SC - Estimating Crowds

[Bronwynmgn@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/9/2000 10:12:17 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
Elysant at aol.com writes:

<< I think that there are a lot of pre-Christian belief systems still 
operating  
 - as ever.  Even if the people were officially "Christianized" >>

Yes - but do people know *why* the church is surrounded by yew trees? (In 
detail; not just "for protection".  What does it protect against?  How does 
it protect? etc.)   Do they know *why* the ring of standing stones is left?  
Or is it  just because "it's always done that way"?  The example people love 
to give is the continuation of pagan traditions in the Christmas celebration 
- - the tree, the Yule log, etc.  But I would bet you only a few people who 
participate in these traditions a)know that they are from an older religion, 
and b)consciously do them in order to worship in that older religion.  The 
vast majority of people do them because "everybody does them" or because 
"that's how my family has always done it".  Doing something that happens to 
be a pagan worship practice , but not knowing it's a pagan worship practice 
or intending it to be one, isn't really worshipping in a pagan manner, is it? 
 Doesn't worshipping require some intent to do so, and some belief in the 
ritual you use?

I guess my point is that survival of the physical aspect of the tradition 
does not mean that the reason for the tradition has survived.

Brangwayna Morgan