I like pow-wows….people, bearing gifts to family and old acquaintances, coming together to eat, dance, and be merry (it is forbidden to bring alcohol).
I am relieved to see that most here share my dislike for Flynn’s hard-line stance against Christmas. As I listened to this episode I was thinking, “if this is how most humanists feel, then I’m in the wrong movement.”
One of the main lessons I take from my new world view is that nothing in the universe has inherent meaning. Everything just exists. “Meaning” is something created by sentient beings. Any meaning contained in the celebration of Christmas or any other celebration, comes from those who celebrate. I will celebrate it my way and I refuse to give it up because others choose to ascribe a different meaning to it.
Psychologically speaking, is a loving friendship and family supposed to be based on honest and open communication, or is it based on Humanists just blending in completely uncritically? Does anyone care about Enlightening their loved ones about the good facts that you’ve learned? Maybe there’s hope, maybe there’s some of your loved ones who will surprise you, maybe things could be better, maybe there could be honest and open communication in our futures? There’s got to be a better way than just silently blending in. Do the gays just blend, I admire the gays very much.
Does anyone care about Enlightening their loved ones about the good facts that you’ve learned?
Is this what you do with your Christmas holiday? No wonder you don’t want to celebrate it.
Stop twisting my words Needles.
Some of the gays blend, but I do admire the gays who do not blend, they have shown bravery, conviction, and purpose. They are making good changes happen. I’m not saying its easy, but if it makes progress, then isn’t it worthwhile?
I do admire the gays who do not blend, they have shown bravery, conviction, and purpose.
The analogy falls apart when using it to support quitting Christmas. Homosexuals don’t “not blend” by quitting dating or quitting having sex simply because those are things that heterosexuals do.
I do admire the gays who do not blend, they have shown bravery, conviction, and purpose.
The analogy falls apart when using it to support quitting Christmas. Homosexuals don’t “not blend” by quitting dating or quitting having sex simply because those are things that heterosexuals do.
Again you twist my words Needles, I have clearly encouraged communication and participation, clearly and repeatedly. Stop twisting my words. I like the idea of a good party, I like the idea of a Saturnalia-like party, I supported two winter celebrations, one Northern and one Southern.
I was raised a Jehovah’s Witness and therefore did not celebrate Christmas while I was growing up. Witnesses consider Christmas an evil pagan festival, therefore have nothing to do with it. I’m in the unusual position of only celebrating Christmas since I became an Atheist. I love Christmas, so don’t take it away from me Mr Flynn, you grumpy old bugger! :D
I was raised a Jehovah’s Witness and therefore did not celebrate Christmas while I was growing up. Witnesses consider Christmas an evil pagan festival, therefore have nothing to do with it. I’m in the unusual position of only celebrating Christmas since I became an Atheist. I love Christmas, so don’t take it away from me Mr Flynn, you grumpy old bugger! :D
Welcome to CFI, Matty,
Seems you have managed to break away from the “guilt” associated with religion…...Happy Holidays…!!!!
George, those two make Christmas more entertaining, but without them we’d still have Black Friday, too much junk mail (the paper kind that kills trees), several of my friends scheduling Christmas parties, incessant It’s a Wonderful Life airings, and those Salvation Army old farts in Santa Costumes. That said, I understand your point and agree with you. There are annoying people on both sides.
I was raised a Jehovah’s Witness and therefore did not celebrate Christmas while I was growing up. Witnesses consider Christmas an evil pagan festival, therefore have nothing to do with it. I’m in the unusual position of only celebrating Christmas since I became an Atheist. I love Christmas, so don’t take it away from me Mr Flynn, you grumpy old bugger! :D
Thanks for sharing a good story Matty. Its refreshing to hear such a skeptical story. But do go easy on Tom people, he’s a good and amiable man.
On the other side though, the Puritans had something right, Christmas is not the birthday of Jesus, so it isn’t valid. (Not that they got anything else right.) The date is just competition for the Roman Saturnalia festival, a rockin’ good party from what I hear.
There’s got to be a better way than just silently blending in. Do the gays just blend, I admire the gays very much. 
