Calculating Pagan Sabbat Dates

Wondering if anyone else is amazed at the "authority" with which several pagan webpages have announced the "official" sabbat dates for 2011. There are so many ways to calculate the 8 sabbat dates, how can any one individual or tradition claim our sacred holidays are observed on a specific date?

Take the Gregorian calendar based dates which specify Feb 2 (Imbolc), May 1 (Beltaine), Aug 1 (Lughnasadh) and Oct 31 (Samhain). These are set dates that are repeated each year. Yet, why would any pagan celebrate holiday observances on dates set to a calendar created by the Church? Does not the pull of the Sun and Moon... the whisper or roar of the wind, the crispness of the morning frost or falling leaves, the warmth or chill of the rain... do not these rhythms of Nature hold more sway in your life?

I imagine that before the dominance of the Church came to power, pagan folk gathered around the Full Moon closest to the time of year for the sabbat. Or maybe even New Moon if that kind of energy was appropriate to the occasion. The phases of the Moon have always been a measure of time that everyone can see and follow as it moves across the celestial night sky. 

Although I am no expert with astrology, I understand that there are sabbat dates calculated using astrological events. This makes more sense to me than using a repeated specific date based on the Gregorian calendar.

Another way I've calculated the sabbat date is by using cross-quarter counting. That is, count the days between the preceding and following equinox or solstice date and the date exactly in the middle is the cross-quarter sabbat date.

I will find out about the astrological sabbat dates tonight and write more.

Blessed be.