David:
It seems that for years now, atheists have attacked the Christmas holiday.
Doug:
What? No one told me at the weekly atheist meeting! Oh, right, we don't have any meetings. Most atheists that I know celebrate Christmas. Why would they attack it? Maybe the color of Starbucks' cups are wrong?
David:
Exactly my point. Most atheists do celebrate Christmas with family and friends. There's plenty for the non-Christian to enjoy: Frosty, Santa, elves, trees, and all of the gifts. And yet, atheists have sued to eliminate the word "Christmas" from our lexicon (Usually suing small school districts who don't have the resources to fight such a suit, as they would rather educate children).
Doug:
I didn't know that you can sue to eliminate words from lexicons. Who do you sue, Webster? I don't think small schools districts control the lexicon.
David:
Ah. So you're arguing the ACLU and atheists should let school districts, and anyone else, continue to have "Christmas" vacation on their calanders?
Doug:
Lexicons, now calendars? What are you talking about?
David:
Their lawsuits have expressly been to eliminate the word, "Christmas". Lexicon means "the words of a particular language".
Doug:
If a local school district didn't put Christmas on their little school calendar, then we wouldn't know when to celebrate it! War on Christmas! It is pretty easy to list all of the major religious holidays on a calendar (I do it every year for our family calendar that I send to you, and the rest of the family.) Of course a school district should not assume that everyone in their district is Christian. So, if they were going to list one religious holiday, they should do them all.
David:
Listing "Christmas" on a calendar doesn't mean that the district assumes everyone is a Christian. But the holiday is called Christmas, which is a secular holiday these days as much as it is religious. Maybe that's why you want to ban the word. You think if it's on a school calendar, it will make you a Christian?
Doug:
I don't want to ban any words from the lexicon. But you should agree that the government should not put one religion over another. Don't be afraid that you will turn Muslim just because the word "Ramadan" appears on the calendar. It doesn't take that much effort to be inclusive.
David:
But, the atheists are not suing to have the word "Ramadan" removed from the school calendar, only the word "Christmas". Interesting.
Doug:
That's because "Ramadan" isn't on the calendar. This isn't that interesting: put all of the major holidays all on the calendar, or leave them all off. But the Christians in charge don't want to do that. Interesting.
David:
The beginning of Ramadan is marked on our calendar. So is Hanukkah, another word that atheists don't seem to have a problem with. Maybe you should get a better quality calendar.
If atheists can celebrate Christmas, and studies indicate more than 80% do, why don't they just celebrate the secular aspects, and let Christmas be Christmas for the rest of us? Richard Dawkins thinks you can:
https://richarddawkins.net/2012/12/a-very-atheist-christmas/
Doug:
I wouldn't be in the field I am had it not been for Richard Dawkins. I read "The Blind Watchmaker" in 1986. A nice bridge from Anthropology to Computer Science, which was my path. You agree with Dawkins? Great!
I don't know why "they" don't celebrate Christmas. Maybe they celebrate lots of holidays, including Christmas? All of the atheists that I know are very sensitive to making sure that each and every religion can be celebrated in whatever way people want, and that the religions are all treated equally by the government.
David:
Except for Christians and Christmas.
Doug:
No, I just said: "treat them all equally by the government." No exceptions.
David:
Since we've already established that "they" do celebrate the holiday....
Doug:
Some atheists celebrate Christmas... some celebrate Hanukkah, or nothing.
Please don't tell me what atheists do and don't do. You can ask me, and I'd be glad to tell you.
David:
I'm afraid to find out what you do.
Doug:
Don't be afraid---most atheists that I have met are very thoughtful people.
David:
As are all of the Christians I know.
But surveys indicate 80% of atheists celebrate Christmas, and enjoy the time off from work that the holiday provides for them. So why do they insist on being so insensitive to Christians? Why try to remove Christ from our religious holiday? Go eat your fruitcake, Ebenezer, and I'll go to a candlelight service at my church. See, now everyone's happy.
Doug:
I have no idea why you think someone is trying to remove something from you. You have your guns, Christmas, religious freedom. Why do you also have paranoia that someone is trying to take your stuff from you? Atheists are not your enemy. They don't care how you spend your winter break. They might even sing a song with you, or drink a cup of eggnog with you, if you quit claiming that they are attacking your holiday and trying to steal your stuff.
I would rather blog about how people can come together (at this time of year, or any other) and make something great, rather than accuse a group of people of attacking my stuff. But that is just me and my atheistic ways.
David:
Some atheists do care, not just about Christmas, but winter holidays in general:
http://remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/a-cnn/item/82-atheist-group-to-sue-retail-stores-over-happy-holidays
Doug:
And some Christians want to kill doctors, and some Muslims want to kill Christians. All of these groups are diverse groups of people. Some atheists can have as wacky ideas as any group.
David:
Once again, your biases are showing. You apparently believe that Christians are all carrying guns and are paranoid we're being robbed. You're the only one in this blog spouting about folks stealing stuff. I just want you to let us all call December 25th, "Christmas", which it is.
Since most Americans celebrate Christmas, whether Christian or not, let's agree to call it what it is: Christmas. You can ascribe whatever beliefs you want to to the word. But, you should be thankful for the holiday that gives you eggnog, Christmas trees, Santa and his elves, carols, and any gifts you might get on that very special day.
Doug:
You said that atheists were trying to remove "Christmas" from the lexicon. I think you are paranoid, and should quit blaming the atheists. Now, I have to go celebrate Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and that one that I can never remember because my local school district removed it from the calendar...
David:
Right, the calendar that says "2015", based on the birth of Jesus.
Doug:
That is 2015 B.C.E (Before the Common Era). And we have 12 months because of the Zodiac.
David:
Right. And what started the"common era" roughly 2015 years ago? A baby in a manger. Even Linus and Charlie Brown know that. And the zodiac is made up of constellations of stars in the natural world.
I think Rudolph is "processing" your Christmas present right now.
Have a Merry Christmas, and.....don't shoot your eye out.
Doug:
Happy holidays to all, and to all a good night!
It seems that for years now, atheists have attacked the Christmas holiday.
Doug:
What? No one told me at the weekly atheist meeting! Oh, right, we don't have any meetings. Most atheists that I know celebrate Christmas. Why would they attack it? Maybe the color of Starbucks' cups are wrong?
David:
Exactly my point. Most atheists do celebrate Christmas with family and friends. There's plenty for the non-Christian to enjoy: Frosty, Santa, elves, trees, and all of the gifts. And yet, atheists have sued to eliminate the word "Christmas" from our lexicon (Usually suing small school districts who don't have the resources to fight such a suit, as they would rather educate children).
Doug:
I didn't know that you can sue to eliminate words from lexicons. Who do you sue, Webster? I don't think small schools districts control the lexicon.
David:
Ah. So you're arguing the ACLU and atheists should let school districts, and anyone else, continue to have "Christmas" vacation on their calanders?
Doug:
Lexicons, now calendars? What are you talking about?
David:
Their lawsuits have expressly been to eliminate the word, "Christmas". Lexicon means "the words of a particular language".
Doug:
If a local school district didn't put Christmas on their little school calendar, then we wouldn't know when to celebrate it! War on Christmas! It is pretty easy to list all of the major religious holidays on a calendar (I do it every year for our family calendar that I send to you, and the rest of the family.) Of course a school district should not assume that everyone in their district is Christian. So, if they were going to list one religious holiday, they should do them all.
David:
Listing "Christmas" on a calendar doesn't mean that the district assumes everyone is a Christian. But the holiday is called Christmas, which is a secular holiday these days as much as it is religious. Maybe that's why you want to ban the word. You think if it's on a school calendar, it will make you a Christian?
Doug:
I don't want to ban any words from the lexicon. But you should agree that the government should not put one religion over another. Don't be afraid that you will turn Muslim just because the word "Ramadan" appears on the calendar. It doesn't take that much effort to be inclusive.
David:
But, the atheists are not suing to have the word "Ramadan" removed from the school calendar, only the word "Christmas". Interesting.
Doug:
That's because "Ramadan" isn't on the calendar. This isn't that interesting: put all of the major holidays all on the calendar, or leave them all off. But the Christians in charge don't want to do that. Interesting.
David:
The beginning of Ramadan is marked on our calendar. So is Hanukkah, another word that atheists don't seem to have a problem with. Maybe you should get a better quality calendar.
If atheists can celebrate Christmas, and studies indicate more than 80% do, why don't they just celebrate the secular aspects, and let Christmas be Christmas for the rest of us? Richard Dawkins thinks you can:
https://richarddawkins.net/2012/12/a-very-atheist-christmas/
Doug:
I wouldn't be in the field I am had it not been for Richard Dawkins. I read "The Blind Watchmaker" in 1986. A nice bridge from Anthropology to Computer Science, which was my path. You agree with Dawkins? Great!
I don't know why "they" don't celebrate Christmas. Maybe they celebrate lots of holidays, including Christmas? All of the atheists that I know are very sensitive to making sure that each and every religion can be celebrated in whatever way people want, and that the religions are all treated equally by the government.
David:
Except for Christians and Christmas.
Doug:
No, I just said: "treat them all equally by the government." No exceptions.
David:
Since we've already established that "they" do celebrate the holiday....
Doug:
Some atheists celebrate Christmas... some celebrate Hanukkah, or nothing.
Please don't tell me what atheists do and don't do. You can ask me, and I'd be glad to tell you.
David:
I'm afraid to find out what you do.
Doug:
Don't be afraid---most atheists that I have met are very thoughtful people.
David:
As are all of the Christians I know.
But surveys indicate 80% of atheists celebrate Christmas, and enjoy the time off from work that the holiday provides for them. So why do they insist on being so insensitive to Christians? Why try to remove Christ from our religious holiday? Go eat your fruitcake, Ebenezer, and I'll go to a candlelight service at my church. See, now everyone's happy.
Doug:
I have no idea why you think someone is trying to remove something from you. You have your guns, Christmas, religious freedom. Why do you also have paranoia that someone is trying to take your stuff from you? Atheists are not your enemy. They don't care how you spend your winter break. They might even sing a song with you, or drink a cup of eggnog with you, if you quit claiming that they are attacking your holiday and trying to steal your stuff.
I would rather blog about how people can come together (at this time of year, or any other) and make something great, rather than accuse a group of people of attacking my stuff. But that is just me and my atheistic ways.
David:
Some atheists do care, not just about Christmas, but winter holidays in general:
http://remnantnewspaper.com/web/index.php/a-cnn/item/82-atheist-group-to-sue-retail-stores-over-happy-holidays
Doug:
And some Christians want to kill doctors, and some Muslims want to kill Christians. All of these groups are diverse groups of people. Some atheists can have as wacky ideas as any group.
David:
Once again, your biases are showing. You apparently believe that Christians are all carrying guns and are paranoid we're being robbed. You're the only one in this blog spouting about folks stealing stuff. I just want you to let us all call December 25th, "Christmas", which it is.
Since most Americans celebrate Christmas, whether Christian or not, let's agree to call it what it is: Christmas. You can ascribe whatever beliefs you want to to the word. But, you should be thankful for the holiday that gives you eggnog, Christmas trees, Santa and his elves, carols, and any gifts you might get on that very special day.
Doug:
You said that atheists were trying to remove "Christmas" from the lexicon. I think you are paranoid, and should quit blaming the atheists. Now, I have to go celebrate Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and that one that I can never remember because my local school district removed it from the calendar...
David:
Right, the calendar that says "2015", based on the birth of Jesus.
Doug:
That is 2015 B.C.E (Before the Common Era). And we have 12 months because of the Zodiac.
David:
Right. And what started the"common era" roughly 2015 years ago? A baby in a manger. Even Linus and Charlie Brown know that. And the zodiac is made up of constellations of stars in the natural world.
I think Rudolph is "processing" your Christmas present right now.
Have a Merry Christmas, and.....don't shoot your eye out.
Doug:
Happy holidays to all, and to all a good night!
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