The World's Largest Coalition of Nontheists and Nontheist Communities!

Take back the Season

I just returned from "A Christmas Carol." A good version of the classic story and good 3D. I was of course disturbed by the religion. The story is really about friends, family, love, and charity, but because of the stranglehold of christianity on our culture, it is infused with religion.

Which made me think about how we need to take back the winter solstice season and reclaim the traditions that christians stole from us. It will take generations to undo the religious impositions, but we need to take a stand where we can.

So what is the best way to do that? I think every atheist should make a point of celebrating Solstice and not christmas.

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by FreeThinker on November 11, 2009 at 7:45pm

I, personally, celebrate Festivus, but feel free to celebrate the winter solstice.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Stef on November 11, 2009 at 7:48pm

I like the idea of HumanLight. Our local atheist group is planning one based on it for this year. Celebrate Reason!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Gold Guy on November 11, 2009 at 8:46pm

That looks good. Celebrating solstice and calling it Human Light. I think though that it is also important to take back some of the things christianity took away, like the colors red and green, holy, mistletoe, candles, logs, etc.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Little Name Atheist on November 11, 2009 at 8:52pm

No, it's not celebrating the Solstice and calling it Human Light. They are two different things.

All that other stuff has religious associations, they just happen to be pre-Christian associations.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Gold Guy on November 11, 2009 at 9:06pm

No, it's not celebrating the Solstice and calling it Human Light.
Okay, it is not intended as a celebration of solstice but it is the same time of year like all the other celebrations, including christmas, that just happen to be at the winter solstice. So why isn't it some other time, like January 23rd?

All that other stuff has religious associations, they just happen to be pre-Christian associations.

I'm not so sure about that. The reasons for using those things could have nothing to do with religion. They're just plants that don't die in the winter. They don't have to be religious. Certainly primitive people put spiritual interpretations on most things, but that doesn't mean we have to throw all ancient traditions away. It still makes sense to celebrate the lengthening of the days in winter, and the happiness brought by plants that stay green all year. You don't even need to have any spiritual beliefs for that.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by FreeThinker on November 11, 2009 at 9:06pm

Seems to me that it is basically doing what the Christian church did, which is to place a holiday at the same time as an already established holiday for the purpose of enticing people who already celebrate the current holiday into celebrating this new holiday in its place.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Gold Guy on November 12, 2009 at 1:00am

Right, so lets just honestly celebrate the original. Solstice. There is a good non-spiritual reason to celebrate at that time.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Gold Guy on November 12, 2009 at 8:41am

Okay, that explains why but I think we should just take over Solstice and give it the ideals of HumanLight. Creating a separate event on a day close to Solstice is confusing, as evidenced by the fact that it requires five paragraphs to explain why it isn't on Solstice. They mention that Solstice doesn't carry any of their ideals, but then neither does Dec. 23rd! As for Solstice having religious meaning for some.. what doesn't!? Why should we give it up for that reason? I think using the astrological event is more powerful and meaningful. Not likely to change their minds now that they've started promoting it on the 23rd. Oh well.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Little Name Atheist on November 12, 2009 at 9:25am

Creating a separate event on a day close to Solstice is confusing, as evidenced by the fact that it requires five paragraphs to explain why it isn't on Solstice.

I don't find it confusing at all. More than likely, they created the holiday, and then a few people started asking why. The people who created Humanlight are accessible. You could always write them and ask their reasoning.

No date carries any ideals. People carry ideals.

Neo-Pagans have religious associations with the Winter Solstice. I don't see why Humanists can't have their own thing, on their own date.

Why should we give it up for that reason? I think using the astrological event is more powerful and meaningful

Except for those of us who think astrology is bunk.

If you would like to celebrate the ideals of Humanlight on the Solstice, no one is stopping you.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Gold Guy on November 12, 2009 at 2:47pm

I mistyped, I meant astronomical of course. Astrology is total bull.

Yeah I will celebrate on the solstice. I'm pretty sure eventually that will be the time atheists celebrate too, because of the astronomical significance. (I bet if Carl Sagan were alive he'd agree ;-) We would all get there quicker if they didn't make the mistake of trying to create a celebration on a different day, half-way between the astronomical event that started it all, and the fake holiday created by christians.

Permalink Reply by Jared Lardo on November 12, 2009 at 1:38am