I know and understand the meaning of Christmas for Christians, but back in the days I couldn't understand how atheists and godless people perceive Christmas. I thought the whole purpose of Christmas for atheists was just to buy gifts, get drunk and have sex.
And yes, as I've found out the hard way, now I know the whole purpose of Christmas for atheists is indeed to exchange gifts, get drunk and have sex.
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One of the greatest lessons I've learned this Christmas is how not to be an asshole. Over the years, I have come to appreciate how important religious faith is to certain people. I've read and understood how certain events mentioned in the bible are impossible, and that biblical stories are nothing but silly notion. But that doesn't give me the right to go out there and mock their faith. Despite my grudge against religion, I must admit the important role religion plays in our society. Religion mends broken hearts, brings people together in times of hardship, and provides emotional shelter for many.
Some (but not all) believers are open-minded enough to tolerate atheism, a lot of them do not agree with what Richard Mourdock and Todd Akins said, and most importantly they do not deliberately point their fingers at any atheist on the street and curse the hell out of them.
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And because of that, many atheists (with the exception of a few prominent radicals) are actually nice folks that do not make a habit out of abusing believers. Many experienced atheists are actually accommodationists--people who don't go and push and argue the flaws of religion. There's no point in doing that really. In fact, the more you try to prove that the believers are wrong, the stronger their faith becomes (read it somewhere, but I lost the link!).
And to quote from Alom Shaha,
"fanatical atheism can be as ugly as religious fanatism."
Of course I acknowledge that religion has been a clout for unspeakable discrimination and violence in the past, but there will be no honor in proving the inexistence of god if the lack of religion brings not solution but further problem.
I've chosen my path to believe that god doesn't exist, and they have chosen the other path. But Christmas is for everyone, including the godless flock. Jesus allegedly came to die for everyone, right?
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Merry Christmas.
Malcolm
This article gives the light in which we can observe the reality. This is very nice one and gives in depth information.
ReplyDeleteI've always felt that atheism is itself a sort of religion, that you're making a definitive statement about God that IMO can't be proven. That was the foundation for my agnosticism. I'm now married to a Catholic, she tolerates my lack of religion, but I describe myself as a "recovering agnostic" especially as my daughter plays in a Christian soccer league.
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