Q? from an atheist about holidays

[GarretSidzaka]

i am an agnostic-ish, believer in the force, and i was concerned about this mildly. i was wondering if i should celebrate Yule or Solstice rather that xmas. but i resolved it myself as well, if not for me than my childeren. I will just celebrate xmas

It really helps that decision with the modern way xmas is celebrated and its modern divorce from spirituality. I don't want to celebrate Jesus, i want to celebrate gift giving and family and Santa Claws.

 

[Berzerker]

Of course it's fine to celebrate it. It is what it is to you; that's all that matters. Do you enjoy getting together with your family and exchanging gifts? Do you enjoy gingerbread cookies? Do you enjoy decorating trees?

Touchdown Jesus, behind the stadium on the campus of Notre Dame:

Cleo

TD or FG?

Hey, thats 12 men on the field

 

[dwaxe]

1. You are not a hypocrite.

10. I love binary.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

Go for it. Christmas is pretty secular as it is (or rather, it has both religious and secular elements, but the public celebration is far more secular). I am not a Germanic pagan, but they never tell me not to put up a Christmas tree.

(I also think the "War on Christmas" exists, albiet not nearly to the degree that people claim. It consists of people trying to downplay the secular elements of Christmas in favor of a vague "holiday season". Which is unnecessary, but doesn't amount to much in the end. I made a thread on this once.)

 

[RedRalph]

I am an agnostic but live my life as an atheist. Ok, now that I got that out of the way, is it still ok for me to celebrate Christmas and not be a hypocrite?

I like putting up lights and decorating trees, and even the whole Santa Claus thing. I still like giving and getting presents, etc.

Would you say X-mas is more of a cultural holiday these days? Do you have to be religious to celebrate? Because from my observations, X-mas is becoming less and less about jezus and more and more about consumerism.

This X-mas season, I'll be drinking eggnog, trading gifts and all the other X-mas activities (minus church). Am i a hypocrite?

I'm an athiest AND a communist and I still celebrate it... frankly, its no longer a purely religious festival but merely a time of the year when people of all faiths and non faiths can come together to worship Jesus. Its just a great excuse to get locked

 

[Lillefix]

christmas is just a pagan holiday apropriated by christianity. So go for it.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

christmas is just a pagan holiday apropriated by christianity. So go for it.

Well, parts of it are.

 

[El_Machinae]

Take any opportunity to be joyful and generous.

 

[JollyRoger]

Whatever you do, make sure that you choose a properly non-secular commercial establishment to meet your holidayChristmas shopping needs:

"Christmas-friendly" retailers — prominent acknowledgment of "Christmas"

Cabela's
Crate&Barrel
Dillard's
Eddie Bauer
JCPenney
Kohl's L.L.Bean
Lands' End
Linens 'n Things
Lowe's
Macy's
Neiman Marcus Nordstrom
Pier 1 Imports
Sears
The Home Depot
Target
Toys "R" Us
Wal-Mart

"Christmas-negligent" retailers — marginalized use of "Christmas"

Barnes & Noble
Bed, Bath & Beyond
Best Buy
Borders
Circuit City Dick's Sporting Goods
GAP
KB Toys
Kmart

"Christmas-offensive" retailers — apparent abandonment of "Christmas"

American Eagle
Banana Republic
Bloomingdale's
Lane Bryant
Old Navy

http://www.citizenlink.org/content/A000008670.cfm

 

[Shekwan]

Christmas is great. Eat, drink and be merry - screw the religious crap.

 

[I'm Cleo!]

I love how the Gap and Banana Republic are in different categories.

TD or FG?

Hey, thats 12 men on the field

More like INT Jesus nowadays.

Cleo

 

[LucyDuke]

I don't care for Jesus, not one bit, pro- or anti-. But I only get three occasions per year where the family can get together and overeat and drink too much and spar wit and maybe vomit on the goat; two of those occasions are Jesusy, I'll take 'em.

If that makes me a hypocrite then it too makes Jesus a jackass.

 

[Eran of Arcadia]

The word "hypocrite" is overused, I think; pretending to be someone you are not probably doesn't qualify.

 

[JollyRoger]

The War on Christmas was formally surrendered on Sunday, December 25th, 2005 when several prominent megachurches decided to close down for the day so that their staff could focus on the more secular activities of the day. It is now a holday for even the heathen riff raff.

 

[BasketCase]

Nope, I didn't find Touchdown Jesus or the Holiday Bowl offensive.

By the way, JR, Wal-Mart should probably go in the "Christmas-neutral" column--last year there was a big ruckus on local talk radio when the Wal-Mart in this area started asking the employees to say "happy holidays" and AVOID saying "merry Christmas".

 

[JollyRoger]

By the way, JR, Wal-Mart should probably go in the "Christmas-neutral" column--last year there was a big ruckus on local talk radio when the Wal-Mart in this area started asking the employees to say "happy holidays" and AVOID saying "merry Christmas".

Take it up with James Dobson as it's his list. He is the world's expert on annointing commercial establishments as Christmas-friendly-neutral-offensive. Although, I don't see why a commercial establishmnet should be labeled as "offensive" for merely recognizing that there are multiple holidays from late November to early December and deciding not to single out one for special treatment.

 

[Tycoon101]

...Joseph was a day laborer

In fact, Joseph was a well-off contractor.

 

[JollyRoger]

In fact, Joseph was a well-off contractor.

Who was easily manipulated by his spouse.