Holi discussion.

[l.m.fosse at easteur-orient.uio.no]

>As I read the heated discussion on Holi, a question crossed my mind:
>Is it usual or correct to describe the "Christmas Party atmosphere"
>as a reenactment of the chaos that preceded the birth of the Savior?
>
>-Nath

I don't think it is. But the Christmas party is a substitution for other
ancient customs such as the Roman Saturnalia - and in Scandinavia the
mid-winter "blot" or sacrifice - and both occasions are certainly connected
with the chaotic. By chaos, I believe we here understand partly the fact
that normal social relations are turned upside down, as happened during the
Saturnalia, when e.g. slave-owners waited upon their slaves, but also that
the demonic powers were let loose for a brief period of time. In antiquity,
chaos simply meant that things had not found their rightful place in the
scheme of things. Chaos is, so to speak, cosmos out of order. In the
cosmos, things function the way they are supposed to: slaves waite on their
masters, demons are under control, the material world operates the way it
should etc.

Christianity is superimposed upon these ancient beliefs and customs, but
usually without recognizing them explicitly, in spite of the fact that
Christianity has taken over quite a few notions of the ancient pagans.
Today, in the Western world, the ancient dichotomy between chaos and cosmos
has largely been lost. In Christianity, the dichotomy is between good and
evil, God and Satan. It is an entirely moral proposition.

Best regards,

Lars Martin Fosse



Lars Martin Fosse
Research Fellow
Department of East European
and Oriental Studies
P. O. Box 1030, Blindern
N-0315 OSLO Norway

Tel: +47 22 85 68 48
Fax: +47 22 85 41 40

E-mail: l.m.fosse at easteur-orient.uio.no