First, relax. When your first kid is a baby, you can get into a panic wondering how to respond when they ask about sex, religion, drugs, etc. In my experience, they don’t ask in a confrontational, “tell me all about this topic” way. Things come up in dribs and drabs, and you answer at a level they can understand at the time, then they forget some of it and ask again, or circumstances occur that call for elaboration. You never have to sit your kid down for The Talk about any subject, if you respond to them naturally and openly as they mature.
My five year old still doesn’t have any concept that there are Christians and atheists. She knows that some people go to church and others don’t. She knows that at preschool they liked to sing songs before snack time (grace), but at kindergarten and home we don’t. She doesn’t connect these ideas or ask about them yet.
She has known Christmas as a fun holiday for feasting, family, and presents. I finally decided she needed a bit more education on the background due to some decorations in our neighborhood. One neighbor had a tacky plastic, light up nativity, including Mary in her traditional blue robe and head scarf. As we drove by, Chloe got all excited and said, “Look! It’s Cinderella when she got married!” In the interest of cultural literacy I wrote her her own book about the story of baby Jesus, from a neutral standpoint much like what Dangerosa describes. We also have a book about solstice celebrations through the ages, called The Shortest Day. I think she will glide into greater understanding of the topics pretty easily, without me having to explain our “hypocrisy.”
I know I’m probably being hyper-concerned about something that may never come up, but I just chalk it up to being a new parent, and the realization that I must live my life with someone else in mind, for a change.:o
I don’t remember ever having a big “why do we celebrate Christmas” conversation with my daughter. She’s always known the religious significance of Christmas for some people, but among *our *people, it’s a cultural thing. Why *wouldn’t *we? It’s fun!
This reads like a Jack Chick tract. I can assure you that this question will never be asked. I think it’s far more likely that a religious child would ask their parents what Santa has to do with Jesus.
We celebrate Christmas because it’s fun. We celebrate Christmas because it’s a time of year when our entire, work-work-work oriented society agrees to slow down a little and enjoy family and friends and good times. We celebrate Christmas because it’s a time to pamper the children in the family. It’s a blast.
I don’t believe in demons we we celebrate Halloween. It’s fun. I don’t believe a guy names Jesus rose from the dead but we celebrate Easter. It’s fun. Don’t need any more reason.
These holidays are so ubiquitous that I doubt the conversation will arise very early.
In what way, and for what reason, do you plan on telling your children that you are an atheist? I didn’t know my parents were atheists until my late teens when I decided I was, and I kind of figured it out. I liked it that way. It allowed me to explore religion on my own - and I did, for years; I went to different churches, took bible class in school, read a lot, etc. - and eventually decide for myself that it wasn’t for me.
Giraffe, how you can make such assurances without the benefit of time travel is beyond me. You don’t know what the future holds anymore than anyone else. I, on the other hand, can assure you that this is not some Jack Chick tract. Hell, until I just googled him, I didn’t even know who he was.
And while I agree that it may, and probably, will never come up, I’d like to know that under scrutiny, espescially from my own child, I would not be exposed as a hypocrite.
I plan on telling my child I’m an atheist if he asks. I don’t intend to guide him away from organized religion, just to make an informed choice for himself.
I’ve had brief moments of genuine confusion when Jewish friends remind me of their faith when I ask them about Christmas. In my mind, Christmas is a fun holiday all about celebrating Santa Claus, decorated pine trees in your house, and cookies. I don’t get why anyone would choose to celebrate or not celebrate Christmas just because they do or do not worship a particular god. It’s not about god, it’s about Santa, damn it. I mean, I realize the reason is that Christians are trying to make Christmas about Jesus again, but I think everyone should ignore them and make it all about Santa.
Are you a hypocrite? I’d assume you are not, and therefore you can explain to your child why you choose to celebrate Christmas in a secular fashion.
Its fun. Its a time of year when families come together. Its a tradition for our households. Whatever the reason is that you do choose to celebrate Christmas, you can explain that to your children in an age appropriate manner.
(Why do Christians exchange gifts on “Jesus’ birthday?” It isn’t their birthdays. Why do we exchange gifts on birthdays? Some things are just traditional. Looking for a logical reason why you give someone a Christmas or birthday gift other than tradition…I think you are asking a lot.)
With your son being 14 months old, I think you’re safe from this question for well over a decade. Organized religion is not a natural part of people’s lives. Unless you make a big deal out of [your lack of] religion, it will be a long time before the concept of atheism even occurs to him.
That and the fact that he was born after the census. Romans didn’t take a census during the middle of winter (in fact no culture in their right mind ever took a census in the middle of winter, there’d be no point). The basic idea was that it was winter, it was cold, people were hungry and not very happy. What better time to throw a big party, share what you have, and get liquored up? The Christians didn’t “steal” the idea so much as adopt it, because we all need something to do during the winter, Christians included, and any excuse for a party is good enough.
I was raised Jewish, but my dad always told us he was an “orthodox indifferentist” and he only celebrated holidays that involved food and booze, which just so happens to be ALL Jewish holidays
As an atheist, do yo you feel weird talking to men named Christopher? Women named Christine?
You’re thinking about it too much.
I’m Jewish, and I celebrate Christmas. While it may have religious significance for some people, it is also an American secular holiday.
My kids were pretty aware of the difference between their religious lives and those of their friends around four. It was the Christmas pageants at church that did them in - their friends were in plays where they got to be shepherds and angels.
The way you pose these questions makes it highly unlikely you’re actually an atheist, but pretending that you are for the sake of argument: your beliefs are your beliefs. If you don’t believe in God, but have traditionally always celebrated Christmas…well, there you go. Things evolve past their original purposes. Is it possible to celebrate Christmas without believing in God or Jesus? You tell me. How did you do it? That’s how you do it.
So I’m a atheist poseur then? Lol. Or perhaps I believe in a higher being, but am not aware of it? And I’ve been secretly worshipping when I’m not looking?
What exactly are you accusing me of? Deception or ignorance?
If it’s alright with you, I’d like to elaborate a little more than
“If you don’t believe in God, but have traditionally always celebrated Christmas…well, there you go. Things evolve past their original purposes. Is it possible to celebrate Christmas without believing in God or Jesus? You tell me. How did you do it? That’s how you do it”
if the question ever comes up. And many people here have offered reasonable answers.
