I found out about this blog website through another website by the name of FastWeb.com! Woo for my first post :) Since it's Easter, I've decided to make this post about something I feel very strongly about: Why do people who claim they don't believe in God celebrate holidays dedicated to Him?
You wake up in the morning on Christmas, and you open presents. You wake up on Easter morning and expect a basket full of treats. Most people now a days are blinded by the materialistic aspect of holidays, rather than why we have them in the first place. What is Christmas? What is Easter? In my opinion, I believe that if you don't believe in God, you shouldn't celebrate the holiday. I don't understand why they would take advantage of a religion for their own personal benefit. Greed, and selfishness are the underlying reasons. Why would you endorse something that you don't believe in. It hurts to see the God that I look up to being taken advantage of for materialistic happiness. That's where forgiveness comes into play. Though some may never understand the true meaning behind the holidays dedicated to God, and may only use the holidays as an excuse to get candy, or presents, there is something inside you that has to forgive them for their ignorance. Forgiveness and love is in all of us. It's innate. There's always going to be a part of me who wonder why people think it's necessary to accept gifts in the spirit of Christ when they don't believe in him.
How's that for my first post? Hahaha.
The same issue bothers me a lot around Christian holidays. There are atheists I know who celebrate Christmas and Easter with more enthusiasm that I do, and I'm a devoted Christian. All I can do is throw a big sarcastic 'Thank you!' to the materialistic world we live in and educate those ignorant of the meaning of the holidays.
I think that it's amazing that at least you're trying to educate those ignorant of the meaning of the holidays. 'Be the change you wish to see in the world" I LOVE IT! Thank you for your comment. :)
And to think the one trying to teach people about the meaning of the holidays also celebrates pointless ones, like yesterday's 'Goof Off Day." XD
But in all seriousness, people need to know wha they're celebrating. And besides, maybe I can manage to bring a person or two to Christ that way. It makes all the arguments intolerant people try to start with me worth it. ^_^
I totally want to add you to my subscriptions. I like the way you think :] I just started this thing today, and I don't get it at all!~ Is there a subscription button? Hahah.
Beats me. Honestly, I've been trying to figure that out all day! There are a few good blogs I'd like to subscribe to that have unique viewpoints and don't get much attention. XD
And that's comin' at ya' from yer local redneck hippie.
I added you to my buddy list! So I can easily click on your posts. I will definitely keep in touch! :)
Really, it's not that religions are like clubs that attempt to leave people out on all of the fun, it's just that if you're going to celebrate it without all of the "strings attached", are you REALLY getting anything out of it? I guess we just have to feel bad that they are at a loss here, missing something really important on these special days.
I just tried to explain that to my friend, but he just doesn't get it. He's agnostic, and I've been trying all day to get him to see the light!
Christmas is fun. I like presents and I like giving presents. I like singing songs and having tons of family over. Honestly, my family uses any excuse to celebrate and get together (which means at least 5 get-togethers a month).
I am an atheist, but because I don't believe, I see no reason to stop doing what I enjoy simply because it was originally created to celebrate something I don't believe in. Sometimes I use things (like rubber bands) for purposes other than what they were created for. I'm sorry that it annoys you that atheists celebrate Christmas, but I think (and I cannot claim to represent every atheist) that people are going to celebrate and do what they like for their own reasons and they can't or shouldn't be stopped.
To me, Christmas is a corporate holiday, much like Valentine's Day and I like the blinking lights and the snowflake decorations and the cheery "Merry Christmases" and holiday carols. Just because it's about God, it doesn't mean that I can't enjoy it. I enjoy religious songs sometimes and stories written by religious people. I see nothing wrong with it. Why would someone try to take away the pleasure I take from celebrations even if I don't believe in the original intent.
And the fact that what I feel is an important day to really remember my faith has become a corporate holiday is probably what bothers me the most. If people who aren't Christians want to celebrate Christmas, I won't go around griping about it. I just want them to understand its origins. I mean, people do like to celebrate, for the most part, and that's fine with me.
And that's comin' at ya' from yer local redneck hippie.
Same here. A question for the Christian posters here- do you hunt eggs? Egg hunting has pagan origins as a way to promote fertility. Also, do you exchange gifts, or celebrate without them? This image is part of what's causing the consumerism-fueled holiday hoopla. Not only atheists or people of other religions fuel the consumeristic part.
F*** Religion. Read more here:
http://www.progressiveu.org/020528-f-religion
My family has traditions involving hunting for eggs and exchanging gifts. I don't particularly care for them, though. I would much rather prefer to spend the day with my church family, which sadly, I couldn't today, as my grandmother was visiting AND no one bothered to wake me up by being loud and noisy way too early as is usual.
And that's comin' at ya' from yer local redneck hippie.
I don't hunt eggs. lol
If you feel that way, maybe you should reconsider being atheist . Apparently you've felt God during those times. :)
Enjoying a holiday is not feeling god.
"Don't blame me. I voted for Kodos."
Homer Simpson
Why? For the sake of heritage or family or just fun. Holidays are traditionally a time of people getting together. Why should we have to come up with a new time, or just do it on secular holidays? In addition, you can celebrate a holiday in honor of your heritage, which I do occasionally, or because other members of your family do believe. There are lots of reasons.
"Don't blame me. I voted for Kodos."
Homer Simpson
That's understandable. But what do you celebrate when you get together? I understand if like, other family members believe, but in that case, what made you decide against having faith? If you were raised around it. That's not meant to sound rude, by the way. I'm kind of curious now. :)
What do I celebrate? The celebration, in a way. The coming together of friends. My heritage whatever.
I wasn't really raised in faith. My dad's an atheist. My mom is, uh, disinterested. I went to Hebrew school, but I never really bought into the whole god thing. Of course, I wasn't raised in unfaith either. It's not like my dad talked about being an atheist or whatever.
"Don't blame me. I voted for Kodos."
Homer Simpson
Exactly. I don't consider myself a Christian anymore, but I still spent Christmas and Easter with my mom and little sisters, because they do believe in it and celebrate it. When I'm with my dad for Christmas, I tough through the religious lessons just because it's rude to walk out when the rest of the family is doing a tradition. If I were with my boyfriend for Passover, I wouldn't sit there eating a sandwich in front of him...
~C
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Welcome to Progressive U. Some things to consider about your post:
"In my opinion, I believe that if you don't believe in God, you shouldn't celebrate the holiday. I don't understand why they would take advantage of a religion for their own personal benefit. Greed, and selfishness are the underlying reasons. Why would you endorse something that you don't believe in...."
I don't know of any non-Christian holiday-celebrating person that celebrated the holiday in order to take advantage of a religion. Opening a church aiming to make money and defraud people would be taking advantage of a religion, but celebrating a holiday for fun and not disgracing someone who celebrates it out of spirituality is not taking advantage of a religion to me. If anything, I think it helps everyone to be tolerant and accepting of other beliefs. I have no underlying reasons of greed or selfishness by celebrating Christmas or Easter with others. In fact, it's more of a desire to give to others, not to recieve gifts. Would me not celebrating, and snapping "I don't believe in God!" to anyone that wishes me "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Easter" or refusing to give or recieve gifts from my Christian friends be a better alternative? Should I not endorse or celebrate the holiday by prohibiting my employees to wish customers "Merry Christmas" if I own a business?
On the last part of the statement I mentioned above, I know of very few Christians who live up to this idea. If you wish for others who do not believe in the same God as you to not endorse the idea, then why are so many Christians opposed to removing "In God We Trust" or "One Nation Under God"? These phrases don't bother me and I have no reason to advocate for their removal, but anyone who tries to not endorse the idea is criticized by christians for wanting it removed or for refusing to say these lines.
Almost all of the users on here are very smart and educated, and will find loopholes in almost any argument. Some are nicer about it than others, but these are the type of comments you can expect to get. :) I hope mine just help you to think a little.
F*** Religion. Read more here:
http://www.progressiveu.org/020528-f-religion
I posted this blog to get an idea of what others thought, so thank you very much for your intellectual input :) It was one of those moments where one my "friends" said something ignorant about Easter, which was yesterday. So I was fueled up. lol