Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Claudia Dunham on December 4, 2012 at 2:15pm

Ha ha! I like that. :)

Yeah, what is the "reason for the season" supposed to be anyway? I don't get it. Jesus I 'spose, right?

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Permalink Reply by Claudia Dunham on December 4, 2012 at 2:22pm

Actually that would make a great Xmas-time atheist billboard. It would really piss people off.

That reminds me I recently watched a Rebecca Watson video on Youtube called "How to ruin Christmas," and she towards the end plays a preview for a horrible straight-to-DVD movie where a town is fighting over keeping Christ in Xmas and they get mad because someone replaces a banner in town that said "Merry Christmas" with one that said "Season's Greetings."  OMG that is soooo offensive! The movie looks hilariously bad.

I hate when friends get annoyed with me for saying "Happy Holidays" to store clerks when I'm actually out shopping during Xmas (something I loathe). I absolutely refuse to say "Merry Christmas." Even if there is a very big group of secular Christmas celebraters, I just like to assert that it's not universally celebrated!!!

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Permalink Reply by Lillie on December 4, 2012 at 3:02pm

No one seems to question that I don't decorate for Christmas anymore.  Apparently many do not because it is so much trouble and overdone.  I prefer the Happy Holidays because America is a melting pot with many different religions.  Businesses cannot afford to show less respect for one over another and everyone knows this.

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Permalink Reply by Steph S. on December 4, 2012 at 4:34pm

Oh I agree Lillie. I just don't have the time to decorate the house for xmas. Plus I feel no real need to. 

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Permalink Reply by Earther on December 4, 2012 at 3:30pm

When I was asked if I was going to our employee holiday party this year by a teacher I replied no.  She almost immediately went into "don't you like the people here?...I like this school....I care about people here", so I replied "do you"?  and ...thats good.  I also said I am not into the whole christmas thing.  She said "I am, I'm all about it". I said "okay". 

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Permalink Reply by Earther on December 4, 2012 at 3:53pm

I would also like to respond to being against Christmas or religion.  It is a difficult question in that we are all individuals who have every right to be self guided to what belief you may want to believe.  At the same time we are all dependant upon each other for our very own survival whether you want to admit it or not.  That being said I feel perplexed in the fact that I do not want people who I depend on be obscured by religion.   Even though I have no power to change a person's belief without their consent I feel liketheir belief of religion puts my survival at somewhat a disadvantage.  You may ask how? Well, my first example would be pure social prejudice prevents me having the same opportunity others may have.  Since religion is compellingly obvious and dominant around the world to most people, finding ways to be profitable in life can be very very tough for the average atheist.

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Permalink Reply by dr kellie on December 4, 2012 at 4:03pm

This is a great topic.  One of my favorite things about being an "out" atheist is that I don't even get asked if I want to go to a xmas eve service.  Awesome!

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Permalink Reply by Earther on December 4, 2012 at 4:10pm

I think they know I am atheist also but it doesn't seem to matter to them if it allows them a way to undermine me.

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Permalink Reply by Steph S. on December 4, 2012 at 4:34pm

Earther, that might be what is happening here. I'm not really sure. 

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Permalink Reply by Earther on December 4, 2012 at 5:03pm

It is difficult to find out.  No one really wants to take the blame for starting a war or fight or antisocial behavior unless they just don't care.  My school has a holiday party and my boss has a gift give away during this time of year.  I decided to not go to either this year.  I have gone before and thought I would just be polite and social.  I no longer feel I can do that and feel okay with it.  I decided that I just won't go.  My explanation to my friendly collegues will be that I am not trying to make them feel like they are doing something wrong but this is just my choice and I choose not to go.  To me you just cannot take the religion out of an employee holiday party and gift giving.  I know what it really is and I just cannot do it anymore. 

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Permalink Reply by Sentient Biped on December 4, 2012 at 5:30pm

I'm a quiet, reserved person.  Christmas is the opposite of that.  I like to think of my home as my refuge.  With all of the craziness about christmas, crowds, marketing, inescapable muzak, bellringers, traffic, I want my house to be a peaceful, relaxing place where I can forget all of that. Plus, with decorations up everywhere we go, we don't have to put them up at home too.  We can just go to the grocery store, and enjoy what they have put up.

I use that word "enjoy" advisedly.  I hate it.  But I don't want to argue with anyone about it either.

It's true, we may like to bring reminders of seasonality into our homes.  In Spring, we may bring in daffodil and forsythia branches to celebrate..  In Summer, we may have a bowl of fresh fruit, tomatoes, or flowers.  In fall, we may like having colorful leaves and pumpkins on the table.  In the same way, we may want to acknowledge the Solstice, when our ancestors worried about loss of sun, and warmth, and food, and comfort, and we are so fortunate with those.  For me, that usually means baking - bread, or pumpkin pie, or sweet potato pie, or something else.  It warms the house, the smells bring back some good memories.  It has nothing to do with chrismas, or my reaction to christmas.

If someone asked me about decorating, I hope I tell them some of this.  Thanks for the opportunity to think about it, in case someone does.

They decorate at work.  I try to ignore it.  If someone asks, I can say, the decorations are everywhere.  So I don't have to put them up at home.

Even then Pope acknowledges that christmas is not the anniversary of Jesus's birth.  Jesus never declared that there should be a pagan holiday marking his birthday, and neither did Paul or any of his followers in the New Testament.  Jesus preached against open displays of prayer.   He preached against church-based money changers.  He would not have approved of christmas.  Since Christmas is not the anniversary of Jesus birth, even to christians, celebrating it would be like honoring 9/11 on March 30th.  If someone doesn't know the real date (hard to know since there probably wasn't a Jesus as described in the Bible), picking Dec 25th is silly.  Other gods were also "born" on that date.

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Permalink Reply by Steph S. on December 5, 2012 at 5:58am

Thank you Sentient for sharing your story.

I am also quiet and reserved. 

I don't need the decor here - like you say - I can go outside and see it.

My neighbors on the corner have a small "trail of lights" display with singing air floats and everything.

They went all out on lights and balloons and everything!

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