Every year this season feels rants about how there seems to be a secularist plot to remove religion out of Christmas and turn it away from its true meaning.
But let's be honest, isn't it the other way around? I remember loving Christmas, and I now remember why, my most treasured memories about Christmas have nothing to do with religion, and I was grown in a very conservative Catholic home. The best things about Christmas are family, decorations, food ,the orgy of consumerism and maybe charity. Really, I loved Christmas as a kid because of gifts. I sort of like Christmas as an adult because of the chance of buying good gifts for people I care. And because every commerce decorates their things and put discounts hoping to make you spend all your wallet.
And if you think about it, this solstice tradition has nothing to do with religion. It was always about keeping people together during the most cold time of the year. The religions and Santa Claus came later.
Which brings me here: http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/has-c ... oo-secular
Some of the arguments are so disastrous, but at least some people think things through: Like this one: http://www.usnews.com/debate-club/has-c ... -all-of-us
Quote:
Take a look at the most important parts of Christmas: togetherness, compassion, and peace. Those are secular values. A secular Christmas is an inclusive Christmas true to the spirit of the holiday.
Some might claim that the "most important" part of Christmas is a particular religious belief. But do we really want to put faith before family? Doctrine over charity? No. If anything, religion is distracting us from the real meaning of Christmas.
Finally, somebody had to say it.
And honestly, religion ruins everything. I remember having to deal with the religious aspects of Christmas a couple of years and God it was boring. Really, Church is the last place you want to be during Christmas eve while you are waiting for the time you can finally open that gigantic space ship.
_________________
.
22 Dec 2011, 6:23 pm
