Do atheists celebrate Christmas?

maxfisher1988

Do atheists celebrate Christmas? If so, is it not a bit hypocritical?

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

Sarky

We're usually too busy raping our siblings and murdering people for the craic because without religion we can't know the difference between right and wrong. It always worries me that religious folk often say they'd be murderous sociopaths without the threat of divine punishment.

I'd go into more detail but I'm on a bus home to the other end of the country so I can spend some time with my family. Because who needs religion to celebrate?

ThirdMan

maxfisher1988 wrote: »

Do atheists celebrate Christmas? If so, is it not a bit hypocritical?

I'm an atheist and I celebrate Christmas in the same way that most Christians celebrate it. That is by enjoying time off from work, buying and receiving crap and eating and drinking too much. Lets be honest, Christmas isn't a religious holiday anymore. It's a big greed-fest and everyone is welcome. Why shouldn't atheists indulge in the ridiculousness?

maxfisher1988

I actually think it is hypocritical for both non-active Christians, and theists to celebrate.

Epi

maxfisher1988 wrote: »

I actually think it is hypocritical for both non-active Christians, and theists to celebrate.

You wanna start banning Christmas for those who aren't active Christians? Kinda like in Germany where they're forbidding (or tying to forbid, not up to date at the moment) a certain District to have a Christmas market because of the high Muslim rate in that specific area?

OU812

I celebrate the holidays, not the religious side of it

Links234

I'm an athiest, and a huge fan of Christmas, I love it!

SmilingLurker

Yes, I celebrate the winter solstice* festival with my family. As you can use the term Hannukah, Christmas, Yule. Hypocritical using the common term? Celebrate Jesus' birthday when it could have happened maybe in September or March? (Romans did not have censuses during winter).

I prefer the sound of Yuletide myself. (this does not mean I believe in Odin either).

* Winter only in this hemisphere.

Littlehorny

maxfisher1988 wrote: »

I actually think it is hypocritical for both non-active Christians, and theists to celebrate.

Actually Christmas is an old pagan festival which has been adopted/stolen by the Christian faiths, being historically accurate wasn't Jesus born in March or April according to some historians?

Aineoil

maxfisher1988 wrote: »

Do atheists celebrate Christmas? If so, is it not a bit hypocritical?

In my house they do:D

They say they are christian atheists or cultural catholics.

I think they just want the presents.

GLaDOS

I don't celebrate any religious aspect of it so I fail to see the problem.

I see it as a time to catch up with friends and family, jesus doesn't come into it.

Links234

I spend time with people I love
I put up decorations
I cook a great meal, a huge turkey dinner
I exchange gifts
I relax and enjoy myself, watch movies and Christmas specials, play games, do things like that

I don't think I celebrate Christmas all that differently to anyone else, I just don't go to church.

Effects

maxfisher1988 wrote: »

I actually think it is hypocritical for both non-active Christians, and theists to celebrate.

I'm sure you have Thursday in your weekly calendar? I doubt you believe in Thor so isn't that you being hypocritical yourself?

zenno

maxfisher1988 wrote: »

Do atheists celebrate Christmas? If so, is it not a bit hypocritical?

I'm an atheist, and I celebrate Christmas because It's a nice time for the family to get together and have a good time. The religious side of it doesn't come into the equation, it doesn't need to.

maxfisher1988

Okay. Thanks everyone for answering my question. I appreciate now that it is not hypocritical. :rolleyes:

Aineoil

I maybe a bah humbug person, but I think Christmas is very depressing.

It's dark, the weather is terrible. There are muppets wearing christmas jumpers with inunedos on them like Jingle my bells. OMG I am still laughing....not

Eggnog - who drinks that? - apart from some people in an American Christmas movie.

You're invited to a Christmas Staff night out to "celebrate" with people who don't bid you the time of day during the working week.

Family time!!.....I spend 264 days of the year trying to avoid that......

Why do we do this?

Because a 15/16 year old told her parents she was pregnant. Her son was the son of god. And she convinced them all she was still a virgin. You couldn't make it up or could you?


Maybe I am just a cynic

Deadlie

On this lads, has anyone got a good Baby Recipe? We went with Turkey last year, but I felt that was very 'Christian', so I'm sticking to what I know best this year for Didn'tExistmas.

Lets be honest, Christmas isn't original. It's the modern version of pagan rituals that went on for years and years before it. The Romans had Saturnalia, or something like that, around the same date. There's loads more - pretty sure there's even an Irish one. It's basically a time for celebrating the end of the short days and the start of the move towards Spring.

darjeeling

Remember, folks, a dogma is for life, not just for Christmas.

Gordon

Ah Christmas; the snow, the robins, the holly, the Santa, the reindeer, the commercialism inviting money lenders, the turkey, the mince pies, the egg nog, the Yule log, the pantomimes etcetera etcetera. It's all so very biblical, what an apt celebration of Jesus' non birthday. Happy holidays everyone

Aineoil

Deadlie wrote: »

It's basically a time for celebrating the end of the short days and the start of the move towards Spring.

Totally agree

Femme_Fatale

maxfisher1988 wrote: »

Okay. Thanks everyone for answering my question. I appreciate now that it is not hypocritical. :rolleyes:

Why ask if particular answers were going to annoy you.

The religious aspect is only one element of Christmas, of which there are many.

wretcheddomain

There's a difference between celebrating Christmas and celebrating at Christmas time - the former refers specifically to mangers and all that sh1te while the latter is celebrating for celebrations sake. You'll find that the vast majority of people don't actually 'celebrate Christmas' and all that the event is supposed to signify, rather, they celebrate anyway.

If I were to buy a slab of Guinness at Easter time it wouldn't mean I'm celebrating the event of Easter either.

RobbieTheRobber

maxfisher1988 wrote: »

Do atheists celebrate Christmas? If so, is it not a bit hypocritical?

How is it hypocritical though?
What am I being a hypocrit about exactly?
I give my family presents I even expect them back. Sometimes when I don't get presents back or the presents i expect I can feel a bit miffed but I move along.

I eat a huge dinner which often has quite a bit of waste after. My favourite is the ham mmm I do love pork.

I do this every year because winter festivals have happened for a long time in this country even long before the arrival of that Christian nonsense.

You probably guessed I don't identify with the christian faith.

Lets for a second though imagine you who is asking am I a hypocrite. I imagine your a Christian a true believer in your own eyes. I also imagine you have a Christmas experience much like mine above except you attend mass and have this day in honour of your God. The God who died to save you from sin.
So let me ask you, do you not feel like a hypocrite?
I mean your god who died for your sins and you honour him by having a glutinous feast expecting ever increasingly extravagant presents. My favourite is you probably like the Ham as much as me, Ham that is forbidden from being eaten in the same book and chapter your god supposedly bans homosexuality. So who here is really the hypocrite?

Femme_Fatale

Even though I'm agnostic/atheist (not totally sure which) I like the christianity message at Christmas - it's utterly benign; I don't get the attacking of it. The nativity imagery is lovely too IMO, as are the hymns. Yes I know it was distorted afterwards, but the original message is just stuff like be nice to one another.

Mark Hamill

maxfisher1988 wrote: »

Do atheists celebrate Christmas? If so, is it not a bit hypocritical?

If celebrating christmas is hypocritical for atheists, is recognising Wednesdays through Saturdays?

mcmoustache

I'll celebrate anything that involves copious amounts of beer and fine foods.

zenno

There's no harm in treating yourself as a king once a year

drkpower

I'm looking forward to Christmas
It's sentimental I know
But I just really like it

I am hardly religious
I'd rather break bread with Dawkins than Desmond Tutu
To be honest

And yes I have all of the usual objections to consumerism
The commercialisation of an ancient religion
To the westernisation of a dead Palestinian
Press-ganged into selling Playstations and beer
But I still really like it

I really like Christmas
Though I'm not expecting
A visit from Jesus
I'll be seeing my dad
My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum
They'll be drinking white wine in the sun
I'll be seeing my dad
My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum
They'll be drinking white wine in the sun

I don't go for ancient wisdom
I don't believe just 'cause ideas are tenacious
It means that they're worthy

I get freaked out by churches
Some of the hymns that they sing have nice chords
But the lyrics are spooky

And yes I have all of the usual objections to the miseducation
Of children who in tax-exempt institutions are taught to externalise blame
And to feel ashamed and to judge things as plain right or wrong
But I quite like the songs

I'm not expecting big presents
Ye olde combination of socks, jocks and chocolates
Is just fine by me

'Cause I'll be seeing my dad
My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum
They'll be drinking white wine in the sun
I'll be seeing my dad
My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum
They'll be drinking white wine in the sun

And you my baby girl
My jetlagged infant daughter
You'll be handed round the room
Like a puppy at a primary school

And you won't understand
But you will learn one day
That wherever you are and whatever you face
These are the people
Who'll make you feel safe in the world
My sweet blue-eyed girl

And if, my baby girl,
When you're twenty one or thirty one
And Christmas comes around
And you find yourself 9000 miles from home
You'll know whatever comes
Your brothers and sisters and me and your mum.
Will be waiting for you in the sun

Whenever you come
Your brothers and sisters
Your aunts and your uncles
Your grandparents, cousins
And me and your mum.
Will be drinking white wine in the sun
Waiting for you in the sun
Drinking white wine in the sun

Darlin' when Christmas comes
Well'll waiting for you in the sun
Drinking white wine in the sun
Well'll waiting for you in the sun
Waiting for you
Waiting

I really like Christmas
It's sentimental I know

kylith

maxfisher1988 wrote: »

Do atheists celebrate Christmas? If so, is it not a bit hypocritical?

I celebrate the pre-Christian mid-winter festival which Christians have tried to co-opt. People call me pretentious if I call it something other than Christmas so I don't have a lot of choice in the matter.

Do you not think that taking over a different religions' holidays then getting pissy at people who don't share your tacked-on reason is a bit hypocritical?

shruikan2553

I mentioned this in another thread. How to celebrate an atheist christmas:

Step 1: take the good parts of Christmas.
Step 2: dont go to mass
Step 3: do something you actually want to do or enjoy instead of going to mass.

If anything atheists are the less hypocritical, we're honest that we dont give a s*** about whoever was born and just do what we want to have a good time.

feargale

maxfisher1988 wrote: »

I actually think it is hypocritical for both non-active Christians, and theists to celebrate.

Yes, and let all those hypocritical Christians and Atheists desist from trick or treat on our Pagan feast of Samhain. Oh boy, where would I be if my brother weren't my keeper?

MrPudding

<shakes head> this thread is exactly why I started the "filthy atheists stealing our Christmas" thread.

MrP

Turtwig

MrPudding wrote: »

<shakes head> this thread is exactly why I started the "filthy atheists stealing our Christmas" thread.

MrP

I'm surprised it took you so long.:p

pauldla

MrPudding wrote: »

<shakes head> this thread is exactly why I started the "filthy atheists stealing our Christmas" thread.

MrP

And a great thread it is too! It'll soon be time to shake it out, put it back in its box, and put it in the A&A attic until next year.

MrPudding

Jernal wrote: »

I'm surprised it took you so long.:p

Sorry. I was out drinking.

MrP

Pherekydes

I have a Christmas jumper that portrays the true spirit of Christmas.

It has a pic of a cash register with coin falling into it and underneath is the inscription: "Jingle all the Way"

nozzferrahhtoo

maxfisher1988 wrote: »

Do atheists celebrate Christmas? If so, is it not a bit hypocritical?

Firstly no it is not hypocritical given that the winter solstice was a festival commandeered by Christianity and does not actually have anything to do with Christianity itself. The hypocrisy lies instead with Christians in that they commandeered this festival... a festival even they acknowledge is no where near the purported birth date of Jesus.... solely as a marketing ploy to assist in uptake of their religion.

Secondly however I do not think any atheists celebrate Christmas. Rather they celebrate AT Christmas. Festivals in general exist to acknowledge and celebrate some good aspect of our human lives. Like Valentines being a Festival of Love. "Family" is also one thing worth celebrating and Christmas is a good time for that. It is the end of a long year and people gather to celebrate and revel in the Love of family.

So no I do not see atheists celebrating Christmas per se, nor do I see any of the hypocrisy you imagine.

jimd2

Aineoil wrote: »

I maybe a bah humbug person, but I think Christmas is very depressing.

It's dark, the weather is terrible. There are muppets wearing christmas jumpers with inunedos on them like Jingle my bells. OMG I am still laughing....not

Eggnog - who drinks that? - apart from some people in an American Christmas movie.

You're invited to a Christmas Staff night out to "celebrate" with people who don't bid you the time of day during the working week.

Family time!!.....I spend 264 days of the year trying to avoid that......

Why do we do this?

Because a 15/16 year old told her parents she was pregnant. Her son was the son of god. And she convinced them all she was still a virgin. You couldn't make it up or could you?


Maybe I am just a cynic

I agree with some of what you say, lol at celebrating with people who don't speak to you all year.

Family time......trying to avoid it. I hope for your sake that you are joking here.

And her son was the son of God not god.

Frank Lee Midere

kylith wrote: »

I celebrate the pre-Christian mid-winter festival which Christians have tried to co-opt. People call me pretentious if I call it something other than Christmas so I don't have a lot of choice in the matter.

Do you not think that taking over a different religions' holidays then getting pissy at people who don't share your tacked-on reason is a bit hypocritical?

Do you not think that atheism != paganism?


You also have little or no idea what Pre-Christian celts did at mid winter. Probably not much.

timetogo

I celebrate Christmas about 95% the same now as when I was brought up as a Catholic. The only 5% difference is I don't have to spend 40 minutes in a church, standing, sitting, kneeling, chanting and waiting to leave like pretty much most of the other people waiting there.

I was brought up as a Catholic with all my friends and relatives Catholic. After the mass I don't think any of us mentioned Christ for the rest of the day.

I think celebrating Christmas how I do now is less hypocritical than how I used to.

I also celebrate Halloween but I don't believe in ghosts, witches, the bogeyman etc.

Pherekydes

jimd2 wrote: »

And her son was the son of God not god.

No son of god would have said the following:

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Think of the billions he condemned to eternal damnation through no fault of their own with that statement.

Pherekydes

Frank Lee Midere wrote: »

You also have little or no idea what Pre-Christian celts did at mid winter. Probably not much.

They built a tomb with a skylight that admits the light from the rising sun at midwinter. 5000 years' ago.

And it still works!

So yeah, not much really.

jimd2

Pherekydes wrote: »

No son of god would have said the following:

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Think of the billions he condemned to eternal damnation through no fault of their own with that statement.

I hope that English was not your best subject at school.

At least you seem to have studied at religion.;)

Happy Christmas.

smacl

I'm an atheist and personally, I can't stand Christmas. I didn't celebrate it prior to having kids, but can't really escape it at this point. Faux religious festival marked by excessive spending, over indulgence, lying to the kids about santa, massive waste and being stuck with the mother in law in the house for three days. Sorry but no. Roll on boxing day.

Pherekydes

jimd2 wrote: »

I hope that English was not your best subject at school.

No it wasn't. But is there something wrong with my post? Grammar, spelling, punctuation, style?

Wait, is it because I didn't capitalise god? Well, he's not my god. He's just an imaginary deity, designed by man to control man.

I didn't capitalise father, either.

Days 298

I actually haven't heard the religious fable behind Christmas this year at all yet. It's not even a religious event when you look at it. Family gathering and gift swapping. The religious aspect is a sideshow. It's not why people enjoy the holidays anymore.

Doctor DooM

jimd2 wrote: »

I hope that English was not your best subject at school.

At least you seem to have studied at religion.;)

Happy Christmas.

Pherekydes wrote: »

No it wasn't. But is there something wrong with my post? Grammar, spelling, punctuation, style?

Wait, is it because I didn't capitalise god? Well, he's not my god. He's just an imaginary deity, designed by man to control man.

I didn't capitalise father, either.

It's easier to attack the poster when you can't find a hole in the post.

Why are we posting here? If I had seen this thread first I definitely have left a snide link to the proper thread as the first post

Sarky

Ignore jimd2 trying to ruin Christmas with his religious woo and hand waving.

Here, have some seasonal orchestral metal:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCabI3MdV9g

endacl

Happy Malkh OP! Enjoy Pansha Ganapati! And a joyous Dies Natalis Solis Invictus to one and all.

kylith

Frank Lee Midere wrote: »

Do you not think that atheism != paganism?

Did I say that atheism = paganism? No, I didn't. What I said was that mid-winter has been celebrated since long before Christianity arrived on the scene

You also have little or no idea what Pre-Christian celts did at mid winter. Probably not much.

As Phere said, they built a tomb to mark the solstice at about the same time Judaism was getting off the ground, so it would appear that they actually placed a great deal of significance on the day, leading me to believe that they were probably up to quite a lot around that time of year. Hopefully it involved mead, because mead is yummy.

jimd2 wrote: »

And her son was the son of God not god.

So you don't subscribe to the Christian belief of the triple god- Father, son, and Holy Spirit. I thought that was quite important in Christianity, St. Paddy built a reputation on it, after all.