Out of interest if you are secular, do you celebrate Xmas rather than Christmas?

[Marmiteandjamislush]

Just for background, our family is modern traditional Christian, that is to say we observe all of the rules as they relate to the individual, so food, dress, personal actions, hygiene etc. but we do not impose our views on others or encourage others to join the faith. God gave people choice and we cannot influence that, we can only show our best selves. We do not believe in creationism, we believe God gave us the capacity to understand and practice science so science and God cannot be mutually exclusive, though we do believe that the process began with God. We are most definitely Not homophobic (really annoys me that a lot of Christians are automatically tarred with this brush) God made all people in his image and that includes people of all orientations. We accept that the Bible was of it's time and the language used expresses views that do not always hold true in our time, because God has revealed information to us that changes our understanding. We use it as a guiding hand rather than a rigid stick.

Anyway, to my point. I've seen quite a few threads on the site generally where people will say they celebrate Christmas, but then follow it up with something along the lines of 'but we don't do any religious nonsense.' I have no problem with people wanting to do the commercial/family aspects, but I do have an issue with people talking about Christmas, but having nothing to do with or even basic respect for Christ or Christians. Especially when a secular term exists. So as I said, out of interest do any of you do Xmas rather than Christmas?

On the mosaic laws, I saw a good commentary on what the difference was between the old covenant and the new covenant:

"Whereas, in the case of the old, the law of duty was written on tables of stone, in the case of the new the law is to be written on the heart; whereas, under the old, owing to the ritual character of the worship, the knowledge of God and his will was a complicated affair, in which men generally were helplessly dependent on a professional class, under the new, the worship of God would be reduced to the simplest spiritual elements, and it would be in every man's power to know God at first hand, the sole requisite for such knowledge as would then be required being a pure heart."

What is interesting- and perhaps, OP, what has shaken ppl a bit- is that even in the form of worship that you follow, with a lack of formally appointed priests and so forth, you can't say that you are no longer dependent on an authority figure to tell you whether you are wrong or not.

Ppl are being a tad inconsistent, because if you were say Muslim or Jewish or Catholic I think it would be just accepted that you would have to take soundings from an authority figure on matters of doctrine.

Perhaps what worries them, as I can see it worries you, is what other things you have been told to accept which are in fact wrong. What makes it worse is that this is such a basic fail- but she's not alone, folks. remember that guy who got a tattoo done saying that homosexuality was a sin? forgetting- or probably never having known- that the same bit of Leviticus that he was quoting on his arm also bans tattoos.

I hope that you take the time you need to think this through for yourself and find a path that you are comfortable with. Please don't allow someone else to dominate your intellect and judgement when you do that.

My belief system isn't totally shaken, I'm just shell shocked by peoples reaction to something so minor and there have been a lot of points about me not challenging people who have taught me, which is unsettling.

Why do you need dairy and fat in mash??

You can get loads of kosher soy 'meat' and 'dairy' products. You are very odd to be so hung up on what I do or don't eat.

I hate to tell you this, but most people put butter and/or milk in mashed potatoes............

I buy Kosher meat, so what's the issue? I find you very small minded too, to be honest.

You can always have roast potatoes

I don't eat in other houses.

Because dairy and fat in mash is delicious!

Thanks Fickle I have taken the Xmas thing, I did at the start. Can we drop it now

But you haven't taken it on board. If you had, you wouldn't need to go and do vast amounts of research on it.

We have Authorities, we just don't call them ministers

Redhead you are just stirring it. I said I took others points. For someone so obsessed with learning and autonomy you don't seem to respect mine. Perhaps you are insecure.

Tbh I kind of want to give the OP a bit of a hug. This thread isn't about her wider beliefs and her daily life. We've discussed the origiquestion.

Seriously, you never eat except at home? Totally your choice, of course, but doesn't it hamper seeing your friends at all? I think some friends of mine would combust if they couldn't feed me (and any other visitor) the second I walk through the door - they are just wired that way!

Original question...

Not sure what religious hygiene and clothing are?? I thought Christians dressed how they like and didn't think hygiene was a issue?

Anyway, my family are Christians, I'm not a Christian, I do celebrate Christmas as I do other religious festivals ( Easter ) because it's fun , to me Christmas is about family! spending time together! giving gifts and eating good food. My dc's do go to a church school ( all schools here are church schools ) and we do go to church at Christmas because of the link with the school, the church welcomes people from all religions to celebrate Christmas.

I use the term Xmas but it means Christmas.

You laid out your beliefs and lifestyle very clearly in your original post- I don't understand why you are now getting cross with people who want to talk about it........

Ah, OK. Well, if OP belongs to a highly regulated form of faith then we shouldn't be surprised that she needs to check up on stuff.

It wouldn't do for me, as they say, as I am allergic to the priestly class having control of all mysteries. But many faiths operate this way.

I don't think we can give her a hard time over what she eats unless we are prepared to give Jewish and Muslim folk a hard time too.

Just do a bit of quality control over what they cite as evidence, OP

How provincial - didn't you know olive oil in mash is the new thing Archery?

Never been an issue Archery

They not talking, some are attacking. I have answered all questions but feel like I am being pilloried by some

I mainly eat at home too, as my kids are not very portable. People come to me to eat my atheist food

Pootles2010 none of this newfangled nonsense! If the mash doesn't have a lump of butter the size of my head in it, then it ain't mash.

"My belief system isn't totally shaken" doesn't quite sit true with what you said upthread, which was "I'm not going to shake my whole foundation".

You accused me of pride upthread also - but throughout this thread you have been doing just that by refusing to believe that your teacher (and by extension yourself) were wrong. Nobody said anything about "challenging" the person who mistaught you - that is something you have made up.

Many posters are equally shell shocked at your reaction to something to minor and the way you casually throw insults around, telling people they are rude and full of pride etc as well as plain making things up about me. That is unsettling.

Folks, take a step back.

if OP was Jewish, would we find her adherence to Mosaic laws so odd

Are we just surprised because her definition of Christian isnt the one we expect?

Personally as an atheist I think everyone is wrong anyway not helpful but I don't mind how ppl mash it up.