Should atheists celebrate Thanksgiving?

[Blackrook]

Who are you to say which holidays atheists can celebrate?

I am just a regular guy who's noticed that atheists do a lot of pretending just to get along with friends and family and co-workers.

There's no "pretending" involved.

Yes, there is. You "go along to get along" -- one atheist admits he pretends to pray on Thanksgiving. You celebrate Christmas, but secretly despise Christ. But you keep it to yourself, you don't want Mom and Dad to get upset, or any of your other relatives.

Heaven forbid an atheist respect religious and love his religious family.

LOL, but it's a front. You play your part with the family, but then you come here and tell us what you really think.

 

[HenryBHough]

Actually I am somewhat surprised that Our Kenyan Emperor has not cancelled Thanksgiving. Perhaps that's only because it's spelled out in union contracts....

 

[Blackrook]

Actually I am somewhat surprised that Our Kenyan Emperor has not cancelled Thanksgiving. Perhaps that's only because it's spelled out in union contracts....

Obama has two more years, so we don't know yet the full extent of his plans to change America more to his liking.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

Who are you to say which holidays atheists can celebrate?

I am just a regular guy who's noticed that atheists do a lot of pretending just to get along with friends and family and co-workers.

There's no "pretending" involved.

Yes, there is. You "go along to get along" -- one atheist admits he pretends to pray on Thanksgiving. You celebrate Christmas, but secretly despise Christ. But you keep it to yourself, you don't want Mom and Dad to get upset, or any of your other relatives.

First of all, I celebrate Channukah, not Christmas - and I've never in my life "pretended" to pray or believe in God to "get along". On the other hand, my entire family is made up of atheists, so it's never been an issue.

Secondly, I don't know any atheists who "despise" Christ - they just don't believe in him. It's not the same thing.

 

[Howey]

Atheists can argue that Christmas and Easter have pagan roots, since the Early Church replaced pagan holidays with Christian holidays and adopted many of the same symbols....

But Thanksgiving has no pagan roots. It has been since the beginning a holiday about thanking God for the blessings we have in our life, as individuals, and as a nation.

You don't have to be a Christian to celebrate Thanksgiving, but you do have to believe there is some divine power that is providing us with the things we need in life. So a Jew, a Muslim, a Hindu, a Buddhist, or a Shinto could celebrate Thanksgiving.

But an atheist has no one to thank. He thinks that everything good in life is entirely his own doing, or just a result of good luck or fortunate circumstances.

So let me ask you atheists, do you celebrate Thanksgiving?

And if you do, don't you see that it is rather hypocritical to celebrate a holiday to thank a divine power you don't believe in?

First time I ever heard of someone comparing Thanksgiving to a religious holiday. It isn't.

Those pilgrims should have been thanking the Indians for that harvest. Not God.

 

[Inevitable]

Who are you to say which holidays atheists can celebrate?

I am just a regular guy who's noticed that atheists do a lot of pretending just to get along with friends and family and co-workers.

There's no "pretending" involved.

Yes, there is. You "go along to get along" -- one atheist admits he pretends to pray on Thanksgiving. You celebrate Christmas, but secretly despise Christ. But you keep it to yourself, you don't want Mom and Dad to get upset, or any of your other relatives.

Heaven forbid an atheist respect religious and love his religious family.

LOL, but it's a front. You play your part with the family, but then you come here and tell us what you really think.

My mother and father are Catholic, I am not. I don't agree with Catholicism. And this place affords me people from all walks of life to discuss such things with.

I think it's admirable to put aside such things to respect somebody you love. I don't want to fight with my parents, so I don't discuss ex cathrida with them. And they even extend the same respect to me. We love each other.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

Who are you to say which holidays atheists can celebrate?

I am just a regular guy who's noticed that atheists do a lot of pretending just to get along with friends and family and co-workers.

There's no "pretending" involved.

Yes, there is. You "go along to get along" -- one atheist admits he pretends to pray on Thanksgiving. You celebrate Christmas, but secretly despise Christ. But you keep it to yourself, you don't want Mom and Dad to get upset, or any of your other relatives.

Heaven forbid an atheist respect religious and love his religious family.

LOL, but it's a front. You play your part with the family, but then you come here and tell us what you really think.

Its not a "front". Where are you coming up with these scenarios?

Loving and respecting religious family members isn't a "front", it's what people are supposed to do.

 

[Inevitable]

I am just a regular guy who's noticed that atheists do a lot of pretending just to get along with friends and family and co-workers.

There's no "pretending" involved.

Yes, there is. You "go along to get along" -- one atheist admits he pretends to pray on Thanksgiving. You celebrate Christmas, but secretly despise Christ. But you keep it to yourself, you don't want Mom and Dad to get upset, or any of your other relatives.

Heaven forbid an atheist respect religious and love his religious family.

LOL, but it's a front. You play your part with the family, but then you come here and tell us what you really think.

Its not a "front". Where are you coming up with these scenarios?

Loving and respecting religious family members isn't a "front", it's what people are supposed to do.

It's strange that a stranger in the internet wants the same love and respect somebody gives their parents. Thus is a place where you don't have to take it in stride, where speaking your mind is encouraged.

Beyond that, that respect extends both ways. Your folks may give you more than one opportunity to declare your allegiance to their religion, but most loving relationships don't thrive on giving beliefs on one another.

My parents want to see me, they want me in their lives so they don't make me feel unloved. It's how this whole thing works

 

[Blackrook]

I have an atheist sister. She speaks up about what she believes, which upsets my very religious father.

I don't agree with my sister but I admire her courage. It take a lot of guts to go up against my father.

Would it make things easier if my sister would keep her opinions to herself? Sure it would.

But I understand if the atheists on this forum do not have the courage of my little sister.

 

[theDoctorisIn]

I have an atheist sister. She speaks up about what she believes, which upsets my very religious father.

I don't agree with my sister but I admire her courage. It take a lot of guts to go up against my father.

Would it make things easier if my sister would keep her opinions to herself? Sure it would.

But I understand if the atheists on this forum do not have the courage of my little sister.

Where do you get the idea that any significant number of atheists hide their atheism from their families?

 

[Inevitable]

I have an atheist sister. She speaks up about what she believes, which upsets my very religious father.

I don't agree with my sister but I admire her courage. It take a lot of guts to go up against my father.

Would it make things easier if my sister would keep her opinions to herself? Sure it would.

But I understand if the atheists on this forum do not have the courage of my little sister.

What does your atheist sister tell your father? Does she tell him that good isn't real? Or that she doesn't believe in God?

There is a difference between hiding who you are and looking for a fight.

Like I said my father is Catholic, I don't really see the need to tell him I am not Catholic more than once. He knows. If he ever wants to talk about it he will. Fighting with him accomplishes nothing.

 

[Disir]

Everybody knows I'm an atheist.

 

[Blackrook]

Christ predicted that the new faith he established would divide families:

"Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; 52for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three.53"They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." -- Luke 12:51-53.

 

[Disir]

And?

 

[Blackrook]

And, it's one thing to go on about atheism on the internet to strangers who you will never meet in person, but it's quite another to disturb your friends and family and co-workers with your lack of faith in God.

It's the difference between talking the talk and walking the walk.

 

[Blackrook]

I have an atheist sister. She speaks up about what she believes, which upsets my very religious father.

I don't agree with my sister but I admire her courage. It take a lot of guts to go up against my father.

Would it make things easier if my sister would keep her opinions to herself? Sure it would.

But I understand if the atheists on this forum do not have the courage of my little sister.

Where do you get the idea that any significant number of atheists hide their atheism from their families?

Well there's the guy who said he pretends to pray when he's with his family.

 

[Disir]

Pfftt...........you don't know my friends and family.

 

[Inevitable]

Christ predicted that the new faith he established would divide families:

"Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division; 52for from now on five members in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three.53"They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." -- Luke 12:51-53.

Let Christ do his work. If somebody hates you because you are Christian, loving Jesus can't fix that.

 

[Inevitable]

And, it's one thing to go on about atheism on the internet to strangers who you will never meet in person, but it's quite another to disturb your friends and family and co-workers with your lack of faith in God.

It's the difference between talking the talk and walking the walk.

Than the need to server ties falls on Christians. Is it okay for a Christian mother to love and cherish her son if that son doesn't follow Christ? I think it is.

 

[FactFinder]

Should atheists celebrate Thanksgiving?

Quit picking on the poor souls. They can celebrate anything they want. God loves them and so do I.