Are you going to church tonight?

Question

And if not, is your behaviour consistent, meaning that you didn't do the presents thing and are not celebrating christmas?

Answer 1

Gee, you make it sound as if church-goers had a monopoly on this holiday. Allow me to bust that bubble of yours with a reminder that you do not.

The option to celebrate the winter holiday as a completely secular holiday (let alone a non-Christian way as seen with Hanukkah, the pagan Solstice, etc.) has been well-established for centuries. Just as it has been for holidays like Halloween (which plenty of non-Druids celebrate) and Easter (which like Christmas has trappings of pagan origin).

Funnily enough, there are some Christian denominations who explicitly do NOT celebrate the secular aspects of the holiday such as exchanging gifts and decorating a tree as they consider THAT to be inconsistent with "church-going".

Then again, if you didn't live under a cultural rock, you'd know this.

Answer 2

I am doing the presents thing, got a christmas tree, getting together with family, and having a grand ole Christmas.

I will not be going to church, no. Being an atheist, there is no inconsistency.

Are you being consistent? If Christmas is the the celebration of Christ's birth, and nothing else, are you campaigning hard to stop designating Christmas a secular holiday?

Answer 3

Is my behavior consistent, well, yes. I give presents every year. I believe in my wife and children, I can see them every day. Now, I don't believe in gods or sins or killing gods to pay for sins, so no, I don't go to church. Ever. I think that's pretty consistent.

Edit: you don't need to believe in gods or Santa to show that you love people enough to give them presents during the holiday season. You do those things because you love them, not because you believe in the unbelievable. If I remember right, Jesus was never spotted giving away anything at all on Christmas, not even salvation (he saved that for easter, right?).

Answer 4

Last night I attended this wonderful Christmas musical-drama titled, 'The Joy of Christmas.' More than 3000 people attended it together with me....what an incredible night of celebrating our Lord's birth 2000 years ago.

Merry Christmas, brother!

"Joy to the world, the Lord is come!
Let earth receive her King!" Amen!

Answer 5

I will not be, I celebrate the Christmas Holiday more as a national holiday than a religious holiday. So instead of Christmas we celebrate Saturnalia or Sol Invictus.

Answer 6

I can celebrate Christmas without going to church.

By the way, my mom is Catholic and we go to her church every year for Christmas Eve Midnight Mass (it's actually at 10 p.m.)

I go to my own church during the year, which is Baptist.

Answer 7

Well, to be truly consistent, I think I'd have to attend a pagan ceremony to celebrate Christmas.

Fortunately, there's a pretty strong thread of secular ecumenism running through this holiday.

Answer 8

Nah, I balanced my checkbook already.

It isn't necessary to go to church in order to celebrate Christmas. As long as you are kind to people, and you make sure your family and friends know you love them, you are celebrating Christmas.


Merry Christmas everybody!

Answer 9

I won't be going to church tonight, because I don't subscribe to religious dogma. I still plan on having a fun next couple of days though.....

Answer 10

Yes! 3 services tonight at my church.

I plan of attending the late service, and will be greeting at the middle service.