Atheists who celebrate X-mas

[akibawall95]

I think Christmas is no longer just a religious holiday. I believe in god but I know several atheists who celebrate Christmas and some of my Christian friends (but not all of) do not think they should be celebrating if they do not believe in Christ. I believe it has gone past that to just a holiday to come together and show each other we care.

Edit: If you read what I said: I think atheists should, do and can celebrate Chirstams.

 

[Sightless Wisdom]

Christmas has nothing to do with Christianity, never did. The pagans made it an the Christans stole and renamed it. Now it's a commercial holiday celebrated by most people regardless of religion. People like getting gifts and spending money, why not celebrate it?

 

[Godhead]

I'm an atheist and I celebrate Christmas because of the idea that it brings of togetherness, unity, and unconditional love for at least a day. AND THE PRESENTS!!

 

[ilspooner]

I am an atheist, and I still have christmas. It brings the family together for a day, where we can all laugh, have fun, and eat good food. And presents. I love presents.

 

[Drakane]

note how you refereed to it as x-mas, and everyone knows what you mean, that kind of says your right.

/cynical remarks... Christmas is no longer about Christ it is about buying shit. If it was still about Christ and Christianity why do I start getting told to buy shit for it at Holloween (might not be the best example since it could be to counteract the evil of that holiday but you know) at least wait tell Thanksgiving (at least in the states) until you tell me I should be racking up a fuck load of debt to show how much I love/like my friends and family... =/cynical remarks off

out of curiosity... did you mean to post a conversation point to your post or just stating your opinion?

 

[Nimcha]

Christmas hasn't been a Christian holiday anymore for a long time in my country. It is also not about buying stuff as we already do that earlier in the month. So only the family stuff remains :3

 

[TheYellowCellPhone]

I like how The Grinch said it: it's been commercialized.

It's not much about the Christian backstory, it's now a holiday of giving and being with each other.

 

[CK76]

It really is selfish how people want to spend time with family, give gifts and just be pleasant while not believing in supernatural beings.

 

[ioxles]

The celebration of christmas in it's proper form, the worship of Christ and his birth, has only every constituted of one thing; going to church on christmas eve (and on christmas day) to pray and celebrate the birth of the human god.

Everything else done is not strictly Christmas, but tradition. That is saying nothing of course about the origins of these traditions but they are no way and in no part a religious celebration.

Saint Nicholas is a Christian Saint, of East European (german?) origin, coloured by Coca Cola and dumped in the North Pole.

 

[Nocturnal Gentleman]

It's a big ball of commercialized joy!

I buy things for no one, and I still get shit! People hatred of me grows every year, and I love every second of it!

What? People still get you presents when you pretty much ignore them? How does that work?

 

[Worgen]

xmas was never really a christian holiday, in fact celebration at this time of year has been from everything from celebrating the solstice to the birth of a sun god to just having a bunch of food around and deciding to have a week long party, it only become a christian thing a few hundred years ago when ppl felt guilty for having a celebration without a religious reason and got the church to add one too it

 

[zehydra]

It's a Christian holiday. Regardless of what it was in the past, it currently is a Christian holiday (over-commercialized, definitely!) The thing that I don't get is why Atheists celebrate "Christ's mass" instead of say, the solstice or some other secular reason around the same time. Even Santa Claus is based off of the patron saint of Charity.

 

[zehydra]

The celebration of christmas in it's proper form, the worship of Christ and his birth, has only every constituted of one thing; going to church on christmas eve (and on christmas day) to pray and celebrate the birth of the human god.

Everything else done is not strictly Christmas, but tradition. That is saying nothing of course about the origins of these traditions but they are no way and in no part a religious celebration.

Saint Nicholas is a Christian Saint, of East European (german?) origin, coloured by Coca Cola and dumped in the North Pole.

He was red because he held a position in the Catholic Church which wore red garments.

 

[CrustyOatmeal]

i see it more as a holiday to celebrate family, friends, and the spirit of giving (not receiving) and i embrace it all. i actually have more fun getting the perfect gift for a family member and rapping it than i do receiving gifts. i see it as a holiday spent thanking everybody for everything they have done for you and your loved ones

 

[Nimcha]

The celebration of christmas in it's proper form, the worship of Christ and his birth, has only every constituted of one thing; going to church on christmas eve (and on christmas day) to pray and celebrate the birth of the human god.

Everything else done is not strictly Christmas, but tradition. That is saying nothing of course about the origins of these traditions but they are no way and in no part a religious celebration.

Saint Nicholas is a Christian Saint, of East European (german?) origin, coloured by Coca Cola and dumped in the North Pole.

He was actually of Turkish origin.

 

[EboMan7x]

I am an Atheist in belief, by culture and heritage I am Jewish, and I celebrate Christmas for the following reasons. 1: Its fucking fun. 2: ITS FUCKING FUN.

 

[soren7550]

I'm an atheist and I celebrate Christmas because of the idea that it brings of togetherness, unity, and unconditional love for at least a day. AND THE PRESENTS!!

^^

That and most everyone I know celebrates it, including my Hindu sis-in-law.

 

[NaramSuen]

Since Christmas is a human construct, I see no reason why atheists, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, or whoever couldn't also celebrate. The festival has pre-Christian origins in the festival of Saturnalia and many of the symbols of Christmas are pagan in origin, e.g. Christmas tree and Christmas lights. Christmas, like all human holidays is created and shouldn't exclude anyone who wants to participate. When you say that Christmas has gotten past Christ, you should actually be saying that it has gone back to the past before Christ.