the official x-mas hater thread

intoCB · 2013-12-24 17:01:34

Actually, I have nothing against Celine Dion. It's like Justin Bieber: She simply isn't on my radar.

CaptainIndifferent · 2013-12-24 21:32:33

I agree with the comments about Christmas being more commercialized these days but I also remember hearing people saying the exact same thing 50+ years ago so I guess that it isn't anything new.

Personally I enjoy Christmas (the whole season, not just the day) and look forward to it all year. Spending time with family and friends and, hopefully, spreading a bit of cheer to those that could do with something extra is a good thing in my book.

pvsage · 2013-12-24 23:09:44

^ This. Except 50 years ago it actually was something new...well, actually more like 80 years ago; Macy's and other major retail stores drove the commercialization of Christmas, and politicians encouraged it as a means to stimulate the economy after the Great Depression.

"Spreading a bit of cheer to those that could do with something extra" is the true spirit of this season. This is why, regardless of how many nights I've eaten Ramen, beans, and rice, I'll always toss in whatever I can if I happen across a Salvation Army kettle or other charitable collection.

Last edited by pvsage (2013-12-24 23:10:36)

coffee_guy · 2013-12-25 03:43:32

I don't have any family left of my own so me and the missus went to her folks tonight and now I'm off work till Friday with some video games to play and computer stuff to play with. Yeah, I'm pretty excited about that. That, and the steaks to grill and the bottle of scotch to drank. Maybe I'll be in the holiday spirit when I have kids or something.

snowice0 · 2013-12-25 04:42:19

I love christmas but it might just be more of my idea of christmas as opposed to what others think. \
I hate what they think but I guess its easy to enjoy the whole being nice to people aspect. Everyone needs an excuse once in a while. Mid-summer is pretty great, sitting around drinking and hanging out with friends. Or birthdays
but yeah. Screw-christmas!

hashbanger · 2013-12-25 14:22:55

I, as a sole follower of the Satanic Rules, don't celebrate Christian holidays. This doesn't make me a "x-mas hater" though (although I really do hate people using "x" for "Christ"; I don't say "u" for "horse" either!).

It's not the Christianity I hate, it's the lack thereof. Indeed I noticed that on Christmas people are used to lying to their beloved ones. Christmas, the day of lying. Sure, you really love to sit among boring old relatives and listen to their tales; sure, you love your family more than on every other day in the year. Liars. Maybe I'm just too honest for Christmas.

Given the aforementioned inhonesty, Christmas gifts are perverted. Giving something to someone you like is a kind act, doing that because your calendar says so is disgusting. Either you make a gift because you really want to or you just don't. Why do you let the calendar tell you when it's time to buy things for your friends and family?

About the inevitable "family gathering" argument: Do you only want to see your family once in a year?

Last edited by hashbanger (2013-12-25 14:26:27)

dot|not · 2013-12-25 14:37:11

About the inevitable "family gathering" argument: Do you only want to see your family once in a year?

Yep.

hashbanger · 2013-12-25 14:37:53

So you don't like your family? Why do you pretend to once a year? Liar?

pvsage · 2013-12-25 15:16:21

Many of us truly love and miss our families, yet can only tolerate their company in short bursts. Emotions and familial relationships are more complex than "I love you and want to see you every hour of every day" vs. "I hate you and never want to see you again".

EDIT:
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y5GtaTrPHM[/video]

Last edited by pvsage (2013-12-25 15:21:58)

dot|not · 2013-12-25 15:44:02

hashbanger wrote:

So you don't like your family? Why do you pretend to once a year? Liar?

You should curb your bite reflex a little bit.

pvsage put it well.

retf · 2013-12-25 16:13:54

As an atheist with very young children, I am struggling with what to do with future Christmas's. I really don't want to swap one religion for another and start celebrating the Winter Solitice. And, at some point, the kids are going to realize that they are not being raised like the other children in town... RMS has a few posts about "Grav-Mass" seeing as how Dec 25th is Issac Newton's birthday - but that just seems silly...

Any ideas? Non-religious - non-spiritual - non- "new age" - but celebratory... ?

sqlpython · 2013-12-25 16:37:42

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-oVPVsCqs4[/video]

hashbanger · 2013-12-25 16:39:15

retf wrote:

I really don't want to swap one religion for another and start celebrating the Winter Solitice.

Why did you start with one religion in the first place?

xor · 2013-12-25 16:56:04

hashbanger wrote:

I, as a sole follower of the Satanic Rules, don't celebrate Christian holidays.

just comparing the web page colors: interesting random coincidence...not !? ]:D

retf · 2013-12-25 17:05:53

hashbanger wrote:

Why did you start with one religion in the first place?

Since you asked -- Much like most USA raised children, I had little choice - and was taken in by the Christian belief system before I had a say in my belief system's direction... the quote "Give me the child for his first seven years, and I’ll give you the man," applies here... Unfortunately it usually takes a bitter personal trial for most hard-coded believers, like I was, to escape... However, no need to dwell on unfortunate trials... there's much wonder in the universe to explore --- and also copious code to coddle...

hashbanger · 2013-12-25 17:08:43

I'd assume even in the USA you're free to choose once you're adult and not to apply the forced beliefs to your own children?

retf · 2013-12-25 17:28:39

hashbanger wrote:

I'd assume even in the USA you're free to choose once you're adult and not to apply the forced beliefs to your own children?

It's very difficult to leave one's family and family traditions. My family is very religious, and they view me through the lens of religion as the lost sheep. They also continuously attempt to insert religion into my children's lives... My unbelief hurts other family members emotionally, and was not easy to grow into. Many people today are raised in a generic sort of non-committal Christian household - what my parents would call Easter/Christmas people... because they only go to church on those two days... I was not raised in that sort of household. My family firmly believes in daily religious practices - and that is not easy to escape or toss aside. It's going to sound a bit snide - but it's not meant to be -- "if you haven't experienced my experience, you can't possibly understand the difficulty I face." --- That's true for all people - even those whom are not me...

hashbanger · 2013-12-25 17:34:46

My family firmly believes in daily religious practices - and that is not easy to escape or toss aside.

It actually is. I grew up in a very Catholic family (in Germany though); just saying "no" might have hurt my grandparents but today they still like me. Religious beliefs should always be a personal matter, anyone trying to talk you into any of them should be told not to. Things won't be better unless you start to make your point.

retf · 2013-12-25 17:49:46

hashbanger wrote:

Religious beliefs should always be a personal matter, anyone trying to talk you into any of them should be told not to. Things won't be better unless you start to make your point.

True - but making a strong oppositional emotional/logical choice at any age is difficult for most people - and even more difficult when you've told since the time you could talk that everlasting fire awaits you if you abandon your faith. There's a huge difference between being raised by true believers to be a true believer and being raised by luke warm believers to be a luke warm believer --- most people today are raised to be luke warm believers --- I was raised in a spare the rod/spoil the child house, as well as "the devil is out to get you" house --- and that screws you up completely...

However, I gotta get off this thread and go outside and enjoy my uncreated back yard with my ape-like creature children that hold promise for my genes to outlast some other creature's genes...

Merry Time of Year Everyone!

hashbanger · 2013-12-25 17:51:40

the devil is out to get you

Hey, at least it's warm in Hell.

xor · 2013-12-25 18:02:59

^ as long as the devil looks like Liz Hurley in "Bedazzled", i'm in !

intoCB · 2013-12-25 18:06:21

Christmas as a concept I quite like but it's true, "family Christmases" always ended up with people drinking too much and falling out over stupid things. I gave them up in the end, simply because I couldn't stand the ill will they caused.

codingman · 2013-12-25 21:32:06

Not a fan of it either. Too greedy.

SailorTears · 2014-01-01 22:59:07

Since I converted to a NeuroQuantum-NeoPantheist-Taoist fallen Unitarian, the holiday lost it's meaning. The feeding frezy of commerical depressed me. But most of all her remind of her. The Love of my Life broke my heart time and time again and finally I sent her packing in 1984. I am old. (cue "I an Rock" by Simon and Garfunkel). I never love again - not the way I did.

pvsage · 2014-01-13 05:32:43

Well guys, since we're well past the 2013 Christmas season, I'm closing and unsticking both this thread and the happy one. If anyone wants either of them reopened, please PM one of your friendly neighborhood moderators.

CrunchBang Linux

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#42 2013-12-25 17:28:39

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#48 2013-12-25 21:32:06

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