A Christmas Poll for Atheists

[Magic_Man]

My family are what I would call "lazy Christians." Possibly some of my brothers are agnostic/atheist, but we don't ever talk about it. I imagine most of them believe more in a personal god or religion, although I believe they would also identify as "Christian" in a poll. That is, they don't ever think about Jesus, but for some reason they think of themselves as Christian anyway. We celebrate Christmas, but there is little religious aspect involved. However, I'm voting for the first choice below, because I believe that if pressed, they would give the Christian reason for celebrating Christmas, and because they would probably be shocked/uneasy if I told them I was an atheist.

Thus, if your family is nonreligious, but might identify as Christian, please pick the best choice you can below. Just curious...

~MagicMan

[Magic_Man]

Also, I am engaged to a "lazy Christian" of sorts, and we occasionally discuss how we will raise our children religiously - she doesn't know I am as hardcore atheist as I am beginning to realize. I would actually have no problem celebrating "Christmas," just because it is a fun holiday, a great excuse to get the family together, and honestly because giving and getting presents is fun. I suppose I consider it a cultural holiday more than a religous one. I started this poll because I'm curious how the other atheists feel. Probably some of you celebrate Christmas with your family because of pressure from religious relatives. If those relatives weren't around, would you celebrate a holiday of some kind? Would you call it Christmas?

~MagicMan

[Wubbie075]

My family is mixed religions. My father is jewish and my mother is catholic. I was raised jewish. We celebrate both jewish and christian holidays.

[madnak]

Atheist, celebrate Christmas with family. If I were a festive person I'd get into it. Christmas probably doesn't have its origins in Christianity in the first place, there really is no reason not to celebrate a holiday just because you don't follow the religion. God knows the Christians never did stop celebrating the big pagan orgy festivals.

But I'm not a holiday person, so maybe a phone call and a couple cheap presents are all I do.

[Mark H]

I am 50 years old. I became an agnostic about 8 years ago
but within the last 2 years I have decided I am an atheist.
My Mom is very religious. Dad, brothers and sister somwhat less. They know i'm an atheist I go to Xmass to be with family and just ignore the religious stuff

Mark

[arahant]

[ QUOTE ]
God knows the Christians never did stop celebrating the big pagan orgy festivals.


[/ QUOTE ]
Wait. What now?
Am I not getting the evites because I'm not christian?

[keith123]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
God knows the Christians never did stop celebrating the big pagan orgy festivals.


[/ QUOTE ]
Wait. What now?
Am I not getting the evites because I'm not christian?

[/ QUOTE ]

Christians started celebrating the birth of Christ at the same time of the pagan's biggest feast worshipping the sun god. While the pagan's were celebrating that by having orgy, Christians gathered seperately.

[BobOjedaFan]

I voted choice #1. Christmas is just meant to be a holliday with love, family, etc etc etc. Any Atheist who goes out of his way to not celebrate it (who has family that does) is just being a jerk. I have no problem celebrating it.

[Siegmund]

No poll option for "I was raised by members of a Christian group that do not celebrate Christmas; today, even though I have rejected my parents' ideas on religion, I continue to have no interest in celebrating Christmas," I see /images/graemlins/smile.gif
The false-religion aspect of the origins / underlying meaning of Christmas remains a factor in why I avoid participating in it, even among friends for whom it's a purely secular celebration.