I don’t get it. I am Catholic. I celebrate Christmas because it is a Christian festival. I do not celebrate Ramadam because I am not Muslim. Why do I see Atheists and other religions celebrating a festival which is not part of their religion?
I’m Atheist and I don’t celebrate Christmas. There is no tree in my house, no decorations, I don’t sing X-Mas carols either. I do however enjoy the day off like everyone else. Its the spirit of X-Mas that people find one day to celebrate. Whats so hard about trying to carry the same meaning year round? It doesn’t have to be this big one day event, because that limits peoples perception of generosity.
February 12th, 2010 at 7:07 am
its a traditional thing that we do in america for everyone
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February 12th, 2010 at 7:38 am
It’s a pagan holiday to celebrate the winter solstice.
It was hi-jacked by Jesus.
That and it’s fun.
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February 12th, 2010 at 8:22 am
Because Christians do it for the sake of Christ….
Atheist.. for the sake of "Santa Clause", the "holiday spirit" giving and getting gifts…
and all the other pagan stuff that distracts us from the true meaning of Christmas…
Hope I didn’t confuse you
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February 12th, 2010 at 8:30 am
I’m an atheist and I celebrate Christmas because the rest of my family is Chisitian. It’d hardly be fair of me to ruin their holiday.
I see it as a time that I can spend with my family and friends, not a religious holiday.
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February 12th, 2010 at 8:40 am
For some of the same reasons you do. To get with family, honor family and friend relationships, and shock of all shock, to remind ourselves that selflessness is the better and higher way. Surprise!
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February 12th, 2010 at 8:56 am
i have a friend who has no religion and she celebrates christmas to get presents.
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February 12th, 2010 at 9:28 am
Christmas is not Christian. Obviously, you are Catholic so you don’t understand.
Mithras was born in December, not Jesus.
The whole thing about bringing a tree inside is pagan.
Atheists are celebrating the return of the SUN, not the SON.
You really should study your own religion. An atheist should not understand your holidays better than you do.
Then again, you’re Catholic. It makes sense.
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February 12th, 2010 at 9:48 am
A Christian festival?!? HAA!!! More like a shopping fest… Christmas is a societal tradition where people enjoy friends and family. My family always celebrated it and we will continue to celebrate it.
If it were solely a Christian "festival", I would NOT be celebrating it.
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February 12th, 2010 at 10:08 am
People don’t understand the meaning of christmas anymore. For about 75% of the people who celebrate it, its about being selfish and getting presents.
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February 12th, 2010 at 10:36 am
I’m Atheist and I don’t celebrate Christmas. There is no tree in my house, no decorations, I don’t sing X-Mas carols either. I do however enjoy the day off like everyone else. Its the spirit of X-Mas that people find one day to celebrate. Whats so hard about trying to carry the same meaning year round? It doesn’t have to be this big one day event, because that limits peoples perception of generosity.
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February 12th, 2010 at 10:45 am
Because they’re stupid! CHRISTmas is about CHRIST’s birth. That’s what it’s all about. Yet they want the food, the goodwill, the gifts and everything else but not Jesus. Ever wonder why they put a X on Xmas? They want Christmas without Jesus!
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February 12th, 2010 at 10:51 am
Ever heard of Sol Invictus, Yule, Saturnalia, or Hanukkah? Every one of them predates Christianity. Christ wasn’t even born in winter.
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February 12th, 2010 at 11:27 am
My family are catholic and me and my family have always celebrated christmas, it’s a culture thing. It is my personal right to celebrate it with my family and quite frankly what I and other atheists do at christmas should be of no concern to you or any other christian. Just like how what you do on christmas is of no concern to me and my family.
There are few people in my family who still believe in and practice catholicism, my mum isn’t a practicing catholic anymore. My mum and dad have never made christmas for us a religious thing ever, to us it is about spending time together and doing what most other none religious families do which is give presents and have a good time.
Christians have no right to stop us from celebrating christmas. Many atheists from religious and none religious families grew up celebrating christmas and easter just like you did. It’s not your right to tell us what to do on those days.
Besides if the christians can steal pagan traditions why can’t us atheists steal so called "christian" traditions. What goes around, comes around, right?
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atheist
February 12th, 2010 at 11:47 am
It’s a public holiday…no work for a few days.
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February 12th, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Christmas is actually a Pagan festival adopted by the Roman Catholic Church (just like Easter from the Anglo-Saxon fertility goddess Eostre, & Hallowe’en which was originally a Gaelic, Anglo-Saxon & Scandinavian celebration of dead ancestors). Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25 in 350 AD in an attempt to make Christianity more acceptable to pagans.
The common Western concept of Christmas, even including national variances, is essentially a fusion of Roman, Indo-European, Nordic and Celtic Pagan festivals and symbolism. Not all of these festivals were strictly religious.
In short I suspect atheists celebrate the Winter festival without considering the Christ, much like many other religious & non-religious cultures do & have done.
I wonder why Christians celebrate these Pagan festivals.
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