Atheists who celebrate X-mas

[martyrdrebel27]

all you need to do to disprove christ, christmas,and christianity google saturnalia

Uhh, that's either one of the most ignorant statements on theology I've ever read, or you're trolling.
I honestly hope it's the latter.

For the record: Yes, Christmas was originally a pagan holiday.
And yes, Christianity, for all intents and purposes, took it over and made it into the celebration of Christ's birth.
Niether of those things 'disproves' Christ, Christmas, or Christianity.

I think it's hilarious when both conservative Christians and overly overt atheists bash heads over Christmas. Both need to realize that the exact date of Christ's birth isn't the issue. Even if Jesus was born in, say, June, who cares? The date isn't important, the event is. We celebrate is on Dec 25th. Get over it.

And another thing: The term Xmas. Who else here realizes that this started with the church? It's not removing 'Christ' from Christmas at all. The first book printed by the printing press was, you guessed it, the Bible and Christian literature. And the old printing presses were a very long, time consuming process. So rather then write out 'Christianity', the wrote 'Xianity', since the word 'Christ' in original Greek started with an X. It still means 'Christ', and it's still pronounced 'Christmas'. It was there to save space on paper, not remove Christ.

But Christmas is also a wonderful generic holiday for those who aren't Christian, because the holiday also promotes family, giving, selflessness, community, and just being happy. So you certainly don't have to be Christian to enjoy the holiday, and who cares that it was once a pagan holiday. If you want to celebrate it that way, knock yourself out. I'm celebrating the birth of Jesus with my family and friends.

Everyone just needs to get over it and enjoy the holiday.
Merry Christmas!

its not trolling if you're trying to inspire and observe the actions and thoughts of others is it? i was going for the lyrical equivalent of throwing a chair ("i'm mad!" christmas cookie for whoever knows what i'm referencing). but anyways, in my defense i do want to acknowledge that i'm well aware that disputing the exact date of the birthday of a man born 2000 years ago doesn't negate an entire faith, but the manipulation and politics behind why the holiday was chosen for that date should be considered when you're expected to place absolute faith in what they are saying is true. if they would lie about the date of their savior (which seems very disrespectful to be doing to the apparent son of god...) just to make converting others easier, whats to stop them from lying about any of it?

 

[the7ofswords]

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.

Umm ... no. Go look at your Bible. Seriously. Now show me where the date is given.

It amazes me what people seem to think is in the Bible. How can you call this your holy book, and still be so ignorant about what's actually written in it?

 

[ImprovizoR]

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 other Christian friends 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.

Of course we can. That's because Christians stole the holiday for themselves. A winter holiday always existed. Then The Christians came along and renamed the beautiful holiday called Saturnalia into Christmas. A little known fact is that Jesus was born in June 17th. So thank you very much, but I don't need anyone's approval to celebrate something that existed hundreds of years before Christ. Call it what you want, for me it's just a winter holiday.

 

[SturmDolch]

For me, it's not Christian anymore because I'm not a Christian. But at the same time, it's not all about presents because I'm not a greedy ass.

To me, Christmas is a great time to be with family, eat a ton of things that you don't at any other time of the year, and buy or make gifts for family. I also love the music, the decorations, and the overall atmosphere of Christmas.

I don't mind the Christ part of it. Just like I'm not against Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. Santa Clause is Coming to Town and Mary's Boy Child Jesus Christ are both about great fairy tales to me. To others, it isn't, and more power to them. Christmas isn't just a Christian holiday. It's a European holiday and tradition. What's more strange is the non-European non-Christians that are starting to celebrate it, but why keep people from having a good time?

What annoys me is the people that think Christmas should only be celebrated in private. Like someone I know's boss. Their company had Christmas paintings on their windows. But the boss, who is Jewish, took massive offence to it and had it removed. Another time, someone was decorating offices, and she put a Christmas bow on the boss's door. She got a good talking to by the boss for that one.

 

[Jumpingbean3]

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

It's happened before. For those who don't know there was once a Celtic holiday called Samhain where, as far as I know, the people would stockpile food for the winter. The American commercialised it, changed the message and today it's known as Halloween.

 

[ShadowsofHope]

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.

..You do know what the word "pretentious" means, right? Apparently not, because you would have to switch the word "Atheist" with "Christian" to make that sentence work. And historically speaking, Jesus (as he is known by historians, not the average Christian) was born somewhere between April and July, not December. So it is entirely historically inaccurate for Christmas to be on December 25, other than for the fact to point out that early Catholicism and Christianity used it's political and cultural power to manipulate the Winter Solstice in order to subtly convert more Pagans to Christianity, which is where the Christmas holiday was eventually bred from. Christian symbolism, and Pagan festive design.

OT: I celebrate the commercialized version of Christmas, myself. As in, the entirely non-Christian festive side of the holidays. And I celebrate it to spend time with family, enjoy myself, and get a little something from each other to show our love for one another (mostly). Any Christians whom believe I shouldn't celebrate a holiday in which they claim it to be "special" or "unique" to Christians alone can quite frankly just stuff it up their ass and leave me to do with my life as I please over the holidays.

Oh, and go and read a proper history book, at that.

 

[Sunstrike]

Regardless of christmas being a religious holiday or not, the actual day december 25th is a civic holiday in many countries. If you live in such a country and you are not christian, than you are not obligated to follow the rules of Christianity and can celebrate the civic holiday december 25th in any which way you want. Be that through the exchanging of gifts, family get toghehters, or playing video games, if you not christian it's your own day off the do what you want.

 

[Jacob Iott]

Personally, I don't think Christmas is really about Christ to most people anymore. But that's okay. Easter is much more important to me. It is still somewhat tainted with commercialism, but not to the extent that Christmas is. God made Christmas to distract Wal*Mart so that they wouldn't ruin Jesus' Resurrection.

 

[Jacob Iott]

Personally, I don't think Christmas is really about Christ to most people anymore. But that's okay. Easter is much more important to me. It is still somewhat tainted with commercialism, but not to the extent that Christmas is. God made Christmas to distract Wal*Mart so that they wouldn't ruin Jesus' Resurrection.

 

[nomis101uk]

*sigh* Only in the United States of Jesus, is the issue of atheists and Christmas ever considered an issue.

And notice how you said atheists. Why not generally non-Christians or non-believers? After all surely the question applies equally to agnostics and deists? Hell I even know some muslims and hindus who send out Christmas cards! But no, of course, its these atheists who are like Grinches who want to take away Christmas and ban God right?

I know the OP is not a bigot, but you really should ask yourself why you phrased the question the way you did. My guess is you probably never even gave it any thought; "atheists" just popped into your head because that's who the folks at Fox News always focus on and so that's the group that automatically springs to mind when you think of this issue, regardless of what you think of Fox. Like when you think 'gays in the military' you automatically think gay men. When you think 'terrorist', you automatically think muslim etc.

I didn't take offence at this post or anything. I just thought it was a general point worth making

 

[Zabriskie Point]

Currently I celebrate Christmas because I don't have the balls to tell my parents that I don't believe in God.

When I'm older and have kids, I don't want them to feel left out. My family will probably celebrate Christmas too, but I'm going to let my kids know that our Christmas isn't quite the same. Know what I mean?

 

[Baby Tea]

but anyways, in my defense i do want to acknowledge that i'm well aware that disputing the exact date of the birthday of a man born 2000 years ago doesn't negate an entire faith, but the manipulation and politics behind why the holiday was chosen for that date should be considered when you're expected to place absolute faith in what they are saying is true. if they would lie about the date of their savior (which seems very disrespectful to be doing to the apparent son of god...) just to make converting others easier, whats to stop them from lying about any of it?

It's not lying.
We don't actually know exactly when Jesus was born. Some say sometime in March, other say it could have been in September. But the point is that the date isn't even important, the event itself is. So if the church took an already popular date to celebrate the birth of Jesus, that's actually pretty smart. And if God actually cares about us celebrating the birth of Christ on the exact date that it happened, then I think we have way more to worry about then what Christmas means to people.

But I'm not going to get into a theological debate/discussion here.
If you, or anyone reading, feels they just MUST pursue it, then PM me.
I won't respond to it here on this thread, though.

 

[orangeapples]

It is kinda like when Atheists get married in a church.

I'm Christian and my Atheist friend got married in a church. At the reception I asked him why they got married in a Catholic church to which he told me that weddings are supposed to happen in a church.

This confused me because I know many weddings of Christian people that weren't at churches.

There are some ceremonies or practices that some people just feel have to be done, regardless of creed.

Christmas is just another one of those because it is how things have always been.

And honestly no one can agree as to when Jesus was born.

Like others have said, Christmas was originally a "Pagan" celebration of Winter or something like that, and when the Christians came to convert them they said, "Oh, hey our Jesus was born on the same day as your holiday, how about you celebrate both?" to which the locals responded, "Sure, why not? a party is a party" (I don't think those were the exact words).

 

[ninjapenguin981]

Christmas is an adaptation of a pagan festival, so Christians can't really 'claim' it as their holiday. Personally, I celebrate it just to meet up with the family, get and give some presents and eat far too much.

 

[Westaway]

Whats not to love about christmas?
Shit, I'm as agnostic as it gets, and I friggin LOVE it!

Family
Eggnog
Presents
Eggnog
Ham
Eggnog
Laughing at dad when he insists on reading Mark before opening presents
Eggnog
Getting shit face with friends and singing carols even though none of us knows the words
EGGNOG (with rum)

Christmas rocks!

Though, Halloween kicks its ass.

You said eggnog twice.

 

[DemonicVixen]

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 other Christian friends 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.

I do not believe in Jesus. I have my own religious beliefs, but the concept of Jesus himself, and the Bible is not one of them. He might have existed, but the whole story thing, i dont believe.

Anyway, I still celebrate Christmas as a time for "Peace On Earth", where families should put aside their differences, come together and have one day of enjoyment. At least, this is what my family believe in (although my Nana is Methodist). I do not celebrate the idea that "God" was born on Xmas day, only that people should respect it and have harmony.

Sadly my dread never really works that way because others dont care less either way >.>

 

[ninetails593]

...Those greedy, greedy piles of shit. Oh what? They disagree with us but the instant we have something awesome they try to steal it? Really, why aren't the Jewish celebrating Christmas? What about the other religions? Where's our great big Christmas moshpit? Those hypocritical bastards...

 

[Manchard]

Im an atheist. The idea of religion makes me feel slightly nauseous, and genuinely disappointed with humanity in general.

Happily Christmas has been celebrated for many hundreds of years prior to the randomly allocated time at the start of the christian fable, and was normally celebrated, at leaset in Western and Northern Europe in the middle of Winter, at a time when it was bloody cold, and people needed something to look forward to. If whatever cult you belong to feels the need to attach a moment of significance to that date in a bid to keep people interested (or more to the point attract people of other cults to your cult) its really massivly irrelevant.

I hate everything to do with christmas, except seeing my friends and family on and around that date.

Also someone claimed santa held a post in the Catholic Church which was why he wore red. that made me lol. the last thing anyone wants is a member of the Catholic clergy coming into their house to give their young children 'presents'! Santa used to wear green and white. Thomas Nast, an American Catoonist, not the Coca-Cola corporation redecorated him red sometime in the 1800s and it's remained that way ever since.

 

[ninetails593]

Yeah, although it's debatable whether or not it was ever truly a religious holiday. I'm atheist and I celebrate it, not for the presents (although, yeah, that's cool) but because it's a peaceful, happy day that brings people together.

No. It has never been debatable as to whether or not it was ever a religious holiday. It has always been the most important holiday of any Christian or Catholic church. The only thing that has changed about it is the traditions. I don't know WHERE exactly you got this idea, but I can tell you that it is complete, utter, bullshit.