Christmas for Atheists

[LetsBeLogical]

I was wondering if Atheists in general celebrate holidays such as Christmas or Halloween. Thanks for any replies.

 

[Nyarlathotep]

My family and I do. For one they are as much a cultural as a religious observance, and though my family and I are atheists, we still consider ourselves as part of our culture.

Secondly, holidays are exactly what you make of them. If you choose to make them religious, they are. If you choose to make them just another day, they are. If you choose to make them a time to make a point of expressing appreciation for your family, they can be that too. My family and I choose the last option.

 

[LetsBeLogical]

Thats kind of odd to me to hear. If religion is nuts then why partake in the very things they hold as sacred? I mean wouldn't make more sense to avoid it so as to make a point? I know that not all Atheists will agree with you but I am speaking strictly from your perspective.

 

[Skeptical Greg]

I was wondering if Atheists in general celebrate holidays such as Christmas or Halloween. Thanks for any replies.

Yes. Especially those involved in retail sales ...



Seriously.. I obviously don't personally ' celebrate ' these times from a religious viewpoint. However, it is impractical to pretend there is nothing going on..

I try to use these events to strengthen family ties by celebrating life, having some fun and hope I get some good stuff..


You do realize that these times are not cause for celebration for a lot of people besides Atheists, many of which even call themselves ' Christians '?
Millions of these people are probably Asians who are celebrating for the reason I alluded to above, in that they are making a bunch of that stuff....

 

[Skeptical Greg]

Thats kind of odd to me to hear. If religion is nuts then why partake in the very things they hold as sacred? I mean wouldn't make more sense to avoid it so as to make a point? I know that not all Atheists will agree with you but I am speaking strictly from your perspective.

You are speaking from the perspective of an atheist?

Are you one ?

 

[pgwenthold]

Most people have some sort of solstace celebration. Whether it is called Christmas or Kwanzaa or whatever is irrelevent to me.

I do celebrate with family around that time of year, but not for the birth of a savior or anything.

I love the old pagan rituals, like decorating trees, kissing under mistletoe, and singing "Deck the Halls."

Modern Halloween is a cultural holiday, and has no religious aspects at all. In fact, I have long proposed that the only reason Halloween is popular is because it is a sex holiday. Basically, it is an excuse for adults to drink, and when adults drink they end up having sex. Other sex holidays include St Patrick's day, New Years, and the obvious, Valentine's Day.

The other group is the family holiday. Easter, Christmas, 4th of July (although there is overlap there), Memorial Day and Labor Day are popular family days.

Things like Columbus Day and MLK Day are never going to be all that big until they can get associated with family or sex.

 

[Kerberos]

Thats kind of odd to me to hear. If religion is nuts then why partake in the very things they hold as sacred? I mean wouldn't make more sense to avoid it so as to make a point? I know that not all Atheists will agree with you but I am speaking strictly from your perspective.

Christmas isn't so much a Christian celebration as an ancient celebration which the Christians co-opted. In any case atheism doesn't have a god that tells us not to celebrate heretical parties, so we can pretty much celebrate anything we like.

 

[Nyarlathotep]

Thats kind of odd to me to hear. If religion is nuts then why partake in the very things they hold as sacred? I mean wouldn't make more sense to avoid it so as to make a point? I know that not all Atheists will agree with you but I am speaking strictly from your perspective.

As I said holidays are what you make of them. They only hold religious significance if you choose to imbue them with religious significance. I like the idea of a day to express my appreciation for my family. Why Dec 25th as opposed to, say, May13th. That's where the being part of my culture comes in. That's the day that's most convenient for it.

To avoid doing something for no better reason than because it has it's origins in religion is to make atheism into a religion. It sort of goes against the point.

 

[MLynn]

Things like Columbus Day and MLK Day are never going to be all that big until they can get associated with family or sex.

This is a great line!
On the flip side, some Xtians do not celebrate Christmas or partake in Halloween.
Christmas is not a recognized observance in the Bible. It doesn't really matter if a Xtian celebrates it or not.
Halloween is not recognized by some (most?) Xtians because of its pagan origins. I myself like the American, child-like side of Halloween, to see the kids in costume and to give them candy in a safe environment. I don't attach"satanic power" to halloween (some Xtians seem to be scrared of it like they are worshipping satan or something).
Edited to clarify that what we know as Christmas (not the birth of Christ) isn't a mandatory feast/observance in the Bible.

 

[geni]

Hands up anyone who know the name of the relgion xmas has it's origins in. Xmas isn't even the main Cristian festivle anyway.

 

[Nyarlathotep]

This is a great line!
On the flip side, some Xtians do not celebrate Christmas or partake in Halloween.

Indeed. Celebration of Christmas was often outright forbidden by some groups, The pilgrims, for example. Jehovahs witnesses do not celebrate it still.

Christmas was never really a major holiday until the 19th century. prior to that, when it wasn't forbidden it was more of a "party" holiday, sort of in the vein we celebrate New Years eve or St. Patricks day.

 

[Martin]

Hands up anyone who know the name of the relgion xmas has it's origins in

Hmm...the festival of Saturnalia?

 

[MLynn]

Hands up anyone who know the name of the relgion xmas has it's origins in. Xmas isn't even the main Cristian festivle anyway.

I think you are referring to Saturnalia, the ancient Roman 7-day festival of Saturn (info taken from the American Heritage Dictionary).

 

[Nyarlathotep]

Hands up anyone who know the name of the relgion xmas has it's origins in. Xmas isn't even the main Cristian festivle anyway.

Some parts date to the Romans, some to the Celts, others to Mithraism.

 

[MLynn]

Some parts date to the Romans, some to the Celts, others to Mithraism.

What is Mithraism?

 

[Silicon]

I celebrate Christmas and Halloween.

Those holidays have been around longer than 2004 years. Just because the Catholic Church co-opted them about the year 375, doesn't mean I have to be a christian to celebrate them.

After all, the origins of what we call Christmas (and Christianity) go back ancient Egypt. The story of a virgin bringing forth a baby comes from the legend of Osiris, the half-god, half-man savior.

All that baby-new-year/baby jesus stuff comes from these old stories. Gimme that OLD-TIME RELIGION!



http://www.religioustolerance.org/winter_solstice.htm

 

[Nyarlathotep]

What is Mithraism?

Mithraism was a Persian religion that had spread to Rome about the same time as Christianity was starting up. In many ways it was Christianitys biggest competitor. To make a long story short, there is some evidence that early Christianity sort of co-opted Mithraism rather than fighting it, one of the biggest pieces of evidence int hat direction is that Christmas falls on the supposed birthdate of Mithras (the diety of that religion).

Alas I am at work, and do not have access to my history books and am too busy to go googling for a good link to give you. But there is a lot of info out there on Mithraism and it's links to Early Christianity.

 

[El Greco]

I celebrate Christmas, Easter and everything, although an atheist. Especially the Orthodox Easter, I love it. There is so much solemnity in the air...

And I would celebrate any religious events in any country I would possibly live. If I go to a muslim country I'll be celebrating Ramadan. I enjoy sensing the society I live in, that's all.

 

[tdn]

Mithraism was a Persian religion that had spread to Rome about the same time as Christianity was starting up. In many ways it was Christianitys biggest competitor. To make a long story short, there is some evidence that early Christianity sort of co-opted Mithraism rather than fighting it, one of the biggest pieces of evidence int hat direction is that Christmas falls on the supposed birthdate of Mithras (the diety of that religion).

Yeah, and wasn't Mithra born of a virgin in a manger after the virgin was visited by an angel? And didn't Mithra become a carpenter?

OK, maybe not, but there are some striking similarities between Mithra and Christ.

Also, wasn't Yule a Nordic holiday some 1000 years before Christ?

Anyway, to answer the OP -- I see no reason why the falsehood of a biblical myth should keep me from drinking eggnog and opening presents.

 

[Nyarlathotep]

Yeah, and wasn't Mithra born of a virgin in a manger after the virgin was visited by an angel? And didn't Mithra become a carpenter?

OK, maybe not, but there are some striking similarities between Mithra and Christ.

Also, wasn't Yule a Nordic holiday some 1000 years before Christ?

Anyway, to answer the OP -- I see no reason why the falsehood of a biblical myth should keep me from drinking eggnog and opening presents.

Yes, there are some similarities between Jesus and Mithras (Mithras was also the son of a God, iirc) but I do not know if the similarities extend that far.

As for your last paragraph, all I can say is, well put.