So, once more to topical commentary, dear friends.
Question: Should Atheists celebrate Christmas?
Answer: If they want to.
Comment: If you’re a Christian or you vaguely know one then the chances are at some point you have been involved in some sort of discussion about whether it is suitable or proper or pointless or whatever for people of alternative faiths or none to celebrate Christmas. Until recently the logician in me couldn’t really understand why you’d want to if it went against everything you believe in. A revelation: it doesn’t, for pretty much anyone. People enjoy a celebration, we love food and good company, exchanging cards and gifts, time with family, holidays, walks, decoration, festivity – without a single mention of Jesus, there’s a whole lot of fun to be had at Christmas – and you know what? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Maybe the fact of the matter is that for many people Christmas doesn’t focus on Jesus – but why should those of us for whom it does begrudge them a great time? I’m all for people having fun and I certainly don’t hold it against my friends who aren’t Christians when they enjoy themselves the rest of the year, so why should I start now? Why, as we’re celebrating the birth of God made man would we decide that it’s up to us who gets to have fun and why?
I will be going to the carol service – but I’m definitely going to be at the work party too. And I’ll tear it up! This advent I have learnt that it’s time I stopped attempting to limit God to the safe and sanitized but realise that he was born in a crappy stables in some backwater and he did all that to turn the whole story around for me.
I want my friends to know that the God I love isn’t against fun and celebration, Christmas isn’t a members-only event and Christians can not limit Christ, whatever they might sometimes think.
Isn’t it time we presented the gospel as something which explains the mess with we live in and offers some answers rather than another set of restrictions and a big ladder up to a rather high horse?
To my non believing friends, I hope you all know me well enough to know that I have no plans to subvert you (read this) but I would love you to know a bit about the God that I know; who is probably quite different from how he has been portrayed. This article in Esquire is one of the best explanations I have read in a long time and although it’s a tiny bit lengthy I’d be delighted if you skimmed through it. This blog inspired some interesting discussions about the season and is equally worth a quick read.
Oh and I hope someone enjoyed the title.
