Billboard asking people to skip church on Christmas stirs controversy

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

I fully accept their right to post that billboard.

Being good for "goodness' sake" is quite impossible though.

originally posted by: Deaf Alien
a reply to: Raggedyman

You made it very clear Christians who celebrated Christmas were sinners

Where did I say that I believe that?

and you were preaching

LOL how can I be preaching to you when you said that I am an atheist who don't believe and understand the Bible?

and I have victim mentality according to you, so what

So you do admit it?

so show me where I play the victim in my posts

Your very own rant. You made up stuff about me. You made up some weird fantasy that people are out to attack you and your faith.

About Christmas, all I did was explain to you where the other poster got the idea that celebrating Christmas may be sinful according to some Christians.

So atheists want to take Santa from Christian kids so they dont sin, struth I cant believe that

This one is so pathetic. I have never said such thing. Please think for a minute. Do atheists believe in sin? No? Then reread your sentence and tell me how silly it is.

How about we all decide to let Christian parents do the bet for their kids, hopefully it will be founded on love and caring, Santa included if they wish

Again. Pathetic. Who is not letting them do that? Certainly not me.


I guess the billboard did it's intended goal (so they say) and brought butthurt Christians out of the woodwork.

You don't believe in sin though a few pages back you said that Christians who worshiped at pagan festivities were sinners, then clarified it was according to your fundie friends, though you don't believe in sin you believe what they said
I am not a Catholic, if a friend who dies has a funeral at a Catholic Church and me going, does that constitute sin, worshiping, to you, your fundy friends

But hurt, your sidestepping, deflection, capacity to change, dodge and blame indicates that the but hurt arnt the ones you are pointing the finger at.

Tell me please, if you don't believe in sin why are you saying Christians who celebrate Christmas are sinners, what's it to you anyway

I like the message on the billboards, don't go to church just because you feel obliged, go because you love God

I don't like the reason it was posted, to cause trouble

I also don't really like atheists preaching people who celebrate Christmas are sinners as you did previously, then blaming it on fundy friends telling you

I will enjoy Christmas, my family, my church even as a pagan festival
And I will worship Jesus only on that day

originally posted by: Annee


I was raised Christian. Many, probably most atheists come through religion.

It's one thing to be raised a Christian, go to church weekly, to read the bible, a hundred times even

It's another thing to be a christian

a reply to: Raggedyman

Tell me please, if you don't believe in sin why are you saying Christians who celebrate Christmas are sinners, what's it to you anyway

No. What is it to YOU? You are the one who said that certain Christians who said that celebrating Christmas is a sin has no basis. YOU. No one else.

I like the message on the billboards, don't go to church just because you feel obliged, go because you love God

Thank god! Now we are getting somewhere! All of our conversation and your lying is for nothing.

And yes nobody should feel obligated to go to churches on holidays nor should they go there just cause they think it counts for something and good.

Celebrate Christmas and be merry with your family!

originally posted by: Deaf Alien
No. What is it to YOU? You are the one who said that certain Christians who said that celebrating Christmas is a sin has no basis. YOU. No one else.

I believe what it is to him is someone telling him they do not believe in Christianity at all is telling him how to be a Christian and what is "wrong" for Christians.

It would be like me flying to China and telling the Chinese what it means to be Chinese and how to do it "right". What would your response be to "white American flies to China to tell the Chinese how to act Chinese"?

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

I believe what it is to him is someone telling him they do not believe in Christianity at all is telling him how to be a Christian and what is "wrong" for Christians.

Ah yes thanks for the clarification. That would apply not just to me, you, atheists and others but other types of Christians as well. Yeah I've seen too many of that here on ATS.

It would be like me flying to China and telling the Chinese what it means to be Chinese and how to do it "right". What would your response be to "white American flies to China to tell the Chinese how to act Chinese"?

LOL yeah. Not a bright idea as some would go kung fu on that person.

originally posted by: Deaf Alien
LOL yeah. Not a bright idea as some would go kung fu on that person.

You may get turned into dog food. Literally

originally posted by: Deaf Alien


Um excuse me. The Bible forbids pagan worship.

Um excuse me

Occam is spot on

Christians can enjoy Christmas without worshiping pagan symbols and beliefs
Fundamentalists who are governed by the law would probably disagree

An atheist pushing fundamental christianity, I can't comprehend it

Imagine if I condemned atheists celebrating Christmas and paganism, it's a free world and they are welcome to do that.
I hope they can place their disbelief to side and enjoy their family's and the fun of christmas

It really annoys me listening to Christians carry on about Christmas and how evil it is, imagine what I think of an atheist who does the same

originally posted by: intrepid

The last I looked Jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, etc don't celebrate Christmas. But don't let that stand in the way of a good pity party.

Actually, yes some do. I worked for Hindus, who were friends with Sikhs. Christmas was a HUGE deal they looked very forward to (secular Christmas, that is) They loved the decor & varied myths (Santa/Sinter Klaas/Father Christmas/etc) They participated because it was a way for them to celebrate something for all kinds alongside their American friends & neighbors without feeling left out, or like they were awkwardly imposing. Now, bibley Christmas, they did not do. Secular was the bee's knees. Just pointing that out, there's two kinds of Christmas, and one welcomes everyone without preaching, tithing or lengthy masses.

originally posted by: Raggedyman

originally posted by: Annee


I was raised Christian. Many, probably most atheists come through religion.

It's one thing to be raised a Christian, go to church weekly, to read the bible, a hundred times even

It's another thing to be a christian

I prefer "good for goodness sake".

The day I stepped completely out of the "God circle", it was as if a huge weight was lifted off me.

I wasn't being good just to be good. I wasn't being good because it was my choice and personal responsibility.

I was being good because of a promised reward. I was being good because some 2nd being outside of myself said I should. That is so wrong.

I am a Christian because I wasn't good and I believe what I deserve isn't good
My promised reward is forgiveness and I know I don't deserve that

If you think there is no justice, no ramifications for your actions, well it doesn't matter because you are so good there won't be any

The day I stepped in the God circle was a day a huge weight became a little lighter

The funny thing about the rewards, I am not chasing them like you seemed to have indicated you were, I am trying to be good because Jesus first loved me
I can't be good on my own

originally posted by: Raggedyman

I am a Christian because I wasn't good and I believe what I deserve isn't good
My promised reward is forgiveness and I know I don't deserve that

Do you even realize how negative that sounds?

But, Hey! If it works for you.

Jesus died to set sinners free from sin
The whole world is broken and falling apart very quickly
You want negative, pick up the paper, watch the news.
Isis, Russia turkey, guns, terrorists, murders, the list is endless

Negative, look around, just look around

There is no promise of peace and happiness on earth
There is a promise of peace and happiness after earth, that's the positive

Or should I pretend life is all candy, cuddles and joy

Maybe I should be positive when I watch the news, watch the slaughter, watch army's confronting each other, maybe I should just be happy and enjoy it all
Be positive and pretend it doesn't effect me, pretend I don't care, that's healthy, just become mindless

I tried it, it didn't work

My hope is in Jesus, not pretending happiness

Skip church, help feed the homeless provide a room in your manger for a Syrian family. That would be Christmassy

originally posted by: Raggedyman

You want negative, pick up the paper, watch the news.
Isis, Russia turkey, guns, terrorists, murders, the list is endless

Negative, look around, just look around

Steven Pinker makes a compelling case that violence is actually in decline.

Maybe I should be positive when I watch the news, watch the slaughter, watch army's confronting each other

Your outlook may be unconsciously shaped by an availability heuristic i.e. a mental shortcut whereby your judgments are shaped by, in this case, how readily acts of violence immediately come to mind.

ATS by its very nature of being a conspiratorial website, acts as a filter which presents an often unstable, ugly and violent view of the world. Add in 24 hour news cycles etc. and you have a stream of negativity bathing your mind and increasing your sense of anxiety.

originally posted by: ketsuko
Well, the way it's worded implies that the people it's talking to do go to church and are celebrating it for religious reasons, so the idea is to "skip" church which is bad, but be "good" anyhow?

That's sort of oxymoronic for a church goer. You can't be good if you're already doing something you believe to be bad.

I mean, I don't know how devout you are Charlie, but you are supposed to be pray 5 times a day as a Muslim. Can you skip one of those prayers and still be called good?

Being good is done through your actions which affect those around you, not worship.

originally posted by: Raggedyman
Corinthians 2 6 hey? Interesting verse, completely unrelatable though I guess you have to use something to reinforce your beliefs, though you don't believe of course

I just want to point out that picking and choosing, interpreting things in their own ways, taking things out of context (knowingly or unknowingly) is what I've observed Christians doing since... The Hebrews.

There is no one way to interpret the Bible, unfortunately. As a former believer, I find it interesting to look back and observe the various Christians and their various views. One thing I've noticed they have in common is the ability to throw out accusations that this or that other Christian is not a "true Christian" for this or that reason.

Yeah, but nah, not really interested, I know the argument

So what is the argument? Maybe you can set me straight. Because I believe a strong case can be made that celebrating Christmas is sinful.

Anyway..

Merry Christmas!



PS.

If I was pushing any of my opinions I would be using completely different terminology in my posts. As I have said, I don't care who celebrates Christmas or for what reasons.

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: Raggedyman

I am a Christian because I wasn't good and I believe what I deserve isn't good
My promised reward is forgiveness and I know I don't deserve that

Do you even realize how negative that sounds?

But, Hey! If it works for you.

No matter what you have done, you can be redeemed. There is no hole too dark for the light to fill.

So negative ...

Hah, has anyone seen the Venn Diagram for 'God, Santa and Spiderman and the Spanish Inquisition.

Of course you have. Actually you could sub 'Satan' for 'Santa', lol.