Can Easter and Christmas be celebrated without religion?
My husband is catholic....not practicing. I've seen him go to church maybe 3 times since we have been together. Yes, he does believe in God but has never done anything else.
I'm an atheist but still celebrate holidays. It's not for the religion but for the tradition and family that I know and have created.
Well, DH suddenly wants the girls to pray before bed and stuff. I told him (BEFORE we got togethere and got married) that if he is going to teach him his religion and his life with God, then I'm also going to teach them my life without a God along with other religions and spiritualities.
I have been talking very openly to my girls about why I don't believe in God and how I think differently than others. He hasn't said much or done much until now (we are having problems in our marriage).
So, he thinks that it's stupid of me to celebrate Christmas and Easter if I don't believe in God. This morning, I told the girls that the Easter bunny is coming and he said, "I thought you didn't celebrate that." Ummm....I CELEBRATE it...I just don't celebrate the religion.
So....this could be controversial......do you think Easter and Christmas can be celebrated without religion?
Quoting momma0ffive:i personally dont understand why you would celebrate something you dont believe in. you just look like a hypocirte to everyone. the reason for christmas is to celebrate christs birth..... easter because of his ressurection. if you dont believe those things happened why do you celebrate them. you can do whatever you want but your beliefs contradict your actions. alot of times people think actions speak louder than words so if youre celebrating people may just think you believe. i dont know. i wouldnt say i didnt believe in something and then celebrate! that just seems ridiculous to me.
Well, I'm not celebrating the birth of christ when I celebrate Christmas. I celebrate family, the spirit of giving, the traditions of my family, generosity, love, etc.
Same with Easter. I never tell my kids or anyone that I celebrate the birth of christ when i don't believe so I'm not a hypocrite in the way. I celebrate what I mentioned above so....i'm not a hypocrite.
Quoting M4LG5:
Quoting momma0ffive:
i personally dont understand why you would celebrate something you dont believe in. you just look like a hypocirte to everyone. the reason for christmas is to celebrate christs birth..... easter because of his ressurection. if you dont believe those things happened why do you celebrate them. you can do whatever you want but your beliefs contradict your actions. alot of times people think actions speak louder than words so if youre celebrating people may just think you believe. i dont know. i wouldnt say i didnt believe in something and then celebrate! that just seems ridiculous to me.
Well, I'm not celebrating the birth of christ when I celebrate Christmas. I celebrate family, the spirit of giving, the traditions of my family, generosity, love, etc.
Same with Easter. I never tell my kids or anyone that I celebrate the birth of christ when i don't believe so I'm not a hypocrite in the way. I celebrate what I mentioned above so....i'm not a hypocrite.
im sorry you can tell your self what ever you want and believe what you want........ but when you break it down. you are a hypocirte. whether you change "your" reason for celebrating, the truth of the matter is you are celebrating a religious holiday whether you acknowledge it or not. and if you are celebrating it people will consider it celebrating. they most likely are not going to think you are an aethist if you celebrate religious holidays. you asked what we thought and this is how i feel. i think your husband is right if you dont believe in God then you shouldnt celebrate those religious type holidays. point blank
I did ask....but to call me out as a hypocrite is not cool.
Quoting momma0ffive:
Quoting M4LG5:
Quoting momma0ffive:
i personally dont understand why you would celebrate something you dont believe in. you just look like a hypocirte to everyone. the reason for christmas is to celebrate christs birth..... easter because of his ressurection. if you dont believe those things happened why do you celebrate them. you can do whatever you want but your beliefs contradict your actions. alot of times people think actions speak louder than words so if youre celebrating people may just think you believe. i dont know. i wouldnt say i didnt believe in something and then celebrate! that just seems ridiculous to me.
Well, I'm not celebrating the birth of christ when I celebrate Christmas. I celebrate family, the spirit of giving, the traditions of my family, generosity, love, etc.
Same with Easter. I never tell my kids or anyone that I celebrate the birth of christ when i don't believe so I'm not a hypocrite in the way. I celebrate what I mentioned above so....i'm not a hypocrite.
im sorry you can tell your self what ever you want and believe what you want........ but when you break it down. you are a hypocirte. whether you change "your" reason for celebrating, the truth of the matter is you are celebrating a religious holiday whether you acknowledge it or not. and if you are celebrating it people will consider it celebrating. they most likely are not going to think you are an aethist if you celebrate religious holidays. you asked what we thought and this is how i feel. i think your husband is right if you dont believe in God then you shouldnt celebrate those religious type holidays. point blank
Just a little FYI, I have a very good friend whose husband is Jewish and she doesn't practice any religion. The Jewish husband is the one that loves to celebrate Christmas and goes completely overboard with decorations both inside and outside of their house. They have a Christmas tree, plenty of Santas, and lights on the outside of their house to rival the Griswalds. As a Jew, he obviously doesn't believe in Jesus so he obviously isn't celebrating his birth when he celebrates Christmas.
Quoting momma0ffive:i personally dont understand why you would celebrate something you dont believe in. you just look like a hypocirte to everyone. the reason for christmas is to celebrate christs birth..... easter because of his ressurection. if you dont believe those things happened why do you celebrate them. you can do whatever you want but your beliefs contradict your actions. alot of times people think actions speak louder than words so if youre celebrating people may just think you believe. i dont know. i wouldnt say i didnt believe in something and then celebrate! that just seems ridiculous to me.
I am Christian and celebrate these holidays for both their religious and secular meanings. The secular for the same reasons that you mentioned. From what you have written in how you handle it with your children it does not sound to me like you are being a hypocrite. You don't believe in the religous significance behind them and you make that very clear. There is no reason why you can't celebrate both of these holidays for the purely secular meanings attached to them.
Quoting M4LG5:
So....no Easter bunny, Santa Claus, or a Christmas tree for my children because I don't believe in god though I'm sure none of these have anything to do with god.
I did ask....but to call me out as a hypocrite is not cool.
Quoting momma0ffive:
Quoting M4LG5:
Quoting momma0ffive:
i personally dont understand why you would celebrate something you dont believe in. you just look like a hypocirte to everyone. the reason for christmas is to celebrate christs birth..... easter because of his ressurection. if you dont believe those things happened why do you celebrate them. you can do whatever you want but your beliefs contradict your actions. alot of times people think actions speak louder than words so if youre celebrating people may just think you believe. i dont know. i wouldnt say i didnt believe in something and then celebrate! that just seems ridiculous to me.
Well, I'm not celebrating the birth of christ when I celebrate Christmas. I celebrate family, the spirit of giving, the traditions of my family, generosity, love, etc.
Same with Easter. I never tell my kids or anyone that I celebrate the birth of christ when i don't believe so I'm not a hypocrite in the way. I celebrate what I mentioned above so....i'm not a hypocrite.
im sorry you can tell your self what ever you want and believe what you want........ but when you break it down. you are a hypocirte. whether you change "your" reason for celebrating, the truth of the matter is you are celebrating a religious holiday whether you acknowledge it or not. and if you are celebrating it people will consider it celebrating. they most likely are not going to think you are an aethist if you celebrate religious holidays. you asked what we thought and this is how i feel. i think your husband is right if you dont believe in God then you shouldnt celebrate those religious type holidays. point blank
What is with the sassy mouth?
- M4LG5
on Apr. 3, 2012 at 3:11 PM