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Post by miaculpa on Nov 26, 2009 17:27:59 GMT
There seems to be a lot of activity, especially in the US from people who want the term Christmas to be abandoned and I have even seen organisations use Atheists as an excuse for pressing for this change.
i have never met an Atheist or anyone from any other religion who objected to the word Christmas.
How do the Atheists on here feel about being used to push forward some nutters agenda?
PS. Merry Christmas
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Post by ydoaPs on Nov 26, 2009 17:50:38 GMT
The only such activity is in the minds of the people at FOX Noise Channel.
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Barry
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Post by Barry on Nov 26, 2009 18:16:09 GMT
I have heard "Happy holidays" in America, but not in Britain (mind you, I haven't been back to Blighty much in the last seven years). I might be wrong, but I seem to remember hearing that "Happy holidays" originally came about to avoid, as was imagined, upsetting the sensibilities of Jewish people. The thing that struck me about the parts of America I used to visit for work (the North East), was the stifling political correctness. America does seem to be a place where, compared to Britain or France, things are taken to extremes. I wish people would chill a bit more over the other side of the pond! Anyway, Merry Christmas for this time next month!  |
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Post by harrietfurther on Nov 26, 2009 19:04:39 GMT
There seems to be a lot of activity, especially in the US from people who want the term Christmas to be abandoned and I have even seen organisations use Atheists as an excuse for pressing for this change. i have never met an Atheist or anyone from any other religion who objected to the word Christmas. How do the Atheists on here feel about being used to push forward some nutters agenda? PS. Merry Christmas I have no problem with Christmas at all (other than it being a major hassle!). I think 'happy holidays' is a fair enough greeting if you want to be inclusive of other festivals, although 'season's greetings' sounds more festive to me. The only issue I could see is if Christians were upset at the secular appropriation of the holiday - as an atheist I guess I shouldn't really be saying 'merry Christmas' when what I really mean is 'merry time-off-work and orgy-of-present-giving-and-food-eating'. But I'm certainly not campaigning to abolish the term. Makes atheists sound like terrible Humbugs. Bah! Yours, Merry Harriet |
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Post by ydoaPs on Nov 26, 2009 20:04:12 GMT
Christians getting upset at secular appropriation of a pagan holiday....rich
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hrg
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Post by hrg on Nov 26, 2009 21:31:40 GMT
I have no problem at all. In German, "Christmas" is "Weihnachten" (which carries a faint idea of a sacred night - that's all).
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naz
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Post by naz on Nov 26, 2009 23:25:21 GMT
I have no problem at all. In German, "Christmas" is "Weihnachten" (which carries a faint idea of a sacred night - that's all). well then... froliche weihnachten! (don't know how to make an umlaut here) |
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marco
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Post by marco on Nov 27, 2009 11:32:15 GMT
There seems to be a lot of activity, especially in the US from people who want the term Christmas to be abandoned and I have even seen organisations use Atheists as an excuse for pressing for this change. i have never met an Atheist or anyone from any other religion who objected to the word Christmas. How do the Atheists on here feel about being used to push forward some nutters agenda? PS. Merry Christmas In both German and Dutch the name of "Christ" is not in the corresponding word for "Christmas" at all. Greetings, Marco PS. Nice to see you guys back here (I was on carm known as Randall_q73) and: - Fröhliche Weihnachten - Prettige Kerst edit: (don't know how to make an umlaut here) Copy/Paste from the "Character Map" which is there in many windows versions. |
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Post by davedidit on Nov 27, 2009 12:51:51 GMT
I don't have a problem with Christmas at all.
I enjoy all the lights, the good Christmas movies that come on that time of year. No matter my belief system, I still get choked up when they find Kris Kringle's cane in the house at the end of Miracle on 34th street.
As for Christians being upset that Christmas has been secularized; I've never understood this. I've always thought that Easter should be the defining Christian holiday.
Dave
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Post by Roarian on Nov 27, 2009 13:11:16 GMT
Kerstmis (Yeah, I'm dutch.  ) has really been largely divorced from the Christian context for the most part. Certainly you can find nativity scenes around churches and there's special services, but it's not really something that is much talked about. It's just a jolly time, really. Interestingly, due to lack of good alternatives, quite a lot of atheists go to the christmas church service anyway, since usually the singing is pretty good and it's a bit of a tradition.  |
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Post by dahduh on Nov 27, 2009 13:17:54 GMT
I'm an atheist and refer to "Christmas" as "Christmas"; it's just a name, like "Guy Fawkes". Referring to "Guy Fawkes" doesn't mean I endorse blowing up the houses of parliament. My impression is that the 'happy holidays' movement has been driven mostly by commercial concerns like Wall Mart, who want to get the holiday buzz but don't want to offend any particular customer; so they use a neutral term. As for Christmas itself, one would have hoped that by now most Christians would know it was appropriated from the pagan winter solstice festivities, and not so long ago was rather looked down upon; the Puritans went so far as to ban it in the 1600's. |
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Post by ydoaPs on Nov 27, 2009 13:28:32 GMT
I'm an atheist and refer to "Christmas" as "Christmas"; it's just a name, like "Guy Fawkes". Referring to "Guy Fawkes" doesn't mean I endorse blowing up the houses of parliament. Celebrating Guy Fawkes night is endorsing NOT blowing up the houses of parliament, no? I thought it was the opposite of our Independence day; celebrating the failure of the Revolution. Which why I thought it was weird that V was upset that no-one remembered bonfire night; V was a supporter of Guy. |
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marco
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Post by marco on Nov 27, 2009 13:54:36 GMT
As for Christians being upset that Christmas has been secularized; I've never understood this. I've always thought that Easter should be the defining Christian holiday. Actually both "Christmas" and "Easter" have an history longer than Christianity. But interestingly the history of "Santa Claus" as the person does have a Christian history, at least the version coming from the dutch "Sinterklaas" (not very different in pronouncement as "Santa Claus") leading to the bishop "St Nicolas". Marco |
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Post by supersport on Nov 27, 2009 14:34:33 GMT
sup, chance-lovers!
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Post by ydoaPs on Nov 27, 2009 14:35:51 GMT
Hey, sporty. Welcome to the boards. It looks like you're lost. I think you might have meant to post in the Hello World part of the boards. |
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) has really been largely divorced from the Christian context for the most part. Certainly you can find nativity scenes around churches and there's special services, but it's not really something that is much talked about. It's just a jolly time, really. 