My parents don't know I have lost faith in my religion so will probably make me go to church. Telling them would devastate them, so I think it best to keep it quiet.
When I think about the meaning of Christmas it makes me sad now because I just can't bring myself to believe in it. I still want this holiday to hold some joy and meaning for me, but I don't have any money or time to offer to charities or anything like that. What can I do?
2006-11-06 05:57:19 · 62 answers · asked by Jen 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
its a winter holiday for me.
2006-11-06 05:58:41 · answer #1 · answered by Alfred E. Newman 6 · 3⤊ 4⤋
Enjoy your tree. It's pagan.
You can also enjoy:
the crackers, (but not the sight of your Dad in a paper crown)
the turkey
Christmas pudding
Father Christmas
most of the music - Frosty the Snowman, I saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus etc.
the panto
the tinsel and other decorations (but not the star)
the Coronation Street Special & other telly
the Christmas lights
the presents - make sure there's no Gold. Can't think that hair straighteners etc. have much to do with the birth of Our Lord.
the booze
the chocs
the Christmas cake
the mince pies
the cards, most of them
the snowman
kissing under the mistletoe...
and the fact that before it was Christmas it was the Winter solstice.
Come to think of it, there isn't actually much about Christmas that's Christian, is there? Christ would be horrified. If He came back and saw the High Street in December, He'd be in Woolies causing ructions like He did in the Temple.
I hope you enjoy your Christmas. I hope you go to church with your parents, and remember what it's all about. Jesus allowed himself to go suffer on the Cross, then defeat death for you and me. Perhaps it would help you if you looked into Christianity a bit more.
2006-11-09 20:58:14 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It does not matter if you are an atheist. I am an atheist, in fact my whole family is not religious, but they and I grew up with the holiday. It is a tradition. To me it is a time to be and appreciate family. Enjoy Christmas in the same way as you always had before.
Also, contrary to what many have said, Christmas is not all about God. And why is it that people villianize atheists. Atheists can follow the same moral codes as Christians, we just do not believe in God. And one person mentioned that if you were a real atheist you would take pleasure in proving your parents religion wrong. That is completely ignorant...why would someone do that? Just because atheists do not believe in God does not mean that they are jerks who do not want others to have individual beliefs. Ignore all the negative comments and have a great Christmas. It is a Holiday for anyone who wishes to enjoy it.
2006-11-09 05:34:53 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Why don't you take a new approach to Christmas? Look at the ideals that Christmas upholds. I am sure that even though you are no longer a christian you still value its ideals such as giving, peace, family and ofcourse recieving!
Also, christmas, the celebration of Christ's birth, is just that, the celebration of a great man..Even though you are not Christian you can't deny the good that he has done in the world, afterall you cant dismiss his existance as an historical figure. So why not celebrate that?
Above all, doesn't christmas just make you feel jolly? It's become more of a cultural thing anyway now!
I admire your resolve to stick to what you believe, but there's always a loophole you can find so u can still enjo the good things..
good luck x x
2006-11-06 06:06:39 · answer #4 · answered by pseudoname 3 · 3⤊ 1⤋
First off I think it's sad you lost Faith in God and your Faith. Personally I recommend you finding ways to at least read the Bible at home and all. However, about your Question you don't have to have a Faith to be inspired by Christmas. Do you like to get Christmas trees? do you like the decorations? How about the secular Christmas songs like jingle bells and rudolf the red nosed raindeer or jingle bell rock or sleigh ride? How about decorate your room with north Poll themes. You can do many things to get the Joy of Christmas and no have a Faith.
2006-11-06 06:03:06 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Christmas has nothing to do with the so called christian religion, it is a pagan festival stolen like everything else by the religious lunatics that invented Christianity. If you really are an Atheist then I would tell your parents that you are not going to church and enjoy yourself instead of having to put up with all the drivel and nonsense spouted by some befrocked fool.
2006-11-06 06:18:26 · answer #6 · answered by Stephen P 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I went through the same thing when I let go of religion. I don't label myself like an atheist, agnostic, theist etc because I believe life is more than just about living and dieing. I believe we are apart of something we don't quite understand yet though I don't believe it involves any deity. Anyway, I decided to change my views on the holidays. I would rather celebrate the season of winter than lie to myself and celebrate Christmas. It is better to tell your parents the truth rather than live the way you don't want to live to please others. That will only make you unhappy in the long run. You have to stand up for yourself and how you feel. Life is not about doing things to make other's happy at the sacrifice of your own feelings. Life is about living honest, truthful, loving, healthy, growing, and being tolerant of others. We all have to deal with things we really don't want to deal with but eventually we will have to. Don't force yourself to hold onto things that you don't feel are worth holding onto.
2006-11-06 06:09:25 · answer #7 · answered by Maureen B 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
You can still find meaning in this holiday even if you're not christian, look around you for examples of people celebrating and bringing together family and friends who they may not have seen the rest of the year. Or generosity through those who donate their time or money to helping others. If you don't have much time or money you could do little things like invite a lonely, elderly neighbour round for a cup of tea. It's one of the few times where people are (ideally) united in a celebration of hope. Find joy in seeing friends and family making a real effort to sit down to dinner, spend the day together, buy others gifts to show how much they care for them. You don't have to believe in God to enjoy it.
2006-11-06 06:23:00 · answer #8 · answered by Nikita21 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Surly if you are now an atheist, Christmas wont hold any meaning for you at all, but if you feel you need to install some joy and meaning why not look upon it as a time to spend some time with friends and family who you may not see that often?
2006-11-06 06:01:38 · answer #9 · answered by Phil C 3 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Your decision to develop and form an Atheist out-look on life is neither here nor there as far as God is concerned. Peoples faith in God seem to sway acording to how they perceive their quality and standard of life to be. As long as you resolve to live as a good human being, God doesn't need your or anyone elses devotion. If you don't have money or time to offer to anyone this Christmas, may be you could spare a kind thought or two. I'm sure God wouldn't mind!
2006-11-06 23:32:02 · answer #10 · answered by Fragile Rock 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Oh been there, done that. {{{hugs}}}
The first year is the weirdest. First of all, read up a bit on the history of Christmas! A link will follow. Since all the best christian holidays were really borrowed from the pagans anyway, it helps put a little perspective on things.
Holidays are what we make them. I love Halloween but don't believe the origins of it are true. Ditto St. Valentines Day. Look at what the holiday means to you, really. It's about giving to the people that we love. It's about remembering gathering together as a family.
Yeah, telling your family the truth about what you are is a whole nother ball of wax. You're both wise and kind to go slow on that one. Enduring church when you no longer believe can be painful too. What I used to do is consider "my time in church" as a gift I gave to my parents.
2006-11-06 06:01:28 · answer #11 · answered by Black Parade Billie 5 · 6⤊ 4⤋