Think of religion as like riding a bike. You cant until you believe you can and then eventually you do.
In this case its Credo ut intelligam not plaustrum ante equum.

it’s an element of natural human ‘desperation’ to grasp for something at our time of need.

Painkillers and / or all the drugs depending on the situation

I don’t believe in god but I celebrate Christmas. Why? Because it’s fun, the family get together, we eat, drink, have fun, relax. I don’t care about the back story, I just embrace it for what it is – a chance to get away from the drudgery of everyday life. Am I a hypocrite? Probably. Do I care? Merry Christmas!

Are you a hypocrite? Not remotely. Enjoy, and have a merry Christmas!

I agree with almost everything said by the ‘don’t sweat it, it’s all harmless’ brigade posting on this thread; by and large, despite Christmas and to a lesser extent Easter being massive in this country, as an adult it only affects you at all if you let it. HOWEVER. As a young child growing up in this country it is almost impossible to avoid ‘living a religious life’. My son goes to a non religious local school and last week he went to church and had to sing and pray, and today I’ve watching him singing “something something Jesus something” (or something. Now he doesn’t mind, I don’t make any deal at all about it, and I encourage him to make his own mind up about that stuff. It is a little annoying that I’m having to put the ‘or maybe’ argument to him though; surely our children should be being educated not (albeit gently) indoctrinated in this day and age?

Interesting question v8ninety!

I went to my daughter’s nativity play (traditional) this week at her infant school – equally though, they’ve done equivalent level performances/assemblies for parents for Eid and other festivals too, so the ethos at her school is very much of learning about many cultures’ celebrations rather than “indoctrination”. I’d hope that’s a healthy way of doing things 🙂

had to sing and pray,

… and therein lies the problem.