| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"Dan Stromberg" |
| Date: |
22 Dec 2005 05:48:37 PM |
| Object: |
"christmas" |
What do folks do to make the season a little more bearable, when we start
getting "christmas" and "jesus is the reason for the season" rammed down
our throats 1.5 months out of every year?
Do you exchange gifts?
Do you go to the parties?
Do you say "No, I'm atheist, you insensitive clod"?
Do you say "What about all the other religions of the world that've been
pushed off the stage by this orgy of nearly-single-religion-backed
capitalism"?
Or "Why do you -think- the Muslims are threatened by globalization? You
don't suppose it might have something to do with using oodles of presents
used to make little children desperately wish they were christian above
all else?"
Do you try to pretend it's just like every other day of the year, when
virtually no stores are open, and virtually no one is walking on the
street (in many, many, many parts of the US)?
Do you celebrate Festivus or Saturnalia or the Winter Solstice or whatever?
Do you whip out your "church of the subgenius" T-shirt?
What do -you- do?
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| User: "Peacenik" |
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| Title: Re: "christmas" |
23 Dec 2005 09:32:32 AM |
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"Dan Stromberg" <strombrg@dcs.nac.uci.edu> wrote in message
news:pan.2005.01.03.19.07.25.744518@dcs.nac.uci.edu...
What do folks do to make the season a little more bearable, when we start
getting "christmas" and "jesus is the reason for the season" rammed down
our throats 1.5 months out of every year?
Do you exchange gifts?
Do you go to the parties?
I celebrate Christmas the way it is meant to be celebrated: free of
religious trappings.
Gifts, parties, food, drink, family, friends.
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| User: "Robibnikoff" |
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| Title: Re: "christmas" |
22 Dec 2005 07:37:25 PM |
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"Dan Stromberg" <strombrg@dcs.nac.uci.edu> wrote in message
news:pan.2005.01.03.19.07.25.744518@dcs.nac.uci.edu...
What do folks do to make the season a little more bearable, when we start
getting "christmas" and "jesus is the reason for the season" rammed down
our throats 1.5 months out of every year?
Do you exchange gifts?
Yep - First at a sis-in-law's house for Xmas eve and then at my house with
the family on Xmas.
Do you go to the parties?
My best friend from high school always has a fantastic party - that was last
Friday.
Do you say "No, I'm atheist, you insensitive clod"?
Tempting, but no ;)
Do you say "What about all the other religions of the world that've been
pushed off the stage by this orgy of nearly-single-religion-backed
capitalism"?
Or "Why do you -think- the Muslims are threatened by globalization? You
don't suppose it might have something to do with using oodles of presents
used to make little children desperately wish they were christian above
all else?"
Do you try to pretend it's just like every other day of the year, when
virtually no stores are open, and virtually no one is walking on the
street (in many, many, many parts of the US)?
Not really. We do exchange gifts and have a nice dinner with me mum.
Do you celebrate Festivus or Saturnalia or the Winter Solstice or
whatever?
Winter Solstice here - the kid and I had a little ceremony (silly yes, but
she enjoyed the heck out of it)
Do you whip out your "church of the subgenius" T-shirt?
If only ;)
What do -you- do?
See above :)
And I can't wait until it's all OVER!! BAH HUMBUG! <goes to wrap more
presents, grumbling all the while>
--
------
Robyn
Resident Witchypoo
#1557
Science doesn't burn people at the stake for disagreeing - Vic Sagerquist
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| User: "UK Ministry of St Luke" |
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| Title: Re: "christmas" |
23 Dec 2005 11:55:10 AM |
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"Dan Stromberg" <strombrg@dcs.nac.uci.edu> wrote in message <...>
Do you whip out your "church of the subgenius" T-shirt?
What do -you- do?
Praise "Bob"!
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| User: "Smurfette" |
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| Title: Re: "christmas" |
22 Dec 2005 08:26:11 PM |
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Do you whip out your "church of the subgenius" T-shirt?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sub_Genius
Mich.
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| User: "Smurfette" |
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| Title: Re: "christmas" |
22 Dec 2005 08:28:47 PM |
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Do you say "No, I'm atheist, you insensitive clod"?
Nope.
I simply send out cards that say "Merry Christmyth"...
Mich.
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| User: "Enkidu" |
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| Title: Re: "christmas" |
22 Dec 2005 06:25:22 PM |
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Dan Stromberg <strombrg@dcs.nac.uci.edu> wrote in
news:pan.2005.01.03.19.07.25.744518@dcs.nac.uci.edu:
What do folks do to make the season a little more bearable, when we
start getting "christmas" and "jesus is the reason for the season"
rammed down our throats 1.5 months out of every year?
Do you exchange gifts?
Yes, but we also donate to our secular charities. My kids participate.
Do you go to the parties?
Is there beer? Wine? I'll always go to a party.
Do you say "No, I'm atheist, you insensitive clod"?
Only to the pushy ones. I've had to tell people my family doesn't pray
before meals when they pushed, but they seemed to take the hint. Of
course, we weren't invited back.
Do you say "What about all the other religions of the world that've
been pushed off the stage by this orgy of
nearly-single-religion-backed capitalism"?
Christmas has so little to do with any religion other than capitalism,
that I find the fight against obscene consumerism to be the real
Christmas fight. It's one of the reasons I allow my children so little
TV time. It's not so much the shows as it is the "Your life sucks if you
don't but this" advertizing that bothers me.
--
Enkidu AA#2165
http://www.musings.leaddogs.org/
EAC Chaplain and ordained minister,
ULC, Modesto, CA
PGP ID: 0xC4CE8CF0
The being cannot be termed rational or virtuous, who obeys any
authority, but that of reason.
-- Mary Wollstonecraft
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| User: "nJb" |
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| Title: Re: "christmas" |
22 Dec 2005 07:46:07 PM |
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Enkidu wrote:
Dan Stromberg <strombrg@dcs.nac.uci.edu> wrote in
news:pan.2005.01.03.19.07.25.744518@dcs.nac.uci.edu:
What do folks do to make the season a little more bearable, when we
start getting "christmas" and "jesus is the reason for the season"
rammed down our throats 1.5 months out of every year?
Do you exchange gifts?
Yes, but we also donate to our secular charities. My kids participate.
Do you go to the parties?
Is there beer? Wine? I'll always go to a party.
Do you say "No, I'm atheist, you insensitive clod"?
Only to the pushy ones. I've had to tell people my family doesn't pray
before meals when they pushed, but they seemed to take the hint. Of
course, we weren't invited back.
Do you say "What about all the other religions of the world that've
been pushed off the stage by this orgy of
nearly-single-religion-backed capitalism"?
Christmas has so little to do with any religion other than capitalism,
that I find the fight against obscene consumerism to be the real
Christmas fight. It's one of the reasons I allow my children so little
TV time. It's not so much the shows as it is the "Your life sucks if you
don't but this" advertizing that bothers me.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holidays_of_the_United_States
"Many early American sects rejected the Christmas celebrations which had
been common England before the Puritan revolution and the day was not
observed publicly until the late 19th Century when it was popularized by
authors Charles Dickens, Clark Clement Moore and cartoonist Thomas Nast.
Decorating houses and yards with lights, putting up Christmas trees,
giving gifts, and sending greeting cards are just some of the traditions
that have developed over the last century."
--
Jack
bobo1148atxmissiondotcom
http://www.glassartguild.com/gallery/jack_bowman
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| User: "wbarwell" |
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| Title: Re: "christmas" |
23 Dec 2005 09:32:53 AM |
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Dan Stromberg wrote:
What do folks do to make the season a little more bearable, when we
start getting "christmas" and "jesus is the reason for the season"
rammed down our throats 1.5 months out of every year?
Do you exchange gifts?
Happy Saturnalia!
"The festival of the Kalends is celebrated
everywhere as far as the limits of the Roman
Empire extend... The impulse to spend seizes everyone....
People are not only generous towards themselves, but
also towards their fellow-men. A stream of presents
pours itself out on all sides.... The Kalends festival
banishes all that is connected with toil, and allows
men to give themselves up to undisturbed enjoyment.
From the minds of young people it removes two kinds
of dread: the dread of the schoolmaster and the dread
of the stern pedagogue.... Another great quality of
the festival is that it teaches men not to hold too
fast to their money, but to part with it and let
it pass into other hands."
--Libanius
Do you go to the parties?
Do you say "No, I'm atheist, you insensitive clod"?
Happy Holidays! Why be a boor unless it's to
answer a boor?
Do you say "What about all the other religions
of the world that've
been pushed off the stage by this orgy of
nearly-single-religion-backed capitalism"?
Merry Solstice!
Do you celebrate Festivus or Saturnalia or
the Winter Solstice or whatever?
Do you whip out your "church of the
SubGenius" T-shirt?
I hate the xmas music and love the ancient
habit of partying hard. The earliest Solstice
celebrations go back to ancient Sumer where
beer was invented.
What we need is more Merry Solstice music!
--
Wassail, Happy Holidays, Merry Solstice, Happy
Saturnalia, mull the wine and pass the eggnog.
Cheerful Charlie
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| User: "towelie" |
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| Title: Re: "christmas" |
22 Dec 2005 10:27:44 PM |
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Dan Stromberg wrote:
What do folks do to make the season a little more bearable, when we start
getting "christmas" and "jesus is the reason for the season" rammed down
our throats 1.5 months out of every year?
Do you exchange gifts?
Do you go to the parties?
Do you say "No, I'm atheist, you insensitive clod"?
Do you say "What about all the other religions of the world that've been
pushed off the stage by this orgy of nearly-single-religion-backed
capitalism"?
Or "Why do you -think- the Muslims are threatened by globalization? You
don't suppose it might have something to do with using oodles of presents
used to make little children desperately wish they were christian above
all else?"
Do you try to pretend it's just like every other day of the year, when
virtually no stores are open, and virtually no one is walking on the
street (in many, many, many parts of the US)?
Do you celebrate Festivus or Saturnalia or the Winter Solstice or
whatever?
Do you whip out your "church of the subgenius" T-shirt?
What do -you- do?
Sleep in.
--
aa #2133
ap #19
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| User: "Brian E. Clark" |
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| Title: Re: "christmas" |
22 Dec 2005 07:53:04 PM |
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In article <pan.2005.01.03.19.07.25.744518@dcs.nac.uci.edu>, Dan
Stromberg said...
Do you exchange gifts?
Yes.
Do you go to the parties?
Hell yes.
Do you say "No, I'm atheist, you insensitive clod"?
No, but I came very close to doing so once, when a relative
publicly insisted that I say the grace at the holiday dinner.
Now, this idiot 'Dan' knew I was not a Christian or anything
close to it, but he thought it would be "good for the soul" if
he forced me to offer obeisance to his god.
I had no intention of letting this man get away with so
amateurish a trick. I demurred at his suggestion several times,
quietly, until his repeated requests forced me say in a somewhat
aggrieved tone, "Dan, I appreciate that you thought enough of me
to ask me to say grace, but you know that my beliefs prohibit me
from praying in situations like these. I'm sure you and everyone
here can appreciate that I must not go against those beliefs."
That took care of the problem.
--
-----------
Brian E. Clark
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| User: "Liz" |
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| Title: Re: "christmas" |
22 Dec 2005 06:35:50 PM |
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On Thu, 22 Dec 2005 23:48:37 GMT, Dan Stromberg
<strombrg@dcs.nac.uci.edu> in news message
<pan.2005.01.03.19.07.25.744518@dcs.nac.uci.edu> wrote:
What do folks do to make the season a little more bearable, when we start
getting "christmas" and "jesus is the reason for the season" rammed down
our throats 1.5 months out of every year?
Do you exchange gifts?
Yes
Do you go to the parties?
No.
Do you say "No, I'm atheist, you insensitive clod"?
No.
Do you say "What about all the other religions of the world that've been
pushed off the stage by this orgy of nearly-single-religion-backed
capitalism"?
No.
Or "Why do you -think- the Muslims are threatened by globalization? You
don't suppose it might have something to do with using oodles of presents
used to make little children desperately wish they were christian above
all else?"
No.
Do you try to pretend it's just like every other day of the year, when
virtually no stores are open, and virtually no one is walking on the
street (in many, many, many parts of the US)?
No. I go for a walk and feed the birds.
Do you celebrate Festivus or Saturnalia or the Winter Solstice or whatever?
Yes, yesterday.
Do you whip out your "church of the subgenius" T-shirt?
No.
What do -you- do?
Be with my family. Eat. Give gifts. Play games. Pet kittens.
Watch birds.
Überwench #658 Now a *real* atheist!
Dame Liz the Undaunted Ath.D BAAWA
Charter Member of SMASH
and Queen of the known universe
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| User: "Michael Gray" |
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| Title: Re: "christmas" |
22 Dec 2005 07:17:43 PM |
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On Thu, 22 Dec 2005 23:48:37 GMT, Dan Stromberg
<strombrg@dcs.nac.uci.edu> wrote:
What do folks do to make the season a little more bearable, when we start
getting "christmas" and "jesus is the reason for the season" rammed down
our throats 1.5 months out of every year?
Do you exchange gifts?
Do you go to the parties?
Do you say "No, I'm atheist, you insensitive clod"?
Do you say "What about all the other religions of the world that've been
pushed off the stage by this orgy of nearly-single-religion-backed
capitalism"?
Or "Why do you -think- the Muslims are threatened by globalization? You
don't suppose it might have something to do with using oodles of presents
used to make little children desperately wish they were christian above
all else?"
Do you try to pretend it's just like every other day of the year, when
virtually no stores are open, and virtually no one is walking on the
street (in many, many, many parts of the US)?
Do you celebrate Festivus or Saturnalia or the Winter Solstice or whatever?
Do you whip out your "church of the subgenius" T-shirt?
What do -you- do?
Emigrate to Australia?
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| User: "Jos Flachs" |
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| Title: Re: "christmas" |
24 Dec 2005 06:38:23 PM |
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On Thu, 22 Dec 2005 23:48:37 GMT, Dan Stromberg
<strombrg@dcs.nac.uci.edu> wrote:
What do folks do to make the season a little more bearable, when we start
getting "christmas" and "jesus is the reason for the season" rammed down
our throats 1.5 months out of every year?
Do you exchange gifts?
No. We Dutch tend do that on Santa Claus (day), which is 5 Dec. Even
when living overseas. So my partner gets a big hug tomorrow, if he
wants breakfast in bed and very little else.
Do you go to the parties?
Normally I try to avoid parties.
Do you say "No, I'm atheist, you insensitive clod"?
No, why bother someone else with my convictions?
Do you say "What about all the other religions of the world that've been
pushed off the stage by this orgy of nearly-single-religion-backed
capitalism"?
No, don't do that either.
Or "Why do you -think- the Muslims are threatened by globalization? You
don't suppose it might have something to do with using oodles of presents
used to make little children desperately wish they were christian above
all else?"
I don't think mohammedans are threatened. More like the other way
around. (My point of reference is Europe, notably Holland. Just to
remind you Americans. Situation is rather different there.)
Do you try to pretend it's just like every other day of the year, when
virtually no stores are open, and virtually no one is walking on the
street (in many, many, many parts of the US)?
Far from it. All the stores are open here. Just another Sunday. And
Monday is a @#$%$#@ normal office day. <--- my company is like the
fire department. If they are closed for the holidays, so are way. :-(
Do you celebrate Festivus or Saturnalia or the Winter Solstice or whatever?
Nope.
Do you whip out your "church of the subgenius" T-shirt?
Don't have one.
What do -you- do?
What I usually do on a Sunday: read a bit, study a bit, relax
somewhat.
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