Hi, Regarding the Belief of the Month: Pagan Christianity (seeking to define this belief/religious tradition a bit more clearly), I was looking up the word "pagan": From the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the Christian who delights in bright lights, wonderous delicious food at holiday times [particularly thinking of the eggnog thought that was sent by Andreas--and we don't do milk products in our home but they DO make one made out of soy which is quite good and ONLY available during this time period--but also of the multitudes of cookies, treats, etc.], the gift-giving aspect of holidays, the whole aspect of life being a party and we all need to help each other enjoy it as much as possible--who wants a party where no one is there ... a tad different from the True Believers who want all the people to join their faith by fair means or foul because of other reasons...a Pagan Christian thus even delights in acts of charity--partly because usually the acts of charity are often done in Party Groups themselves, but also because we want EVERYONE to be laughing, singing and finding some wonder in life...[I think, here, of my friend who drives a truck [he's 5' 2" so makes lots of jokes about it, too] while others drop off food for the homeless in the KC area--he does this every other month on the weekends...and describes it as a party as all the volunteers have fun doing it...] Musing on Pagan Christianity, Marlena in Missouri (CEO of Belief of the Month Club - a Work in Progress <g>) From Merriam-Webster Dictionary: pagan: One who has little or no religion and who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods: an irreligious or hedonistic person From the Compact Oxford English Dictionary: pagan â?¢ noun a person holding religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions. â?¢ adjective relating to pagans or their beliefs. â?? DERIVATIVES paganism noun. â?? ORIGIN Latin paganus â??rusticâ??, later â??civilianâ?? (i.e. a person who was not a â??soldierâ?? in Christâ??s army). ------------------------------------------------------------------ To change your Lit-Ideas settings (subscribe/unsub, vacation on/off, digest on/off), visit www.andreas.com/faq-lit-ideas.html