Even though I'm an atheist, I have no problem at all wishing people a Merry Christmas. Equally, as appropriate I'm perfectly happy to wish people all the best for Hanukkah, Diwali or Eid, depending on the religion of the person I'm talking to.
A few Christians try to impose on atheists the idea that it is hypocritical to speak of Christmas if you aren't a Christian, that you should not use the word unless you believe in the religion it is associated with. They then get the Daily Mail to complain that atheists are trying to ban the traditional Christmas by refusing to allow use of the word!
If any Christians genuinely feel that you should not utter the name of a day or season associated with a god or religion you do not follow, then here are a few words that they themselves ought not to use.
Tuesday: Named after Týr, the Norse god of war and law.
Wednesday: Named after the Anglo-Saxon god Woden.
Thursday: meaning "Thor's Day".
Friday: the day of Frige.
Saturday: Saturn's day.
January is named after Janus (Ianuarius), the god of the doorway.
February is named after the purification ritual Februa held on February 15 in the old Roman calendar.
March is named after Mars, the Roman god of war.
May has been named for the Greek goddess Maia.
June is named after the Roman goddess Juno.
July was named for Julius Caesar, who was born in that month and turned into a God by the Romans.
August was named in honor of Augustus, also turned into a God by the Romans.
Finally, Easter is named after the Anglo-Saxon goddess Ēostre. Perhaps the Christians might want to rename it? Since the First Commandment is about having no other gods, I imagine that God might get rather cross about having Eostre's name mentioned every year in church at his own most important festival!
Merry Christmas one and all!
(References from Wikipedia)
Monday, 14 December 2009
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"Since the First Commandment is about having no other gods, I imagine that God might get rather cross about have Eostre's name mentioned every year in church at his own most important festival!"
ReplyDeleteSimple use Latin! Festa Paschalis or Pascha!
Happy Christmas to you Mr West!
Wow! This was really eye opening, informative, and, well... ironic! ;)
ReplyDeleteI will have to bookmark it so that I remember these.
Great post!
Absolutely. As a card-carrying atheist myself I find it so funny that some folks (particularly noticeable in the very religious US) shy away from saying Happy Christmas. I love Christmas time. And Easter too. The Christian church anyway nicked them from long-standing pagan tradition, and I enjoy them very much. Of course for me they have no religious significance, but they are full of cultural, seasonal and family significance.
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas to all fellow atheists. :-)