Is it wrong to celebrate Christmas if I am no longer Christian?

nytemare

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:13 PM
Original message

Is it wrong to celebrate Christmas if I am no longer Christian?

I still believe in a spirit of giving, and in all the good things the season is supposed to bring about.

I feel that if Jesus did exist, he was more of a spiritual leader than a messiah, but that many of his teachings were good.

Is it just habit that I keep celebrating?

:shrug:

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KitchenWitch

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:13 PM
Response to Original message

1. I still celebrate it...

And I am Pagan. But some of my family is still Christian, so....

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WCGreen

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:15 PM
Response to Reply #1

5. Yule get a log... And have a grand old time...

Light the tree on the longest night of the year....

The Solstice is the peace and calm that happens when ending meets beginning...

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Oeditpus Rex

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:50 PM
Response to Reply #5

17. A Log!

Edited on Thu Dec-01-05 10:51 PM by Oeditpus Rex

What rolls down stairs alone or in pairs
Rolls over your neighbor's dog?
What's great for a snack and fits on your back?
It's Log, Log, Log!

It's Log, Log, it's big, it's heavy, it's wood!
It's Log, Log, it's better than bad, it's good!
Everyone wants a log! You're gonna love it, Log!
Come on and get your log! Everyone needs a Log!

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nytemare

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:17 PM
Original message

From what I have been reading, Christianity has its roots in Paganism

more than many would want to believe/admit. The most they come up with for the similarities is that the devil laid out similar figures to Christ beforehand to test the faith of the followers.

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Rabrrrrrr

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:15 PM
Response to Original message

2. To celebrate it literally, yes, of course it makes no sense.

But, you can still enjoy the non-religious aspects of the holiday - the trees, gift giving, the cheer, the food and drinks and social gatherings, the goodwill and all that stuff, santa and elves and reindeer and music and TV specials...

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tjdee

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:15 PM
Response to Original message

3. Yes it is just habit, it's fine.

Edited on Thu Dec-01-05 10:16 PM by tjdee

I'm a Christian, and I get a kick out of people celebrating Christmas who don't believe in "the story" of Christmas....

but then, I guess there are Pagans who get a kick out of Christians celebrating Festivus (in part). Or Yule or Solstice or whatever.

:shrug:

I say it's a good time for everyone.

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mainegreen

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:15 PM
Response to Original message

4. Why do you have to be christian to celebrate christmas?

Some of us atheists have been doing it all our lives, and love it! A person should feel they can celebrate any holiday they want, from any religion. Experience life!

Experience dammit! :bounce:

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nytemare

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:18 PM
Response to Reply #4

8. Ok. Experience, I will!!

:hi:

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skygazer

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:17 PM
Response to Original message

6. Not very many people celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday anyway

It doesn't seem to bother them.

For me, personally, part of the reason I don't celebrate it is because I'd feel rather hypocritical but I'm a very literal type and it annoys me when holidays are altered to fit what people want rather than what they were originally intended for. I despise Monday holidays because it seems to me the height of disrespect to move a holiday supposed to celebrate someone or something just to make it more convenient for us all to have a long weekend. But that's me.

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Floogeldy

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:18 PM
Response to Original message

7. Lighten up, friend.

Warm feelings. Santa is your buddy.

Take comfort in the fact that, around the time of the founding of our country, many, many religious people viewed Christmas as a pagan holiday, full of drinking, feasting, and probably even some evil sexual fucking.

Enjoy.

;)

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nytemare

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:19 PM
Response to Reply #7

10. Your sigline drunk sticky man is funny.

:hi:

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Redstone

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:18 PM
Response to Original message

9. Do it if you want to; don't do it if you don't want to.

Forget the navel-gazing; just do what you feel like doing and don't worry about it.

Redstone

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Oeditpus Rex

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:25 PM
Response to Original message

11. I figure it this way

I'm an atheist, but I believe there was probably a dude named Jesus who was a carpenter, and he believed we should love our neighbor and stuff and he went around telling people that.

Sounds like a pretty good dude, so I've got nothing against celebrating his birthday... even if it's not his birthday.

I just think it's bizarre that we celebrate it by making CorpAmerica richer. :eyes:

(Actually, I think the dude's name was Brian and he went around saying stuff like "Blessed are the Cheesemakers." But that's beside the point.)

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skygazer

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:31 PM
Response to Reply #11

13. He doesn't mean it literally

It refers to any manufacturer of dairy products.

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nytemare

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:33 PM
Response to Reply #11

14. "Alright, I am the Messiah!"

Edited on Thu Dec-01-05 10:34 PM by nytemare

Right, now fuck off!

Love that movie.

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Oeditpus Rex

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:46 PM
Response to Reply #14

16. 'How shall we fuck off, o lord?'

:rofl:

(I knew this was gonna get Python-jacked. And I don't care.) :7

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nytemare

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Fri Dec-02-05 08:30 PM
Response to Reply #16

18. "Fuck off, or I shall say "nee" to you, again!"

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begin_within

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:29 PM
Response to Original message

12. My next-door neighbors are Jewish and they celebrate it, tree and all, but

no religious meaning, just the "holiday" spirit and gift-giving, parties etc.

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Orangepeel

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Thu Dec-01-05 10:34 PM
Response to Original message

15. Not unless doing so is against a religion to which you now subscribe

otherwise, who is going to mind?

My atheist husband celebrates Hanukkah. It's a cultural thing. Why shouldn't it be for you, too?

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Starbucks Anarchist

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Fri Dec-02-05 08:46 PM
Response to Original message

19. I'm an atheist, and I celebrate it.

Well, I get gifts and don't have to go to work, so I celebrate that. :)

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bertha katzenengel

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Fri Dec-02-05 08:51 PM
Response to Original message

20. No. I do. My sisters do. We three atheists detest this season for

a very good reason, but we love giving gifts, and we are all penniless philanthropists. :shrug:

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rbnyc

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Fri Dec-02-05 08:54 PM
Response to Original message

21. It's not wrong.

Most people I know celebrate it as a secular holiday. My family has always celebrated Christmas and they are 80% atheists, 15% Agnostics. (5% Catholic. :scared:)

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