To ask a question about Christmas, and celebrating it....

[mcrvamp]

Right! Over the last couple of months I have read many threads slating Christians and how spreading the word of God and Jesus is wrong, I hate religon..... etc, etc.

So I would like to ask a question to those of you that feel this way.

Why do you celebrate Chritmas, when it is so clearly a religous festival?

Isn't it alla bit hypocritical (sp?)

[mcrvamp]

*Christmas bloody phones.

[WorraLiberty]

Yes it's hypocritical but it's traditional and good for the economy too

[pookamoo]

You will get moved to the "Christmas" topic

Can't answer your question really because we celebrate Christmas as a Christian festival, although it was blatantly stolen from older religions such as paganism...

[cardibach]

I haven't seen any threads saying it is wrong to spread 'the word of God'. I've seen some objecting to the way it is sometimes spread...
And Christmas is a pagan festival anyway, the way it is celebrated in Britain :)

[Nigglenaggle]

Christmas has evolved now into a British family festival, IMO. Its the one time of the year when no matter what, everyone goes home to family. That means more than any religious ideas to me. I dont think thats hypocritical at all, and I think Jesus would be OK with it. I have no disputes with Jesus anyway, just some of the people who claim to follow him annoy me :D

[InNeedOfBrandy]

Christmas was around before Christianity. There has always been a mid winter festival/feast around the same time. When the church took over it re named the feast days and celebrations and made them into christian ones.

[SantyClaws]

we are atheists and we celebrate it as a lovely time of year to gather our friends/family/loved ones around us for food and good times.

[cheekydevil]

Was the 'alla' bit a Freudian slip?
Thought Christmas was a.mix of Christian and pagan anyway?
Have a feeling this is going to get moved to 'religion'.

[stinkinseamonkey]

the religious festival of christmas was superimposed on the pagan "mid winter" festival. Most cultures have some sort of celebration around that time of year.

I am religious, but I appreciate that it is was a cultural festival before a big religious one

[CrapBag]

I am an atheist but I celebrate it.

Not as a religious thing but as a time to be with family, exchange presents and eat loads of crap.

I would not say to my children "oh we don't believe in Jesus, therefore we are going to completely ignore this occasion whilst everyone around us celebrates it"

Many many people celebrate it without being religious.

Jehovas Witnesses follow the bible yet they don't celebrate it, whats the difference. (I actually know its because they believe that this wasn't the time when Jesus was born but doesn't it say that in the bible so who are they to decide that itsn't right - I haven't read the bible so I actually have no idea what it says).

YABU.

[Startail]

No, The church hijacked the ancient pagan mid winter festival.

For me Christmas is about brightening the shortest darkest days of the year, spending time with my family and having fun.

Many faiths find an excuse to do the same. Diwali and Hanukkah serve much the same purpose, an excuse for candles when the days are shortest.

[squoosh]

YABU to think people should only celebrate Christmas if they are committed Christians. As pookamoo said it was originally a pagan festival so in fact YABU not be tearing around in a loincloth getting up to all sorts of flith and fun with your neighbours.

It was called Saturnalia and basically involced a week of lawlessness and getting your jollies. Ok at the end of the week of fun they chose a man or woman to murder but let's not dwell on that . . . . .

Lots of Christian traditions have their origins in paganism e.g. mistletoe, presents, Santa, Christmas trees

Most people celebrate Christmas because it's a family celebration. Lots of non Christians join in these day, do you not think they should?

[Nigglenaggle]

It isnt very Christian to not include others in your celebration, I think...

[picnicbasketcase]

I am an atheist and so as not to include any religious content, I refer to it as 'winter present chocolate turkey day'.

Not really.

[stinkinseamonkey]

the only hypocrites are the people who bitch endlessly about christmas to people who enjoy it whilst still turning up to every gathering and drinking them dry.. while bitching some more about christmas! Stay home and stop eating my mince pies if you think its such a shite occassion! THEY are hypocrites regardless of religion or culture!

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

Surely if someone isn't religious, nicking off with Christmas would be an excellent plan! That was always my dad's excuse.

[SamSmalaidh]

There was a mid-winter festival waaaaay before Christianity, and it isn't really a religious festival anymore for most people.

I celebrate family, gift giving, and eating/drinking too much. I don't mind if other people want to celebrate Jesus, just so long as they don't bother me with it.

[hiddenhome]

I'm a Christian, but I don't really see Christmas as being religious and I can take it or leave it tbh.

[stinkinseamonkey]

Lent and easter are a much bigger deal than Christmas in the church I go to FWIW

[squoosh]

Yes, Easter is the biggie in the Christian calendar.

[InNeedOfBrandy]

Easter makes me laugh, the pagan festival around easter time is celebrating the SUN coming back, Easter for christians is celebrating the SON returning

[shellshock7]

Father Christmas has a beard, Jesus has a beard....that's the only similarity between Christmas and Christianity these days surely