Question for the atheists
#1
Question for the atheists
How many years have you not celebrated Christmas for and do you just treat yourself to presents anyway and what is the day called in your house?
Not many shopping days to go
Not many shopping days to go
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Originally Posted by lozgti
How many years have you not celebrated Christmas for and do you just treat yourself to presents anyway and what is the day called in your house?
Not many shopping days to go
Not many shopping days to go
That being said, I take the opportunity to catch up with friends and family over the Christmas period and treat it as a family event, not a religious one.
#3
I'm too mercenary to give up the presents despite being a non-believer.
Seriously though, I consider Christmas as a time to spend with your family. I could quite easily do without the presents, shopping, cards and all the other bullsh1t that surrounds one flipping day of the year.
Bah humbug!
Seriously though, I consider Christmas as a time to spend with your family. I could quite easily do without the presents, shopping, cards and all the other bullsh1t that surrounds one flipping day of the year.
Bah humbug!
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Does aethism (or not) prevent the involvement in a festival in support of certain ethics/morals/practices. The giving of gifts is not surely anathema to atheism or any other belief system. (Dogma aside)
To think of others who sacrifice themselves is surely to be lauded. Do atheists abhor Remembrance day as well?
To think of others who sacrifice themselves is surely to be lauded. Do atheists abhor Remembrance day as well?
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I don't celebrate Christmas, I just partake in the re enactment of the tale of St Nicholas - I know its just a story but it brings the family together
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Originally Posted by Gymbal
Does aethism (or not) prevent the involvement in a festival in support of certain ethics/morals/practices. The giving of gifts is not surely anathema to atheism or any other belief system. (Dogma aside)
To think of others who sacrifice themselves is surely to be lauded. Do atheists abhor Remembrance day as well?
To think of others who sacrifice themselves is surely to be lauded. Do atheists abhor Remembrance day as well?
So I don't abhor religions, I just don't believe in them. I have no issue with rememberance day and have participated in numerous parades over the years, I just don't pray at them.
Last edited by OllyK; 25 October 2006 at 03:19 PM.
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Originally Posted by lozgti
How many years have you not celebrated Christmas for and do you just treat yourself to presents anyway and what is the day called in your house?
Not many shopping days to go
Not many shopping days to go
Why do you use so many Pagan symbols to celebrate the (supposed) birth of your saviour? Isn't sitting around in a cold damp barn with some shepherds good enough for you?
And the date is wrong.
Geezer
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ollyK, I think you missed my (misplaced) point. However,IMHO the absence of a single belief is still a belief (odd as it sounds).
Also arguably an absence of belief does not prevent you doing anything. nor does the presence of a conformist/ theism belief system force anyone do do anything.
Personally I believe, we are all responsible for our own actions and to justify any action through a belief system is wrong (to my moral setup).
The Remembrance day analogy was regarding the original post.
Also arguably an absence of belief does not prevent you doing anything. nor does the presence of a conformist/ theism belief system force anyone do do anything.
Personally I believe, we are all responsible for our own actions and to justify any action through a belief system is wrong (to my moral setup).
The Remembrance day analogy was regarding the original post.
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Originally Posted by Gymbal
ollyK, I think you missed my (misplaced) point. However,IMHO the absence of a single belief is still a belief (odd as it sounds).
Also arguably an absence of belief does not prevent you doing anything. nor does the presence of a conformist/ theism belief system force anyone do do anything.
The Remembrance day analogy was regarding the original post.
#11
Surely if you don't believe in Christ,Christmas should be crossed off the list as a celebration day?
Whether or not there is an argument over the correct date and whether or not people want to throw in the pagan thing.
It's not like I party on during Diwali
Just seems a bit hypocrytical that everyone still wants to celebrate.
Whether or not there is an argument over the correct date and whether or not people want to throw in the pagan thing.
It's not like I party on during Diwali
Just seems a bit hypocrytical that everyone still wants to celebrate.
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We are not celebrating Christmas though, only Christians do that. It's an ancient Pagan festival. Most of the paraphenalia surrounding Christmas has nothing to do with Christianity.
Geezer
Geezer
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Originally Posted by Gymbal
Does aethism (or not) prevent the involvement in a festival in support of certain ethics/morals/practices.
I also go to martial arts lessons and bow to the photo of the guy there, but his book (and thus photo) are buried in crap on my desk at home, with little respect.
I don't see that it has to be GWB's "if you're not with us, you're against us".
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Originally Posted by lozgti
Surely if you don't believe in Christ,Christmas should be crossed off the list as a celebration day?
Whether or not there is an argument over the correct date and whether or not people want to throw in the pagan thing.
It's not like I party on during Diwali
Just seems a bit hypocrytical that everyone still wants to celebrate.
Whether or not there is an argument over the correct date and whether or not people want to throw in the pagan thing.
It's not like I party on during Diwali
Just seems a bit hypocrytical that everyone still wants to celebrate.
#15
Originally Posted by OllyK
Hold on, are you saying that internationally there cannot be 2 celebrations on the same day? I celebrate "family day" once a year, it's not my fault your pagan hijacked christian festival falls on the same day, maybe you should move it?
Mind you,it should be re named 'Winter Festival and the supermarkets big profit time'.
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I don't buy presents, and I tell all my family not to buy me anything either. Doesn't actually work though Last Christmas I was in Denmark, but a good five years previously I don't do anything, usually wash the car and have pizza. I do take the holidays though, and why not
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Originally Posted by lozgti
First in last out.You move
Mind you,it should be re named 'Winter Festival and the supermarkets big profit time'.
Mind you,it should be re named 'Winter Festival and the supermarkets big profit time'.
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Originally Posted by lozgti
Surely if you don't believe in Christ,Christmas should be crossed off the list as a celebration day?
Whether or not there is an argument over the correct date and whether or not people want to throw in the pagan thing.
It's not like I party on during Diwali
Just seems a bit hypocrytical that everyone still wants to celebrate.
Whether or not there is an argument over the correct date and whether or not people want to throw in the pagan thing.
It's not like I party on during Diwali
Just seems a bit hypocrytical that everyone still wants to celebrate.
I doubt most parents believe in Tooth Fairies but they still give their kids money for their teeth.
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Originally Posted by wez_sti
I doubt most parents believe in Tooth Fairies but they still give their kids money for their teeth.
#22
Originally Posted by OllyK
Originally it was the pagan winter festival - the Christians hijacked it.
It won't stop me buying the most religious cards though I can find though to pee off the PC plonkers.
As a non believer Olly,do you have any strong feelings each time a local authority talks about 'winterfest' to avoid upsetting other religions? (not that the word Christmas does offend them but the Council think so )
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Originally Posted by lozgti
I just think everything is quite sad.Everyone seems to have become phenomenally materialistic.Christmas means nothing apart from hols and gifts nowadays.I still enjoy Carols and all that
It won't stop me buying the most religious cards though I can find though to pee off the PC plonkers.
As a non believer Olly,do you have any strong feelings each time a local authority talks about 'winterfest' to avoid upsetting other religions? (not that the word Christmas does offend them but the Council think so )
It won't stop me buying the most religious cards though I can find though to pee off the PC plonkers.
As a non believer Olly,do you have any strong feelings each time a local authority talks about 'winterfest' to avoid upsetting other religions? (not that the word Christmas does offend them but the Council think so )
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There's usually a nice brass band that plays under the war memorial at Liverpool Street station before Christmas, that's quite nice to listen to.
if you can hear it over the mad shoppers with all their bags full of presents
if you can hear it over the mad shoppers with all their bags full of presents
#25
Originally Posted by OllyK
I don't give a monkeys what it's called, I usually spell it with a small "c" or and X just to pi$$ the Xians off
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I don't celebrate christmas/xmas/****-mass, it just happens. For me, it's a nice long holiday from work, with nice walks in the fresh crisp winter air looking at the gorgeous countryside
We do the exchange of gifts, which over the years have become less in monetary value, and more in thought and usefulness, but it's really a time to relax, see some of the family (doesn't always go hand in hand with relaxing) and generally chill.
We do the exchange of gifts, which over the years have become less in monetary value, and more in thought and usefulness, but it's really a time to relax, see some of the family (doesn't always go hand in hand with relaxing) and generally chill.
#27
Xmas as it is today is a media made holiday.
I dont beleive in god, and im intolerable of people that do believe in that bull**** but I still recieve and give gifts, and have a xmas tree!
I dont beleive in god, and im intolerable of people that do believe in that bull**** but I still recieve and give gifts, and have a xmas tree!
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Forget deities and analysis of the veracity of non believers celebrating Christmas. We have scant opportunity to be happy and this period does bring happiness, especially to the children. I am sure every poster as a child enjoyed Christmas so should therefore enjoy and 'celebrate' Christmas with their children and families, irrespective of the religious connotation or lack thereof.
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I personally find the images of Jesus a bit offensive seeing as he is always shown as white when that pretty damned unlikely. If he was shown as black or arabic in appearance then I'd be happier. I am always unconfortable with something that is distorted and then used to control people as Christianity has been. However I do see the flip side as many of my elderly family find comfort in the church and whilst I struggle to understand in it myself each to their own.
I do celebrate Christmas but as a celebration of family but its not a reigious festival. I find it hard to celebrate what is most likely a vastly inaccurate story anyway as Jesus means " king of " and its widley beleived there were several religious kings at the time hence the beleif that he had been resurrected when it was some other bloke !
Jesus he died for our sins..... what a ****.
AllanB
I do celebrate Christmas but as a celebration of family but its not a reigious festival. I find it hard to celebrate what is most likely a vastly inaccurate story anyway as Jesus means " king of " and its widley beleived there were several religious kings at the time hence the beleif that he had been resurrected when it was some other bloke !
Jesus he died for our sins..... what a ****.
AllanB
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Originally Posted by lozgti
Christmas should be crossed off the list as a celebration day?