Friday, November 30, 2012

Xmas, a rewrite

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        I don't think it matters much, if at all, which belief system you have, Christmas is what it is, and it isn't political. So keeping Christ in Christmas is important to me. Its not a fucking Holiday Tree! Even as an Atheist, Christmas is the name of the Holiday. Yet, I recently watched a Penn Gillette, vid, and he talks about being inclusive towards everyone, so "Holiday" should be used more over in place of Christmas. I am beginning to sense some word play here with all the holidays. What amounts to a Christian Exclusive members club.


 I wrote the above entry about this time last year. I am really starting to become very skeptical of the holidays all together, and wonder "What exactly are the Holidays?" What do they really boil down to, if you strip away the marketing, and the PR. You'd be left with stat holidays, thank the labour unions for that. but really, the holidays, and their deities, Santa, Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy [which really is any given night], and even Halloween for that matter, the Sand Man. Strip away the marketing and PR and you have nothing left. Really think about that...Nothing left. Anything at all left over that you think is there is nothing more then man made. It is what it would be only because of the perception that it means what it does to you. Your personal meaning of Christmas, believe it or not is your own perception. A group of you's such as your Family at Christmas time gathering for your Family Christmas doing so for all the same reasons, does not make it more fact and less perception, it makes it an agreeable perception.

 Why do we tell children about these Deities? Who is it make feel better? I can guarantee you, it does not make me feel better for telling my children that Santa brings them toys. It does not make me feel good for lying to them, because that's just the way its done. Go with the flow? Why? What good logical purpose does it serve? Its not really about getting children to behave better through the month of December, that's a sham, and a piss poor excuse for a lack of parenting. I am my childrens Parent, not Santa. Nor does the Easter Bunny really make it any better or easier for my children to part with their teeth. They are teeth, end of story. Don't lie to your children in the first place, and you won't need to comfort them in the end with stories and lies about fictitious characters coming in the night.

 So, I am left wondering about Atheism and Skepticism, are they really the big bad wolf that so many people make them out to be. Children may not get any less because its not Santa bringing them any toys, all that's going to happen there is a different name on a gift tag, your child can and will still have a great Christmas, because YOU make it happen for them. Your children lose a Tooth, why do you need the Tooth Fairy to give them some money for their Tooth? Bunnies don't lay eggs, so why do they hunt for eggs and other treats? Oh and one last thing, there is no difference between Childhood deities and God or Jesus, so lets get over ourselves.

 Another thing that occured to me quite some time after I updated this blog entry. I have heard this about Jesus, and I will paraphrase to Santa Claus:

If Santa is real, then why do some children go with out? He is either emotionally Malevolant, or simply cares not to do anything about it.

Who is really getting the benefit out of Santa Claus? The Children? No, Children still recieve presents after they stop believing in Santa. The Parents? Grandparents? Caregivers? Sure it benefits them. Between the Children and the [lets use caregivers, generically] caregivers, its the caregivers that have to put the effort into it. Children do not put effort into believing, unfortunately due to their ages and the younger they are, they eat up what they are feed, particularly what is sugar coated. It must hurt the parents much more, once the child figures things out and quits believing in Santa.

Feel free to comment or write me personally.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

A Starting point

        I won't get into exact detail about the origins of my Atheist beginnings. Partly because I can not remember exactly, as well as, the details at this point are irrelevant. I think though, what is a good point in time is that Recently I have purchased two books. One is, Christopher Hitchens' Portable Atheist, and the other is Richard Dawkins' the magic of reality. I have Started reading Richard Dawkins first. No great leaps in thought have been made yet, though it has thus far been refreshing.

Feel free to comment or write me personally.