What Is Christmas?

[Coldicote]

Whatever one’s religious belief, most will know the symbolism of Christmas -the birth of Jesus Christ. It seems to me a travesty having religion mixed up with Santa Claus, reindeer and all the rest of the material jollifications. I would like to see the two separated, one being a religious occasion and the other a winter festivity at a different time. Am I alone with these thoughts?

[Coldicote]

The word CHRIST-MAS itself has religious implications. I am simply trying to show respect for those who have religious belief, without smothering them with all the materialistic paraphernalia.

[jake-the-peg]

Well the word Easter has religious implications too


originally referring to the name of the Anglo-Saxon goddess Ēostre.

Both are named differently in other languages so as Shakespere said - What's in a name

[ludwig]

// Why do you call it Christmas? //

Because that's what it's called.

As WaldoMcfroog (pretty sure it was him) said on another thread 'I'll stop calling it Christmas when you stop referring to Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday'.

[naomi24]

Coldicote, //I am simply trying to show respect for those who have religious belief, without smothering them with all the materialistic paraphernalia.//

I don’t think you’re going to change that – it’s part of our culture - but as I said, you aren’t obliged to join in.

[Coldicote]

I didn’t expect to change anything, but felt it would not be out of place to recognise those with religious views, who seem to be often scorned these days. Thank you all for contributing to an interesting discussion.

[naomi24]

I think most of us recognise people with religious views - but they also have to recognise something - that other people are no longer obliged to pander to them or to their views. It is no longer acceptable for them to demand or to expect the automatic respect of the rest of society.

[RATTER15]

As an atheist, if im asked if I will be celebrating xmas, I will usually reply, No, I wont be celebrating Xmas as such but I will celebrate the 25th of December.

[naomi24]

Ratter, I suppose there’s another way of looking at it. Since the country is practically shut down, most of us have no choice but to desist from our usual day to day activities – so I hardly think the religious who foisted the day upon us in the first place can expect to tell us how to spend it too.

[goodlife]

Christmas means different things to different people. Many view it as a time of vacation when the whole family gets together. They look forward to Christmas as a joyous occasion featuring good food, singing and dancing, preferred companionship and the exchanging Christmas giving, too, is often improperly motivated. Many feel compelled to give at this time of year. They may even go deeply into debt to do so. Then, too, some give Christmas presents for selfish reasons.

So you see in spite of this, the churches of Christendom go on celebrating Christmas year after year. To them it makes no difference where Christmas came from. All that seems to matter is that it is a time of fun that is now thought to be Christian.( Rom. 1:25)

[jomifl]

Thankyou for the sermon/lecture goodlife, I'm sure it will add another dimension of enjoyement to our festivities (knowing that we atheists needn't feel guilty about celebrating a purely christian knees-up)

[naomi24]

Goodlife, //the churches of Christendom go on celebrating Christmas year after year. To them it makes no difference where Christmas came from. All that seems to matter is that it is a time of fun that is now thought to be Christian//

You're mistaken. When was the last time you attended a church service at Christmas? Perhaps you should take another look.

[LazyGun]

the return of goodlife?! I blame christmas!

There is nothing to stop those who wish to focus on what they believe is the religious message of christmas celebrating that message, should they so wish.

It is important to recognise though that this religious message is a narrative without a great deal of foundation that has been transplanted onto mid-winter festivals that were common in a lot of cultures of the time , and those festivals had a very real and compelling reason to celebrate- half way through the darkest days, lets have a celebration!

So, I would be very happy to see a proper separation of the 2 messages, and a focus on the really important issues - family, friends, food, drink, presents, and an opportunity to relax knowing that pretty much everyone else is doing exactly the same thing - lovely social and cultural adhesion! :)

[naomi24]

LG, //the return of goodlife?! I blame christmas! //

Look upon it as a gift. ;o)

[anneasquith]

what is christmas............... a celebration of the birth of christ.

[LazyGun]

Why have christians appropriated the middle of winter to celebrate jesus' birth? The whole nativity story is almost certainly a fictional narrative,nevermind whether or not the main proponents of the story - from god to jesus - are fictional.

http://www.christiananswers.net/christmas/mythsaboutchristmas.html

[goodlife]

Christmas is found, not in Bible, but in ancient pagan festivals, such as the Roman Saturnalia, a celebration dedicated to Saturn, the god of agriculture. Likewise, according to their reckoning, devotees of the god Mithra celebrated December 25 as the “birthday of the invincible sun,” says the New Catholic Encyclopedia. “Christmas originated at a time when the cult of the sun was particularly strong at Rome,” about three centuries after the death of Christ.

[mibn2cweus]

I'm not so sure the man commonly referred to as 'Christ' was even born at all . . . more likely He (like His alleged father) was hatched.

http://img3.etsystatic.com/000/0/5405364/il_fullxfull.226530783.jpg

[naomi24]

Goodlife, I'm interested to learn how you know what churches preach at Christmas, but you've not told me when you last attended a church service.

[goodlife]

As a boy I had a disappointing experience at Sunday school grew up to become a young man fully convinced that religion is a fraud, and that modern science eliminates the need for God. I had experienced what many others have, and reacted much the same way as some as you do. I raised my eye and asked, How could there be an Almighty, all-bountiful God up there when we have so much corruption and wickedness down here? To me there was only one answer to that question: There is no God, but thing change this atheistic outlook.

[Coldicote]

Corruption and wickedness is human and we make our own decisions. I simply don’t know what to believe but cannot help feeling there is some kind of creative power. Science can explain many things but I doubt if it will ever discover how sentient life came into being.