Posts by Skeptic

since christmas is about the birth of christ, i know dec 25 was not his birthday, probly born around late sept or early oct. i guess he wanted to be born right before the baseball playoffs and world series, just kidding.

it was the early christian church that appointed dec 25th.

Skeptic

105

Athiests and Christmas?

by clash_city_rockers in

i was just thinking.

since christmas is about the birth of christ, i know dec 25 was not his birthday, probly born around late sept or early oct. i guess he wanted to be born right before the baseball playoffs and world series, just kidding.

it was the early christian church that appointed dec 25th.

Skeptic

If Christians can adopt an existing celebration and many of its traditions without compromising their Christian principles or giving credence to the previous doctrines, so can Atheists.

If the celebration of December 25 is a pagan holiday to pagans, and the celebration of December 25 is a Christian holiday to Christians, then the celebration of December 25 can be a secular holiday to Atheists.

Expatbrit, that is such a simple concept, eh?

46

How Do You Measure Your Self Worth?

by minimus in

jw
friends

how do you feel about yourself?

do you struggle with what kind of person that you are?

do you feel happy, empty, or are are you apathetic?

Skeptic

So is this what a minimus question is....one that minimus asks, but never answers?

How do you feel about yourself?

Some people have external locus which means their self-worth is determined by what others think of them. I have internal locus, which means my self-worth comes from within me.

I feel that I am basically a good person, though far from perfect.

Do you struggle with what kind of person that you are?

Sometimes.

Do you feel happy, empty, or are are you apathetic?

Sometimes, yes to all of the above.

Since leaving the organization,do you feel better about yourself or are you just beginning to find out about who you are?

I am now free to be true to myself. And free to do and be whatever I think is sensible.

Richard

7

WWI Xmas

by Skeptic in

jw
friends

i have heard of this event before, and it was referred to in an xmas song.

it is consistent with what i know of that era.. in 1914, on christmas eve, british and german soldiers laid down their arms (they were in a battle) and celebrated christmas.

they exchanged gifts and celebrated together.

Skeptic

Thanks for the post, Richard. In my college history class, I remember the professor telling us that the American Civil War was the last "gentlemen's war." It seems that in days of yore, men (before women took up arms) on both sides of a conflict would have coffee together, trade stories and be quite friendly, then go back to fighting. It seems strange to us, but we are products of our times in so many ways.

That is so beautiful.

Yes, we area product of our times. Actually, I understand the mentality you just described, as I am like that.

This brings to mind the poem entitled (if I recall correctly) "The Man He Killed." I think A.E. Housman was the poet. Look it up on the net and read it if you don't remember it.
Merry Christmas,
SandraC

Perhaps it is the one by Thomas Hardy in my post above? Very good poem, Sandra.

7

WWI Xmas

by Skeptic in

jw
friends

i have heard of this event before, and it was referred to in an xmas song.

it is consistent with what i know of that era.. in 1914, on christmas eve, british and german soldiers laid down their arms (they were in a battle) and celebrated christmas.

they exchanged gifts and celebrated together.

Skeptic

"The Man He Killed"

by Thomas Hardy http://www.galegroup.com/free_resources/poets/poems/man.htm

1

"Had he and I but met

By some old ancient inn,

We should have sat us down to wet

Right many a nipperkin!

5

"But ranged as infantry,

And staring face to face,

I shot at him as he at me,

And killed him in his place.

"I shot him dead because

10

Because he was my foe,

Just so: my foe of course he was;

That's clear enough; although

"He thought he'd 'list, perhaps,

Off-hand like just as I

15

Was out of work had sold his traps

No other reason why.

"Yes; quaint and curious war is!

You shoot a fellow down

You'd treat if met where any bar is,

20

Or help to half-a-crown."

Source: Exploring Poetry, Gale, 1997.

Edited by - Skeptic on 25 December 2002 23:32:53

14

JW's come knocking on Christmas

by DIM in

jw
friends

well, after 10 months, the jw's finally came knocking on my apartment - on christmas day!

in my head, i was going to debate with them, maybe even reason with them.....what actually happened is that for some reason, all of the emotional things inside of me came to the fore and i waited until they were leaving my apartment, i opened up my door, grabbed the tract, crumpled it into a ball, threw it at them and rattled off a string of profanities (which i won't repeat here, out of respect for simon's rules).

i was really mad at myself for doing this, but at the same time it provided an immense cartharsis for me.

Skeptic

of course I wouldn't have the guts to knock on any doors on Christmas.

No guts required. Just a lot of inconsideration needed. I know, I preached on at least a couple of Christmases.

You place literature at almost every door if you guilt them using the "on this day when many people think of Jesus" line.

I stopped preaching on Xmas for three reasons: I felt bad for interrupting people's family celebrations when I could call on any other day. I also found that though I placed a magazine at every door on Christmas, the return visits got NO results. People could not even remember that we had called on them! BTW, it is surprising how many people are very drunk at 10AM on Christmas.

The third reason is that I wanted a day off to enjoy it for myself! I mainly preached on Xmas out of guilt anyway. Let's face it, it is very rude.

Richard