Carmen's Challenging Questions for Atheists

[Guest questioner4]

The questions we, at The Refiner's Fire, would like to pose are as follows:

 

* Since you are an atheist, why do you celebrate Christmas or Easter? Why do you take vacations during that time? Why do you sing Christmas carols?

 

* Nearly every American partakes of the pagan holiday of Halloween. As an atheist, do you allow your children to partake of this 'fun' holiday? If so, you are, in essence, bowing down to pagan gods!

 

* Why do you take a 'day of rest'? Do you take off Saturdays and Sundays, or some other day of the week? Why? It was YHWH who commanded us to rest on the seventh day. Since you're an atheist, why bother taking a day off from work at all?

[Eponymic]

* Since you are an atheist, why do you celebrate Christmas or Easter? Why do you take vacations during that time? Why do you sing Christmas carols?

 

It's not a matter of celebrating Christmas, it's simply taking advantage of the fact that the nation is giving me a free day to play with. It really should be called Giftmas, because that's what it is- even to many Christians. As far as vacations during that time, that's not necessarily the case. Vacations vary, I'd watch out for making presumptions. I take vacations when they are most advantageous. I actually take most of mine during the summer.

 

Fuck Christmas Carols! I love the comraderie, but most of them a lousy songs. And that turns me off of them even more than the fact that many of them are religiously oriented. Bad music is bad music and Xmas carols tend to be some of the worst, just like the majority of most Christian music. I'd much rather get together with my friends & sing showtunes.

 

* Nearly every American partakes of the pagan holiday of Halloween. As an atheist, do you allow your children to partake of this 'fun' holiday? If so, you are, in essence, bowing down to pagan gods!

 

Again. You're making a presumption here. It's not bowing to the gods to go trick or treating, that was all created in a different spirit seperate from the initial intent & pagan origins of the holiday. So dressing up & all is hardly claiming any affinity for the pagan gods. Though I would much rather pay them homage than Mr. Yahweh & the fuzzy baby killers.

 

* Why do you take a 'day of rest'? Do you take off Saturdays and Sundays, or some other day of the week? Why? It was YHWH who commanded us to rest on the seventh day. Since you're an atheist, why bother taking a day off from work at all?

 

I often don't take the extra 'days of rest.' And when I do, it's because that's the way my company's work week is structured, not because of any homage paid to a religious figure.

 

 

The thing that rubs me about your post is the way you throw many presuppositions & phrases that are goading people to answer in a negative fashion. If you truly want to know an honest answer & not provoke an emotional response to your questions, I'd look for a better way to phrase them in the future.

 

Cheers.

[Ouroboros]

The questions we, at The Refiner's Fire, would like to pose are as follows:

 

* Since you are an atheist, why do you celebrate Christmas or Easter? Why do you take vacations during that time? Why do you sing Christmas carols?

Christmas and Easter are traditions that existed before Christianity hijacked them.

 

Christmas is called Yule in old English, and in Scandinavia it's called Jul, and it's very likely it's a word borrowed from Julius. The Yule tradition comes from the celebration of the Winter solstice, and in old Roman traditions it was celebrated as Saturnalia. The Easter is the celebration of the new harvest season, and is an old pagan tradition too. It's well known that Christianity borrowed both traditions.

 

The question should be turned back to the Christian, why do s/he have misteltoe, christmas tree, food, dancing and lights during his/her festival? Have they studied where these traditions started?

 

So why do Christians celebrate the winter solstice and the spring equinox? Those are pagan rituals.

 

There are Christian historians that argue that Jesus was born in the spring and not winter. So why do Christians celebrate his birthday at the wrong time of the year?

 

* Nearly every American partakes of the pagan holiday of Halloween. As an atheist, do you allow your children to partake of this 'fun' holiday? If so, you are, in essence, bowing down to pagan gods!

Sometimes, because the kids want to. But otherwise, personally my family, we don't decorate or make it to a large celebration or holiday. But again the table should be turned. Why do I see almost every Christian participate in Hallowen, with pumpkin carvings, skeletons and dressing up?

 

* Why do you take a 'day of rest'? Do you take off Saturdays and Sundays, or some other day of the week? Why? It was YHWH who commanded us to rest on the seventh day. Since you're an atheist, why bother taking a day off from work at all?

I'm a partner in a business and on-call everyday. I try to take Saturday off for me to read and do whatever I want, and Sundays to be with the kids. Why should work have the highest priority, just because I'm not Christian? So in essence every Non-Christian works 7/24 without sleep or food or water, because only Christians eat, sleep and drink? You need a break now and then, and it's good to recharge your batteries once a week. There's no need to be religious to do that.

 

Does the Bible mention anything about vacations? If not, is it a sin to take a vacation? Shouldn't a Christian accept that he only gets one day a week off, but not get a vacation?

[Cerise]

The questions we, at The Refiner's Fire, would like to pose are as follows:

 

* Since you are an atheist, why do you celebrate Christmas or Easter? Why do you take vacations during that time? Why do you sing Christmas carols?

 

1) Some of my friends and family celebrate christmas and I enjoy spending time with them. Also, why deprive yourself of a chance to relax and have a holiday? We're atheists, not killjoys. I sing lots of things, including mantras, vedas, chants, and show tunes. Why? Because I can.

 

* Nearly every American partakes of the pagan holiday of Halloween. As an atheist, do you allow your children to partake of this 'fun' holiday? If so, you are, in essence, bowing down to pagan gods!

 

How do you figure that? When you send someone a card on Valentine's Day, does this make you Catholic? Some of you at Refiner's Fire need to take some logic lessons.

 

* Why do you take a 'day of rest'? Do you take off Saturdays and Sundays, or some other day of the week? Why? It was YHWH who commanded us to rest on the seventh day. Since you're an atheist, why bother taking a day off from work at all?

 

Because I feel like it.

 

Anymore stupid questions?

[Ouroboros]

These questions are a bit silly.

 

Just because society has been forced into a celebration pattern from a certain religion, doesn't mean the religion is accepted or true.

 

Since we have Hallowen as a tradition, then it must in the same manner indicate that Christians accept Pagan as a true religion!

[♦ nivek ♦]

The questions we, at The Refiner's Fire, would like to pose are as follows:

 

* Since you are an atheist, why do you celebrate Christmas or Easter? Why do you take vacations during that time? Why do you sing Christmas carols?

 

Can't answer this with a straight face, as I am a pannist, not an athiest.

Don't use the xtian holidays of christmas or easter. Do take the paid days off to fuck around and get paid to be a slacker, eat a big meal and generally take a day of sleaze.

 

* Nearly every American partakes of the pagan holiday of Halloween. As an atheist, do you allow your children to partake of this 'fun' holiday? If so, you are, in essence, bowing down to pagan gods!

 

Again, this must not be a question directed towards me, but I'll stick my two sheckles in anyway.

The High Holy Day of those Pagans I live with and love is celebrated. No sweat off my nuts, no skin off my nose or knuckles for this to be a celebrated Day. Bowing down to several Pagan Goddeses has given me the opportunity to try some interesting lovers.. I'd suggest you try it sometime, and often.

 

* Why do you take a 'day of rest'? Do you take off Saturdays and Sundays, or some other day of the week? Why? It was YHWH who commanded us to rest on the seventh day. Since you're an atheist, why bother taking a day off from work at all?

 

 

Why not be a slacker? I work my ass (OK parts of a really big one) off when I work. Why should I allow you or anyone else define for me what the fuck defines work and when?

 

You can have your sillyassed ancient desert diety and all its forking commandments you want, however they won't build *work ethic* in someone who doesn't care to work.

 

I goddamn well work when I want, slack when I desire, and rest all damn day long if I can afford to do so. When i want off, I do so. I hope in your busy god_pleasing life t hat you someday can have the opportunity to be a professional _slacker and not have to kiss the bosses dick or ass and play bow_to-the_clock..

 

Simply put, I don't have a need for your Puritan made myths to make a sucess of myself, business endeavors, personal life, or love life. My extended family, partners and child are cared for, happy, and in need of nothing god.is.here.in.our.black.suits can provide.

 

k, happy fuckin' big assed perfesshunul slacker and mean_old_man, L.

[Guest Challenger]

The Christians I work with take time off during the holidays, and they don't work weekends.

 

I take off weekends because my employer insists that I do. I would much rather work 24/7, but I can't have everything in life.

[crazy-tiger]

The questions we, at The Refiner's Fire, would like to pose are as follows:

 

* Since you are an atheist, why do you celebrate Christmas or Easter? Why do you take vacations during that time? Why do you sing Christmas carols?

I don't... I celebrate the Equinoxes. I take my vacations whenever I like but usually around the Equinoxes. I don't sing carols as they're crap.

* Nearly every American partakes of the pagan holiday of Halloween. As an atheist, do you allow your children to partake of this 'fun' holiday? If so, you are, in essence, bowing down to pagan gods!

I don't celebrate Halloween, but if I did, it would be celebrating what is now a traditional non-religious holiday...

 

When you celebrate Christmas and Easter, are you celebrating the Pagan holidays and bowing down to Pagan Gods? If not, why assume that we are with Halloween?

Remember, Christmas and Easter were PAGAN holy days before Christians stole them. (best date for Jesus's birthday would be early April, not December)

* Why do you take a 'day of rest'? Do you take off Saturdays and Sundays, or some other day of the week? Why? It was YHWH who commanded us to rest on the seventh day. Since you're an atheist, why bother taking a day off from work at all?

I take a day of rest, aka. a day for myself, because if I didn't I'd very quickly burn myself out. I take it whenever I can... this week there isn't one, next week it'll be Wednesday, last week it was Monday.

 

 

 

I have to admit I'm offended at the tone of those questions and how they seem designed to paint Atheists as being anti-christian hypocrites.

[Guest Guest_serenitynow_*]

I'm still waiting for the "challenging" questions

[Ouroboros]

A link about Saturnalia someone gave to me in another thread:

Saturnalia in Roman Calendar

 

 

I'm still waiting for the "challenging" questions

Yup! Where, oh where, are the challenge here?

 

I have to admit I'm offended at the tone of those questions and how they seem designed to paint Atheists as being anti-christian hypocrites.

Questioner4 is not a full/true Christian, but has is in doubts (as I can see from older posts).

 

But then again, The Refiner's Fire is a Christian group, isn't it?

[Fweethawt]

* Since you are an atheist, why do you celebrate Christmas or Easter?

As stated above (I think) Christmas was originally a celebration of the return of the Sun, not the birth of messiah. And Easter is a celebration of Spring where everything comes back to life after Winter.

 

Both are good reasons to celebrate regardless of whether or not you're a theist or an atheist. Just because your cancerous religion wrapped its tentacles around them and claimed them for itself does nothing to change their original intent.

Why do you take vacations during that time?

What does this have to do with anything? If I take my vacation on the fouth of July, does this mean that I worship fireworks?

 

Why do you sing Christmas carols?

There are carols that reflect the original intent of the holiday. This question is pointless also.

 

* Nearly every American partakes of the pagan holiday of Halloween. As an atheist, do you allow your children to partake of this 'fun' holiday?

My children grew out of this when they were like eight or nine years old. They think it's stupid. They came to this conclusion on their own before I became an unbeliever.

 

If so, you are, in essence, bowing down to pagan gods!

You celebrate New Year's Day. Does this mean that you bow down to Father Time or, better yet, Baby New Year?

 

* Why do you take a 'day of rest'? Do you take off Saturdays and Sundays, or some other day of the week? Why? It was YHWH who commanded us to rest on the seventh day. Since you're an atheist, why bother taking a day off from work at all?

This is funny. The reason people have days off and work (for the most part) eight hour days, has nothing to do with your god. It does, however, have much to do with the people getting fed-up with working their asses off at some point.

 

 

I HARDLY know enough on the subject to give an opinion as to the time when eight hours are to become a day's work, but I am perfectly satisfied that eight hours will become a labor day.

 

The working people should be protected by law; if they are not, the capitalists will require just as many hours as human nature can bear. We have seen here in America street-car drivers working sixteen and seventeen hours a day. It was necessary to have a strike in order to get to fourteen, another strike to get to twelve, and nobody could blame them for keeping on striking till they get to eight hours.

 

For a man to get up before daylight and work till after dark, life is of no particular importance. He simply earns enough one day to prepare himself to work another. His whole life is spent in want and toil, and such a life is without value.

 

Of course, I cannot say that the present effort is going to succeed -- all I can say is that I hope it will. I cannot see how any man who does nothing -- who lives in idleness -- can insist that others should work ten or twelve hours a day. Neither can I see how a man who lives on the luxuries of life can find it in his heart, or in his stomach, to say that the poor ought to be satisfied with the crusts and crumbs they get.

 

I believe there is to be a revolution in the relations between labor and capital. The laboring people a few generations ago were not very intellectual. There were no schoolhouses, no teachers except the church, and the church taught obedience and faith -- told the poor people that although they had a hard time here, working for nothing, they would be paid in Paradise with a large interest. Now the working people are more intelligent -- they are better educated -- they read and write. In order to carry on the works of the present, many of them are machinists of the highest order. They must be reasoners. Every kind of mechanism insists upon logic. The working people are reasoners -- their hands and heads are in partnership. They know a great deal more than the capitalists. It takes a thousand times the brain to make a locomotive that it does to run a store or a bank. Think of the intelligence in a steamship and in all the thousand machines and devices that are now working for the world. These working people read. They meet together -- they discuss. They are becoming more and more independent in thought. They do not believe all they hear. They may take their hats off their heads to the priests, but they keep their brains in their heads for themselves.

 

The free school in this country has tended to put men on an equality, and the mechanic understands his side of the case, and is able to express his views. Under these circumstances there must be a revolution. That is to say, the relations between capital and labor must be changed, and the time must come when they who do the work -- they who make the money -- will insist on having some of the profits.

 

I do not expect this remedy to come entirely from the Government, or from Government interference. I think the Government can aid in passing good and wholesome laws -- laws fixing the length of a labor day; laws preventing the employment of children; laws for the safety and security of workingmen in mines and other dangerous places. But the laboring people must rely upon themselves; on their intelligence, and especially on their political power. They are in the majority in this country. They can if they wish -- if they will stand together -- elect Congresses and Senates, Presidents and Judges. They have it in their power to administer the Government of the United States.

 

The laboring man, however, ought to remember that all who labor are their brothers, and that all women who labor are their sisters, and whenever one class of workingmen or workingwomen is oppressed all other laborers ought to stand by the oppressed class. Probably the worst paid people in the world are the workingwomen. Think of the sewing women in this city -- and yet we call ourselves civilized! I would like to see all working people unite for the purpose of demanding justice, not only for men, but for women.

 

All my sympathies are on the side of those who toil -- of those who produce the real wealth of the world -- of those who carry the burdens of mankind.

 

Any man who wishes to force his brother to work -- to toil -- more than eight hours a day is not a civilized man.

 

My hope for the workingman has its foundation in the fact that he is growing more and more intelligent. I have also the same hope for the capitalist. The time must come when the capitalist will clearly and plainly see that his interests are identical with those of the laboring man. He will finally become intelligent enough to know that his prosperity depends on the prosperity of those who labor, When both become intelligent the matter will be settled.

 

Neither labor nor capital should resort to force.

 

-- The Morning Journal, April 27, 1890.

[Gnosis of Disbelief]

* Since you are an atheist, why do you celebrate Christmas or Easter? Why do you take vacations during that time? Why do you sing Christmas carols?

 

I don't celebrate either holiday. I don't sing Christmas carols. And what

the fuck does taking a vacation then have to do with anything?

 

 

* Nearly every American partakes of the pagan holiday of Halloween. As an atheist, do you allow your children to partake of this 'fun' holiday? If so, you are, in essence, bowing down to pagan gods!

 

I don't bother with it. But I don't think an atheist participating in Halloween is

really "celebrating" it. Does anyone who places a tooth under a kid's pillow

really believe in the tooth fairy? Is everyone who gives gifts on Christmas

really a christian?

 

 

* Why do you take a 'day of rest'? Do you take off Saturdays and Sundays, or some other day of the week? Why? It was YHWH who commanded us to rest on the seventh day. Since you're an atheist, why bother taking a day off from work at all?

 

Because I want to. And if I could get away with it, I'd take all the other

days off, just to beat gawd in the "rest" department.

 

[JeffXL]

I celebrate Xmas with the family, and would celebrate any holiday (involving food). No celebration of Easter at all. Why do you celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December? Put up a tree? Holly? Exchange gifts? Please show me the Bible verses where that is commanded.

 

Nivek already answered you, but allow me to say again: This is an ex-Christian site, not an atheist site. Try to read.

 

Why do Christians always make things up about us? Is it because they live in a world of make-believe?

 

 

Fweethought,

 

That was an absolutely awesome and excellent post. I will be printing that out!

 

Happy Holidays!

[Ouroboros]

By the way...

 

Where the heck in the Bible is it proclaimed that Christmas or Eastern should be celebrated at all???

 

It's just man-made holidays, and Christians are not more holy by celebrating them!

[Fweethawt]

Fweethought,

 

That was an absolutely awesome and excellent post. I will be printing that out!

 

Happy Holidays!

 

Dude,

 

Thou hast not seen nothin' yet!

 

If you liked that article, then this should keep you busy for a while.

 

CLICK HERE

 

Heck, I'll bet there are things there that you'll want to read more than just once.

 

Or twice, for that matter.

 

 

Happy Holidays to you and yours, also.

[Dio]

* Since you are an atheist, why do you celebrate Christmas or Easter? Why do you take vacations during that time? Why do you sing Christmas carols?

Because even though I'm an atheist, I deep down 'know' the truths that lie behind these holidays (or Holy Days), but as Paul stated in Romans 1, I 'suppress the truth in unrighteousness'. That's because I am in rebellion and love sin, and am in bondage to sin.

 

* Nearly every American partakes of the pagan holiday of Halloween. As an atheist, do you allow your children to partake of this 'fun' holiday? If so, you are, in essence, bowing down to pagan gods!

Yes, and as a result, I am being a total hypocrite, for by doing so, I am actually admitting to the existence of deities, even though I deny (externally) their possible existence, especially the one true God. Yes, I am bowing down to them, just as my knee will bow down at the last day.

 

* Why do you take a 'day of rest'? Do you take off Saturdays and Sundays, or some other day of the week? Why? It was YHWH who commanded us to rest on the seventh day. Since you're an atheist, why bother taking a day off from work at all?

Because, although I am in denial and in rebellion against the truth, I, as a man, created in his image, am designed such that I require rest one day in seven, just as it says in the earliest chapters of the holy scriptures.

 

I hope these are the answers you all are looking for.

[Fweethawt]

By the way...

Where the heck in the Bible is it proclaimed that Christmas or Eastern should be celebrated at all???

 

Han, as a moderator, I really don't think that it reflects well on the site

if you keep screaming like that.

 

You have to set a good example you know.

 

 

 

Doesn't the bible actually speak against having a Christmas tree?

 

 

It's just man-made holidays, and Christians are not more holy by celebrating them!

In my opinion, Christianity has taken much away from the original meaning of those holidays. They're not as much of a holiday as they are an opportunity for commercialism and proselytizing .

[blueheron]

Why do Christians celebrate Christmas and Easter? They are totally pagan.

 

Why do almost all Christians "celebrate" Halloween? They should be locking their doors and huddling around their KJBible. For me, it's just about kids getting candy. Just like Xmas is about family, friends, food and fun to me.

 

Why do I take a day of rest? Because I'm not an F'ing robot. You have to have a day off and in this country that day is often Sunday because employers aren't open then.

 

Why do Christians celebrate the Sabbath on Sunday? It's supposed to be on Saturday. (According to some denominations, those who worship on Sunday have the mark of the beast and are going to hell.) Anyway, you are not resting on the same day God does!! When he is ready to go back to work on Sunday, you guys are lazying around, or shopping or gorging yourselves at the all-you-can-eat buffet.

[♦ nivek ♦]

Have to add in here folks, about "slacking" (no Reboot, not SLAKISS!!!):

 

I have a hellova strong professional drive, almost a perfectionist in my desire to ensure the work I take on is done to the nth_degree_of_perfection before I let it out of my hands, leave the jobsite, or pass whatever is being worked on to tohers care.

 

That said, when it is time, and that is most of the time I slack like a chip and dip eating bastard.

 

 

What I do pays enough when I work to allows me to be a huge slacker. I celebrate every day that ends in Y. That usually is cause for a beer, a good round between the sheets and some good food.

 

Sounds like a damn good reason for a Celebration of some sort....

 

I pity the folks that have only the *authorized* holidays that their religious leaders permit them to have..

 

k, perfesshunual slacker and mean_old_man, L

[Guest questioner4]

Okay, I enjoy reading your responses - and you do make some good points. I just want to clear up one misunderstanding, though. I didn't come up with those questions. I saw them from a website that was posted on the front page of this website. I agree that those are stupid questions - and I knew you guys would be able to easily refute then. I should have refuted them myself, I guess - except that I'm not real good when it comes to words. Hence, what I typed in the subtitle.]

 

So don't think I agree with Carmen, okay? I agree that she is rather nasty and vindictive - and she doesn't paint Christians in a very good light either. So, I am on your side.

 

[Bodhi-in-Training]

* Since you are an atheist, why do you celebrate Christmas or Easter? Why do you take vacations during that time? Why do you sing Christmas carols?

 

The holidays are a celebration of family, not a religious occasion. As a Buddhist, I think of the suffering it would cause my family would if I didn't participate in family gatherings during that time. Not to mention how silly it would be on my part as (like I mentioned), it is not a religious occasion for us. Typically don't celebrate easter, it's more for the kids...Easter Bunny...egg hunts... Oh, and I take vacations because the office is closed.

 

 

* Nearly every American partakes of the pagan holiday of Halloween. As an atheist, do you allow your children to partake of this 'fun' holiday? If so, you are, in essence, bowing down to pagan gods!

 

Of course I allow them to do what kids love to do, dress up as their favourite characters for a day of fun. Has nothing to do with pagan "gods".

 

 

* Why do you take a 'day of rest'? Do you take off Saturdays and Sundays, or some other day of the week? Why? It was YHWH who commanded us to rest on the seventh day. Since you're an atheist, why bother taking a day off from work at all?

 

Because I work hard all week, and I deserve a day to pamper myself, lose myself in meditation or and spend the day doing things with my family. It's not a "day of rest" as much as it is a day to reconnect with things that mean the most to me....the reasons I work hard all week.

[Japedo]

The questions we, at The Refiner's Fire, would like to pose are as follows:

 

How many of you @ The Refiner's Fire constitutes as "we"? Is it the norm that you take on group think and not post individually? Just a question

 

* Since you are an atheist, why do you celebrate Christmas or Easter? Why do you take vacations during that time? Why do you sing Christmas carols?

 

* Nearly every American partakes of the pagan holiday of Halloween. As an atheist, do you allow your children to partake of this 'fun' holiday? If so, you are, in essence, bowing down to pagan gods!

 

* Why do you take a 'day of rest'? Do you take off Saturdays and Sundays, or some other day of the week? Why? It was YHWH who commanded us to rest on the seventh day. Since you're an atheist, why bother taking a day off from work at all?

 

I'm not an Atheist, but Agnostic. However I'll answer regardless. I haven't had a "vacation in over two years. Number one. Number two, for the last quite a few Christmas's We celebrated Hanukkah, and or did nothing but go out for Chinese food and spent time with our Children. This year though I'm happy to say that I'm going all out for Christmas, tree, lights, Decorations, and even hosting a few Christmas parties! Not because of any holy reason, but it's a good time to have fun with Friends and family.

 

If all of you at The Refiner's Fire knew any of your "Christian" history you'd not make such an embarrassing fools of yourselves as to proclaim that Christmas or Easter were "Christian Holidays". They were and still are Pagan to the very core, however instead of the SUN, it's all the same bs only it's now the Son. Everything down to the last detail of your "Christian bible" revolves around the "SUN" including the 12 signs of the Zodiac only the 12 in your story are called disciples that revolve around the Son/Sun. Your Star in the east, your Wise men, Virgin birth,Death, being saved, et al... are all Bits and pieces of Ancient pagan stories that the Catholic Church put together in one neat little sellable package. People buy it hook line and sinker with out even question or evidence for the most part. Those same people become offended when those of us who refuse to bow down to your silly little sungodman. Please take note any time you look at anything (especially from the Catholic Church, founder of Christianity) You can see they don't hide these facts. Their Pictures have suns behind all their gods/saints. Their priests clothes and garments and even some rituals look almost exactly those of Egyptian high priests. It's not all coincidental, it's all very deliberate and well thought out.

 

Next time you as a group decide to post on Ex-C, you perhaps should phrase your questions in a more intelligent and in an educated manner, your condescending attitude proves that you don't care what facts or the truth are. You've proven yourself to be a "BLIND" follower. You refuse with an honest heart to ask the most basic but difficult questions about your beliefs. You would much rather sneer and belittle those of us who have sought out the truth no matter if that "Faith" was what we had always believed true or not, then to have an honest fact finding debate IMO. Most of us here didn't come to our conclusions lightly, we Diligently looked, cried, and seeked no matter the outcome, I wanted the Truth, not a faith. I suppose it all depends what you're looking for.

 

As Far as day's off go, Sure I take them, and do nothing but housework, being a taxi, a cook on my "time off" the only part that suxs about that is, I don't get paid for those Jobs. that's what is considered "Free time" lol .

 

[Guest questioner4]

* Since you are an atheist, why do you celebrate Christmas or Easter? Why do you take vacations during that time? Why do you sing Christmas carols?

Because even though I'm an atheist, I deep down 'know' the truths that lie behind these holidays (or Holy Days), but as Paul stated in Romans 1, I 'suppress the truth in unrighteousness'. That's because I am in rebellion and love sin, and am in bondage to sin.

 

* Nearly every American partakes of the pagan holiday of Halloween. As an atheist, do you allow your children to partake of this 'fun' holiday? If so, you are, in essence, bowing down to pagan gods!

Yes, and as a result, I am being a total hypocrite, for by doing so, I am actually admitting to the existence of deities, even though I deny (externally) their possible existence, especially the one true God. Yes, I am bowing down to them, just as my knee will bow down at the last day.

 

* Why do you take a 'day of rest'? Do you take off Saturdays and Sundays, or some other day of the week? Why? It was YHWH who commanded us to rest on the seventh day. Since you're an atheist, why bother taking a day off from work at all?

Because, although I am in denial and in rebellion against the truth, I, as a man, created in his image, am designed such that I require rest one day in seven, just as it says in the earliest chapters of the holy scriptures.

 

I hope these are the answers you all are looking for.

Awww, you're too funny! I wouldn't be too surprised, though, if those were the type of answers Carmen was looking for. Fundies really do have a one track mind, when it comes to stuff like this. They can't seem to understand that some people sincerely don't see Christianity as the 'truth'.

 

Also, why should people who were raised up in other religions have to reject their background, and accept Christianity? Oh, that's right! They grew up believing in 'false religion' solely to defy the Christian God. That's what it is. After all, there's no possible chance they could have sincerely believe in the faith of their upbringing, just as much as people who were raised Christian do, right? Hah, yeah, right! That's Fundy arrogance for you.

[Ouroboros]

By the way...

Where the heck in the Bible is it proclaimed that Christmas or Eastern should be celebrated at all???

 

Han, as a moderator, I really don't think that it reflects well on the site

if you keep screaming like that.

 

You have to set a good example you know.

Sorry! I guess I have to moderate my voice...

 

Doesn't the bible actually speak against having a Christmas tree?

Don't know. But it does say something about being killed in a tree, that you're cursed or something. Wasn't that David's buddy that got killed in a tree?

 

 

 

Okay, I enjoy reading your responses - and you do make some good points. I just want to clear up one misunderstanding, though. I didn't come up with those questions. I saw them from a website that was posted on the front page of this website. I agree that those are stupid questions - and I knew you guys would be able to easily refute then. I should have refuted them myself, I guess - except that I'm not real good when it comes to words. Hence, what I typed in the subtitle.]

 

So don't think I agree with Carmen, okay? I agree that she is rather nasty and vindictive - and she doesn't paint Christians in a very good light either. So, I am on your side.

 

That's what I thought. And that's the reason I had to edit my first version of my post, because it first said "...you this..." and "...you that...", and I changed it into "...christian this...", etc

 

Is this the singer Carmen we're talking about? I figured he had more brains than to come up with these questions! (Btw, I met him once, and I *gasp* have a CD signed by him! Probably down at the bottom of my CD pile now... hehe...)

[Purple]

The questions we, at The Refiner's Fire, would like to pose are as follows:

 

* Since you are an atheist, why do you celebrate Christmas or Easter? Why do you take vacations during that time? Why do you sing Christmas carols?

 

* Nearly every American partakes of the pagan holiday of Halloween. As an atheist, do you allow your children to partake of this 'fun' holiday? If so, you are, in essence, bowing down to pagan gods!

 

* Why do you take a 'day of rest'? Do you take off Saturdays and Sundays, or some other day of the week? Why? It was YHWH who commanded us to rest on the seventh day. Since you're an atheist, why bother taking a day off from work at all?

 

 

How do Christians celebrate Easter? I mean you didn't even change the pagan name, aren't eggs and bunny decorations jsut bowing to a pagan god?.

 

As to the rest I'm not an atheist, I'm an agnostic. but I can answer.

 

Christmas was taken by the catholics from several other religions including Saturnalia, my Erus actaully follows the old Roman gods. So, I do not celebrate Christmas, but I do have a tree, and give gifts.

 

We've already seen my answer to Easter, it's not a Christian holiday, why do you celebrate it?

 

Halloween isn't pagan, it is All Hallows Eve and a Catholic Holiday, last I checked Catholics are Christians. It has some pagan roots, but so do Christmas and Easter, why single this one out as pagan? As to the rest to bow down to a pagan god I would have to well bow down to a pagan god. I know many a pagan, and some have rites on Oct 31, I don't go to those.

 

Um I am a homemaker, I get no days off.

 

Let's be honest with one another ok? Holidays as they are now in the western world are a mix of traditions, for any one faith to celebrate them involves compromise, as an agnostic I'm cool with that, but aren't Christians not suppossed to compromise?