Posted on 12/08/2013 8:34:26 AM PST by Kaslin
Would you say you think the possibility that Amun Ra is the one true god a definite possibility, but choose to not follow his teachings, or think he’s just a made up thing to ignore because it’s bs?
Holiday” is an alternate pronunciation of the phrase “Holy Day.”
Still doesn’t mean they aren’t using it generically. It’s the “Christ” reference they are opposed to.
I genuinely don’t understand non-Christians celebrating Christmas. I couldn’t imagine doing that. What are they celebrating?
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The giving and receiving of presents. Christmas lights. Christmas music. Time with family.
It’s fun.
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I get that it’s fun. Is that all it is? Fun? I’ve been around Christmas and not of Christmas. It is a fun time, but as an adult doesn’t it feel hypocritical to celebrate a holy day you don’t believe in? It did for me. When I was disconnected to Christianity celebrating Christmas felt like peeping through a window at someone else’s party. I would no more celebrate Christmas as a non-Christian than I would celebrate Hanukah as a non-Jew. It’s like crashing a wedding. It just feels wrong. It never occurred to me to celebrate Christmas until I came back to the faith. Before that I wasn’t a Christian, so I didn’t celebrate the birth of Christ. As an adult 2010 was my first Christmas. The first time I wanted a tree. The first time I wanted to give presents. The first time I wanted to celebrate. Before the Christmas of 2010 I saw no logic in celebrating.
Thank you though for telling me how it is for you.
For me, yes.
I’ve been around Christmas and not of Christmas. It is a fun time, but as an adult doesn’t it feel hypocritical to celebrate a holy day you don’t believe in?
Not in the slightest. Bear in mind that while my parents are Christian in a very vague "I guess..." kind of way, my family never attended religious services or even said grace at the table...but we did celebrate Christmas, which involved putting up a tree, giving gifts to each other, having a special dinner, etc., but there was never the slightest religious aspect to it.
I would no more celebrate Christmas as a non-Christian than I would celebrate Hanukah as a non-Jew. It’s like crashing a wedding. It just feels wrong.
My best friend is Jewish, and he invites me to his family's Passover Sedar every year. During the cermony, I wear a yarmelke and participate in the reading. My friend and his family are fully aware that I'm not Jewish (and that I'm an atheist, for that matter), but they have invited me to their home...so it doesn't feel the least bit wrong.
I'm considering a trip to Japan in the near future, and I'm considering staying at a Buddhist temple. They host tourists at their temple for overnight stays, serve them meals, etc. While I'm there I will certainly follow whatever rules they have, and won't hesitate to participate in whatever ceremonies to which they're kind enough to invite me.
I don’t know that I don’t believe. Don’t know that I do. I do know that I spent 11 years in Catholic parochial school (k-10) and it was my whole life during that time. I was very close to the religion and had the # 1 grade in the graduating class, and award in the cardinals religion exam going from grade 8 to HS.
Upon graduation of HS, I had too many questions and even the Jesuits could not answer them. (Yeah I know the Jesuits can be left leaning...or not... Be that as it may...they are the intellectuals of the church)
So I remain RC on my terms, the church does not agree and I suppose I am excommunicato, but I don’t tell them and they haven’t asked. I do not take the sacrament out of respect for their rules.
It is what it is. But thanks for caring and being holier than thou.
No I am tired now. Perhaps another time. Read # 65. It is what tired me.
Perhaps another day.
Ignosticism is the view that a coherent definition of a given religious term or theological concept must be presented before the question of the existence or nature of said term can be meaningfully discussed. Furthermore, if that definition is unfalsifiable, the ignostic takes the theological noncognitivist position that the question of the existence or nature referred to by the term, for the given definition, is meaningless.
I've seen some entries in Wiki (like yours) that discuss "ignosticism", but the dictionaries don't have the word.
"Ignostic" appears to be a coinage by analogy with Latin words like ignarus ("ignorant") and ignotus ("unknown" *, "obscure"), in which the i-/in- is the same privative prefix, in Latin, that the Greeks have as a-, as in apteros, "wingless" ("Nike Apteros") and numerous other words indicating the absence of something. The Greek "privative a" is really the Indo-European (and Latin) prefix in- meaning "not", as in Latin insalsus, insipidus (both mean "tasteless"), and the Germanic/English prefix un-.
Therefore "ignostic" really = "agnostic". The latter is the correct form.
* "Unknown" and ignotus are both descended from the same Indo-European roots and are therefore congeners, the same morphemes in different daughter languages, much like "two" and duo.
So, the real question is, “What happens to me when I die?”
If you want to comment then reply and if you don’t then don’t. BTW, Pascal reasoned this in his writings.
I understand what you mean. My Mother and Father were the same way (less the “I guess” - they had no use for religion). Trees, gifts, decorations, food, etc, but there were us kids in the house, and it’s hard not to do Christmas with kids in the mix. After we grew up my parents no longer celebrated Christmas. All along it was just a yearly party for us.
I too have been a guest at ceremonies I wasn’t intimate with. A very lovely and detailed Indian wedding comes to mind. I would never turned down an invitation because it was religion based, at the same time I wouldn’t host the celebration myself (except as a gift). I enjoyed many Christmas celebrations prior to 2010. Parties, parades and dinners, but it was an outside looking in observance, like the temple you’re visiting.
I would stay in the Buddhist temple as well (good for you!) and observe. And I would welcome the invite of the adherents to participate, but I wouldn’t build a temple in my home unless I converted to Buddhism. That’s what I mean about not celebrating Christmas. When I wasn’t Christian I saw no reason to celebrate.
We all get a healthy dose of Christmas in America. Everywhere we go from November 1st to December 25th we’re inundated. We can feel the spirit just by going about our daily lives. As a non-Christian that was enough for me. To my mind paying homage by putting up a tree, or gifting for Christmas is a act connective to the meaning of Christmas, which is the birth of Christ.
Thank you again for your thoughts on this.
Merry Christmas!
There’s multiple layers of Christmas now. Like it or not there is a secular version of the holiday, it’s the profitable one that makes the retail sector happy. I celebrate secular Christmas, which means I give presents to people, including my atheist wife, and Jewish friends, and take my mom and wife out to dinner of Chinese food. Also we put up some lights, mostly outside, mostly chili pepper lights because we live in the southwest, with cats indoor decoration can be hazardous, also I like being able to leave the season outside. The Christmas I celebrate doesn’t feel like peeping into anyone’s window, because other than the name and timing it has no relationship to Christian Christmas, no church, no Jesus, the only birthday’s I note are those of people.
There’s multiple layers of Christmas now. Like it or not there is a secular version of the holiday, it’s the profitable one that makes the retail sector happy. I celebrate secular Christmas, which means I give presents to people, including my atheist wife, and Jewish friends, and take my mom and wife out to dinner of Chinese food. Also we put up some lights, mostly outside, mostly chili pepper lights because we live in the southwest, with cats indoor decoration can be hazardous, also I like being able to leave the season outside. The Christmas I celebrate doesn’t feel like peeping into anyone’s window, because other than the name and timing it has no relationship to Christian Christmas, no church, no Jesus, the only birthday’s I note are those of people.
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Thank you for that. What are you celebrating when you celebrate Christmas?
The people that make my life great. Surviving another year. Being done with the work year (my company shuts down from Christmas Eve through New Years, and I usually take a week off before then, or more, this Friday is the end of my work year). Finding ways to be festive in a time of year that many find rather trying (and I used to). With a little luck the glory of living in the desert during winter, though this year is looking a little chilly. And a cheap excuse to eat dim sum.
The people that make my life great. Surviving another year. Being done with the work year (my company shuts down from Christmas Eve through New Years, and I usually take a week off before then, or more, this Friday is the end of my work year). Finding ways to be festive in a time of year that many find rather trying (and I used to). With a little luck the glory of living in the desert during winter, though this year is looking a little chilly. And a cheap excuse to eat dim sum.
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Giving Thanks and marking another year under your belt. That’s a very good answer.
Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts on this and Merry Christmas!
I believe that no one knows. And if you are relying on the scriptures then you are relying purely on the faith in said scriptures. But if that works for you, my best to you. And I say that without sarcasm.
“So, the real question is, “What happens to me when I die?””
Not even close to the question I asked.
I decompose.
“drink to remember the One who was and is and is to come”
Tidings of peace and joy
and Prost
and Bump! you got it! they cannot be happy during this blessed season, and therefore want to ruin it for everyone else, too.
well they just can’t ruin it for us! It is Still Advent, and it will Still be Christmas! No matter what they do, how much bitterness they spew, they just cannot stop Christmas!
Oh, I feel sorry for them. But if they chose to wallow in self pity and misery during this Great Season of Joy, no one can help them. OK Heaven Help Them.
And Heaven Help US celebrate this wonderful time!
OH Tidings of pure and great JOY!
OH how they hate that! ; )
Not unlike Islam, its cause is impotent without hostility and violence.
“These cretins have turned Christmas into a profanity.”
Correction: These adolescent, psychotic scu*bags have turned Christmas into a profanity.
(That’s better.)
IMHO
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