Taking Christ out of Christmas.

[Workingman]

This is what a bunch of Atheist flakes want to achieve.

I want to make this clear, as an Atheist, that I find this stunt to be bizarre, disgusting and insulting.

Jesus Christ was not a mythical figure, there is plenty of hard historical evidence for his existence. He was a man - flesh and blood - with a keen brain, and he walked the earth. He was an adept politician and radical thinker whose teachings would not go amiss in today's Humanist Colleges and Political Philosophy lectures. In many aspects he was hundreds, if not thousands, of years ahead with his thinking. His influence on the thinking of the likes of Karl Marx and Ghandi are well documented.

Why the Hell should the birth of such a man not be celebrated?

[Rodo]

Have to agree. There is a lot I disagree with in the Church of England religious practices and beliefs, but I do believe Jesus existed, like you say, as a special man with views ahead of his time.

[Aggers]

I completely agree.

At the same time I do think that going to church and endeavoring to adopt Christian principles
can be a good thing for society. Falling attendances at churches and chapels is surely one of the
reasons for the fall in ethics that has become more apparent in society today.

[cromwell]

I agree Aggers. You can't suddenly remove the Church / Christianity from a society where it has existed for almost 2,000 years and it not have any effect.

[KateLMead]

I question the place of religion in our society, wars, starvation, misery. Muslims against Christians, Christians against Muslims. Terrible persecution of The Roma in their own country, and hatred for the influx of them and other immigrants who intend coming to this country. Muslims in Iraq, killing their own women children with bombs placed in the market place and elsewhere.
The terrible Syrian massacre, Sudan, Africa. India. The whole world is in chaos, and we all tend to get caught up in the fight to keep our country clean and clear of the influx of foreigners and now the Romanians who are persecuted in their own country, along with thanks to the EU the Bulgarians and foreigners who will flock here after January legal and illegal.
The expression ethnic cleansing comes to mind, and irrespective of ones feelings it makes one feel extremely uncomfortable, bringing back memories of the Nazis in the last war who gassed and starved thousands of Jews men women and children. And the church sits back in its glory untouched saying nothing, and doing nothing.
I have been equally verbal about our system being abused. As humanitarians What do we do under these circumstances, the church has no answer and neither has religion.

[Rodo]

Without some kind of belief, however flawed, we have nothing.

[Kaz]

I think we have each other - I don't need a religion

[Osc]

I think we have each other - I don't need a religion

Mmmmmm.......born and raised a Roman Catholic, I now don't practise my religion. However I still believe in a greater being and would consider myself a Christian. Not sure about the whole Jesus story, but I'm sure he at least existed as a man. It makes me laugh to see that some atheists are now setting up church-type gatherings. I really hate this thing of taking the word Christ out of Christmas, the American habit of saying Happy Holidays always annoys me, and the word "Winterval" just makes me grind my teeth Ireland and the UK are Christian countries and trying to change that should be firmly resisted, with no wishy washy pc changes just to placate other religions. If you want to live here, accept that we are Christians - attend your own church/mosque if you wish but do not try and impose your views, and realise that our laws are based on a Christian ethos.

[KateLMead]

I could not agree more Osc xxx Happy New Year..

[Aggers]

Well put, Osc.

I couldn't agree more.