Hey atheists!

[ItalianScallion]

Sorry! I didn't call him dumb though, I said his statement was dumb.

Sorry Italian!

NOT!............................That means: No Offense Taken...

 

[hvp05]

So where's you rabble rousers? I know you're out there because the media can't possibly make these stories up, right?

Seems all of us present non-Christians had happy childhoods [involving Christmastime]. Perhaps the rabble rousers have a bad association (overly-strict parents; daddy always came to the Christmas party drunk while mommy was kissing every guy in the house; etc.) so they now act out negatively towards all things Christmas. :shrug:

I do not like religious displays on government property. I think unless you are giving equal time to all religions then you are endorsing a religion.

But a decoration is just that: a decoration. It's not writing or passing legislation. No one is going to look at a display and say, "You know what? I'm going to propose that Roman Catholicism become America's official religion!"

 

[vraiblonde]

But a decoration is just that: a decoration. It's not writing or passing legislation. No one is going to look at a display and say, "You know what? I'm going to propose that Roman Catholicism become America's official religion!"

Shhh! No arguing!

n0n1m0us3, what do you think of the atheists having equal time with their display? I agree that other religions should have their displays as well as the Christians, but the atheists having their equal time seems silly to me.

 

[hvp05]

Shhh! No arguing!

I didn't think I was.

 

[n0n1m0us3]

Shhh! No arguing!

n0n1m0us3, what do you think of the atheists having equal time with their display? I agree that other religions should have their displays as well as the Christians, but the atheists having their equal time seems silly to me.

:shrug: seems sort of silly to me too, I don't know why anyone would bother. But I suppose they want their soapbox as well.

 

[n0n1m0us3]

Seems all of us present non-Christians had happy childhoods [involving Christmastime]. Perhaps the rabble rousers have a bad association (overly-strict parents; daddy always came to the Christmas party drunk while mommy was kissing every guy in the house; etc.) so they now act out negatively towards all things Christmas. :shrug:



But a decoration is just that: a decoration. It's not writing or passing legislation. No one is going to look at a display and say, "You know what? I'm going to propose that Roman Catholicism become America's official religion!"

If people took it simply as decoration no one would be upset with a substituted animal instead of baby jesus. How do you think Christians would react to versus of the satanic bible being erected on government property?

 

[Aerogal]

IMHO - If they didn't really believe, they wouldn't care. But they have to believe in something otherwise they wouldn't call something else evil. Evil is religious, Bad is societal.

Just throwing it out there...........

 

[dixiepeach]

FWIW, Christians in government should propose getting rid of Christmas as a paid day off of work and off school and thus ending Christmas bonuses and so forth.

Atheists will all suddenly, in unison...

"Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name..."

EXACTLY!!!! We can't have Christmas parties where I work. Can't even put a small tree on my desk BUT get the day off with pay. Why does the federal govt and schools get the holiday? Take it away!

 

[itsbob]

Well since Christmas, gifting, trees, stockings, decorations and Santa have absolutely nothing to do with anyone's God nor the birth of Christ it's as much an atheist holiday as anyone else's. Not offended by decorations s and have 7 Pagan Solstice trees in my house.

It's the one time a year people are being good for goodness sake and not because of the threat of eternal damnation, and everyone tosses aside 3 or 4 of the 10 commandments for a month or two.

I LOVE X-Mas.

 

[atrusomder]

I always remembered and reminded kids what the holiday was about though.

I say enjoy it if you want and if you don't, well, just don't try to ruin it for those who do. No matter why they do.

I do have to say, though, that going to a Christmas eve service is quite an experiance.

Was always taught that " If you don't have the SPIRIT in your heart- you'll never find it under the tree"

The other reason I prefer to keep religion in Christmas is it makes Christians want to be better people. A lot of them fall off during the year, but come this time of year they try harder to be nicer.

That's a really unfair statement! Christians don't try harder to be nicer this time of the year just because it's the time of year we celebrate the birth of Jesus.

Rather this time of the year people in general (believers and non belivers) are more opted to be "nicer" because it's a giving time of year- We give so freely because He gave His life. So that's a really unfair statement.

I agree with n0n1 when they said

...giving gifts.... and donating to charity (though I try to do this year round I tend to do more around Christmas).

because most people do tend to give more freely this time of the year.
but totally disagree with them on

I do not like religious displays on government property. I think unless you are giving equal time to all religions then you are endorsing a religion. There is enough church and private property for religious displays. If the government must be in the business of promoting religion, which is what having a religious display on the property is doing, in my opinion, then promote them all, equally.

Why? Our Government was founded on Christianity.. One Nation Under God- no seperation of Church and State... Because Revelations is well underway we're losing Christ as the center of everything.

 

[atrusomder]

Well since Christmas, gifting, trees, stockings, decorations and Santa have absolutely nothing to do with anyone's God nor the birth of Christ it's as much an atheist holiday as anyone else's.

I will agree that the commerical side of "Today's Christmas" has nothing to do with anyone's God or the birth of Christ. It's all about the 'ole mighty dollar.

It's the one time a year people are being good for goodness sake. I LOVE X-Mas.

 

[vraiblonde]

Why? Our Government was founded on Christianity.. One Nation Under God- no seperation of Church and State... Because Revelations is well underway we're losing Christ as the center of everything.

John thought Revelation was well underway when he wrote it a couple thousand years ago. And let's don't turn this into a theological debate. I want to hear from the atheists.

 

[atrusomder]

John thought Revelation was well underway when he wrote it a couple thousand years ago. And let's don't turn this into a theological debate. I want to hear from the atheists.

not a theological debate.
wasn't going to about this, was just offering my opinion as others did.

 

[BOP]

Interesting, I was reading this article the other day. I've never heard of this until now.

Holiday sign showdown in Lakeland

There was an old saw back in the 80's, I think; somebody put it on a bumper sticker: "I love Jesus, it's his followers I can't stand." Something like that, anyway.

I think most people's reaction that comes across to some as anti-Christ, anti-Christmas, is really anti-Christians like the ones in the link above.

Christmas wasn't even a holiday until not so long ago, and it was because of the commercialization, at that. For all that Xtians complain about the commericalization aspect, there more than likely wouldn't even be a Christmas as we know it, if it hadn't been promoted.

 

[BOP]

I'm an atheist but love Christmas! I have a tree up, and a nativity scene which has been passed down through the family. I have no problem with other people believing and celebrating their own way. I say Merry Christmas, and went out of my way to find cards with Merry Christmas in them! I really dislike the whole Happy Holidays thing. There wouldn't be a holiday if there wasn't Christmas, so it works for me. And I also dislike those inflatable santas - my neighbour has them in his woods and they are scary!

Lots of people use this time of year for introspection, contemplation, celebration. Like Thanksgiving, it is a time for reflection on the life we have, the blessings, the gifts we give and receive, and the people we love.

I really despise people who try to limit the entire season to one fictional character's birth as the only reason to celebrate. So here's to you:

Oh, and Happy Holidays.

 

[lisa8439]

I am a practicing Christian - but I think that some of this might have to do with the atheists getting a point across rather than them actually not celebrating or disliking Christmas, or being offended by the nativity scene. Perhaps they aren't offended by it per se, but they are offended by what they perceive it standing for - Christians who claim that the month of December is theirs because of Christmas and celebrating the birth of Christ.

Like others have said, Christmas in our time has turned into much more than a celebration of Christ - it's like Thanksgiving in a way, when we see loved ones that we rarely see, eat good food - and as a bonus, get free stuff! So I certainly don't think that most atheists dislike Christmas, nor are they offended by the nativity scene - they just want to take a stance and say that Christmas is for everyone and not just Christians - i.e. if you are a federal building that serves all walks of people, don't place a decoration that doesn't have any meaning to some people, place something more neutral like a Christmas tree or a snowman or whatever. I think the ones in FL just went overboard trying to make a point - they got too emotionally invested in it.

Now, I do have a couple of environmentalist atheist friends who really dislike Christmas - mainly for the increased energy consumption issues, all of the excess paper and trash that unwrapping gifts brings, etc. But they never take a stab at Christmas from a religious perspective - their being atheists really has nothing to do with why they don't like the holidays.

Just my two cents.

 

[EmptyTimCup]

"Mithra was a god. He's the conqueror of the sun,” explained Wachs. “Mithra came about 1,000 years B.C.E., which is a long time before the Jesus character. Mithra was born on December 25th to the virgin Anahita."

 

[JunkShip]

Wait a minute... so if I believe in Santa Claus, then I'm not an atheist?

 

[vraiblonde]

Like, omigawd!

 

[desertrat]

EXACTLY!!!! We can't have Christmas parties where I work. Can't even put a small tree on my desk BUT get the day off with pay. Why does the federal govt and schools get the holiday? Take it away!

Hmm, they have xmas parties and a door decorating contest in the Gov. bldg. I work at. I will have to make sure there are no religious symbols or references on theses doors. Only Charlie Brown maybe.