First, let me state that Christmas remains my favorite holiday. The calming nature of the snow and winter season, the hot chocolate and winter Christmas feasts, the Christmas music I grew up with (even from MUZAK in malls), the idea of peace and goodwill to all men and finally the idea of a fragile yet supernatural baby that was sent by a loving God to save the world is a nice thought and does not make us think back to all those people in the Old Testament that were commanded to be slain by the same God. Oh, and did I mention the wonderful gifts we receive and sometimes the vacations we take? Can’t forget those! I am really quite serious, Christmas really is my favorite while Halloween is my least favorite holiday. But we must always remember history and how we got to where we are.
The History of Advent They Don’t Teach You In School or Church:
[from https://www.themonastery.org/blog/the-history-of-advent-they-dont-teach-you-in-school]
Reply by Roy Gleason
Dec 01, 2022 at 03:27 pm
“Here’s a little history lesson for all you Right-Wing Evangelicals out there. Let us begin with some traditions surrounding a certain middle-eastern Messiah. (Please withhold your guess as to whom I’m talking about till after I’ve finished.) Born on December 25th, (Julian calendar!) Born in a grotto. Born of a virgin mother. His birth was foretold by a convergence of planets, what the astronomers of that time interpreted as a very bright star. His birth was attended by 3 holy men from the East, bearing gifts. His followers would drink sips of wine, and eat bits of bread, representing his body and blood. And, most importantly, HE WAS BORN OVER 2,000 YEARS B.C.!!! This last fact means that I’m NOT talking about “J.C. Superstar”, but rather, the ancient Persian messiah MITHRUS, who was the primary deity worshipped by the Roman Legionnaires serving in what was then known as Asia Minor. To try to get their ‘new’ religion a jump-start, the early Christians simply co-opted all the old Mithric traditions, and even tore down Mithric temples, and built their new churches on those old sites.
And as for that other matter of just exactly WHEN Christ was born, it was most certainly NOT on Dec 25th!!! Even the old Christmas Carols we all used to sing in Grade School allude to this fact. “On the first Noel, the Angel’s did say, was to certain poor shepherds in the fields where they lay.” I’ve got news for you, there would NOT have been any shepherds laying outside in the Holy Land in December!! It can get down to freezing at night there! When the shepherds WOULD be outside to protect their flocks, would be the lambing season, which is in the SPRING! So I hope that settles the question of what day Christ was NOT born on. Do the research, I already have!
Here endeth the lesson.”
-The Rev. L. Roy Gleason
Something from Quora
from divine atheist
Answered by
Dec 10
Do atheists not celebrate Christmas because it has the word “Christ” in it?
Hello, Donald Johnson!
Q: Do atheists not celebrate Christmas because it has the word “Christ” in it?
A: Nah. You have the entire thing backwards.
Let’s play a game instead! How many of the following Christmas traditions have a Jesus in them?
Caroling
Christmas Cards
Christmas lights
Christmas Movies
Christmas Trees
Family Time
Gingerbread Houses
Family Time
Gift Giving
Mass
Nativity Scene
Santa
Stockings
Traditional Christmas Food
Ugly Sweaters
Yule Log
The correct answer is two: the nativity scene and mass. “Mass” is of course where “mas” in Christmas comes from – it literally means “Christ’s mass”.
All the other things do not have a Jesus in them, or are at least available without a Jesus, and are thus completely fine to do as atheists. So if we’re to be technical, Christmas is actually just Christ’s Mass, and all the other stuff is pagan winter solstice traditions which were just adopted by Christians.
For instance, the Christmas tree was a pagan tradition which only entered the Anglosphere Christmas tradition with Queen Victoria and Prince Albert (they imported it from German Christmas traditions), and there is even something about it in the Bible:
Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
–Jeremiah 10:2–5
In fact, the abundance of Pagan traditions in Christmas led to Puritans in England banning Christmas for being a pagan tradition in the 17th century. Jehovahs’s (Witnesses) still don’t celebrate Christmas for the same reason. And the early Christian church didn’t even celebrate Christmas until the 4th century.
And, by the way, there’s nothing actually stopping atheists from having a nativity scene or going to mass – it’s not as if there are any atheist gods who will strike them down if they do. They will simply not believe in the stuff. And even the nativity scene can have double meaning:
But if it worries you so much that atheists do celebrate Christmas, you can instead consider it as a few days off with quality time with the family and a lot of non-Christian traditions.
So I say in conclusion, MERRY CHRISTMAS!
And remember, Jesus is the reason for the season!
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