female-based religions, emphasizing as they do fertility, nurturing and loving kindness to the environment as well as others, would support their greedy, egocentric wars. Therefore, a rewriting of the "creator" was needed that was more in line with their goals.

It gives most a headache, find a man who'll rub your neck. <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Moonshadow - it's not just Christmas....
Easter has been hyjacked too...it was a period of celebration of fertility and birth of new life - hence the name 'Easter' which comes from the greek "OEstros", meaning 'Egg'. Hence the easter eggs, and prolifically reproducing bunnies.....

We refer to the Paschal Lamb (and christians in Italy and France, call Easter 'Pasqua' and 'Paques' respectively) which is derived from the Passover, when the Angel of Death took the lives of the Egyptian first-born, but spared the Israelites' first-borns, as he passed over their homes....(I believe this was way back, Old Testament time, when the Isaelites were fleeing from Egypt.....)

And let's not talk about hallowe'en which is just a mess!

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