Anonymous wrote:

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?

We celebrate Christmas as the season of giving.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure what posts you are talking about. But my family is Muslim and we had a fantastic Christmas. My kids were thrilled. As were my Hindu friends' kids. We all met up later in the day for a play date. Great day.

So you were celebrating the birth of your savior Jesus Christ? I didn't realize Muslims and Hindus did that. Interesting.

Not sure about Hindu but do you know that Muslims believe Jesus is a messenger of God? The study his word in the Quran. Why wouldn't they celebrate him?

They thought he was a prophet. I just wasn't aware they celebrated the births of all the prophets with such fanfare.

Affection = education

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. Just like I don't find it odd the Christians spend all their advent "preparing" for a gluttonous Christmas instead of fasting and repenting.

Repenf from what? You are a jerk.

It's kind of a dumb comment.

Easter is the season for repentance.

Christmas is the season for hope.

Maybe you need a little more Religious affectation. While it has been relaxed, it is a time to fast and prepare forthe coming of The Lord.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advent

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.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did. I'm just a normal Methodist, not even evangelical or anything. But I find it very odd and confusing. And a little bewildered when people insist it's a "cultural" holiday (but then turn around and insist this is not a Christian nation).

But whatever. If you ask them what they're celebrating, they'll say "the joys of family" or whatever. Why they can't just have themselves a family reunion in the summer or take Thanksgiving as an opportunity to do these things, I don't know.

The partaking of all the rituals and symbolism of Christmas while insisting you're not "Christian" is really strange to me.

I find this to be so dog-in-manger and selfish and not Christian that I just want to start laughing. Do you seriously resent the presence of non-Christians at a Christian holiday? Do you think Jesus would resent them or turn them away? Didn't he welcome everyone, including tax collectors and prostitutes?

On the contrary, everyone is welcome at the Lord's table. So, you'll be in church next week, right?

I assume you're a Christian. A non-Christian wouldn't presume to speak for Jesus.

Nope. I am the atheist who posted earlier. I was raised Christian, though, and have had plenty of religious education. I'm not speaking for Jesus. I am holding Christians to what they profess to believe, though.

One of the reasons I left the Church was because Christians don't practice what they preach.

I practice what I preach. You are very welcome at our church on Sunday. Everyone is welcome at the Lord's table for communion.

The question was asked whether anyone finds it odd that non-Christians would celebrate Christmas. I answered in the affirmative. It does seem inconsistent to me to declare one's self to be an atheist but then to partake in celebrating the second-most holy of days in the Christian faith.

You also seem to be very preoccupied with religion. In that spirit, again, you are welcome at my church next Sunday. I attend the United Church of Christ in Arlington on Little Falls Road. Please come.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure what posts you are talking about. But my family is Muslim and we had a fantastic Christmas. My kids were thrilled. As were my Hindu friends' kids. We all met up later in the day for a play date. Great day.

So you were celebrating the birth of your savior Jesus Christ? I didn't realize Muslims and Hindus did that. Interesting.

Not sure about Hindu but do you know that Muslims believe Jesus is a messenger of God? The study his word in the Quran. Why wouldn't they celebrate him?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. Just like I don't find it odd the Christians spend all their advent "preparing" for a gluttonous Christmas instead of fasting and repenting.

Repenf from what? You are a jerk.

Don't get upset and call him/her names. Everyone is a sinner and could repent. A better response would be though-- oh, so you choose the tree and the meal and the gifts part of Christmas and not the fasting and repenting. That's convenient.

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?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. Just like I don't find it odd the Christians spend all their advent "preparing" for a gluttonous Christmas instead of fasting and repenting.

Repenf from what? You are a jerk.

It's kind of a dumb comment.

Easter is the season for repentance.

Christmas is the season for hope.

All my Hindu friends do Christmas.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I find it weird that Pope Francise calls Atheists and Catholics us to work together for peace but you insult their family traditions.

I'm the PP. I'm not Catholic. While I have heard a lot from Pope Francis that I admire, he doesn't speak for me.

I'm impressed, however, that you're paying attention to what he has to say as well. I trust this means we'll see you in church soon, since you'll be reentering the fold.

Or, are you going to cherry pick what you like from his words the way you cherry pick what you like from our faith?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure what posts you are talking about. But my family is Muslim and we had a fantastic Christmas. My kids were thrilled. As were my Hindu friends' kids. We all met up later in the day for a play date. Great day.

So you were celebrating the birth of your savior Jesus Christ? I didn't realize Muslims and Hindus did that. Interesting.

Do you any friends of different faiths?

I have Jewish and Muslim friends, yes, and none of them celebrated Christmas.

Ask your Muslim friends about Jesus the Messiah.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did. I'm just a normal Methodist, not even evangelical or anything. But I find it very odd and confusing. And a little bewildered when people insist it's a "cultural" holiday (but then turn around and insist this is not a Christian nation).

But whatever. If you ask them what they're celebrating, they'll say "the joys of family" or whatever. Why they can't just have themselves a family reunion in the summer or take Thanksgiving as an opportunity to do these things, I don't know.

The partaking of all the rituals and symbolism of Christmas while insisting you're not "Christian" is really strange to me.

I find this to be so dog-in-manger and selfish and not Christian that I just want to start laughing. Do you seriously resent the presence of non-Christians at a Christian holiday? Do you think Jesus would resent them or turn them away? Didn't he welcome everyone, including tax collectors and prostitutes?

On the contrary, everyone is welcome at the Lord's table. So, you'll be in church next week, right?

I assume you're a Christian. A non-Christian wouldn't presume to speak for Jesus.

Nope. I am the atheist who posted earlier. I was raised Christian, though, and have had plenty of religious education. I'm not speaking for Jesus. I am holding Christians to what they profess to believe, though.

One of the reasons I left the Church was because Christians don't practice what they preach.