Church Reference Letter For Immigration: Fill & Download for Free

Was Easter really borrowed from the Pagans?I have hardly seen a single Facebook post so far this year, claiming that Christians stole Easter from the pagans, or that rabbits and Easter eggs just prove that Easter has nothing to do with an historical Jesus. Are people slowing down?The problem arose when the early 8th Century Christian leader, the Venerable Bede, mentioned that there was an Easter month when the pagan Anglo-Saxons worshipped a goddess, Eastra.In the 19th Century, the Grimms brothers — philologists and folklorists — postulated on linguistic (not archaeological or historical) grounds that the continental Germans would have had a similar goddess, probably named Ostara. There is still some debate whether Bede got it right about the goddess, or whether Easter month referred not to a goddess but to the season when the days began to lengthen (Easter and aurora, meaning dawn are related words.)However, even if there were a goddess named Eastra/Ostara, the only thing this demonstrates is that Christians in England and Germany borrowed the name of an existing ceremony which occurred around the same time as they celebrated the death and resurrection of Jesus. It takes scant investigation to discover that there is no trace of a goddess or non-Christian practices in the core Christian rituals for this season.More importantly, records of Christian celebrations of Easter — under the Hebrew name of Pesach (Passover) — exist from well before any meaningful exchanges with the Germanic tribes of northern Europe. Most European languages use variants of Pesach such as French Pâques and Russian Paskha. Only English and German, and a few languages which have clearly borrowed from one of these, use variants of Easter/Ostern.As English missionaries like Bede’s contemporary, St Boniface (Winfriþ) worked in North Germany and introduced terms like sunnan æfen (Saturday, Sonnabend in North German usage) and se halge gast (in Modern German, der Heilige Geist), a simpler explanation of the common English and German use of Easter/Ostern is that the missionaries introduced that term as well.Certainly, though, the pascha name of Easter was borrowed from the Jews — though not by the English and the Germans. Here there are parallels between the idea of Passover and Easter. Passover celebrates the deliverance of the Israelites from captivity in Egypt and Easter celebrates the deliverance of Christian believers from "the dominion of darkness" according to Paul's letter to the Colossians (Col 1:13). In fact, Jesus was consciously adopting and adapting Jewish Passover rituals as he ate his Last Supper with his disciples before his arrest and crucifixion.So where do eggs and rabbits come in?I wrote above, “…there is no trace of … non-Christian practices in the core Christian rituals for this season.” — a statement which probably caused some flinches. What about eggs and rabbits?Obviously these are not intrinsic to Easter celebrations, but are cultural additions. Easter would easily continue without them, and there have been times when these additions were deprecated or suppressed.Easter eggs, though, are certainly an old tradition, and may have been an adaptation of a Middle Eastern pagan tradition: there is no clear record of how they were introduced.It is known that Mesopotamian Christians started giving each other dyed eggs at Easter sometime before the fourth century AD, and the practice eventually spread more widely. The red dye was said to represent the blood Christ shed on the cross, and the cracking open of the shell was a reminder that Jesus broke out of the tomb at the resurrection.In some parts of England a dyed Pace egg (again, from Pesach) is given at Easter.The more practical reason behind hard boiled eggs at Easter is that, during the Lenten fast before Easter, eggs were among the foods banned, but the hens were not told, so they kept laying.The best way to keep eggs was to hard boil them, so it made sense to bring them in a symbolic way into Easter, when the fast was over. And it was a symbol easy for Christians to understand because, yes, some pagan celebrations used eggs as a symbol of new life, though not of death and resurrection, which are Christian concepts.Rabbits, on the other hand, are a fairly recent addition to Easter practices.The earliest references to rabbits — actually, hares — in relation to Easter come from 15th Century Germany where they were apparently part of pagan celebrations permitted by the Catholic church to continue, with the explanation that the fertility of rabbits around that time of year was a symbol, too, of new life.Within a century, Martin Luther would launch the Reformation and, though his focus was on the authority of the Bible and the centrality of faith, the Reformation was also scathing about pagan practices which were becoming commonplace in late mediaeval Catholicism.However, the rabbits, which presumably went into hiding for a while, eventually emerged from their burrows and nested in German Christian practices once more, and were probably brought to the US in the 18th Century by German Lutheran immigrants as “der Osterhase”.It was not until 1888 that Easter rabbit first gets a mention in English sources, with the Easter bunny's appearance delayed until 1904 -- hardly a long-standing tradition!So, no, Christians didn't steal Easter from Eastra; no, Easter eggs are not an intrinsic part of Easter celebrations nor do they come from traditions rooted in the Norse sagas, but they were introduced into cultural celebrations around Easter by Mesopotamian Christians; and no we didn't steal Easter bunnies from the pagans, but pagans seem to have brought rabbits with them when they entered the church.References:Easter egg - WikipediaEaster Bunny - WikipediaSearch Online Etymology Dictionary (“Easter”)This article is enlarged and edited from one I also wrote in LinkedIn, around 2017

The Homeless? A few thoughts and a couple of experiences I’d like to share. I graduated from the Los Angeles Police Academy in May of 1977. My first division of assignment was Central Division and my first job, there, was walking a foot beat on Skid Row. It was the area east of Spring Street toward the L.A. River, and south of 3rd Street to around 7th Street. This was a time before the word, homeless was used to describe the people living there. Transients was the operative term for the many men and few women who lived there. Alcohol, drugs, mental illness, and often times, the combination of all three were the primary reasons for people being there. Sprinkled among the shivering denizens of the area were a few predators. The ones whose drinking or drugging habits were either fairly manageable, or non-existent. They knew there was money to make from desperate alcoholics and addicts, and flesh to plunder of the almost comatose women…and men…who could not fight off sexual advances.There were, back then and as there still are, church-based missions. Organizations who could feed, shower, and sometimes offer a cot and blanket to the men who lived on the street. There was one which only assisted women. Still another which could take in children with women, located elsewhere. But there were times I’d ask a guy on the street, “Did you try the Mission?” Only to have him reply, “No, they have too many rules, I’d rather be out here.” That conversation would happen more often than the offer to be taken to a mission was accepted.In any conversation about the homeless mentally ill, inevitably, the name Ronald Reagan is brought to the table by today’s (so-called) progressives, blaming his presidential actions on the tsunami of mentally ill people who suddenly found themselves on the street. Having lived in California my first 50 years, I can tell you it was wielding his pen as California’s governor which set them loose. Those same, Reagan-haters always seem to forget that it was the California Legislature, being urged on by those who (supposedly) advocated on behalf of the mentally ill, compelled Reagan to set free the ones who were, “not a danger to themselves or others and not gravely disabled”. Most mentally ill people fall well below that line, yet they are unable to navigate the paths usually followed by the mainstream populace.-------------------------------------------A SIDE NOTE: I wonder how it is that people call the police to deal with the homeless and/or mentally ill and seem to expect a miraculous outcome of some sort. The cops get called and we’re supposed to have a shower, a warm bed and a hot meal within 30 minutes of contact, along with employment and secure storage for all their earthly possessions? This person’s issues have gone on for months, years, perhaps decades and in 15 minutes the cops are supposed to solve what parents, teachers, doctors, nurses, and mental health workers have been unable to prevent or fix prior to the call to 9-1-1. I always want to know, what the CALLER did, prior to calling. You’re angry at the cops because they “did nothing” or “did the wrong thing”. What did you do? What services did you refer the person to? Did you even ask them their name and get their back story? You’re so compassionate – what did you do before you made the decision to call the police?-------------------------------------------As my career went on, as the general population of the city went upward, so did the amount of street people who seemed to be finding Los Angeles to their liking. Greyhound Therapy, created by both social service and law enforcement agencies in other parts of the country, found that buying a one-way ticket to Los Angeles for problem people seemed to be a pretty good deal. “Winters here are so cold and snowy, James. Wouldn’t you like to see Los Angeles, Venice beach or maybe Hollywood, where it’s sunny all year?” Soon, more individuals and families were on the streets, now joined by immigrants (legal and otherwise). In the 90’s the homeless of Los Angeles were as diverse as the general population itself, with many languages and cultures represented.Some quick anecdotal experiences:Hiroshi was an exchange student who failed to adjust to college on the east coast, deteriorated in mental health and ended up on the streets of L.A. After learning his back story I was able to return him home to his family, in Japan. He had been gone seven years, and they had not heard from him in four. They thought he was dead. I learned his father broke down and wept upon seeing his son return home. Hiroshi’s treatment seemed to help his condition, diagnosed as autism spectrum, after a few weeks home.Richard was in a wheelchair, on Western south of Santa Monica. Someone told me he’d been on the street for weeks. As I approached him he began to roll away, as if in fear. I told him I wanted to help him. He said that most the time the cops just told him to ‘move on’. He got off the bus at the wrong stop and then lost his bus pass. He was an unreported missing person. I got the contact info for the assisted living home he stayed at. Two quick phone calls later, Richard (African-American) was in a cab headed back to his home in Long Beach, after being gone six weeks.Donny was barefoot, and had dried blood on his arms and head. He was in front of the check-cashing place on Hollywood at McCadden, at about 6:30 a.m. I asked if he was okay, and was there anyone I could call to arrange him getting home to. He told me he was from Chicago. His family was there. Every Monday and every Friday morning they wired him $250. He loved living on the street, being free of rules, even if it meant getting beaten up every so often and waking up in strange places. He wouldn’t have it any other way.Valerie lived in her car behind the McDonalds on Western near where I’d found Richard. One day we transported her to a senior citizen’s service center near our station. She met with a caseworker to arrange housing. I drove her back to her car. She swore up and down I’d never see her again, living in her car. She was back a week later. Too many rules. She’d rather be on her own.Dawn from Mississippi had left her double-wide after becoming enamored with Star Trek – The Next Generation’s Capt. Jean Luc Picard (played by Patrick Stewart). Picard may have been conversing with other characters on the screen, but his subliminal messages were aimed at Dawn. She heard him say that she needed to come to Hollywood and await his arrival. She parked herself in one of the southern exposed alcoves on Melrose, near Gower. She did not eat. She did not drink. She never left to make use of any indoor bathroom. She did not protect herself from the sun. She just waited for Capt. Picard. Almost dehydrated and very sunburned with blisters, I took her in to have her evaluated by LAPD the Mental Evaluation Unit. Determining that she was “no danger to herself or others” I was told she was free to go. I was amazed and drove her back right to where I’d found her. Then I read an article about a new L.A. County task force making on-scene responses to incidents with the mentally ill. I called them after finishing my reading. They were very interested in her. Not only was Dawn gone within 24 hours. Her story was in the Los Angeles Times touted as the reason this new task force existed. I heard the LAPD detective who told me to take her back was embarrassed by reading the story in the paper, to the point of altering his notes in case his bosses found out what had happened.Mark from Arkansas – after promoting to sergeant and being entrusted with the (then) newly issued cell phones, I met Mark in an alley near USC. His accent betrayed any pretense of being from anywhere other than a southern state. I ask him about his presence on the street, offering to mail & receive a letter for him, or even allowing him to use the cell phone to call family. He thanked me, but declined as he stated he had, “no one to call.”Sakke the Finnish Postman was enjoying his winter vacation in L.A.’s Echo Park, where he eschewed showering, shaving, sleeping indoors and solid foods. He really preferred to drink all day and night with other homeless park-dwellers. It seems that Sakke always wintered in Los Angeles, overstaying any visa. In the spring, upon figuring out that Helsinki was probably thawing out, he would surrender himself to US immigration authorities for voluntary deportation, so he could get back to work. His superiors HAD to hold his job for him. Thinking about it, Finland’s winters were probably as rough for postal workers as they were for invading Soviets and Germans. I’m sure they’d have rather invaded Southern California, as well. Sakke always returned to deliver mail, washed, shaved and rested, saving money for his next plane ticket to L.A. I wonder if he even bothered to pack for these journeys.So, folks, when we speak of homelessness we have to expand our presumptions about just who they are and why they are where they are. If society is diverse in regards to colors, genders, creeds, sexual orientations and national origins then the reasons for homelessness can be just as diverse. Just as there are victims, there are volunteers. People who have decided that their course is outdoors and away from rules imposed by others. We really could build shelters and serve three meals a day, give them cable TV, and let them choose from a dessert tray, even. Yet, someone will stay on the street for the freedom from the norm, and “other’s rules”, that it offers.

The Homeless? A few thoughts and a couple of experiences I’d like to share. I graduated from the Los Angeles Police Academy in May of 1977. My first division of assignment was Central Division and my first job, there, was walking a foot beat on Skid Row. It was the area east of Spring Street toward the L.A. River, and south of 3rd Street to around 7th Street. This was a time before the word, homeless was used to describe the people living there. Transients was the operative term for the many men and few women who lived there. Alcohol, drugs, mental illness, and often times, the combination of all three were the primary reasons for people being there. Sprinkled among the shivering denizens of the area were a few predators. The ones whose drinking or drugging habits were either fairly manageable, or non-existent. They knew there was money to make from desperate alcoholics and addicts, and flesh to plunder of the almost comatose women…and men…who could not fight off sexual advances.There were, back then and as there still are, church-based missions. Organizations who could feed, shower, and sometimes offer a cot and blanket to the men who lived on the street. There was one which only assisted women. Still another which could take in children with women, located elsewhere. But there were times I’d ask a guy on the street, “Did you try the Mission?” Only to have him reply, “No, they have too many rules, I’d rather be out here.” That conversation would happen more often than the offer to be taken to a mission was accepted.In any conversation about the homeless mentally ill, inevitably, the name Ronald Reagan is brought to the table by today’s (so-called) progressives, blaming his presidential actions on the tsunami of mentally ill people who suddenly found themselves on the street. Having lived in California my first 50 years, I can tell you it was wielding his pen as California’s governor which set them loose. Those same, Reagan-haters always seem to forget that it was the California Legislature, being urged on by those who (supposedly) advocated on behalf of the mentally ill, compelled Reagan to set free the ones who were, “not a danger to themselves or others and not gravely disabled”. Most mentally ill people fall well below that line, yet they are unable to navigate the paths usually followed by the mainstream populace.SIDE NOTE: I wonder how it is that people call the police to deal with the homeless and/or mentally ill and seem to expect a miraculous outcome of some sort. The cops get called and we’re supposed to have a shower, a warm bed and a hot meal within 30 minutes of contact, along with employment and secure storage for all their earthly possessions? This person’s issues have gone on for months, years, perhaps decades and in 15 minutes the cops are supposed to solve what parents, teachers, doctors, nurses, and mental health workers have been unable to prevent or fix prior to the call to 9-1-1. I always want to know, what the CALLER did, prior to calling. You’re angry at the cops because they “did nothing” or “did the wrong thing”. What did you do? What services did you refer the person to? Did you even ask them their name and get their back story? You’re so compassionate – what did you do before you made the decision to call the police?As my career went on, as the general population of the city went upward, so did the amount of street people who seemed to be finding Los Angeles to their liking. Greyhound Therapy, created by both social service and law enforcement agencies in other parts of the country, found that buying a one-way ticket to Los Angeles for problem people seemed to be a pretty good deal. “Winters here are so cold and snowy, James. Wouldn’t you like to see Los Angeles, Venice beach or maybe Hollywood, where it’s sunny all year?” Soon, more individuals and families were on the streets, now joined by immigrants (legal and otherwise). In the 90’s the homeless of Los Angeles were as diverse as the general population itself, with many languages and cultures represented.Some quick anecdotal experiences:Hiroshi was an exchange student who failed to adjust to college on the east coast, deteriorated in mental health and ended up on the streets of L.A. After learning his back story I was able to return him home to his family, in Japan. He had been gone seven years, and they had not heard from him in four. They thought he was dead. I learned his father broke down and wept upon seeing his son return home. Hiroshi’s treatment seemed to help his condition, diagnosed as autism spectrum, after a few weeks home.Richard was in a wheelchair, on Western south of Santa Monica. Someone told me he’d been on the street for weeks. As I approached him he began to roll away, as if in fear. I told him I wanted to help him. He said that most the time the cops just told him to ‘move on’. He got off the bus at the wrong stop and then lost his bus pass. He was an unreported missing person. I got the contact info for the assisted living home he stayed at. Two quick phone calls later, Richard (African-American) was in a cab headed back to his home in Long Beach, after being gone six weeks.Donny was barefoot, and had dried blood on his arms and head. He was in front of the check-cashing place on Hollywood at McCadden, at about 6:30 a.m. I asked if he was okay, and was there anyone I could call to arrange him getting home to. He told me he was from Chicago. His family was there. Every Monday and every Friday morning they wired him $250. He loved living on the street, being free of rules, even if it meant getting beaten up every so often and waking up in strange places. He wouldn’t have it any other way.Valerie lived in her car behind the McDonalds on Western near where I’d found Richard. One day we transported her to a senior citizen’s service center near our station. She met with a caseworker to arrange housing. I drove her back to her car. She swore up and down I’d never see her again, living in her car. She was back a week later. Too many rules. She’d rather be on her own.Dawn from Mississippi had left her double-wide after becoming enamored with Star Trek – The Next Generation’s Capt. Jean Luc Picard (played by Patrick Stewart). Picard may have been conversing with other characters on the screen, but his subliminal messages were aimed at Dawn. She heard him say that she needed to come to Hollywood and await his arrival. She parked herself in one of the southern exposed alcoves on Melrose, near Gower. She did not eat. She did not drink. She never left to make use of any indoor bathroom. She did not protect herself from the sun. She just waited for Capt. Picard. Almost dehydrated and very sunburned with blisters, I took her in to have her evaluated by LAPD the Mental Evaluation Unit. Determining that she was “no danger to herself or others” I was told she was free to go. I was amazed and drove her back right to where I’d found her. Then I read an article about a new L.A. County task force making on-scene responses to incidents with the mentally ill. I called them after finishing my reading. They were very interested in her. Not only was Dawn gone within 24 hours. Her story was in the Los Angeles Times touted as the reason this new task force existed. I heard the LAPD detective who told me to take her back was embarrassed by reading the story in the paper, to the point of altering his notes in case his bosses found out what had happened.Mark from Arkansas – after promoting to sergeant and being entrusted with the (then) newly issued cell phones, I met Mark in an alley near USC. His accent betrayed any pretense of being from anywhere other than a southern state. I ask him about his presence on the street, offering to mail & receive a letter for him, or even allowing him to use the cell phone to call family. He thanked me, but declined as he stated he had, “no one to call.”Sakke the Finnish Postman was enjoying his winter vacation in L.A.’s Echo Park, where he eschewed showering, shaving, sleeping indoors and solid foods. He really preferred to drink all day and night with other homeless park-dwellers. It seems that Sakke always wintered in Los Angeles, overstaying any visa. In the spring, upon figuring out that Helsinki was probably thawing out, he would surrender himself to US immigration authorities for voluntary deportation, so he could get back to work. His superiors HAD to hold his job for him. Thinking about it, Finland’s winters were probably as rough for postal workers as they were for invading Soviets and Germans. I’m sure they’d have rather invaded Southern California, as well. Sakke always returned to deliver mail, washed, shaved and rested, saving money for his next plane ticket to L.A. I wonder if he even bothered to pack for these journeys.So, folks, when we speak of homelessness we have to expand our presumptions about just who they are and why they are where they are. If society is diverse in regards to colors, genders, creeds, sexual orientations and national origins then the reasons for homelessness can be just as diverse. Just as there are victims, there are volunteers. People who have decided that their course is outdoors and away from rules imposed by others. We really could build shelters and serve three meals a day, give them cable TV, and let them choose from a dessert tray, even. Yet, someone will stay on the street for the freedom from the norm, and “other’s rules”, that it offers.