Atheist bil won’t allow 3 year old nephew to receive a gift during holidays

[Anonymous]

they sound like fun reasonable people. (i'm being facetious.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:they sound like fun reasonable people. (i'm being facetious.)

+1

He’s exhausting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why atheists suck.

Religious nonchristians as well? Or just atheists?

I'm a religious non-Christian, but I'm not allergic to joy.

OP, when this kid inevitably runs away from home, be a safe and loving place for him to land.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I'm willing to bet BIL doesn't want to bring Larlo and his wife over there at all, and there was probably a lot of discussion/fighting/compromise for OP's sister and nephew to get to show up and see their family at all. OP, I hope she leaves this controlling jackass.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are an atheist family raising our children in the secular tradition. I absolutely love secular Christmas and have a blast taking in all the experiences. That being said, the focus on consumerism and waste has really gotten under my skin in recent years. I have done my part to slow or stop the adult gift giving and am trying to limit the amount of new in box plastic that comes in for the kids. They already have so many toys from past birthdays, Christmases, and one off visits, we have so little space, and it makes me feel very Grinchy to have to spend my precious vacation time with them around the holidays purging their spaces just to make room for junk they’ll forget in two weeks. All that is to say, Grandma’s joy brings me a lot of grief.

I am very generous with loved ones on their birthdays and special occasions. But I’d rather spend time with them and enjoy experiences with them than opening gifts.

Your post about “secular Christmas” is offensive. If you scoff at that, please go post threads about Secular Yom Kippur, Secular Ramadan, and Secular Rosh Hannakuh and get back to us.

Dp You know what pp? You chose to be offended so that is on you. People do celebrate secular Christmas unlike the other holidays you mentioned.
I don't know why you are so offended on how other people live their lives. We should be allowed to share our views.

I think pp is being naive, so many 'cultural' christians and atheist families enjoy Christmas as a secular family get together holiday barely giving any thought to the Christian element. Some of my Buddhist family members in Thailand enjoy Christmas too! Wasn't it documented that JC was born in the summer?

The Catholic Church started Christmas via Pope Constantine.

CHRIST + MASS. Mass = catholic church service.

It's absolutely a Christian holiday.

If atheists or people of other faiths decorate Christmas trees and exchange gifts, it doesn't change fact that it's a Christian holiday. When I attend a Hannukah dinner, or join an Eid celebration, it doesn't secularize their holiday. How offensive to even suggest that for any religion!!

Sorry to be the one to inform you, but it has been co-opted and is absolutely celebrated as a non-religious holiday by many, despite its origins.

This is not a zero sum game.

Facts:

1) Christmas is a Christian holiday

2) Non-Christians participate in Christmas.

3) The Church deliberately picked a winter day close to many peoples' pagan winter Holy Days to facilitate assimilation. And

4) Northerners incorporated trees and other broadly celtic symbolism into their Christian celebration.

Both of these reasons are why people say "the origins of Christmas are pagan". You need to exercise subtlety of understanding, PP, something that lies woefully dormant somewhere inside you.

Your "subtlety" involves the most superficial aspects of the holiday. Neither of your points (Dec 25 or trees) is in scripture or liturgy.

Frankly you could take away both trees and the date, move everything to a beach in July, and the fundamental story and message would remain the same. Namely, Jesus was born to a humble family, and various gospels tell of a visit from angel Gabriel, John's mother also being pregnant, Joseph, story of the census, visits from wise men, et cetera. Not all gospels include all of these. But notice the story itself--not the external, non-"subtle" trappings--is the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:they sound like fun reasonable people. (i'm being facetious.)

+1

He’s exhausting.

+2. Be ready for atheist BIL to disparage the holiday in front of everybody else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are an atheist family raising our children in the secular tradition. I absolutely love secular Christmas and have a blast taking in all the experiences. That being said, the focus on consumerism and waste has really gotten under my skin in recent years. I have done my part to slow or stop the adult gift giving and am trying to limit the amount of new in box plastic that comes in for the kids. They already have so many toys from past birthdays, Christmases, and one off visits, we have so little space, and it makes me feel very Grinchy to have to spend my precious vacation time with them around the holidays purging their spaces just to make room for junk they’ll forget in two weeks. All that is to say, Grandma’s joy brings me a lot of grief.

I am very generous with loved ones on their birthdays and special occasions. But I’d rather spend time with them and enjoy experiences with them than opening gifts.

Your post about “secular Christmas” is offensive. If you scoff at that, please go post threads about Secular Yom Kippur, Secular Ramadan, and Secular Rosh Hannakuh and get back to us.

Dp You know what pp? You chose to be offended so that is on you. People do celebrate secular Christmas unlike the other holidays you mentioned.
I don't know why you are so offended on how other people live their lives. We should be allowed to share our views.

I think pp is being naive, so many 'cultural' christians and atheist families enjoy Christmas as a secular family get together holiday barely giving any thought to the Christian element. Some of my Buddhist family members in Thailand enjoy Christmas too! Wasn't it documented that JC was born in the summer?

The Catholic Church started Christmas via Pope Constantine.

CHRIST + MASS. Mass = catholic church service.

It's absolutely a Christian holiday.

If atheists or people of other faiths decorate Christmas trees and exchange gifts, it doesn't change fact that it's a Christian holiday. When I attend a Hannukah dinner, or join an Eid celebration, it doesn't secularize their holiday. How offensive to even suggest that for any religion!!

Sorry to be the one to inform you, but it has been co-opted and is absolutely celebrated as a non-religious holiday by many, despite its origins.

This is not a zero sum game.

Facts:

1) Christmas is a Christian holiday

2) Non-Christians participate in Christmas.

3) The Church deliberately picked a winter day close to many peoples' pagan winter Holy Days to facilitate assimilation. And

4) Northerners incorporated trees and other broadly celtic symbolism into their Christian celebration.

Both of these reasons are why people say "the origins of Christmas are pagan". You need to exercise subtlety of understanding, PP, something that lies woefully dormant somewhere inside you.

Your "subtlety" involves the most superficial aspects of the holiday. Neither of your points (Dec 25 or trees) is in scripture or liturgy.

Frankly you could take away both trees and the date, move everything to a beach in July, and the fundamental story and message would remain the same. Namely, Jesus was born to a humble family, and various gospels tell of a visit from angel Gabriel, John's mother also being pregnant, Joseph, story of the census, visits from wise men, et cetera. Not all gospels include all of these. But notice the story itself--not the external, non-"subtle" trappings--is the point.

That’s really nice, pp.

[Anonymous]

go early and do the gifts before they get there.

(PS didn't read all 15 pages on this thread)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm imagining one of the teens requesting a gift for themselves that the nephew might like (stuffed animal, ball...) and then sharing it with him.

Why would that be less offensive than a kid slipping their Kosher cousin a piece of bacon?

[Anonymous]

My stepdad’s father was an extremely devout Christian (the kind that beat his wife and some of his kids in the Lord’s name) and they were forbidden gifts at Christmas because it was to be a deeply spiritual/religious holiday and gift giving cheapened it. My stepdad tells a story about getting into trouble one year because a neighbor have the kids a piece of candy each. He said it was worth it. Best candy he ever had.

Also he hates Christmas. Hates it. As do his siblings. They’re all in their 70s and 80s.

I’m not saying OP’s BIL is abusive or beats his family (or that all Christians do that), but he is certainly being cruel to his kid. Hopefully his grinch heart will grow 10 sizes this year and next year there will be gifts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm imagining one of the teens requesting a gift for themselves that the nephew might like (stuffed animal, ball...) and then sharing it with him.

Why would that be less offensive than a kid slipping their Kosher cousin a piece of bacon?

I’ve heard atheist ppl say atheism isn’t a religion; it’s simply no belief in God or gods. But you are comparing the two?

[Anonymous]

Just myob and let them deal with their own child. They have to figure out how to navigate. And a kid will be fine not getting a gift. Kids can handle disappointment and situations like this are practice for real life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm imagining one of the teens requesting a gift for themselves that the nephew might like (stuffed animal, ball...) and then sharing it with him.

Why would that be less offensive than a kid slipping their Kosher cousin a piece of bacon?

I’ve heard atheist ppl say atheism isn’t a religion; it’s simply no belief in God or gods. But you are comparing the two?

Is belief in God superior to not believe in God? For respect to be received, it must be given, no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm imagining one of the teens requesting a gift for themselves that the nephew might like (stuffed animal, ball...) and then sharing it with him.

Why would that be less offensive than a kid slipping their Kosher cousin a piece of bacon?

I’ve heard atheist ppl say atheism isn’t a religion; it’s simply no belief in God or gods. But you are comparing the two?

Is belief in God superior to not believe in God? For respect to be received, it must be given, no?

But I’ve been told numerous times here atheism is nothing but a disbelief in God or gods. Santa is not a god.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just myob and let them deal with their own child. They have to figure out how to navigate. And a kid will be fine not getting a gift. Kids can handle disappointment and situations like this are practice for real life.

It is actually the grandmothers disappointment OP is dealing with. It understandably breaks her heart to intentionally exclude one grandchild.