Pericles,
Your rudness calls for an apology. When "she who must be obeyed" calls for dinner. Time is of the essence which makes it impossible to give detail. I assumed if anyone was interested during my absence they might check it out and give URL references. Though I have researched the origins of Christmas traditions in the past I do not have them readily available. But since you insist I might take the time to relook at them.

Child sacrifice was practised in ancient times as offering to the Ammonite god Molech a worship of natural fertility which was forbidden by the laws of Israel. See Leviticus 18: 21; 20: 1 - 5; 1Kings 11: 7; 2 Kings 17 17; 21: 6; 27: 10; Jeremiah 32: 35; Ezekiel 16: 21. Tradition ascribed to Sanchuniathon stated that the Pheonicians sacrificed children. the practise of Mlk ocurrs in Ugarit texts and has been ascribed by Gordon as a kind of child sacrifice (C H Gordon, Ugaritic Handbook 1947 edit page 246)

I grew up 70 years ago in a family of seven and when we would meet with my auntie and her five children at Christmas, her husband's influence being of European heritage there was only one coin in the pudding and the child that had the coin was prayed a blessing over; of thanks to God. However it was not long before the practise was changed to insert coins for all and a prayer was made for all children.

Dear Philo,
So that is where man started to missunderstand the word of God. I always believed it started in genesis chapter 3 verse 1 where the serpent deceived Eve and Adam chose to follow his wife and the rest is the history of the human race in a cursed world. Thank you for your informative information but you havn't changed my mind.

Sorry Philo my post was directed at Oliver not you.

I'm not sure you will get one, Philo.

>>Pericles, Your rudness calls for an apology.<<

Especially given your excuse.

>>When "she who must be obeyed" calls for dinner. Time is of the essence which makes it impossible to give detail.<<

Since when is it reasonable to make your problem someone else's?

And this doesn't exactly help matters along, does it?

>>Child sacrifice was practised in ancient times as offering to the Ammonite god Molech a worship of natural fertility which was forbidden by the laws of Israel... Tradition ascribed to Sanchuniathon stated that the Pheonicians sacrificed children. the practise of Mlk ocurrs in Ugarit texts and has been ascribed by Gordon as a kind of child sacrifice<<

Nowhere does the concept of any form of lottery to select the sacrifice appear. Let me remind you of the statement in question.

>>pagan European practises of them inserting a coin into the pudding fed to the children during winter solace to identify the chosen child to be sacrificed to the god of fertility and new life<<

Unless you have decided unilaterally to declare Ammonites, Phoenecians etc. as "European pagans", you still haven't got close to justifying the calumny.

Apology?

I think you should take some responsibility for your errors, and 'fess up.

Your Auntie was following the tradition that I described to you earlier. A token is mixed into the pudding, to bring luck, wealth or romance to the finder.

In case I haven't made it clear: no record exists of children being sacrificed at the winter solstice, let alone the practice of feeding them "surprise" puddings to determine which one goes for the chop.

Oh, and while I am here, Philo.

I thought you were intending to quote St Boniface?

What happened to him?

Richie10,

Are you sure you intend to address me? If so, you may need to expand your comment please.

O.