Guest Tehuti Nefer Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 Now that I know the pagan origins of Christmas i probably wouldn't celebrate it even if I were still a Christian. Knowledge is a wonderful thing. Being aware of the astronomical events that have led so many cultures hundreds and even thousands of years before Jesus to celebrate December 25th (day of the winter solstice under the Julian calendar) as the birthday of the sun god (dies natalis Solis Invincti - birthday of the invincible sun) gives me a whole different perspective of this holiday. so much truth has been cleverly hidden under the exoteric doctrines of the church. Now that I know (at least a part of) the truth I have even more reason to celebrate. The problem is I have no one to celebrate with because everyone I know is still in the matrix. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dianka Posted December 11, 2005 Share Posted December 11, 2005 Now that I know the pagan origins of Christmas i probably wouldn't celebrate it even if I were still a Christian. Knowledge is a wonderful thing. Being aware of the astronomical events that have led so many cultures hundreds and even thousands of years before Jesus to celebrate December 25th (day of the winter solstice under the Julian calendar) as the birthday of the sun god (dies natalis Solis Invincti - birthday of the invincible sun) gives me a whole different perspective of this holiday. so much truth has been cleverly hidden under the exoteric doctrines of the church. Now that I know (at least a part of) the truth I have even more reason to celebrate. The problem is I have no one to celebrate with because everyone I know is still in the matrix. I tried to find the person who said this "the more you know, the less meaningful it all becomes" I would add depressing. The people that you usually celebrate with - are they fundies? I am pretty lucky that my relatives will usually get me drunk well before we get to their necessary little prayer. Catholics.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 One thing for sure if you find yourself in the fire the thing to do is not to jump back into the frying pan. Branch out and condition your mind to take pleasure in things that are real instead of trying to recapture the joy we had in things that we know are not real., Great words of wisdom, Tehuti. Welcome to the forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizard Posted December 12, 2005 Share Posted December 12, 2005 Please..someone slap me! *SLAP* Feel better now? Much better, thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nirrti Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 Christmas songs have never had a deeply religious conotation for me. I can still listen to them and appreciate them for their cultural and artistic value rather than having to believe the lyrics. In fact, this past Sunday, I went to the Holiday concert at my former church and had a great time. Their music ministry is like experiencing a night at the Philharmonic and they never do anything half-assed, always going for a high quality concert you'd pay $50 for if it wasn't free. So I got a chance to appreciate the great music from the choir (that I was once in and the only thing I miss about church), the orchestra and the dancers without attaching religious value on their performance. It was strange, however, listening to the lyrics and for the first time, not taking them literally. They did a gospel song called "He Reigns" in which they had dancers performing along with the choir and orchestra. One of the dancers was playing Jesus, dressed in a shimmering white robe and raising his arms in a...well, Jesus fashion. It was a little comical to me seeing some of the dancers dressed as angels doing their "exultation" moves toward the guy. But I treated it as if I was looking at a Chinese dance performance with the dragons and simply enjoyed the pageantry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No Heaven for Kevin Posted December 14, 2005 Share Posted December 14, 2005 Christmas is just a paid day off from work. I don't celebrate anything because, 1. I'm not a christian. 2. I'm not part of an agricultural society. 3. I'm not a pagan. 4. I've always hated holiday music... except for Carol of the Bells done by actual bells. Ver' nice. 5. I don't wanna, so there. Also, my family can suck it. lol. "Bah Humbug" sums it up nicely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lycorth Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 This will be my first Christmas as a non-Christian. I can sympathize with all those who think they may feel sentimental, because I too remember good times attaching religious value to the holiday. Things have changed within me, but that's another story. I approach it like this: now, as a freethinking person (a Deist, personally), I know my mind is my church, and hence can attach all the significance I want to the event, so long as I do no harm to myself. It is free for me to reinterpret as I see fit, within the natural bounds of reason and truth. This Christmas, and all to come, are like an unexplored territory that I get to map and chart for myself. I don't have to have it all dictated for me. And I have someone new and special in my life right now, so that will surely add extra significance to the holidays - and since she feels much as I do, we get to explore a fresh look at the holiday season together. It's all about training yourself to look at something from a new perspective, rather than assume all you have is to fall back on the old drumbeats and the old, worn-out paths. Forge ahead, and find new meaning - that's what I'm committed to doing, not just for Christmas but all year 'round. Just take a disadvantage and turn it into an advantage - and enjoy the season! It only comes once a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karissa Posted December 15, 2005 Share Posted December 15, 2005 This will be my first Christmas as a real atheist. So far, the religious songs have been weird because I love to sing with my family, but I don't like the words. One really funny thing happened, though. My mom puts out a statue thing of santa kneeling at baby's jesus's manger. I looked at it and commented, "Hey, that's funny. They're both imaginary." I got eye rolls from my parents and a laugh from my brother. But, I think that really connected it for me that believing in Jesus for me is like believing in Santa; it was fun until I realized that it wasn't real and there were other things worth putting my time into- real things. Best wishes to everyone this Christmas, especially those dealing with the first time thing. Just try, if you are able, to focus on being with family or just the season within itself...you know...happy winter solstice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevin Posted December 20, 2005 Share Posted December 20, 2005 This will be my first Christmas not believeing. What as your first one like? Mine will be good, I will still love the hooliday. My first too. I feel kinda sad in a way. Have been to church to see my kids sing etc. then sat and chatted afterwards with old familiar faces over coffee and fellowship food. They are good people but I feel we live in different worlds now, so not too much to chat about apart from the superficial stuff. Kevin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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