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Non-christian christmas
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Just wondering what you all think on this...
Xx
(P.S I am not a christian personally)
Xx
(P.S I am not a christian personally)
0
Comments
If you're not a Christian or at least sympathetic to the religion, you shouldn't reap the festivals religion brings.
I am staying in London this year, not celebrating it with family.
Xx
:yes:
There's definitely a place for a more secular Christmas. Of course it's commercial now, and all that crap, but any time of year which is about bank holidays, people and families being together and being generally merry is ok by me, whether you go to midnight mass or not. :thumb:
Nonsense.
Festivels evolve over time. In the same way that once-Pagan festivels were adopted by Christians, there's no reason why Christian festivels shouldn't be celebrated by non-religious people, as a time of togetherness, or just general merryment.
To actively ignore the events and take the "bah, humbug!" route just suggests inner resentment at other people's ability to be happy. I see no reason why people should not enjoy themselves as they see fit. There's no hypocracy to it.
There was an item on BBC Breakfast a little while ago with people (non-religious) banging on that they didn't have anything (like a day or something) with which to celebrate at Christmas time. Well....
1. Get over yourself.
2. Stop moaning like a spoilt kid.
3. Do something about it.
4. It's easy to celebrate this time of year, religious or not. End of another year, giving to the people you love/care about. Throwing a party with lots of tasty nibbles. A big family meal where you push the boat out a little. They're not exclusively for Christians.
Since Christmas falls on what was originally a pagan festival anyway, and not on the actual day of the birth of Christ, you don't have to be remembering Jesus in any way to join in at Christmas. If it necessitated going to church, praying, or any other religious practice then it would be slightly different, but it is perfectly possible to have a completely secular Christmas.
Finally, no doubt, if atheists attempted to invent a new, secular holiday in which they could hold similar celebrations, requesting time off work and advertising it as an enitrely non-religious holiday, there would be the usual huffing and rolling of eyes. Particularly if Dawkins expressed an opinion on the matter!
I celebrate Xmas in every way that Xmas is to be celebrated, and I'm not religious. In fact, I don't see any religious exclusivity to any of the traditions associated with the festival.
Xmas tree? Fuck all to do with religion.
Being nice to others? Most certainly not exclusive of religion (some might be inclined to say that quite the opposite is the case, in fact)
Presents for kids? Again, by no means a tradition that belongs to religion.
Family and friends reunions over a lavish meal? Ditto.
As far as I'm concerned most religious people don't celebrate Xmas in a very religious manner themselves. Not unless they go to church to mark the day or the theme of Christmas Day is overtly religious- which in the immense majority of cases is not.
Seriously, who gives a fuck on whether Christians or Humanists/Atheists celebrate the supposed birthday of Christ? And why all the hard ons about the EXACT date? For Christians looking to evangelise it's the perfect time to teach non-believers who are interested in the gospel etc...
On the other side of the fence it's the perfect time for everyone to get together and enjoy each other's company without religion's influence.
On a more serious note, Christian's take note: Jesus wants a PS3
http://newsarse.com/2009/12/17/jesus-secretly-hoping-for-a-playstation-3-on-his-birthday/
It should only be none xtrians who celebrate it if you want to get down to the real nuts and bolts of it seeing as it has nothing to do whatsoever with xtrianity.
AND ...WHATS ALL THIS BOLLOX ABOUT FAMILY GETTING TOGETHER ONCE A YEAR
?
What about people like me who would love to have a celebration once a year where I can escape the fuckers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's started ...the drinking has already started for me and usually lasts about two weeks ...have a good time everyone ...
hic:crazyeyes
That's why it's a perfect time for a feast to lift the spirits, lay down a little extra fat on the body, and reduce the amount of livestock you have to feed from your stores.
That's why we have a winter festival, and that's why its fine for the secular to take part - no matter what religion has co-opted it.
Agreed.
Merry Winter Solstice, Big Gay. Now where's the mead?
Quite so, morrocan roll.
It appears there are some who actually read the instruction manual for themselves rather than believing the hearsay of preachers claiming to know the rules.
Didn't Pagans have evergreens to remind everyone summer was coming and to bring luck or something?
Xx
Jeremiah 10
Amazing!
I was dreading someone asking me where cos I couldn't remember:D
There are accounts of pagan worship of the tree as a symbol of Nimrod's reincarnation/resurrection.
I just think if you're not a Christian, it's stupid to celebrate Christmas. Unless of course you wish to celebrate Eid as well. It's too consumerist and fake for my liking.
Each to their own, but as a non-Christian, I will not be celebrating it... But will enjoy an empty flat and peace and quiet on my part. ^_^
If someone however uses the date to have a nice meal with family and friends and enjoy the Holiday atmosphere and watch kids look forward to Santa, then it is not stupid at all- it is nice, and more to the point, such celebrations are not exclusive of Christians at all.
As a compromise however I'll be happy to spell Christmas as Xmas for the rest of my life
I also don't think it should be a compulsory public holiday (though granted this is technically a Christian country)... If you're on a low wage, it can be crippling.
But then I am more of a Solstice kinda person and also too lazy to genuinely care about how people celebrate Christmas, Eid... I just on't understand it is all.
Do you mean by this, that you are Wiccan?