Originally posted by amannion Good point, although I'm not sure that was Joe's point. He's having a go at any sign of religious celebration in a community.
Now far be it for me to act as an apologist for christians or any other faith, but you can take rabid atheism a little bit too far at times - it's a little like ultra forms of political correctness.
Sometimes you've just got to get over it ...
I think Joe's just having a dig; no harm done.
Trouble with rabid atheism is you come off looking silly, like a missionary.
I'm in favour of multiplying the amount of holidays associated with fictitious entities. Provided that they're fun. Needn't be on an annual basis either ... Some are strictly once-off. 'The Cosmic Chicken will be crowing for three days only ... Get your rubber suits while they last.'
Originally posted by Bosse de Nage I think Joe's just having a dig; no harm done.
Trouble with rabid atheism is you come off looking silly, like a missionary.
I'm in favour of multiplying the amount of holidays associated with fictitious entities. Provided that they're fun. Needn't be on an annual basis either ... Some are strictly once-off. 'The Cosmic Chicken will be crowing for three days only ... Get your rubber suits while they last.'
He seems a bit more serious to me, but anyway, no harm done.
I'm with you on the holidays.
How about a Flying Spaghetti Monster Bolognese Festival?
Originally posted by 667joe The solstice applies to everybody. A minority of the world is Christian. If you are a Christian, please enjoy your holiday, but have the decency to realize some people you wish a merry Xmas to may take umbrage just as you seem to have taken umbrage with me. Remember, though, Xmas can be avoided, but you will experience the solstice no matter what, so you ter, so you see, you are really celebrating the solstice. Christians plagiarized the holiday!
What do you mean "applies" to everybody? The celebration of solstice as a holiday definitely does NOT apply to everybody. If JC was a historical figure, would you consider that Christmas (as a celebration of his birth) also "applies" to everybody? The fact that an event exists does not mean it's holy or worthy of celebration.
That said, if you ACTUALLY celebrated the solstice as a holiday season, I'd not take umbrage with you, like I am taking now. You see, your intentions have been transparent from the start. You're just being disingenuous with your attack on other people's celebrations and perhaps you should lighten up and simply accept the good intentions of Christmas greetings.
Originally posted by amannion He seems a bit more serious to me, but anyway, no harm done.
I'm with you on the holidays.
How about a Flying Spaghetti Monster Bolognese Festival?
Wonderful. Would you like to tie it in with some particular time of year? When is the spaghetti harvesting season?
Incidentally I think the FSM cult would get a major boost if there were affiliate entities associated with it. It's a bit boring if everyone dresses up as the FSM, isn't it? As it happens I think the menagerie of Edward Lear is apt for the purpose, the Dong with the Luminous Nose in particular -- a Nyarlathotep to the FSM's Azathoth. Then there is the Quangle-Wangle-Quee, who keeps his opinions to himself ... Does he believe in the FSM? Did he invent the FSM? Not telling.
Originally posted by Bosse de Nage Wonderful. Would you like to tie it in with some particular time of year? When is the spaghetti harvesting season?
Incidentally I think the FSM cult would get a major boost if there were affiliate entities associated with it. It's a bit boring if everyone dresses up as the FSM, isn't it? As it happens I think the menagerie of Edward Lear is apt for ...[text shortened]... s his opinions to himself ... Does he believe in the FSM? Did he invent the FSM? Not telling.
What about a spagghetina?
http://media.photobucket.com/image/tomatina%20spaggheti/MusicalBox63/600mbblog/tomatina_09.jpg
Originally posted by 667joe You don't havae to cellebrate the solstice, but you will live through it (twice a year)a. It's not avoidable unless you leave the planet.
LOL, so Christmas "applies" to you because you'll live through it? 😵
Not being a Christian, I don't have to live through it. Again, the solstice is something physical. It affects everyone and everything. Christmas is ephemeral and truly only affects those who beleive in fairy tales. Xmas trees and decorations all ariginated with the cellabration of the solstice.
Originally posted by 667joe Not being a Christian, I don't have to live through it. Again, the solstice is something physical. It affects everyone and everything. Christmas is ephemeral and truly only affects those who beleive in fairy tales. Xmas trees and decorations all ariginated with the cellabration of the solstice.
Not only is it a Summer solstice here, but it will pass unnoticed for most of us. Every day affects everyone and everything (on the earth at least), but we don't celebrate every day. To celebrate something there should be something special about it and I don't find the Summer solstice special enough to go around wishing people a happy one. I probably would if it was traditional to do so, but in these parts it isn't.
Originally posted by 667joe Not being a Christian, I don't have to live through it. Again, the solstice is something physical. It affects everyone and everything. Christmas is ephemeral and truly only affects those who beleive in fairy tales. Xmas trees and decorations all ariginated with the cellabration of the solstice.
Christmas affects you more than any of the two solstices. This is why it bothers you, but it's also why your "affect" argument doesn't hold any water.
Originally posted by FabianFnas The date set for Christmas could be any day. Someone chosed 25 of december. The idea was that baby Jeus was born that day.
If so, why doesn't year 1 start at the 26 of december?
Nobody knows on which date Jesus was born (or even IF he was born at all). Also, speculations aside, nobody knows why the date of 25th December was chosen. There are as many speculations about the winter solstice being the birth as there are with the vernal equinox (usually associated with fertility) being the date of conception and 25th of December simply 9 months later. For example, the Greek Orthodox Church celebrates the supposed birth on the 6th of January (the epiphany). Interestingly, they also point out to the 25th of March as the day of conception.
Also, the Gregorian calendar changed the leap-years. More than 1500 years passed between the hypothetical birth and the calendar change, which means that from an average of 365.25 days a year we went to an average of 365.2425. Multiply that by 1500 years and you get more than 11 days difference over the course of a millennium and a half. Does anyone know on what date the Winter Solstice fell on the Julian Calendar? It could even be closer to Dec 25 than Dec 21 (I don't know).
Originally posted by 667joe Not being a Christian, I don't have to live through it. Again, the solstice is something physical. It affects everyone and everything. Christmas is ephemeral and truly only affects those who beleive in fairy tales. Xmas trees and decorations all ariginated with the cellabration of the solstice.
But the day before solstice and the day after are also physical things that we all 'pass through'. Why not celebrate them as well, or instead?
I get that for some of our ancestors the solstice was significant. For us, it's not and banging on about christmas and christian celebrations isn't going to change that. It just makes you look foolish.
Holiday Greetings
03 Dec '09 04:40
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