Atheists who celebrate Christmas: why?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How do you explain it to your kids? When they find out that their friends celebrate it because of Jesus' birth, but that you don't believe. Do you just tell them because it's fun.

Yes. Pretty simple, really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, but I am just wondering how you justify celebrating Christmas when you spend the rest of the year making fun of Christians and all of our rituals and beliefs. i know that many of you avoid saying Christmas and call it the holidays. But when you do all the same stuff we do (aside from attending Christmas church services), then you are celebrating Christmas.

I celebrate Christmas for atavistic reasons. I don't feel any need to justify it. Do you feel the need to justify your childish belief in an imaginary friend in the sky?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, but I am just wondering how you justify celebrating Christmas when you spend the rest of the year making fun of Christians and all of our rituals and beliefs. i know that many of you avoid saying Christmas and call it the holidays. But when you do all the same stuff we do (aside from attending Christmas church services), then you are celebrating Christmas.

I celebrate Christmas for atavistic reasons. I don't feel any need to justify it. Do you feel the need to justify your childish belief in an imaginary friend in the sky?

Ok, I celebrate Christmas secularly and as a time to spend time with family and friends. This is pretty disrespectful though, PP. You can have your own beliefs without making other people feel bad about theirs.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

Wow, I did not intend to seem as snarky as I apparently did. Sorry! Let me be clear. I am not necessarily opposed to non-Christians celebrating Christmas. I remember asking my parents about this when I was a kid. They said that they are fine with it because it's their hope that in the festivities of the season, they will somehow get that mustard seed of faith. I try to keep that mindset, but I have a hard time with it when it comes to people who make fun of us the rest of the year. I wrote this post after receiving a "Warm Wishes" card from a friend who speaks out against Christianity every single chance she gets. It seemed very hypocritical. The only purpose of her card was to show off pictures of her Aruba vacation. these are the people I have issues with. If you are a non-Christian who would like to participate in the season, I simply ask that you respect our religion during the "off-season" as well. Please don't try to convince yourself that it's not a religious holiday. Of course it is.

Yes, I do try to minimize the commercialism and focus on Christ during the season.

I know the pagan history of trees, but don't believe the theory that that's where the Christmas tree originated. The tree, wreath, holly, etc is a symbol of eternal life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you explain it to your kids? When they find out that their friends celebrate it because of Jesus' birth, but that you don't believe. Do you just tell them because it's fun.

Yes. Pretty simple, really.

It's people like you who are high-jacking our holiday and taking the meaning out of it. get your own holiday.

[Anonymous]

Another example to me of how "un-Christian" many "Christians" are.

Your Aruba-vacationing friend has just as much rights to her views as you do. Why are you so affected by her speaking her own truth? Why does it bother you? Because you have a seed of doubt? Because she makes complete sense?

I'm an atheist. I respect everybody's choice to believe what they like. But I don't like feeling that I have to tiptoe around others because somehow I am offensive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wrote this post after receiving a "Warm Wishes" card from a friend who speaks out against Christianity every single chance she gets. It seemed very hypocritical. The only purpose of her card was to show off pictures of her Aruba vacation. these are the people I have issues with. If you are a non-Christian who would like to participate in the season, I simply ask that you respect our religion during the "off-season" as well.

So now Christmas is a season?! Hilarious.

Her card specifically avoided saying anything about Christmas, right? Then she's not celebrating Christmas, you dolt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you explain it to your kids? When they find out that their friends celebrate it because of Jesus' birth, but that you don't believe. Do you just tell them because it's fun.

Yes. Pretty simple, really.

It's people like you who are high-jacking our holiday and taking the meaning out of it. get your own holiday.

Is this what Jesus would say?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you explain it to your kids? When they find out that their friends celebrate it because of Jesus' birth, but that you don't believe. Do you just tell them because it's fun.

Yes. Pretty simple, really.

It's people like you who are high-jacking our holiday and taking the meaning out of it. get your own holiday.

Is this what Jesus would say?

Not the OP, but another religious poster here: actually, probably, yes, it would be what Jesus would say. Jesus wasn't all sunshine and unicorns. Remember when He lost His temper and turned over tables and threw out the money exchangers from the temple? Because He was mad that they were sullying His Father's house w/ commercialism?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

Wow, I did not intend to seem as snarky as I apparently did. Sorry! Let me be clear. I am not necessarily opposed to non-Christians celebrating Christmas. I remember asking my parents about this when I was a kid. They said that they are fine with it because it's their hope that in the festivities of the season, they will somehow get that mustard seed of faith. I try to keep that mindset, but I have a hard time with it when it comes to people who make fun of us the rest of the year. I wrote this post after receiving a "Warm Wishes" card from a friend who speaks out against Christianity every single chance she gets. It seemed very hypocritical. The only purpose of her card was to show off pictures of her Aruba vacation. these are the people I have issues with. If you are a non-Christian who would like to participate in the season, I simply ask that you respect our religion during the "off-season" as well. Please don't try to convince yourself that it's not a religious holiday. Of course it is.

Yes, I do try to minimize the commercialism and focus on Christ during the season.

I know the pagan history of trees, but don't believe the theory that that's where the Christmas tree originated. The tree, wreath, holly, etc is a symbol of eternal life.

And bunnies, eggs, and chicks are symbols of...resurrection?

Sorry, but "Christmas" trees are pagan symbols that the church co-opted to ensure people would tolerate conversion to Christianity. Same goes for Easter symbolism (Easter was a pagan fertility festival before Christians converted it -- that's why there are so many fertility symbols -- eggs, chicks, bunnies -- associated with it).

Most "Christian" holidays that come from Europe are pagan holidays that Christians stole liberally from.

P.S. I grew up Christian and I am an atheist. I totally respect your right to have your faith and celebrations, and you need to respect others' rights to do the same. You are not doing that by questioning why certain people get to celebrate "your" holiday. Have some respect for others' beliefs or lack thereof. Practice what you preach.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you explain it to your kids? When they find out that their friends celebrate it because of Jesus' birth, but that you don't believe. Do you just tell them because it's fun.

Yes. Pretty simple, really.

It's people like you who are high-jacking our holiday and taking the meaning out of it. get your own holiday.

Is this what Jesus would say?

Not the OP, but another religious poster here: actually, probably, yes, it would be what Jesus would say. Jesus wasn't all sunshine and unicorns. Remember when He lost His temper and turned over tables and threw out the money exchangers from the temple? Because He was mad that they were sullying His Father's house w/ commercialism?

No, dude. You guys stole Yule and pretended it was a mass for Christ. We are just keeping it real to the ACTUAL holiday, celebrating family and light in the darkest part of winter.

Why don't you take down your tree and lights and stop stealing our holiday!?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you explain it to your kids? When they find out that their friends celebrate it because of Jesus' birth, but that you don't believe. Do you just tell them because it's fun.

Yes. Pretty simple, really.

It's people like you who are high-jacking our holiday and taking the meaning out of it. get your own holiday.

Is this what Jesus would say?

Not the OP, but another religious poster here: actually, probably, yes, it would be what Jesus would say. Jesus wasn't all sunshine and unicorns. Remember when He lost His temper and turned over tables and threw out the money exchangers from the temple? Because He was mad that they were sullying His Father's house w/ commercialism?

I hope you take Jesus' message to heart, PP, and avoid the commercialism of the holiday, too. I mean, since you're all about getting real about Jesus. I hope you avoid gift exchanges, Santa, and all that commercial crap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.

Wow, I did not intend to seem as snarky as I apparently did. Sorry! Let me be clear. I am not necessarily opposed to non-Christians celebrating Christmas. I remember asking my parents about this when I was a kid. They said that they are fine with it because it's their hope that in the festivities of the season, they will somehow get that mustard seed of faith. I try to keep that mindset, but I have a hard time with it when it comes to people who make fun of us the rest of the year. I wrote this post after receiving a "Warm Wishes" card from a friend who speaks out against Christianity every single chance she gets. It seemed very hypocritical. The only purpose of her card was to show off pictures of her Aruba vacation. these are the people I have issues with. If you are a non-Christian who would like to participate in the season, I simply ask that you respect our religion during the "off-season" as well. Please don't try to convince yourself that it's not a religious holiday. Of course it is.

Yes, I do try to minimize the commercialism and focus on Christ during the season.

I know the pagan history of trees, but don't believe the theory that that's where the Christmas tree originated. The tree, wreath, holly, etc is a symbol of eternal life.

Uh - yeah. The wreath, the tree and holly all are symbols of eternal life - symbols that predated Christians' (and I am one) appropriation of them for Christmas. For example, holly is repeatedly referenced in Celtic mythology. This is not so much a matter of belief, or a "theory," OP, but a matter of historical fact. All of Christianity's major holidays/themes - Christmas, Easter/the resurection, son of god - were "borrowed" from pagans (really, other religions). It's nothing to be ashamed of , but neither can you wave it off as a theory and dismiss it. You're entitled to your own beliefs; you are not entitled to your own facts.

The simple fact is, OP, that Christmas, in this increasingly secular country, is an increasingly secular holiday. I know you hate it, but really, it's like complaining about the tides. You'll be much happier if you just accept it, and celebrate however you want to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How do you explain it to your kids? When they find out that their friends celebrate it because of Jesus' birth, but that you don't believe. Do you just tell them because it's fun.

Yes. Pretty simple, really.

NP.

My kids are totally on board with celebrating Christmas because it's fun. They get lots of presents. They're good with that.

We also talk about cross-cultural winter holidays -- Yule, Solstice, Diwali, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, New Year's celebrations, etc.

It's all good.

[Anonymous]

Also, I have never heard of anyone making fun of Christians or other religious people, and my friends are very secular. That may just be your insecurity.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry, but I am just wondering how you justify celebrating Christmas when you spend the rest of the year making fun of Christians and all of our rituals and beliefs. i know that many of you avoid saying Christmas and call it the holidays. But when you do all the same stuff we do (aside from attending Christmas church services), then you are celebrating Christmas.

I celebrate Christmas for atavistic reasons. I don't feel any need to justify it. Do you feel the need to justify your childish belief in an imaginary friend in the sky?[/quote]



Just thought I'd quote two posters in this thread.