`  == Europe (moved from the Europe page) ==  :: Not all europeans were christian anyway. The anglo-saxons weren't (until converted much later) - they saved Britain from civilisation    :::It's not a very good idea to restart an old thread on this talk page. Troublesome editor Scipio3000 disappeared from the WP some time ago and I added the sentence about the ``legalization of Christianity after four centuries of imperial persecution``. Please look at the edit history of the page and the article itself. This is not a forum or a place to air opinions. Your remarks above are offensive and racist. Please could you remove them?     ::::As an anglo-saxon myself (or as near as one can get these days - I've stopped ticking British on forms because I have never felt ``British`` - I tick ``white other`` - why am I not allowed to be English any more?), I don't understand your reference to rascist and offensive. The view that the anglo-saxons saved us from civilization, is, at most, ironic, and surely reflects the ``traditional`` self-depreciating style of English humour, and/or English speech. Additionally, I am not sure why you feel the pursuit of excellence has an end. Anyway, aren't you supposed to assume good  faith http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Assume_good_faith ? Mariya - x -   ::::I can do one of those ridiculous ``more English than you`` things if you want, but it is very silly. My real surname is Mediaeval English. People with the same surname as me were related to Edward II (but I have no evidence of a connection between them and me, although it is not at all a common surname - I am clearly from the ``poor`` branch) - and they have a few old streets named after them, if you know where to look. In my bloodline (although there are gaps not accounted for), I have yet to find a single individual not born in England. That's pretty English, don't you think? There is even a market town in England, where by blood or by marriage, I am related to about half the inhabitants. I'm so very English, I am almost certainly a bit inbred. There we are. Anyway, enjoy your breakfast. Mariya - x -    :::::I still can't understand how the remarks you added are directly related to the editing of the article on Europe. They seem to be the sort of remarks that would normally be added on a forum with a little ) for good measure. Where did I mention the ``pursuit of excellence``? Did you mean ``self-deprecating`` by any chance? Born near the home of the Venerable Bede, almost a geordie, I rarely call myself English. Of course I do at the moment here in France, in the brief period before next Saturday: I narrowly escaped having a tricoleur painted on my face last Saturday. The french of course use anglo-saxon as a put-down )    :::::: Edward II of ``red hot poker`` fame? As mentioned in the Flower of Scotland? Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. That explains everything. Have you sought help?   ::::::: 'Fraid so. Anyway, I thought ethnic origin was self-defined, so I can be what I want, and you can be what you want, even if we were (and I am fairly sure we are not) siblings. Similarly, the French can describe Anglo-saxons in any way they want, but it might be inappropriate for these pages. I am not concerned about being a Rosbif (I think that's how it goes) even though I haven't eaten it for 15 years. The Venerable Bede certainly wasn't ashamed to be English - re. the great quote about when he gets to Heaven. By ``pursuit of excellence`` I was referring to the continuous, and unending, work of ``Historical Truth``. That's why History excites me - it should be fixed but it isn't!! Mariya - x -    ::::::::Historical truth? Doesn't that depend on who writes the history books? I'm not sure that  would have liked Terry Jones' series  ``Barbarians`` very much. BTW you seem so english that I suspect that you have midnight feasts of scones and clotted cream, probably washed down with a thimbleful or two of vodka.    :::::::::Historical Truth - exactly - that's one of the reasons it changes. Mr Jones' series was very popular, and he is a very entertaining presenter, but that doesn't make it historically accurate. I could have another ``long`` discussion with you on Mr Jones. Sorry about the vodka - I don't drink anymore - gave that up too! I used to brew my own mead though, 20 years ago. Perhaps if I drank a little more, things would all make sense. What about you - drinking Newkie brown, or the local stuff, or something else. Mariya - x -    :::::::::: I also question the accuracy of Barbarians. The Life of Brian was far more scholarly, probably more accurate than many biblical passages. I only have experience of Newcastle Brown from when it was 26p a bottle. Have you tried Lindisfarne mead, from one of the homes of our great St Cuthbert?   —Preceding comment was added at  `