Comments on: House Reps declare War on the War on Christmas http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/12/house-reps-declare-war-on-the-war-on-christmas/ Question. Think. Decide. Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:05:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Elton http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/12/house-reps-declare-war-on-the-war-on-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-4833 Elton Mon, 14 Dec 2009 03:34:23 +0000 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1789#comment-4833 Has the same weight as declaring April Chocolate Chip Cookie Month. Resolutions by either chamber are universally voted for and ignored. Has the same weight as declaring April Chocolate Chip Cookie Month. Resolutions by either chamber are universally voted for and ignored.

]]> By: TK http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/12/house-reps-declare-war-on-the-war-on-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-4817 TK Sat, 12 Dec 2009 23:01:51 +0000 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1789#comment-4817 "strongly disapproves"? What does that mean? Is that like when Demi Moore "strenuously objects" to the judge? “strongly disapproves”? What does that mean? Is that like when Demi Moore “strenuously objects” to the judge?

]]> By: Kris http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/12/12/house-reps-declare-war-on-the-war-on-christmas/comment-page-1/#comment-4813 Kris Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:03:29 +0000 http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/?p=1789#comment-4813 Jesus is hardly even one of the reasons for the season. I'm sure that you know as well as I do that the christmas celebrations predate Jesus by at least a thousand years. They're anchored to the solstace, and would happen in some form or other no matter the reigning religious hegemony. That's the very reason that Jesus has a mention in the season at all: early pagans weren't wont to give up their holidays, so the early church thought it best to syncretize it with a celebration of their messiah. The only even remotely christian element of modern christmas is the nativity scene and story (and perhaps the oblique reference to St. Nicholas), and they—aside from being perverted beyond recognition—tend to play a tiny role relative to rest of the festivities. I'm personally happy to have a fixed national holiday in the neighborhood of the solstace. There's a lot of power in so many people celebrating the same holiday at once, the sense that the world has stopped in its tracks for a day or a week, which is certainly in the spirit of Saturnalia and the early solstace celebrations. Perhaps calling the national holiday ‘Christmas’ is somewhat vulgar, but it's the least of our battles. The Pledge and national motto are certainly higher on my personal list of qualms. Jesus is hardly even one of the reasons for the season. I’m sure that you know as well as I do that the christmas celebrations predate Jesus by at least a thousand years. They’re anchored to the solstace, and would happen in some form or other no matter the reigning religious hegemony. That’s the very reason that Jesus has a mention in the season at all: early pagans weren’t wont to give up their holidays, so the early church thought it best to syncretize it with a celebration of their messiah. The only even remotely christian element of modern christmas is the nativity scene and story (and perhaps the oblique reference to St. Nicholas), and they—aside from being perverted beyond recognition—tend to play a tiny role relative to rest of the festivities.

I’m personally happy to have a fixed national holiday in the neighborhood of the solstace. There’s a lot of power in so many people celebrating the same holiday at once, the sense that the world has stopped in its tracks for a day or a week, which is certainly in the spirit of Saturnalia and the early solstace celebrations. Perhaps calling the national holiday ‘Christmas’ is somewhat vulgar, but it’s the least of our battles. The Pledge and national motto are certainly higher on my personal list of qualms.

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