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War on Christmas?
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Mr. Tibbs
Dec 20, 08 17:35
Post #1 of 656 (1962 views)
War on Christmas?
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Is there a war on Christmas? If so why is the Christian response to down play the spiritual part?
Mr. Tibbs will justify your sins.
Fatmouse
Dec 20, 08 18:57
Post #2 of 656 (1923 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [Mr. Tibbs]
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I think there is a larger war on the war on Christmas.
Now go out and buy something you paganistic heathen!
_____________________________________
"My contribution is to point out your whining. You're welcome." FJB
ike
Dec 20, 08 18:58
Post #3 of 656 (1923 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [Mr. Tibbs]
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You'll need to define what Christmas is. If you mean a highly religious event (which I gather is not really historically correct, but I don't study the matter), then, yes, many Christians seem to have declared war on that concept. If you mean a seasonal celebration with some religious overtones then, no, that concept seems alive and well.
In either case, if you mean that non-Christians are somehow stopping Christians from enjoying their holiday, then that's absurd. It's a national holiday and a huge part of our national culture.
last tri in 83
Dec 20, 08 19:10
Post #4 of 656 (1921 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [Mr. Tibbs]
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I'm waiting for aetheists to decline their Christmas holiday. I mean that seems logical to me.
_____________________________________________
No one appreciates my humor anymore. --Sphere
dave_w
Dec 20, 08 19:21
Post #5 of 656 (1919 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [ike]
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In either case, if you mean that non-Christians are somehow stopping Christians from enjoying their holiday, then that's absurd. It's a national holiday and a huge part of our national culture.
Retailers are trying to keep the unbridaled commercialism of what is nominally a religious holiday, at the same time that religion is losing sway and popularity in our society. It's all about Santa, and Easter is all about the bunny...otherwise sales drop, then they'll be screaming OMG! :)
DavHamm
Dec 20, 08 19:43
Post #6 of 656 (1907 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [last tri in 83]
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I'm waiting for aetheists to decline their Christmas holiday. I mean that seems logical to me.
What is there to decline.
Atheists celebration of a fictitious guy works pretty well.
HOHOHO Merry Xmas
_________
Just Triing
Triathlete since 9:56:39 AM EST Aug 20, 2006.
slowguy
Dec 20, 08 20:02
Post #7 of 656 (1899 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [Mr. Tibbs]
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"If so why is the Christian response to down play the spiritual part? "
What makes you think that the "Christian response" is to downplay the religious or spiritual part of Christmas?
Slowguy
(insert pithy phrase here...)
peter826
Dec 20, 08 20:26
Post #8 of 656 (1892 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [Mr. Tibbs]
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The war on Christmas is soooo 2005. The war on Easter is the new big thing.
Mr. Tibbs
Dec 20, 08 20:52
Post #9 of 656 (1883 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [slowguy]
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Just saw a news round table where everyone was up in arms about the war on Christmas. One of the dudes even wrote a book about it. He defends celebrating Christmas in school because Santa and all that jazz are not spiritual. That argument plays down god to keep the larger theme in our schools.
Mr. Tibbs will justify your sins.
Mr. Tibbs
Dec 20, 08 20:54
Post #10 of 656 (1884 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [last tri in 83]
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I try every year. I would rather work Christmas. This year I am getting 8 days off for Christmas with out pay. So that means thanks to this wonderful time of year plus child support I will get a pay check totalling $85. Oh joy!
Mr. Tibbs will justify your sins.
slowguy
Dec 20, 08 21:09
Post #11 of 656 (1877 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [Mr. Tibbs]
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"Just saw a news round table where everyone was up in arms about the war on Christmas. One of the dudes even wrote a book about it. He defends celebrating Christmas in school because Santa and all that jazz are not spiritual. That argument plays down god to keep the larger theme in our schools. "
Well, not having seen that particular round table, I'd have to assume that the guy you mentioned didn't pretend to speak for all Christians, so I don't know that you could call that plan the "Christian response."
However, I would imagine that the argument is not to dilute the religious holiday of Christmas, but rather to allow the non-Christians to celebrate the festive holiday at the same time that Christians are celebrating their religious holiday so that neither one gets tossed.
Slowguy
(insert pithy phrase here...)
last tri in 83
Dec 20, 08 21:26
Post #12 of 656 (1874 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [Mr. Tibbs]
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Good. I'm glad you are sticking to your principles. Other ST aetheists should also refuse to honor the Christmas holiday.
_____________________________________________
No one appreciates my humor anymore. --Sphere
Mr. Tibbs
Dec 20, 08 23:21
Post #13 of 656 (1856 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [last tri in 83]
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Why?
Mr. Tibbs will justify your sins.
Bone Idol
Dec 21, 08 2:30
Post #14 of 656 (1846 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [last tri in 83]
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I'm waiting for aetheists to decline their Christmas holiday. I mean that seems logical to me.
You theists aren't much good with logic.
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Other ST aetheists should also refuse to honor the Christmas holiday.
Yes, why?
Christmas is one of those times when I'm glad I live in a secular democracy, where religion is generally viewed as a private matter, and rarely used as an excuse for divisiveness and derision. In my largely atheist country christmas is celebrated by people of any or no religion in exactly the same way as it is celebrated by most christians; as a chance to commemorate shared humanity, a chance for generosity, a reason to spend time with family and friends. Anyone who would wish to deny it to any other would be seen as the most petty kind of Scrooge. A Jewish friend (who well knows that I have no religion) wished me a happy christmas this week with no sense of irony. Why would he not?
In the event that someone would adopt your sort of spiteful attitude, the "logical" response is to resist, and to continue the important work of reclaiming public and communal celebrations from religions (like christianity) that have throughout time sought to misappropriate what they cannot control. Christmas and easter are not historically christian celebrations. The Christmas tree, mistletoe and holly descended from tree-worshiping Druids. December 25 was a raucous feast day in ancient Babylon but almost certainly was not the birthday of Jesus. Easter/
Oestrus was a purely pagan celebration that the early christian church absorbed to control after they failed to suppress it. It doesn't matter a damn. Far better to find a way to include all (as I would) than to accuse those you would seek to exclude (as you would). Even Jesus (not that he has much to do with modern christianity either) was a fairly ecumenical kind of guy.
Happy holidays!
sphere
Dec 21, 08 4:58
Post #15 of 656 (1839 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [Bone Idol]
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What you said.
For non-Christians around the world who celebrate the Christmas holiday, the Season is the Reason for the Season. Ain't a thing wrong with that, either.
Irrigation stops a smelt's beating heart
Fleck
Dec 21, 08 5:58
Post #16 of 656 (1821 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [Mr. Tibbs]
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Is there a war on Christmas? If so why is the Christian response to down play the spiritual part?
Not sure if I would call it a war, but in many parts of North America, things have changed dramatically in terms of how Christmas is interpreted.
Most likly the main drivers are that Our soceity is becoming more and more secular while at the same time becoming more and more ethnically diverse. So in a hope to be politically correct, christians, even die-hard church-goes tend to tone things down so as not to offend others.
It's a funny holiday/celebration - EVERYONE seems to get in the spirit of things but fewer and fewer people are practicing christians. At my church(Anglican) there is always a surge in attendance around the Christmas season - in particular for the special services on Christmas Eve.
Not to get too deep, but the spiritual part of this is the most imporatnt part of the celebration. After that next comes sharing good times with close family members and friends.
There has always been gift-giving and exchanging in my family, but years ago we started to down-play the whole thing and started to give more thoughful, less consumer oriented gifts - donations in name to charities, theater tickets etc . .
Steve Fleck
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http://stevefleck.blogspot.com
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Lactone
Dec 21, 08 6:55
Post #17 of 656 (1809 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [last tri in 83]
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Well sir, your time of waiting is over! As an atheist (note the proper spelling), I decline the Christmas holiday and instead elect to celebrate something I call "Xmas". It's a holiday that, perhaps not coincidentally, also falls on December 25th every year. The theme of the day is to celebrate family and tradition and to be compassionate toward all fellow human beings. Most of all on that day, I celebrate that I have the lucidity not to repress or kill other people that don't share my beliefs. I also like to watch the movie Elf.
Casey
Dec 21, 08 7:40
Post #18 of 656 (1800 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [Lactone]
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The theme of the day is to celebrate family and tradition and to be compassionate toward all fellow human beings.
Out of curiosity, how specifically are you compassionate to all fellow human beings on "Xmas"? I always hear that but I rarely actually see it in action so I'd like to know what you do.
And, on the day after "XMAS" are you still compassionate to all fellow human beings?
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You sir, are my new hero! - Trifan 11/13/2008
Casey, you are a wise man - blueraider_mike 11/13/2008
Casey, This is an astute observation. - Slowbern 11/17/2008
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Number5
Dec 21, 08 8:46
Post #19 of 656 (1777 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [Mr. Tibbs]
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Yes, there is such a war, W signed off on it last week. But it is just Dick Cheney having a final bit of fun with W, who thought he was signing Christmas cards.
ike
Dec 21, 08 9:04
Post #20 of 656 (1769 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [Fleck]
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The need to tone things down is an inherent part of the dilemma Christians face. The US Supreme Court ruled that it's ok to make Xmas a national holiday because it's not really a religious event, it's more of a seasonal celebration. Given a choice between giving up their national holiday (something no other religion gets) and toning it down, Christians chose the latter -- of course it's more complicated than that. If Xmas were overwhelmingly about the religious aspects, there would be more fussing over its stature in our national culture. So long as Christians put family and spending above Jesus in the Xmas hierarchy, then you get a pass.
last tri in 83
Dec 21, 08 9:37
Post #21 of 656 (1754 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [Lactone]
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That's a cop out. Make your own date for your xmas holiday and elf movies. You should head to your office/factory/place of employment on the 25th. That's the only true thing to do.
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No one appreciates my humor anymore. --Sphere
YaHey
Dec 21, 08 9:45
Post #22 of 656 (1750 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [Mr. Tibbs]
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Is Tibbsy feeling a little down for the holidays? Did your apple not fall close to the tree this year?
You really need to go to church and find some spirituality instead of all the materialism in your life.
Here's sending you some hugs to make you feel better.
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chrisesposito
Dec 21, 08 9:49
Post #23 of 656 (1743 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [YaHey]
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Now there's a version of 'turn the other cheek' we can all agree on!
BarryP
Dec 21, 08 9:49
Post #24 of 656 (1742 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [last tri in 83]
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Good. I'm glad you are sticking to your principles. Other ST aetheists should also refuse to honor the Christmas holiday.
Can you please explain what those principles are? Last I checked, an atheist is someone who doesn't believe in God? What does that have to do with working during a national holiday?
Every few months or so someone comes on here displaying their ignorance of atheism. Today it is you.
-----------------------------Barry Pollock (aka Baron Von Speedypants)
I'M DYSLEXIC......GET OVER IT!
-----------------------------RunTraining articles here:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...runtraining;#1612485
Thom
Dec 21, 08 10:04
Post #25 of 656 (1736 views)
Re: War on Christmas? [last tri in 83]
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That's the only true thing to do.
Your line of reasoning only makes sense if Christmas is strictly a religious holiday, Certainly you realize that Christmas is much more than that. It is a cultural event that I celebrate. I've read the Bible, I don't remember any references to Santa, Rudolph or Frosty. In fact, Dec. 25th celebrations pre-date the birth of Christ.
I'll go one further, many atheist believe Jesus was an important historical figure even without his magical father. Celebrating the anniversary of his birth would certainly makes sense.
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