Christianity banned from cinemas

[Shaker]

Because we want to.

Oh no ... I haven't heard that bloody song in years and now it's going to be in my head all night 

[Shaker]

Because that's the tradition - not that they are really celebrating anything just enjoying time with family, a nice meal and a day off from everyday stuff.

That's stuff to celebrate, surely.

[Maeght]

That's stuff to celebrate, surely.

Yes, of course, but there is more than one meaning to the word and I think BA is using it in a way i wouldn't think applied to that (I think!).

[BashfulAnthony]

TASMINA NASRIN  ( look her up.)
Tasmina Nasrin, an award-winning writer, physician, secular humanist and human rights activist, is known for her powerful writings on women, oppression and unflinching criticism of religion, writes:


"I celebrate no religious festivals since my childhood. I don’t celebrate because I am an atheist. I can’t find a reason to celebrate Eid, Puja, Christmas, Hanukkah etc. Do I need to celebrate something? Not really. But if I feel like celebrating a special Day, there are plenty of Days out there. Human Rights Day. Women’s Day, Children’s Day, International Labour Day, World Poetry Day, World Health Day, Darwin Day etc. A humane holiday is universal.

I get surprised when ex-Christian atheists instead of celebrating a day off work, celebrate Christmas. Christmas is a Christian holiday, a religious event — it is for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Atheists don’t believe in God the "

A non-hypocritical atheist, who says it as it is.  So, you lot, have the courage of your convictions!

[Shaker]

She's referring to ex-Christian atheists.

Doesn't apply to me, then

Also, my nominally Hindu neighbours observe (not really 'celebrate' as such) Christmas and they're not hypocrites - you said so yourself. So why are atheists in the same position hypocrites according to you?

[BashfulAnthony]

She's referring to ex-Christian atheists.

Doesn't apply to me, then

She hit the nail on the head, and what she says includes the likes of you. 

[Maeght]

TASLIMA NASREEN  ( look her up.)
Taslima Nasreen, an award-winning writer, physician, secular humanist and human rights activist, is known for her powerful writings on women, oppression and unflinching criticism of religion, writes:


"I celebrate no religious festivals since my childhood. I don’t celebrate because I am an atheist. I can’t find a reason to celebrate Eid, Puja, Christmas, Hanukkah etc. Do I need to celebrate something? Not really. But if I feel like celebrating a special Day, there are plenty of Days out there. Human Rights Day. Women’s Day, Children’s Day, International Labour Day, World Poetry Day, World Health Day, Darwin Day etc. A humane holiday is universal.

I get surprised when ex-Christian atheists instead of celebrating a day off work, celebrate Christmas. Christmas is a Christian holiday, a religious event — it is for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Atheists don’t believe in God the "

A non-hypocritical atheist, who says it as it is.  So, you lot, have the courage of your convictions!

Courage of convictions - not to take part in a nice family day? What would be the point of that? I think the idea that Christmas is necessarily a religious event is wrong. Nothing religious about the way we do it.

[Shaker]

She hit the nail on the head, and what she says includes the likes of you.

No she didn't, and no it doesn't. How many times does it have to be explained to you?

[BashfulAnthony]

Courage of convictions - not to take part in a nice family day? What would be the point of that? I think the idea that Christmas is a religious event is wrong. Nothing religious about the way we do it.

You haven't appreciated what she said.  Your answer is a cop-out.

[Maeght]

You haven't appreciated what she said.  Your answer is a cop-out.

Explain why you think that please.

[Shaker]

You haven't appreciated what she said.

'Appreciated' is not a synonym for 'agree with.' I've read what she's said carefully; I think it's a load of balls.

[Rhiannon]

My kids live in a world where Christmas is just about the biggest thing in theirs and their friends' lives each year. To not allow them to celebrate because we aren't Christian would make me a pompous bigot.

[Shaker]

You mean, you let them out of the cellar for Christmas??? 

Kids get everything these days!

[BashfulAnthony]

My kids live in a world where Christmas is just about the biggest thing in theirs and their friends' lives each year. To not allow them to celebrate because we aren't Christian would make me a pompous bigot.

So instead you settle for hypocrisy.  As Nasreem put it: "...Christian holiday, a religious event — it is for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Atheists don’t believe in God."

[Maeght]

So instead you settle for hypocrisy.  As Nasreem put it: "...Christian holiday, a religious event — it is for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Atheists don’t believe in God."

For it to be hypocrisy one would have to put on 'a pretense of having a virtuous character, moral or religious beliefs or principles'. If you aren't pretending to celebrate the birth of Jesus then it isn't hypocrisy. Jesus doesn't come into it for me so no hypocrisy.

[Shaker]

"Atheists don't believe in God" - she's a sharp one!

No, they don't believe in God. They frequently do however "believe in" (wrong phrase, but ...) celebration, in good times, in light and colour in the midst of darkness and drabness, in good food and good drink, in nice music, in a respite from the weary drudgery of wage slavery, in sharing all of the above with those they love most.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Rhi,

...would make me a pompous bigot.

Maybe BA would agree with you a job share?

[BashfulAnthony]

Nasrim went on to say:

 " I do not celebrate religious festivals, I do not miss anything. I can celebrate a happy feast any day. I can celebrate a family get-together any day of the year. You can do the same if you want. You can give gifts to the children you love on Children’s Day. You can light up your home and neighbourhood on December 10 to celebrate Human Rights Day or on December 15 to celebrate Bill of Rights Day or on December 16 to celebrate Boston Tea Party Anniversary or Beethoven’s birthday or Victory Day of Bangladesh. Do we really need Krishna, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad or any charlatan’s birthday to have our family re-union, to exchange gifts, to eat good food, or to light up our homes? The answer is simple, no."

That covers all the excuses you lot have lamely tried.  She is a clear-sighted, and honest woman.  Take a lesson atheists.  I may not appreciate her atheism, but I appreciate her honesty and lack of hypocrisy.

[Shaker]

Nasreem went on to say:

 " I do not celebrate religious festivals

Me either.

I do not miss anything. I can celebrate a happy feast any day. I can celebrate a family get-together any day of the year. You can do the same if you want. You can give gifts to the children you love on Children’s Day. You can light up your home and neighbourhood on December 10 to celebrate Human Rights Day or on December 15 to celebrate Bill of Rights Day or on December 16 to celebrate Boston Tea Party Anniversary or Beethoven’s birthday or Victory Day of Bangladesh. Do we really need Krishna, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad or any charlatan’s birthday to have our family re-union, to exchange gifts, to eat good food, or to light up our homes? The answer is simple, no."

Exactly.

That covers all the excuses you lot have lamely tried.  She is a clear-sighted, and honest woman.  Take a lesson atheists.  I may not appreciate her atheism, but I appreciate her honesty and lack of hypocrisy.

Which bit of  "Atheists and those of non-Christian religions are not celebrating a religious festival" are you finding so hard to comprehend?

Her examples are, to me, worthy but rather dull in a sort of overly earnest sort of way. Even given my love for music, one of the mainstays of my life, am I really going to observe Beethoven's birthday? No. Boston Tea Party Day means sod all to me, and I don't live in Bangladesh. I'm happy to know that it's Human Rights Day, but it's not a cause for festivities. I celebrate for one day on my birthday because that's all I can get away with, but at the darkest and most colourless time of the year I want more than that.

No, I'm afraid Nasreen just doesn't seem to get the concept of a festival of light and colour at these latitudes at this time of year, any more than you do.

[BashfulAnthony]

Me either.Exactly.
Which bit of  "Atheists and those of non-Christian religions are not celebrating a religious festival" are you finding so hard to comprehend?

Keep trying!  Once a hypocrite, always a hypocrite!

[Maeght]

Nasreem went on to say:

 " I do not celebrate religious festivals, I do not miss anything. I can celebrate a happy feast any day. I can celebrate a family get-together any day of the year. You can do the same if you want. You can give gifts to the children you love on Children’s Day. You can light up your home and neighbourhood on December 10 to celebrate Human Rights Day or on December 15 to celebrate Bill of Rights Day or on December 16 to celebrate Boston Tea Party Anniversary or Beethoven’s birthday or Victory Day of Bangladesh. Do we really need Krishna, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad or any charlatan’s birthday to have our family re-union, to exchange gifts, to eat good food, or to light up our homes? The answer is simple, no."

That covers all the excuses you lot have lamely tried.  She is a clear-sighted, and honest woman.  Take a lesson atheists.  I may not appreciate her atheism, but I appreciate her honesty and lack of hypocrisy.

That's her point of view - fine. She didn't grow up in Britain with a tradition of celebrating Christmas as a family day did she? Probably sees things differently to people who did.

No one is making excuses or being hypocrites - we have all been honest and said we are not celebrating Jesus's birth by having a Christmas dinner and a day with the family. It is a tradition in Britain which is a harmless and fun one to carry on, nothing more than that. Can you really not see that?

[bluehillside Retd.]

BA,

So why do people celebrate on the particular day, I ask again.

Seriously?

Because it's a ancient festival based on the turning of the year (the origin of religious resurrection myths incidentally) that's become embedded in our cultural lives such that most people have the day off work, most people enjoy a convivial time with friends and family, most people take the opportunity for a blow out meal featuring lots of dishes and symbols that long pre-date the arrival of christian beliefs still held by some.

That your particular religion chose to bolt itself onto that festival even though 364 others were available makes the question, "so why do Christians celebrate on that particular day?" the more pertinent one I'd have thought. Luckily for you though most of us aren't pompous or illiterate enough to accuse Christians of 'hypocrisy" even though they don't believe in many of the symbols and rituals of the day they've also co-opted for their own.   

[BashfulAnthony]

That's her point of view - fine. She didn't grow up in Britain with a tradition of celebrating Christmas as a family day did she? Probably sees things differently to people who did.

No one is making excuses or being hypocrites - we have all been honest and said we are not celebrating Jesus's birth by having a Christmas dinner and a day with the family. It is a tradition in Britain which is a harmless and fun one to carry on, nothing more than that. Can you really not see that?

She lived for ten years in Europe, and has that experience of Christmas traditions here.  No, I do not accept that.  Read what Nasrin says, again.

[BashfulAnthony]

'Appreciated' is not a synonym for 'agree with.' I've read what she's said carefully; I think it's a load of balls.

She spoke the truth.  The fact that you don't either understand it or appreciate her honesty is no surprise.

[Maeght]

She lived for ten years in Europe, and has that experience of Christmas traditions here.  No, I do not accept that.  Read what Nasrin says, again.

I have. She lived in Western Europe for 10 years but did not grow up in Britain with our traditions so does not have the same cultural associations. I don't agree with her point of view. Why do you think I should?