Thus Sayeth the Lord, learn not the way of the Heathen (that’s us)… for the customs of the Heathen are vain, for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with an axe. They deck it with silver and gold; they fasten it with nails and hammers, that it move not…Be not afraid of them, for they can not do evil, neither is it in them to do good” Jeremiah 10:2-5.
Ahh yes, Using the Bible to prove us right.The Winter Solstice is a celestial event that effects every living thing on the planet. It is the shortest day of the year, and the true and primary “reason for the season” (as opposed to atheism, which is the “reason there’s reason”).To those who say this holiday is Christian I challenge you to look it up. There is not a single piece of Christmas that is in the bible, except in the above quote (Old Testament). Everything, from Santa, to trees, to gifts, to virgin births, to December 25, to carols, to yule logs and chestnuts roasting on an open fire, PREDATE Christianity.But none of it predates the Winter Solstice. This is everyone’s season. American Atheists wishes all humans a Happy Winter Solstice.
From those of us in the Southern hemisphere – happy summer solstice
Happy Solstice…..and may reason prevail
havnt some Australian hydgrogen plotters suggested that GeeBus was born in June….stupid jesus freaks…
Merry Christmyth
and Happy Monkey to all.
Merry Solstice to you as well.
Happy Winter Solstice! Sunday, December 21, 2008, 7:04am EST.
I made a Winter Solstice greeting card video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DgAHs6GFAY
Peace!
Joe Zamecki
Austin
I wish you all a Happy Winter Solstice to all this cold morning. I put in my zip in the weather box and up popped -6F with a wind-chill of -31F. Notice the negative. We’re going to get up to a high of a whopping 5F today. But when my son wakes up, he’ll find his present. I enjoy seeing all the lights and decorations during this cold and dark season, it brightens things up. The religious side of it is nauseous, but you take the good with the bad. I enjoy the cards and hearing what is happening in old friends and relatives lives. It is the only time I hear from some of them and them from me. I really enjoy the parties. We’ve got to keep up that extra layer of fat in winter to insulate us. I usually weigh 5 lbs more in December than I do in June.
Thank you, Joe. I forwarded the link to all my email network even those who are still unable to reason logically.
A happy Winter Solstice to all, and to all a good night.
It seems this thread was designated as a forum in which we could all give each other a secular “best wishes”. I will gladly join in and wish the planet “good luck” in these darkest of hours.
But, I am also reminded to shine the spotlight on Christian religious hypocrisy as it celebrates this heathen holiday, which has been dressed in papal robes and swaddling clothes. And I want to express the opinion that the “good luck” of our species is directly and inseparably tied to the downfall of organized religion. Can I get an “amen”?
NeoWolfe
PS. Dave, the problem with the margins comment dialogue box has been fixed. Thank you, that was really annoying.
freethought1 – Thanks!
How about a “Ramen?”
How about a “Ramen?”
Close enough!!
From the Great White North: Happy Solstice to all.
Best Wishes for the New Year and thank you Dave for this blog. I enjoy all the comments and feeling I’m not alone in a sea of religious people.
-20celcius. here
A Merry Solstice gift from me to all the lovely people here:
‘Winter Bird’
Winter bird, I saw you fly
Traced upon dawn’s rosy sky
And I stopped and wondered why,
Does man yet fear that night.
Winter bird, upon your wing
Hope of spring’s awakening
Of the sun’s return you sing,
Life here and now is bright.
Winter bird, in feathered breast
Purest heart with no unrest
Hatred never in your nest,
No creed to make you fight.
Winter bird, may we concur
Fairies, gods, they never were
Stories steeped in myth and myrrh,
Time now for reason’s light.
Winter bird, you make me dream
Man might join with nature’s scheme
Wonder at the starlight’s gleam,
And try to get it right.
And try to get it right.
Feels good to know I’m not the only one:)
And the availability of renewable energy to sustain the progression of society (whatever that may be). Some predict a marked decline in fossil fuel. They also hypothesize (and I fearfully agree) that if(when) this happens, the ensuing struggle may see a sharp increase in religion, especially because America is already knee-deep in the shit.
On a happier note, it’s all uphill from here as the sun is reborn!!! Long live longer daylight!!!
Three things sadden me about that quote:
(1) “Heathen(s)” is hate speech and yet most atheists just accept the term without giving it a second thought.
(2) This is a gross generalization and mischaracterization of atheists beliefs (and hippocritical one I might add).
(3) There is nothing more irrational and hateful than believing that atheists deserve the cruel and unusual punishment of eternal torment.
Perhaps, for this purpose alone (aside from the hatred of gays and the promotion of many other superstitious beliefs and the celebration of barbaric violence against the ‘gentiles’ and later the ‘heathens’), the hateful Bible should be completely banned from reading in public Schools and should come with a warning sticker about how “taking the content in this book seriously does not exempt you from the legal system of the country in which you reside”.
Do I sound like Stalin saying that though? I don’t endorse violence against any particular belief system, we as Americans have the 1st Amendment Right to believe whatever we want to believe (even the KKK can celebrate their hateful beliefs so long as they don’t act on them, but I’d still be against them publishing and spreading their hateful literature in public schools too).
Bottom line…. heathen = hate speech; belief in hell = hate propaganda;
belief in God = irrational but allowed (much like the Apaches have their god of war and their belief in vengeance against the white man, sure it’s allowed but merely on cultural grounds, as soon as an apache decapitates somebody’s head then the legal system takes place)
:::::These are just some thoughts, but not meant to push any hate against any religions or anything, still, the 1st amendment prohibits the federal establishment or favor of any religion:::::
Another point of contention here Dave. I don’t see why Christians won’t say Happy Holidays when their Lord and Savior Jesus supposedly celebrated Hannakah (the celebration of the hateful casting out of Greek idols from the “Temple of Solomon” if I recall my OT-NT King James Version insert correctly). Actually, the dressing up of the Christmas tree is a celebration of the hatefully described “Heathens” in Jeremiah, so there is some hippocriticallity there too, but I’d argue that Christmas isn’t really a Christian tradition at all, but that of the Germanic Tribes perhaps.
And now for something completely different!!
FUCK CHRISTMAS http://www.milkandcookies.com/link/140531/detail/
Would that reason for the reason explain that it’s also the longest day of the year in the Southern Hemisphere?
Regardless…what does it matter Dave?
What does it matter to an atheist what anyone else believes?
I cracked up laughing when I read this statement. There’s nothing Christian about Christmas?…sheesh.
Well, Preak, you ought to look up the history of Christmas and it’s traditions, just like what you quoted. You might be shockingly surprised.
The Christmas traditions are nothing Christian in originality. They were all stolen from other religions and beliefs.
Poor Don’t Breedm doesn’t even understand basic astronomy.
BJ…ah, was my statement to simple for you?
How can anyone say there’s nothing Christian about Christmas? Try looking up how we ended up with the word “Christmas”…
Now, if you want to debate the season of Christmas…fine. A non-believers simplistic view of simply looking at Christmas as a single day, merely shows there total lack of understanding of the true meaning…
It’s a total seaon that lasts months. The day that Christmas falls on is really of no importance. It’s the “reason for the season” that’s important…
Do I need to tell you what that “reason” is…?
Merry Christmas Boise…I’m sure you’ll have some type of celebration over the next few days. Enjoy your time and family…we spar, but I truly hope you have a wonderful time with those loved ones you spend the week with…
NotSoFast said: Poor Don’t Breedm doesn’t even understand basic astronomy.
Hang on now. Lots of people don’t understand basic astronomy, who are still smart people. We need to remember that for the general public, astronomy is boring. That puts a damper on educating the masses about it.
I learned a lot about astronomy when I was young, and we’ve learned a lot more since then. Most of all though, I wondered how space could be so boring. I just needed to go there. Talking about it makes lots of people go looking for an interesting topic instead. lol
Joe Zamecki
Austin
Come on guys, don’t be turds, no one made any comment about Tarma’s poem. It was really really good. It would make a great lyric to a song. Maybe idealistic or overly optomistic, but, with all the love songs you hear, and the reality of divorce rates in society, cant we enjoy a little optimism about a free thinking vision of the future.
Tarma, I loved your poem, I’m going to try to get my son to help me put it to music. He’s a good guitar player (just bought himself a new Les Paul) but with his voice, he couldn’t hit a note with a stick of dynamite. Thanks for sharing.
NeoWolfe
Thank you, Neo. I’m not big on math, as you might recall, but I love to play with words.
I wrote my first poem in 2001, after 9/11. I love the tradition of sending and receiving holiday cards, but after that faith-based attack, I just couldn’t let the season go by without making a statement – so I wrote and enclosed a poem and have done so ever since, by popular demand. It’s a delicate balance getting a subtle atheistic message into something that needs to be entertaining and uplifting to all, and palatable to those pesky believers. Some year’s efforts have been a tad more anti-religion, but I’ve never had a negative reaction, even from xians. Hadn’t shared one on the blog before and glad you enjoyed it
Tarma
I love your poem! It would make a good song.(Thanks Neo, for drawing attention to it; I had missed it, because I was only reading the latest comments, and it didn’t appear in there.)Anyway, thanks for sharing, Tarma.
Now, I’llsee if the site allows me to comment today.
Many thanks, karen. Not sure if it rises to the level of your recent pasta verses, though.
I was going to do some pasta parodies, but the thread was so old, I thought no one would ever read it. To me the pasta monster looked like a crab, and I was going to take it there. Oh, well.
NeoWolfe