To address the original question; while people have have argued about everything since forever the phenomenon of the angry atheist really kicked off when people in the states (again) started trying to get evolution dropped from the school curriculum and replaced with a creation myth. In some cases, they even succeeded for a while. That’s worth getting upset about.

And they’re not really that angry either; the Four Horsemen, for example, spend a small amount of their time calmly demolishing religions’ claims to truth or moral superiority. I’ve seen people spout more vitriol about wheel sizes.

Not troling. A Genuine question here: Do all you atheists celebrate Christmas? If so, how? If not, what do you do instead

Like I said: genuine question. I’m interested

That’s a a very positive outlook Graham. Sounds a right laugh that. Suddenly religion sounds like a hoot!

Existence is suffering.

I think atheism is actually a very lonely and difficult path. You are always one step from the depressing pit of existential nihilism.

well done binners. I may not be a troll but should be good for another few pages. Wasn’t even needed as the thread wasn’t running out of steam yet 🙂

Not troling. A Genuine question here: Do all you atheists celebrate Christmas? If so, how? If not, what do you do instead

Yes or at least I do. I have a slap up meal with my parents/sisters/whoever else and we then proceed to have the same arguments that we’ve been having for the past 25 years. In any case celebratory feasts around the time of midwinter pre-dates christianity by some considerable way.

Do all you atheists celebrate Christmas?

I doubt it – not all Christians do…

If so, how?

Same as most people I reckon, just with nothing to do with religeon

Why? What’s Christmas these days got to do with religeon?

Not troling. A Genuine question here: Do all you atheists celebrate Christmas? If so, how? If not, what do you do instead

Like I said: genuine question. I’m interested

I celebrate it as a midwinter festival (as it originally was before being hijacked by Christianity) an excuse to eat drink and be merry, I have nothing to do with the religious side of the festival, or the queens speech.

Do all you atheists celebrate Christmas? If so, how?

Of course. A time for giving and family to cheer up the depths of winter, followed shortly after by Hogmanay, a time for friends and new starts.

Or, like a study into wether or not ducks like water.

Freeundred fahsand pahnds. 😯 Somebody needs a good kicking…

And can anyone tell me what significant benefits the Space Shuttle programme brought to a nation which does not in any way even provide adequate health care for millions of it’s own citizens? Apart from installing weapons/spy satellite systems and giving a bunch of astronauts a bit of a gigle as they float about doing ‘experiements’?

Billions and billions of dollars. Cooduv funded some proper education in many parts of Africa for that sort of money. Helped provide clean drinking water. Y’know, stuff of benefit to Humanity…

In’t Science brilliant?

Do all you atheists celebrate Christmas? If so, how?

Same way everyone else does. It’s a seasonal holiday. I can give gifts to loved ones at Christmas and dress up as a goth on Hallowe’en without having to believe in gods or witches. I’m quite happy to eat chocolate eggs at Easter without subscribing to that whole ‘zombie Jesus’ business.

Christmas isnt really a christian holiday, its an amalgumation of holiday traditions from a variety of backgrounds – Roman, Pagan, Druid, Scandinavian etc.

So yes.

Obviously I dont do the nativity thing (well since i was in primary school and unable to make my own decisions).

But I put up decorations, exchange a few gifts, drink port and eat turkey and vast amounts of stilton 🙂

GrahamS – Member

That’s a a very positive outlook Graham. Sounds a right laugh that. Suddenly religion sounds like a hoot!

Existence is suffering.

I think atheism is actually a very lonely and difficult path. You are always one step from the depressing pit of existential nihilism.

“I shall simply say that those who offer false consolation are false friends”

Do all you atheists celebrate Christmas? If so, how? If not, what do you do instead

Same way most people do. Have family over, get drunk, spend too much then argue.
I do have to get up early to get an hours run in to stop me going “stir crazy” in the afternoon!

I was once told by a monk – a gay one at that – that many theologians think that Jesus (if he existed) was born around April. Would have been a bit of a sod having to celebrate a birthday then a few days/weeks/month later celebrate his death.

Loving the “I celebrate the Winter Feast” retorts.

For you that claim that – how many other pagan festivals do you partake in throughout the year?

For you that claim that – how many other pagan festivals do you partake in throughout the year?

Hard to say. How many other festivals have Christians stolen then re badged then claimed as their own? Give me the list and I am sure we can give you an answer.
Like the Easter one though, I love Choclate me!

binners – Member

Not troling. A Genuine question here: Do all you atheists celebrate Christmas?

Of course I do.
I sing carols too (I sing along when ‘Werewolves of London’ comes on the radio too. Don’t believe in those either).

Proper little hypocrite, me. 😀

I think all the atheists should be made to work on all religious based holidays, as well as Saturdays and Sundays.

I can’t see them having a problem with that tbh, what with their hatred of religion and all it stands for.

And notice none of them have owt to say on when Science is used for bad, eh? In spite of criticising Religion for bad stuffs. funny that, eh? Go all quiet when challenged about stuff they have unfaltering belief in being less than perfect….

Not troling. A Genuine question here: Do all you atheists celebrate Christmas? If so, how? If not, what do you do instead

Not really no. No decorations in the house, no special meal on the 25th. I do take more note of the Solstice and new year.

You are aware that most of the “traditional Christmas” stuff is actually pagan anyway?

the holly and the ivy – pagan fertility symbols. etcetc

i don’t find existential nihilism depressing, i think it’s liberating and humbling.

solstice is the key for my celebrating round christmas. nights start to get shorter, got to be a good thing.

many theologians think that Jesus (if he existed) was born around April

http://www.farleftside.com/2008/12-24-08.html

Oh and of course; ‘holiday’ = ‘holy day’, so none of those for you either then. 😆

Work 7 days a week, 365/6 days a year. It’s what you heathens deserve….

Easter was eostre, no? Or something like that. To do with doing naughty things, rebirth.

The other Christian holidays – nope, can’t think of any I celebrate. Pancake day seems to pass me by. I’ve dumped the old funny-named (whitsun? other stuff like that?) days to the bin.

Oh, I do an advent calendar because it means I can eat chocolate, if that helps.

Celebrating whatever you choose is absolutely fine so long as you’re ok with it…

Hard to say. How many have Christians stolen then re badged?

As many as the Sons of Men 😀

But seriously – surely you would know, right ?

Loving the “I celebrate the Winter Feast” retorts.

For you that claim that – how many other pagan festivals do you partake in throughout the year?

Why should it matter?

I can spend time with my family for whatever reason I want to, whenever I want to. Its absolutely of no concern to anyone…

Because I enjoy christmas with friends does not mean my ideas about religion have changed. Why would anyone be narrow minded enough to think that? Well done you ‘caught me out’, I once said ‘oh my god’ duing sex so I must be a lapsed atheist 🙂

I celebrate the festival of Sol Invictus, which pre-dates Christianity and utterly coincidentally seems to have been picked by the Christian church to also be the day some fella was born in a barn.

And notice none of them have owt to say on when Science is used for bad, eh? In spite of criticising Religion for bad stuffs. funny that, eh? Go all quiet when challenged about stuff they have unfaltering belief in being less than perfect….

you can have a gold star if you can explain what “reductio ad ridiculum” means. i’ll give you a clue, it’s not from harry potter.

And notice none of them have owt to say on when Science is used for bad, eh?

You mean like when Truman (the baptist president) unleashed nuclear death on Japan.

Elf now you are being ridiculus.

BH’s apply to everyone of all faiths and none. Doesn’t matter where your your holy days fall they arn’t BH’s unless its coincidental.

As for science being used for evil …its people that do evil, not science or technology …and don’t get me started on the fundamentalist nutters who block stem cell reasearch and other emerging technology.

only bankers can have bank holidays.

Fred you are a shadow of your former self, this is no fun. Are you feeling OK? I’m a bit concerned.

Oh, and in answer to the “how many other pagan festivals” question, a few. Eostre, Beltane, Samhain, Lupercalia, both the solstices…

And notice none of them have owt to say on when Science is used for bad, eh? In spite of criticising Religion for bad stuffs. funny that, eh?

How has science been used for ‘bad’? Science cant be used for bad in the same way that a drink drivers car doesnt crash by itself. there are scientific discoveries that are immoral (e.g. chemical weapons), but these are not developed by ‘science’, they are developed by nation states as a weapon via a scientific process. Scientific process is what has allowed you to ride ythe bike you own, or argue on the internet.

But religious people can use a scientific discovery for bad – e.g. the Tokyo Sarin Attacks.

Well done you ‘caught me out’, I once said ‘oh my god’ duing sex so I must be a lapsed atheist

😀

I meant without Googling it, Pyro. 😉

Loving the “I celebrate the Winter Feast” retorts.

For you that claim that – how many other pagan festivals do you partake in throughout the year?

You’re still labouring under the misapprehension that we attach any religious significance – be that Christian or pagan or FSMism – to the holidays. One of the beauties of being non-denomination is that we can celebrate whatever the hell we like.

To put it another way: How many people in the UK celebrate Nov 5th? Now out of those, how many are actually celebrating the thwarting of a terrorism attack on parliament, and how many are going “ooh, pretty fireworks”?

Christmas, and all the other holidays we “celebrate,” may have their basis in various religious events. But I’ll wager that for the vast majority of people in the UK, the “true meaning of Christmas” is nothing more than lip service.

Every year we hear comments like “only 20 shopping days till Christmas”; “have you bought all your presents yet?”; “Sainsbury’s have sold out of turkeys, it’s a disaster!” I don’t recall ever hearing “only 20 more worshipping days till Christmas” or “Sainsbury’s have sold out of effigies of the baby Jesus.”