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Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 9:43 am
by dualstow
Glad Tidings from one of the forum Heebs.

Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 11:42 am
by barrett
Chappy Chanukah, Dualstow!
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 12:01 pm
by Pointedstick
Merry/happy
Christmas (C)Han(n)uk(k)a(h) Kwanzaa holidays!

Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 3:35 pm
by annieB
Hey Brother !!
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 3:38 pm
by MachineGhost
When the heck did Hannukah morph into Channukah?
I can't keep up!
Happy Dies Natalis Solis Invicti!
I'm eagerly waiting for one of Ad's cool Orthordox iconographics.
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 4:55 pm
by Mountaineer
Merry Christmas to all.

?
... Mountaineer
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 5:38 pm
by dualstow
MachineGhost wrote:
When the heck did Hannukah morph into Channukah?
I can't keep up!
Happy Dies Natalis Solis Invicti!
I'm eagerly waiting for one of Ad's cool Orthordox iconographics.
I'd like to see an icon, too.
Well, you know how Gaddafi was spelled with a K a few decades ago? Words originally from Semitic languages don't have the English transliteration nailed down.
Btw, when I was growing up, it was always Chanukah. Nowadays, I see more Hanukkah. But the n always appears to be single. It's that gutteral sound at the beginning that changes spelling. When it's time for me to refresh my long bonds, they'll probably be spelling it with a Q.
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 9:32 pm
by Reub
And when did Peking become Beijing?
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 10:51 pm
by WiseOne
dualstow wrote:
Glad Tidings from one of the forum Heebs.
Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!!
p.s. what does "Heeb" mean?
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 10:51 pm
by rickb
Reub wrote:
And when did Peking become Beijing?
Frickin Chinese - wanting an English transliteration that's closer to how they actually pronounce it. How DARE they?
See
http://nationalinterest.org/feature/whe ... have-10525 (Peking vs. Beijing is toward the very end).
Its actual name is

. Literally translated, this means "Northern Capital City", see
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_Beijing.
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Sun Dec 21, 2014 11:58 pm
by dualstow
WiseOne wrote:
p.s. what does "Heeb" mean?
a Hebrew.
Beijing is pretty close to how it's really said in Mandarin. (Don't listen to those newscasters who say Bay-ZHing. Sounds nice, but the sound doesn't exist in Chinese. Maybe they're Francophiles).
Peking is pretty close to Cantonese, and Cantonese is close to what ancient Chinese sounded like. Closer than Mandarin, anyway.
Of course Chris Patten, the last British governor of Hong Kong, says Peking.
Want to know where the X in Xmas comes from?
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 12:59 am
by MachineGhost
dualstow wrote:
Want to know where the X in Xmas comes from?
I thought it was an atheism thing. So, how about the South?
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 7:14 am
by dualstow
MachineGhost wrote:
dualstow wrote:
Want to know where the X in Xmas comes from?
I thought it was an atheism thing. So, how about the South?
Ha! A lot of people think that, but it's a Christianity thing. X looks like the Greek letter 'chi', first letter of "Christos", and Christians have been using it for some five centuries.
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 11:13 am
by Mountaineer
MangoMan wrote:
dualstow wrote:
MachineGhost wrote:
I thought it was an atheism thing. So, how about the South?
Ha! A lot of people think that, but it's a Christianity thing. X looks like the Greek letter 'chi', first letter of "Christos", and Christians have been using it for some five centuries.
Interesting.
Now that you've mentioned it, I remember that the letter 'chi' in many of the college fraternities' monikers was chosen to represent allegiance to Christianity. Maybe those with an 'alpha' were for 'atheism' ?
And happy holidays to all.
I Am - The Alpha and The Omega. Always was. Always will be.
A little something for the terminology geeks.
... Mountaineer
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 1:32 pm
by Jan Van
dualstow wrote:
Ha! A lot of people think that, but it's a Christianity thing. X looks like the Greek letter 'chi', first letter of "Christos", and Christians have been using it for some five centuries.
And I thought it was for Winter
Xolstice!

Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 6:54 pm
by dragoncar
dualstow wrote:
MachineGhost wrote:
dualstow wrote:
Want to know where the X in Xmas comes from?
I thought it was an atheism thing. So, how about the South?
Ha! A lot of people think that, but it's a Christianity thing. X looks like the Greek letter 'chi', first letter of "Christos", and Christians have been using it for some five centuries.
That's just what the liberal media conspiracy
wants you to believe! Just another ruse in the great athiest war on Christmas.
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 7:39 pm
by dualstow
You guys are cracking me up

Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 7:41 pm
by MachineGhost
I wasn't sure if he was serious or not...

It's hard to tell around here sometimes.
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 8:16 pm
by Ad Orientem
Desert wrote:
MachineGhost wrote:
I'm eagerly waiting for one of Ad's cool Orthordox iconographics.
Yeah, me too. In fact, I feel lost without one.
It's 16 days early, but a blessed Nativity to everyone.

Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 8:52 pm
by Ad Orientem
A Romanian Christmas hymn...
http://youtu.be/9eGqS78Jkto
Agni Parthene (O Virgin Pure) in English - Part 1...
http://youtu.be/L4E3ToVNOD4
Part 2...
http://youtu.be/2fHhzVA5a3g
In the Town of Bethlehem In English...
http://youtu.be/lrOtlgy4z6M
The Profession of Faith composed for the Christmas Liturgy by Grechaninov...
http://youtu.be/LE2npVtip_4
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Mon Dec 22, 2014 9:42 pm
by Benko
Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays to all.
And to all you offended athiests, Foamy the Squirrel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_52ZgzZOt70
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 10:59 pm
by Ad Orientem
Merry Christmas! (Traditional church calendar)
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 12:46 am
by MachineGhost
Ad Orientem wrote:
Merry Christmas! (Traditional church calendar)
So wait, the day of Epiphany is actually the original Christmas? How the heck did it get moved to December 25 and everyone goes along?
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 1:50 am
by Ad Orientem
MachineGhost wrote:
Ad Orientem wrote:
Merry Christmas! (Traditional church calendar)
So wait, the day of Epiphany is actually the original Christmas? How the heck did it get moved to December 25 and everyone goes along?
Actually it is Christmas Eve. January 7th on the modern calendar is December 25th on the traditional church calendar. Pope Gregory XIII unilaterally altered the Christian calendar in 1582. At first the papal calendar was recognized only in Roman Catholic countries, but over time most Protestants accepted it as well. Today only the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches still use the old calendar. Because of differences in the calculation of time there is a discrepancy between the calendars which is slowly growing. In 1582 the Old Calendar was 10 days behind the New calendar. Today it is 13 days behind.
Re: Merry Xmas, Guys
Posted: Wed Jan 07, 2015 12:15 pm
by Xan
Actually, "tradition" would stipulate that the calendar should be in sync with the Earth's rotation, so that the days don't drift farther and farther from reality.
The Julian ("traditional church calendar") was unilaterally created by the Roman Emperor. The Gregorian calendar actually works, while the Julian calendar doesn't. It's pretty silly to still use it. When you're having Easter in the dead of winter will you change?