Saint Nicholas of Myra is the primary inspiration for the Christian figure of Santa Claus. He was a 4th century Christian bishop of Myra in Lycia, a province of the Byzantine Anatolia, now in Turkey. Nicholas was famous for his generous gifts to the poor, in particular presenting the three impoverished daughters of a pious Christian with dowries so that they would not have to become prostitutes. He was very religious from an early age and devoted his life entirely to Christianity. In Europe (more precisely the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Germany) he is still portrayed as a bearded bishop in canonical robes. The relics of St. Nicholas were transported to Bari in southern Italy by some enterprising Italian merchants; a basilica was constructed in 1087 to house them and the area became a pilgrimage site for the devout. Saint Nicholas became claimed as a patron saint of many diverse groups, from archers and children to pawnbrokers and prostitutes. He is also the patron saint of both Amsterdam and Moscow.
All from Wikpedia. He may not have been in the bible, but the historical Saint Nicholas (Santa Claus) was a bishop in the catholic church, meaning he was linked to christianity.
phyco wrote:
why do athiest celebrate christmas?serously its a religous hoilday and i first thought there the ppl protesting about(saw some ppl at protesting against christmas the other day)but i see lots of
ppl even athiest celebrating christmas why do you think this happens?
because atheist were raised in a religious house, besides christmas is a pagan holiday, not christan/catholic......so who cares....
--- The Fear of Blood Tends to Create the fear for the flesh-SH
In my family we celebrate it as a tradition, not a religious holiday.
Time will always bend and shape traditions...it just so happens that in my house we use Christmas as a time to celebrate being with friends and family and that whole spirit of giving thing. Not that we don’t appreciate those things year round, but holidays are a time to do something special, that’s what makes them special in the first place.
So, although we acknowledge that Christmas is a religious holiday we don’t celebrate it as one.
If I have a family, I’m sure some traditions will remain but we’ll probably celebrate “Christmas” even less.
That’s how life is really, take a bit of past, mix it with the present and move it into the future.
Atresac wrote:
I celebrate it because I was born catholic and I’d feel like a prick just separating myself from my family on a holiday that’s now mostly just for the feeling of christmas. Sometimes it’s not even about the presents, but the general atmosphere and having an excuse to have your whole family together.
There’s really two versions. The secular and the religious. The religious doesn’t involve Santa and all that, but rather Jesus and such. The secular is the stuff you see when you go to the mall.
I’ve met quite a few fellow Christians who don’t even call it Christmas because of the secularization.
By the way, I don’t have a Santa on my tree, thank you very much.
There’s really two versions. The secular and the religious. The religious doesn’t involve Santa and all that, but rather Jesus and such. The secular is the stuff you see when you go to the mall.
I’ve met quite a few fellow Christians who don’t even call it Christmas because of the secularization.
By the way, I don’t have a Santa on my tree, thank you very much.
I don’t think it’s some sort dichotomy!
For most people it’s a mix of the two, and for some it’s not.
im atheist, i celebrate christmas cuz its more about family and marketing then jesus anymore. besides its a good time to catch up with friends and relatives
phyco wrote:
why do athiest celebrate christmas?serously its a religous hoilday and i first thought there the ppl protesting about(saw some ppl at protesting against christmas the other day)but i see lots of
ppl even athiest celebrating christmas why do you think this happens?
Christmas is not a christain thing.. its a western thing. Plus us athiest are not stupid, if someone gives us a free holiday and a excuse to see our family we going to take it.
--- Theory does not mean an unsubstantiated guess or hunch, as it can in everyday speech. A theory is a logically self-consistent model or framework for describing the behavior of a related set of natural or social phenomena.
Necron Lord wrote:
I celebrate the winter solstice, which is what Christmas really is before it was corrupted by Christians.
Yup. What is now “Christmas” is a tradition that borrowed very heavily from earlier pagan traditions, such as Saturnalia or the feast of Sol Inviticus which was already supplanting Saturnalia in Roman culture. It also borrowed heavily from Germanic pagan traditions (e.g. decorating the house with evergreen).
Atheists usually do celebrate Christmas, hell, even I do. It is an American culture thing to the point everyone in America celebrates it. Christmas is just a fun holiday, all in all.
phyco wrote:
why do athiest celebrate christmas?serously its a religous hoilday and i first thought there the ppl protesting about(saw some ppl at protesting against christmas the other day)but i see lots of
ppl even athiest celebrating christmas why do you think this happens?
If someone gives me a free holiday, you think Im going to turn it down?
--- Theory does not mean an unsubstantiated guess or hunch, as it can in everyday speech. A theory is a logically self-consistent model or framework for describing the behavior of a related set of natural or social phenomena.
commercialism
athiest saw that on religeos holidays people get presents
so there like “aw i want presents too” and they got greedy and “celebrated” as well
some athiests dont even know what the real meaning is...
jomas the grunt wrote:
commercialism
athiest saw that on religeos holidays people get presents
so there like “aw i want presents too” and they got greedy and “celebrated” as well
some athiests dont even know what the real meaning is...
You mean most people dont know what it means, most atheist use to be religious..
--- Theory does not mean an unsubstantiated guess or hunch, as it can in everyday speech. A theory is a logically self-consistent model or framework for describing the behavior of a related set of natural or social phenomena.
Even the Japanese celebrate christmas, and barely any Japanese are christian at all. Its even funnier because for them, Christmas is a day to get a date and go out with friends, and then New Years is a day to be with the family.
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