I'm curious as to what Atheists and Agnostic do during Christmas. If there are any on the Gangster BB, do you treat it like any other day of the week? Do you go to work, do you go to a movie, do you party? I would hope you don't buy gifts for other people because the gift-giving has it's tradition in the Christmas spirit, which is based on the gifts of the Magi (three wisemen) who visited Jesus. Or do you view gift-giving as strictly secular with no connection to the birth of Jesus? Your thougths please.

Theres nothing to do but stay in. Everyone celebrates it so the movies are closed. Can't go there.

Really?

________________________________

Opening On December 25th, 2008 :

Bedtime Stories

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Marley & Me

The Spirit

Waltz with Bashir

________________________________

I don't know what cinema Cardi's referencing, but all three of my locals are closed on Christmas day.

I'm an atheist. I give gifts, and receive them. I think the commercialisation of Christmas is as "new" as Christianity is outdated. And that's as loaded an answer as the opening question was.

I say that clinically, without need nor want of argument. (Though there's a debate to be had should anyone wish.)

I am surprised that cinemas (or movie theaters to us) are not open in other areas. It's very common to go to see a movie on Christmas Day. When I was a kid we always had a big dinner at my grandma's house, and then someone would take the kids to see a movie. We always went during most holidays (Well, the kids did). The movies DC refers to are movies that will debut on Christmas day in local movie theaters. I guess we do things differently here in the U.S. It would seem very strange if all movie theaters closed.


TIS

Spirit Movie to debut on Christmas Day 08…
May 7, 2008 · No Comments
Lionsgate has decided to move the premiere of Frank Miller’s adaptation of Will Eisner’s The Spirit from January 16th, 2009 to December 25th 2008.

There are over 37k movie theaters in the US. As DC's and my post here point out, there are any number of theaters that are open on Christmas Day and films that have premiered on Christmas Day.

And by the way, Christmas is also a national holiday recognized for the goodwill and familial qualities that it engenders. Belief in a higher power is not a prerequisite to observing the spirit of the holiday.

That cinemas open on Christmas Day in the US shows the extent of its commercialisation; that people go to the cinema on Christmas Day shows the ordinariness of it, in terms of outdatedness - and I speak for the US, that most capitalistic (and Christian) of countries.

Money talks; as does, in other ways, familial emptiness.

Trying reading TIS' post above. The movies have been open on Christmas Day since I was a kid.

That some people dwell in the drool of their own vapid lives on Christmas Day can be the result of many things including their chosen alienation.

So if it's a family tradition, as TIS said, for families to take their kids to a movie on Christmas day, then it is familial emptiness? Even though the kids might love the tradition and look forward to it, regardless of the commercial motivation behind the theaters? If people enjoy paying money to see a movie on Christmas day then I don't see the problem with people having a good time doing it.

Refer to the first sentence too, not just the second. There are two points that compliment one another. On the one hand, them being open shows just how much of a leech Hollywood (capitalism wretchified) is, and how anti-Christian it is... on the other, that families go to see films on Christmas Day show how Christian they are; Hollywood's narrative and economic tendencies are very Christian - though if it were that Christian, staff would have a day off on this so-called "national holiday".

Like I said, money talks.

By the way, everyone: ^^^ best film of the year (so far).

And, predicting accusations of self-defeatism, Christianity in itself is self-defeating. Hence why my two points contradict one another.

Capo, I don't understand what the theaters being open has to do with Christianity. I have lots of friends who are Jewish. Are they anti-Christian if they want to go to a movie on Christmas?? That's as silly as me being accused of anti-semitism if I go to a movie on Passover. It's not MY holiday, just as Christmas isn't a holiday for someone who isn't a Christian.

As for "celebrating" the holiday if you're an atheist, I've said in the past that it's a lie. I have a friend who is Jewish and she tells me that she "loves celebrating Christmas". I told her that she doesn't. Christmas, by definition, is the celebration of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. If you don't believe that, you can't celebrate Christmas.

You can celebrate lights and trees and presents. It's not the same.

I saw the trailer today and was absolutely awe-struck. Top in my priority now.

From a different angle, Capo, you are sounding very similar to MaryCas in your criticism of what Christmas has become. It is a commercial holiday that's lost it's true meaning. I agree with both of you.

Don Cardi, I'm not American.

I definitely can appreciate the meaning Christmas has to Christians, As I was raised in a church till I was 11 and have read the Bible a few times. But, It is commercialized completely now, I think some non-Christians look at Christmas as a time to spend with their families and be thankful and giving.

I mean to Christians, wouldn't the Christmas tree, Santa clause and flying Reindeer be false magic and in some ways demonic. Santa if anything, is there to take away the "true" meaning of Christmas.

Also, It was originally a Pagan holiday that the Catholic church combined the two together.

So, I don't think it's wrong for non-Christians to celebrate the holiday in their own way.
Also, I'm not an Atheist, I do believe in a Creator, Just not the same way as religious people do.

While there is custom to bring gifts when you go visit a new born here for the first time, as is over there, though it is actually before the mother gives birth, here for our new year we give gifts or just cash to our youngsters. And our new year is in the Spring, and has been celebrated even longer than the birth of Christ. This custom of gift giving on New Year's Day has no religious significance whatsoever. Many traditions that are integrated in Christmas have come from German winter festivities and are older than Christianity.

It's in good spirit to start a new year exchanging gifts. I don't see why anyone should claim the ownership of this custom.

As for whatever day we could have off and spend it however we like, that day would be a great day for me, I don't really care why it is a holiday. Sadly we don't have Christmas off here and even our Christians celebrate birth of Christ on Jan 6, so I would be working.

This combining was done as a ruse so the Romans wouldn't find cause to arrest more Christians.

My dentist who was Jewish went to a Broadway show on Christmas Day. He said the traffic was light and it was easy to get around.

We all seem to agree that Christmas has become more of a secular holiday, but do Atheists give presents and say "Merry Christmas"? And if they do are they disrespecting the origins of the celebration?

I was expecting this question, as we had the same discussion last Christmas.

Religious people will be offended even if an atheist says "Happy Holidays" and exchanges gifts.

But that doesn't answer the question, no matter how many years it is asked.

Atheists don't respect the notion of God. So, if you feel that they are not respecting the religious origins of this celebration, you might be right. What's the new revelation here? It doesn't interfere with you believing what you want to believe. Does that answer you question?

I just came home from a birthday party and had to drop off some of the kids friends at their houses, and one of the kids had Christmas lights in the shape of a big '$' on the front of the house and nothing else. They are a funny family so I wasn't surprised to see that.

Am I offended? A little. Why? Because it is NOT a secular day. It's called CHRISTMAS and if you don't believe that it is a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, son of God, then you can't "celebrate" Christmas. As I said earlier, you can celebrate presents and lights, but you are NOT celebrating the spirit of the holiday.

That doesn't mean that someone who is of another faith can't enjoy it or come to my house to participate in our Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes, but they can't celebrate the essence of the holiday.

I can go to a Seder and enjoy observing it, enjoy the rituals, the history, the food and its meaning, but I'm not "celebrating" Passover because I'm not Jewish.

Perhaps it's the word "celebrate" that is my personal problem.

Ugh. Why can't everyone just do their own thing and not worry about anyone else and how or what they celebrate whatever the hell they celebrate. The essence of that holiday has been lost by many of the same Christians who complain about it anyway.

BINGO.... we have a winner here.

I don't know if it's the word "celebrate" -- I "celebrated" Seder with friends once, and I'm not Jewish. I celebrated with them, and with all interest and due respect for it. I'd gladly share in the celebration of any holidays with those who normally practice them -- in fact, I welcome it to learn more about different cultures and beliefs. I really don't think I'm disrespecting their beliefs by my presence in their celebration. And while there, sure, I'm celebrating it whether I personally believe it or not, because it's not about me, it's about them and their beliefs and festivities.

A majority of self-proclaimed Christians don't celebrate the true meaning of Christmas either -- unless you count that one hour in church per year as "celebrating" -- so how can we possibly exclude non-Christians? Most everyone I assume celebrates Easter, but I bet most people don't even know what it means. I don't care if atheists color eggs and eat chocolate rabbits. I don't care if Buddhists put up Christmas trees and sing Silent Night -- and I'm sure pagans don't care if we Christians enjoy their All Hallow's Eve every October 31st while dressed up like hideous evil creatures.

IT'S ALL GOOD.

It's only not good when people start disrespecting other people's beliefs, or prohibiting them from celebrating their holidays. I personally welcome diversity and want to learn what I can from it. But all this nit-picking uptightness about public displays is a disgrace.

It's a shame that Christmas has become a hugely secular holiday beyond its original Christian (and previously pagan) roots. Everyone should celebrate it how they see fit, how they enjoy it, and how they spread joy to others -- whether they're Christian or not. What's more Christian than sharing... including such a joyous holiday?

For some it's Christ's Mass, for others it's Santa Claus and Rudolf. And for many, it's BOTH. Sauseege his own.

I like how you put it in perspective Geoff.

No, to me that's the difference. It's either a celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, Son of God, or it's not. That IS Christmas.

Would I EXCLUDE a non-Christian from my Christmas table? That would sort of kill the whole meaning of it, wouldn't it?? My daughter is dating a Jewish boy. She's going to his house for Chanukah and he's coming with us to my brother's for Christmas Eve. I hope that they both learn something from being exposed to other faiths.

I plan on buying him a gift; however, although he will be celebrating WITH us, he's not going to be celebrating Christmas. And that's as it should be.

To me, you have to fully embrace the significance of the holiday in order of the holiday in order to celebrate it, but that's MY interpretation.

Maybe it is just semantics then... lol