
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, May 10, 1993                   TAG: 9305100289
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: F2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

SANITIZING THE CALENDAR

IN LIGHT of recent decisions of two school systems naming their holiday seasons, I would like to further confuse the issue. If there is to be a movement to secularize every calendar event, why not do a more thorough job? We may begin with January, which is named after Janus, the Roman god of gates and doors; Mars, Roman god of war, loans his name to March; and June is possibly named for the Roman goddess Juno.

Once these religious names are purged from the calendar, we can attack the days of the week. Monday, named for the Anglo-Saxon moon goddess, must definitely go. The Norse god of war, Tyr, certainly has no right to be honored by Tuesday. Or how about Woden (Norse chief god), Thor (Norse god of thunder), and Frija (Norse goddess of love) after whom Wednesday, Thursday and Friday are named? The planets and constellations will have to wait their turn. We can handle only so many changes at a time.

Easter is a reference to Eostre, the Teutonic fertility goddess. Christians really celebrate Resurrection Sunday, even though we have borrowed the name and many of the traditions (Easter bunny, colored eggs) of Easter.

It is nearly impossible to secularize our society's terminology and doesn't really matter what we name particular days or seasons. Those who are devout to their various faiths will continue to celebrate and honor accordingly.

Christians should focus their attention and efforts on the more important issues facing us in these times. Real spiritual battles are fought on knees. MAUREEN ANDERSON ROANOKE

by CNB