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Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Westboro Baptist Church
Credit to: Beaufonte Savant for information, formatting, and imagery!
The hackivist group Anonymous has been so kind as to leak the personal contact information of Westboro Church members.
With a special thanks to Vets Against the WBC.
Thank you #anonymous
#OPWestboro Membership List. updated October 22, 2012.
Westboro Baptist Church
3701 SW 12th St
Topeka, KS 66604
Phone: 785-273-0325
Email: wbclist@speakfree.net
Email: info@phelpschartered.com
Email: chockenbarger@cox.net
http://www.godhatesfags.com/
Phelps Law Firm
Phelps Chartered
1414 SW Topeka Boulevard
Topeka, KS 66612
PO Box 1886
Topeka, KS 66601
Phone: 785-233-4162
Fax: 785-233-0766
Fax: 785-969-9017
Email: info@phelpschartered.com
Email: slpr@cox.net
Email: kjhoffice@speakfree.net
http://www.phelpschartered.com/
============================================================================================
— Abigail Phelps
Lawyer
Employee at SRS – Kansas Juvenile Justice Authority
Born 1968
Daughter of Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr
3636 SW Churchill
Topeka, KS 66604
Email: bgail@speakfree.net
Home: 785-273-7262
work: 785-296-7709
— Barak Phelps-Davis
Born ~ Mid-1980′s/Mid-1990′s
Son of Rebekah Phelps-Davis
— Benaiah Phelps
Born ~ Mid-1980′s/Mid-1990′s
Son of Timothy “Tim/Timmy” B. Phelps
— Benjamin C. Phelps
Born 1976
Son of Fred W. Phelps, Jr
Wife of Mara Jones-Phelps
3632 SW Churchill
Topeka, KS 66604
3636 SW Huntoon St
Topeka, KS 66604
Email: idontreadthisemail@godhatesamerica.com
Phone: 785-228-9239
Home: 785-233-4162
Phone: 785-228-9239
Phone: 785-273-0277
Phone: 785-273-1080
— Betty Joan Schurle-Phelps
Lawyer at Phelps Chartered
Born 1952
Wife of Fred W. Phelps, Jr
3600 SW Holly Lane
Topeka, KS 66604
Phone: 785-273-0438
Home: 785-272-4135
Work: 785-296-3195
— Brent D. Roper-Phelps
Human Resources Lawyer for NAIC
Employee at Foot Locker
Born 1963
Husband of Shirley Lynn Phelps-Roper
3640 SW Churchill
Topeka, KS 66604
3636 SW Churchill
Topeka, KS 66604
Phone: 785-273-0277
Phone: 785-273-7262
Phone: 785-273-1080
Phone: 785-273-3726
Home: 785-273-1445
Home: 785-273-0277
Home: 785-272-1619
Home: 785-273-0325
Home: 785-273-0325
Work: 785-233-4162
Work: 785-273-0068
— Carmen A Phelps
Relative of Daniel F. Phelps
2621 SE Granger St
Topeka, KS 66605
Phone: 785-267-5157
— Caleb Phelps
Born ~ Mid-1980′s/Mid-1990′s
Son of Timothy “Tim/Timmy” B. Phelps
— Charles F. Hockenbarger
Born 1974
Son of Karl D. Hockenbarger
Husband of Rachel I. Phelps-Hockenbarger
1284 SW Hillsdale
Topeka, KS 66604
3220 SW 17th St
Topeka, KS 66604
Phone: 785-232-1570
Phone: 785-232-2485
Home: 785-271-1619
Work: 785-273-0325
— Charles William “Bill” Hockenbarger
Member of Christian Identity
Born 1953
Husband of Mary Hockenbarger
711 NW Page
Topeka, KS 66617
3600 SW Holly Ln
Topeka, KS 66604
Email: chockenbarger@cox.net
Phone: 785-272-8569
Phone: 785-232-2485
Home: 785-246-1567
Work: 785-273-0325
Fax: 785-233-4162
— Chris Davis-Phelps
Born 1955
Husband of Rebekah Phelps-Davis
1216 SW Cambridge
Topeka, KS 66604
Phone: 785-272-7035
Home: 785-272-7741
— Daniel F. Phelps
Born ~ Mid-1980′s/Mid-1990′s
Son of Timothy “Tim/Timmy” B. Phelps
2621 SE Granger St
Topeka, KS 66605
Phone: 785-267-5157
— Danielle Phelps
Born ~ Mid-1980′s/Mid-1990′s
Daughter of Timothy “Tim/Timmy” B. Phelps
3119 SW Randolph Ave #204
Topeka, KS 66611
Phone: 785-267-3253
— David Hockenbarger
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Son of Karl D. Hockenbarger
— Davis R. Phelps
Relative of Chris Davis-Phelps
1216 SW Cambridge Ave
Topeka, KS 66604
Phone: 785-272-7741
Phone: 785-272-7035
— Deborah Kay Hockenbarger
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Wife of Karl D. Hockenbarger
1929 SW Lane
Topeka, KS 66604
Home: 913-233-1848
Work: 785-296-3959
— Deborah Phelps-Davis
Born ~ Mid-1980′s/Mid-1990′s
Daughter of Rebekah Phelps-Davis
— Elisha Phelps
Born ~ Mid-1980′s/Mid-1990′s
Daughter of Timothy “Tim/Timmy” B. Phelps
— Elizabeth “Libby” Phelps
Born ~ 1982-3-4
Daughter of Fred W. Phelps, Jr
2001 SW 2nd Street
Topeka, KS 66606
Home: 785-234-9694
Work: 785-233-0822
— Elizabeth Marie Phelps
Born 1962
Lawyer at Phelps Chartered
Manager at Sheltered Living, Inc
Daughter of Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr
2001 SW 2nd Street
Topeka, KS 66606
Home: 785-234-9694
Work: 785-233-0822
— Fred W. Phelps, Jr
Lawyer at Phelps Chartered
Staff Attorney for Kansas Department of Corrections
Born 1953
Son of Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr
Wife of Betty Joan Schurle-Phelps
3600 SW Holly Lane
Topeka, KS 66604
Email: fredjr@godhatesfags.com
Phone: 785-273-0438
Home: 785-273-0529
Work: 785-296-3195
— Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr
Founder of Westboro Baptist Church
Pastor of Westboro Baptist Church
Born 1929
Husband of Margerie “Margie” M. Simms
Westboro Baptist Church
3791 SW 12th Street
Topeka, KS 66604
Po Box 1886
Topeka, KS 66601
Email: wbclist@speakfree.net
Email: info@phelpschartered.com
Phone: 785-272-4135
Phone: 785-273-0325
Phone: 785-273-0338
Fax: 785-273-9228
— Gabriel Phelps-Roper
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Son of Shirley Lynn Phelps-Roper
— George Stutzman
Born ~ 1950′s/1960′s
Fiance of Taylor Drain
— Gideon Hockenbarger
Born ~ Mid-1980′s/Mid-1990′s
Son of Charles F. Hockenbarger
Son of Rachel I. Phelps Hockenbarger
— Grace Phelps-Roper
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Daughter of Shirley Lynn Phelps-Roper
— Hezekiah Phelps
Born ~ Mid-1980′s/Mid-1990′s
Son of Timothy “Tim/Timmy” B. Phelps
— Isaiah Phelps-Roper
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Son of Shirley Lynn Phelps-Roper
— Jack Wu
Born ~ 1982-83-84
Westboro Baptist Member
12400 W 161st St
Olathe, KS 66062
Home: 913-897-0607
— Jacob M. Phelps
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Son of Jonathan Baxter Phelps
— Jacob Z. Phelps
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Son of Fred W. Phelps, Jr
— Jael Phelps
Nursing Student
Born ~ 1984-5-6
Daughter of Jonathan Baxter Phelps
— James Hockenbarger
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Son of Karl D. Hockenbarger
1929 SW Lane
Topeka, KS 66604
Home: 913-233-1848
Work: 785-296-3959
— Jennifer Hockenbarger
Born 1977
Daughter of Karl D. Hockenbarger
Wife of Samuel Phelps-Roper
1929 SW Lane
Topeka, KS 66604
Home: 913-233-1848
Work: 785-296-3959
— Jonah Phelps-Roper
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Son of Shirley Lynn Phelps-Roper
— Jonathan Baxter Phelps
Lawyer at Phelps Chartered
Son of Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr
Husband of Paulette Phelps-Ossiander
Born 1959
840 SW Watson
Topeka, KS 66606
Work: 785-233-4162
— Joseph Phelps
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Son of Jonathan Baxter Phelps
— Joshua F. Phelps-Roper
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Son of Shirley Lynn Phelps-Roper
— Joshua M. Phelps
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Son of Jonathan Baxter Phelps
— Josaiah Hockenbarger
Born ~ Mid-1980′s/Mid-1990′s
Son of Charles F. Hockenbarger
Son of Rachel I. Phelps Hockenbarger
— Karl D. Hockenbarger
Member of Christian Identity
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Son of Charles William “Bill” Hockenbarger
Husband of Deborah Kay Hockenbarger
1929 SW Lane
Topeka, KS 66604
Home: 913-233-1848
Work: 785-296-3959
— Katherine Hockenbarger
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Daughter of Karl D. Hockenbarger
3642 SW Huntoon St
Topeka, KS 66604
Phone: 785-783-7217
— Lauren Drain
Born ~ Mid-1980′s/Mid-1990′s
Daughter of Stephen “Steve” Drain
— LeAnn Phelps-Brown
Lawyer
Employee of Shawnee County Sheriff’s Department
Born 1966
Wife of Timothy “Tim/Timmy” B. Phelps
3743 SW 12th Street
Topeka, KS 66604
Phone: 785-273-0365
Home: 785-273-4780
Work: 785-291-5100
Work: 785-233-4162
— Luci Drain
Born ~ 1950′s
Daughter of Stephen “Steve” Drain
— Luke Phelps-Roper
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Son of Shirley Lynn Phelps-Roper
— Lydia Phelps-Davis
Born ~ Mid-1980′s/Mid-1990′s
Daughter of Rebekah Phelps-Davis
— Malachai Phelps
Born 2005
Great-Grandson of Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr
— Mara Jones-Phelps
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Wife of Fred W. Phelps, Jr
3120 SW Westover Rd
Topeka, KS 66604
Phone: 785-235-6999
— Margerie “Margie” Marie Simms-Phelps
Born ~ 1930′s
Wife of Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr
Westboro Baptist Church
3701 SW 12th Street
Topeka, KS 66604
Email: wbclist@speakfree.net
Email: info@phelpschartered.com
Phone: 785-273-0325
Phone: 785-273-0338
Fax: 785-273-9228
— Margie Jean Phelps
Lawyer at Phelps Chartered
Employee of Kansas Department of Corrections
Born 1956
Daughter of Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr
3734 SW 12th
Topeka, KS 66604
Landon State Office Building 900
Topeka, KS 66612
Email: margiep77@cox.net
Phone: 785-273-0365
Home: 785-273-7380
Work: 785-296-3128
Work: 785-296-3317
— Margy “Margie”/”Megan” Phelps-Roper
Born ~ 1985-6-7
Daughter of Shirley Lynn Phelps-Roper
— Mary Hockenbarger
Child Care Provider
Born ~ 1950′s
Wife of Charles William “Bill” Hockenbarger
711 NW Page
Topeka, KS 66617
Email: chockenbarger@cox.net
Home: 785-246-1567
— Micaiah Phelps-Davis
Born ~ 1991-2-3
Son of Rebekah Phelps-Davis
— Noah Phelps-Roper
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Son of Shirley Lynn Phelps-Roper
— Paulette Phelps-Ossiander
Office Assistant at Phelps Chartered
Born 1960
Wife of Jonathan Baxter Phelps
840 SW Watson
Topeka, KS 66606
Work: 785-233-4162
— Rachel Hockenbarger
Born ~ Mid-1980′s/Mid-1990′s
Daughter of Charles F. Hockenbarger
Daughter of Rachel I. Phelps Hockenbarger
3600 SW Holly Ln
Topeka, KS 66604
Phone: 785-272-8569
Phone: 785-272-8559
— Rachel I. Phelps-Hockenbarger
Lawyer at Phelps Chartered
YMCA Fitness Instructor
Born 1965
Daughter of Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr
Wife of Charles F. Hockenbarger
1284 SW Hillsdale
Topeka, KS 66604
3734 SW 12th St
Topeka, KS 66604
1216 SW Cambridge Ave
Topeka, KS 66604
3220 SW 17th St
Topeka, KS 66604
Phone: 785-232-1570
Phone: 785-273-0365
Phone: 785-272-7035
Home: 785-271-1619
— Rebekah Phelps-Davis
Lawyer at Phelps Chartered
Born 1961
Daughter of Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr
Wife of Chris Davis
1216 SW Cambridge
Topeka, KS 66604
Home: 785-272-7741
— Rebekah Phelps-Roper
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Daughter of Shirley Lynn Phelps-Roper
1205 SW Polk St #5B
Topeka, KS 66612
Phone: 785-783-3722
— Samuel Phelps-Roper
Born 1979
Son of Shirley Lynn Phelps-Roper
Husband of Jennifer Hockenbarger
3640 SW Churchill
Topeka, KS 66604
3708 SW Churchill
Topeka, KS 66604
Phone: 785-228-9287
Phone: 785-273-1080
Home: 785-273-1445
Home: 785-273-0277
Home: 785-272-1619
Home: 785-273-0325
Home: 785-273-0277
Home: 785-273-0325
Work: 785-233-4162
Work: 785-273-0068
— Sara Phelps
Born ~ 1980-1-2
Daughter of Fred W. Phelps, Jr
3600 SW Holly Ln
Topeka, KS 66604
Phone: 785-0273-0438
— Seth Phelps
Born ~ 2003-4-5
Great-Grandson of Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr
— Sharon M. Phelps
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Grand-Daughter of Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr
4128 SW 6th Ave #308
Topeka, KS 66606
Phone: 785-228-9323
— Shirley Phelps
Born ~ Mid-1980′s/Mid-1990′s
Daughter of Timothy “Tim/Timmy” B. Phelps
— Shirley Lynn Phelps-Roper
Lawyer at Phelps Chartered
Born Oct. 10, 1957
Daughter of Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr
Wife of Brent D. Roper
3640 SW Churchilll
Topeka, KS 66604
Email: slpr@cox.net
Email: kjhoffice@speakfree.net
Email: th8asluf@godhatesamerica.com
Email: brid1611kjv@bellsouth.net
Email: info@phelpschartered.com
Phone: 785-273-1080
Phone: 785-272-8559
Home: 785-273-1445
Home: 785-273-0277
Home: 785-272-1619
Home: 785-273-0325
Home: 785-273-0277
Home: 785-273-0325
Work: 785-233-4162
Work: 785-273-0068
— Stephen “Steve” Drain
Born ~ 1950′s
Husband of Luci Drain
3801 SW 12th St
Topeka, KS 66604
Phone: 785-228-1623
— Stephen Hockenbarger
Born ~ Mid-1980′s/Mid-1990′s
Son of Charles F. Hockenbarger
Son of Rachel I. Phelps Hockenbarger
— Taylor Drain
Born ~ 1991-2-3
Daughter of Stephen “Steve” Drain
Fiance of George Stutzman
— Theresa Davis
Born ~ 1950′s/1960′s
Family Member of Chris Davis
3632 SW 12th Street
Topeka, KS 66604
Work: 785-291-7000
— Timothy “Tim”/”Timmy” B. Phelps
Lawyer
Employee of Shawnee County Department of Corrections
Born 1963
Son of Fred Waldron Phelps, Sr
Husband of LeAnn Phelps-Brown
3743 SW 12th Street
Topeka, KS 66604
Phone: 785-273-0365
Home: 785-273-4780
Work: 785-291-5100
Work: 785-233-4162
— Timothy Phelps Jr
Born ~ Mid-1980′s/Mid-1990′s
Son of Timothy “Tim/Timmy” B. Phelps
— Victoria Phelps
Born ~ Mid-1980′s/Mid-1990′s
Daughter of Timothy “Tim/Timmy” B. Phelps
— Zacharias Phelps-Roper
Born ~ Mid-1970′s/Mid-1980′s
Son of Shirley Lynn Phelps-Roper
============================================================================================
Domain WhoIs Information:
—
godhatesfags.com
westborobaptistchurch.com
beastobama.com
godhatestheworld.com
godhatesamerica.com
priestsrapeboys.com
blogs.sparenot.com
jewskilledjesus.com
signmovies.com
godhatesislam.com
godhatesthemedia.com
Registrant:
Westboro Baptist Church
PO BOX 1886
Topeka, KS 66601-1886
US
785-233-4162
Domain Name: GODHATESFAGS.COM
Administrative Contact:
Phelps, Benjamin idontreadthisemail@godhatesamerica.com
PO BOX 1886
Topeka, KS 66601-1886
US
785-233-4162
Technical Contact:
Phelps, Benjamin idontreadthisemail@godhatesamerica.com
PO BOX 1886
Topeka, KS 66601-1886
US
785-233-4162
Record last updated 09-16-2011 08:01:38 AM
Record expires on 11-06-2017
Record created on 01-22-1997
Domain servers in listed order:
NS1.ENTERPRISE.BLACKLOTUS.NET 204.69.234.1
NS2.ENTERPRISE.BLACKLOTUS.NET 204.74.101.1
—————————————
Domain WhoIs Information:
—
phelpschartered.com
Registered through: GoDaddy.com, LLC
Domain Name: PHELPSCHARTERED.COM
Created on: 17-Apr-03
Expires on: 17-Apr-13
Last Updated on: 16-Jul-11
Registrant:
Phelps-Chartered
1414 S. Topeka Blvd.
Topeka, Kansas 66612
United States
Administrative Contact:
Phelps-Roper, Shirley kjhoffice@speakfree.net
Phelps-Chartered
1414 S. Topeka Blvd.
Topeka, Kansas 66612
United States
7852334162
Technical Contact:
Phelps-Roper, Shirley kjhoffice@speakfree.net
Phelps-Chartered
1414 S. Topeka Blvd.
Topeka, Kansas 66612
United States
7852334162
Domain servers in listed order:
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NS2.ZONOMI.COM
NS1.SPEAKFREE.NET
NS2.SPEAKFREE.NET
Registry Status: clientDeleteProhibited
Registry Status: clientRenewProhibited
Registry Status: clientTransferProhibited
Registry Status: clientUpdateProhibited
Port 80/Port 23 vulnerability
@JackHerer20
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Monday, December 17, 2012
Who is Santa Claus
[all grammatical & spelling errors are from the original article]
As we pagans already know, many of today's Christmas celebrations are rooted in pagan practices. And Santa isn't an exception.
The winter solstice is a time to celebrate the return of the sun following the shortest day in the year. It's no wonder the church adopted these holidays as the birth date of their Savior. But from ancient Celtic and Norse mythology we also enjoy such holiday traditions as holly and mistletoe (sacred to the druids), the yule log, and even Santa Claus in his aspects of Father Time, or Father Winter, or the Holly King as part of our Yule History.
The Pagan Origins:
We have to go back a bit find the pagan legend and myth associated with Santa. One of the first places to start is with the Germanic people and the Norse God Odin. The 13th Century Poetic Edda is a complication of stories and poems from Scandinavian history, some as early 985AD. In this work and from Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda we learn about Odin riding an eight-legged horse named Sleipnir, that can leap great distances. At Yule, Odin leads a great hunting party through the sky in celebration. This story gives rise to comparisons of Santa and his 8 reindeer flying through the sky.
In some traditions of Odin's Yule time ride, children could place their boots near the chimney filled with treats for Sleipnir and Odin would reward them for their kindness with food, candy or gifts. The tradition still continues Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands. In other Germanic countries the practice has been replaced with hanging stockings.
On the Celtic side, the origins of the Holly King are little dubious, but there are links to the Great Kings of Ireland and the legend of the Holly King. With going too far into the history of Ireland, Between 8000-7500 BCE the Ice bridge between Scotland and Ireland collapses. Tribes of around 50,000 to 60,000 hunter gatherers are now "trapped" in Ireland. The population dwindles to about 10,000 as animals and food run out sustaining themselves in a variety of methods, including the consumption of mildly poisonous Holly berries. Around 6500-5500 BCE the Cuilleain ("Holly" (holy) men step onto the scene. Also known as the "Shining Ones" of Wicklow Hills, these men save the dwindling population from barbarity and are the first priest kings to preach self-wisdom, organized religion for humanity and salvation. Through their efforts to save their people, some of these early Priest Kings sacrifice their lives in battle. From these early priest kings, the concept of the Holly King who saved his people from the depths of the winter ice is born.
Through these early mythical legends, The Holly King begins his battle with his twin brother the Oak King at the Summer Solstice. As the year is wanning the Holly King prevails and begins preparations to save and maintain his people through the cold winter. In order to accomplish his mission, he travels the land to hunt, fish and harvest. Transporting these life saving items in a wagon or sled pulled by eight deer. These 'gifts' of life are provided to all his people, and in exchange they provide care and comfort to his team of deer.
There is also suggestion that the 8 reindeer plays pagan significance. Just follow along here, it comes together in the end. Even in those ancient times the number 9 was an important spiritual number. 9 witches often made up a coven. 9 feet was the diameter of a perfect circle. And maybe that's why "the whole 9 yards"; which refers to the 9 yards of material for a Great Kilt worn by many Celtic highlanders is so important. When we think of Santa we think of Santa and his 8 tiny reindeer. And most people focus on the 8 reindeer. Well now add Santa. 9 souls traveling through the winter sky to bring presents for the rebirth of the year. It's a stretch, but there are those who believe this is where the 8 reindeer got their start.
The Holly King lived way up North, where he could survive in the cold during the reign of his brother in the spring and summer. The Oak King who needed the warmth to survive, lived in the warm forests in the south and falls into sleep while his brother of the cold reigns over the world during the fall and winter months.
Ancient pagan deities such as Befana (a gift-giving Roman goddess); the Holly King (a Celtic Winter god); and Thor and Tomte (Norse gods who, respectively, rode across the sky in a chariots drawn by goats and gave presents to children at the end of the year) have all fed into the Santa legend.
In many of these early pagan legends, presents are given to children or young families to represent abundance and fertility. After all this is the time of the rebirth of the Sun. Presents were exchanged to honor that rebirth and to give wishes or hopes to the person receiving the gift for abundance and fertility in the coming year. Now don't assume that 'fertility' means giving birth to a child. Remember these people had to live off the earth and the crops they grew. They didn't have grocery stores on the corner to trot down to and buy food for their families. So in most cases the fertility was for the coming growing season.
Santa didn't become a Christian figure until the 3rd century with Nicholas, the Bishop of Myra. He lived on what is now the coast of Turkey. Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died December 6, AD which became a festive day to honor this Bishop and his life. It's still a day recognized in many European countries as St. Nicholas Day. His parents died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus' words to "sell what you own and give the money to the poor," Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. Many stories are told of his generosity, and caring. Especially his protection and care of children. Because of his life work, he became synonymous with Santa Claus. Though many of the stories retold today cannot be verified and are likely just oral stories that were created to entertain children and to further incorporate pagan legends with Christian figures.
It's impossible to point to the one real 'first' Santa, because Santa is a culmination of mythological legends and stories. But from many of the earliest pagan stories and legends we can find pieces of the Santa legend in our Celtic and Scandinavian mythologies
The Evolution Of Santa:
Santa gets his name from Dutch legend in the form of Sinter Klaas or "Sinterklaas". Historical documents suggest that Sinter was brought by settlers to New York in the 17th century. As early as 1773 the name appeared in the American press as "St. A Claus," but it was the popular author Washington Irving who gave Americans their first detailed information about the Dutch version of Saint Nicholas. In his History of New York, published in 1809 under the pseudonym Diedrich Knickerbocker, Irving described the arrival of the saint on horseback (unaccompanied by Black Peter) each Eve of Saint Nicholas.
This Dutch-American Saint Nick achieved his fully Americanized form in 1823 in the poem A Visit From Saint Nicholas more commonly known as The Night Before Christmas by writer Clement Clarke Moore. Moore included such details as the names of the reindeer; Santa Claus's laughs, winks, and nods; and the method by which Saint Nicholas, referred to as an elf, returns up the chimney. (Moore's phrase "lays his finger aside of his nose" was drawn directly from Irving's 1809 description.)
There are many Celtic scholars who point Santa's beginnings to the Celtic Holly King, who has been depicted with a Holly wreath as a crown. Or as the Druid Holly King who wore holly in his hat. In both cases, the Holly King traditionally wore green garments with red accents. What else would a "holly" king wear.
His clothing seems to have changed color in the late 1800s when Santa started wearing the modern red. The Dutch "Sinterklaas" is an elderly, serious man with white hair and a long, full beard. He wears a long red cape over a traditional white bishop's alb. Some point to the influence of the Catholic church and it's attire for the different levels of the Priest Hierarchy for this color combination.
In the 1840s, an elf in Nordic folklore called "Tomte" or "Nisse" started to deliver the Christmas presents in Denmark. The Tomte was portrayed as a short, bearded man dressed in gray clothes and a red hat. As migrations of people traveled through Scandinavia their traditional influences also began to merge. By the end of the 19th Century, Norway and Sweden had also began integrating these images into their winter cultural celebrations. Most notably replacing the Yule Goat, who brought presents with the Dutch influenced Sinterklaas.
British and Dutch versions of the gift-giver merged even more as migrations from Europe came to the Americas. "Santa Claus" by name, was first used in the American press in 1773, but he had lost his bishop’s apparel, and was at first pictured as a thick-bellied Dutch sailor with a pipe in a green winter coat. The influence of Scandinavian cultures continued as "A New-year's present, to the little ones from five to twelve" is published in New York in 1821. In this little seasonal book, an annonymos poem "Old Santeclaus" is described as an old man on a reindeer sleigh, bringing presents to children. Later in 1823, The Sentinel in Troy New York prints "A Vist From St. Nicholas", better known today as "The Night Before Christmas". In this poem and story Santa is still a small old elf and the original reindeer were named Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Dunder and Blixem (Dunder and Blixem came from the old Dutch words for thunder and lightning, which were later changed to the more German sounding Donner and Blitzen).
One of the first modern images of Santa came in 1863 by American cartoonist Thomas Nast for Harper's Weekly. In 1869 a color collection of Nast's pictures were published in which Santa appears in a red suit. This collection included a poem by George Webster "Santa Claus and His Works", which places Santa's home near the North Pole in the ice and snow. Images of Santa in red became more popular in the large cities of the east and midwest, but it still hadn't caught on throughout the rural countryside or even around the world.
By the 1900s additional images depicting Santa in a red suit sprang up each season furthering the image around the country.
Regional images however still held onto old cultural traditions. This was especially true throughout Europe. It wasn't until the Coca-Cola Company commissioned Michigan-born illustrator Haddon Sundblom to develop advertising images using Santa Claus in 1930, that his image began it's world wide view as we know it today. Even though Sundblom didn't invent the image of Santa in a red coat, their advertising strongly helped emphasize this image into rural American and around the world. Like Nast before him, Sundblom made his version a human-sized version of Santa Claus, rather than the elf of Moore's poem. [Coke Lore & Santa History]. In modern versions of the Santa Claus legend, only his toy-shop workers are elves.
Similarities:
Modern Christmas traditions have a lot more in common with Pagan legends and practices than some want to admit. Just knowing there might be an association between the two can cause some fundamentalists to discard centuries of celebration for fear of aligning their beliefs with Paganism. But the fact is, through our evolution, humanity began it's walk here on Earth through honoring and worshiping nature. They had to in order to survive. At some point everything and everyone in the world was some type of Pagan practitioner. So it's reasonable to think that as humans evolved, so did their beliefs. But that doesn't mean they totally discarded all of those early perceptions. We influence each other each and every day. And certainly our past influences our views and beliefs today.
We are all much more a like than we are different. And there is enough room in the world for each of us to honor the Divine force in our life, without degrading or impeding the choices of others to honor and practice in their own way too. After all, on both sides of the fence, Christian, Pagan, or Jew isn't that what this time of the year is all about? Peace and compassion?
Friday, December 14, 2012
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