Ok, so my neighbors are both Atheist and extreamly left wing on all political matters. Yesturday, I see them put up a huge Christmas tree and decorate their house with lights and such.
How can you be an Atheist and celebrate Christmas?
2006-12-22 05:06:26 · 31 answers · asked by Dog Lover 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Christmas
The question and comments really made me laugh. :))
*The fir tree has a long association with Christianity, it began in Germany almost 1,000 years ago when St Boniface, who converted the German people to Christianity, was said to have come across a group of pagans worshipping an oak tree. In anger, St Boniface is said to have cut down the oak tree and to his amazement a young fir tree sprung up from the roots of the oak tree. St Boniface took this as a sign of the Christian faith. But it was not until the 16th century that fir trees were brought indoors at Christmas time.
Legend has it that Martin Luther began the tradition of decorating trees to celebrate Christmas. One crisp Christmas Eve, about the year 1500, he was walking through snow-covered woods and was struck by the beauty of a group of small evergreens. Their branches, dusted with snow, shimmered in the moonlight. When he got home, he set up a little fir tree indoors so he could share this story with his children. He decorated it with candles, which he lighted in honor of Christ's birth.
Prior to this Egyptians, Romans, The Druids of Great Britian, Germans and Scandinavians all celebrated the winter solstice with the use of greenery, evergreens, and green date palm leaves, but they didn't decorate them as we do now.
Maybe they are practicing as the Egyptians, Romans, or Druids, with a twist? The twisted & amuzing part which made me laugh is that no one seems to want to recognize, acknowledge, or admit, that for over a thousand years, the Christmas Tree has been a symbol of CHRISTmas.... yes, the Mass of Christ. Just as Christmas is the Celebration of the birth of JESUS CHRIST. You can be an Atheist and celebrate a Christian holiday. Millions of people do, some even answered your question. But if you can't acknowledge the TRUE meaning of Christmas, and why we celebrate traditions that are based on Christianity, like the Christmas tree, you make for interesting neighbors and ignorant hypocrites. lol.
2006-12-22 05:32:57 · answer #1 · answered by Designer4You 1 · 3⤊ 6⤋
Well first of all, you don't actually know if he was putting it up for Christmas. A lot of atheists celebrate the winter solstice instead. Just ask Richard Dawkins :D
Besides, even if he was calling it a christmas tree (not a solstice tree), that's still not a big deal. I'm an atheist too, and I celebrate christmas because I'll celebrate any holiday where presents are involved. Besides, christmas is more about Santa than jesus now anyway. I personally believe that Jews should be able to celebrate christmas if they want to too.
As Sara Silverman Said:
"Though I don't think he's the son of God,
I think he was still a nice boy.
If you ask yourself "What would Jesus do?",
He'd say give the Jew girl toys, give the Jew girl toys,
Give the Jew girl toys."
_____________________________________
Edit: As far as atheists not having a "wholsome" christmas, my grandmother (an atheist) has held christmas and thanksgiving every year since I can remember in order to bring to whole family together, relatives coming from across the country. You don't have to believe in jesus in order to have a meaningful christmas.
I would've listed family for one of my reasons, but I'm mad at most of them right now...
2006-12-22 05:28:31 · answer #2 · answered by ethical_atheist 3 · 7⤊ 1⤋
First and foremost some of you people need to get your knowledge about the origins of the holiday somewhere other than the back of a box of candy canes. Christmas was based on several already established PAGAN and WICCAN holidays such as Sol Invictus and Yule the celebration of the winter solstice.
Secondly whether you believe it or not atheists do have family and friends and did not hatch from eggs or spawn from the devil as imbiciles like Pat Roberts would have you believe and enjoy celebrating the season and time with friends and family.
Third what does politics have to do with all this? What they can't be liberals and celebrate a holiday? Damn tough country.
2006-12-22 05:25:27 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 10⤊ 1⤋
Simple. Christmas is and always has been a Pagan holiday. Christians celebrate it religiously, the rest of the world celebrates it secularly. This has been going for millenia so it is not something new that someone came up with just to confuse the Christians.
2006-12-22 05:35:51 · answer #4 · answered by Cinnamon 6 · 9⤊ 1⤋
my atheist grandpa celebrates Christmas because he sees it as an opportunity to see his family and enjoy their company. He likes Christmas music, he grew up with Christmas, his wife likes to do Christmas dinner, he respects the tradition. He grew up with it and his atheism is not some angry rebellion against Christians, so he doesn't feel like he needs to purposefully avoid the holiday; he's not indignant that the malls are decorated.
Belief in Christ is not required to enjoy a beautiful tree, lovely music, a wonderful dinner, and the company of one's family. For non-Christians, Christmas can still be about that tradition.
2006-12-22 05:18:57 · answer #5 · answered by Jessica 4 · 11⤊ 2⤋
How is the tree religious? I could see asking the question about a nativity scene, but to some, the lighted tree is just festive and pretty. It started in Victorian days, didn't it? Forgive me if my history is lacking. I no longer celebrate the religious origin of Christmas, but I do celebrate the "spirit" of giving, gratitude and miracles. I respect others' right to celebrate as they feel, but think that it undermines the true spirit of Christ to judge their hearts.
2006-12-22 05:13:34 · answer #6 · answered by georgia b 3 · 12⤊ 2⤋
I don't know why they'd be doing it. I'm a Secular Humanist, and I do not celebrate Christmas in any way, shape or form.
2006-12-22 19:46:01 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Well, first of all, Athiests have a right to do that. They just set up the lights and stuff. But, they don't know the meaning, so, yeah, they really don't celebrate what Christmas is all about. But, Christmas has gone so commercial, so most people are blind to the true meaning.
Athiests can have Christmas. But it won't be a wholesome Christmas.
2006-12-22 05:27:08 · answer #8 · answered by GiR 2.0 2 · 1⤊ 6⤋
You could put up a huge Christmas tree and decorate your house with lights and such.
How does one decorate for Holloween without believing in black magic?
The least Christian way to celebrate Christmas is to commercialize it as we have in the US. The PIlgrims in the early days here didn;t celebrate Christmas at all, and they were pretty Christian.
Do you know why cities are allowed to put up Christmas trees? Because Warren Burger wrote an opinion for the Supreme Court which said that Christmas trees and the like aren't Christian, but part of a secular holiday celebration in the US. You'll find many people you know grew up celebrating Christmas without a single reference to Jesus, without goung to church -- its a nationwide holiday, and there is nothing intrinsically Christian about trees, presents and lights.
2006-12-22 05:08:20 · answer #9 · answered by C_Bar 7 · 16⤊ 5⤋
The tree itself is not a religios icon. It was a german custom to make your home more cheerful during the bleak winter months (kind like a house plant). It was adapted to fit our christian holiday in the 1800's I think.
2006-12-22 05:12:51 · answer #10 · answered by bobthebuilder 3 · 14⤊ 1⤋