Zeezeebaba Posted November 13, 2014 Author Share Posted November 13, 2014 (edited) I generally tend to work over the festive period unless I'm on scheduled days off as it's triple time . Yes we put up a tree and have the turkey dinner. I would prefer it in the summer to be fair. My children are spoiled rotten and look forward to it.I suppose I've hijacked a pagan come Christian festive season to allow the kids to fit in with the establishment and friends.Its also good for the retail industry and helps with employment for many others. I remember the magic as a kid but even back then it was about the toys etc I would get,the two month late celebration of Jesus being born paled into insignificance I'm afraid. Materialism overshadows Constantine s attempt to integrate Christian ideology into a pagan festival these days Edited November 13, 2014 by Zeezeebaba Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 It's a bit like saying that you'll go to work on a bank holiday because you don't work in a bank. Of course you wouldn't, common sense prevails. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sipar69 Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 (edited) When I did my Religious Education exams (compulsory) I just made origami animals for an hour... Religion means zero to me, I don't believe in an afterlife but when I married a strict Roman Catholic I had my 2 children baptised and confirmed because that was the beliefs of their Mother's family. They also both went to RC schools and seem to have turned out ok so far, although neither are in any way religious now either. Do any of the Atheists on here refuse to take their religious bank holidays off at Easter & Christmas? Nope. The fact that I don't believe in the existence of god doesn't mean it's wrong to take holidays to which everyone is entitled to, not just people of certain religions. Similarly, I can't imagine going to work tomorrow and telling my Muslim team member that she has to work over Christmas and that she can't come to the office party I've heard people in the past having a jab at atheists for having time off at Christmas and joining in the festivities, but it's an incredibly simplistic and naive argument. Every single person in the world could be accused of hypocrisy in many different ways e.g. care about the environment? - Don't have kids or drive a nice car then; feel bad for the poor in Africa - give away all your money and possessions to help them then.....etc ad infinitum. When I take time off at Christmas, eat nice food, drink too much and spend time with people I care about I'm not celebrating the birth of Jesus, I'm just choosing to have a good time that coincides with a lot of other people doing the same thing, some of whom are religious and some of whom aren't. What I certainly wouldn't do is slag off people who were choosing to celebrate the religious aspects of it - my problem is with religion in general, not people of faith. I asked the question that's all, I personally despise the commercialism of Christmas, it is about as far away from a religious celebration as you can get I treat people as people not on colour, race, religion or anything else, there are bigots of all types around, doesn't matter if you believe in an afterlife, life is too short for hatred I know you did mate - I didn't think you were making a point. Edited November 13, 2014 by sipar69 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rock_Steady Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Anyway, Easter and Christmas are originally Pagan holidays that Christianity has just accommodated so that when Christianity was introduced by the Romans, Anglo Saxons who were pagan, didn't have to change their religious holidays to Christian ones. I.e. Jesus wasn't born on the 25th of December and so on as the 25th of December was just a celebration of the days getting longer. Other things in the Bible such as when Moses parted the sea, are exaggerations of when Moses led the Hebrews out of Egypt to a river near a delta that would run dry for a couple of minutes a month and then would have a torrent of water return. Moses probably knew this already and timed it just so, and perhaps said it happened in the name of God. This happens a lot in history. The belief of giants comes from the Greeks as they were the first to find dinosaur bones. Finding a giant sized femur, which looks very similar to a human femur, must have made them think it belonged to a giant man, so came the stories of giants and the Cyclops. There's usually a rational explanation for most things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tricky-Ricky Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 Well you can see by my avatar that I am obviously an atheist........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spursmaddave Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 It's a bit like saying that you'll go to work on a bank holiday because you don't work in a bank. Of course you wouldn't, common sense prevails. Millions of people work on Bank Holidays, personally I prefer my time off when everyone else is working, that way I can shop or go where I want without the masses... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spursmaddave Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 When I did my Religious Education exams (compulsory) I just made origami animals for an hour... Religion means zero to me, I don't believe in an afterlife but when I married a strict Roman Catholic I had my 2 children baptised and confirmed because that was the beliefs of their Mother's family. They also both went to RC schools and seem to have turned out ok so far, although neither are in any way religious now either. Do any of the Atheists on here refuse to take their religious bank holidays off at Easter & Christmas? Nope. The fact that I don't believe in the existence of god doesn't mean it's wrong to take holidays to which everyone is entitled to, not just people of certain religions. Similarly, I can't imagine going to work tomorrow and telling my Muslim team member that she has to work over Christmas and that she can't come to the office party I've heard people in the past having a jab at atheists for having time off at Christmas and joining in the festivities, but it's an incredibly simplistic and naive argument. Every single person in the world could be accused of hypocrisy in many different ways e.g. care about the environment? - Don't have kids or drive a nice car then; feel bad for the poor in Africa - give away all your money and possessions to help them then.....etc ad infinitum. When I take time off at Christmas, eat nice food, drink too much and spend time with people I care about I'm not celebrating the birth of Jesus, I'm just choosing to have a good time that coincides with a lot of other people doing the same thing, some of whom are religious and some of whom aren't. What I certainly wouldn't do is slag off people who were choosing to celebrate the religious aspects of it - my problem is with religion in general, not people of faith. I asked the question that's all, I personally despise the commercialism of Christmas, it is about as far away from a religious celebration as you can get I treat people as people not on colour, race, religion or anything else, there are bigots of all types around, doesn't matter if you believe in an afterlife, life is too short for hatred I know you did mate - I didn't think you were making a point. Yeah it wasn't as much a reply to you fella as making myself clear, I just stoking the fire as you know How many non religious types get married in Church? How hypocritical is that? I don't believe in Christ or Jesus etc but I will have a nice big white wedding in a Church with hymns about being a good Christian 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillomaster Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 that's a bit weird imo... im gonna be getting married soon, but neither me of my fiancé are religious, so it'll be civil ceremony somewhere. where are you going to get married if you're not religious, but want a church wedding? I thought you had to a member of the parish and actually go to church to be able to get married in one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spursmaddave Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 that's a bit weird imo... im gonna be getting married soon, but neither me of my fiancé are religious, so it'll be civil ceremony somewhere. where are you going to get married if you're not religious, but want a church wedding? I thought you had to a member of the parish and actually go to church to be able to get married in one? If your not religious why would you want a Church wedding? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350zedd Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 that's a bit weird imo... im gonna be getting married soon, but neither me of my fiancé are religious, so it'll be civil ceremony somewhere. where are you going to get married if you're not religious, but want a church wedding? I thought you had to a member of the parish and actually go to church to be able to get married in one? If your not religious why would you want a Church wedding? Because you're a hypocrite! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I'd have liked a church wedding, because they have some stunning architecture. I didn't though, because they want horrendous money for one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spursmaddave Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 I'd have liked a church wedding, because they have some stunning architecture. I didn't though, because they want horrendous money for one. As much as running a Porsche or Ferrari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 The Church make running exotic sports cars seem cheap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grundy Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 that's a bit weird imo... im gonna be getting married soon, but neither me of my fiancé are religious, so it'll be civil ceremony somewhere. where are you going to get married if you're not religious, but want a church wedding? I thought you had to a member of the parish and actually go to church to be able to get married in one? Don't you need to go to Church for a couple of weeks before hand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB-) Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 that's a bit weird imo... im gonna be getting married soon, but neither me of my fiancé are religious, so it'll be civil ceremony somewhere. where are you going to get married if you're not religious, but want a church wedding? I thought you had to a member of the parish and actually go to church to be able to get married in one? Don't you need to go to Church for a couple of weeks before hand? Yep. They make you go a few times or they don't let you get married there. I do kind of get the appeal, nice buildings make for nice photos and all that, but there was no way I was getting married in church. I don't know what they charge but the worlds only trillionaire organisation must surely need every penny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
350zedd Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 that's a bit weird imo... im gonna be getting married soon, but neither me of my fiancé are religious, so it'll be civil ceremony somewhere. where are you going to get married if you're not religious, but want a church wedding? I thought you had to a member of the parish and actually go to church to be able to get married in one? Don't you need to go to Church for a couple of weeks before hand? Yep. They make you go a few times or they don't let you get married there. I do kind of get the appeal, nice buildings make for nice photos and all that, but there was no way I was getting married in church. I don't know what they charge but the worlds only trillionaire organisation must surely need every penny Do you mean the one that is the biggest financial power, wealth accumulator and property owner in existence ? The greatest possessor of material riches than any other single institution, corporation, bank, giant trust, government or state of the whole globe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spursmaddave Posted November 13, 2014 Share Posted November 13, 2014 The Church make running exotic sports cars seem cheap! They have to pay for all the court cases these days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeilMH Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 It’s a shame that there doesn’t seem to have been a counter argument from a “religious intellectualâ€. Anyway.... My father became a Priest later in life (after having served initially in the Navy and then later going on to become a senior Police Officer). In between he somehow managed to pass his bar exams, wrote several textbooks, founded a male voice choir – amongst other things. Anyway, as far as I could tell he wasn’t thick. It’s a shame he is no longer here to put his side of the argument because I would find it difficult to do so. Anyway, my point is that there seems to be a largish number of people who appear to be highly intelligent and yet still believe.....it would be good to hear from someone like that. My early life had a large input from the Cof E and my recollection of it was pretty positive i.e. the emphasis on trying to be a good person and treating others as you would wish to be treated. Mine was a benign education in the sense that it wasn’t rammed down my throat. I stopped going to church in my late teens and I can never remember my father trying to persuade me (I think his view was that “push†needed to come from me). The things I found difficult were the gap between what people professed to believe and their behavior in day-to-day life and how few of them used to do anything to actually make a difference in the real world – my Dad used to say “too heavenly to be any earthly goodâ€. Later, I found it frustrating and sometimes amusing the extent to which the church tried to become “trendyâ€, but without much social leadership when it gets down and dirty. It reminds of the modern politician who tries to work out what everyone wants and then miraculously believes in that. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhackyWill Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Are the Masons a Religion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planetsurfer2 Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Are the Masons a Religion. Nope, they are a Cult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JB-) Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Are the Masons a Religion. Nope, they are a Cult. Difference between a religion and a cult? Cult - There's a guy at the top knows it's all a load of BS Religion - That guy is dead. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hype Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 I loath the term atheist, and wouldn't use it to describe myself, but I certainly have no religious / spiritual beliefs whatsoever. I think atheist these days is used to describe people who actively reject other people's beliefs, whereas I'm happy just to not share those same beliefs myself. As many of my friends on Facebook are active "atheists" as they are active "believers" - interestingly it's the atheists who are far more inclined to post articles supporting their particular doctrine. Kind of ironic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
planetsurfer2 Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 I prefer the term Nontheist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flex Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Three threads guaranteed to go on and on: Religion, Politics, new member with boobs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmr1980 Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 (edited) I'm not an atheist, I'm quite happily Christian. I also believe that science doesn't mitigate belief/religion, I think it enhances it and they can coexist and well together. Atheism is just a belief structure like any other in my eyes. Also, I feel that evangelistic atheists, Christians, Muslims, Jews etc... are a nightmare, and find them hard to tolerate. I have some atheist friends with whom I have had some of the best times in my life - it does not get in the way of friendships. We have a mutual respect of one another's beliefs, and ultimately neither belief is wrong, or is superior or is proven either way, so we're all happy. Generally most of my friends are agnostic (which I think is a very fair way to be) or consider themselves spiritual. The rest are a mixture of Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindu. A few others are made up of other beliefs like Paganism etc... I think there is nothing wrong with having your own belief structure, but as I said, what I don't like are the militant evangelists of those beliefs, and the arrogance of those that think they are absolutely right and think they can prove or disprove everything - which quite frankly is more ridiculous than a flying unicorn. Ultimately, as long as people have respect for one another's beliefs then there's no problem. I find it hilarious how some people try and belittle others for what they believe, but that just shows a more neanderthal evolutionary cycle that Darwinian science hasn't had the chance to apply. Edited November 14, 2014 by wmr1980 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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