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Author Topic:   The Christmas Thread
IrishRockhound
Member (Idle past 4435 days)
Posts: 569
From: Ireland
Joined: 05-19-2003


Message 1 of 46 (170400)
12-21-2004 11:16 AM


It's that time of year again, and I'm stunned no one has opened a thread on it.
Well, here it is. The Christmas Thread. The question I want to ask is, is Christmas only for Christians and materialists? Or has it become something more?
It started out as a pagan thing and was adopted by Christianity; lately it's grown into the largest buying frenzy the world has ever seen. Can a non-believer buy into it? It doesn't seem possible, but I think it is - Christmas is my favourite time of year, and I haven't been Christian for almost ten years. I love it because I feel it's become something more than materialism on a massive scale, or just another religious ceremony. It's joy and happiness and magic and just for once you could nearly believe in miracles, because it does something to the heads of even the most hardened skeptics. Maybe it started out small, but I think it's become something over the years that anyone can be touched by. You don't have to believe in Christ to believe in Christmas.
But hey, if people don't want to discuss that, I say we use this thread to talk about what we're doing over the holidays. I for one am going home to see my family, who I miss a lot. I'll be away for a week at least because my parents don't have the Internet.
But before I head off, there's something I need to say to you guys - I don't think you know me all that well, because I lurk most of the time, but I know you. And I wanted to say thanks:
To Rrhain, MrHambre, and Holmes, for being an entire education on their own.
To Buzsaw, Mike the Wiz, and all the other creationists who have the balls to stick it out here, despite being outnumbered.
To Dan Carroll and Charles Knight for making me laugh.
To the legendary Brad McFall, for never quite making sense.
And to Jar, Minnemooseus, and NosyNed for showing me how to be an admin.
Merry Christmas, EvCForum. Hope you all have a good one.
The Rockhound, signing off.

"Those who fear the darkness have never seen what the light can do."

Replies to this message:
 Message 3 by Dan Carroll, posted 12-21-2004 12:33 PM IrishRockhound has not replied
 Message 5 by Silent H, posted 12-21-2004 6:22 PM IrishRockhound has not replied
 Message 6 by roxrkool, posted 12-21-2004 8:55 PM IrishRockhound has not replied
 Message 13 by PecosGeorge, posted 12-22-2004 1:09 PM IrishRockhound has not replied
 Message 23 by Rrhain, posted 12-22-2004 11:51 PM IrishRockhound has not replied
 Message 37 by Trixie, posted 12-24-2004 4:14 PM IrishRockhound has not replied
 Message 40 by Brad McFall, posted 12-24-2004 8:45 PM IrishRockhound has not replied
 Message 41 by Brad McFall, posted 12-24-2004 8:57 PM IrishRockhound has not replied
 Message 46 by macaroniandcheese, posted 12-30-2004 10:01 PM IrishRockhound has not replied

  
AdminNosy
Administrator
Posts: 4754
From: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Joined: 11-11-2003


Message 2 of 46 (170417)
12-21-2004 12:25 PM


Thread moved here from the Proposed New Topics forum.

  
Dan Carroll
Inactive Member


Message 3 of 46 (170421)
12-21-2004 12:33 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by IrishRockhound
12-21-2004 11:16 AM


It's not a bad little forum. All it needs is a little love.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by IrishRockhound, posted 12-21-2004 11:16 AM IrishRockhound has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 19 by nator, posted 12-22-2004 7:05 PM Dan Carroll has not replied

  
epoch9
Inactive Junior Member


Message 4 of 46 (170531)
12-21-2004 4:30 PM


well wishes and wish wellers.
merry chrism-channa-kwaanz-ukah!!
i'm stuck working on christmas. and animating...gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!

  
Silent H
Member (Idle past 5819 days)
Posts: 7405
From: satellite of love
Joined: 12-11-2002


Message 5 of 46 (170575)
12-21-2004 6:22 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by IrishRockhound
12-21-2004 11:16 AM


I think the holiday season, and that includes Chistmas is generally for everyone. Personally though I am cutting out celebrating a single day holiday, and making it a "time of year" thing.
I figure I'll make it from the end of the solar year (winter solstice) till the end of the calendar year. That includes just about every faith anyway.
And it means everyone has to send me gifts every day for about eight days straight.
...Holmes, for being an entire education on their own.
Thanks for the surprise gift. That really came out of nowhere. You are excused from having to get me any more gifts for this season.
Everyone else, get ready to buy me lots of things... or send me mental messages of good luck and cheer (those are free)!

holmes
"...what a fool believes he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away.."(D. Bros)

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by IrishRockhound, posted 12-21-2004 11:16 AM IrishRockhound has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 15 by PecosGeorge, posted 12-22-2004 1:14 PM Silent H has replied

  
roxrkool
Member (Idle past 988 days)
Posts: 1497
From: Nevada
Joined: 03-23-2003


Message 6 of 46 (170612)
12-21-2004 8:55 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by IrishRockhound
12-21-2004 11:16 AM


Happy Holidays, RH!
As a pretty hardcore atheist, I still celebrate Christmas, though to me, obviously I don't celebrate Jesus.
I celebrate the fact that I have a good life, surrounded by good friends and family that I love. I share my good fortune with those I care about.
I don't mind the Christian celebration and even enjoy the songs, stories, movies. I also enjoy other celebrations this time of year. This is my favorite time of year.
This message has been edited by roxrkool, 12-21-2004 08:55 PM

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by IrishRockhound, posted 12-21-2004 11:16 AM IrishRockhound has not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 7 by PerfectDeath, posted 12-21-2004 10:32 PM roxrkool has not replied
 Message 11 by Silent H, posted 12-22-2004 4:43 AM roxrkool has replied
 Message 16 by PecosGeorge, posted 12-22-2004 1:15 PM roxrkool has not replied

  
PerfectDeath
Inactive Member


Message 7 of 46 (170623)
12-21-2004 10:32 PM
Reply to: Message 6 by roxrkool
12-21-2004 8:55 PM


i'm atheist too and i celebrate christmas but, like said above, not jesus.
this is the time of year were the most ammount of people die from heartattacks related to stress... so inno about the hole "happy' part of it.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 6 by roxrkool, posted 12-21-2004 8:55 PM roxrkool has not replied

  
sidelined
Member (Idle past 5907 days)
Posts: 3435
From: Edmonton Alberta Canada
Joined: 08-30-2003


Message 8 of 46 (170626)
12-21-2004 11:14 PM


Best of holidays everyone. A special accent on thanks for the input from and sacrifice by zephyr. Wherever you are I raise a toast to you and everyone here. May you and yours enjoy the time together and remember the common human bonds of laughter and support.
Take care all and remember designated drivers are always cheaper than the alternative.

  
berberry
Inactive Member


Message 9 of 46 (170641)
12-22-2004 3:44 AM


Who's getting snow, and / or who wants it?
I want snow for Chrstmas! I've never had a white Christmas. In fact, I can only remember once ever seeing Christmas decorations in snow when, about 7 years ago, we got a few inches about 2 weeks before Dec. 25.
And now I hear that the Gulf Coast may be in for snow on CHRISTMAS EVE! THE MISSISSIPPI COAST! 150 MILES SOUTH OF ME! DAMMIT!
What do they use for sleds down there, surfboards? Oh well, if it happens I hope zephyr gets to enjoy it. Imagine that. Coming home from the Iraqi desert. To snow on the Gulf Coast. At Christmas.

Keep America Safe AND Free!

Replies to this message:
 Message 10 by Minnemooseus, posted 12-22-2004 4:32 AM berberry has not replied
 Message 14 by PerfectDeath, posted 12-22-2004 1:12 PM berberry has replied

  
Minnemooseus
Member
Posts: 3941
From: Duluth, Minnesota, U.S. (West end of Lake Superior)
Joined: 11-11-2001
Member Rating: 10.0


Message 10 of 46 (170646)
12-22-2004 4:32 AM
Reply to: Message 9 by berberry
12-22-2004 3:44 AM


Re: Who's getting snow, and / or who wants it?
Up in these parts, a snow cover is a good thing to keep things like water lines and septic systems from freezing up. Other than that, the 4 to 6 inches we currently have on the ground is plenty for me.
Curently 2 degrees (F) above zero here. Colder as you get further away from Lake Superior. The forecast for Thursday is for it to be our first day of the winter with a sub-zero daytime high temperature.
Quite nice indoors though.
Moose

This message is a reply to:
 Message 9 by berberry, posted 12-22-2004 3:44 AM berberry has not replied

  
Silent H
Member (Idle past 5819 days)
Posts: 7405
From: satellite of love
Joined: 12-11-2002


Message 11 of 46 (170649)
12-22-2004 4:43 AM
Reply to: Message 6 by roxrkool
12-21-2004 8:55 PM


Happy Holidays Rox!
I don't mind the Christian celebration and even enjoy the songs, stories, movies.
I think this is an interesting point and I agree with it. Its interesting for all of the claims that atheists must hate Xians and everything they do, including wanting to ban nativity scenes or public celebrations of Christmas (unless it is just secular Santa).
While I am an atheist and personally diametrically opposed to the faith of Xianity, and a huge supporter of separation of church and state, there is no denying that:
1) Even if it started as a pagan holiday, Xmas was for our immediate culture a major Xian holiday.
2) Since it is pretty important to most Xians it seems odd that anyone should want to actively dampen their spirits by being mean and preventing them from celebrating their holiday.
3) Since you can celebrate it as you want to, even pagans can try and revive its roots, it is almost hypocritical to bash Xians and do immature things like ban nativity scenes. You can put up santa they can put up Jesus, okay?
4) I think it is without question that as Xianity has dominated western culture for some time, much of the great artists have invested a lot of their energy into it, including beautiful and moving music and art... so why should anyone be offended by it even if it is Xian. Even when I knew I had no faith, I loved attending candelight church services, where there was little prayer and a lot of singing.
So for all of those who think atheists must be meanspirited and bah humbug Christians for celebrating, here is a present from me. Merry Christmas!
Oh yes, and Happy Holidays to everyone including IrishRock who I just realized I forgot to say Happy Holidays to.

holmes
"...what a fool believes he sees, no wise man has the power to reason away.."(D. Bros)

This message is a reply to:
 Message 6 by roxrkool, posted 12-21-2004 8:55 PM roxrkool has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 12 by roxrkool, posted 12-22-2004 9:54 AM Silent H has not replied

  
roxrkool
Member (Idle past 988 days)
Posts: 1497
From: Nevada
Joined: 03-23-2003


Message 12 of 46 (170692)
12-22-2004 9:54 AM
Reply to: Message 11 by Silent H
12-22-2004 4:43 AM


I agree with everything you said. I don't care how people wish to express their joy and celebrate this time of year either.
I find it terribly sad that rather than attempt inclusiveness in the celebrations, we are resorting to banishment. All it will do is make the holidays sterile and boring, and provoke the banned groups (primarily Christian) into legal action.
How can anyone say it's fair to ban Christian celebration, but then allow pagan, Jewish, etc. celebrations? Either ban them all, which would be a real tragedy, or include them all.
I understand that some would complain about this inclusiveness, too, and even fight it, but in my opinion introducing the masses to other forms of celebration is the nobler fight.
OH! And I forgot to wish a Happy Holiday season to everyone else.
This message has been edited by roxrkool, 12-22-2004 09:55 AM

This message is a reply to:
 Message 11 by Silent H, posted 12-22-2004 4:43 AM Silent H has not replied

  
PecosGeorge
Member (Idle past 6872 days)
Posts: 863
From: Texas
Joined: 04-09-2004


Message 13 of 46 (170767)
12-22-2004 1:09 PM
Reply to: Message 1 by IrishRockhound
12-21-2004 11:16 AM


Happiness to you, good health, good everything, no matter what time of year.
There is something about the Irish, and the one I loved most and really only, was..and the reason I say was, is because something simple, like death, ended it recently and it is hard to get a grip...and this particular fact of life is not conducive to ....... well, so it is.
Christmas appeals to the spiritual side of many people, something about it touches that something deep inside we cannot explain, we cannot measure.
So, live long and prosper and may the force be with you.....all.
This message has been edited by PecosGeorge, 12-22-2004 01:10 PM

This message is a reply to:
 Message 1 by IrishRockhound, posted 12-21-2004 11:16 AM IrishRockhound has not replied

  
PerfectDeath
Inactive Member


Message 14 of 46 (170769)
12-22-2004 1:12 PM
Reply to: Message 9 by berberry
12-22-2004 3:44 AM


Re: Who's getting snow, and / or who wants it?
i live up in western canada and there is VERY little snow here and it's quite warm here too... it's not gonna be a white christmas in the kootanays.

This message is a reply to:
 Message 9 by berberry, posted 12-22-2004 3:44 AM berberry has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 26 by berberry, posted 12-23-2004 1:53 AM PerfectDeath has not replied

  
PecosGeorge
Member (Idle past 6872 days)
Posts: 863
From: Texas
Joined: 04-09-2004


Message 15 of 46 (170771)
12-22-2004 1:14 PM
Reply to: Message 5 by Silent H
12-21-2004 6:22 PM


Good cheer
Good will
Good world

This message is a reply to:
 Message 5 by Silent H, posted 12-21-2004 6:22 PM Silent H has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 17 by berberry, posted 12-22-2004 1:23 PM PecosGeorge has not replied
 Message 18 by Silent H, posted 12-22-2004 6:31 PM PecosGeorge has not replied

  
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