How do you feel about the Athiests who throw a fit over peoples nativity sets, who end up having to take them down, or get fined out even thrown in jail because of it? Are you outraged that it's those kind of people who give Athiests a bad name? I used to be an Athiest until quite recently, and I know these Athiests who force their opinion on others are no better than anyone of any other religion who does. What are your Christmas beliefs? I don't believe in any form of christianity or catholicism, but I still like to decorate for the season. Don't give any kind of history lecture on where Christmas really came from or anything along those lines. I want to know how you feel about Christmas in todays modern society.
As an atheist, I don't really pay attention to the ones that bash the christians for decorating. But, you have to realize the ones that decorate on public grounds are going against the constitution, and that is why other faiths have the right to put there decorations up. I celebrate Christmas with my family, because I still enjoy getting presents, and giving them, and just having a good time.
Just because atheists aren't religious doesn't mean they can't appreciate religious traditions. Christmas is fun, the music is pretty, and it gives us a time in the winter to get warm drunk and stupid with our friends and family. I'm an atheist and I celebrate Christmas.
I celebrate Christmas. Hell I even go to church with my family on Christmas eve. I mean I really don't give a fuck about religion, so I have no reason to feel bitter towards it, and I see no reason to not enjoy the religious holidays, etc. Sure it may have its influences in our society, but it just doesn't bother me enough to care. (Currently at least.)
There are the people who don't want their children indoctrinated in a particular religion speaking out, and there are people who are kinda jerky about it and just don't want to see it. If people can even be banned or whatever you mentioned for having a Christmas display, you can't blame the atheist for that. Blame whatever institution allows that. Then, of course, there are some extreme assholes that are mad at those people because they're those people. These people are evidently too ignorant to understand that there are people of all different cultures observing different holidays around the same time. And then there are all the jerkoffs actively pushing "outrage" over some imagined "war" on the tradition practiced by the overwhelming majority of people as if there is a real threat when there isn't. I'm convinced they're just the extreme assholes who calmed down and figured out they can exploit all the other extreme assholes by getting them mad over stupid shit like a "war on Christmas." Ultimately, whether it's atheists complaining about holiday displays or language sensitivity toward different cultural traditions or it's people getting upset that there are people in the world who don't do things exactly like they do, they're really all complaining about the same thing. The people who complain about complaining are the worst, considering they're doing the same thing they're complaining about others doing. They must think of their religion as a cloak that hides them from scrutiny or something. I don't do anything too special for Christmas, but there's no reason I wouldn't if I felt motivated to. It's a nice tradition.
I'm atheist, but Christmas is still tradition ya know (for me, my family, etc.)? I'm not gonna hate on my grandparents nativity sets, or anything else Christmas related because, well, I fucking love getting presents. And its a nice chance to give someone else something, plus days off work for the win.
Baptized Catholic. Realized that everything that i ever was told in church, or "prep", or by any ministry folk was nothing more than a solid set of principles to live life by. Now, i myself do not believe there is a "god-like" entity. HOWEVER i do find the bible to be a great book - if you look at the morals/principles in it, vs the whole god thing. As far as christmas is concerned. Im not really huge on decorating as its annoying to take down. do i enjoy the holiday OF COURSE. Its a great excuse to have off work and see your family. my .02 ::rant portion:: for those who preach jesus all december.... SHUT UP! IF WE WERE CURIOUS WE'D ASK YOU for those who make a fit over people displaying their nativity sets, this that or the other.... YOU SHUT UP TOO! Im sick of hearing bantering over a now hallmark holiday. if its not for you, fine. if you love it, fine. i just dont feel that there is any need to make a big stink over it. /rant
Christianity is a hateful, bigoted, discriminatory religion. Seeing crosses and nativity scenes, to me, is tantamount to walking past Swastikas in the street. Aside from that Christmas is symbolic of destruction and persecution of traditional religions of Europe.
as long as it isn't on on public property, whatever. oh and i do christmas just no nativity scenes, no midnight mass, just a tree, gifts, music and good food. perhaps a xmas story or movie. I'm not pagan either
@postal I wasn't just picking out Athiests, it's on my local news talking about Athiest groups filing lawsuits against any displays visible to the public (even just in peoples front yards!). And this isn't the first I've heard of it. I hear about it year after year, and while I'm not Christian or Catholic, it still makes me upset that they are selfish enough to force their opinion down sometimes throat.
[quote name='"CAVERN"']Christianity is a hateful, bigoted, discriminatory religion. Seeing crosses and nativity scenes, to me, is tantamount to walking past Swastikas in the street. Aside from that Christmas is symbolic of destruction and persecution of traditional religions of Europe.[/quote] That's fantastic that you think that, I actually believe the same thing, but I'm not going around fucking up others good-meaning holiday just because I believe something different. If you want to do something against religion, do something meaningfull, not something that will do nothing but piss of everyone. Because that's all that's happening, is people are getting pissed off. Not just the people putting up the displays, but people like me, who is open minded and believes in freedom of religion (but also separation of church and state). Most of these people aren't trying to convert every child that walks by, they're just trying to give some holiday beauty and cheer.
[quote name='"Postal Blowfish"']If I can fuck up someone's holiday just by objecting to it, someone's got a lot of thinking to do.[/quote] When you're making normally good hearted people take down something that had no ill intentions just because you don't like it, yes, that could be very much upsetting I'm sure.
If they're the ones taking it down, how am I the one who made it happen? Further, one guy said the Christian symbols are like the Swastika to him. Should he just suck it up and be offended because people want to use their offensive symbols to show the world how pious they are? Again, if a nativity display is the cornerstone of your ability to enjoy the holiday, you have a lot of thinking to do.
[quote name='"Postal Blowfish"'] If they're the ones taking it down, how am I the one who made it happen?[/quote] I didn't mean you any more than you meant yourself in your previous post.
[quote name='"CAVERN"'] [/quote] So every single Christian is bad? Even I am not arrogant enough to think that.