If you dont believe in Christ, then how can you celebrate something that you dont believe?
2006-12-02 09:53:00 · 21 answers · asked by Cassandra H 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Christmas, or as it should be more appropriatly called: the Mid Winter Consumer Fiesta, has very little to do with Jesus in all honesty. In the early 11th century, the church appropriated (stole) the date that a pagan festival was held, in order to facilitate conversion. The pagan holiday was celebrated by feasting, giving gifts, burning a log, and decorating trees. Mistletoe and holly were important symbols in the pagan cultures, and were also used during this time.
That said, regardless of your faith, a day to spend with family, give gifts (providing its from the heart and not to get gifts as well), and share a good meal with friends is a good thing. If you want to go to church, that's fine. Just be honest about where one of your holiest of days actually comes from.
2006-12-02 10:05:44 · answer #1 · answered by Bill K Atheist Goodfella 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Pagans often have other ceremonies that occurred at the same time as Christmas, which is why they often celebrate the season anyway.
Atheists who do celebrate the season may only be doing so because they have families or loved ones that do. If you're an atheist, and had celebrated Christmas as a young child, the holiday may still have a nostalgic significance to you, whether you believe in the underlying religious beliefs or not.
2006-12-02 18:05:52 · answer #2 · answered by Lunarsight 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Although I grew up a Christian, celebrating Christmas, I now celebrate Yule, which is a very similar holiday with very similar traditions, right down to the tree, decorations and gifts. I just happen to celebrate it on Christmas Day because:
1. It makes the Christian members of the family happy and isn't that what family is all about anyway... making each other happy?
2. It's just easier. My husband and I already have the day off of work, and the kids have the day off of school.
3. It saves the questions and the preaching from well-meaning friends and neighbors.
By the way..... I've never heard of a family that could afford to buy gifts for each other celebrate Christmas with only prayers and hymns. Spiritually? Maybe a VERY small portion of the day.
2006-12-02 17:59:40 · answer #3 · answered by Brooke 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Probably because theYuletide celebration is a pagan one and originally had nothing to do with xians. The Yule celebration (now called xmas by most) is actually about the winter solstice. The longest night of the year. After that night (usually December 21-23) the days start getting longer again, signifying rebirth.
2006-12-02 17:57:31 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
I don't celebrate Christmas, I celebrate my love for my family. Why shouldn't I take advantage of a day that just about everybody gets off of work/school and spend it with my family. There is nothing materialistic about it. I honestly don't think that anybody celebrates Christmas in it original sense. Why is that? Think about the way that you celebrate Christmas...I highly doubt that it would match the way that your "Christ" would supposedly want you to celebrate.
2006-12-02 18:02:57 · answer #5 · answered by ~ Sara ~ 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It's not christmas so much as a few weeks off, snow, and an excuse to visit the relatives I haven't seen all year. We decorate with lights and trees and give presents and eat a lot of food, but we don't go to church since not many of us buy into the whole religion part of this holiday. We're not worshiping your god, just spending time together.
Edit: Hahaha ... someone just said we were celebrating it in a materialistic way, not 'spiritually' like real christians. So you don't give presents, or eat food, or put up decorations? Oh I'm sorry, you just go to church and pretend that there's a religious reason behind the whole party ... sorry, I'm not deluding myself that way.
2006-12-02 17:56:21 · answer #6 · answered by eri 7 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Well I was raised Catholic and now I am A None Believer, now that we got that straight.
My kids grand kids all attended or will attend school and a catholic school at that, and my none belief is my choice not theirs, so what type of father or grand father of the Catholic or christian faith would deny their children & grand children
One other thing about you christian how many of you will charge over what you can afford just to look good, because Christmas is a Catholic Holiday before they said they were christians, so why do you celebrate Christmas
2006-12-02 18:15:04 · answer #7 · answered by man of ape 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Why do Christians keep asking that? Isn't it a no brainer that it's the one day a year when everyone has the day off, the whole family is together (no matter where in the world they were), and you get to exchange presents and eat great food?
Not to mention that there are other holidays that fall during the same time.
So, should I just ignore the fact that my family is having good dinners together and opening gifts because I don't worship jesus?
Honestly...
2006-12-02 17:58:25 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
I celebrate life by spending time with and giving gifts of appreciation to those I love on Christmas not the birth of some guy 2000 years ago.
Do you teach you kids about Santa or put up a tree? If so why? I don't remember seeing them mentioned in the Bible when I read it.
2006-12-02 18:01:53 · answer #9 · answered by thewolfskoll 5 · 4⤊ 0⤋
My family celebrates it and I like having a reason to give gifts. My family never brought Jesus into it anyway. The closest thing to being religious about it as they got was to put out the little manger scene on a table in the living room.
2006-12-02 17:58:12 · answer #10 · answered by Pico 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋