Christmas is not secular

[Desert Snake]

So, basically Christmas isn't secular. It's commercialized, yes, however the holiday is about Jesus, regardless of the "Yule" date etc.
This being the case, why do non-Christians celebrate Christmas? Is it hypocrisy?

 

[Storm]

Because it is secular, simple as that. Christmas as it's celebrated here and now has little, if anything, to do with Jesus.

 

[Father Heathen]

The winter solstice was celebrated long the birth of Christ became associated with it.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

Regardless of any of the religious ideas surrounding Christmas, whether pagan or Christian, in the US, Christmas is a secular holiday.

 

[Renji]

This being the case, why do non-Christians celebrate Christmas?

Why shouldn't non Christians celebrate it? (unless they don't really want to celebrate it for some reason)

Is it hypocrisy?

Christmas is for everyone IMO.

 

[Desert Snake]

Because it is secular, simple as that. Christmas as it's celebrated here and now has little, if anything, to do with Jesus.

It does to many people. Christs Mass.

 

[Storm]

It does to many people. Christs Mass.

The same people who gather around the pagan tree to exchange gifts in the finest pagan tradition?

Practice trumps etymology.

 

[Desert Snake]

The same people who gather around the pagan tree to exchange gifts in the finest pagan tradition?

Practice trumps etymology.

If everything that has a pagan origin can be labeled "pagan" then all the holidays would be pagan. I think this is just factually untrue. They are Christian holiday's with pagan symbolism mixed in.:tree:

 

[Storm]

If everything that has a pagan origin can be labeled "pagan" then all the holidays would be pagan. I think this is just factually untrue. They are Christian holiday's with pagan symbolism mixed in.:tree:

And the same goes for "Christmas."

It's not inherently Christian anymore, anymore than the trees are pagan. That's just facts.

 

[Madhuri]

For a lot, if not most people, Xmas is about Santa, family and presents. A lot of kids who grow up with Xmas won't even hear about who Jesus is until they are in their teens.

It has become a secular holiday in many places, although it still has religious significance to certain religious groups.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

For a lot, if not most people, Xmas is about Santa, family and presents. A lot of kids who grow up with Xmas won't even hear about who Jesus is until they are in their teens.

It has become a secular holiday in many places, although it still has religious significance to certain religious groups.

My family, or I should say my ex-in laws, make sure my five and two year old know the religious significance of Christmas, being conservative Christians. My two year old is too young to understand, but my five year old knows what it is all about, religiously. But, the presents are the main things they are concerned with. Which is the sole reason why I still celebrate it. If it wasn't for my kids, I wouldn't celebrate it at all. I live with my youngest brother, who is a devout atheist, and has refused to decorate his apartment in any way. So, Christmas, at least to me, will always be simply a secular holiday, at least as I partake in it, however, I do realize the religious significance of it, from both a pagan and Christian perspective.

 

[Desert Snake]

For a lot, if not most people, Xmas is about Santa, family and presents. A lot of kids who grow up with Xmas won't even hear about who Jesus is until they are in their teens.

It has become a secular holiday in many places, although it still has religious significance to certain religious groups.

Even though non-Christians celebrate Christmas, I'm not sure about actually calling it a "secular" holiday. Maybe. Anyway some different opinions would help the discussion.

 

[blackout]

Christmas (like any other day) is whatever you make of it.


Bottom line, it's just another day.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

So, basically Christmas isn't secular.

So, basically, you may consider the possibility that you're setting up a straw man. Ritual, ceremony, holiday - none of these are cultural fossils; all are what they are continuously becoming. To pretend otherwise is simply nonsense.

 

[Metempsychosis]

So, basically Christmas isn't secular. It's commercialized, yes, however the holiday is about Jesus, regardless of the "Yule" date etc.
This being the case, why do non-Christians celebrate Christmas? Is it hypocrisy?

Right..Christmas Isn't secular ..It does not have to be.Every country will have an holiday on the holy day of its majority religion.Non-christians might use that time for relaxing.

 

[blackout]

For many people it's not even a day off.

 

[Desert Snake]

For many people it's not even a day off.

I've always asked to work on Christmas when I've had jobs like that. Overtime pay.

 

[Sunstone]

So, basically Christmas isn't secular. It's commercialized, yes, however the holiday is about Jesus, regardless of the "Yule" date etc.
This being the case, why do non-Christians celebrate Christmas? Is it hypocrisy?

So far as I can recall, it's been at least a decade since anyone in my family mentioned Jesus during our Christmas celebrations. Christmas is a potlatch festival. Not much more than that.

 

[Splarnst]

I don't really celebrate it. I exchange gifts with my family because it would awkward otherwise. But that's it. No decorations, no songs, no saying Merry Christmas except when I'm handing over gifts, etc.

But really, how can you blame anyone for celebrating when it's forced on them by television, movies, radio, newspapers, stores, restaurants, offices, neighbors, family, friends, etc.?

You know what's real hypocrisy? Forcing it on secular people and then calling them hypocrites for celebrating it.

 

[Desert Snake]

So, basically, you may consider the possibility that you're setting up a straw man. Ritual, ceremony, holiday - none of these are cultural fossils; all are what they are continuously becoming. To pretend otherwise is simply nonsense.

Not at all, did you read the other opinions? Considering Christmas as a secular holiday is quite common.