Amy And The War On Christmas

Sometimes you see something so stupid that you just have to share it even though you're dumbfounded about what to say about it.  With that, I give War On Christmas warrior, Amy.

I found this via the Young Turks, who were as dumbfounded as I was.  It feels like a parody, but it's apparently being promoted by a church.

Multiple comments by the channel hosting the video have said:

The WAR ON CHRISTMAS can only end through UNDERSTANDING.

Understanding of what?  What is it they think we don't understand that they think we're supposedly waging a war on their holiday?

Although, I do agree that understanding would end the "War On Christmas" nonsense.  If these people understood that Bill O'Reilly is full of shit, they'd stop thinking they need to worry about fake threats.

If these people understood that atheists don't give a fuck what Christians celebrate in their own lives, they could stop thinking we give a fuck enough to try wage a whole goddamn war on it.

If people understood that many atheists celebrate Christmas too, they could stop freaking out over nothing and share the holiday with atheists like Richard Dawkins.

If people understood that we give zero fucks about what greeting my cashier uses between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, they wouldn't have to make asses of themselves boycotting good businesses who've done nothing wrong.

If the people caring for Amy understood that no one is attempting to keep her from celebrating Christmas however she likes, they wouldn't have to scare the shit out of a child for no good reason.

Christians are taking a lot of damage in this "War On Christmas", but it's all self inflicted.  Keep your religion out of government, and you'll be otherwise free to celebrate your holidays however you like.

This ad, that seems to only be confusing people, certainly cost them a decent amount of money to run.  I bet that money could have bought a lot of coats for people who would definitely benefit from them.  But fuck the poor people who are cold in Winter.  It's obviously more important to keep people from saying "Happy Holidays" in December.

Assholes.

December 25 Is A Popular Date

It's December, so the whining about the mythical "War On Christmas" has begun^[1].  It doesn't matter to the Christians complaining about how much they think atheists supposedly hate Christmas that most atheists celebrate Christmas as well.

Christmas has been celebrated since before the time Jesus is supposed to have lived.  This, as you probably already know, is because the date of December 25 is among the many traditions Christians took from other religions to use for their Christmas holiday.

For a short list of some other uses of December 25, see this post.  That list is why people who complain about the use of the term "Happy Holidays" are, to put it as nicely as I can, arrogant douchebags.

Celebrate whatever holiday you want.  Just don't throw a hissy fit because other people celebrate other things.  Let the crocodile tears be shed on Fox News.  Besides, it's not like you'll be able to outdo them in terms of nonsense^[2], stupidity^[3], or hypocrisy^[4].

(Thanks to:  @Teresamacbain)

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1.  The sad part is I already know that despite having written this in January.
2.  Bill O'Reilly Clashes With Gov. Lincoln Chafee
3.  Fox News Brings On Santa Claus To Discuss The ‘War On Christmas’
4.  After O'Reilly's "War On Christmas" Rant, Fox Wishes Viewers "Happy Holidays"

Twelve Apostates - Tim Minchin

People who know me know I appreciate sarcasm.  I probably couldn't get through my day without it.  So, of course, I appreciate Tim Minchin.

Sound check before the Reason Rally

I was aware of Tim Minchin before the Reason Rally and already a huge fan of The Pope Song^[1] because it illustrates precisely how I feel about the Pope and the Vatican.

That song hits a complicated issue right in the face with how simple it is.  If you protect pedophiles, you're culpable in their crimes.  In other words, fuck the Pope.  I've encountered Catholics who see that song and only respond with complaints about the language, completely missing the point and further highlighting why the message of the song is spot on.

Before the Reason Rally, I hadn't yet heard his song "Thank You God"^[2], but it resonated with me like nothing had since I first encountered George Carlin's take on religion.  That moment was the closest I've ever come to knowing what religious people feel when they think they're feeling the Holy Spirit.  The song mocks the notion that prayer works, while highlighting some of the errors people make in thinking it does.

He's also used comedy to give the Bible itself some due criticism.

This song shows quite well how Christian Bible is a terrible book that should absolutely not be upheld as a source of morality.

New age woo woo, as James Randi puts it, has not escaped either.

I'm sure we've all met someone like Storm and wanted to rant at them like that.  Silly beliefs aren't restricted to religious beliefs and should not be immune to criticism.  Also similar to Randi, he's offered a reward for anyone who can prove claims such as Storm's.

On top of that, he's handled, better than most, one of the most talked about topics in the debate between religion and atheism.  Evolution.

And after all that entirely appropriate criticism of religion, he managed to create a beautiful song about celebrating Christmas.

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1.  It was rainy that day, and this picture is of the sign language interpreter, who spent much of that day in the rain signing diligently, during the Pope Song.

2.  This is probably because my exposure to Minchin had been primarily on YouTube and it's not up there.  Although, a decent cover has posted since.  It's still the only version of the song on YouTube, while I've seen some others get posted and later removed.

The Twelve Apostates

Christians have the Twelve Days of Christmas and their Jesus has the Twelve Apostles. I, obviously, do not buy into the Twelve Apostles myth. And, while Secular Christmas is celebrated by many atheists, I do not (except for the obligations I've held onto that come from having family who does celebrate).

I was recently planning for a list of the atheists I respect and sometimes get inspiration from. While thinking of who to include, and what size to make the list, I thought of the Twelve Days of Christmas and the Twelve Apostles.  So I decided to call my list "The Twelve Apostates" and publish it as a series with a new one each day leading up to Christmas Day.  I have just enough to say for most of them, that making it all one post would make it much too long for a single post.

Some will be specific people, while others will be groups of people.  It more appropriately be called "Twelve  Days of Apostates", but I like "Twelve Apostates" better.  Yes, I'm neurotic enough that I put that much thought into it.  Some will be from my childhood, while others will be much more recent.  They will be in no particular order, with one exception on the first.

You may not agree with any or all of them, but it's not meant to be a universal list. It's meant to be personal to me.  I would love to see your lists as well.  I hope to use those as part of another list, that will be meant to be more universal.  A friend already beat me to it, quite a while ago.

The title of this post and the date it was published is a coincidence.

A Tale Of Two Christmases

An excellent description of the connections Christmas has Pagan tradition was published today.

In fact, let's be clear: Christmas has always been a pagan holiday. . .  Just about every aspect of this holiday has pagan origins.

This means Christmas predates Christianity.

It's amazing to me that there are still so many people who do not know how many supposedly Christian traditions are actually Pagan.  Christmas trees, Easter eggs, and the dates for the holidays that go with both.  Is anything more associated with Christmas than decorated, lit evergreen trees?  Is anything more associated with Easter than bunnies and decorated eggs?  Notice how I didn't have to mention Jesus at all?

This is part of what I find amusing about the fake "War On Christmas" that comes up every year.  The Christian complaining often reveals an ignorance of the existence of two different Christmases.  Christian Christmas and Secular Christmas.  They often confuse the two, while also being enraged that the latter is clearly the more popular Christmas.

The complaints are primarily focused on forcing everyone to say "Merry Christmas".  They vilify "Season's Greetings" and "Happy Holidays".  They're determined to make the two Christmases compete against each other.  It's an interesting approach considering people vastly prefer Secular Christmas and don't give a shit if Christians want to celebrate their religious holidays in their churches or homes.  Christian Christmas isn't under attack at all.

Although, Secular Christmas is under attack.  "Season's Greetings" and "Happy Holidays" or calling it a "Holiday Tree" actually helps the Secular Christmas, as they make it more inclusive.  In other words, they allow everyone to participate without feeling like religion is being pushed on them.

They wanted us all to celebrate Christmas, which is how we got Secular Christmas.  But it backfired on them, because the Pagan traditions they stole for Christian Christmas now belong to Secular Christmas.  The moronic complaining about the War On Christmas pits the two Christmases against each other.

I call it moronic because it's counterproductive to the goals of the people pushing it.  They want Christian Christmas to be dominant, but it doesn't stand a chance against Secular Christmas.  Secular Christmas has presents, trees to decorate, and even Santa.  Christian Christmas has a story everyone's heard and church at midnight.

They either get to have Christmas be a religious holiday or they get to have us all celebrate.  It simply cannot be both, without letting them be two entirely different things that share a name and a date.  If they want to keep their religious holiday, they would be wise to stop making it fight against the juggernaut that is Secular Christmas.  But they won't.  

They'll keep whining that people celebrate things in December other than the Jesus myth, and everyone else will go on mocking them, then ignoring them while celebrating whatever they want however they want with whatever words they choose to wish people well.  And there's not a goddamn thing Christian Christmas can do about it.

Allowing Secular Christmas to be all inclusive and leaving it alone, while celebrating Christian Christmas in private wouldn't allow them to once again force their religion onto the rest of us.  It also wouldn't allow them to complain and once again paint themselves as perpetual victims.  And who wants that?

I certainly don't.  I want them to keep up the tantrum.  It means they're losing.  We should commercialize the rest of the (formerly Pagan) Christian holidays and take those back too.  All they could do to us is more whining and more pointless yelling from Bill O'Reilly.

Credit:  @americnhumanist/@kjwinston11