So If I'm reading you correctly Don, the essance of what you say is that you enjoy a secular Xmas because of the memories of past Xmases?
Let my say this, as a child I have had some loverly xmases, as an adult too, yet now I am a child no longer, now I think as an adult, I still see no worth in that. Extend it to other days that you have good memeories of, and you'll see that you don't cling onto these in the same way. So I ask then just what is it about Xmas time that causes us to behave in this fashion? I'm guessing that some here perhaps view my disinterest in this time of year as a fuction of bad Xmases gone, this is simply not the case. What do we do over Xmas? Overeat, overspend, over drink. Some of us stress over getting the dinner just so, others are worried about 'fair' spending on gifts for loved ones, people expect and get ansy when their expectations are not met. No sir it is not becuase of Xmases gone, I just don't undertand the need for the day at all, for non Christians that is. On 11 Dec, 19:05, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > On Fri, Dec 11, 2009 at 10:04 AM, Lee <[email protected]> wrote: > > Again I disgree. A healthy attitude is all you need to enjoy crimbo > > you proclaim. Yet I find that my healthy attitude deems Xmas, a > > worthless thing. > > Worthless to you, it seems. Clearly not to many millions of other people. > > > > > > > > > Let me try to explain why say this. > > > Christmas, is of course a Christian holiday, for Christians it > > celebrates the birth of the Messiah. A worthy celebration indeed, if > > you are that way inclined. > > > I you are not though, why celebrate Xmas? What are you celebrating > > instead? > > > Family ties, a chance to come closer to those you care about? Then > > why not do this everyday instead? To have one day a year set aside in > > which to worship at the altar of consumerism, and then pretend it is > > all about the family, well that seems silly to me. To secularise an > > existing religious fesitval, well that seems dishonest and insulting > > to those who view the day in a religious way. > > Sheesh dude, I'm practically an atheist. I love Christmas. Probably > mostly because of good memories I've been exposed to and made for > myself over the years during this time. For many, this time of year > is miserable because it's associated with bad memories. I get it. > When I'm feeling good(and when I'm consciously trying to feel good) I > like seeing smiles on folks faces and people enjoying shopping for > their kids. It's reliving your childhood. Of course, if the > childhood memories suck then it follows Christmas won't be a fun time > of year for that person. Unless they consciously decide that it will > be. > > > > > Why not make as big a deal of Ramadam? We can loose it's religous > > meanings and look upon it as a week of healthy purging instead, I mean > > that fasting IS good for your health, if you do it every once in a > > while, perhaps for one week in the year. > > Ever hear of Lent? I personally don't participate but my Dad is proud > of his ash mark. I used to get lots of goat meat at Ramadan. > Apparently fasting days mean fasting only during the day. While it's > daylight. That might be ok if it falls in the dead of winter but I'll > be damned(no pun intended) if I'd stick it out in the summer. The day > lasts too long. And then there's this: > > Penalties of eating in public during Ramadan daytime > > In some Muslim countries, failing to fast or the open flouting of such > behavior during Ramadan is considered a crime and is prosecuted as > such. For instance, in Algeria, in October 2008 the court of Biskra > condemned six people to four years in prison and heavy fines.[13] > In Kuwait, according to law number 44 of 1968 the penalty is a fine of > no more than 100 Kuwaiti dinars, or jail for no more than one month, > or both penalties, for those seen eating, drinking or smoking during > Ramadan daytime.[14][15] In UAE, eating or drinking during the daytime > of Ramadan is considered a minor offence and would be punished by up > to 240 hours of community service.[16] > > > > > Now if that seems like a slightly barking mad idea to you, and if it > > makes you feel a little uncomfatable hijacking a Muslim holy time and > > changing it's meaning, and if you find the idea a little offensive to > > Islam, then you'll begin to get an idea of what I mean. > > I suppose if I was forced to go out and buy presents for everyone I > wouldn't like it. But since I participate by choice I revel in it. > Sure I get a bit wistful occasionally but I snap out of it and get > busy. The good xmases far outweigh the bad ones for me. I hate > shopping for myself but going with someone else and getting the xmas > shopping done ain't that bad. The internet helps. > > In the spirit in which you've decided to not celebrate; here's my > offering to you. Merry Christmas! > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AC3sZB-v7Q > > -Don > > > > > > > On 11 Dec, 15:38, Don Johnson <[email protected]> wrote: > >> You don't need to be a Christian to enjoy Christmas! Just a healthy > >> attitude. Hard to come by, I know. > > >>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4Hv9YmhGpw > > >> -Don > > >> On Thu, Dec 10, 2009 at 4:31 AM, Lee <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > Bah humbug. Xmas again and those of you who know me should know that > >> > I just don't enjoy this time of year. > > >> > Granted this year I shall not be working, and this year I have my > >> > family at home with me, but still it's that time of year again when > >> > most of us start to feel guilty that we have not spent enough on each > >> > of the people we want to gift, again we shall go through the 'who do I > >> > send cards to' rigmarole, the family rows, the consumerisum trap that > >> > is modern day Xmas. > > >> > As a non Christian, can't we just do away with it, leave it to the > >> > followers of Christ, me honestly I can't see any merit to the day. > > >> > On 10 Dec, 05:45, archytas <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> Right Orn, I'm sending the boys round. This is in such poor taste it > >> >> almost isn't funny! > > >> >> On 10 Dec, 01:35, dj <[email protected]> wrote: > > >> >> > And She Touch A Jew.. > > >> >> > On Dec 7, 9:45 am, ornamentalmind <[email protected]> wrote: > > >> >> > > Before anyone gets all excited about the ‘season’, enjoy this song > >> >> > > first, OK? > > >> >> > > Thanks. > > >> >> > >http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1uZ_W7atDE-Hidequoted text - > > >> >> - Show quoted text - > > >> > -- > > >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > >> > Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. > >> > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >> > [email protected]. > >> > For more options, visit this group > >> > athttp://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en.-Hide quoted text - > > >> - Show quoted text - > > > -- > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > ""Minds Eye"" group. > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > [email protected]. > > For more options, visit this group > > athttp://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en.- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en.
