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.

Related posts:

1. It’s the Most Ignorant Time of the year
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

No retailer will pay the sales tax on stuff you buy. 

Selling product means the retailer has to pay the state. They will have to get that money from somewhere.  They will just tack that cost on somewhere or something else.

Buy one, get one free is a myth.

In case you need a refresher, paying 10 dollars for two things means that each one cost you 5 bucks.  This one is also known as the “amazing” half off sale.

Free gas, popular electronic device, or groceries with a purchase is not possible. 

Somewhere the retailer has to pay another retailer for their “gift” item and they sure as heck wont absorb that cost just because they like you.

“Thousands of dollars” in cash back makes no sense.

Most of the time you see this crapola of a gimmick when purchasing big ticket items that require financing, like a car.  Having said that, how can you get cash back on something you haven’t paid for?

Buy now and pay next year works only in the Twilight Zone.

Banks and lending institutions charge this thing called interest and if you don’t pay it for a year for money they give you now someone is loosing money and I guarantee you its not the guys with combination to the safe.  Maybe on paper you don’t pay the interest, but it is either accruing or being paid by the retailer.  In either event this is a sham as you will eventually have to pay it or the retailer passes that cost along to the consumer via higher that usual prices.  Go figure.

My final thoughts are this, Retailers should stop all these gimmicks and just advertise lower and lower prices. The laws of supply and demand will always prevail and low prices will ALWAYS drive sales.  Wake up fellow consumers and stop wandering like lost sheep toward these silly ploys.

Related posts:

1. Names We Should Really Stop Using
2. I hate “false” behavior in people.
3. Why do people listen to Doctors?

    I decided to return the DVR and just drop that service.  I went down to the office which was a pleasant experience.  They were polite and knew their jobs which I was kinda shocked to see.  The problem is I asked that they take off the DVR charge and since I no longer had a box hooked up to my high def TV ( we get a good clear QAM signal so I don’t need it) I wanted the high def part of my cable package removed also.  She said they could not do that.  They would take off the box and an extra equipment charge but my package is high def weather I like it or not now.  That’s the way all the plans are now.

   Well needless to say I did not argue much because I could tell there was no changing this persons mind.  I walked away with a smaller cable bill, but not by as much as I had hoped and a sore feeling in the hid quarters.  Be careful what you change about your cable service because you can never go home.

..oh and Comcast, next time could you please use some lube?  Thanks.

Related posts:

1. Masters of Materialism
2. I hate “false” behavior in people.
3. It’s the Most Ignorant Time of the year

    “Can you help me with this” usually means “Please do it for me”.  In honor of this depressing thought I would like to draw your attention to my fine philosophical idol Ayn Randand her introduction to objectivism.  Please read this and for the love of family, PLEASE try to think for yourselves people.

A Philosophy For Living

“My philosophy, in essence, is the concept of man as a heroic being, with his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute.” –Ayn Rand

Objectivism means :

- Believing in yourself, not in any church, not in society, and not in fellow man.

- Not take things on faith, for reason is man’s greatest attribute.

- Helping yourself to not rely on others;  and not letting others rely on you.

- Realizing that Man is an end in and of himself- not a means to ANY other purpose.

- Understanding that your personal happiness is your PRIMARY moral obligation.

- Always trying to achieve you greatest goals and productivity.

..and in doing sowe becomes a heroic beings.

Related posts:

1. Why Phone Technical Support is so bad these days
2. Misguided Laudable Knowledge day
3. Environmental Dissonance

“Yeah teach?” he replies.

“If there are three ducks on a fence and you shoot one of them with a shotgun, how many are left?” asks the teacher.

Matt answers “Well, teach, if I shoot one of them with a shotgun, the loud noise is gonna make them all fly off.”

“No, Matt, there will be two left if you shoot one with a shotgun, but I like the way you’re thinking.” the teacher responds.

“Well, teach, I’ve got a question for you… There are 3 women that come out of an ice-cream parlor, one is biting her ice-cream cone, one is licking it, and one is sucking on it. Which one is married?”

The teacher, a little taken back by the question answers, “Well, uh, gee Matt, I guess the one that’s sucking on the ice cream.”

Matt replies “No teach, the one that has the wedding ring on her finger, but I like the way you’re thinking!”

Related posts:

1. Unintentionally Dirty Words
2. I’ll Have Your Skills And Experience, To Go
3. ..and their paying their own way!