atheist and christmas

[Foxfyre]

Anybody who attended our Children's Christmas pageant at our church this morning and don't think Chrstians also celebrate a 'fun holiday' simply don't know what fun is.

But seriously, the early Christians refused to celebrate Christ's birth purely because the Pagan's celebrated birthdays of their gods, and they did not wish to do as the Pagan's did and for the first three centuries of Christianity, Christmas was not celebrated. If it was recognized at all, it was recognized on January 6 (Epiphany). Finally in the Fourth Century, after Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire, the church leaders gave in and agreed to December 25 as the feast day though some Eastern traditions continue to recognize January 6.

The fact that Christmas traditions include elements of pagan traditions is purely from the culture out of which Christmas came, and was not a 'corruption' of pagan festivals as some anti-religion, anti-Christian members here seem to desperately want to believe.

The pagan origins of the Christmas date, as well as pagan origins for many Christmas customs (gift-giving and merrymaking from Roman Saturnalia; greenery, lights, and charity from the Roman New Year; Yule logs and various foods from Teutonic feasts), have always fueled arguments against the holiday. "It's just paganism wrapped with a Christian bow," naysayers argue. But while kowtowing to worldliness must always be a concern for Christians, the church has generally viewed efforts to reshape culture—including holidays—positively. As a theologian asserted in 320, "We hold this day holy, not like the pagans because of the birth of the sun, but because of him who made it."--Christianity Today.

 

[froggy]

what do they tell their children of santa claus and why they're celebrating christmas.

We are aping the believers because, son, we Atheists possess no cool religious traditions and Christmas seems like fun.

Thankfully, atheists rescued Christmas from the Christians. Christians took a perfectly fine pagan holiday like the Yule and turned it into a stiff, boring Christian snoozefest

With the coming of Santa Claus, Christmas became a fun holiday

Ha,Ha,Ha, You funny guy, You make me laugh, I keep you around.

 

[Cecilie1200]

what do they tell their children of santa claus and why they're celebrating christmas.

We are aping the believers because, son, we Atheists possess no cool religious traditions and Christmas seems like fun.

Thankfully, atheists rescued Christmas from the Christians. Christians took a perfectly fine pagan holiday like the Yule and turned it into a stiff, boring Christian snoozefest

With the coming of Santa Claus, Christmas became a fun holiday

Pssst! Atheist dork! You might want to ask someone about the origins of Santa Claus, dimwit.