I know that many do generally because they always have and don’t want to change. Some even say that it should be replaced by a more inclusive, general holiday. Part of me feels that all such holidays should be ignored by atheists altogether.  A more humane holiday should be global and universal, equally relevant to all humans, regardless of their cultural heritage or where they live.

The idea that xmas is a purely christian holiday is actually a myth perpetuated by the majority that happen to actually be christians. (link to post on this here) Many atheists don’t believe that Jesus existed, and those who do don’t regard him as having been anyone special. No atheists are christians, so why bother participating in such a holiday? It’s arguable that participating makes christianity seem more popular than it really is, not to mention giving christians an unjustified ego boost.

                I feel that atheists celebrating xmas can often cause more harm than good by arming conservative evangelical christians with the perceived argument that America is essentially a christian nation. The more popular and important christian holidays are in America, the easier it is to claim that there is something about christianity which is fundamental to America’s culture. It’s not a very good argument and this isn’t very good support for it, but why offer them even this bit of help?

Long ago I lost the struggle being an atheist parent who celebrates xmas, weather or not to perpetuate the Santa Claus myth. This required me to lie to my kids. Yes, it is a lie. There’s not a nicer way of describing what one does when telling small children that Santa Claus visits every house on the planet delivering presents to children via a flying sleigh pulled by “magic” ruminants.  If I had it to do it over I would have left this out of my children’s lives Aside from the joy of engrossing oneself in pure fantasy I find no value in it. In fact in many ways I feel it may even be a mild form of indoctrination.  There are always very strong incentives to do what other parents are doing. Not celebrating xmas and not telling kids about Santa could have caused my children to be ostracized from others above and beyond what simply being an atheist tends to do already.  At the same time, though, the numbers of religious minorities who also don’t participate are increasing, thus increasing the numbers of kids who are “different.” Being different isn’t easy, but who wants to be a hypocrite just to fit in?

One possible reason for atheists to celebrate xmas is that it has become increasingly secularized over time and there is little sign of the process stopping soon. Arguments against xmas remain, but atheist participation in xmas actually helps serve the cause of removing it from its various christian and pagan roots. There are good reasons why many christians are upset over the current state of christmas, and those may be good reasons for atheists to keep the changes in motion.

Some folks will read this and think it is an attack on a cherished holiday. Others may take away that I am a hard-line non- conformist that wants to openly besmirch christianity in general.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  I enjoy all the pagan, secular aspects of the holiday.  I just don’t like the feeling of being under fire that comes along with its observance.

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2. Valen-SHMUCKS-Day
3. Santa’s Arch Enemy?

    The pledge of allegiance was written by the socialist minister and magazine editor Francis Bellamy in 1892 for a nationwide public school celebration of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s landing. Bellamy had hoped that the pledge would be used by citizens in any country.  Bellamy was a well-known ”Christian Socialist” whose beliefs involved some pretty unsavory bents.  I will leave you with one of his most often quoted statements as an example.

“(a)democracy like ours cannot afford to throw itself open to the world where every man is a lawmaker, every dull-witted or fanatical immigrant admitted to our citizenship is a bane to the commonwealth; where all classes of society merge insensibly into one another.”

The Pledge in its original form it read:

“I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic, for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

    In 1898, during the Spanish-American War, New York became the first state to mandate that public school students recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of each school day. Many states followed suit, and the pledge remained a staple of the daily routine in most schools.  The pledge recital itself was accompanied by a salute which Bellamy and one of his colleagues invented.  It consisted of a hand over heart motion ending with the extension of the arm pointing to the flag.  Look close at the image here.  Does the ending of the salute look familiar?  Yup, that’s right folks that is the same salute the Nazi’s adopted in their own socialist escapades.

The Bellamy Salute. Look familiar?

    In 1923, the words, “the Flag of the United States of America” were added.

At this time it read:

“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

    In 1954, in response to the Communist threat of the times, President Eisenhower encouraged Congress to add the words “under God,” creating the 31-word pledge as it is usually spoken today. Bellamy’s daughter objected to this alteration.

Today it reads:

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

    The next time you state the pledge try to remember the facts.  What we view as a very patriotic and religious salute was and really still is anything but a good thing.  Allegiance to any symbol or person or belief without intelligent thought and discussion behind it is worthless and dangerous.

Related posts:

1. Misguided Laudable Knowledge day
2. Gloriously Hedonistic Annual Jaunt
3. Updated Photos 12/28/2008

    While some geeks might be uncomfortable saying they are a fan of certain genres of film, I have no troubles saying that I love musicals.  I have been a fan of musicals as long as I can remember.  I love music and film so naturally musicals are dear to me.  I want to share some of my favorite “twisted” musicals with you today.  These are by no means the ONLY musicals I like but these have really meant something to me through the years.  Hope you enjoy.

The Phantom of the Paradise

 What happens when you cross Faust, The Phantom of the Opera, and The Picture of Dorian Gray, and pepper in a smattering of Frankenstein and a discotheque?  You get an early Brian DE Palma film that will blow your mind.

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The Rocky Horror Picture Show

The first time I watched this film I had no clue what I was watching.  A friend of mine and his sister introduced me to this movie and I have seen it once a year every year since my pre-teens.  The Evil Dr. Frank N. Furter an alien from the planet Transylvania in the Galaxy of Transsexual has found the secret of life itself.  Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon steal this twisted show.

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The Wiz

I love The Wizard of Oz.  I always have.  When I saw this movie I felt like I was seeing it all over again.  It’s terribly dated now and chock full of what to me seems like some nasty ethnic stereotyping, but if you can suspend belief in the real world you will be in for a treat.  The talent assembled here is almost unmatched.  The late Michael Jackson is just icing on the cake.  There’s no place like home.

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The First Nudie Musical

I first saw this movie on Showtime back in the late Seventies or early Eighties, and tried to find it on tape for years afterwards. Very funny, and I LOVED seeing Ron Howard (uncredited) and Cindy Williams in the same film pre-Happy Days/Laverne & Shirley. I have frequently tried to describe this film to my friends, and been frustrated. Even singing “Lesbian Butch Dyke, you can call it what you like” didn’t convey the hilarity.

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Cry Baby

John Waters is a genius.  Johnny Depp does some early work here mixing songs with some seriously good 50’s retro props, costumes and scenery.  Not the greatest acting, so be prepared to laugh a lot at this camp fest extraordinaire.

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Earth Girls Are Easy

Those of us that grew up in the REAL MTV eighties will remember this film.  Jeff Goldblum, Jim Carry, and Damon Wayans make this musical a MUST see.  It’s really only somewhat a musical since the songs are sparse.  When aliens fly off course and accidentally land in an valley girl’s pool all hell breaks loose getting them back home.  While I have always thought of Gina Davis as some what a horse faced actress, in this film she is SMOKING HOT.

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Little Shop of Horrors

I’ve loved this movie for years and never get tired of it. It’s entertaining and funny without needing to go for cheap or raunchy jokes (which I have nothing against). The songs are fun, and everyone in this movie can really sing. The jokes are clean and smart even if they are a little dark and twisted.  This was done by the great Frank Oz. I’m a big Muppets fan, so it makes sense that I love this too.

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Popeye

If you can find enjoyment in critically panned movies such as The Wiz, you can find corny enjoyment in this relatively same plateau of a production with catchy songs, and memorable characters.  Distance yourself from cartoon which it’s based, and think of it as a real life community of oddball people with their own rules for living. There was a lot of work drawn on this production and it’s not second rate including sets, music, costumes, and performance. It actually has tender moments from the transition of Popeye being the lone outcast to Olive Oyl discovering her love for this man soon after they find sweet pea lost in a basket. It is that chemistry which pulls the movies weight.

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Scrooge

I have reviewed this movie before on the site but it makes my list here just because the thought of a musical based on the ghosts of Xmas story is amazing.

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The Nightmare Before Christmas

Nightmare Before Christmas is wildly original, full of great songs, great lines (“nothing’s more suspicious than frog’s breath!), and great animation.  Between Tim Burton’s freaky/funny vision & Danny Elfman’s songwriting (& splendidly haunted, poignant singing) what imaginative forces we have at work here.

Related posts:

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2. Top 10 xmas gifts I won’t get in 2008.
3. The Evolution of the Cinema Werewolf

It is hard as an atheist not to interject when hearing people proclaim their religious beliefs. This doesn’t offend me personally because I have empirical evidence to back up my version of reality, and someone else’s opinion doesn’t change that.  I often find my self feeling offended myself when I hear people who I believe to be otherwise brilliant people following what I consider odd superstitions and strange rituals.  These days I try hard to rein myself in and not make comments that I feel might upset religious folk because it is important to remember that EVERYONE has a right to believe the way they want to.

This doesn’t work most of the time though because as I try to check my own comments most religious folk don’t have such a verbal or mental filter.  They consider anyone that does not agree with their beliefs an affront to their beliefs.  I think atheism offends the religious because there is no empirical evidence to support their beliefs. Religious people rely on the fact that they are a part of a large and powerful group of people.  Having a such a group of people who agree with them supports their viewpoint, even if that viewpoints has no logical or empirical support.

When an atheist simply proclaims his or her point of view, it erodes the perception that everybody is in agreement about god, and thus constitutes a direct attack on the institution.

My point today is this.  Religious folk, we atheists are not out to get you.  We just don’t believe what you do.  All my atheist friends  out there need to stop viewing religious folk as inferior or stupid people.  It can be an intelligent choice to be a part of such a group, right or wrong.  We all need to remember that the right to believe the way we want to is why we can have blog posts like this on BOTH sides of the aisle.

Related posts:

1. I am an atheist, and that should not scare you.
2. It’s the Most Ignorant Time of the year
3. Emotional Frame of Mind

Throughout the course of my life I have met some extremely colorful characters.  I have a large circle of people who I am happy to call friends.  I have a lot of clients that I work for that I don’t really consider friends.  I want to tell you about a couple that fall into the former group.

These folks originally joined my group of acquaintances by becoming customers of mine. I was approached to update their existing business website, MagnetQueen.  It was a long process as their website was a bit larger than I anticipated.  Long jobs, as any developer or graphic designer will tell you, tend to stick with you.  This one introduced me to Brian and Liza,  Native New Yorker’s that migrated their business here to Tennessee.  They make Save the Date Magnets for weddings, birthdays, graduations, you name it.

Brian is a Fordham University graduate and Liza is a graduate of the Parsons School of Design.  Together they have owned and run their own successful business for many, many years.  They would tell you that they wish they could be a lot more successful but, what other person wouldn’t  tell you the same?   They are a fun couple that likes the arts and are superb conversationalist and over the years I have grown very fond of them.  Most importantly they make some of the coolest magnets you can imagine.  My refrigerator is covered with picture magnets and fun magnets they have made for me over the years.

If you are in the market for some unique invites to give for your next event.  I hope you will consider my friend’s work.  I think you will be very pleased. 

Here’s to you Brian and Liza.

http://www.magnetqueen.com

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2. Gateway Getaway in St. Louis
3. A Geek Squad by any Other Name

    I was looking into the  origins of the word “nerd”.  It seems that in 1950 the term “nerd” was first used by Dr. Seuss in the book “If I ran the Zoo”.  It was a description of a little creature and had little to do with the common term we all know today.

    Just thought you all might enjoy that bit of info.  It made me laugh.

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