Who wants to 'purge our society of our Christian history'?

[matgb]

Bah, I see it's getting close to That time of year again. You know the one, the traditional pagan/secular festival that got hijacked by some Roman religion, and people are complaining about attacks on a misperceived majority faith that this poll showed us you lot don't really believe much either. But it did show that most of us are "culturally Christian" even if we don't believe. Hmm, seems we're in good company:

"This is historically a Christian country. I'm a cultural Christian in the same way many of my friends call themselves cultural Jews or cultural Muslims. So, yes, I like singing carols along with everybody else. I'm not one of those who wants to purge our society of our Christian history. If there's any threat these sorts of things, I think you will find it comes from rival religions and not from atheists."

~~Professor Richard Dawkins, author of the God Delusion

Although I dispute his "everyone else" bit—I never did, carols are mostly godawful songs—it's nice to know that he's got a sense of perspective. (thanks Richard).

But, y'know, for the record, I'll update my contact details post at some point, but I still don't plan on sending any cards out, and share with Jennie a fair distaste for receiving them, so if you were planning to, do something a bit more useful with the cash, strictlytrue has the right idea.

Bah Humbug to the lot of you ;-)

Comments

[miss-s-b.livejournal.com]

I don't want to deny this country's Christian past, but I'd quite like to deny a faith I don't believe in the chance of indoctrinating my child [/banging the same old drum as ever]

Bloody Christians coming over here and polluting our Sol Invictus festival with their bizarre Sky Pixie cult... [/febrile muttering]

[gominokouhai]

I find myself swinging more and more towards antitheism as time goes on. If I consider religion to be inherently dangerous, should I just sit back and watch while people waste their lives and their freedom on lies?

...so I get a bit uncomfortable when I hear carols.

[miss-s-b.livejournal.com]

I'm getting less tolerant as I get older too, but I have no problem with a lot of carols which are basically wassailing without the alcohol (I just add the alcohol back in).

I get uncomfortable at overtly Christian imagery, but that's at ANY time of year, not just Christmas.

Is it time for the Yule Be Sorry pun yet?

[waka-laka.livejournal.com]

I bloody love Richard Dawkins.

[spoombung.livejournal.com]

Well I just put the tree up and decorated it with the kids. My copy of 'The God Delusion' is right next to it on the bookcase.

'Away in a manger' is a lovely tune. So is 'In the Bleak mid winter' (the more modern version). I'll sing along once a year

[strictlytrue.livejournal.com]

Not entirely - I've just sent out a shedload of cards!

And I like carols.

And I don't consider religion to be an inherently dangerous idea.

Still, Merry Christmas everyone!

[ginasketch.livejournal.com]

carols are the source of all evil. Some of them have imagery i'd rather erase from my mind when drinking mulled wine.

There's one that goes "abhor not the virgin's womb."

what. WHAT?