Atheists who celebrate X-mas

[Alexander Cron]

Successful troll was successful.

 

[Baneat]

It's about buying shit not Christ.

Awesome.

 

[XT inc]

Pssh There's a reason it's called Xmas Because we took the Christ out of it a loooong time ago.

 

[Skjalg Kreutzer]

I can count all the people I know who see themselves as christians on one hand. Everybody I know celebrates christmas. I even have a muslim friend who celebrates it.

Of course, practically everyone in norway is secularized if not atheist, and I fail to see what the big deal is anyway. Isnt religion supposed to be something personal?

 

[AgDr_ODST]

I honestly think that any Atheist who celebrates Christmas as X-mas is being a little pretentious...especially if its because Christians(myself included) remember and celebrate the day as the one on which Jesus was born.

 

[boradis]

They absolutely should. Like it or not, Christmas is now a secular holiday.

Always has been.

Sure, it has religious roots,

But not in your religion. Seasonal celebrations predate Christianity, Judaism and even their precursor of Zoroastrianism. People in the temperate regions and further north are naturally huddled together at this time of year because of the weather and have very little to do. Hence the partying.

but opening presents around a tree and eating dinner with your relatives is a tradition so far removed from those roots

That is the root. When the church was converting the people of Europe by hook or by crook they couldn't get the people to just give up their yearly festivals -- so they rebranded them.

you might as well call it something else.

Solstice, Saturnalia, whatever. I say "Christmas" for the same reason I use phrases like "Oh my god" to express surprise -- for better or worse it's part of the language.

Same thing with Valentine's Day,

Hardly. Valentine's Day is a mere 1,500 years old, while solstice celebrations are older than recorded history (which is about 5,000 years).

that was originally a religious holiday, but now its an excuse for Hallmark to peddle disgustingly mushy greeting cards and chocolate.

It was originally a strictly Catholic holiday.

 

[Jumpingbean3]

I don't really believe any winter holiday was based around a belief system (at least not for the most part). I believe that winter holidays are about taking what should be the worst time of the year and making a few days of it into one of the best times of the year.

 

[boradis]

I honestly think that any Athiest who celebrates Christmas as X-mas is being a little pretentious...especially if its because Christians(myself included) remember and celebrate the day as the one on which Jesus was born.

Pretentious:
adjective

attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed

 

[Skjalg Kreutzer]

I honestly think that any Atheist who celebrates Christmas as X-mas is being a little pretentious.

I couldn't agree more. The whole X-mas thing is just stupid. Said the atheist.

 

[Charli]

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?

Done and Done. Sorry but If you want to renamed it back to something not called Christmas we're all up for that, otherwise shut up and be merry.

 

[rockera]

well according to the bible Jesus was born on the 25 November but quite a few studies all put his birth in all different dates so I can either believe people who wrote a book about an all powerful and supernatural and conveniently invisible being or scientists. so I don't celebrated Christmas for Jesus's birth, more for saint nick's spirit of giving and carrying it on.

 

[Jumpingbean3]

I honestly think that any Atheist who celebrates Christmas as X-mas is being a little pretentious...especially if its because Christians(myself included) remember and celebrate the day as the one on which Jesus was born.

X was once used by Christians as a symbol of Christ so calling it Xmas doesn't really remove the Christian part at all. Also, just so noone gets on my case about this I prefer to call it Christmas as opposed to Xmas because Xmas just sounds tacky.

 

[interspark]

its already been said, but christmas didnt start with jesus or christianity or indeed anything that affects modern day life, today we have given it a meaning of our own and use it as an excuse to promote togetherness and joy

 

[Grimlock Fett]

I'm agnostic. And I'll "celebrate" Xmas all I bloody well want! I mean, WHOS GONNA STOP ME???
*Peers towards the sky questioningly*

I don't really go for the whole "traditional" Christmas with carol singing and midnight mass or what ever these people do for fun but its a nice chance to spend some time with your family eating lots of food and being nice to each other! Yeah we could do this any time but then it wouldn't be special!! And families drive you crazy!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[the7ofswords]

I honestly think that any Atheist who celebrates Christmas as X-mas is being a little pretentious...especially if its because Christians(myself included) remember and celebrate the day as the one on which Jesus was born.

Umm ... no he wasn't. (As has been mentioned previously in this thread.)

Also, you might want to look up the word "pretentious" as I don't think it means what you seem to think it means.

Enjoy your holiday, in any case!

 

[interspark]

I honestly think that any Atheist who celebrates Christmas as X-mas is being a little pretentious...especially if its because Christians(myself included) remember and celebrate the day as the one on which Jesus was born.

X was once used by Christians as a symbol of Christ so calling it Xmas doesn't really remove the Christian part at all. Also, just so noone gets on my case about this I prefer to call it Christmas as opposed to Xmas because Xmas just sounds tacky.

i know, i mean, it's a festive season that comes but once a year, the extra 5 letters wont kill you

 

[TheNewDemoman]

Why is there always a debate who started Christmas, or Easter?

Does it really matter, go buy some presents and be with family. And if you believe is Christ, celebrate the birth of him.

 

[CloakedOne]

I am an atheist and I celebrate Christmas. I used to be a Christian and I used to get mad at atheists who celebrated it, but now I understand why we do: it's not about Christ as much, really, it's about togetherness, family, and the joy of giving that surpasses the joy of receiving. I actually feel bad that I ever felt such intolerance about such a wonderful time of the year and I agree completely: it's about "happy holidays," the reason for all of these cultures that agree that the winter months are a time of celebration and togetherness.

 

[Blind Sight]

I'll note that Jesus wasn't born on Christmas, but I assume that many other people have stated that. The Bible is inconsistant in the Nativity, it wouldn't make sense that the shepherds would have their flocks out grazing on such a cold time of year at night, it's much more likely that Jesus (if he was actually a historical figure, more on that later) was born in the spring. Also, events such as Caesar calling a census and Herod killing the first borns are nowhere in Roman or Jewish texts from the time, so there's another historical issue with the Nativity scene. Jesus is referenced by Josephus and Suetonius in their works, but both of those men were basing it off of second hand accounts hundreds of years after his death. I think you should add another question: "why do we celebrite Christmas at this time of year despite the evidence that suggests that Jesus was not born at this time and might have not even been a historical figure?" The answer: December 25th is the birthday of several pagan gods and is the date of the feast of Saturnalia. So I think it's just as silly that Christians celebrite this day as atheists do.