Thread: Kind of an interesting read...

Originally Posted by davej

So-called “alternative” holidays won’t make much progress because in the end, it’s clear that they aren’t any more “rational” than Christmas. Their primary benefit, such as it is, is their role in identity politics for atheists: having their very own holiday can make atheists feel more secure and comfortable in their social group, giving them something substantive to identify with. It’s hard to see, however, why identity politics is something which atheists really should try to engage in.

Davej,

Its not a bad read but I do object, as ever, to the articles need to fixtate on xtianity vs atheisim, as if these are the only two schools of thought.

First lets accept that Christmas is indeed nothing more than a Xtianized pagan festival.

Secondly MANY religions have a celebrations in December - Jewish Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, yuletide, etc.

Therefore December is "the holiday season".

In fact I remember the last few years various Xtian groups becoming very upset with shops and institutions dropping the word "Christmas" for the more all emcompassing "Holiday". I loved the irony last year of Christians complaining about the "Holiday" trees installed at a US airport - and demanding that they be called Christmas trees! Obviously the comedy here is that the Xmas Tree was taken directly from Norse and anglosaxon pagan yule celebrations and has zip to do with xtianity.

People like to celebrate. Im sure aethists like/need to party too. Having a time of year when everyone lets their hair down a little and enjoys time with freinds and family and gets a little feasting done is only human.

After all, the roman church only introduced christmas in 350ish Eva Vulgaris. Its was supposed to be a "sollem mass". The church chose end december because it concided with the roman pagan feasts and festivals still prevalent at that time - they couldnt get even the converted ex-pagans to stop having a time of feasting and cellebration. Even Scripture scholars openly admit that Christ must have been born in the spring due to the gospel references to lambing season. The Xtains hijacked the pagan mid winter feasting period. We are social animals - and enjoy marking the passing of the year and rites of passage with parties/feasts, the only difference being cultral/religious tradition.

I have always celebrated Yule - never Xmas. I have no Xtian decorations or imagery and have raised my daughter to understand that Christmas, Easter, Halloween are ALL xtian rip offs of older pagan festivals. Therefore we put up lights and decorations, take some time together, buy each other gifts, feast and get pished. We love it, and see no sense in having the season polluted by the pious whinging about the lack of "religion" or in fundie atheists who think we should celebrate nothing if these celebrations are based on relgious "myths".