Athiests: Are you going to buy Christmas presents for your friends & family despite not believing in Jesus?

Question

Zero Cool - "Secular" aspects of Christmas? What have you been smokin' lately? What the hell is secular about the birth of Christ?

Answer 1

Christmas are not for true Christians.

M’Clintock and Strong’s Cyclopædia says: “The observance of Christmas is not of divine appointment, nor is it of N[ew] T[estament] origin. The day of Christ’s birth cannot be ascertained from the N[ew] T[estament], or, indeed, from any other source.”—(New York, 1871), Vol. II, p. 276.

Luke 2:8-11 shows that shepherds were in the fields at night at the time of Jesus’ birth. The book Daily Life in the Time of Jesus states: “The flocks . . . passed the winter under cover; and from this alone it may be seen that the traditional date for Christmas, in the winter, is unlikely to be right, since the Gospel says that the shepherds were in the fields.”—(New York, 1962), Henri Daniel-Rops, p. 228.

The Encyclopedia Americana informs us: “The reason for establishing December 25 as Christmas is somewhat obscure, but it is usually held that the day was chosen to correspond to pagan festivals that took place around the time of the winter solstice, when the days begin to lengthen, to celebrate the ‘rebirth of the sun.’ . . . The Roman Saturnalia (a festival dedicated to Saturn, the god of agriculture, and to the renewed power of the sun), also took place at this time, and some Christmas customs are thought to be rooted in this ancient pagan celebration.”—(1977), Vol. 6, p. 666.

The New Catholic Encyclopedia acknowledges: “The date of Christ’s birth is not known. The Gospels indicate neither the day nor the month . . . According to the hypothesis suggested by H. Usener . . . and accepted by most scholars today, the birth of Christ was assigned the date of the winter solstice (December 25 in the Julian calendar, January 6 in the Egyptian), because on this day, as the sun began its return to northern skies, the pagan devotees of Mithra celebrated the dies natalis Solis Invicti (birthday of the invincible sun). On Dec. 25, 274, Aurelian had proclaimed the sun-god principal patron of the empire and dedicated a temple to him in the Campus Martius. Christmas originated at a time when the cult of the sun was particularly strong at Rome.”—(1967), Vol. III, p. 656.

Answer 2

There are a lot of people here who don't get it at all. You can look at Christmas as a secular holiday, or that one doesn't have to be Christian to give or receive gifts, or enjoying the "secular aspects", blah, blah, blah. Spin it any way you want, but the fact is, Christmas is a Christian Holiday, and unless you are celebrathing Hannakuh or Kwanzaa, then there would be no reason for you to give gifts. Yeah, some people may not celebrate Christmas the right way as they do not believe in Jesus, and choose to give gifts just because, but they are still doing it because of Christmas, they just don't see it.

Atheists can say they are giving gifts because they enjoy the "secular aspects", but the fact is, they are still giving gifts for Christmas, whether they see it that way or not.

As for the brainiacs who say that gift-giving pre-dates Jesus, true enough. But when you give a gift on December 25th, then you are doing it to celebrate the birth of Christ. Deal with it.

Answer 3

Let me answer this from a Unitarian-Universalist view, since it is a different perspective.

First, it is inappropriate to bring up the sexual orientation of someone, as that has nothing to do with Christmas. Anyone can celebrate Christmas.

Second, going to church on Christmas is a different issue. Go if it has religious and familial meaning to you. Do not go just out of routine.

Third, Christmas has its roots both in animistic tradition and Christianity. It is not literally the day that Jesus was born. He was probably born in August, not in December. As Unitarians, we commemorate the passage of the Three Wise Men to visit Jesus and the miracle of his survival. There were also the visions of the Prophets.

Fourth, Santa is for kids. Period. Do not worry about buying and giving gifts. Buy something nice for everyone and leave it at that. Christmas can be about family. It is not about greed.

Fifth, the 'secular' aspects of Christmas can mean a family holiday and celebrations. It is weird that atheists enjoy singng Christian Christmas carols, though.

Answer 4

When I was growing up I remember many sermons from the village vicar's pulpit every Christmas, bemoaning the rampant commercialism of the holidays, how people were too wrapped up, hehe, in their Christmas shopping to contemplate the spiritual side of the holiday... Now has that aspect of society's approach to Christmas changed at all in the last 10 years, I think not.

Just as many Christians, that I know, put more stock in their Christmas shopping, decorations and parties than attending to their supposed spiritual holiday. It is easy to accuse atheists of being hypocrites at Christmas for giving presents or what-have-you when they do not believe, but what about those who do believe, those who put more emphasis on the materialistic side of the festival? Which is worse?

I am an atheist, brought up in a Christian family, therefore I share the same traditions around Christmas, such as giving presents, as my peers, is that hypocritical? No, I think not, but materialistic, yes.

Perhaps you are asking the wrong people, my vicar, all those years ago, proved a good point in his sermon, what has Christ's birth got to do, for you, with how much your new pink bike with tassels costs?

Edit: In truth the modern festival of Christmas has less to do with the Christian calendar, winter solstices or whatever history you care to follow. It is more about materialism and increasing possessions, that new gadget, album or book, perhaps we could rename it: Where'smyipodmas.

Answer 5

Yeah I buy presents because I celebrate the simple fact it is a winter festival and a chance to spend a bit of time with the family. I'm not a great fan of Christmas, but it has to be done. As Christmas is really a pagan festival hi-jacked by christianity I can celebrate it with a clear conscience!

Answer 6

Yes I am. Know why? I celebrate the secular aspects of Xmas.

*edit* I'm not TALKING about Xmas as the birth of Christ. Xmas has become a very commercial, very familial, very secular celebration. Xmas lights? Secular. Xmas tree? Pagan and secular. Eggnog, mistletoe, candy canes, secular secular secular. The exchanging of gifts? Pre-Christian / pagan. Santa? Legend based on a real person, not Biblical. Stockings? Part of the Santa legend.

So yeah........ THESE are the parts that don't "glorify the birth of Christ".

GOT IT??

Answer 7

Yes, because Christmas is actually family celebration and consuming celebration as well. At this time big corporations and markets gets lots of money, because people get mad and buy without control.

Answer 8

And why not? Jesus wasn't even born on "Christmas" day. Christmas is just as fake as easter, ya know, with the bunny that lays eggs.

Answer 9

Done and dusted dude iv spent loads and i don't believe in Christ or his Daddy but then why should that stop me the christians stole xmas anyway!

Answer 10

Actually many of the traditions of Christmas predate the actual birth of Christ. That includes the gift giving, and the decoration of trees.

I will ring your doorbell and run away!!!