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How do other atheists/agnostics view the holidays?
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ExittheLemming View Drop Down
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Points: 11420 		Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ExittheLemming Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December 14 2019 at 04:25
It's 2019 yet they still celebrate this Christian death cult? (and why do we continue to count time from the speculative birth date of an individual that no-one can prove even really existed?) Confused
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Originally posted by ExittheLemming ExittheLemming wrote:

It's 2019 yet they still celebrate this Christian death cult? (and why do we continue to count time from the speculative birth date of an individual that no-one can prove even really existed?) Confused
Well, it's hard to break with tradition. Be it fact based or not. LOL
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Originally posted by Blacksword Blacksword wrote:

I don't like Christmas and have not really enjoyed it since my father died when I was 16. The holiday season means little to me, but a welcome time off work. We get the best part of two weeks off, so it's a chance for numerous lie ins and taking it easy.

I don't have any family so that aspect of it is fairly meaningless to me. We spend time with my partners family, and I've nothing against them, but I would rather it just be me and my partner and some friends every now and then. The concept of family is not something I really understand or appreciate as I don't have siblings or children and my parents are dead.
 

That's a bit of a sad story to say the least . It's easy to forget that many people don't have a family and this can be for a number of reasons. It's good though that you have someone special to be with . I know what you mean about spending time with family that you don't really know. Occasionally my Brother In Law will have his parents over on Christmas day and that can be a bit awkward even though they are nice.
On a personal level , as a confirmed batchelor of many years with no girlfriend (or kids) , I'm very lucky that I have such a nice Sister and can always be with her and her family around this time . She has 3 grown up children and we all enjoy each others company. Also happily our parents are still alive and together. Christmas day is a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to it. As far as the religious aspect of it I couldn't give two hoots. I'm just glad I can get away from the stress and pressure of work and have a bit of fun with the family. 
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^^ I don't have any surviving family or a partner either, so Christmas means nothing to me any more. I just treat it like any other day, alone at home again, naturally, to paraphrase Gilbert O' Sullivan. The good members of Prog Archives are my family now, which is why I'm here each and every day and I'm planning on sticking around for a long time to come. Smile
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I've never even remotely understood the idea that we are somehow obligated to others solely on account of us being related to them. Yes, I have family and relatives that I do love or at the very least, am very fond of but as for the vast remainder of my kin, I would gladly never see them again in perpetuity. We love people for the feelings they are able to produce in ourselves, and no other reason is necessary.

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Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

^^ I don't have any surviving family or a partner either, so Christmas means nothing to me any more. I just treat it like any other day, alone at home again, naturally, to paraphrase Gilbert O' Sullivan. The good members of Prog Archives are my family now, which is why I'm here each and every day and I'm planning on sticking around for a long time to come. Smile
 

I've always been a 'loner' and quite happy to spend any day other than Christmas Day on my own. At least now with decent streaming services you don't have to put up with the crap TV programmes and endless repeats of The Great Escape Tongue
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Psychedelic Paul View Drop Down
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Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

^^ I don't have any surviving family or a partner either, so Christmas means nothing to me any more. I just treat it like any other day, alone at home again, naturally, to paraphrase Gilbert O' Sullivan. The good members of Prog Archives are my family now, which is why I'm here each and every day and I'm planning on sticking around for a long time to come. Smile
 

I've always been a 'loner' and quite happy to spend any day other than Christmas Day on my own. At least now with decent streaming services you don't have to put up with the crap TV programmes and endless repeats of The Great Escape Tongue
I don't even have a TV license any more. I stopped watching TV about nine years ago when I first went online. I get all of my entertainment now from the Internet and from listening to CD's and watching DVD's. By the way, I just bought The Great Escape recently on DVD and watched it again for the umpteenth time. Smile
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Not sure what category I fall into these days. Never had much use for organized religion but was raised Roman Catholic. I hated going to church every Sunday. Ironically, I enjoyed Christmas Mass, probably because of the music. I love Christmas music. O Holy Night is one of my favorites. 

I had an experience once as a teenager that led me to believe there might be some sort of higher power but I have trouble believing that it's what Catholicism wants me to believe that it is. 

Christmas to me is a time for family. Family is very important to me. 
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Also, I consider it a successful holiday season if I can make it through December 25th without hearing that stupid ass Dominic The Donkey song. 
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I do it for the cats. They wake me up first thing in the morning anyway. "Hey let's see what's in this box. Oh, look. Catnip!" "Okay, go roll around in the wrapping paper." "What's in this egg nog?"
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Originally posted by ExittheLemming ExittheLemming wrote:

I've never even remotely understood the idea that we are somehow obligated to others solely on account of us being related to them. Yes, I have family and relatives that I do love or at the very least, am very fond of but as for the vast remainder of my kin, I would gladly never see them again in perpetuity. We love people for the feelings they are able to produce in ourselves, and no other reason is necessary.

“They are playing a game. They are playing at not playing a game. If I show them I see they are, I shall break the rules and they will punish me. I must play their game, of not seeing I see the game”
― R.D. Laing
I don't know that it's so much an obligation as it's more a case of being forced into it. My kids and grandkids stop by and, generally, I'm happy to see them, but it's not paramount to making my holiday. Hanging out with a few old friends and downing a few drinks is much more to my liking. But as they say, you can pick your friends but not your family.
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Originally posted by HackettFan HackettFan wrote:

I do it for the cats. They wake me up first thing in the morning anyway. "Hey let's see what's in this box. Oh, look. Catnip!" "Okay, go roll around in the wrapping paper." "What's in this egg nog?"




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Ozzy Osbourne just released a new single titled "Under The Graveyard". Just in time for X-mas. Nice.
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Didn't see a Christmas thread..so Merry Xmas to everyone....only 5 days away.
If you aren't into the 'reason for the season', and I suspect most are not.....then enjoy the great holiday food, drink, and good cheer.
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Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

^^ I don't have any surviving family or a partner either, so Christmas means nothing to me any more. I just treat it like any other day, alone at home again, naturally, to paraphrase Gilbert O' Sullivan. The good members of Prog Archives are my family now, which is why I'm here each and every day and I'm planning on sticking around for a long time to come. Smile

To me this sounds pretty sad (PA is ur family??), you should go out and experience real people (good or bad) does not matter. I am sure its not true but you make it sound like you are hermit.......When is the last time you got a haircut?? LOL
Christmas time can also mean a time to get together with other people and just talk and laugh....it's not 100% about Jesus and Santa Claus.
Go out and have some fun I say!! Clap
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Speaking of Jesus and Santa Claus, when I was in Japan one of the malls had as a Christmas display Santa Claus on a Cross. Not sure if it was a joke in very poor taste or confusion. Bearded baby Santa Claus in a manger, okay, still weird, or had it been the Easter Bunny on a cross on Good Friday, then, okayyy....
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^ I'd like to think it was a joke in poor taste, as the Japanese seem pretty savvy about culture.   Friggin' hilarious though, especially the baby Jesus Claus... or maybe Kris Christ.






Edited by Atavachron - December 23 2019 at 17:08
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Originally posted by Atavachron Atavachron wrote:

^ I'd like to think it was a joke in poor taste, as the Japanese seem pretty savvy about American culture.   Friggin' hilarious though, especially the baby Jesus Claus... or maybe Kris Christ.

I did giggle pretty good......honestly laughed pretty hard.LOL
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Originally posted by Logan Logan wrote:

Speaking of Jesus and Santa Claus, when I was in Japan one of the malls had as a Christmas display Santa Claus on a Cross. Not sure if it was a joke in very poor taste or confusion. Bearded baby Santa Claus in a manger, okay, still weird, or had it been the Easter Bunny on a cross on Good Friday, then, okayyy....

Did it look like this?




I had to Google "Santa Claus on a cross" and this is one of the images that came up.
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Since Jesus wasn't really born in December, then I still consider it a holiday since it originally was a day to celebrate the winter solstice.  The Christians were trying everything they could to get the Pagans to convert over to Christianity willfully and not to the threat of their lives because Constantine wanted some way to unify his kingdom, and religion was a good way to do that, even though he wasn't religious himself but he could more easily control their thinking through religion, so they made it more appealing by adopting most of the old Pagan holidays and stuck religious labels on them.  Okay, who is casting the first stone?  Pinch
 
Happy Holidays everyone!  Celebrate it the way that makes the most sense to your own bad self.

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