Posted on 12/08/2006 6:31:00 AM PST by MARenzulli
Some people have asked me how an atheist can celebrate Christmas.
(Excerpt) Read more at ayn-rand.com ...
"The secular meaning of the Christmas holiday is wider than the tenets of any particular religion: it is good will toward men... The charming aspect of Christmas is the fact that it expresses good will in a cheerful, happy, benevolent, non-sacrificial way. One says: ´Merry Christmas´ - not ´Weep and repent´. And the good will is expressed in a material, earthly form - by giving presents to one's friends, or by sending them cards in token of remembrance…
The best aspect of Christmas is the aspect usually decried by the mystics: the fact that Christmas has been commercialized. The gift-buying…stimulates an enormous outpouring of ingenuity in the creation of products devoted to a single purpose: to give men pleasure. And the street-decorations put up by the department stores and other institutions - the Christmas trees, the winking lights, the glittering colors - provide the city with a spectacular display, which only ´commercial greed´ could afford to give us. One would have to be terribly depressed to resist the wonderful gaiety of that spectacle."
Merry Christmas!
Wallowing in Vanity Fair is a dangerous seduction. The whole meaning of Christmas is there is something more, and better, than the pleasures and pains of this earthly world.
Merry Christmas, from my heathen family to you and yours!
Excellent point.
To think that we are the end product of life, of this earth, is very depressing. I'm glad I believe in something Higher and Greater than myself.
Peace on Earth, good will to all.
Merry Christmas.
kai epi ghs eirhnh ev anthrwpois eudokias
The correct translation is most likely:
"And on earth, peace to men of good will" not "peace on earth, good will to men."
Eudokias is plural in the verse and is most likely an adjectival form modifying the plural anthrwpois (men).
To interpret "good will" as a substantive noun here, it would be a plural substantive which is not really found in Greek.
LOL. Benny was a wise one.
Why would you even celebrate Christmas? It about some guy born and now in heaven with God since you don't believe that why do you celebrate it.
I have always wondered when you look into your childrens eyes and see only worm food - how does that feel?
When I look into my childrens eyes I want to be with them forever - to do that, I must believe in something of an after life that comes with a God - you don't - you reject it, there is not God, no afterlife so, you are here, you die and are simply part of the food chain. Basically worm food.
Must be an empty life, I feel sorry for your children - I guess they love you and would like to be with you forever - how selfish are you?
I can answer that: because I like all the pretty, glittering lights, and gifts, and big dinners with family and friends! And the Christmas tree smells really good.
All flippancy aside, many of us atheists are still what I call "cultural Christians." We think a lot of the Judeo-Christian morals and values are very positive. Unlike Islam.
Maybe then you are not an atheist. Maybe you're just Agnostic.
No people can be a hard-core atheist and still believe that Christian ethics and culture are superior. It's socio-biological. Ethical darwinism. Some ethical systems work to produce good and prosperity. Some are bad and stagnate (Islam). Over time the better systems prevail.
So the idea of a secular holiday is totally foreign to you? What about New Year's Day, Independence Day, Valentine's Day, even Halloween? Christians are past masters at adapting existing holidays to their own ends (Christmas, Easter, etc), so why is it so hard to believe that others would do the same thing? I have always wondered when you look into your childrens eyes and see only worm food - how does that feel?
You know how foolish you look when you ask such idiotic questions? I suspect you are think you are being clever in trying to shock someone into changing their beliefs, but all you are doing is betraying your profound ignorance as to how atheists really think and behave.
When I look into my childrens eyes I want to be with them forever - to do that, I must believe in something of an after life that comes with a God
Ah, so you base your faith on wishful thinking. "If wishes were horses then beggars would ride." I see.
I feel sorry for your children - I guess they love you and would like to be with you forever - how selfish are you?
Save your condescending pity for someone who needs it.
That the best you can come up with comparing Christmas and the 4th of July.
Sorry if you feel I am condescending - you take care of your worm food now, ya hear.
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