Bill O'Reilly: Christianity is not a religion

[Aroddo]

cause it's a philosophy, y'know.


Link to video.




Bill also tried to make the point that Catholicism is a religion, so my guess is that he wanted to say that christian beliefs are disconnected from ... er ... belief in god?

is he perhaps confusing christianity with humanism?


edit:

 

[Goodfella]

They're both completely ridiculous. Obviously Christianity is a religion, but what's Silverman's problem? Christmas doesn't violate the establishment clause. It's just one of ten days throughout the year where you don't need to go to work. You literally stay home and do whatever you want. No one's making you pray to Jesus. As an atheist, I'd rather take the day off and open presents with my family.

 

[Siderealex]

They're both completely ridiculous. Obviously Christianity is a religion, but what's Silverman's problem? Christmas doesn't violate the establishment clause. It's just one of ten days throughout the year where you don't need to go to work. You literally stay home and do whatever you want. No one's making you pray to Jesus. As an atheist, I'd rather take the day off and open presents with my family.

That would be great except the reason that court issues, removal of certain items from public lands,etc happen is not because "Christmas!" You're arguing with an empty chair.

On O'reilly. Dumbass saying dumbass things, news at 11.

 

[Agent327]

As an atheist, I'd rather take the day off and open presents with my family.

So basically you are celebrating Christmas. As an atheist, ofcourse.

As to the OP, I'm not sure what to debate...

 

[Glassfan]

Christmas was originally just a Christian Holyday, second only to Easter on the Christian calender. However, the celebration has become such a ubiquitous and widespread holiday that it has effected secular economics - presents, decorations, travel, trees, paid-time-off; it's like a warp in the fabric of societal space. It's become "both".

 

[Cutlass]

They're both completely ridiculous. Obviously Christianity is a religion, but what's Silverman's problem? Christmas doesn't violate the establishment clause. It's just one of ten days throughout the year where you don't need to go to work. You literally stay home and do whatever you want. No one's making you pray to Jesus. As an atheist, I'd rather take the day off and open presents with my family.

It's down to 2 days for people in retail.

 

[Glassfan]

It's down to 2 days for people in retail.

Perhaps he's still a student.

 

[timtofly]

I would not call it a philosophy unless we know what the definition of philosophy is. I would call it a life-style choice. I also believe that it can be formed into a religion and that is what Judaism, Islam, Catholics, and Protestants do when they form groups of followers, that believe in certain dogmatic principles that they uphold.

The fact that churches are not taxed, has nothing to do with the separation of church and state. It is because they are non-profit entities. Now if you want to tax the rich churches and give the money to the poor churches, that would be an issue of separation of church and state.

 

[ace99]

I've met Silverman in person! I asked him a question about something I don't remember, I think it might have been about one of his billboards, he chastised me for tapping the microphone. He's kind of a dick in case anyone was wondering if he was different in person.

Edit: Oh! Oh! He predicted that by 2020 atheists would be a majority of the population because we were reaching some kind of great tipping point, and he urged everyone to come out of the closet to our friends and family as atheists and invited us to go to that big National Secularsomethingtheist event that happened in D.C. It was great. I've never met an atheist who spends so much time thinking about religion.

 

[sophie]

In before LS rants about the nonexistence of religion

 

[Chiteng]

If it is a religion, it is not any religion I know of.

 

[CocoIsKing28]

Christmas has nothing to do with Christ at all except for the name. I'm surprised it wasn't banned because it was too pagan. I mean, trees, gifts, the date, the decorations, everything was originally from pagan holidays, such as Saturnalia.

 

[Smellincoffee]

Christmas was originally just a Christian Holyday, second only to Easter on the Christian calender. However, the celebration has become such a ubiquitous and widespread holiday that it has effected secular economics - presents, decorations, travel, trees, paid-time-off; it's like a warp in the fabric of societal space. It's become "both".

Christmaas was originally a human holiday dedicated to the winter Solstice, the astronomical date which marks the beginning of winter, but the period after which the days began to grow longer. For agricultural societies, it was thus a day of hope punctuating months of cold and darkness. Saturnalia, Yuletide -- it carries many names. There's a reason Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus that late in December: they were co-opting a holiday.

Very little is "originally Christian".

 

[CocoIsKing28]

Christmaas was originally a human holiday dedicated to the winter Solstice, the astronomical date which marks the beginning of winter, but the period after which the days began to grow longer. For agricultural societies, it was thus a day of hope punctuating months of cold and darkness. Saturnalia, Yuletide -- it carries many names. There's a reason Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus that late in December: they were co-opting a holiday.

Very little is "originally Christian".

True, and many people who aren't necessarily practicing Christians celebrate it. Before we question the legality of a religious holiday, we should question other things, such as that little saying on our money and the other reference that is in our Pledge of Allegiance, which, by the way, we are forced to recite.

 

[ace99]

other reference that is in our Pledge of Allegiance, which, by the way, we are forced to recite.

Nope. Not true. You can absolutely remain seated and remain silent during the pledge of allegiance and be free from any punishment West Virgina Board of Ed. v. Barnette (1943).

 

[emzie]

As Richard Dawkins said, I'm a cultural Christian. Christmas is awesome and means something to me beyond the idea of Christianity.

To most fellow atheists, I'd say, if it's good enough for Dawkins it's probably good enough.

Nope. Not true. You can absolutely remain seated and remain silent during the pledge of allegiance and be free from any punishment West Virgina Board of Ed. v. Barnette (1943).

Having grown up in rural Ohio, that's easier said than done. A friend of mine (who later served in Iraq) got pulled up by his lapels by an angry teacher for not showing patriotism.

 

[ace99]

Having grown up in rural Ohio, that's easier said than done. A friend of mine (who later served in Iraq) got pulled up by his lapels by an angry teacher for not showing patriotism.

True enough, but sufficient to say that there is no legal force, and you may have recourse with the ACLU or one of those secualrist organizations.

 

[Joecoolyo]

Of course its not a religion

its just a heretical branch of Judaism

 

[Formaldehyde]

The philosophies come in, the philosophies go out. Can you explain that to him?

 

[Glassfan]

Christmaas was originally a human holiday dedicated to the winter Solstice, the astronomical date which marks the beginning of winter, but the period after which the days began to grow longer. For agricultural societies, it was thus a day of hope punctuating months of cold and darkness. Saturnalia, Yuletide -- it carries many names. There's a reason Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus that late in December: they were co-opting a holiday.

Very little is "originally Christian".

Largely agree, but Ye Olde Celtic and Druid celebrations were quasi-religious, no? As Rome and Christianity supplanted the old ways it became a Christian celebration. Now it's evolved into a secular/sacred holiday/Holyday.