If An Atheist Greets "Merry Christmas" To A Christian...

Neither. Christmas has become much more than a religious holiday. If Christ were alive, I'm sure he would HATE the hell out of it.

Christmas is really about giving and receiving. And I believe we're all in favor of that.

Besides, many Atheists were raising in Christian families, and were brought up into Christmas. In all seriousness, Christmas is less a religious pastime as it is a cultural and social one. Everyone celebrates Christmas, unless your Jewish (which, in that case, you have your own holiday) or they are seriously against it and refuse to practice it. It may be a little hypocritical... but it's harmless. Wishing someone a Merry anything is basic politeness.

And, by the way, wishing a Christian a Merry Christmas isn't technically hypocritical because the Atheist is wishing the Christian Merry Christmas. The Atheist wants the Christian to be happy with his/her holiday. The atheist is not accepting the holiday or anything… he’s just wishing good-will. Can Atheists not be happy, cheerful people who wish good-will towards others?

Humans had winter solstice celebrations long before Christians adopted the practice. Their god's label has been applied to the holiday, so I just say Merry Christmas out of lifelong ingrained habit. The same reason many folks say they believe, lifelong ingrained habit.

Not even cow-tipping? In the spirit of the holidays?

Now you must die.

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Oddly enough, that's what I say right after I wish someone a Merry Christmas as well...

I think you've milked that gag enough. Move along.

Don't mean to horn in hear but don't you mean "Mooooo-ve along."?

I agree with Jacob in that Christians (specifically the Catholics) have co-opted Christmas (and Easter and no doubt one or two other holidays) for their own use in indoctrinating the Heathen Masses. I celebrate it in a Christ centered fashion, hopefully. That does not mean I expect everyone to do likewise and if an atheist wished me a Merry One, I'd wish him one right back.

Wanna know how far from the true spirit of Christmas the current version has moved?

I pretty much have everything I want, and the stuff I don't have is cost prohibitive to request for the holiday. So when I tell my family and my gf's family "I dunno, donate some money to charity in my name" as a nice Christmas gift for me, they chuckle and say "OK, really, what do you want?". WtF, ya know?

In some of the more rigid, fundamentalist Christian circles "Merry Christmas" is actually offensive. Because, to them, the word "merry" insinuates drunkiness. I'm serious.

Being raised Catholic, I never had that problem, since we use everything as an excuse to drink anyway. wink

Now that's a religion I can believe in!

plus you can sin all you want as long as you goto confession! it's a great deal, just don't forget to put your money in the hat.

thank you, drive thru

On the liberal note, it's not really the same thing because the Christmas holiday is really more a winter break. Don't forget about New Year's. Additionally, "under God" is about separtation of church and state. Now you can cite the reason for break being at this time of year because of Christmas, but I cite winter.

For many, Christmas involves family, gift giving, decoration and display. Things that have been co-opted into commercial aspects.

There is plenty Christmas for non-Christians. This "secularization" has affected Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, etc. All of the once revered Christian-based celebrations.

It shouldn't be a difficult conversation item for a non-Christian anymore. It is more of an assumption that someone is a good person, wishing you a pleasant season, showing appreciation for their good fortune/luck/fate, etc.

Now Hannukah isn't the same. It hasn't been "co-opted" and commercialized to the extent that many non-Jews celebrate the holiday. So it is much more of a protected religious holiday(s).

Someone wishing me Merry Christmas doesn't make me question what they assume about me and my own choice of religion. Someone saying 'happy holidays' is being as neutral and PC as they can. Bottom line is they are wishing me well, which I would like to return to them. If someone wished me Happy Hannukah, I would wonder if they assumed I was Jewish. But being a generally nice person, I would probably shoot it back at them. Why not?

It isn't making me a Jew, not "slamming" me from God's MCI to Vishnu's AT&T without my knowing it... I think people wishing you well, in any form deserve your appreciation.

Except for those damn Church of Elvis people. LOSE MY NUMBER!

Unfortunately you describe secular society mostly and not Christians. And those Christians who do not know the meaning or trash it in materialism really have no business calling themselves Christians anyways.

Or people who call themselves "Christians" out of habit. Just because your were raised one, doesn't mean you are one.

Amen.

Uhh...I'd say when one says "Merry Christmas," you're saying it for the other person's sake. I'm Jewish, so I say Happy Hannukkah to my Jewish friends and Merry Christmas to my Christian friends. Makes sense, doesn't it? It's YOUR holiday, and I'm wishing YOU a merry one.

And it does piss me off slightly when people pull this: "But Christmas is such a big deal now that it's become a national holiday! So why don't you celebrate it?" Ahh...because...it's not a national holiday. It's celebrating the birth of Jesus, whether you remember that or not. Jesus.

That's a good way to look at. If your friend had a birthday today, you'd wish him a happy birthday regardless of whether you have a birthday today, as well.

I'm an atheist (with a Christian family on one side, Jewish on the other), and I celebrate the Christmas holiday. Why? Because some of my family is (loosely, admittedly) practicing, I get to see some of them once a year, and that's reason enough for me.

I also embrace the secular bits of it, including the decorations, exchanging gifts, and such. As Jacob pointed out, there were Winter Solstice celebrations that predate Christmas, so I fail to see how ANY celebration is a corruption of Christian beliefs when those beliefs, themselves, corrupted pagan Winter Solstice celebrations.

Actually what is interesting is the symbolism behind Christmas lights, wreathes, the tree, and a lotta other things.

But, and ashamedly I must admit, I seem to have forgotten the details exactly of their symbolism.

The lights represent the light of Christ being brought to the world. The evergreen is everlasting life of Jesus if I recall. Those I can recall.

And Eye of Sauron there are many more then 4000 Christians in the world. As that one song says....Saints are just sinners that fall down and get back up. Just as flawed and in many cases even more flawed then you or me. No one is perfect.

...and the Easter Bunny was symbolic of Jesus' desire to father hundereds of children. No, wait....Who was Santa again?

Wanna hear something ironic?

The local office of the ACLU is closed on Christmas.

hehe.

Good one.

I don't get why that is ironic. The ACLU shouldn't give its people holidays?

I have consciouslly considered myself an atheist since around the age of ten. Both of my parents were raised as devout chatolics and my father and his new family continue to be very religious. They separated when I was very young and have lived most of my life with my mother. Even though at some point you could say she lost her faith she never tried to steer me in either direction regarding religious belief and was encouraged to draw my own conclusions. We both celebrate christmas with much joy and don't consider ourselves hypocrites for it. There is historical evidence that Jesus trully lived and although we are not of the opinion that he was resurrected after his crucifiction we celebrate his birthday for the great humanitarian that he was. I've never considered Jesus to be the son of God or a half human/god but simply one of the many persons before and since who took a genuine interest in his fellow man. I don't mean to debate the origin of Jesus or his beliefs but to me Jesus is a prime example of the heights we can reach as humans when we remove our self-interests from our lives and worry about the travails of others. I know I'll never be able to dedicated myself in such a manner but I do believe that whatever your religious beliefs may be celebrating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth is an occasion for reflection and thanks. No matter how miserable our lives may be, on this particular nigh we can get together with our families if we are lucky enough to have one and be thankful for the few moments of happiness we get to expirience. I love you Jesus.

Jacob's right. They need that day off, too. They need to rest after campaigning against Nativity Scenes 24/7.

Even though I have deep personal faith and remain a practicing (if wary) Catholic I am fully aware that Christmas actually began as a PAGAN Holiday that took place in many cultures during the Winter Solstice. When the Church decided to pick a date to celebrate the birth of Christ, it made sense to combine it with these other festivities. Hence, Christmas was born. But much of the Holiday traditions we practice today were born of the pagan rituals.

Christmas is indeed for EVERYONE, believers and non-believers alike.