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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]As an atheist who celebrates in December with a tree and gifts, traditional family foods, etc., I understand why Christians might prefer the rest of us celebrate these traditions with some name other than Christmas but you can't deny there is a cultural holiday in the U.S. that gets called Christmas and that even many jewish people celebrate as a holiday for children.  I don't think it's correct to call those people inconsistent. [/quote]
Or just accept that in the face of the complexities of life we are all inconsistent about some things.[/quote]

It's not a religious holiday to me. Thus, no inconsistency. [/quote]

I think it is similar to showing up at a gay wedding reception and just dancing and drinking the night away while denying that they are legally married and talking the other 364 days/ Year about how much homosexuality is wrong

Perfect analogy? No. But that is similar to why it feels wrong to those of us who have faith in a way[/quote]

I've celebrated Christmas as a believer and a non-believer and it feels the same to me -- lots of colored lights and decorations, seasonal music and special foods, time set aside for family.  I even go to midnight mass - there's something so special about going out so late at night for a once-a-year event.  It didn't occur to me that people who believe that Christ was born then would resent others participating in the season, so much of which is not belief-based.[/quote]
I don't know if resentment would be the right word, but per the example above of a gay wedding, you would be a good example of someone eating, drinking and enjoying the wedding cake, claiming "it's just dinner and a party," which would understandably not be in the spirit of the couple who were celebrating their marriage.[b] Seems weird when you think of that way.[/b] Just something to think about [/quote]

Except I don't think of it that way - in the case of  gay marriage, I openly support the idea.  In the case of Christmas, it has its own meaning to me and my motivation for celebrating it means no harm to those celebrating with a different motivation. If some Christians truly resent former Christians or other non-believers from participating, perhaps they should make that clear, so non-believers will know they are not welcomed -- sort of how the Catholic church makes it clear that only catholics in good standing can receive communion during a wedding mass, where non-catholics who don't know the rules might be present.

a better example would be if I crashed a conservative political reception and partook of all their food and drink, then disparaged the people there later to my liberal friends.[/quote]

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