To think people are ridiculous for moaning at the little things on Christmas, forgetting the true meaning?

From what I know about Jesus, I really don't think he'd be down with this thread. He'd want love and joy. He'd encourage understanding. What he wouldn't be doing is disparaging others for their own religion or lack of. I'm not religious at all but trying to gain moral superiority doesn't sound very Christ-like to me.

Yet when I went to church we heard a lot of judgy nonsense that did not align with Jesus’ teachings. The church of England’s superiority complex is really something. Our local vicar was on fb defending Justin Welby. It’s fair to say, we love Christmas family time but religion features far less. We’re happy with that.

If you mean Islam, it is a religion of peace.
Just like Christianity is, because Muslims and Christians believe in the same God. They all believe in peace.

What makes you put that phrase in speech marks? Do you think it isn't a religion of peace? Why not?

The real meaning is having twinkly lights, joy and warmth at the darkest time of year. Spending time with loved ones or taking time for yourself. The gifts are secondary and it irritates me that people complain so much about them. Token gifts are fine. Buy your own expensive stuff.

It’s a pity that we’ve dropped so many of the festivals marking the equinoxes and solstices. Those were moments to reflect on our place in the universe, and to think about the bigger picture of the planet, and the solar system.

We might not be in the mess we’re in if the Christians hadn’t sabotaged all of those festivals. And either stamping out the joy with sermonising and tedious saints days, or diverting our us focus to our differences, and smug self righteousness instead of our common shared humanity.

Obviously the Bible was collated, rationalised, invented and embellished, and much of it much later than 40 years after Jesus died. This is what I mean by it's not a gotcha.

if I was a member of a well known 'religion of peace'

So you resent people making snide remarks about your religion, but are happy to make the same kind of judgment about somebody else's. Well if that what "believing" does to a person then I'm glad I'm an Atheist.

Goodness lucky your kids Catholic school knows the real reason Christmas is on the 25th December!

I mean there was something like 40 years between Jesus being alive and anything about him being written down so if you want to talk about things being collated/rationalised/invented and embellished, I'd start there!

I'm not shouting that non Christians don't celebrate right at all, and actually I think you and I are pretty much in agreement - except that there has been some meanness and some "gotcha" type argument on this thread and on similar ones.

But I can see how the OP's post would have ruffled some feathers to provoke those kinds of responses. I agree it wasn't helpful and that it came across as looking down on other people's celebrations.

What sanctimonious nonsense.

It's none of your business how other people celebrate Christmas.

It is a low bar. That's religion for you though

Do you not have a tree or roast dinner?
I'm always a little bit surprised when people don't celebrate Christmas, whatever their beliefs. As I've said upthread, I think Christmas welcomes everyone, nobody is excluded from it (despite what some Christians might try to say) unless they self exclude. I suppose the only other global (I know Christmas isn't global before someone jumps in) festival/celebration is new year (?). New Year is also European/pagan rooted though. I suppose you might include something like the Olympics as a global festival. I think it's nice to have something the whole world is welcome at.

Again nobody says it is a gotcha - I’m actually a Christian myself, go to church regularly and teach in a C of E school.
But facts are facts and part of being Christian is being understanding and I understand lots of religions/societies have midwinter festivals, have done before Christianity and will continue to do so after Christianity.
Shouting that non Christians don’t celebrate right is not in fact very Christian.

Proud they don't murder people for not agreeing with their beliefs? That's a pretty low bar.

I celebrate the Solstice.

Christmas is irrelevant in this house. We exchange presents to keep the commercialism out of Yule but that’s about it.

This is not the gotcha to Christians that some people seem to think it is. My children were taught in Catholic Sunday school that no-one knows what time of year Jesus was actually born, but we celebrate his birthday during the darkest time of the year for us because it brings us hope.

I remember there was a thread on AIBU at Easter about people not really celebrating anything apart from chocolate eggs, and about 30+ different people posted variations on "but didn't you know that Easter is just the Christians ripping off Ostara?"

Well (1) yes, Christians do obviously know that Jesus didn't invent Christmas trees or the Easter bunny, but also (2) lots of the things that atheists and neopagans seem to assume are the authentic, or original, festivals, were at least collated and rationalised (and possibly invented/embellished) in the last 200 years or so, again often by men.

Just use this time, when most people thankfully get a few days to slow down, to celebrate what seems important and true to you, in your own tradition. Someone higher up the thread said they celebrate consumerism, which sounds absolutely miserable to me; but then someone else said they'd be bored to tears in church so my Christmas would probably be miserable to them.

This season is about Jesus. Celebrating his birth and the amazing things he did for us.

None of which actually happened.

For us, Christmas isn't religious. It's about family.

We had a lovely day with no complaints (well maybe a gamble about lack of Yorkshire puddings 😂). We enjoyed exchanging gifts, working together to get the Christmas dinner together and just chilling at nighttime as a family watching films.

I'm an atheist so religion doesn't play any part in our day.

God? Na’h thanks. It’s all bollocks and it’s far more likely that aliens from other planets will visit us soon. Just hope they don’t meet Trump first. 😂

I don't think Santa strikes you down to hell's fires for all eternity if you don't worship him though. Worse case scenario is a piece of coal in your stocking on year.
I prefer Santa.

I think we absolutely should have the right to critically question and scrutinise all religions, given the incredible claims religion and their self appointed holy men make to mankind, about god. This whole idea that religion is „”of limits, in terms of scrutiny, is a dangerous assertion, and because of this assertion a lot of abuse of religious power has taken place, a lot of which was covered up, because people think it’s disrespectful to criticise and ask challenging questions.

It's not mean to not believe in someone else's religion, no matter what religion it is

Actually I think you have a point, Christianity is seen as a 'save' religion to mock. No Christian is going to murder us for ridiculing their religion. I think Christians should be proud of that fact though.

Christmas means all sorts of things to people. I doubt many celebrate the birth of a baby conceived by a virgin from a sky god. These days, it's mainly a consumerist shit show I find.

I believe in my family and that we should all behave by following the rules of society. I just don’t need a religion to tell me how to behave or threaten me with hell if I don’t worship a god or follow the rules of a church.