Atheist advertising

[Racket_Man]

as we near the "Christmas" season, some Christian groups commence their "Put the Christ back in Christmas" and "The reason for the season" type adverts up on billboards, on TV and radio. I get this.

now the Atheist are getting into the fray so to speak. they are "questioning" the "moral high ground" the religious groups supposedly take with adverts of thier own.

http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/11..._lnk1%7C184044

[Ipecac Drano]

What gets me is when Xtians get caught up in the commercialization of Xmas without realizing it.

Up to the beginning of the 20th century, Easter was the biggest Xtian holiday of the year. But, thanks to some enterprising businessmen, most of the focus shifted to Christ's birth and away from him dying for the sins of his followers.

I can understand the Xtians' concern that their flock's attention is more on Santa than Jesus ("Jesus is the reason for the season!"), but the season, astronomically speaking, is not exclusive to Xmas. There are other holidays, religious and otherwise, that are being celebrated that time of year and some Xtians are ramming their "Xmas cheer" down the throats of Jews, Muslims, and others.

I have no problem in telling people "Happy Holidays!" as it is inclusive of all and, if you are celebrating Xmas, the greeting is plural and I'll be wishing you two happy holidays instead of one.

[Ghel]

In fact, there's no reason to think that Jesus (if he actually existed) was born around Christmas. The solstice was chosen because the early church didn't want their followers joining in the "pagan" solstice celebration that was popular at that time.

I like most of the atheistic billboard and bus campaigns recently, particularly "Don't believe in God? You're not alone." and "Be good for goodness' sake."

[Andara Bledin]

I'm particularly fond of the "reason for the season" ones, as those show a fundamental ignorance of the origins of Christmas celebrations.

However, I find all the sniping from both sides to be incredibly tacky.

Ghel, I haven't seen them, but I like the idea behind the "Be good for goodness' sake." It would be nice to see more generally benign statements from both camps.

^-.-^

[Ipecac Drano]

I like the idea behind the "Be good for goodness' sake." It would be nice to see more generally benign statements from both camps.

"Be good for goodness' sake" is actually a Humanist slogan, which tells us to be good because we mean to be good as opposed to just being good so that some Guy in the Sky doesn't punish us.

Plus, it's also a way of reminding those who feel that non-believers are amoral that we can be good without believing in some Guy in the Sky.

[Racket_Man]

In fact, there's no reason to think that Jesus (if he actually existed) was born around Christmas. The solstice was chosen because the early church didn't want their followers joining in the "pagan" solstice celebration that was popular at that time.

I like most of the atheistic billboard and bus campaigns recently, particularly "Don't believe in God? You're not alone." and "Be good for goodness' sake."

I believe that in the middle ages Christmas was originally in May (or soemwhere around that month not sure and has been celebtrated on Jan 6th as well and differeing calenders means different days and different birth/conception dates/beliefs). the Catholic church moved the day so it would be near the Yule and some other Pagan rituals days (that I can not think of the name of that is celbrated around the Winter Solstice) so the "converted" Pagans could keep their "holidays" relative to their "new faith"

very long treasties on the origins of Christmas
http://oce.catholic.com/index.php?title=Christmas

and the Wiki-pedia article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas

[Ipecac Drano]

Racket Man had nailed it on the head. One curious tradition that was carried over from the pagans still exists today: red doors on (some) churches.

In ancient times, the entrances of some pagan places of worship were smeared with menstrual blood, symbolizing that when one would leave the temple they would be reborn, as the temple was a "womb". This was the original meaning of being "born again", before it was sanitized by the Xtians.

[smileyeagle1021]

I have no problem in telling people "Happy Holidays!" as it is inclusive of all and, if you are celebrating Xmas, the greeting is plural and I'll be wishing you two happy holidays instead of one.

I think Lewis Black put it best, "most of us are celebrating two holidays, Christmas and New Years, but I, I am lazy, and rather than saying Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I'll just say fuck it, Happy Holidays and we're done"
*not an exact quote, but close enough

[Ghel]

One thing (of many) that bothers me is those ethnocentric people who insist that everybody has to say "Merry Christmas." Well, not everybody celebrates Christmas. There's at least half a dozen holidays celebrated around the winter solstice. "Merry Christmas" could be considered an insult to somebody who's Jewish, or Muslim, or Wiccan.

As an atheist, it actually doesn't bother me if somebody wishes me a merry Christmas. I still celebrate the non-religious aspects of Christmas (along with a few pagan ones). But it seems a little strange to wish a non-Christian a Merry Christmas. It's kind of like wishing somebody a happy birthday on your birthday.

[Ipecac Drano]

I think Lewis Black put it best, "most of us are celebrating two holidays, Christmas and New Years, but I, I am lazy, and rather than saying Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I'll just say fuck it, Happy Holidays and we're done"
*not an exact quote, but close enough

Gotta love Lewis!

One thing (of many) that bothers me is those ethnocentric people who insist that everybody has to say "Merry Christmas." Well, not everybody celebrates Christmas. There's at least half a dozen holidays celebrated around the winter solstice. "Merry Christmas" could be considered an insult to somebody who's Jewish, or Muslim, or Wiccan.

Exactly. Years ago, I was helping out at my friend's retail shop in December when he told all of the employees that he wanted us to wish every customer "Merry Xmas" instead of "Happy Holidays". I mentioned to him that not all of our customers were Xtian or celebrating Xmas. He replied that it was the Xmas season. I asked, "Even if Mr. Abramowitz is buying a CD for Chanukah?" "It's the Xmas season!" he replied.

[Racket_Man]

the BIGGEEST problem I see is that a religious (Chistian) holiday (like a few others) has been taken over by marketing and the push (or guilt) for "gift giving" has replaced any semblence of a religious holiday. So I get what the Christians are saying BUT......

Just becasue one of the major WESTERN religions has one of its high holy days at that time of year =/= exclusivity of said time of year

There are ssoooooooo many other belief systems that have high ritual days at the same time that the Christian arguement falls flat. Christianity is but one of many that use that particualr time of year for celebration.

in the US and Europe the majority of the population used to be Chistian (that is changing somewhat now) and the Christian just felt it was "their right" to have exclusive "ownership" for that time of the year.

It may be the "reason for your (meaning Christians) season" but you do not exclusivly own the dates surrounding it.

that season has just been hyped up to the point of absuritity now (and for the past 100 years since mass marketing/guilt came into the picture). I love the way Charles Schultz handled it in a Charlie Brown Christmas. Charlie Brown's problem is that the season is just too commerical and over hyped. and it all boiled down to the Bible verse that Linus resites in the school auditorium, stripping away all of the hype down to the basic reason for the season.

[Ipecac Drano]

I was going to challenge Xtians to prove their sincerity in practicing "Jesus is the reason for the season" by not getting caught up in the commercialization of Xmas, but they still need all the Nativity scenes and other decorations to proselytize their holiday.

[smileyeagle1021]

, but they still need all the Nativity scenes and other decorations to proselytize their holiday.

I like my mom's boyfriend's viewpoint on Nativity scenes, "I love interpretive visual fiction"... hell, he's looking forward to going to Temple Square and hearing about the Golden Tablets because he "loves a good fairy tale"
My mom sure can pick em

[Andara Bledin]

...but they still need all the Nativity scenes and other decorations to proselytize their holiday.

No we don't. I've decorated my apartment once in the three years I've lived there. For Halloween, not Christmas.

I suspect that the vast majority of people who decorate do so because it's an excuse to dress up their living space more than any actual religious observance.

^-.-^

[Peppergirl]

, but they still need all the Nativity scenes and other decorations to proselytize their holiday.

Funny, I'm a christian but I need none of those things.

Perhaps you meant to say SOME christians need these things? I'm sure you didn't mean to generalize, right?