Are Atheists Hypocritical in Celebrating Christmas?

by Sea Breeze 68 Replies latest jw friends

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  TonusOH

  I'm fine with the idea that it is hypocritical to celebrate Christmas while not believing in god. My comment about Labor Day was facetious, but could be seen in the same light. I celebrate Halloween, though I do not believe in demons or witches or ghosts. I celebrate Thanksgiving, but do not say a prayer of thanks. There are likely to be other such celebrations that I partake in without believing in the subject being celebrated.

  I doubt most people would express any concern over it. It sounds similar to saying that I'm a coward because I refuse to drive a large knife through my hand. It's true! I refuse to do it, and it doesn't bother me to be considered a coward in this context. I am comfortable making that trade-off, and many like it.
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  SydBarrett

  People attend Halloween parties without literally believing in ghosts, vampires, witches and ghoulies. People go bar hopping on St Patricks or Cinco de Mayo without being of Irish or Mexican descent.
  
  Human beings enjoy an excuse to be festive and socialise. Nothing hypocritical.
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  peacefulpete

  If a person honestly looks at the claims that Jesus made, there are only three conclusions that a person can logically come to. He was the world's greatest Liar, Lunatic, or Lord.

  Jesus never wrote a book. Jesus never made any claims about himself.
  
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  Sea Breeze

  I'm fine with the idea that it is hypocritical to celebrate Christmas while not believing in god.

  TonusOH, I appreciate your honesty. Thank you.
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  nicolaou

  Are creationists hypocritical in making use of modern medicine?

  After all, modern medicine relies significantly on the understanding of evolution. Concepts such as antibiotic resistance, the development of vaccines, and the study of genetic diseases are all rooted in evolutionary principles.

  Understanding, and so accepting the truthfulness of evolutionary biology, is crucial in medical research and the development of new treatments.

  For the record, I don't think believers are hypocritical in using antibiotics etc, just ignorant.
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  IWant2Know

  Sea Breeze said:

  Is Richard Dawkins and others like him hypocritical in denying the Creator's existence while celebrating his birthday?

  I'm not an atheist, however, I don't consider myself a religious person. However, I also don't consider myself as a hypocrite for celebrating Christmas.

  I just view it as a tradition where most people get time off from their jobs and therefore, have time to get together to see each other and to enjoy the festivities of the season.
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  Reasonfirst

  Surely, this was a dumb question.

  I understand the sem-christian origins of Xmas, but in the contemporary celebration, what precisely is christian?

  Both in my own suburban shopping centre and in the centre of Sydney today I notice very little that may have christian significance.

  Santa Claus and xmas trees rule supreme
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  blondie

  Many atheists I know celebrate December 21 Solstice Day with parties, music, etc. Not Christmas. Some say that Christmas was put near that date so pagans could still celebrate their non-Christian event.
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  jhine

  I don't see atheists as hypocritical for having parties, putting up trees etc . Nothing religious about that.

  However for Richard Dawkins to sing songs of praise to the God that he has spent most of his life denying does seem hypocritical

  Jan from Tam
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  TD

  --Struggling to see how the word, "hypocrisy" would apply, given the fact that it is, by definition, a violation of one's own standards and has nothing to do with the perceptions of others.

  Was St. Paul hypocritical in stating (In a nutshell) that if an idol was nothing, than the idol sacrifice couldn't possibly be defiled by it?

  I would say, "no." He didn't belief in the gods represented by the idols and therefore the customs held no significance beyond the mundane as far as he was concerned.