ID:190671
 Dec 24 2002, 4:23 pm
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How many here don't believe in Christ and celebrate Christmas. If you don't believe, that's just taking advantage of a holiday. I believe in Christ and I'm just about to go off to church :) God bless you all!
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I am not religious one little bit, yet, if I had hard proof that this 'God' was real, maybe then I would believe in it.
What I mean is this; If I see him with my own two eyes, then I know he/she/it is real, otherwise, it is non-existant. So :P --Lee | |
I celebrate the period between the winter solstice and the start of the new year for reasons having nothing to do with a messiah who, even if he existed, probably wasn't born in December (Bible doesn't mention a date). Since the rest of my immediate corner of the world celebrates with an exchange of gifts on December 25th, it makes for a convenient high point to my own observance.
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I didn't ask if you believed in God, I asked why you celebrate christmas if you don't. With the first part of the word being Christ and all. You wouldn't go to somebodies birthday party that you didn't know, unless you were rude... *glares around* Lexy answered my question fine. Even though I may not totally agree with it I won't critize her because she made sense and I'm not gonna rob her of her fun because she doesn't believe in something. I was just asking you opinions, I don't want this to turn into that huge God thread again.
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Mellifluous wrote:
If I see him with my own two eyes, then I know he/she/it is real, otherwise, it is non-existant. I've never seen Europe, but it exists, or so I think. | |
I am definitely atheistic, but I've celebrated Christmas for my entire life... I also celebrate Easter...
Every now and then, I am struck with the feeling of hypocrisy... But, I've come to realize that for me, Christmas isn't a celebration of Christ's birth... It's a time of family gathering, peace on Earth, good will towards men, etc, etc... It's an opportunity to feel good about the world, and to spend time with those close to me... And I feel that those reasons are good enough for me to celebrate Christmas, even though I do not believe in Christ himself (well, I won't necessarily refuse to believe that there was an actual man named Jesus Christ born circa 2002 years ago...but I do not believe that that man was the son of God, because I do not believe in God...) As for Easter, I celebrate that mainly because most of my extended family is religious, and they celebrate it... But that too is a time that we all gather to spend time together... | |
BurningIce wrote:
I didn't ask if you believed in God... Sure you did... ''How many here don't believe in Christ...'' - in several Christian-based mythos, Christ and God are one and the same... | |
Jacob wrote:
Pss do you believe in air >.>*cough Well I've never seen it so I guess I - *passes out* | |
Christmas is a secular holiday. It no longer has anything to do with the Christian Lord and Savior.
Otherwise, the Jewish folks and the Muslim folks on my block are being really darned blasphemous. | |
Spuzzum wrote:
Christmas is a secular holiday. It no longer has anything to do with the Christian Lord and Savior. Heh... that's kind of like saying "BYOND is a system for creating DBZ fangames. It no longer has anything to do with Building Your Own Net Dream." :) Merry Christmas everyone! | |
There's a moratorium on "Do you believe in God?" threads here, so best not to push the envelope.
As for the contention that Christmas is strictly a religious holiday, that's not exactly true; it's been such a tradition for so long that people of many religions now celebrate it. But Christmas basically has its origins (as a celebrated holiday, that is) in the adaptation of a winter festival. Anyway, from the religious standpoint it's all to the better if people celebrate who don't believe, for what better time to share your faith with them? Lummox JR | |
Not really... I don't know of any Christians who celebrate the occasion with prayer and other religiousness -- they just celebrate the occasion with good food and gifts. (Granted, they do say grace when they eat, but you're supposed to say that any time you eat a large meal with family and/or friends.)
However, I know of many BYONDers who use BYOND for purposes other than DBZ fangames. =) | |
BurningIce wrote:
I didn't ask if you believed in God, I asked why you celebrate christmas if you don't. With the first part of the word being Christ and all. You wouldn't go to somebodies birthday party that you didn't know, unless you were rude... *glares around* Lexy answered my question fine. Even though I may not totally agree with it I won't critize her because she made sense and I'm not gonna rob her of her fun because she doesn't believe in something. I was just asking you opinions, I don't want this to turn into that huge God thread again. Christmas occurs when it does because there was originally a pagan holiday at that time to celebrate winter solstice (I believe), and it made political sense to put Christmas at a time when people were already celebrating. Easier to convert them that way. The timing has nothing to do with the birth of anyone. In other words, people who celebrate Christmas as a Christ thing are actually borrowing someone else's holiday. So it would make more historical sense to ask why you are celebrating Christmas at this time if it's not to recognize Winter solstice? For your main question, no I don't believe in Christ (in the way you mean), and no I don't as a rule celebrate Christmas or any holiday. But that's mostly cause I'm an unsentimental robot. I have no objection to getting together with friends or giving gifts at a socially established time, if it comes up. | |
Christmas occurs when it does because there was originally a pagan holiday at that time to celebrate winter solstice (I believe), and it made political sense to put Christmas at a time when people were already celebrating. Easier to convert them that way. The timing has nothing to do with the birth of anyone. That, I did not know. | |
I celebrate it by giving thoughtful and meaningful, lasting gifts. I do not let commercialism get in the way..
Im not a religious man, but I do not say jesus doesnt exist. I believe in him for my own reasons, same with god. I dont deny that in truth he very well might NOT exist. I keep faith despite. I dont go to church, I dont believe in religion.. i believe in faith., I view Religion as commercialism (itself) I celebrate christmas and will continue to mostly for the kids. Its a really special time for them | |
But it still does not detract from the holiday spirit! Happy Holidays to all!
(by-the-way - I think that if there is a god, it's some sort of computer... G.O.D. - Graphic Omniscient Device (from the awesome book titled 'When Harley was One'))