Jesus Justin, it's in babble banter. Lighten up.
The "I hate Christmas" thread, deluxe edition
Wed, 2015-12-23 13:17
#352
Wed, 2015-12-23 13:33
#353
Jesus Justin, it's in babble banter. Lighten up.
You mean... like (approvingly) citing lifesitenews.com on babble? Surely he meant it as a joke. No one actually looks to an anti-abortion site for their news, do they? Don't be so hard on a new member. We wouldn't want to scare off others like him, now would we?
Ok, now back to banter.
Death to Christmas! Crucify the sucker!!
Wed, 2015-12-23 13:38
#354
Death to Christmas! Crucify the sucker!!
But a crucifixion undermines our fabulous agenda. I'd rather Jesus had died of old age because it's quite likely the whole thing would have blown over.
Wed, 2015-12-23 13:51
#355
Death to Christmas! Crucify the sucker!!
I hear they tried that, and he just popped up again. Oh wait, thats the hate Easter thread.
Wed, 2015-12-23 14:03
#356
“The most careworn countenance brightened on the occasion.”
The line was written just over 125 years ago. I found it in an article on mummers of the British Isles, or, as those players were also called long ago, “waits.”
Wed, 2015-12-23 14:18
#357
Death to Christmas! Crucify the sucker!!
I hear they tried that, and he just popped up again. Oh wait, thats the hate Easter thread.
I celebrate Good Friday. Easter Monday, not so much.
Wed, 2015-12-23 14:43
#358
Death to Christmas! Crucify the sucker!!But a crucifixion undermines our fabulous agenda. I'd rather Jesus had died of old age because it's quite likely the whole thing would have blown over.
Yes, it's a good thing that didn't happen, otherwise they would have had to make it up.
Though for anyone interested in what is (or was) in the books, the original version of the oldest gospel, Mark, didn't begin with any kind of miraculous birth, and it didn't end with a resurrection, but rather with people fleeing from an empty tomb. No one saw Jesus after he was killed.
Wed, 2015-12-23 14:58
#359
Well, they made it up anyway.Death to Christmas! Crucify the sucker!!But a crucifixion undermines our fabulous agenda. I'd rather Jesus had died of old age because it's quite likely the whole thing would have blown over.
Yes, it's a good thing that didn't happen, otherwise they would have had to make it up.
Wed, 2015-12-23 15:03
#360
My dear Meg, do I sense a whiff of scepticism, nay outright cynicism, with regard to our firm christocentric values and social roots? .........Hmmmmmm?
Wed, 2015-12-23 15:19
#361
bagkitty
[...]
And it is worth remembering that most of this was exclusive to one of the 13 colonies: Massachussetts, which was the only one with a state religion. They were far from the only religious tradition in the colonies.
Sometimes a little fact checking is in order. Of the 13 (American) colonies, only four had no state religion/established church (Rhode Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware). Three were officially Congregationalist (Massachusetts as you mentioned, along with Connecticut and New Hampshire), and the remaining six were all officially Church of England (New York, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia).
Wed, 2015-12-23 15:42
#362
A faint whiff perhaps. Well, maybe more of a stench.My dear Meg, do I sense a whiff of scepticism, nay outright cynicism, with regard to our firm christocentric values and social roots? .........Hmmmmmm?
Wed, 2015-12-23 16:48
#363
I mis-spoke bagkitty. What I meant was that Massachussetts was the only colony where the church basically was the state. Even England still has a state church. But in Massachusetts if you weren't Puritan, you weren't allowed there. No one had a say in anything until they were grilled by the elders, and their legal system was based on the bible.
As for the other states, to take Maryland as an example, it may have been officially Anglican on paper, but it was in fact founded as a Catholic refugee colony. Hence the name.
While most of the other colonies had varying degrees of anti-Catholic sentiment, Massachusetts was the only one where there was no religious tolerance. So much so that the King eventually had to rescind their charter because of them hanging people.
.
Wed, 2015-12-23 17:12
#364
For Ms. Maysie Humbug:
Just wanted to repost this pic of our friend Catchfire, because if I will never be allowed to forget banning myself, the he sure as hell won't be allowed to forget this.
Wed, 2015-12-23 17:14
#365
Aggghh. Neither will we apparently.
Wed, 2015-12-23 17:20
#366
While most of the other colonies had varying degrees of anti-Catholic sentiment, Massachusetts was the only one where there was no religious tolerance. So much so that the King eventually had to rescind their charter because of them hanging people.
.
Is that why the phrase 'In God we trust' is emblazzoned on American money? America is definitely founded in various Abrahamic religons. The Republican party ooozes religion. In fact, the reason why the Republican party beleives in small government, is that they believe in the over-riding power of a supreme being, who will take care of the details. 'In God We Trust' is more than a motto to them.
I have absolutely no idea where you got the idea I was CONDONING the list. I was using the list to demonsrate that Atheist people refer to themselves as Atheists. Every group I cited claimed they were Atheists, had the name Atheist in their title, with a capital 'A'. They had a creed, an established set of beliefs, an organizational strructure, solicited donations, prosletyllzed their beleifs, met regularly, had some form of written book or books that they held as a statement of their beliefs, have their own icons and famous figures, worship one or more figures as significant founders of their faith, have their own martyrs, in every was portray themselves to be a religion, and regard the Atheist creed as the foundation for their moral beliefs. One in particular has tried to trade-mark 'Happt Holidays' to refer to their OWN Atheist religious holiday,
If you are non-religious, call yourself non-religious. If you call yourself an Atheist, you are professing a religion.
Wed, 2015-12-23 17:35
#367
All religions are divisive and obscurantist, to some extent or another. But none has as much innocent blood on its hands as Christianity. The sooner it is erased from people's minds and lives, the better.
But destroying Christmas would be a good start. Would also strike a blow against capitalism and inequality.
I apologize to any Christians who may be offended by the truths I have expounded. Take comfort in the observation that I feel the same way about Judaism and Islam. But when it comes to murder and aggression, they just haven't yet made it to the starting line.
Wed, 2015-12-23 17:52
#368
All religions are divisive and obscurantist, to some extent or another.
Well.. not to reel back one tangent just to go off on another, but I think William Burroughs cut through that knot without needless slurs against legitimate spiritual practice:
No body of knowledge needs an organizational policy. Organizational policy can only impede the advancement of knowledge. There is a basic incompatibility between any organization and freedom of thought. Suppose Newton had founded a Church of Newtonian Physics and refused to show his formula to anyone who doubted the tenets of Newtonian Physics? All organizations create organizational necessities. It is precisely organizational necessities that have prevented Scientology from obtaining the serious consideration merited by the importance of Mr. Hubbard's discoveries. Scientologists are not prepared to accept intelligent and sometimes critical evaluation. They demand unquestioning acceptance.
http://www.suburbia.net/~fun/scn/etc/wsb3.html
And on that note:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6kHN92Yv48
Wed, 2015-12-23 17:58
#369
Definition of atheist in English: noun A person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods: he is a committed atheist
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/atheist
Definition of atheism in English: noun [mass noun] Disbelief or lack of belief in the existence of God or gods.
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/atheism
Nothing to do with a religion. Or as John Lennon wrote: "Imagine no religion".
Yes, the intolerant God-bothering stuff is Cotton Mather, not their "Founding Fathers". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotton_Mather
Wed, 2015-12-23 23:50
#370
Timebandit
Justin, you may not know this but so far as I know, everyone posting in this thread except you is an atheist. Some of us are even Atheists. (Srsly, are we more badass when we capitalize?) Meanwhile, this Atheist is munching shortbread next to a honking big Xmas tree.
Wed, 2015-12-23 23:58
#371
"In god we trust" was added to their banknotes in 1956.
If you think the old boys club that founded that country were theocrats, you might want to do some reading. I'd recommend Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Ben Franklin for starters.
But we are drifting. I think we have a couple of zombie atheist threads, no?
How about The Fall singing Christmas Carols for Woolworths:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQzCZc9GFTk
Thu, 2015-12-24 00:15
#372
I'm an agnostic. Hedging my bet.
Thu, 2015-12-24 01:46
#373
Timebandit
Fair enough. I think he majority of posters on this thread are atheist, though.
Thu, 2015-12-24 05:53
#374
Yeah I think we're a skeptical bunch. Agnosticism involves a range of opinion as well, from 'i don't care' to 'I'm 99% sure there's nothing out there, but I'm leaving 1% doubt available to consider new evidence should any arise.' I don't like to quote that idiot Bill Maher, but he did say it best in response to the junk reasoning being floated around by numbskulls that 'atheism is a religion' when he said, 'atheism is a religion like abstinence is a sex position.
Thu, 2015-12-24 09:04
#375
Maysie
Yo! Take the religion discussion elsewhere!
One more day and then we can resume our regular humdrum existence as robots in late advanced capitalism.
Santa Claus is a Capitalist Plot
Warning: commie feminist rantings
Father Christmas works one nite a year
& gives a lotta Santa impersonators jobs
4 a month or so
also a lotta teenage girls in green leotards
& elf mini skirts
at less than minimum wage
Mother Christmas works 365 days a year
washin Santa's clothes, cookin his meals
& keeping th North Pole clean
Who do U think makes all those Christmas cookies?
not Santa
Some people don't call cooking, washing & cleaning
Real Work
but then they're not th ones who do it
The elves work 365 days a year
in some kinda Free Trade Zone called th North Pole
& Santa gets 2 take all th credit
Pretty feudal 4 this century, wouldn't'cha say?
They don't even have names - "Th Elves"
Snow White's dwarves had it better than that
R they unionized?
They gotta medical plan 4 frostbite?
Don't need 2 worry about maternity leave,
as far as I can see, they're a buncha white guys
Pretty discriminatory hiring practices, eh?
Thu, 2015-12-24 09:28
#376
Thu, 2015-12-24 09:41
#377
Thu, 2015-12-24 10:17
#378
Sat, 2016-12-24 20:19
#379
X
Sat, 2016-12-24 20:21
#380
So Apparently the Norad Santa tracker started in 1955 when Sears published the wrong number in an ad for phoni g Santa. Whoever took the call decided to run with it.
Sat, 2016-12-24 21:14
#381
Well, in any case I'm happy for the revival of hatred of Christmas. That said, I hope you all have fun!
Sat, 2016-12-24 21:24
#382
Merry Chanewmas!
Sat, 2016-12-24 21:30
#383
ikosmos
I have to make a miserable confession that ... I'm enjoying far too much of the Christmas spirit, stupidly saying "Merry Christmas" to complete strangers, who seem to be willing to reply in kind, and generally being happy about the season.
Sorry to let the team down. I will try harder next year.
Sat, 2016-12-24 21:30
#384
Happy holidays, all, including those who hate them!
And just wait till 2016, when Hanukkah begins on Christmas Eve. Talk about culture clash.
I saw it coming!
Sat, 2016-12-24 22:05
#385
Oh it's okay ikosmos, even if you are passing up an opportunity to take down militaristic Santa, handed to you on a platter.
You're entitled to a day off now and then. I doubt anyone minds. Cheers.
Sun, 2016-12-25 01:34
#386
I'm enjoying far too much of the Christmas spirit, stupidly saying "Merry Christmas" to complete strangers
Yesterday I was running some errands and walking down Dundas St. when a big ol' yellow school bus went by. In the very back was a a small group of kids -- five or (at most) six years old, is my guess -- dangling their heads out of the back window. And shouting "Merry Christmas!" to everyone they passed.
Sun, 2016-12-25 08:06
#387
an opportunity to take down militaristic Santa
The jolly patron saint of year-round surveillance, unaccountable judgment, and home invasion.
Sun, 2016-12-25 11:44
#388
..gotta love a blizzard on xmas. 
"A snowstorm from this morning into tomorrow afternoon with blizzard tonight and accumulations of 20-35 cm;roads will be slippery."
Sun, 2016-12-25 18:10
#389
an opportunity to take down militaristic Santa
I'm reminded of the National Lampoon cover from Xmas, 1970.
![http://i68.tinypic.com/2ldh8qt.jpg[/IMG]](http://i68.tinypic.com/2ldh8qt.jpg[/IMG]){kind=link}
Sun, 2016-12-25 22:06
#390
Dear Santa, Can You Spare a Moment To Change the World?
Mon, 2016-12-26 09:58
#391
I'll say I'm an atheist or non-believer if anyone asks, but don't make a big thing about it. My reasons for disliking Christmas have more to do with the glitz and shopping extravaganza than anything religious, because my immediate family (though screwed up in other ways) wasn't particularly pious. However I do have two aunts who produced 14 and 12 children, respectively, and there are some other large Catholic families ...
Have any of you listened to the Pope or the Queen yet? 
Mon, 2016-12-26 10:13
#392
Funny thing is, modern christmas was invented by secularists. In particular, Charles Dickens and A Christmas Carol, which doesn't mention Jesus even once.
http://www.uuworld.org/articles/scrooges-conversion
The medieval christians only adopted it as a marketing ploy, and the hardliners did their best to stamp it out over the past 400 years, until it was revived as a festival of good will. They have been trying to co-opt it and steal the whole show ever since. Just so they can try again to stamp all the life out of it.
I notice the pope condemned materialism. Which is fine, though it doesn't make his alternative the right one.
Mon, 2016-12-26 11:28
#393
As for the rest of those who complain about the holiday not being christian enough:
http://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/12/25/1614438/-RNC-Declares-Trump-N...
Mon, 2016-12-26 11:39
#394
I listened to Frankie's Midnight Mass homily, and it is always jarring hearing him speak of humility, of defending victims of war, the downtrodden, refugees, victims of human trafficking etc, of simplicity against the background of St. Peter's which is utterly covered with sculptures, murals, mosaics, gold leaf and what have you...
Didn't know that Dickens was a Unitarian. Thanks for that.
Even when I (sometimes) vaguely believed in a God when very young, I never "got" the Trinity. Strange doctrine...
Mon, 2016-12-26 11:46
#395
Timebandit
Our Christmas is unrelated to anything supernatural. It's a time of eating well, giving to charity and those we love, togetherness and celebrating the return of the light. We don't need any gods or spirits for that - nor any queens or popes. I'm having cookies for breakfast, btw. It rules.
Mon, 2016-12-26 12:08
#396
ikosmos
However I do have two aunts who produced 14 and 12 children, respectively, and there are some other large Catholic families ...
My grandfather was the youngest of 12 or 13. His oldest sister left the house and was married before he was born. One day he was introduced to a woman at a social gathering. This was the very same sister that he had, hitherto, never met. A bit of a shock.
Mon, 2016-12-26 20:35
#397
I'll say I'm an atheist or non-believer if anyone asks, but don't make a big thing about it. My reasons for disliking Christmas have more to do with the glitz and shopping extravaganza than anything religious, because my immediate family (though screwed up in other ways) wasn't particularly pious. However I do have two aunts who produced 14 and 12 children, respectively, and there are some other large Catholic families ...
Have any of you listened to the Pope or the Queen yet?
No but the RNC message about the New King we all have to look forward to this Christmas was a riot.
Mon, 2016-12-26 22:05
#398
Trump is the fourth Magi, who brought the infant Jesus the gift of Wall.
"Wall is better than gold. It's better than Myrrh. Ask anyone. The Chinese can only wish they had Wall, believe me."