Why do Atheists celebrate Christmas?

[mAlice]

There is nothing sanctimonious about calling something by the name it holds. But there is much arrogance in demanding it be changed simply because it doesn't hold some inclusiveness as defined by a select few.

Nothing sanctimonious? Then why did the christians change it to christmas?

I never demanded, or requested, or even suggested, that anything be changed. You're the one with your panties in a bunch making all kinds of wild accusations. Good christian that you are.

 

[PsyOps]

Nothing sanctimonious? Then why did the christians change it to christmas?

I never demanded, or requested, or even suggested, that anything be changed. You're the one with your panties in a bunch making all kinds of wild accusations. Good christian that you are.

For the same reason why the founders decided to call this land we live on America. I'm quite certain it was called something else before the settlers got here. For the same reason The Air Force was once called the Army Air Corp. Geez...

It got called Christmas because that's what Christians wanted to call it. It has kept the name for hundreds of years. Do we want to go back and rename this country because it might offend the natives or other immigrants that come here? The world celebrates a holiday called Christmas; the central figure being Jesus Christ. Christians adopted a lot of the pagan traditions of gift giving primarily because of the gifts that were given to Jesus from the 3 wise men at his birth; AND because Christ gave the biggest gift to EVERYONE........... Salvation! THAT is what WE (Christians) celebrate. This country adopted this faith-based concept as a federal holiday. THAT is what it is called. Changing the name is a smaller effort in a larger battle by atheists to change the faith-based landscape of this country; to destroy the central foundings of this country. So all this arguing about changing the name serves a larger purpose for me than just Christmas. On December 25th we celebrate Christmas. THAT is what it is called.

.

 

[mAlice]

For the same reason why the founders decided to call this land we live on America. I'm quite certain it was called something else before the settlers got here. For the same reason The Air Force was once called the Army Air Corp. Geez...

It got called Christmas because that's what Christians wanted to call it. It has kept the name for hundreds of years. Do we want to go back and rename this country because it might offend the natives or other immigrants that come here? The world celebrates a holiday called Christmas; the central figure being Jesus Christ. Christians adopted a lot of the pagan traditions of gift giving primarily because of the gifts that were given to Jesus from the 3 wise men at his birth; AND because Christ gave the biggest gift to EVERYONE........... Salvation! THAT is what WE (Christians) celebrate. This adopted this faith-based concept as a federal holiday. THAT is what it is called. Changing the name is a smaller effort in a larger battle by atheists to change the faith-based landscape of this country; to destroy the central foundings of this country. So all this arguing about changing the name serves a larger purpose for me than just Christmas. On December 25th we celebrate Christmas. THAT is what it is called.

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You really don't get it. No one has asked anyone to change anything.

Why do you keep harping on that? Why do you expect everyone to think like you?

 

[PsyOps]

You really don't get it. No one has asked anyone to change anything.

Why do you keep harping on that? Why do you expect everyone to think like you?

You don't even know how this all got started do you?

 

[mAlice]

Just like the pagan gods were cast aside, so now your god is cast aside. It gives me insight into how the pagans might have felt.

 

[mAlice]

You don't even know how this all got started do you?

You wanted to know why non christians celebrate christmas. My answer was "it's fun". :shrug:

 

[Xaquin44]

HAVE YOU BEEN TO THE MALL LATELY AND SEEN HOW THEY FIGHT OVER PARKING SPACES? HOW ABOUT THE DEATH AT WAL-MART? The best of people. I don't think so.

nope

I order on-line =)

 

[Xaquin44]

Then, as I have said already, lobby to have the name changed. Regardless of the pagan history of gift giving, trees and lights and such Christians adopted these traditions with their celebration of the Birth of Christ. THAT is central to the holiday and not all other crap that you are trying to make Christmas all about. When Christians celebrate this holiday we see the birth of our savior. Yes, we put trees and lights up and give gifts but the centerpiece of the celebration if Christ's birth. THAT is what is celebrated around the world TODAY. This is the day Christians set aside for Christ's birth. This is the day that this country decided they wanted to make a federal holiday in recognition of. CHRISTMAS! Not some other holiday that you want to create. You want to create another holiday have at it.

the point is that there was already a holiday created .... christians just adopted it a changed it around a little.

 

[mAlice]

the point is that there was already a holiday created .... christians just adopted it a changed it around a little.

But that was the wrong holiday, 'til the christians fixed it all up the way they wanted it.

 

[Twicks]

So, is this an argument about Christianity or an argument about the origins of Christmas?

Let's get back to the original question. I'm an athiest. I celebrate Christmas. By 'celebrate' I mean I put up a Christmas tree, give gifts, get gifts, spend time with family, go to parties, make and eat good food, donate to charity. These are all things that one can enjoy without believing in Christ. These are good things that I wish we could do all year round, but unfortunately reality keeps us from behaving that way on a normal basis.

Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims would see Christmas as worshipping a god contrary to what they believe in, and so they won't celebrate Christmas, or they may not have a cultural tradition of it. I do, and since I don't believe in God, there is no contridiction. I enjoy the traditions. I do not go to mass or church. That would be a contriction.

Observe Japan, an overwhelmingly Buddhist/Shinto county. Japanese are not very uptight about strictly following any religion, but the do love tradition. You see many American-style Christmas traditions being adopted there.

 

[PsyOps]

the point is that there was already a holiday created .... christians just adopted it a changed it around a little.

Okay... so what?

 

[mAlice]

So, is this an argument about Christianity or an argument about the origins of Christmas?

Let's get back to the original question. I'm an athiest. I celebrate Christmas. By 'celebrate' I mean I put up a Christmas tree, give gifts, get gifts, spend time with family, go to parties, make and eat good food, donate to charity. These are all things that one can enjoy without believing in Christ. These are good things that I wish we could do all year round, but unfortunately reality keeps us from behaving that way on a normal basis.

Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims would see Christmas as worshipping a god contrary to what they believe in, and so they won't celebrate Christmas, or they may not have a cultural tradition of it. I do, and since I don't believe in God, there is no contridiction. I enjoy the traditions. I do not go to mass or church. That would be a contriction.

Observe Japan, an overwhelmingly Buddhist/Shinto county. Japanese are not very uptight about strictly following any religion, but the do love tradition. You see many American-style Christmas traditions being adopted there.

Christians are incapable on understanding tradition. There must be a god in the equation.

 

[PsyOps]

You wanted to know why non christians celebrate christmas. My answer was "it's fun". :shrug:

I didn't want to know that. I started it with Xaquin when I posted this:

I'm a Christian and have to work Christmas day. I can celebrate my God any day of the year. I don't need Christmas to do that. So for atheists to hijack the holiday with their drivel has no bearing on me whatsoever.

Then he wrote this:

what are you talking about?

Then I replied with this:

This is what I'm talking about.

Nonbelievers' sign at Capitol counters Nativity

In the latest round of what's become almost a winter tradition — conflicts over religious symbols in public places — a group of atheists and agnostics have put up a sign in the state Capitol that says, in part: "Religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds."

Freedom From Religion Foundation members put up the sign Monday, partly in response to a nearby Nativity scene. They also debuted a billboard in downtown Olympia that reads: "Reason's Greetings."

And this...

New York Christmas Boat Parade Changes Name, Loses Fans

Brookhaven-based fireworks company Fireworks by Grucci dropped its sponsorship after the Greater Patchogue Foundation removed "Christmas" from the parade's name. The change was made after some residents complained the name wasn't inclusive enough.

Inclusive enough for what? It's CHRISTMAS. A Christian holiday. Who else is supposed to be included in a CHRISTIAN HOLIDAY?

Now I don't care if atheists want to celebrate Christmas, but don't try to change it. It has now become routine for atheists to pop up every Christmas trying to remove the very name that defines the holiday. If atheists want their own holiday, lobby for one. If atheist want to try to do away with Christmas have at it. Until then, leave it alone.

THAT'S what I'm talking about.

Then everything went nuts.

So I some.

 

[PsyOps]

I'm done here. I have to go. It's been fun.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

And God Bless You!

 

[Xaquin44]

Okay... so what?

you were complaining about atheists "hijacking" the holiday, when that's exactly what christians did in the first place.

I was just pointing that out.

 

[mAlice]

you were complaining about atheists "hijacking" the holiday, when that's exactly what christians did in the first place.

I was just pointing that out.

Thank you. I obviously couldn't have said it better.

I'm out...time for bed.

 

[Xaquin44]

Thank you. I obviously couldn't have said it better.

I'm out...time for bed.

sorry, hehe

I know you were saying that too

I was just agreeing =)

 

[Kain99]

Late in the game......but, the answer is GREED!

 

[Radiant1]

Late in the game......but, the answer is GREED!

Apparently Atheists do it because it's a cultural tradition. Nevermind that that cultural tradition comes from the very Christianity that they reject.

It doesn't bother us enough to try to have it changed. We know what it is, even if you don't.

Apparently it does bother you or you wouldn't be whinin' about it.

You do have a point however. There are various pagan celebrations that were "baptized" by Christianity. All Souls and All Saints day are other examples aside from Christmas. It's a date on the calendar and it's meaning is the same as well as the added meanings of the pagan tradition. The remembrance of Christ our light Who came into the world at the same time the days begin to grow longer is very apt if you ask me. Jesus didn't have to be born on that day for us to celebrate it at that time.

The large majority of "Christmas traditions" are indeed pagan ones. Honestly, as a Christian it doesn't bother me one whit. If it's not antithetical to the basic tenants of Christianity then it's harmless. Christianity is full of "paganism" (whether Protestants want to admit it or not); it's a melding of Judaism and so-called paganism.

I think the point of the OP was, why would someone like you mAlice celebrate Christmas in your home (hey, maybe you don't I don't know)? If you do, I'm sure it doesn't center around Christ so why don't you just call it Sol Invicta(Ancient Roman) or Lenaea (Ancient Greek) or Bodhi Day (Buddhism) or Yule (Celtic Druids and Neopagans) or Inti Raymi (Ancient Incas) or Shabe-Yalda (Zoroastrainism) or Soyal (Hopi Indians) or The Long Night (Vampyres) or simply Winter Solstice?

Btw, did all of these peeps steal from each other like you accuse Christianity of doing?

 

[Kain99]

Apparently Atheists do it because it's a cultural tradition. Nevermind that that cultural tradition comes from the very Christianity that they reject.



Apparently it does bother you or you wouldn't be whinin' about it.

You do have a point however. There are various pagan celebrations that were "baptized" by Christianity. All Souls and All Saints day are other examples aside from Christmas. It's a date on the calendar and it's meaning is the same as well as the added meanings of the pagan tradition. The remembrance of Christ our light Who came into the world at the same time the days begin to grow longer is very apt if you ask me. Jesus didn't have to be born on that day for us to celebrate it at that time.

The large majority of "Christmas traditions" are indeed pagan ones. Honestly, as a Christian it doesn't bother me one whit. If it's not antithetical to the basic tenants of Christianity then it's harmless. Christianity is full of "paganism" (whether Protestants want to admit it or not); it's a melding of Judaism and so-called paganism.

I think the point of the OP was, why would someone like you mAlice celebrate Christmas in your home (hey, maybe you don't I don't know)? If you do, I'm sure it doesn't center around Christ so why don't you just call it Sol Invicta(Ancient Roman) or Lenaea (Ancient Greek) or Bodhi Day (Buddhism) or Yule (Celtic Druids and Neopagans) or Inti Raymi (Ancient Incas) or Shabe-Yalda (Zoroastrainism) or Soyal (Hopi Indians) or The Long Night (Vampyres) or simply Winter Solstice?

Btw, did all of these peeps steal from each other like you accuse Christianity of doing?

Hahahaha! She has a point. She posts her Christmas tree every year!