CaliforniaKid wrote:FYI, Dan, to say "Happy Winter Solstice" is not PC, since it causes offense to FOX News and Rush Limbaugh. Much better to stick with the inoffensive phrase "Merry Christmas".
(Oh, and Merry Christmas to you too!)
For those of use that actually celebrate the winter solstice its completely unoffensive. I've already been distributing presents and alcohol to friends and (soon to be) relatives for 2 days now. So far, my Yule celebrations have been epic. By the gods paganism is fun, teehee. WHEE!
Ah yes, you may have confused atheists with pagans.
We Skeptics and secular humanists celebrate Newtonmass:
... we celebrate the birthday of Sir Isaac Newton, born this day in 1642 (old style Julian calendar). Newton remains one of the true giants of science, having discovered that gravity affects celestial bodies according to the same laws that we observe on Earth. Newton’s laws are still used by NASA today when sending vehicles into space - an amazing achievement for the seventeenth century.
So kick back ... and raise a toast to Sir Isaac. And remember, Newton was actually born on December 25th, unlike, er, that other guy whose birthday is also celebrated by many today.
Merry Christmas, Daniel, may the popcorn keep popping on your apricot tree.
An iPod would be a good gift. The Church is learning to use the new technologies primarily as a tool or as a means of evangelizing, as a way of being able to share its own message with the world. But this Church is not that Church ...
Pope Benedict XVI, a classical music lover who was reportedly given an iPod in 2006, has sought to reach out to young people through new media. During last summer's World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, he sent out mobile phone text messages citing scripture to thousands of registered pilgrims — signed with the tagline "BXVI."
- Whenever a poet or preacher, chief or wizard spouts gibberish, the human race spends centuries deciphering the message. - Umberto Eco - To assert that the earth revolves around the sun is as erroneous as to claim that Jesus was not born of a virgin. - Cardinal Bellarmine at the trial of Galilei
krose wrote:Happy Festivus. Let the airing of the grievances begin!
by the way Marg, if you got to know me, you would know someone who pays little attention to Christmas. Even though we sometimes show up at relatives' events on the 25th, it's an afterthought. My own family has been observing the Solstice, or Yule, for years (not as a religious event, but as a winter celebration, with gift-giving and feasting). My kids have always loved getting gifts a few days earlier than their friends.
A few years ago, just for fun, we started to observe all the cross-quarter days, in addition to the equinoxes and solstices. The more celebrating, the better!
Damn, u stole my idea.
And crawling on the planet's face Some insects called the human race Lost in time And lost in space...and meaning
I don't see the big problem some atheists have with celebrating Christmas. It's not really a religious holiday anyway -- why not let Santa come down your chimney and give you a bunch of presents?
JohnStuartMill wrote:Merry Christmas to you too, Dr. Peterson.
I don't see the big problem some atheists have with celebrating Christmas. It's not really a religious holiday anyway -- why not let Santa come down your chimney and give you a bunch of presents?
Daniel Peterson wrote:I wish you all a good winter solstice.
May your remaining months be reasonably pleasurable and, as much as possible, free from serious pain.
.
You seem to be confusing atheists with pagans.
I think the atheists seem to be doing that themselves. I've already read a few articles about atheists demanding Christmas be treated as a winter solstice celebration, and that people recognize that that festival far predates Christmas. Dr. Peterson is only trying to acquiesce.
JohnStuartMill wrote:Merry Christmas to you too, Dr. Peterson.
I don't see the big problem some atheists have with celebrating Christmas. It's not really a religious holiday anyway -- why not let Santa come down your chimney and give you a bunch of presents?
What does Santa have to do with Christmas?
Everything, apparently. Have you ever been to the mall?
krose wrote: by the way Marg, if you got to know me, you would know someone who pays little attention to Christmas. Even though we sometimes show up at relatives' events on the 25th, it's an afterthought. My own family has been observing the Solstice, or Yule, for years (not as a religious event, but as a winter celebration, with gift-giving and feasting). My kids have always loved getting gifts a few days earlier than their friends.
So then there's not much difference except for timing between a secular Solstice celebration versus a secular Christmas one. The only time I've ever heard of people celebrating Solstice has been on the Net, never in real life.
