Non- Christians celebrating Christmas

[Anonymous]

If I give you a list of my family birthdays would you please refrain from gathering or celebrating on those days? You might not do it the right wsy with the right intentions.
Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anybody ever heard of Saturnalia? If not, then look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia

For those of you who still don't get it, Jesus was not born on
December 25 of the Year Zero. Many biblical scholars interpret his birth in fact to have been sometime in the spring.

The reason Christmas is celebrated at this time of year was a method of converting the Roman Celebration of Saturnalia, the rough equivalent of 12/17 to 12/23, into a Christian holiday.

I'm sure Jesus would not freak out.

[Anonymous]

NP here and obviously late to the game.

But I find it very odd that my Jewish neighbors with a child preparing for her bar mitzvah had a Christmas tree, lights and full gift-giving celebration on the 25th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here and obviously late to the game.

But I find it very odd that my Jewish neighbors with a child preparing for her bar mitzvah had a Christmas tree, lights and full gift-giving celebration on the 25th.

I don't. Jesus was Jewish, a rabbi in fact, after all. Grow up and MYOB!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NP here and obviously late to the game.

But I find it very odd that my Jewish neighbors with a child preparing for her bar mitzvah had a Christmas tree, lights and full gift-giving celebration on the 25th.

I don't. Jesus was Jewish, a rabbi in fact, after all. Grow up and MYOB!

I am myob'ing as I have never said anything to them and have only posted on an anonymous board. And have supported their odd celebration by delivering Christmas cookies and presents to their children. And, I think they would find it odd if I started celebrating all the Jewish holidays, even though Jesus was Jewish.

Chill out, pp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NP here and obviously late to the game.

But I find it very odd that my Jewish neighbors with a child preparing for her bar mitzvah had a Christmas tree, lights and full gift-giving celebration on the 25th.

My new plan is just to come onto this thread every few hours & repost the link to Neil Gaimans essay about growing up Jewish & wanting a Christmas tree: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/features/neil-gaiman-hanukkah-with-bells-on-1203307.html

As far as it not working the other way (e.g. Christians celebrating Ramadan), do you really not get how overwhelmingly Christmas pervades US culture, and how those two things are not comparable? I thought previous comments about how Christians in Egypt or India participate in celebrations of Eid or Diwali were great illustrations of how that works.

[Anonymous]

It's about Santa

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP your question has been answered. You don't accept the answers. I guess you will continue to be confused.

+1

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:BTW, OP... Christmas is over. Did you really need to pick ONE more fight over what other people are doing for the holidays, rather than live and let live?

I didn't mean to pick a fight. And technically it's not really over. I was just genuinely baffled and curious. Seems so odd to me.

Did you confess that you judge others before you received communion yesterday?

Now you have just exposed your ignorance. Nobody goes to church on Christmas Day. I don't think any churches even have services, unless it happens to fall on Sunday.

That's odd the national cathedral was packed for the Christmas day service.

Catholics always have Mass on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It's the biggest Mass of the year.

You know it is a good thread when it ends with some people having a Mass debate.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I'm an atheist who was raised Catholic. My entire family is Catholic. My DH was raised Catholic. My DH's family is Catholic.

Our families celebrate Christmas. We celebrate it, too. It's within our cultural heritage. We are secular Catholics, the way some people are secular Jews.

I don't see what's weird about it.

It contradicts your commitment to atheism? That's what's weird. Atheists shouldn't celebrate the birth of a deity.

DH and I are atheists. Our children are not. They are being raised in a religion that they can decide to reject when they are older. I think religion gives a moral frame work to life. Atheism's philosophical frame work is harder to pass on to children. You have to want to be a nice person because there is no external factor like heaven or hell. So we do Christmas and take our kids to mass on Christmas Eve. We participate in a cultural ritual that we don't believe in because we, and more specifically our kids, are a part of society.

I agree that kids need a moral framework. What you do is fascinating. Do you take them to church every Sunday or only on Christmas Eve?

We try to go once or twice a month. Why is this fascinating? I assumed most people do this.

That's your problem right there. Why do you think others are like you? No, this is really peculiar.

I think atheism is too much for little kids. Do other atheist just tell their kids there is nothing?

Yes. That is exactly what we told our kids. We are a fluke of the universe. We are as ephmeral as butterflies, and just as beautiful. There is nothing after death. There is no meaning to this life except what we make it, so you should work hard to make your life mean something beautiful or great or kind. They had an existential crisis getting their heads around it when they were very small, but they were over it by age 6 or 7.

BTW, we celebrate Christmas. My very Catholic parents insist on it. When DS#1 was two months old, my mother bought a tree and ornaments and a creche and descended on my house with it. She was leaving until we put it all up.

(She also DIY baptized the babies in the bathtub. She thinks I don't know, but she told my little brother. Whatever. It made her feel better.)

The nice thing about having your own children is you can raise them the way you see fit. Although other posters have said I am a failure as a parent because I am raising them with a religion they are free to reject when they are older, I think you are free to make your own choice with your kids. I disliked your comment earlier that I am a failed parent for my choice.

?

I didn't say that. Different poster.

You may like the book "Parenting beyond belief" for ideas to raise your kids with a good moral structure without having to rely on religion. Or at least help you think some of these issues with concrete examples and ideas.

I have no issues with how I am raising my children, thanks! Although I am an atheist, I dislike atheists because they are f*cking annoying. Why can't you just STFU and let people do what they want? Why this deep need to criticize others?!

[Anonymous]

I only read page one and this last page but what annoys you, op? If you are celebrating the birth of your savior, then why do you have a tree or any reference to Santa? Why do you own that tradition more than anyone else since it isn't even mentioned in the Bible? Let people enjoy the holidays how ever they want as long as you are free to celebrate how you want.

[Anonymous]

I think I'll start celebrating the high holy days and Diwali and EID, what the heck? Lets all celebrate everyone's religious holidays. It could be fun! Gifts and big meals and ordering the house with all the religious or cultural symbols off them all. Woo-hoo! Parities year round.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think I'll start celebrating the high holy days and Diwali and EID, what the heck? Lets all celebrate everyone's religious holidays. It could be fun! Gifts and big meals and ordering the house with all the religious or cultural symbols off them all. Woo-hoo! Parities year round.

Let's go. Diwali looks pretty fun, and Chinese New Year, and Hogmany, and May Day, and Juneteenth, and Day of the Dead, and Mardi Gras and Bastille Day.

Also, it's a serious holiday, but I always liked Yom Kippur, because of the atonement aspects.

[Anonymous]

May Day? Juneteenth? Sure. Other people's religious holidays is wacky

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think I'll start celebrating the high holy days and Diwali and EID, what the heck? Lets all celebrate everyone's religious holidays. It could be fun! Gifts and big meals and ordering the house with all the religious or cultural symbols off them all. Woo-hoo! Parities year round.

Go right ahead! I don't understand what's stopping you.