American media & businesses say, "Jesus Who?"

The BBQ Pit
121

So the holiday season* is a bit too secular for your taste. Frankly, I don’t give a shit if you’re bothered by it. As others have said, some of us who are of other beliefs than Christianity would appreciate not being prosletyzed to for two months straight when the holiday is officially only two days long for most people. (Yes, I do realize there are exceptions to that length. A lot of people count it as twelve days, and, in the country of origin where my mother comes from, it’s celebrated all through December… then again, it’s more of a winter festival type thing there than it is about the birth of Christ.) I don’t care if people wish me a merry Christmas, happy Chanukkah, happy Kwanzaa, merry Saturnalia, or a happy Solstice. They have the right to celebrate however they want, but I’d rather not be subjected to a winter season that’s decidedly dominated by one religious celebration in a manner that pushes others to go along with it, even if it’s not their belief. I’m not Christian, and therefore do not feel the need to have Christmas shoved down my throat. I personally do not care to celebrate a holiday that’s both historically inaccurate and part of a dogma that I don’t have any belief in.

Individuality and the right to be an individual are of importance in today’s American society. A large enough portion of the country does not celebrate Christmas and doesn’t feel the need to hear Christmas carols blaring from every department store speaker in the county for three months straight, complete with dancing snowmen and Santas, cheesy plastic nativity scenes, and tinsel and snowflakes littered all over the merchandise. (By January 1st, I’d rather see dancing Hitlers and plastic replicas of the gas chamber for sale in the stores than all those stupid displays.**) Those who don’t celebrate Christmas have a right to not be bombarded by it, and, although Christianity is one of the most significant religious umbrellas in America, it is not the state religion, nor is any one sect of it the dominant religion of the nation.

[sub]*(yeah, there are multiple holidays all clumped together as you’ve pointed out. Even if they’re not the pinnacle of the religion or system doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be acknowledged. By the way, isn’t Easter supposed to be a bit more important than Christmas in the Christian religion? After all, being born isn’t as special as rising from the dead.)
**No offense, but after seeing one too many ridiculous sets of merchandise for two to three months, I find it just as annoying.[/sub]

122

Heck with that, I’ll put the Christ back in Christmas when you put the “esda” back in Tuesday.

And so SpazCat struts off, confident that she and only she will get the reference to Doug Robarchek.

123

Hmmmm…and what do we classify “All y’all*” as?
FB

*as in “All y’all come on over for some pie”

124

See, the way I look at it is, if someone wishes you a Merry Christmas or Blessed Solstice, I take that as to have a good day on the day that Christmas or the Solstice is celebrated. There-no harm, no foul.

But for me, Christmas has always been a time of FAMILY. Family and friends and getting together. Just enjoying life.

And I was raised Catholic.

125

  1. Have I missed where someone explained what Festivus is about? And when it is?

  2. I personally hate the fact that everything stops on Xmas. I want my regular programs and mail!

  3. Its celebarted then to brreak up the cold crappy weather, IMHO. I’ve read Jesus was born in Sept. but you can’t get oo many folks to celebrate that month.

  4. WHY does August have no major holiday!?

126

Festivus! You have a big metal pole, air your grievances, and then perform feats of strength.

127

Almost sounds like a news conference.

128

Which holidays? Which, specifically, if you don’t mind specifying? Mind, I don’t care if you call them “holidays” and I don’t care which ones they are, and I don’t care how you celebrate them. But which ones are they, if I may be so bold?

For which holiday?

Which holiday? Forth of July? St. Patrick’s Day?

That’s fine, and I certainly wouldn’t have (when I was working at a store) wanted to say “Merry Christmas” to someone who was not celebrating Christmas. On the other hand, I have no problem saying “Merry Christmas” to someone who is wearing a Santa hat and buying “Merry Christmas” cards. I don’t think anyone has a right to tell me that I shouldn’t say this to someone else. I don’t think that I have to call gift wrap that has Santa on it (or the three Wise men, etc.) “holiday” wrap, when in fact I know of no other holiday other than Christmas that uses images of Santa or the three Wise men.

I hope you don’t mean that you’d insist that your employees say “Happy Holidays” to the lady wearing the Santa hat and buying the “Merry Christmas” cards. 'Cause that would be lame.

129

For you, vanilla

http://www.seinfeld-fan.net/festivus.php

130

Gotta love so-called intellect snobbery.

Atheists who celebrate Christmas in defence as it is “tradtion” - Let us go on your theory of it was orginally a pagan holiday. Okay, great. But by your beleifs there is no supreme being whatsoever. Pagans belived in gods. Christians beleive in God. Why are you celebrating God? Aren’t you in your mind, celebrating nothing?

You want to put me down 364 days of the year, and then want to celebrate “tradtion” with me? I realise not all atheists put christians down, but I’m looking I knew in high school, as well as another.

I’m sorry, I’m not trying to be inflammatory, but this is bull. Having cake as well as eating it too.

131

realised that could be misunderstood.

I have no problem with anyone celebrating- my problem is those who put down those whom in believe in God but what to celebrate a holiday that is centered around God by any definition.

132

Yeah, but remember-not all pagans worship multiple gods. Actually, if I’m not mistaken, the true definition of “pagan” is a religion that is outside of the Judao-Christian-Muslim trilogy.

I think it’s a habit, with people, more or less.

I guess we tend to notice the ones who are different. When I was back in high school, a really devout Catholic, it seemed like I was surrounded by atheists. Now that my beliefs are more vague, I would say, it seems everyone is a Biblical-literalist Christian. (Not anyone here specifically, I just mean in general).

133

This entire thread is fucking nonsense. Christians are saying, “It’s being stolen away from us,” and pagans are saying, “you stole it from us in the first place,” and people are blathering about “what if you lived in a Muslim country,” and yap yap yap.

Bullshit. None of you had any part in the various transitions from one tradition to another over the centuries. Nothing is being “taken away from you.” No one is harming any of you in any way, except possibly for intruding upon your precious sense of “your people” (whatever that means) being central to the history of the world, even though you have no actual personal connection to those people.

Folks, I’m an atheist living in one of the most conservative Christian large cities in the country, and I feel no pressure whatsoever to acknowledge Christmas in any way other than however the fuck I want to. I see the commercials and billboards talking about “the reason for the season” and so on, and I am perfectly comfortable with that; they can prattle on however they want, and I can do whatever I want, and Oh yeah, that’s what freedom means.

If you don’t like what’s on your TV, turn it the fuck off. If you don’t like how your neighbor spends December 25, build a fucking fence. Yes, it really is just that simple.

Bah! Humbug!

134

I know exactly what you mean-I hope you don’t think my last post was directed at you, specifically. I hate the people who go around smirking because THEY are enlightened by being an atheist and everyone else is just stupid. But they still celebrate Christmas.

It’s like, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Somehow, this thread is reminding me of the classic, “I Hate Christmas” song by one, Oscar the Grouch.

135

In that usage, FaerieBeth, the “all” is an intensifier. For instance you call your cousin and say y’all come by for a barbecue Friday, then he knows he can bring his girlfriend and their kids. If you added the “all” then that means he can haul along his girlfriend’s mother who’s livin’ with 'em and the no-count brother sleeping in the camper trailer out back. Without the “all” he wouldn’t be sure how many make up the y’all. The “all” makes it clear that the whole clan is welcomed.

136

Nonsense. As has been pointed out, the Christians hijacked a pagan celebration, and the Christmas holiday has been observed as a secular holiday for a very long time. St. Nicholas has become the secular Santa, the Christmas tree is a legacy of Germanic nature worship, and the giving of prezzies is universal.

By all means, the Xians can sing hymns and pray and fast if it makes them happy, but, and here’ the part you need to get through your skull, the Xians do not have the right to dictate how other citizens observe a civil holiday!.

Actually, I was thinking this thread was more like “I Believe in Father Christmas,” by Greg Lake (of Emerson, Lake, and Palmer).

137

Why can’t the media acknowledge that there are many other cultural celebrations in Mid-Winter? I celebrate Yule, which does not fall on December 25th. I also celebrate Christmas with family because I respect them, and this is what they do.

They (Mr. Clawbane’s family) know I do not practice Christianity, but that I don’t deny the existence of God or Christ. They respect this, and I respect them. I know it’s an important Holy Day for them, and so I observe it with them out of love and respect.

I don’t like “Giftmas” very much either, but mostly because it’s a “feeding frenzy” focused on one day. I much more prefer the idea of “Unbirthday” gifts, as well as Holiday gift giving. The giving of gifts should be “intimate” and not necessarily punctual. I fully support the idea of “just because” presents.

Little things, like bringing over a bottle of soda to a friend’s house because you know their funds are too tight to afford such a luxury, or throwing a lipstick or CD you saw them admire into the cart when you go shopping together, then slipping it on their dining table before you leave.

Or other things, like washing up the dishes without expecting thanks because you ate a meal at their house, and you know they don’t have much time for themselves. Helping out where you can see help is needed, that you know you can provide, with no expectations of thanks.

Also, the “gift” of a compliment or encouragement is priceless.

I think this attitude in the end, celebrates the ideals of the Christmas holiday, as well as the Creed (Rede) I follow.

Isn’t “Christmas” about an ideal? Isn’t it supposed to be year round, and not just thought of on a certain day? It’s about practicing the ideals that are thought about at this time of year, year round.

I know an atheist who still goes to visit his aging mother on Easter and Christmas, and who quietly attends her celebration of these Holidays because he loves her, and respects her. He’s my Father-In-Law.

People need to ease up with their yelling from behind the differing sides of “the line”. It’s not in keeping with ANY Holy Day that is celebrated at this time of year! :dubious:

138

1.) Not believing in God is not the same thing as putting down those who do.

2.) The holiday is centered around the winter solstice. It’s the time when the sun “dies” and is “reborn.” In ancient times a lot of religious significance was attached to this event but it was celebrated because it offered hope and light in the darkest part of winter.

Christmas is now celebrated in a completely secular way by millions of people. To do so is not a hypocritical slight against “God” or Christianity because the holiday has enough non-religious tradition and meaning behind it that no reference to any religious interpretation of the solstice is required to justify celebrating it.

No one is trying to stop Christians from honoring the birth of Jesus all they want but such associations are incidental to the season, not the reason for it.

139

Anybody think Belrix is coming back?

140

Frosty the Snowman
was Jesus Christ’s best friend!
He stood there melting by the cross
until the very end!

You better not shout! You better not cry!
You better not pout I’m telling you why!
Jesus Christ is coming again!

Jesus the long-haired savior
had a very shiny glow!
And if you ever saw it,
you would call it a halo!