Is it cultural appropriation to celebrate Christmas if you're not a Christian?

[Katbut]

OK slightly goady title as I don't think it is cultural appropriation at all but I'm so confused about current political correctness/wokeism about cultural appropriation. It doesn't make any sense to me.

From what I've read in the media recently, it's cultural appropriation to:

Have corn rows etc. if you're white.
Use chorizo in paella.
Let kids play cowboys and Indians.
Represent traditional cultures in theatre (eg removal of Arabian/Chinese dances in the Nutcracker ballet).
Look too tanned in case people think you're trying to look like a different race.

I'm sure there's loads more examples but it's late and my brain isn't working.

If all of these sorts of things are cultural appropriation, why is it OK for atheists to celebrate Christmas? I know the Christians adapted various pagan traditions into Christmas but the idea of "Christ"mas is purely Christian. How is this any different than other forms of cultural appropriation?

(For what it's worth, I personally think the whole cultural appropriation thing is massive overkill - it's often cultural appreciation rather than appropriation).

Just a random Friday night musing...

@Katbut

I don't think so, no. 🤔

I disagree.

@Katbut where and by who
I’ve just searched this on google and there’s basically nothing on it. You don’t understand cultural appropriation. Maybe the people accusing him don’t either.

Why is cowboys and Indians racist?

Are you for real?

@PutYourBackIntoit

It's ok to be a cultural Christian, just like it is to be a cultural Jew, Muslim or Hindu.

It's not offensive to follow traditions, in fact I'd say its important we do.

Bwtaf re chorizo? Surely pineapple on pizza is much more offensive

Don't you dare take my pineapple on pizza away. I have lost enough already.

@gobbynorthernbird please could you educate me and tell me why the phrase "cowboys and Indians" is racist?

@gobbynorthernbird

Are you thick, OP?

What for asking a question? I wouldn't think so.

Are you thick?

I'm a very committed evangelical Christian (in a very uk left wing way, not American!!)

I'm an atheist but that doesn't sound like a very christian attitude to me...

Don't you dare take my pineapple on pizza away. I have lost enough already.

😂 I love pineapple on pizza.

Yanbu - if it works one way, it needs to work the other.

Also news on me on the chorizo front!!!

[quote Katbut]@gobbynorthernbird please could you educate me and tell me why the phrase "cowboys and Indians" is racist?[/quote]
Is your google broken?

@CoffeeMuggins
I reckon he would take a single grain of paella rice and feed a whole village with it. But there would be a little boy standing under a wizened tree, starving and crying.
"I was too late. I had to stay at home to care for my sick grandfather," the little boy sobbed. "And now there is no rice left for me."
Now jesus heard the poor frail boy and he tooketh a single slice of chorizo from within his robe and he gave it to the boy, although his own belly ached for sustenance.
"Take this slice and plant it and water it from your tears."

And the little boy did and a tree came to flourish there, and soon thereafter an oasis, and a great marble city, and the boy grew up to be the great King Paella and his palace was a safe port for jesus for as long as he lived.

@youvegottenminuteslynn

I'm a very committed evangelical Christian (in a very uk left wing way, not American!!)

I'm an atheist but that doesn't sound like a very christian attitude to me...

Are you able to explain why you think that? That person is just describing what they are. What's the problem?

[quote Katbut]@gobbynorthernbird please could you educate me and tell me why the phrase "cowboys and Indians" is racist?[/quote]
You must be just being goady, surely.

You could Google this and find out within seconds.

[quote Katbut]@gobbynorthernbird please could you educate me and tell me why the phrase "cowboys and Indians" is racist?[/quote]
The game depicts lazy, untrue and offensive stereotypes and genocide.

If you wouldn't be happy with your kid playing 'Nazis and Jews' then you shouldn't be happy with this either.

[quote alienbaby]@CoffeeMuggins
I reckon he would take a single grain of paella rice and feed a whole village with it. But there would be a little boy standing under a wizened tree, starving and crying.
"I was too late. I had to stay at home to care for my sick grandfather," the little boy sobbed. "And now there is no rice left for me."
Now jesus heard the poor frail boy and he tooketh a single slice of chorizo from within his robe and he gave it to the boy, although his own belly ached for sustenance.
"Take this slice and plant it and water it from your tears."

And the little boy did and a tree came to flourish there, and soon thereafter an oasis, and a great marble city, and the boy grew up to be the great King Paella and his palace was a safe port for jesus for as long as he lived.[/quote]
Wow

What culture? Christmas tress I believe are German. St. Nicolas (Santa) is Dutch. I assume other aspects of "Christmas" traditions come from all over.
And many, many cultures celebrate Christmas from all continents and all sects of Christianity. Some Christians celebrate on Jan 6th. Which culture is being appropriated?

@Katbut

Doesn't that mean that you've appropriated the Christian culture from Christians though?

I know I'm being difficult here but I just think it's an interesting philosophical question as it seems that people get outraged about chorizo in paella but not about, as PP pointed out, the fact that Thanksgiving is celebrating native Indians being slaughtered and robbed!

But people ARE outraged about the fact that Thanksgiving is a celebration of brutal colonisation and there have been campaigns to change the way it is celebrated and represented.

Christianity has been imposed on the UK by subsequent clans of rich people and used as an excuse for mass slaughter and civil war throughout the centuries, to the extent that our entire calendar is designed around appropriated festivals co-opted from other traditions. Given that people living in this country are culturally forced to accommodate the timings of national holidays around these, it seems a bit churlish to then get agitated by their celebrations, however little they relate to any of the traditions underpinning them.

Unless there is a plan to implement a more secular calendar, the accusations of cultural appropriation are pretty moot.

Of course the game of cowboys and Indians is in poor taste but @gobbynorthernbird said "the phrase" cowboys and Indians is racist. How is that phrase racist?

Also, gobby is the only one on this thread I can see that even used that phrase. No one else was talking about cowboys and Indians.

OP, you used the phrase. And please Google to find out why the term 'Indians' is offensive to Native Americans/First Nations people.

The Jamie O chorizo thing was some time ago. He put it in a recipe on TV and there was an outcry of cultural appropriation. It was definitely in the papers at the time.

Gobby lives up to their username. And some.

@Dafyddw

Gobby lives up to their username. And some.

Will always be gobby towards racist idiots. And their idiot supporters.

@gobbynorthernbird

OP, you used the phrase. And please Google to find out why the term 'Indians' is offensive to Native Americans/First Nations people.

Please quote where I used the phrase? My intellectually challenged brain can't find it might be the wine I don't know what day it is

@Katbut

The Jamie O chorizo thing was some time ago. He put it in a recipe on TV and there was an outcry of cultural appropriation. It was definitely in the papers at the time.

Surely they were offended about the paella itself, not specifically the chorizo?