Atheist Tactics in War on Christmas
Catholic League president Bill Donohue looks at the various strategies being used by anti-Christmas activists:
“If we can’t censor, then compete.” That’s the preferred modus operandi of many atheists out to smash Christmas. Their first instinct is to ban nativity scenes wherever they can. If that doesn’t work, then they lay claim to the same spot seeking to display their anti-Christmas message.
The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) is the most active atheist group using this two-prong strategy. In the Mississippi State Capitol, FFRF is displaying a sign mocking religion; it is trying to do the same in the Wisconsin State Capitol. No town is too small for FFRF to infect, which is why it is waging war in places like Athens, Texas and Prineville, Oregon. Sometimes the efforts of radical atheists yield really ugly fruit: in Santa Monica, city officials used a lottery system to sort out all the requests for display on public property, the result this year being that atheists won most of the spots.
We have no problem with the tactics of the American Humanist Association: it does not seek to censor or compete—it simply posts its inoffensive message on billboards. But FFRF is cut from a different cloth, and so are the zealots at American Atheists.
Unfortunately, some government officials have taken the easy way out by electing to ban all displays. For example, last year the Catholic League protested the display of the menorah, a religious symbol, and the banning of a nativity scene, also a religious symbol, at the St. George Staten Island Ferry Terminal and in Boca Raton, Florida. This year the courageous souls who run things in both places chose to ban all displays.
There are two ways government can practice neutrality: the tolerant way, which is to allow all world religions a limited period of time to display their wares in the public square; and the intolerant way, favored by liberals, which is to censor everyone. We vote for the former.
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Every one of the pagan symbols of rebirth, especially evergreen plants like firs, holly, and mistletoe were kept in place but given a new meaning by the priests. The same went for caroling and other pageantry. The pagan forms remained in place even as the Catholic priests reinterpreted the substance. In this way the end of the year holiday became the Christian Christmas. So is there really a War on Christmas in the 21st century? And just how Christian, really, are the traditions some are fighting to defend?
Chuck
The tradition of bringing evergreen boughs into the house on the longest night of the year originates in pre-Christian times in northern Europe. It was originally done on the 21st of December, more commonly known as the winter solstice. German immigrants brought the tradition with them to the U.S. in the 19th century.
Chuck
Holiday Paganism In fact, most of our most beloved Christmas traditions: caroling, holly, mistletoe, the Yule log, and figgy pudding, and even December 25th all have pagan roots. As Christianity began to spread through Europe in the Dark Ages, it was assaulted on all sides by pagan rulers defending their religious traditions. The early missionaries, in many instances, decided that it was better to join them rather than beat them. Therefore, they modified the story of Jesus' birth — which most likely took place in the spring — to fit into the pagan solstice rebirth celebrations. This is why we celebrate Christmas in the winter.
Chuck
The First Christmas in the United States........................................................................ The War on Christmas has been going on for longer than any of us ever imagined....................................................................... In fact, the first settlers in the U.S., the Puritans, criminalized the celebration of Christmas....................................................... They considered it to be an essentially Catholic holiday (and therefore just one small step away from paganism) and suppressed all of our most cherished holiday, or, Christmas traditions............................................. For instance, in the colony of Massachusetts, there was a fine of five shillings (significant money in those days) for being caught "observing any such day as Xmas or the like."
Chuck
Hey raysny we meet yet again! How are you?
The five things that define religion: 1) God or gods; 2) ritual; 3) sacred words or text; 4) hierarchy; 5) dogma. Atheism doesn't come close to fitting.
Let’s define me then, shall we? I qualify for 1) my faith in god is unquestionable and unshakable. 2)I celebrate Christmas, Easter and a few others, not so much as a tribute to Jesus, whom I think may very well have existed but to celebrate the love of my family and my god. 3) I think several books and texts are sacred, the bible, the Tipitaka and the Koran plus several more. Hell I even hold the Charters of Freedom as sacred! 4) My family, my god and my country in that order (but quite complex). 5) Definitely have these.
Now think with an open mind and define yourself for me please, I am quite interested in this atheist thing, and would love to know more of how it works.
"Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." ~ Thomas Jefferson ~ A mis-quote? Well worth checking out :-)
"Old Ogre" doesn't ring a bell, must be a different alias, either that or you never made an impression. Your faith is unshakeable? Well, good for you, my beliefs are also and mine are based on facts rather than faith. As I said, atheism does not fit the definition of a religion.
@Old Ogre...I think I might be able to help you in your quest for knowledge about atheists.................................An Atheists is a person who denies the theists assertion of a deity.......The reasons are its not logical and there is absolutely no evidence for such an assertion..........................That's it................................................................Atheists more than likely have nothing else in common......They may be republicans , Democrats, nice people, assholes and all in between.
Chuck
I see atheism here and in a general sense acting just as mean, nasty and dogmatic as many Religions. It turns out to be a religion of Atheism A as in self and theism as in deity.
End result is a religion of self deity.
People of science, higher knowledge and education would likely act in a more intelligent and tolerant manner.
The people of 'higher learning' that are true to the term, tend to be less religious, and in many cases, atheist, because with higher learning comes 'higher thinking' and freer thinking. Both of these lead to the realization that all super natural things are BS.
There is no proof of any super natural act or phenomenon of any kind. It is only through blind, unquestioning faith that anyone would believe in the super natural.
I started to question religion at about 10 or 11. By 16, I had come to the conclusion that it was all mythology. I still 'went along to get along' but that was as far as it went.
@Me2...There is no Atheism as you describe, atheists speak for themselves not any "Atheism".................................. The groups you speak of are 1st Amendment advocates trying to protect the Constitution................................................Only a religious person would describe atheism as a religion, because you find it incomprehensible to think of a person without religious beliefs................................Atheists as a whole have varying lifestyles and don't think of only self, they have family's and friends and jobs and lead quite ordinary lives.................................... We don't obsess on religion or gods, they are the least important points in our lives......................................."A Religion of self deity" you said, just how would that work in real life, not your fantasy one.
Chuck