Pretty much my view on Christmas...

PG04 said...

For your first line PG OMG, Bill O Rielly (sp?) is going to get you for that [screaming irrational voice on] You are declaring war on Christmas [/screaming irrational voice off] :lol:

For your question, no Jehova's Witnesses no longer celebrate Christmas due to their belief that it is aan offshoot of pagan celebrations.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mystery Squid @ Dec 15 2006, 08:04 AM) [snapback]362755[/snapback]</div>

As Jtullos correctly explained, belief and knowledge are two different realms of thought. One aspect of wisdom is understanding the limits of your knowledge. An atheist cannot know that there is no god, any more than a Christian can know that there is one. And a person who thinks he knows there is a god, simply does not understand what constitutes knowledge, or the difference in character between a belief and knowledge.

I cannot know that there is no god. But I believe there is no god. And a belief that there is no god is subtly different than the absense of a belief that there is a god. An agnostic is a person who takes no stand on the issue, and that is very subtly different than a soft atheist, but the two are very close.

The fact that the FSM is the creator of the universe and everything in it and has placed a stripper factory and a beer volcano in heaven is in nowise diminished by the fact that I do not believe it.

When I was young I got upset when people said "Merry Christmas" to me. I felt they were trying to push their religion on me. But eventually I decided to take it as merely a friendly greeting. And now, if I know someone is a Christian, I will say "Merry Christmas" to him, because my saying that is not a declaration of faith, it's merely wishing him a nice day on his particular holiday.

I never pass a begger or a panhandler without giving something, so when I lived in Mexico I heard "Que dios le bendiga" a lot. ("God bless you.) At first it annoyed me, until I realized it was just a formulaic way of saying "Thanks." I get upset when any religion tries to impose itself or its standards on other people, as we see in politics today. But I no longer take it ill when people speak formulaic phrases rooted in religion, intended to be friendly. I generally reply "Likewise," or "You too," or some such neutral phrase that will be understood in the same vein as their greeting.

 

Since there are so many religions...all claiming to be the truth...and humans not being very smart, wouldn't it be smart for God to quit being a hidden God and let us know he is there and which religion to follow? Then all this killing and stupidity could be over. All religions could set a date and say, "Here we are, what's up?" If nothing happens, then maybe we are on our own!!! :blink:

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(huskers @ Dec 15 2006, 04:49 PM) [snapback]362979[/snapback]</div>

Maybe god wants us to kill each other. Maybe god intentionally reveals himself differently, with different rules, to different groups of people, telling each it's got the only truth, just so we'll kill each other in savage religious wars. Just like little kids dumping ants of one colony onto another to see them kill each other.

"As flies to wanton boys, so we are to the gods. They kill us for their sport."
(From King Lear. Shakespeare. I think it was Kent who speaks the line, but it's been a long time since I read it.)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Alnilam @ Dec 13 2006, 11:01 AM) [snapback]361713[/snapback]</div>

Xmas
This abbreviation for Christmas is of Greek origin. The word for Christ in Greek is Xristos. During the 16th century, Europeans began using the first initial of Christ's name, "X" in place of the word Christ in Christmas as a shorthand form of the word. Although the early Christians understood that X stood for Christ's name, later Christians who did not understand the Greek language mistook "Xmas" as a sign of disrespect.



http://wilstar.com/xmas/xmassymb.htm



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_truce



I wonder if the above would have happened if none of the troops had been Christians?



Wildkow

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(huskers @ Dec 15 2006, 04:49 PM) [snapback]362979[/snapback]</div>

He has come down and physically manifested Himself on several occasions in the past. The last time He performed many amazing miracles and yet they still nailed Him to a cross where He suffered a slow painful death. But He has promised to come back one more time, and take all that believe in Him home. Sweet!



God Bless



Wildkow

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Wildkow @ Dec 16 2006, 07:10 AM) [snapback]363073[/snapback]</div>

How about showing up for Larry King Live?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(huskers @ Dec 16 2006, 09:50 AM) [snapback]363086[/snapback]</div>

No, I think they'd give him his own Reality show. ("Loaves and fishes are passe. Can you feed this crowd using just... this cup of live cockroaches?")

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(huskers @ Dec 16 2006, 06:50 AM) [snapback]363086[/snapback]</div>

How will that help? Besides King tosses softball questions I'd rather do it this way . . .



Isaiah 1:18 Come now and let us reason together saith the Lord.



Wildkow



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Dec 16 2006, 08:13 AM) [snapback]363103[/snapback]</div>

Why would God give cockroaches to feed the hungry? Of all the questions you could ask or miracles you could ask of God, why would you ask that? <_< :wacko: Doesn't make any sense to me.

BTW yes He could if you were hungry enough . . .





Wildkow

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Wildkow @ Dec 18 2006, 05:48 AM) [snapback]363652[/snapback]</div>

Well put~

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Dec 13 2006, 03:30 PM) [snapback]361802[/snapback]</div>

Indeed, it's rather difficult to take it too seriously when the majority complains of discrimination.

Isn't this a little like white people complaining about segregation?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pinto Girl @ Dec 21 2006, 02:50 PM) [snapback]365411[/snapback]</div>

Which is exactly what happens a lot: They call it "reverse discrimination" any time a person of color gets hired instead of a white person.