For all you lurking conservative Godsters...I'm an atheist, yet I enjoy Gospel and Christmas carols.

[rustbeltvoice]

35. i am a Catholic and a d/Democrat and...

concerning Christmas:

These "conservative Godsters", most are hypocrites, and some tyrants.

It must be remembered that Christmas was not celebrated, for most of history, in English-speaking America. Certain extreme Protestants still do not. There were places in Calvinist America where it was illegal to celebrate the day, and well into the XIXth century one could be dismissed from employment for taking the holiday. There were occasions where the Catholic or the Orthodox (and many following the Julian calendar) worker benefited from having a Jewish boss, whom did not have this "christian" bias.

It must be recognised that Christmas was a season of twelve days beginning on the 25th, with a preparatory season of four weeks (Advent) before. This was a community celebration, it was an organic folk "thing" where each group had their own elements to add and enjoy. Within that community, the degree of religiosity and scope of theological belief varied. The mean spirited debunking by other theists, and evangelising atheists is a strike to the community of celebrants.

Now currently in this country (we are not in such a country where it is unlawful or dangerous, though such have and do exist) there are many ways to celebrate, or not to celebrate the holiday. If one is not interested, well--fine; if one enjoys certain aspects, well--fine. The day/season can not be forced upon one, and if it were? what version?

Now, those making this a "war" are agitating frauds. Christmas has been co-opted, in large degree, by the secular business and commercial interests that only use it as a vehicle to gather lucre. This wars with Christmas. Those who are not interested at all in Christmas, do not harm it; they only do not share in it. If these people include atheists, they cause no harm. Those who try to cast all of Christmas as a non-Christian endeavor are hostile to it. Those who shout and whine about this number as dangerous enemies are disturbed, and/or dishonest. We are not under a powerful tyranny that threatens those who participate in Christmas. It is annoying, and bothersome to encounter those who still want to censor Christmas, whatever their motivation. Tell them to have a 'Merry Christmas'.

There are some Protestant congregations now which celebrate the holiday only outside of church. Some of these self appointed defenders of the holiday, do not participate in much, or any religious services. Self-contradiction has never been a problem for them.

There are several lines in Dickens' A Christmas Carol that applies to this. There are different sorts of Scrooges about.