Sunday, February 14, 2010

The Case Of The Poorly Timed Druids

The Case Of The Poorly Timed Druids
Intriguing muted essay in the Telegraph by the way the Druids who remarkable the Solstice start on the daylight of the 21 December. The Telegraph positively points out (as I did in a response to a ancient blog reaction) that when the Solstice was fly around about 6pm on Monday, the Solstice "start" was actually on the 22nd.So far so ho-ho-ho. But I suppose the Telegraph has missed an original aspect of modern-day druidism (and beyond doubt far afield that passes for modern "Celtic" Christianity). Truly it doesn't add up. In a fount unscientific contend based on wishful design and re-imagining of a past that never really existed, they possibly will accept turned up and remarkable the Solstice at Easter for all the contrast it would accept ended. Completely if, as in Husborne Crawley, the sun was secret overdue a great bundle of snowcloud.A holdup treat points of pastime. The Telegraph refers to the druids trip up in "traditional dress". Yet the relatives they communicate fly around the stones sphere to be taking part in many winter clothing for the English weather conditions. Truly they outer shell intend a gathering of carol-singers. But in my situate, total all the grumpy stones and lumps of manipulate laying on the ground, these relatives are not very obliging with PPE. They duty all be taking part in Hi-viz, hurtful hats and steel-toed trainers for their own safeguard.And the brash get from the supposed "English Bequest" is quoted as saying "Fatherland continually expect that when the Summer Solstice is the June 21st, the Detached Solstice motion be the 21st December." Sideways from the over-use of the word "the" in that idea, scientifically he is as felon as they are. For the Summer Solstice can with move its meeting place - beyond doubt, it motion be on 20 June in 2012. Or... by all means not... is this special sign of the End of the Furrow in 2012? No, glance a muted treat, the Summer Solstice was with on 20 June course court. And we're constantly current. Terrify manager. Despite the fact that - this is explicitly the paying special attention of false impression we can doubtful from the expenses that bought Stonehenge to protect it from relatives mansion cafes and car-parks obstruct, and then built a car outlook with an coupled cafe*. Personally I would turn the whole place manager to Mr Arthur Pendragon. Keep out I am relatively concerned about his numeracy. He is quoted as saying that he conducted "about three handfastings". Surely he possibly will be treat geometric that paying special attention of low number? I mean, it want be an quantity - it's not intend he has to agitate about fractions. Or is this the origin of the old tradition that it's not on to register the stones? So God bless the poorly-timed Druids of Stonehenge. In this selfish, industrial, disheartened world they ended the trip to Stonehenge to adding up the scream for some paying special attention of spiritual expertise. They recognised the bareness of our politically reserved, CRB'ed, cotton-wool-wrapped charity and went to consignment it with meaning. And by arriving for Monday daylight, brightly they missed all the travel ills they would accept had on Monday night for the duration of Tuesday. Perhaps their God was looking following them following all.And in box file you're wondering why my image of Stonehenge looks so high-quality and understandable, it was in a meeting about Michaelmas. Or the Autumnal Equinox, for persons of a druidic persuasion.* I demote you to the fair "Stonehenge Definite" by the bookish but very intelligible and evenly comic Christopher Chippindale for highest.