Is Jesus the reason for the season? Seth Andrews takes a look at the origins of the Christmas holiday in this 14-minute special produced for AtheistTV (atheists.org/at...)
Except this focuses on a world in which english is the only language. Translating "Thursday" into other languages does not land you on "Thor". In Arabic, for example, it is called "yoom il khemees", which literally means "The fifth day" (assuming the 1st is Sunday). While some languagess name it after Thor or Jupiter, many simply call it "Fourth working day" or "day between fasts." It's not all around (or even mostly) related to gods. Translating "Christmas" into other languages, however will lead you to words meaning "Nativity," "Feast of the Birth," and "Holy Birth." The vast majority of names for Christmas in other languages point to Christ.
Happy Girl Additionally, lighting a menorah doesn't mean I am celebrating Channukkah. I may be doing the actions, but I am not celebrating the holiday itself. Just like you with Christmas. Also, why don't you look up the origins of the word "holiday." The word literally comes from the Old English word "hāligdæg," which means "holy day." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday
Happy Girl Perhaps so. But the concept still stands. Just because something is named after an ancient god doesn't means that the time of year it happens in belongs only to that god. Humans and society change, evolve, and days' meanings change, or grow, etc.. I personally celebrate Yule in a secular way. C:
+God Loves You This proves what exactly? Nothing. We are talking about English speaking nations that celebrate Christmas... not Arab nations and their language or beliefs. Way to try to spin the conversation to a completely irrelevant topic. In America Thursday is Thursday. You pointed out Thursday (for us) is something different in Arabic. Like this somehow changes our perspective?
uzimyspecial no problem around here .. but I guess it is the difference of country, here Atheism is the majority and growing and guess what we have TWO christmas days and here is is also celebrated as a holiday, only a little less religious crap here
John Tuffin They don't need outside help, the American education system is very capable of ruining it self being on 29 on the world quality rankings , I am very comfortable with our place in the top 10..
My favorite Christmas story was told to me by my father years ago. The three wise men were entering the stable where the baby Jesus was in the manger. As they entered, one of them didn't duck enough under the low entryway and he slammed his head into it. "Jesus Christ!" He exclaimed. Joseph turned to Mary and said "I like it. It's a better name than Irving!". Merry Christmas
I heard that joke on 22 November, 1963. It was a bit longer and at that time the punch line was "Joseph turned to Mary and said, 'I think it sounds better than Fred."
I worked as a waitress last Christmas. Orders from the head office of the organization insisted the staff say "Happy Holidays" in stead of "Merry Christmas", so as not to exclude anyone. I did my job. One guest told me that despite my great service, he reduced my tips because he was offended by me saying "Happy Holidays", because there's "A war on Christmas". Frankly sir, I'm an Atheist and I don't give a fuck, I'm just following orders...I didn't say it but I sure thought it!
Tipping should be abolished entirely. North America is one of the few areas in the world that have it; in many parts of the world it's offensive or at the least uncomfortable to receive gratuities.
Way to get off topic. Why did you even bother commenting? I refuse to waste my time in a tipping debate with you. Don't like tipping then move to another part of the World or cook your own meals!
whatsmyusername10 I don't care what you think. I posted a response on an Atheist video about a religious man who reduced my tips because I didn't say Merry Christmas. This is not a tipping debate, so if you want to release your anger about tipping, start your own thread. Don't fill my inbox with your opinion on the matter.
I'd probably say "Happy Holidays! Which one do you celebrate?" and if they answer, reply with the appropriate greeting for the holiday they said. It probably wouldn't have worked on someone like that guy, but at the very least it's a nice gesture beyond just the neutral greeting.
Hell, i am from the middle east, live in Europe, and my family here is pretty much all Atheists, and we still put up a tree, and even eat the traditional christmas food that the "natives" eat here. It's fun, and its tasty.
I'm not an atheist, but I am a non-Christian, and this was truly well done! I love how respectfully you spoke about Christianity and other faiths, yet still maintained and explained atheism. I'll be watching some of your other videos! Thank you! I truly feel like you spoke for non Christians of all stripes as well as atheists!
I wish you could've mention these words: Axial tilt is the reason for the season. The winter Solstice is a real thing and what better way to spend the coldest and shortest day of the year than being with the ones you care about while feasting a big meal near a fireplace.
Exactly!! I wish I could share this on Facebook, but I chance losing my teaching job in a public school in the South. There is a war alright, but it isn't against Christians and their ways/traditions/dogma.
And more people would be celebrating the source of the energy needed to sustain life and its return from it's holiday to Australia :p. I find it truly sad that christianity pretends to be all for gratitude and has no respect for the magnificence of reality. I know the sun doesn't care for gratitude, but we should care to be grateful nonetheless and not shove that in a bin to celebrate an unconfirmed story about some bloke that supposedly made the sun. That's arrogant and disgusting.
I wonder how Fox News would spin this. Great production, very professional looking as always. Here in Sweden Christmas is just another excuse to eat pickled herring, just like every other holiday.
I read about a Finn who was getting ready to scarf some venison to celebrate the Yule season. In Australia millions of prawns give their lives to help us celebrate our summer solstice (often referred to as "Chrissy".)
I think Richard Dawkins said that we shall never know what Beethoven's Mesozoic Symphony would've been. I agree with you completely just because the religious had control of patronizing the arts doesn't make the music any less beautiful or the art any less moving.
The saddest thing about this video is that believers will simply deny whichever of these facts don't fit in with their personally manufactured, comforting worldview. It's the same 'super power' they have that allows some of them to believe the Earth is 6,000 years old.
Wait a minute. Thursday is dedicated to Thor, and Wednesday is dedicated to Odin? These are sacred days, and I should not be forced to work!!! I demand we get these two days off, thus reducing the work I have to do to 3 days a week. Oh, and the entire month of March too, since it's sacred to Mars.
THANK YOU for this !!! I knew a LOT of these things, since I was a "Thinking Christian" before I became a "Smart Atheist"... That being said, me and my family 100% share your views... Hell (pun INTENDED) We are just finishing putting up our XMAS decorations and tree !!!
Thank you for that, as a new atheist and am still in hiding, you and others like you are helping to get the confidence to finally reveal to my wife and friends, I live in oklahoma.
IMNO1 7 I could not imagine having to hide your feelings to please someone else's feelings whether a wife or friends ... if they don't like it find new friends... if you wife doesn't like it ... well you are on your own there... but as I told my wife before we got married ... the ole popeye saying... I yam what I yam.....
For me, Christmas is a memory of my Pap but I personally celebrate Yule. I also spend (health permitting) time with family and I always love making the family Xmas cookies with my grandma who is no longer with us. And my Pap loved the whole feeling of Christmas.
Kind of makes you angry that people don't know how much their ancestors kept their non-Christian traditions and made them part of Christianity, when they go and attack atheists for carrying over traditions that make them happy. Total ignorance. They never ONCE asked themselves 'why are we putting an evergreen tree in our house? why holly? why mistletoe? what's the big bearded fat man for? hey wait, you're trying to attack it?! It's MY religion!!' So obnoxious.
My outside Christmas lights are burning brightly at this very moment. I have been baking Christmas cookies. In a few days I will be putting up my Christmas tree. And on December 25th we will be celebrating our usual very secular Christmas. Merry Christmas to all and have a great pagan festival. ho ho ho :-)
Way to get into the spirit, Seth. Coming month will be full of fuzzy feelings and happiness. And yes, this video did that too. Might be just the music in the background, but it sure hit me in a good way.
Great Vid Seth! Went out on a limb and shared this on my facebook, today being xmas eve my time line is full of religious sayings and pics, I don,t share my unbelief unless asked, kinda live in a bible belt, will have to see how many friends I have left after they see this ,
This is by far the best video I've ever seen on this topic. i promised myself wouldn't share any atheist stuff on Facebook until after Christmas, but this is hard to resist.
Here is a synopsis of the REAL story behind what occurred that night. There were no elevators or coffee back then. but the running confusion over the two groups of three guys is worth explaining. (Oh I know, the flame is coming :) After getting pregnant and lying to Joseph about her love of gang bangs. Mary had to invite everyone over for paternity tests. Turns out, the little guy looked just like one of the gang bangin' shepherds who happened to be named Jesus, so he got naming rights. The three rich guys were happy enough just to get off without having alimony payments and donated to help out the poor shepherd kid. The rest is history.
Wow! Thank-you so much for this video! As an atheist I have gotten hammered for loving christmas. You summed up what I learned in the past and taught me some new things I did not know. What a great channel!
So well done in typical Seth Andrews style...precise and accurate references presented clearly and succinctly, thank you and a "Merry Christmas to You", as well.
Great one Seth, I guess here in the Southern hemisphere we should be sad at Christmas as it signals the days getting shorter and the coming winter. ;) Though to be honest, here in Australia winter is pretty very nice too.
Ah good for you guys. I live in Hungary and winter can be really nice here too, but in recent years snow is just avoiding us. Especially on christmas, for greater enjoyment :P
***** not sure about aboriginal beliefs. I know their spirituality has a lot to do with totems but they don't have any special days of the year that I'm aware of.
***** Yeah I don't think they had a calendar. Although there are so many Aboriginal groups they were actually quite dispersed due to the geographical size of Australia. Sharing knowledge between groups was not common. Yeah its an interesting culture. They probably have a lot in common with Native American tribes. Like them they lived in a kind of harmony with the land but also like them they left a mark. For example both cultures purposefully and regularly burned forests (bush land) to clear them out.
***** Its a bit different over here. Almost all native plants are evergreen as it doesn't get anywhere near freezing throughout most of Australia. Similarly Kangaroos and Wallabies don't migrate. (Although a few bird species do.) Australian Aborigines were never cultivators they were always a hunter gatherers. The seasons are noticeable, even in the tropics but there is no evidence of Aborigines following a particular seasonal pattern as far as I'm aware. Australian Aborigines certainly did not plant and harvest any crop in an organised fashion and so it makes sense that they did not have particular celebratory days.
Woah, woah there Seth. You are not telling me that Bill O'Reilly is wrong? Well I did live by Bill's teachings, but now, as you've ruined it for me, I guess I am going to have to spend some time with my loved ones and enjoy a hearty log fire, some good food, some good wine and a wonderful warm glow in my heart when I hit the hay on Christmas Eve. Damn you.
Great video, Seth! Though, I still think we should just call it Festivus, it'll be easier that way. haha. Or, I'll just tell everybody "Happy Saturnalia!" instead of "Merry Christmas"
Thank you for this video Seth! You calmly and concisely point out things I've been trying to tell my own friends and family. I've shared this on my Facebook!
We are lucky to have people like Seth. If I had my way id put this bit in a christmas ad campaign. Christopher Hitchens and Aron Ra had and have their ways of cutting the bullshit apart but Seth is the one with the most potential to bring people together with a blunt yet unthreatening presentation of himself AND the facts. Keep up the good work Seth! We all need leadership like yours.
Excellent video, with a lot of information I try to share with students in my Introduction to the Study of Religion class ... the only part I would quibble with is the statement that many of our Founding Fathers were not Christians ... while it is true they were not "born-again evangelical/fundamentalists" like many are today, all of those that are mentioned, except Franklin and Paine (who was an outright atheist), were in fact Anglicans/Episcopalians or Unitarians. While they were Deists who did not believe in the personal theistic God of Christianity or accept the doctrines about Jesus as Son of God, they did in fact consider themselves "Christian" because they respected (in Jefferson's words) "the religion of Jesus," as opposed to the religion "about" Jesus.
It's a challenge to communicate the nuance of deism in this context. The rejection of a "personal god" yet the invocation of a "Creator" invites misunderstanding (or misrepresentation). Christians do this kind of thing with Einstein. I attempted to represent this accurately, but I wonder if that short section might be phrased better. The larger point is that, while their language about God was reflective of the culture, they weren't married to Jesus or restrained by the narrow walls of the Christian faith. Of course, this fact doesn't stop the "God and Country" crowd, as it's eager to declare that the founding fathers created the USA specifically for them.
***** Thanks for your reply, I think you hit the nail on the head of the whole argument about Jefferson's "wall of separation between church and state" - despite their rejection of the traditional claims of Christianity, many of the Founding Fathers freely quoted from the Bible and seemed to have promoted or at least tolerated a form of "civil religion" that, unfortunately, is misunderstood by some as proof that they were devout Christians when they were not. Thanks again for your insightful and even-handed videos and messages.
***** I'll see what I can pull together for you. thanks for asking. This is an issue I discuss quite a bit during the last two weeks of the Introduction to the Study of Religion course I teach at a local community college. The lectures are called Challenges to Religion, and they cover the impact of politics, science and cultural changes upon religions and religious values. I'll get back to you in a couple of days after the fall semester ends. By the way, I hope you don't mind if I use your "Christmas Behind the Curtain" video in class on Monday night!
Very informative and well put together. Great explanation as to why Christians don't own Christmas...another great video. Bravo Seth, you knocked this one out of the park :)
... I don't celebrate any holidays during this time of year. I don't see much point in celebrating "traditions" that don't have anything to do with what i (don't) believe. Sure it's not a very christian holiday but i'm not Pagan either so... Edit: Just because this article explains it way better then i ever could - medium.com/@johndevore/i-cant-go-to-your-holiday-party-because-im-an-introvert-who-has-better-things-to-do-e8cf21b442b4
As the video illustrates, most of the traditions are not connected to their original meaning anyway. I am the co-host of a large meal every Christmas. If you do not like the traditions of old, you are free to make your own. In fact, make a new holiday for yourself, maybe in spring time. Invite your friends and family over for a large dinner, or some kind of activity.
Even if one doesn't believe in a pagan god.. The idea of coming together with family and celebrating the coming end of being buried in snow is a good enough reason as any to celebrate. =P But if that's not your thing, that's cool too... And yeah..@.@ on behalf of everyone who likes the winter holidays too darn much.. Sorry for the overkill of annoying and repeated Christmas carols.. Specially in malls.
I guess I'm a bit of a scrooge but i mean i just had a huge mean with my family just a few days ago so i don't really see why christmas is in anyway necessary. The two main purposes are family and presents. And I've given up on the presents end before i was even old enough to start buying people stuff. I'm a bit of a socialist so i suppose that plays a part in the anti-consumerism i feel :p
***** In Russia, even during the Soviet days, Christmas was a religious celebration on January 6/7th. The Russians celebrate the new year, January 1st, with a decorated tree, "Father Frost", presents and lots of vodka. Maybe you could follow this Russian tradition - especially the lots of vodka. :-)
Just now I realized that in my childhood I didn't know that Christmas had anything to do with Jesus, my family celebrated them simply as holiday, there were christmas tree, candles, ginger bread. Easter, too, was a holiday when the bunny brought presents. My childhood passed in the times of the USSR. Now much has changed, many people converted to religion. But I don't think that this made someone better, actually I myself did not become a better person.
I celebrate Christmas as that time where we look nostalgically to the past, and forget most of the bad stuff, and can't stop thinking about the coming of summer, and during summer we can't stop thinking about the coming of Christmas.
Good episode. I am usually the first one ready to decorate and share good cheer. As an atheist, every year together with loved ones has become so much more special. I also would never deny the beliefs of others, providing they are not physically OR emotionally harmful. The religious seem to be the ones angry, i don't think they know that it's at their God.
This is great…I'm Atheist and I celebrate a 'secular' Christmas with the pagan wreath and Christmas tree. No nativity scene though. I celebrate the beautiful material pagan elements of the season.
Merry Christmas, Seth! You're right, the joy in Christmas is found in your own personal inspirations. Rain Drops on Roses, Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, or White Wine in the Sun, baby!
Another excellent and informative video. Thank you so much for your efforts with the Thinking Atheist. It has made an enormous difference to my life! dare I say - Merry Christmas to you!!
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#^@& Seth, why do you have to set the bar so high?
Yep..
That ain't the real AronRa....
Bert Simmons yep -- it's the real dude. (I just checked the linked account. It's the same one he's used when we've spoken.)
This guy is damn good at what he does. Don't worry though, you are not to bad either!
I draw my inspiration from your mighty Ra-ness.
My feelings exactly. Thank you for making this!
This will be a beautiful Christmas story classic in the future just like the Christmas classics we watch today.
Except this focuses on a world in which english is the only language. Translating "Thursday" into other languages does not land you on "Thor". In Arabic, for example, it is called "yoom il khemees", which literally means "The fifth day" (assuming the 1st is Sunday). While some languagess name it after Thor or Jupiter, many simply call it "Fourth working day" or "day between fasts." It's not all around (or even mostly) related to gods.
Translating "Christmas" into other languages, however will lead you to words meaning "Nativity," "Feast of the Birth," and "Holy Birth." The vast majority of names for Christmas in other languages point to Christ.
Happy Girl Additionally, lighting a menorah doesn't mean I am celebrating Channukkah. I may be doing the actions, but I am not celebrating the holiday itself. Just like you with Christmas. Also, why don't you look up the origins of the word "holiday." The word literally comes from the Old English word "hāligdæg," which means "holy day."
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday
Happy Girl Perhaps so. But the concept still stands. Just because something is named after an ancient god doesn't means that the time of year it happens in belongs only to that god. Humans and society change, evolve, and days' meanings change, or grow, etc.. I personally celebrate Yule in a secular way. C:
+God Loves You This proves what exactly? Nothing. We are talking about English speaking nations that celebrate Christmas... not Arab nations and their language or beliefs. Way to try to spin the conversation to a completely irrelevant topic. In America Thursday is Thursday. You pointed out Thursday (for us) is something different in Arabic. Like this somehow changes our perspective?
This should be a school educational video
Good luck getting anything "atheistic" in the american school system... or any school system really (except for some)
uzimyspecial
no problem around here .. but I guess it is the difference of country, here Atheism is the majority and growing and guess what we have TWO christmas days and here is is also celebrated as a holiday, only a little less religious crap here
Please don't try and the ruin the American education system by teaching facts.
John Tuffin They don't need outside help, the American education system is very capable of ruining it self being on 29 on the world quality rankings , I am very comfortable with our place in the top 10..
DutchHeretic
Hey, we are going to catch Estonia.
My favorite Christmas story was told to me by my father years ago.
The three wise men were entering the stable where the baby Jesus was in the manger. As they entered, one of them didn't duck enough under the low entryway and he slammed his head into it.
"Jesus Christ!" He exclaimed.
Joseph turned to Mary and said "I like it. It's a better name than Irving!".
Merry Christmas
It was a better name than Emanuel which was what the angel told Mary to call the infant.
I heard that joke on 22 November, 1963. It was a bit longer and at that time the punch line was "Joseph turned to Mary and said, 'I think it sounds better than Fred."
Bruce Paulson You must have a good memory for remembering the exact date.
stewie63zx look up that date and think about it a little.......
Majik53 That makes sense, but I wouldn't have known since I'm not American.
I worked as a waitress last Christmas. Orders from the head office of the organization insisted the staff say "Happy Holidays" in stead of "Merry Christmas", so as not to exclude anyone. I did my job.
One guest told me that despite my great service, he reduced my tips because he was offended by me saying "Happy Holidays", because there's "A war on Christmas". Frankly sir, I'm an Atheist and I don't give a fuck, I'm just following orders...I didn't say it but I sure thought it!
Tipping should be abolished entirely. North America is one of the few areas in the world that have it; in many parts of the world it's offensive or at the least uncomfortable to receive gratuities.
Way to get off topic. Why did you even bother commenting? I refuse to waste my time in a tipping debate with you. Don't like tipping then move to another part of the World or cook your own meals!
The Childfree Curly Girl That was pretty uncalled for and what makes you think he's american? If anything i agree with him
whatsmyusername10 I don't care what you think. I posted a response on an Atheist video about a religious man who reduced my tips because I didn't say Merry Christmas. This is not a tipping debate, so if you want to release your anger about tipping, start your own thread. Don't fill my inbox with your opinion on the matter.
I'd probably say "Happy Holidays! Which one do you celebrate?" and if they answer, reply with the appropriate greeting for the holiday they said. It probably wouldn't have worked on someone like that guy, but at the very least it's a nice gesture beyond just the neutral greeting.
Seth knocked it out of the park! Perfectly paced, and his love for Humanity rumbles forth from his voice in waves. Great job!
Just a pity it's not based on any evidence
Hell, i am from the middle east, live in Europe, and my family here is pretty much all Atheists, and we still put up a tree, and even eat the traditional christmas food that the "natives" eat here. It's fun, and its tasty.
FOOOD!
Damn Seth, that was so perfectly said! You're also so incredibly articulate and 100% on point!
the Christian's _War on Thor_ makes Stan Lee cry.
Lovely video btw!
It's a shame now, he never got to see the end of said war 😭
I'm not an atheist, but I am a non-Christian, and this was truly well done! I love how respectfully you spoke about Christianity and other faiths, yet still maintained and explained atheism. I'll be watching some of your other videos! Thank you! I truly feel like you spoke for non Christians of all stripes as well as atheists!
This video puts to rest any paranoia about a so called war on Christmas. Thanks Seth.
Raised the bar so high. This video should be listed in the youtube hall of fame.
I wish you could've mention these words: Axial tilt is the reason for the season. The winter Solstice is a real thing and what better way to spend the coldest and shortest day of the year than being with the ones you care about while feasting a big meal near a fireplace.
Exactly!! I wish I could share this on Facebook, but I chance losing my teaching job in a public school in the South. There is a war alright, but it isn't against Christians and their ways/traditions/dogma.
Wow! That bad eh?
If only everyone was able to see the truth as clearly as this, the world would be a much nicer place.
And more people would be celebrating the source of the energy needed to sustain life and its return from it's holiday to Australia :p.
I find it truly sad that christianity pretends to be all for gratitude and has no respect for the magnificence of reality. I know the sun doesn't care for gratitude, but we should care to be grateful nonetheless and not shove that in a bin to celebrate an unconfirmed story about some bloke that supposedly made the sun. That's arrogant and disgusting.
I wonder how Fox News would spin this.
Great production, very professional looking as always.
Here in Sweden Christmas is just another excuse to eat pickled herring, just like every other holiday.
I read about a Finn who was getting ready to scarf some venison to celebrate the Yule season.
In Australia millions of prawns give their lives to help us celebrate our summer solstice (often referred to as "Chrissy".)
This guy deserves more than just a RUclips channel and a podcast... Outstanding. Well Produced, well spoken, and very informative. Good Job!
I love religious christmas songs. They are so pretty. I will always sing them and enjoy listening to them.
I think Richard Dawkins said that we shall never know what Beethoven's Mesozoic Symphony would've been. I agree with you completely just because the religious had control of patronizing the arts doesn't make the music any less beautiful or the art any less moving.
*standing ovation* well done Seth, educating the believers is such a never ending endeavor.
The saddest thing about this video is that believers will simply deny whichever of these facts don't fit in with their personally manufactured, comforting worldview. It's the same 'super power' they have that allows some of them to believe the Earth is 6,000 years old.
Thank you, Seth, for all the encouragement you have given me over the past few years. You have never let me down.
I LOVE history!
Thank you Seth.
Wait a minute. Thursday is dedicated to Thor, and Wednesday is dedicated to Odin?
These are sacred days, and I should not be forced to work!!!
I demand we get these two days off, thus reducing the work I have to do to 3 days a week.
Oh, and the entire month of March too, since it's sacred to Mars.
I hate thorsday... I'm going to pretend it doesn't exist.
(reads post and then hears rolling thunder :)
Asgård won't forget that lack of faith, heretic.
"Whoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of... *Thor*"
That is how I feel about Monday!
I get great personal joy believing in Thor and am offended at your remark. Thor loved us so much he defeated the ice giants.
THANK YOU for this !!!
I knew a LOT of these things, since I was a "Thinking Christian" before I became a
"Smart Atheist"...
That being said, me and my family 100% share your views...
Hell (pun INTENDED) We are just finishing putting up our XMAS decorations and tree !!!
Thanks Seth, best xmas explanation I have heard. Great work!
I gotta agree. My favorite stuff about Christmas isnt religous. Its about family,friends, presents and great Christmas cartoons.
Thank you for that, as a new atheist and am still in hiding, you and others like you are helping to get the confidence to finally reveal to my wife and friends, I live in oklahoma.
IMNO1 7 I could not imagine having to hide your feelings to please someone else's feelings whether a wife or friends ... if they don't like it find new friends... if you wife doesn't like it ... well you are on your own there... but as I told my wife before we got married ... the ole popeye saying... I yam what I yam.....
and Seth's voice makes it all go down so smoothly!!! Nicely done.
For me, Christmas is a memory of my Pap but I personally celebrate Yule. I also spend (health permitting) time with family and I always love making the family Xmas cookies with my grandma who is no longer with us. And my Pap loved the whole feeling of Christmas.
LOL "I'm on the front lines, and I have no idea what they are talking about"
Damn! Seth, I do believe you just knocked another one out of the park.
Love it !!!!!!!!!
Kind of makes you angry that people don't know how much their ancestors kept their non-Christian traditions and made them part of Christianity, when they go and attack atheists for carrying over traditions that make them happy. Total ignorance. They never ONCE asked themselves 'why are we putting an evergreen tree in our house? why holly? why mistletoe? what's the big bearded fat man for? hey wait, you're trying to attack it?! It's MY religion!!'
So obnoxious.
Exactly. I love when their own arguments turn around and bite them in the ass. They are more pagan than they realize.
My outside Christmas lights are burning brightly at this very moment. I have been baking Christmas cookies. In a few days I will be putting up my Christmas tree. And on December 25th we will be celebrating our usual very secular Christmas. Merry Christmas to all and have a great pagan festival. ho ho ho :-)
Outstanding. Simple, clear and accurate. Thank you Seth.
The shortest route from Bethlehem to Egypt (northeast Egypt) is around 430 miles and that's going over the gulf Suez. How awesome was Joe's burro??
Nick Dertavitian he had a super donkey named Krypto.
I always share this video right before Christmas day.
Thanks for the condensed history on the origins of Christmas, Seth. It would have taken me lots of googling.
Thank you Seth for all that you do. Your words inspirational and accurate. I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday. ~Tom Stebner
Way to get into the spirit, Seth. Coming month will be full of fuzzy feelings and happiness. And yes, this video did that too. Might be just the music in the background, but it sure hit me in a good way.
Best presentation yet of these facts. So much so, I was almost in tears at the end. Very well done, Seth!
Thank you Seth. I needed that. Merry Christmas !!!
Yet another interesting and informative video. Keep up the good work Seth.
Great Vid Seth! Went out on a limb and shared this on my facebook, today being xmas eve my time line is full of religious sayings and pics, I don,t share my unbelief unless asked, kinda live in a bible belt, will have to see how many friends I have left after they see this ,
This vegan atheist has a lighted holiday tree in his yard. Merry Christmas to all my friends.
That was absolutely beautiful. One of your best videos Seth.
Man, this is such a well done video. I know what I'll be queueing up on the Chromecast tonight with the family.
Thank you Seth for making this video. It explains exactly how I feel. I even recommend this video to friends.
Excellent Seth. One of your best yet.
that was beautiful. ^_^
This is by far the best video I've ever seen on this topic. i promised myself wouldn't share any atheist stuff on Facebook until after Christmas, but this is hard to resist.
Somewhere in that crowd of shouting self-righteous indignation is Bill O Reilly.
This was simply beautiful! Thank you for making it! Happy Holidays!
Here is a synopsis of the REAL story behind what occurred that night.
There were no elevators or coffee back then. but the running confusion over the two groups of three guys is worth explaining. (Oh I know, the flame is coming :)
After getting pregnant and lying to Joseph about her love of gang bangs. Mary had to invite everyone over for paternity tests.
Turns out, the little guy looked just like one of the gang bangin' shepherds who happened to be named Jesus, so he got naming rights.
The three rich guys were happy enough just to get off without having alimony payments and donated to help out the poor shepherd kid.
The rest is history.
Wow! Thank-you so much for this video! As an atheist I have gotten hammered for loving christmas. You summed up what I learned in the past and taught me some new things I did not know. What a great channel!
Merry Mythmas!
Ooh, that has a nice ring to it :)
You never cease to top your last video Seth. Great work, keep it up. Now to share, share share
So well done in typical Seth Andrews style...precise and accurate references presented clearly and succinctly, thank you and a "Merry Christmas to You", as well.
Great one Seth, I guess here in the Southern hemisphere we should be sad at Christmas as it signals the days getting shorter and the coming winter. ;)
Though to be honest, here in Australia winter is pretty very nice too.
Maybe we should get our tree out in July. :P thanks for sharing brother
Ah good for you guys. I live in Hungary and winter can be really nice here too, but in recent years snow is just avoiding us. Especially on christmas, for greater enjoyment :P
***** not sure about aboriginal beliefs. I know their spirituality has a lot to do with totems but they don't have any special days of the year that I'm aware of.
***** Yeah I don't think they had a calendar. Although there are so many Aboriginal groups they were actually quite dispersed due to the geographical size of Australia. Sharing knowledge between groups was not common.
Yeah its an interesting culture. They probably have a lot in common with Native American tribes. Like them they lived in a kind of harmony with the land but also like them they left a mark. For example both cultures purposefully and regularly burned forests (bush land) to clear them out.
***** Its a bit different over here. Almost all native plants are evergreen as it doesn't get anywhere near freezing throughout most of Australia. Similarly Kangaroos and Wallabies don't migrate. (Although a few bird species do.)
Australian Aborigines were never cultivators they were always a hunter gatherers.
The seasons are noticeable, even in the tropics but there is no evidence of Aborigines following a particular seasonal pattern as far as I'm aware.
Australian Aborigines certainly did not plant and harvest any crop in an organised fashion and so it makes sense that they did not have particular celebratory days.
Thank you so much, Seth!!!
Woah, woah there Seth. You are not telling me that Bill O'Reilly is wrong?
Well I did live by Bill's teachings, but now, as you've ruined it for me, I guess I am going to have to spend some time with my loved ones and enjoy a hearty log fire, some good food, some good wine and a wonderful warm glow in my heart when I hit the hay on Christmas Eve.
Damn you.
Well obviously Seth is wrong if he contradicts Saint O'Reilly. Everyone knows that. We'll all be laughing when Seth burns in Hell.
Tide goes in, tide goes out Bill!!
Thanks for all you do, Seth! Loved the video.
Great video, Seth!
Though, I still think we should just call it Festivus, it'll be easier that way. haha.
Or, I'll just tell everybody "Happy Saturnalia!" instead of "Merry Christmas"
Happy Holiday?
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flying_Spaghetti_Monster#Holidays
Thank you for this video Seth! You calmly and concisely point out things I've been trying to tell my own friends and family. I've shared this on my Facebook!
We are lucky to have people like Seth. If I had my way id put this bit in a christmas ad campaign. Christopher Hitchens and Aron Ra had and have their ways of cutting the bullshit apart but Seth is the one with the most potential to bring people together with a blunt yet unthreatening presentation of himself AND the facts. Keep up the good work Seth! We all need leadership like yours.
Excellent video, with a lot of information I try to share with students in my Introduction to the Study of Religion class ... the only part I would quibble with is the statement that many of our Founding Fathers were not Christians ... while it is true they were not "born-again evangelical/fundamentalists" like many are today, all of those that are mentioned, except Franklin and Paine (who was an outright atheist), were in fact Anglicans/Episcopalians or Unitarians. While they were Deists who did not believe in the personal theistic God of Christianity or accept the doctrines about Jesus as Son of God, they did in fact consider themselves "Christian" because they respected (in Jefferson's words) "the religion of Jesus," as opposed to the religion "about" Jesus.
It's a challenge to communicate the nuance of deism in this context. The rejection of a "personal god" yet the invocation of a "Creator" invites misunderstanding (or misrepresentation). Christians do this kind of thing with Einstein.
I attempted to represent this accurately, but I wonder if that short section might be phrased better.
The larger point is that, while their language about God was reflective of the culture, they weren't married to Jesus or restrained by the narrow walls of the Christian faith. Of course, this fact doesn't stop the "God and Country" crowd, as it's eager to declare that the founding fathers created the USA specifically for them.
***** Thanks for your reply, I think you hit the nail on the head of the whole argument about Jefferson's "wall of separation between church and state" - despite their rejection of the traditional claims of Christianity, many of the Founding Fathers freely quoted from the Bible and seemed to have promoted or at least tolerated a form of "civil religion" that, unfortunately, is misunderstood by some as proof that they were devout Christians when they were not. Thanks again for your insightful and even-handed videos and messages.
Joseph Farruggia If you have some resources on this subject I may have missed, let me know. Always want to make sure we've done due diligence. Thanks!
*****
I'll see what I can pull together for you. thanks for asking. This is an issue I discuss quite a bit during the last two weeks of the Introduction to the Study of Religion course I teach at a local community college. The lectures are called Challenges to Religion, and they cover the impact of politics, science and cultural changes upon religions and religious values. I'll get back to you in a couple of days after the fall semester ends.
By the way, I hope you don't mind if I use your "Christmas Behind the Curtain" video in class on Monday night!
What do you mean by Born again? You mentioned many are today.
Aww, this was perfect.
Thank you so much Seth!
Thank you for making this video! I watched it several times and shared on FB.
I see Kirk Cameron gave a thumbs down....lol
OMG! This is one of your best shorts yet. Thank you for putting it so succinctly. Merry Christmas to you too, brother.
Seth, you are a force of logic and reason. You keep on rocking my good man!
Very informative and well put together. Great explanation as to why Christians don't own Christmas...another great video. Bravo Seth, you knocked this one out of the park :)
Can you do a behind a curtain for Halloween!
This video is priceless. Thanks Seth.
Outstanding, Seth. As always.
... I don't celebrate any holidays during this time of year. I don't see much point in celebrating "traditions" that don't have anything to do with what i (don't) believe. Sure it's not a very christian holiday but i'm not Pagan either so...
Edit: Just because this article explains it way better then i ever could -
medium.com/@johndevore/i-cant-go-to-your-holiday-party-because-im-an-introvert-who-has-better-things-to-do-e8cf21b442b4
As the video illustrates, most of the traditions are not connected to their original meaning anyway. I am the co-host of a large meal every Christmas. If you do not like the traditions of old, you are free to make your own. In fact, make a new holiday for yourself, maybe in spring time. Invite your friends and family over for a large dinner, or some kind of activity.
Even if one doesn't believe in a pagan god.. The idea of coming together with family and celebrating the coming end of being buried in snow is a good enough reason as any to celebrate. =P But if that's not your thing, that's cool too... And yeah..@.@ on behalf of everyone who likes the winter holidays too darn much.. Sorry for the overkill of annoying and repeated Christmas carols.. Specially in malls.
I guess I'm a bit of a scrooge but i mean i just had a huge mean with my family just a few days ago so i don't really see why christmas is in anyway necessary. The two main purposes are family and presents. And I've given up on the presents end before i was even old enough to start buying people stuff. I'm a bit of a socialist so i suppose that plays a part in the anti-consumerism i feel :p
Who cares about religion.. it's for being with family and gifts and shit.. (not that everyone likes doing that).
***** In Russia, even during the Soviet days, Christmas was a religious celebration on January 6/7th. The Russians celebrate the new year, January 1st, with a decorated tree, "Father Frost", presents and lots of vodka. Maybe you could follow this Russian tradition - especially the lots of vodka. :-)
Just now I realized that in my childhood I didn't know that Christmas had anything to do with Jesus, my family celebrated them simply as holiday, there were christmas tree, candles, ginger bread. Easter, too, was a holiday when the bunny brought presents. My childhood passed in the times of the USSR. Now much has changed, many people converted to religion. But I don't think that this made someone better, actually I myself did not become a better person.
funny that an atheist know more about religions than those who actually worship it hahahahah
Thank you Seth.
age of mythology thor :D
I celebrate Christmas as that time where we look nostalgically to the past, and forget most of the bad stuff, and can't stop thinking about the coming of summer, and during summer we can't stop thinking about the coming of Christmas.
It's Christmas again and it's time to show this video to my friends again
I am a very happy atheist, just celebrated Christmas "22...I love All mythology!! Wish we had a King Arthur month!!
Good episode. I am usually the first one ready to decorate and share good cheer. As an atheist, every year together with loved ones has become so much more special. I also would never deny the beliefs of others, providing they are not physically OR emotionally harmful. The religious seem to be the ones angry, i don't think they know that it's at their God.
I would love to hand out DVD copies of this to school kids along with the Awkward Moments Children's Bible. Well done Seth!!!
Thank you so much for all you do.
Excellent video, Seth!
Thank you, Seth.
Shared with all my Christian friends. Great video, Seth.
"Dear 8 pounds 6 ounces... newborn infant Jesus, don't even know a word yet." -R. Bobby
This is great…I'm Atheist and I celebrate a 'secular' Christmas with the pagan wreath and Christmas tree. No nativity scene though. I celebrate the beautiful material pagan elements of the season.
Merry Christmas, Seth! You're right, the joy in Christmas is found in your own personal inspirations. Rain Drops on Roses, Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, or White Wine in the Sun, baby!
Thanks Seth, that's cheered me up no end. Always spending Xmas with fundies is tiresome, but you've given lots of good reasons to just enjoy.
Another excellent and informative video. Thank you so much for your efforts with the Thinking Atheist. It has made an enormous difference to my life! dare I say - Merry Christmas to you!!
Great video, Seth. I really enjoy watching and listening to guys like you, Dillahunty, Harris, and others. Keep up all the great work, man.
This is so good I would love this video translated in spanish for my friends and family to see. Good job Seth!
Merry Christmas Seth! Merry Christmas everyone!
Great video! I always struggle when trying to explain why it is okay for atheists to celebrate Christmas. This helps a lot!
Well produced, Seth! Great continuity as well as audio & video quality! Magnificent content!
What an excellent video. Thank you, Seth.