Comments on: Christmas Parties and Such http://atheists.org/blog/2008/12/22/christmas-parties-and-such A Blog of Atheist Thought Sat, 21 Nov 2009 08:59:40 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: dw http://atheists.org/blog/2008/12/22/christmas-parties-and-such/comment-page-1#comment-92797 dw Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-92797 Just as Christians avoid all others, not only as a commandment of their religion but also because their faith is so weak it cannot withstand exposure to other ideas, so an atheist, who holds fast to his non-beliefs can withstand the exposure to religion. I have attended parties and dinners of Christians. I have been shunned as well by them. Just as Christians avoid all others, not only as a commandment of their religion but also because their faith is so weak it cannot withstand exposure to other ideas, so an atheist, who holds fast to his non-beliefs can withstand the exposure to religion. I have attended parties and dinners of Christians. I have been shunned as well by them.

]]> By: balletdancer234 http://atheists.org/blog/2008/12/22/christmas-parties-and-such/comment-page-1#comment-92798 balletdancer234 Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-92798 I haven't really told very many people about my beleifs yet. Not becuase I'm ashamed, but iIm afraid of the reactions that I'll get. See, I'm still in middle school, almost high school. So every year I'm drug down to my friend's Christmas party. I personally have always just sat back and laughed at everyone who references to God, thinking how oblivious to reality they are. I haven’t really told very many people about my beleifs yet. Not becuase I’m ashamed, but iIm afraid of the reactions that I’ll get. See, I’m still in middle school, almost high school. So every year I’m drug down to my friend’s Christmas party. I personally have always just sat back and laughed at everyone who references to God, thinking how oblivious to reality they are.

]]> By: RedLilac http://atheists.org/blog/2008/12/22/christmas-parties-and-such/comment-page-1#comment-92800 RedLilac Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-92800 I go to weddings and funerals to support my friends and relatives. I just ignore the religious crap. They know I’m an Atheist. Some respect it, some don’t. That’s their issue not mine. I go to weddings and funerals to support my friends and relatives. I just ignore the religious crap. They know I’m an Atheist. Some respect it, some don’t. That’s their issue not mine.

]]> By: tony miller http://atheists.org/blog/2008/12/22/christmas-parties-and-such/comment-page-1#comment-92802 tony miller Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-92802 I don't have a problem with going to parties and such. I won't go to a Bible study or church revival. <br /> <br /> As you said, family and friends are important. <br /> <br /> I returned to my desk today after working on a user's computer to find a Christmas card waiting for me. When I opened the card it had a manger scene on it and bit of scripture, on the inside the person had written "Merry Christmas!" The person that left the card doesn't know much about me and I'll admit I was surprised to get a religious card from him because he never struck me as the Christian type. I put the card up for display and moved on with my day. He didn't try to convert me and simply said "You're welcome" when I thanked him for the card before leaving today. Would this have been an opportunity to go into a christian vs atheist debate? Sure. Instead I saw somebody trying to do something nice for others and decided to be grateful. Next month at the SQL programmers meetings I'll start a debate with him after we each have a couple of beers. ;-) I don’t have a problem with going to parties and such. I won’t go to a Bible study or church revival.

As you said, family and friends are important.

I returned to my desk today after working on a user’s computer to find a Christmas card waiting for me. When I opened the card it had a manger scene on it and bit of scripture, on the inside the person had written “Merry Christmas!” The person that left the card doesn’t know much about me and I’ll admit I was surprised to get a religious card from him because he never struck me as the Christian type. I put the card up for display and moved on with my day. He didn’t try to convert me and simply said “You’re welcome” when I thanked him for the card before leaving today. Would this have been an opportunity to go into a christian vs atheist debate? Sure. Instead I saw somebody trying to do something nice for others and decided to be grateful. Next month at the SQL programmers meetings I’ll start a debate with him after we each have a couple of beers. ;-)

]]> By: tony miller http://atheists.org/blog/2008/12/22/christmas-parties-and-such/comment-page-1#comment-92803 tony miller Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-92803 To balletdancer234:<br /> <br /> Just in case you think Jr high is rough, wait until you hit high school. Peer pressure can make people miserable. <br /> <br /> Be proud of who you are and don't let what other people think about you make you change yourself. <br /> <br /> Use these opportunities for social interaction to learn as much as you can. You will be in with a mix of Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim and others and this will allow you to get a lot of experience. Learn from it. This way when you defend your atheist beliefs you can use what you have learned in your own defense. To balletdancer234:

Just in case you think Jr high is rough, wait until you hit high school. Peer pressure can make people miserable.

Be proud of who you are and don’t let what other people think about you make you change yourself.

Use these opportunities for social interaction to learn as much as you can. You will be in with a mix of Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim and others and this will allow you to get a lot of experience. Learn from it. This way when you defend your atheist beliefs you can use what you have learned in your own defense.

]]> By: mtp623 http://atheists.org/blog/2008/12/22/christmas-parties-and-such/comment-page-1#comment-92805 mtp623 Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-92805 I do happily go to my family's Christmas parties because most of them are the traditional kind, such as typical gift-giving, cooking a big dinner and the family gathering. And yes, I do celebrate the day because A. as we all know, its NOT Christian, its organs are cultural paganist, and B. its a important family moment.<br /> <br /> Naturally I wouldn't go to any religious celebrations, like I would not set foot in a church or anything like that. Nor do I believe any of the stuff the Christians tacked on to this day of the Winter Solstice (Yule). My family has very sadly bashed me with the typical "your going to hell" quotes, and they are heavy into the delusions of the religion, but thankfully their not evangelicals or anything like that and do a religious celebration or anything. I do happily go to my family’s Christmas parties because most of them are the traditional kind, such as typical gift-giving, cooking a big dinner and the family gathering. And yes, I do celebrate the day because A. as we all know, its NOT Christian, its organs are cultural paganist, and B. its a important family moment.

Naturally I wouldn’t go to any religious celebrations, like I would not set foot in a church or anything like that. Nor do I believe any of the stuff the Christians tacked on to this day of the Winter Solstice (Yule). My family has very sadly bashed me with the typical “your going to hell” quotes, and they are heavy into the delusions of the religion, but thankfully their not evangelicals or anything like that and do a religious celebration or anything.

]]> By: quantum_flux http://atheists.org/blog/2008/12/22/christmas-parties-and-such/comment-page-1#comment-92808 quantum_flux Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-92808 I refused going to a Christmas party this year, but that was because my brother has a pregnant wife and he told me not to be around his wife and baby because I don't believe in the gospel. Anyhow, so I refused to get a ride from him to that christmas party because I didn't want to have a confrontation or have to trash Christianity with his wife in the car (something I take pleasure in doing is in thrashing religion, of course it makes me look like a devil worshipper in their eyes, nope, I'm just atheist though). <br /> <br /> Oh well, fuck him, I don't want to be around his wife and kids if I can't be an honest atheist, i.e. just be myself. He goes further though, he tells me the reason he has this nice engineering job and wife is because he is such a good christian and that I'm a fuckup because I'm an atheist. Oh contrair, I'm a fuckup because I entertained religion for too many years when I should have just been an atheist like what comes natural to me.<br /> <br /> No matter, I will outdo him by doing the best I can with the life I have, I don't need any crummy superstitious beliefs to be succesful in life, what I really need is just to be a student of reality and to live within the means of that reality, ergo atheism is part of the solution. I refused going to a Christmas party this year, but that was because my brother has a pregnant wife and he told me not to be around his wife and baby because I don’t believe in the gospel. Anyhow, so I refused to get a ride from him to that christmas party because I didn’t want to have a confrontation or have to trash Christianity with his wife in the car (something I take pleasure in doing is in thrashing religion, of course it makes me look like a devil worshipper in their eyes, nope, I’m just atheist though).

Oh well, fuck him, I don’t want to be around his wife and kids if I can’t be an honest atheist, i.e. just be myself. He goes further though, he tells me the reason he has this nice engineering job and wife is because he is such a good christian and that I’m a fuckup because I’m an atheist. Oh contrair, I’m a fuckup because I entertained religion for too many years when I should have just been an atheist like what comes natural to me.

No matter, I will outdo him by doing the best I can with the life I have, I don’t need any crummy superstitious beliefs to be succesful in life, what I really need is just to be a student of reality and to live within the means of that reality, ergo atheism is part of the solution.

]]> By: neowolfe http://atheists.org/blog/2008/12/22/christmas-parties-and-such/comment-page-1#comment-92811 neowolfe Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-92811 Quantum said this:<br /> <br /> "Oh contrair, I'm a fuckup because I entertained religion for too many years when I should have just been an atheist like what comes natural to me.<br /> <br /> <br /> Dude, can I ever relate. But, be careful, just because your eyes are open doesn't mean your wife's, your children's, and you're inlaw's eyes are open. You don't need to draw a line in the sand and take a stand. Enjoy your family and friends and forget that its a hypocrical pagan holiday. Freethinkers need suffer no episode of conscience to enjoy being with their family. Name me a free thinker holiday when religion gives us a few days off to go home and revive old bonds. I rest my case.<br /> <br /> NeoWolfe Quantum said this:

“Oh contrair, I’m a fuckup because I entertained religion for too many years when I should have just been an atheist like what comes natural to me.

Dude, can I ever relate. But, be careful, just because your eyes are open doesn’t mean your wife’s, your children’s, and you’re inlaw’s eyes are open. You don’t need to draw a line in the sand and take a stand. Enjoy your family and friends and forget that its a hypocrical pagan holiday. Freethinkers need suffer no episode of conscience to enjoy being with their family. Name me a free thinker holiday when religion gives us a few days off to go home and revive old bonds. I rest my case.

NeoWolfe

]]> By: quantum_flux http://atheists.org/blog/2008/12/22/christmas-parties-and-such/comment-page-1#comment-92815 quantum_flux Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-92815 The downfall of any truly religious man is in his integrity in his beliefs and thereby his slaughtering and warping of reality to conform to fantasy. The downfall of any truly religious man is in his integrity in his beliefs and thereby his slaughtering and warping of reality to conform to fantasy.

]]> By: NotSoFast http://atheists.org/blog/2008/12/22/christmas-parties-and-such/comment-page-1#comment-92816 NotSoFast Unknown, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-92816 I draw the line at funerals. The last couple I attended were sermonized so emotionally, I felt like I was locked in a psycho ward.<br /> <br /> For a party, if you're upfront with your nonbelief and specify that you're not going to take part in any religious rituals, and the host doesn't rescind your invitation, then why not go?<br /> <br /> I draw the line at funerals. The last couple I attended were sermonized so emotionally, I felt like I was locked in a psycho ward.

For a party, if you’re upfront with your nonbelief and specify that you’re not going to take part in any religious rituals, and the host doesn’t rescind your invitation, then why not go?

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