Atheists/Agnostics- do you celebrate Christmas?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ; if you don't believe in Christ, how can you celebrate Christmas?

There are quite a few responses on this page if you are genuinely curious. I suspect you are not.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ; if you don't believe in Christ, how can you celebrate Christmas?

I see that you could exchange gifts, etc. like other people at this time of the year, but I don't like to hear people say they celebrate "Christmas" unless they believe in the whole true meaning of it.

Flame away, I don't care...

OK, OP again. I believe that he existed and was very influential, but not that he is the "son of God". To me, the true meaning of Christmas is commemorating the birth of a great influence on humanity today.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ; if you don't believe in Christ, how can you celebrate Christmas?

I see that you could exchange gifts, etc. like other people at this time of the year, but I don't like to hear people say they celebrate "Christmas" unless they believe in the whole true meaning of it.

Flame away, I don't care...

but lots of the traditions predate Christmas. We celebrate Christmas, but in a pagany sort of way. (and everyone needs festivity and traditions in their lives.) I thought many Christians actually don't like to celebrate Christmas in the predominant way because of the pagan history behind many of the traditions (tree, wreath). We don't celebrate the birth of Christ. But Christmas is still a cultural and family tradition of ours. (and it wasn't many generations back that my family was still religious) Santa Claus certainly isn't a religious figure, is he? And elves? And trees, wreaths and mistletoe? We still love the songs, though. Even though many of them ARE religious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just curious here. I consider myself an atheist, but I have no problem celebrating Christmas. I see it as commemorating the birth of a very influential "person" (I put that in quotes so as not to offend anyone), same as I would for MLK Jr's birthday- albeit very different types of "celebrations". We take the kids to my parents' church (Unitarian) on Christmas Eve, mainly to spend family time together (and the kids enjoy it).

So, I'm confused. You don't believe in God, but you believe Jesus Christ was born and his presence on this Earth merits your active participation in rituals that are religiously significant (giving of gifts, etc) that relate to his birth?

Say what?

An athiest shouldn't celebrate Christmas. It's fundamentally inconsistent with your belief system.

http://www.essortment.com/christmas-pagan-origins-42543.html

We are all just a bunch of pagans!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just curious here. I consider myself an atheist, but I have no problem celebrating Christmas. I see it as commemorating the birth of a very influential "person" (I put that in quotes so as not to offend anyone), same as I would for MLK Jr's birthday- albeit very different types of "celebrations". We take the kids to my parents' church (Unitarian) on Christmas Eve, mainly to spend family time together (and the kids enjoy it).

Yes, same as you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just curious here. I consider myself an atheist, but I have no problem celebrating Christmas. I see it as commemorating the birth of a very influential "person" (I put that in quotes so as not to offend anyone), same as I would for MLK Jr's birthday- albeit very different types of "celebrations". We take the kids to my parents' church (Unitarian) on Christmas Eve, mainly to spend family time together (and the kids enjoy it).

Yes, same as you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So, I'm confused. You don't believe in God, but you believe Jesus Christ was born and his presence on this Earth merits your active participation in rituals that are religiously significant (giving of gifts, etc) that relate to his birth?

Say what?

An athiest shouldn't celebrate Christmas. It's fundamentally inconsistent with your belief system.

Not the OP but I'm agnostic, believe that Jesus was an actual person and understand he touched many lives. I don't believe his birth was genesis of the winter holiday we call Christmas. It's had many names in many cultures, it just happens to be 'Christmas' at this time. I use Christmas in the same way I use the term Kleenex to refer to facial tissue, Bandaid for a small bandage and Xerox for a copying a document by machine. It's the generic term for the holiday. I also don't partipate in any rituals that are religiously signficant - at least I don't have a plan to but we sometimes attend pageants friends and neighbors participate in. They're no different for us than going to a school play or recital.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ; if you don't believe in Christ, how can you celebrate Christmas?

I see that you could exchange gifts, etc. like other people at this time of the year, but I don't like to hear people say they celebrate "Christmas" unless they believe in the whole true meaning of it.

Flame away, I don't care...

OK, OP again. I believe that he existed and was very influential, but not that he is the "son of God". To me, the true meaning of Christmas is commemorating the birth of a great influence on humanity today.

Same here, OP! At least we are not alone with believing that.

[Anonymous]

I am agnostic, I believe Jesus was a real person, walked the Earth, tried to teach people how to be better people, how to be good Jews, etc... I don't believe he was the "son of God' or that he rose from the dead.

I like the non-religious parts of Christmas and that's what I celebrate. I like the person describing "Christmas" being similar to "Kleenex." Most of Christmas isn't based on the Bible, the gifts, the tree, the lights, cookies and so on are no where to be found in the Bible's Christmas story. Many early Christians believed it was wrong to celebrate Christ's birth as it wasn't important and some Catholic priests spoke out against it. Plus, it's unlikely that December 25 or any of the days, possibly weeks close to it is when he was actually born.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^^
pp here .. p.s., I am very spiritual but in no way that has anything to do with any organized religion or any belief in any particular supreme being, or even the existence of one (or more)...

Snort

whatever ... It sounds like it may be too complicated for some of you to figure out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ; if you don't believe in Christ, how can you celebrate Christmas?

I see that you could exchange gifts, etc. like other people at this time of the year, but I don't like to hear people say they celebrate "Christmas" unless they believe in the whole true meaning of it.

Flame away, I don't care...

poster no. 2 in the thread here ...

exactly. I celebrate the Winter Solstice, etc. I don't in any way celebrate any aspect of the holiday related to any organized religion/ religious belief.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^^^
pp here .. p.s., I am very spiritual but in no way that has anything to do with any organized religion or any belief in any particular supreme being, or even the existence of one (or more)...

Snort

whatever ... It sounds like it may be too complicated for some of you to figure out.

No, it sounds like you are intellectually lazy.

Or, perhaps, this: "Maybe the atheist cannot find God for the same reason a thief cannot find a policeman." - Francis Thomson

[Anonymous]

I was raised a Christian and want to believe very badly, I do. Having true faith would certainly give me something to lean on. But as I've grown older, I've become a doubter. I don't want to be agnostic but I am.

All that being said, yes, I celebrate Christmas full on, because I love it and all the rituals of it. I love the coziness, decorating the tree, and the holiday spirit of good will. I gladly go to church and I love the hymns. But deep down I doubt. I believe JC lived and was a remarkable man for sure. I just don't know if he ascended. I'm not gonna say it's all a crock of **** like some people I know, b/c neither they or I know for sure.

Good enough for you, OP? I'm trying, I really am.

[Anonymous]

18:50 Turns out I'm not really addressing my response to OP but to the zealots on this thread who don't believe doubters should celebrate Christmas. Sorry if I sounded defensive, OP.

[Anonymous]

Every time a religious person gets bent out of shape by someone ELSE celebrating Christmas differently (secular, atheist, pagan, etc.), my first thought is that their faith is not very strong in the first place, and that unorthodox views really underscore their own doubts.