Should Atheists celebrate Christian holidays?

[The USOT]

"I dont like you so I WILL DRIVE YOU OUT AND WHIP YOU/YOUR ANIMALS (for some reason)"

The definition of not being obnoxious and perfect tolerance

Well.

To give some apology for the actions, it was in His view, just driving out unwanted guests in his Father's home.

He didn't necessarily dislike them or their practices so much as he disliked where they choose to practice them, in the Temple, doing things forbidden to do in the temple.

I suddenly see why Republicans may like that passage, update it in your mind and give Christ a shotgun, you've got yourself castle doctrine.

/kidding.

I know and I did take a bit of a comedic stance on it
Although it is never clear who he whipped... I mean animals or humans it is a really random dickish outburst

[Conscentia]

There's nothing in there that says that the yule log is necessarily a pagan practice.
The summary of the relevant information would be that many think it's pagan in origin, but that's just an assumption, the real origin is unknown, and some historians think it may have merely been practical.
I presented the relevant counter-argument to his assertion.

Oh good. Does that mean us atheists can still have Yule logs then?

Certainly.

[Fartsniffage]

Oh good. Does that mean us atheists can still have Yule logs then?

Certainly.

Christmas trees? Santa? Mistletoe?

[Immoren]

Certainly.

Christmas trees? Santa?

It's Yule tree you silly.

[Charellia]

I think there is already a religious and secular Christmas, which are separate in all but name. I see no reason why Atheists shouldn't celebrate the secular Christmas. As an agnostic I celebrate Christmas and even acknowledge some of the religious aspects out of curiosity and deference to my more religious family members.

[Fartsniffage]

Christmas trees? Santa?

It's Yule tree you silly.

You burn your Christmas tree?

Sounds like a fire hazard to me...

[Czechanada]

Atheists celebrate Christmas in a better way then Christians and Pagans.

Instead of decorating Christmas trees, we ride on them downhill like sleds.

[The USOT]

Why does materialism mean that something cant mean anything?

I love Santa Claus as a celebration of international human culture. He has had many mythological inspirations and modern adaptations to fit in with various cultural traditions, all of which celebrate family and togetherness and giving. Being a cosmic accident does not mean we can asscribe meaning to things, or that our meaning is "pointless".

Being a cosmic accident by definition means that your existence is pointless. Ultimately.

No... thats if you take the stance that a designer is the only thing which can give purpose. Which is silly.
I didnt build my computer, but it serves the various odd purposes I give it as a thinking purpose. Purpose is by its nature a concept assigned to things by intelligent entities, and thus can be applied even randomally. If you prefer, another example is that a glass of nutella was given the purpose of storing nutella chocolate spread, that does not mean it can not have the purpose of being a pen holder, or a paperweight, or a novelty hat. If you are talking about purpose in any other sense you are talking of a purpose which is nonsensical to talk about.

[Immoren]

It's Yule tree you silly.

You burn your Christmas tree?

Sounds like a fire hazard to me...

Burning of Yule log hasn't been a tradition in these parts, if I recall correctly.

[Conscentia]

Certainly.

Christmas trees? Santa?

Santa has no religious significance these days, and though having origins in St. Nick, is an amalgamation of various Yuletide figures. (I prefer Father Frost.)
Also, as i've previously pointed out, the Christmas tree has lost any religious significance. It's essentially just a nice traditional decoration. The origins of bringing a tree into the home in Winter is uncertain.

I see no reason you can't observe either tradition.

[Fartsniffage]

Christmas trees? Santa?

Santa has lost all religious significance, and is an amalgamation of various Yuletide figures. (I prefer Father Frost.)
Also, as i've previously pointed out, the Christmas tree has lost any religious significance. It's essentially just a nice traditional decoration. The origins of bringing a tree into the home in Winter is uncertain.

I see no reason you can't observe either tradition.

So basically the only part of Christmas you have a problem with atheists observing is the going to church bit?

Somehow, I don't think that's a huge problem....

[The Merchant Republics]

Well.

To give some apology for the actions, it was in His view, just driving out unwanted guests in his Father's home.

He didn't necessarily dislike them or their practices so much as he disliked where they choose to practice them, in the Temple, doing things forbidden to do in the temple.

I suddenly see why Republicans may like that passage, update it in your mind and give Christ a shotgun, you've got yourself castle doctrine.

/kidding.

I know and I did take a bit of a comedic stance on it
Although it is never clear who he whipped... I mean animals or humans it is a really random dickish outburst

I'm hesitant to call my saviour a dick in any context.

However there is a part of me that hopes the passage where Jesus just kindly asked the money-lenders and traders to take their business elsewhere was left on the cutting room table.

For better or worse, Jesus is not always... cuddly, let's say.

[Conscentia]

Santa has lost all religious significance, and is an amalgamation of various Yuletide figures. (I prefer Father Frost.)
Also, as i've previously pointed out, the Christmas tree has lost any religious significance. It's essentially just a nice traditional decoration. The origins of bringing a tree into the home in Winter is uncertain.

I see no reason you can't observe either tradition.

So basically the only part of Christmas you have a problem with atheists observing is the going to church bit?

Somehow, I don't think that's a huge problem....

I don't have a problem with atheists going to Church if they want to, but why they would want to I don't know.

I have a problem with people claiming that Christmas is pagan. Parts of it (the mass in Church part) are Christian, parts of it are merely cultural traditions that have become associated with the Christian holiday (due to co-incidence), but lack religious significance themselves.

[Fartsniffage]

So basically the only part of Christmas you have a problem with atheists observing is the going to church bit?

Somehow, I don't think that's a huge problem....

I don't have a problem with atheists going to Church if they want to, but why they would want to I don't know.

I have a problem with people claiming that Christmas is pagan. Parts of it (the mass in Church part) is Christian, parts of it are merely cultural traditions that have become associated with the Christian holiday, but lack religious significance themselves.

So you do. I mixed you up with someone else and was arguing against them. Sorry.

You are aware that there are still pagans about, right? Some of those traditions that Christianity has co-opted may still hold religious significance to them, regardless of the Christian view on the matter.

[Conscentia]

I don't have a problem with atheists going to Church if they want to, but why they would want to I don't know.

I have a problem with people claiming that Christmas is pagan. Parts of it (the mass in Church part) is Christian, parts of it are merely cultural traditions that have become associated with the Christian holiday, but lack religious significance themselves.

So you do. I mixed you up with someone else and was arguing against them. Sorry.

You are aware that there are still pagans about, right? Some of those traditions that Christianity has co-opted may still hold religious significance to them, regardless of the Christian view on the matter.

Yes, but observance of these traditions is not necessarily pagan or Christian.

(In the former USSR, many are associated with New Years, not Christmas. In Russia, I know many give gifts on New Years.
My point is these are cultural traditions, not religious acts. The association with Christmas is due to co-incidence with local winter traditions. These traditions survived Christian conversion in Europe, and State Atheism in the USSR, and in both cases became associated with the nearest significant holiday.)

[The Merchant Republics]

So basically the only part of Christmas you have a problem with atheists observing is the going to church bit?

Somehow, I don't think that's a huge problem....

I don't have a problem with atheists going to Church if they want to, but why they would want to I don't know.

I have a problem with people claiming that Christmas is pagan. Parts of it (the mass in Church part) are Christian, parts of it are merely cultural traditions that have become associated with the Christian holiday (due to co-incidence), but lack religious significance themselves.

That's actually a really good point.

Of course, I never really got the whole point of it. To me it always seemed like the dilemma that people apparently face when they find out their adopted. If my parents had adopted me, I wouldn't feel particularly upset in the least, I got loving parents out of the deal, who cares whether I was a rescue from an unloved broken home, or left by someone who couldn't take care of me?

So what if Christmas came from Saturnalia, or that the Yule and the Christmas tree are loaded with pagan historical rituals. It doesn't besmirch the celebration we have now to have co-opted them.

Honestly the same goes for atheists, I say don't give a hoot whether you celebrate Christmas, sure you may not worship Christ, but make of Christmas what you like of it. I'm not a Jew, but I've celebrated Hanukkah, with Jewish friends. Why would I refuse to share my holiday with my friends, especially when it has become to such an extent our holiday, with few religious trappings left.

[Dyakovo]

I don't have a problem with atheists going to Church if they want to, but why they would want to I don't know.

When I went to church it was because the other option was sitting on my footlocker polishing my boots for 2 two hours...

[Conscentia]

I don't have a problem with atheists going to Church if they want to, but why they would want to I don't know.

When I went to church it was because the other option was sitting on my footlocker polishing my boots for 2 two hours...

Why was that the other option?

[Darwinish Brentsylvania]

if they have kids they should at least give their children presents on Christmas

[Dyakovo]

When I went to church it was because the other option was sitting on my footlocker polishing my boots for 2 two hours...

Why was that the other option?

I was in Marine Boot Camp.

[Dyakovo]

if they have kids they should at least give their children presents on Christmas

Why?

[Petrovia-]

Christmas is a Christian holiday that should be celebrated by Christians, it's the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the only reason non-Christian celebrate it is because they want free stuff.

[Farnhamia]

Why was that the other option?

I was in Marine Boot Camp.

A well-polished boot is a thing of beauty. I would have opted for that, unless, of course, there were other consequences to not going to church.

[Dyakovo]

Christmas is a Christian holiday that should be celebrated by Christians, it's the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the only reason non-Christian celebrate it is because they want free stuff.

Absolute hogswaddle.

[Neo Rome Republic]

Christmas is a Christian holiday that should be celebrated by Christians, it's the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, the only reason non-Christian celebrate it is because they want free stuff.

I have New-Years for that.