Should Atheists celebrate Christian holidays?

[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.

is there a problem with that?

Wanting free stuff or his statement that wanting free stuff is the only reason non-christians celebrate christmas?
If the former, no.
If the latter, yes. Namely that it is a fallacious statement.

[Conscentia]

This "Christian holidays are pagan" stuff is largely nonsense. The Church does not celebrate Saturnalia, etc.

I hope you're not Catholic.
Yes, the Catholic Church celebrates the Saturnalia. It calls them "Carnival".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival#History

Not a Catholic.

Read thy own source.

"some carnival traditions may date back to pre-Christian times. The ancient Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Bacchanalia may possibly have been absorbed into the Italian Carnival"

Carnival =/= Saturnalia.

Also, Carnival isn't Christmas.

[Fartsniffage]

I hope you're not Catholic.
Yes, the Catholic Church celebrates the Saturnalia. It calls them "Carnival".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival#History

Not a Catholic.

Read thy own source.

"some carnival traditions may date back to pre-Christian times. The ancient Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Bacchanalia may possibly have been absorbed into the Italian Carnival"

Carnival =/= Saturnalia.

Also, Carnival isn't Christmas.

Do you demand such hard proof when it comes to your own faith?

[Divair]

I have New-Years for that.

You don't get free stuff on New Years...

How do you know?

[The Merchant Republics]

Not a Catholic.

Read thy own source.

"some carnival traditions may date back to pre-Christian times. The ancient Roman festivals of Saturnalia and Bacchanalia may possibly have been absorbed into the Italian Carnival"

Carnival =/= Saturnalia.

Also, Carnival isn't Christmas.

Do you demand such hard proof when it comes to your own faith?

I take it you're not well-acquainted with Conscentia...

The links in his signature might shed an answer.

[Dilange]

Only if they want to. I mean, Christmas is more of a family gathering in most families than a religious celebration.

[European Socialist Republic]

The only holidays we should celebrate are:

La Fête de la Vertu, "Celebration of Virtue", on 17 or 18 September
La Fête du Génie, "Celebration of Talent", on 18 or 19 September
La Fête du Travail, "Celebration of Labour", on 19 or 20 September
La Fête de l'Opinion, "Celebration of Convictions", on 20 or 21 September
La Fête des Récompenses, "Celebration of Honors (Awards)", on 21 or 22 September
La Fête de la Révolution, "Celebration of the Revolution", on 22 or 23 September

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Rep ... ntary_days

[Fartsniffage]

The only holidays we should celebrate are:

La Fête de la Vertu, "Celebration of Virtue", on 17 or 18 September
La Fête du Génie, "Celebration of Talent", on 18 or 19 September
La Fête du Travail, "Celebration of Labour", on 19 or 20 September
La Fête de l'Opinion, "Celebration of Convictions", on 20 or 21 September
La Fête des Récompenses, "Celebration of Honors (Awards)", on 21 or 22 September
La Fête de la Révolution, "Celebration of the Revolution", on 22 or 23 September

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Rep ... ntary_days

Nah. I prefer my bank holidays spread through the whole year.

[Benuty]

So who is going to be Krampus and whip naughty children till they bleed to death this year?

[Torisakia]

If they feel like it, they can. Nothing stops them from doing it. I'm an Atheist and I celebrate Christmas, because free stuff.

[Mkuki]

If they wish to celebrate then let them.

[Mkuki]

If they feel like it, they can. Nothing stops them from doing it. I'm an Atheist and I celebrate Christmas, because free stuff.

This as well.

[Benuty]

If they feel like it, they can. Nothing stops them from doing it. I'm an Atheist and I celebrate Christmas, because free stuff.

This as well.

Until the credit card bill comes in next month .

[Torisakia]

This as well.

Until the credit card bill comes in next month .

What if I told you I have a debit card?

[Mkuki]

This as well.

Until the credit card bill comes in next month .

I'm not the one buying stuff.

[Maqtrybama]

Do Christians celebrate Jewish holidays? Do Jewish people celebrate Islamic Holidays? No, not really, so Atheists don't have to celebrate Christian holidays.

[The Free Kingdom of Proprius]

I'm an atheist and I have to say: your "Christian Holidays" are about as secular as you can get.

On Christmas, Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus by buying a bunch of shit. Buying stuff has nothing to do with Jesus. And Santa isn't particularly Christian even: he's like the saint of consumerism more than anything else.

On Easter, Christians celebrate the rebirth of their savior by dipping colored eggs and hiding them for children to find. A rabbit's somehow involved. I never really got that.

So really, the only "religious" part of any of these holidays is the occasional nativity scene that some old family sets up in your neighborhood. Otherwise, it seems like Jesus isn't involved in any way.

[Beta Test]

No they should not.

[Conservative Idealism]

Only if they want to.

And the thread ended with the first response.

I don't see why some (not many, but some) atheists raise a stink about Christian traditions. I mean, do the holidays really hurt anybody?

[Benuty]

I'm an atheist and I have to say: your "Christian Holidays" are about as secular as you can get.

On Christmas, Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus by buying a bunch of shit. Buying stuff has nothing to do with Jesus. And Santa isn't particularly Christian even: he's like the saint of consumerism more than anything else.

On Easter, Christians celebrate the rebirth of their savior by dipping colored eggs and hiding them for children to find. A rabbit's somehow involved. I never really got that.

So really, the only "religious" part of any of these holidays is the occasional nativity scene that some old family sets up in your neighborhood. Otherwise, it seems like Jesus isn't involved in any way.

The Birth of Jesus is actually in what people call "April", which is why so many actually Christians basically don't care about "Christmas" anymore religiously. As for Easter, the month is right...just not the day. Of-course the whole "shepherds would have frozen watching their sheep in the middle of winter night" has a lot to do with it.

[Union Of Canadorian Socialists Republic]

I am more willing to believe in Santa Claus or the Great Pumpkin rather than God.

You would be more likely to see me sitting in a pumpkin patch on Halloween night instead of going to church.

The Great Pumpkin brings toys to all the good little children. Does God do that?

The Great Pumpkin chooses the pumpkin patch he finds most sincere. God's an asshole who smites people.

Wait... is the Great Pumpkin a pedophile?

Good Grief.

[The Merchant Republics]

I'm an atheist and I have to say: your "Christian Holidays" are about as secular as you can get.

On Christmas, Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus by buying a bunch of shit. Buying stuff has nothing to do with Jesus. And Santa isn't particularly Christian even: he's like the saint of consumerism more than anything else.

On Easter, Christians celebrate the rebirth of their savior by dipping colored eggs and hiding them for children to find. A rabbit's somehow involved. I never really got that.

So really, the only "religious" part of any of these holidays is the occasional nativity scene that some old family sets up in your neighborhood. Otherwise, it seems like Jesus isn't involved in any way.

The Birth of Jesus is actually in what people call "April", which is why so many actually Christians basically don't care about "Christmas" anymore religiously. As for Easter, the month is right...just not the day. Of-course the whole "shepherds would have frozen watching their sheep in the middle of winter night" has a lot to do with it.

Isn't the prevailing consensus that late Summer-September is the most likely date of Christ's birth? That's at least what I've read about it.

Also who are these Christians that don't care about Christmas religiously? Are they actually Christians, because I can say, of any time in the year where I'm likely to be in a packed church, it's Christmas and Easter.

[Benuty]

The Birth of Jesus is actually in what people call "April", which is why so many actually Christians basically don't care about "Christmas" anymore religiously. As for Easter, the month is right...just not the day. Of-course the whole "shepherds would have frozen watching their sheep in the middle of winter night" has a lot to do with it.

Isn't the prevailing consensus that late Summer-September is the most likely date of Christ's birth? That's at least what I've read about it.

Also who are these Christians that don't care about Christmas religiously? Are they actually Christians, because I can say, of any time in the year where I'm likely to be in a packed church, it's Christmas and Easter.

Many theologians and Scholars agree that Christ was born during the mid-spring season (not the summer or fall season) given that spring was a time of tax collection and flocking for the shepherds. Which of-course would certainly coincide with reported events ( especially those of Luke).

As for the issue of attendance on Christmas and Easter it sounds more like a cultural christian occurrence (given the fact Christianity is a massive religion). In France many of the churches (unlike their American counterparts) have gone through the year choosing to be indifferent to or all out ignore the accepted set dates for Christmas and Easter.

[Conservative Conservationists]

I dont feel like celebrating Christ. The winter solstice falls over that period. I will celebrate Christmas' original purpose.

OR, as I normally do, celebrate a state sanctioned holiday. There is either a link between church and state, or it is now a non-religious holiday.

[Fartsniffage]

My feelings on this put to lovely piano music...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCNvZqpa-7Q