2Bornot2B Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 I have a question to pose to the group about Xmas. As I drive around in my vehicle I often pass churches and they all have their witty signs out proclaiming this of that. Last night I passed one church and they had a sign that read "Jesus is the reason." Now, we all know what they are talking about and we all know that Xmas has nothing to do with Jesus. This time of year is meant to celebrate the coming of winter, and the realization that even through the "death" of the season, their will be rebirth in spring. Xtians took Saturnalia and Yule and perverted them. Everything related to Xmas except for the nice little Jesus story comes from an ancient pagan religion. This is my first Xmas as an exxtian and perhaps I am overly sensitive to the issue but everywhere I go all I hear or see is something to do with Jesus and Christmas and it makes me want to shout to the top of my lungs that Xmas has nothing to do with Jesus. Perhaps I need to call it something else like Festivus, Yule, Wintermas, or something. Does any of this "jesus is the reason" bs make any of you guys angry? Thanks in advance for your replies. Josh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 It used to, but I feel less upset this year. I just get into the x-mas feel, and I rather call it Yule, but it's just a time to be together, eat food, watch TV, play games and hand out presents. After all, Saturnalia, the Roman tradition around this time, they did similar things, before Christianity stole it. So the tradition can be kept, we just don't have to get into the Jesus-fanatism of it. We know the truth, but I don't expect Christians suddenly wake up and search for answers about this season and really find out the background story to it. People live in ignorance, and they choose to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraphicsGuy Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 Doesn't really bother me that much. I don't think Xians *really* apply Jebus as the reason for the season. If they did then the tree and decorations and presents wouldn't be such a big deal to them. And I think most of them *know* that Xmas trees are a pagan custom...well...no...now that I think about it...AH YES! The triangular shape of the tree was said to be a symbol for the trinity. That's right. Somebody high up in the Xian hierarchy made up that bullshit about 10-12 years ago to make people feel better (give 'em a stiffy) about the paganism of the Xmas tree. Yeah, so they *know* they just don't want to admit it. Just like the rest of their religion. If they have doubts they squash 'em deep, deep down inside themselves, cover their ears, and yell, "la la la la la la!" Still, Xmas means so little to me personally I really don't give a shit what they want to believe about it. Really, I don't give a shit about what the Xians believe at all anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ouroboros Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 So the boxes symbolize how square and boxed in the Christians are? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraphicsGuy Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 Damn! I'm going to use that one next time I hear the trinity crap! LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piprus Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 It doesn't make me angry, not after all this time of being out of the xian world. But Ebenezer Scrooge was right...it's humbug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted December 16, 2007 Share Posted December 16, 2007 Does any of this "jesus is the reason" bs make any of you guys angry? It doesn't make me angry because in spirit most people don't make this connection, including Christians. The Christmas season in the US isn't about Jesus, it's about shopping, football, dysfunctional family get-togethers and eating massive quantities of food almost to the point of puking....that's the American way. Ok so some hardcore fundies might make the effort to attend church on Xmas day, but I think they are the minority... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hereticzero Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 It bothers me only for the reason this line of BS goes back to christians wanting to make this a christian country. The media gives a voice to their lunacy. I've always thought of the media as the voice of satan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Does any of this "jesus is the reason" bs make any of you guys angry? Thanks in advance for your replies. Josh Hi Josh. I've seen a few of your posts. Welcome to the group. My answer to this question: It's not worth the energy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mwc Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Does any of this "jesus is the reason" bs make any of you guys angry? I've learned the hard way that, for the most part, the only time "jesus is the reason" for anything is when someone like one of us says he's not. Until we share our opinion it seems most people don't give two shits for old jesus one way or the other (despite what they might actually be chanting...or not). In that respect I guess, yes, this "jesus is the reason" crap does continue to make me angry. mwc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWIM Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 It only bothers me mildly. It bothers me a bit because it stands as a constant reminder of how in the dark our society is. Like high school grads not being able to find delaware on a map, or college grads with *very* poor sentence structure. It's just like that with me, it's the reminder of cloudy non-thought and ignorance that gets to me about this, not the symbol itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurisaz Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 This time of year is meant to celebrate the coming of winter, and the realization that even through the "death" of the season, their will be rebirth in spring. Xtians took Saturnalia and Yule and perverted them. Everything related to Xmas except for the nice little Jesus story comes from an ancient pagan religion. Damn right. I'll celebrate Yuletide this year exactly like I celebrated the years before... with my beloved Islington and a friend of us who designates himself as a "free shaman". It tends to be fun Would I want to have the cheap copy of the heathen original? FUCK NO! Does any of this "jesus is the reason" bs make any of you guys angry? Sometimes... but rarely. While I hold no love for morontheism (whether of the jehoover, jebus or moo'ham'it cult), I know that pretty much all the christians I know personally are lovely people (and it's almost guaranteed that they'll want to puke just as much as I want to when confronted with morontheism - one comment I heard after telling someone what "christianity" is about in the US was literally "*shakes head* "So fehlgeleitet!" = "so misguided!"). Most of my fellow Germans neither know nor care about what's the truth for "Das Fest", and as long as they don't harrass me... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white_raven23 Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 Just remember, they may call it Christmas now.... but even in our modern world, the holiday is still true to it's non-religious roots. Decorated trees? Nothing to do with Jesus. Mistletoe? Nothing to do with Jesus. Santa Claus? Nothing to do with Jesus. Fireplace stockings? Nothing to do with Jesus. Colored twinkly lights on houses? Nothing to do with Jesus. Giving presents to loved ones? Nothing to do with Jesus. It's ridiculous. Folks put lights all over their houses, buy each other gifts, put up stockings, and kiss under the mistletoe.....and call it "celebrating the birth of Jesus". "Jesus" according to the mythology wasn't even born in a house (let alone a lighted and decorated one), didn't have a fireplace let alone stockings, and evergreen trees and mistletoe were not indigenous to the area. So...how does any of that shit celebrate the birth of the figure depicted in the mythology? It doesn't. Enjoy the Season. You don't need a Reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted December 17, 2007 Share Posted December 17, 2007 And I think most of them *know* that Xmas trees are a pagan custom...well...no...now that I think about it...AH YES! The triangular shape of the tree was said to be a symbol for the trinity. That's right. Somebody high up in the Xian hierarchy made up that bullshit about 10-12 years ago to make people feel better (give 'em a stiffy) about the paganism of the Xmas tree. christians make up alot of stuff to try to make all the christmas stuff fit in. Even as a kid, it all seemed incongruous. There are so many different symbols. What do these characters have in common? Santa clause, baby Jesus, Frosty the Snowman, Mary on a donkey, Rudolph the Rednose Reigndeer, the Grinch, Nutcracker, Gingerbread men, Angels, Ebenezer Scrooge, Elves, Wisemen on camels. Not much. "Christmas" for me is a time to celebrate family, find a way to enjoy the winter and remember to be more giving. There is something for everyone and I don't sweat it. Those who want to impose their specific christmas ideology are just being ridiculous. A funny thing though, a christian friend gave my kids candy canes with a little tag that claimed the candy cane was created to symbolize Jesus: It is in the shape of a J, has red for his blood and white for his purity. *sigh* If you want to take symbolism that far, shouldn't you stop short of putting Jesus' blood on candy for unbaptized kids? Or maybe your kids were baptized. In Mennonite traditions it's seen as a sacrilege or something to offer unbaptized kids the sacraments. And Jesus' blood on candy--if I can get beyond the idea of just plain gross--seems sacrament-like. Also, the Bible says somewhere not to eat blood. So it just seems decent to stop short of symbolizing blood on candy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twincats Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 This is my first Xmas as an exxtian and perhaps I am overly sensitive to the issue but everywhere I go all I hear or see is something to do with Jesus and Christmas and it makes me want to shout to the top of my lungs that Xmas has nothing to do with Jesus. Perhaps I need to call it something else like Festivus, Yule, Wintermas, or something. Does any of this "jesus is the reason" bs make any of you guys angry? Thanks in advance for your replies. Josh I have to be honest and say that, yes it is pissing me off. This is mainly because of the letters in the local paper spouting the same crap about jesus is the reason while they ignore anyone for whom the reason for the season is something else. Makes me want to scream "No, you morons, jesus is just YOUR reason!! Stop being such selfish, unchristlike pricks, will ya?" :angry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 "The Sun is the reason for the season", actually. Now this leads to an interesting position here in the Antipodes. Y'see, in the Northern Hemisphere, the longest day of the year is June 21st-22nd. As an aside, that's why both Napoleon and Hitler began their invasions of Russia on the 22nd June. They both used the longest day to make final preparations, and the next day was the kick-off. By contrast, the 21st-22nd December is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice. In ancient times, people were afraid the sun would die and not return if they didn't have some sort of festival around this date. The church stole this festival and called it Christmas. So we in the Southern Hemisphere are doing things bassackwards. In reality, we should celebrate Christmas on the 25th June, and hold a Summer festival on December 25th, if we could be bothered to celebrate either one. This makes the thing even more incongruous to me. We have temperatures (in American terms) of 105-110 on christmas day and yet Santa, his reindeer, and all the trimmings of a Winter festival duly make their appearance. Crazy! Casey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-COG Posted December 18, 2007 Share Posted December 18, 2007 A funny thing though, a christian friend gave my kids candy canes with a little tag that claimed the candy cane was created to symbolize Jesus: It is in the shape of a J, has red for his blood and white for his purity. *sigh* Perhaps you should print out this page about candy canes from snopes and share it with your friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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