Elysian Shadows

For all your Decembery needs! :P

I figured I'd start some discussions about Christmas-related things.

1) I know some of us are Atheists... did you celebrate Christmas as a kid? Do you now? Do you plan on doing so in the future when you had kids?
My family celebrates Christmas, though none of us believe in God and the extent we believe in Jesus was "Well, he was probably a real guy who preached stuff a long time ago."
Christmas meant a lot more to me as a kid, when it was still kind of innocent and I actually had friends and such. Now I mainly see the marketing, and feel a bit disillusioned that the only good will towards others I see this time of year is on television specials.

We don't spend time with family on Christmas, though I wish we would. I guess if you want something done you oughta do it yourself.

2) Did your parents "let"/"make" you believe in Santa as a kid? Would you to your own?
I was reading about this on an Atheist forum I'm on, and some parents were saying they let their kids believe in Santa and the Easter bunny so they have some sort of magical, innocent fantasy in life for a little while.
My parents always told me the truth, and I figure if they tried to convince me of his existence, I would have been confused by the logic.

To the parents who said their kids should have some fantasy in their life, my response was
"I mean come on, video games have enough fantasy to last everyone a lifetime. :D If you need something more physically wondrous, electronics themselves! Give your kid a breadboard! XD"

3) What sorta things do you do for your Decemberween holiday?
My family kind of sucks and we open gifts then go about our day. My ex's family is really awesome and has family gatherings for all major holidays with really good food and stuff. My family's just kind of... antisocial, for some reason. And I can sort of understand, my stepdad's family is friendly but kind of unpleasant at the same time.

I made a post about my christmas on TIGsoruce, let me get copy the thread, because I'm far too lazy XD

Usually I throw a big bash for family and friends and we all make sugar cookies and have flour fights where we take fist fulls of flour and pelt each other with it. Then, we put up my tree, and a secret santa type thing with everyone.

Then I usually go over to my parents house and help put up their tree, and then go to other friend's house and do their tree too.

Also, I wear a santa cap everywhere I go in December. And I usually try to do one feast the weekend before Christmas for everybody, usually a ham, but I have some vegan friends so I get some vegan friendly meals as well, and we call just pig out and watch movies!

Also, I send out christmas cards to everyone, even internet friends. Being a new member of this community it's kinda odd to ask for your address, but if you'd like a card, I'd send one just the same, just PM me your addy or somethin =P I won't come to your house, I'm FARRR to lazy to be a stalker.

My mom and dad is agnostic for the most part, and my grandparents are more religious. We celebrate Christmas but do not really practice any sort of religion. But Christmas is a big deal, specially since I have a younger bro and sis (5 and 9).

I did believe in Santa as a kid until I was about 6 or so, then my logic kicked in. I pretended to believe in Santa for a few more years because I thought I was supposed to. My sister is 9 now, and this year my parents told her that he wasn't real, although I think she figured it out 2 years ago and was doing the same that as I was. I believe fantasy is awesome in any way, shape, or form. I'd totally string my kids along as much as I could. It makes everything exciting, I suppose. Although, a big concern my mom discussed with me was she was on the fence about telling my sister. My mom really wanted to tell her, but was afraid it'd ruin Christmas for her, but also she wanted to tell her because she didn't want the kids making fun of my sister in school if my sister had true belief, etc. etc. So I would probably tell my kids around the age of 9 or so.

Awesome. I should get some of my online friends' addresses and send them cards as well. I'm awful at doing stuff like that, though. I've been meaning to send Falco the Kirby plushie he commissioned me to make for months now. I've made another few kirbies since then to send along as an apology, but still haven't sent it off. XD;

Haha, you should totally send me my Kirby! :D

I'm not really religious at all. My entire family is Christian, and I was raised as a Christian. While I don't really celebrate Christmas as the birth of my savior, I do celebrate it as a fun time to give and receive presents. I love the holidays.

Yeah, we're not really church-goers, but Christmas has always been a big event in my family. My parents always opened their presents on Christmas Eve, so the focus was on the kids Christmas morning.

As an adult, it's fun, but alot more stressful. We drive an hour and a half on Christmas Eve night to spend it with my family. Then we drive back home so my wife and I can have Christmas morning together. Then, we drive BACK to my parent's house (yes, another 1.5 hrs) in the morning. Then we drive BACK home to HOST Christmas at our house for her family.

It's a long damn day. By midnight, we crack a beer and pass out.

I've noticed that most atheist think they are more intelligent than what they really are.

my parents made little trick to make me believe, and i loved it. its harmless, and i would do the same for my kids.

Every atheist I know and have witnessed somehow seems to "pop out" from the crowd... Like they are something special. The "popping out" is not in the sense that they are atheists, but something else. The trend hints at very intelligent atheists; myself(of course ), LusikkaMage, my philosophy Professor, Falco and the guys, TheAmazingAtheist, FakeSagan, (from youtube), etc.

Christmas kinda went downhill for my family after my Grandfather passed away leaving just my mom, grandma, and me... but a few years later now I have a fiancee and a 2yr old boy whose really active now so the holidays are becoming fun again. Putting up lights, the big tree(7ft vs 3ft), all the stuff that I had as a little kid that my parents did for me, I get to do for him now. So I'm overworked but really happy to be able to do this for my son. :D

Plus 5 whole days off of work if you include the weekend!

avansc wrote:I've noticed that most atheist think they are more intelligent than what they really are.

Come now, I'm one of the best students and hardest workers at school. I have numerous awards and honors from community college and university, and my GPA tends to bounce from 3.6 to 3.8 from semester to semester.
And I'm in Comp Sci, with a love for Math. I'm not an honor student going for an art degree. XD
Most of my overachieving friends do tend to be pretty conservative, though.

I at least know how to work hard and study to figure out things I need to know. I definitely can't be classified as Stupid.

Also: John Carmack is an Atheist. This is a paradox, however, because John Carmack IS God. Show me a Christian more intelligent than Carmack and I'll eat my Snorlax hat.
(And I totally live in the town he grew up in, and go to the university he attended for a couple semesters before dropping out and becoming famous! My sister goes and my ex went to his highschool!) <3
I need to go take a cold shower now.


XD

LusikkaMage wrote:
2) Did your parents "let"/"make" you believe in Santa as a kid? Would you to your own?
I was reading about this on an Atheist forum I'm on, and some parents were saying they let their kids believe in Santa and the Easter bunny so they have some sort of magical, innocent fantasy in life for a little while.
My parents always told me the truth, and I figure if they tried to convince me of his existence, I would have been confused by the logic.

My parents told me santa didn't exist so i would be more likely to believe god exists. Not assume that god was just some thing they made up for the lulz.

Levio91 wrote:

LusikkaMage wrote:
2) Did your parents "let"/"make" you believe in Santa as a kid? Would you to your own?
I was reading about this on an Atheist forum I'm on, and some parents were saying they let their kids believe in Santa and the Easter bunny so they have some sort of magical, innocent fantasy in life for a little while.
My parents always told me the truth, and I figure if they tried to convince me of his existence, I would have been confused by the logic.

My parents told me santa didn't exist so i would be more likely to believe god exists. Not assume that god was just some thing they made up for the lulz.

Lol, I like the "Not assume that god was just some thing they made up for the lulz."
That should be a poster.

God: Something parents make up for the lulz.

LusikkaMage wrote:

Levio91 wrote:

LusikkaMage wrote:
2) Did your parents "let"/"make" you believe in Santa as a kid? Would you to your own?
I was reading about this on an Atheist forum I'm on, and some parents were saying they let their kids believe in Santa and the Easter bunny so they have some sort of magical, innocent fantasy in life for a little while.
My parents always told me the truth, and I figure if they tried to convince me of his existence, I would have been confused by the logic.

My parents told me santa didn't exist so i would be more likely to believe god exists. Not assume that god was just some thing they made up for the lulz.

Lol, I like the "Not assume that god was just some thing they made up for the lulz."
That should be a poster.

God: Something parents make up for the lulz.

Im trying not to laugh.

What does it matter, christian or atheist? I usually don't like talking about religion on forums or real life, it's too much of a passionate subject for people, and is super easy to start fights with. But, one of the reasons I, and my family, don't practice a religion is because in Christianity the people are so militant about it, and almost force you into believing in what they believe. If not they have an attitude toward you.

Atheist or not, people are people, what does it matter? Judge people on actions, not what they believe, right?

avansc wrote:I've noticed that most atheist think they are more intelligent than what they really are.

I disagree, its everyone who believes they are right and completely ignore everyone's beliefs that are not their own to be less intelligent than them. That may or may not make sense.

Basically, atheist's who laugh at the fact that many people believe in a God of some kind and think they are smarter than those people, are ignorant. But so are the extreme religious people who refuse to respect anyone elses beliefs. I know some very smart atheists, and I know some very smart Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, and I am sure a few else from other religions that I just don't know their religious beliefs. My point is that anyone who relates religion to intelligence is themselves stupid.