What is the Atheist/Agnostic justification for Holidays?

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="-Sun_Tzu-"] What does abortion have to do with anything? This really isn't that hard to grasp. 83% of Americans believe a god exists. 1.6% believes that no god exists. Another 2.4% are agnostic. It takes a sh!tload of spin, delusion, and/or flat out stupidity to believe that atheists comprise of any sort of sizable demographic in the US. The difference between a protestant and a shiite, while large, is nothing like the difference between a protestant and an atheist. Protestantism and Shia Islam both start at the proposition that a god exists. Atheism starts at the proposition that no god exists (or that a belief in god isn't necessary when it comes to agnostic atheists). That is a seismic philosophical difference when compared to the differences between any two religious sects. Comparing the number of atheists to the number of any religious sect is a meaningless comparison. surrealnumber5

I'm getting the distinct impression that he is about to take issue with your personality and therefore be conviently unable to answer your criticisms.

Be still my heart.

[QUOTE="surrealnumber5"]

[QUOTE="theone86"]

I'm getting the distinct impression that he is about to take issue with your personality and therefore be conviently unable to answer your criticisms.

theone86

Be still my heart.

[QUOTE="-Sun_Tzu-"][QUOTE="surrealnumber5"] sect, and that is how things were measured before the anti-abortion movement when the whole "christian v. world" view was created. i am not spinning anything, every sect is different and before this us vs them mentality was adopted that was how it was measured.

surrealnumber5

http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0075.pdf

No religion is not atheist as defined by the presence of atheist as an alternative option, the counterpoint to your argument is practically tautological.

[QUOTE="surrealnumber5"]

[QUOTE="-Sun_Tzu-"] What does abortion have to do with anything? This really isn't that hard to grasp. 83% of Americans believe a god exists. 1.6% believes that no god exists. Another 2.4% are agnostic. It takes a sh!tload of spin, delusion, and/or flat out stupidity to believe that atheists comprise of any sort of sizable demographic in the US. The difference between a protestant and a shiite, while large, is nothing like the difference between a protestant and an atheist. Protestantism and Shia Islam both start at the proposition that a god exists. Atheism starts at the proposition that no god exists (or that a belief in god isn't necessary when it comes to agnostic atheists). That is a seismic philosophical difference when compared to the differences between any two religious sects. Comparing the number of atheists to the number of any religious sect is a meaningless comparison. theone86

http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0075.pdf

No religion is not atheist as defined by the presence of atheist as an alternative option, the counterpoint to your argument is practically tautological.

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="surrealnumber5"] i am not you

surrealnumber5

Be still my heart.

And you're accusing me of sh*tty character?

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="surrealnumber5"] even vie the us census 2008 no religion sub total was 18% ........ with "no religion" being 30million of the 34, but the US does defines both agnostic and atheist as a religion and "no religion" being the only "no religion" option. atheist is 1% on the census, but atheismas defined here is 18 % only beaten out by catholic by any large measure. "baptist" as a whole has 2 million more. so nonreligious would be the third largest belief sect not the second, and that is only if you dont breack down baptists into their denominations

http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0075.pdf

surrealnumber5

No religion is not atheist as defined by the presence of atheist as an alternative option, the counterpoint to your argument is practically tautological.

Because your argument is self-refuting, or is that too complicated for you to understand?

[QUOTE="surrealnumber5"]

[QUOTE="theone86"]

No religion is not atheist as defined by the presence of atheist as an alternative option, the counterpoint to your argument is practically tautological.

theone86

Because your argument is self-refuting, or is that too complicated for you to understand?

Christmas is not a religious holiday anymore, it's all about the presents and days off.

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="surrealnumber5"] how the hell is something i stated a counter point to what i stated? i guess this all falls back on your inability to read.

surrealnumber5

Because your argument is self-refuting, or is that too complicated for you to understand?

Okay, then I'll just keep on refuting you and you can keep on ignoring me, we'll see which one looks worse for it.

As an agnostic it's to play along with the rest of the family.

Christmas is not a religious holiday anymore, it's all about the presents and days off.

CBR600-RR

even vie the us census 2008 no religion sub total was 18% ........ with "no religion" being 30million of the 34, but the US does defines both agnostic and atheist as a religion and "no religion" being the only "no religion" option. atheist is 1% on the census, but atheismas defined here is 18 % only beaten out by catholic by any large measure. "baptist" as a whole has 2 million more. so nonreligious would be the third largest belief sect not the second, and that is only if you dont breack down baptists into their denominations

http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0075.pdf

surrealnumber5

[QUOTE="surrealnumber5"]

[QUOTE="theone86"]

Because your argument is self-refuting, or is that too complicated for you to understand?

Okay, then I'll just keep on refuting you and you can keep on ignoring me, we'll see which one looks worse for it.

As an agnostic it's to play along with the rest of the family.

airshocker

[QUOTE="surrealnumber5"]

even vie the us census 2008 no religion sub total was 18% ........ with "no religion" being 30million of the 34, but the US does defines both agnostic and atheist as a religion and "no religion" being the only "no religion" option. atheist is 1% on the census, but atheismas defined here is 18 % only beaten out by catholic by any large measure. "baptist" as a whole has 2 million more. so nonreligious would be the third largest belief sect not the second, and that is only if you dont breack down baptists into their denominations

http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0075.pdf

Engrish_Major

2008 is 14% i did 2008 no over 2001 population. my bad, 2008 no religion / 2008 population is 14%, that was what i was shooting for but had a user error and gave the wrong number for what i was arguing. my bad.

surrealnumber5

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="surrealnumber5"] again your acting like i am going to argue with you, it aint happening.

Frame_Dragger

Okay, then I'll just keep on refuting you and you can keep on ignoring me, we'll see which one looks worse for it.

I agree with this, and, "Just to have some fun" is not a bad reason. If the Japanese can embrace Christmas purely on the "Fun" aspect, why not? It's not as though a pagan festival with presents and lights has to be even remotely religious unless you make it that way. As for other holidays... pretty similar.Frame_Dragger

Christmas has become part of our culture in a big way. It's the time to give and receive gifts and be around those you love. I don't think you have to be religious to take part in those activities.

[QUOTE="surrealnumber5"]

2008 is 14% i did 2008 no over 2001 population. my bad, 2008 no religion / 2008 population is 14%, that was what i was shooting for but had a user error and gave the wrong number for what i was arguing. my bad.

Engrish_Major

[QUOTE="Frame_Dragger"]I agree with this, and, "Just to have some fun" is not a bad reason. If the Japanese can embrace Christmas purely on the "Fun" aspect, why not? It's not as though a pagan festival with presents and lights has to be even remotely religious unless you make it that way. As for other holidays... pretty similar.airshocker

Christmas has become part of our culture in a big way. It's the time to give and receive gifts and be around those you love. I don't think you have to be religious to take part in those activities.

[QUOTE="Engrish_Major"][QUOTE="surrealnumber5"]

2008 is 14% i did 2008 no over 2001 population. my bad, 2008 no religion / 2008 population is 14%, that was what i was shooting for but had a user error and gave the wrong number for what i was arguing. my bad.

surrealnumber5

[QUOTE="Engrish_Major"][QUOTE="surrealnumber5"]

even vie the us census 2008 no religion sub total was 18% ........ with "no religion" being 30million of the 34, but the US does defines both agnostic and atheist as a religion and "no religion" being the only "no religion" option. atheist is 1% on the census, but atheismas defined here is 18 % only beaten out by catholic by any large measure. "baptist" as a whole has 2 million more. so nonreligious would be the third largest belief sect not the second, and that is only if you dont breack down baptists into their denominations

http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2012/tables/12s0075.pdf

surrealnumber5

"Respondentswere asked to describe themselves in terms of religion with an open-ended question. Interviewers did not prompt or offer asuggested list of potential answers. Moreover, the self-description of respondents was not based on whether established religiousbodies, institutions, churches, mosques or synagogues considered them to be members. Instead, the surveys sought to determinewhether the respondents regarded themselves as adherents of a religious community. Subjective rather than objective standards ofreligious identification were tapped by the surveys"

"Because of thesubjective nature of replies to open-ended questions, these categories are the most unstable as they do not refer to clearlyidentifiable denominations as much as underlying feelings about religion."

What's that you were saying about reading comprehension?

[QUOTE="Frame_Dragger"][QUOTE="theone86"]

Okay, then I'll just keep on refuting you and you can keep on ignoring me, we'll see which one looks worse for it.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/147887/americans-continue-believe-god.aspx

Wow, that was hard, took me about five seconds.

[QUOTE="Frame_Dragger"][QUOTE="theone86"]

Okay, then I'll just keep on refuting you and you can keep on ignoring me, we'll see which one looks worse for it.

surrealnumber5

Yup, I have real sh*tty character, calling people human trash and saying I hope they die because they disagree with me. Oh wait, that's not me, that's the guy going around saying everybody else has sh*tty character. Huh, I wonder why that is?

Again, keep on saying you won't argue with me, trash or not you're still not able to refute my arguments.

This thread should suffer a third-trimester abortion about now.

This thread should suffer a third-trimester abortion about now.

coolbeans90

Will you be performing it?

This thread should suffer a third-trimester abortion about now.

coolbeans90

[QUOTE="coolbeans90"]

This thread should suffer a third-trimester abortion about now.

Engrish_Major

this topic makes me wonder if christians end up in hell for celebrating easter and christmas.

christmas is full of pagan stuff with all the holly and mistletoe and trees and whatnot and easter is all about paying fealty to the goddess eostre who came from an egg.

even sunday is the day you are supposed to worship the sun and early christians held the sabbath on saturday originally.

god is pretty jealous and you would think an eternal being would not care too much for the ignorance defense in breaking that don't worship other gods than me commandment.

lol, you are going to be all "i didn't know i was worshipping eostre!" and he's gonna be "what!?! i said not to worship others god like freaking yesterday or something!"

[QUOTE="surrealnumber5"]

[QUOTE="Frame_Dragger"] Well, either way your refutations are far more convincing in this thread than his arguments. I'm not sure Surreal has a "win" here.theone86

Yup, I have real sh*tty character, calling people human trash and saying I hope they die because they disagree with me. Oh wait, that's not me, that's the guy going around saying everybody else has sh*tty character. Huh, I wonder why that is?

Again, keep on saying you won't argue with me, trash or not you're still not able to refute my arguments.

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="surrealnumber5"] i dont argue with human trash, i am shooting for non-participation.

surrealnumber5

Yup, I have real sh*tty character, calling people human trash and saying I hope they die because they disagree with me. Oh wait, that's not me, that's the guy going around saying everybody else has sh*tty character. Huh, I wonder why that is?

Again, keep on saying you won't argue with me, trash or not you're still not able to refute my arguments.

Oh, I see, it's because you disagree with me AND because you can't refute my arguments, that's why you need to make outrageous and baseless slurs against me.

spending time with family? We aren't heartless monsters.

iloverikku11

[QUOTE="coolbeans90"]

This thread should suffer a third-trimester abortion about now.

Engrish_Major

But they're not discussions until they can sustain themselves.

[QUOTE="surrealnumber5"]

[QUOTE="theone86"]

Yup, I have real sh*tty character, calling people human trash and saying I hope they die because they disagree with me. Oh wait, that's not me, that's the guy going around saying everybody else has sh*tty character. Huh, I wonder why that is?

Again, keep on saying you won't argue with me, trash or not you're still not able to refute my arguments.

theone86

Oh, I see, it's because you disagree with me AND because you can't refute my arguments, that's why you need to make outrageous and baseless slurs against me.

[QUOTE="Engrish_Major"][QUOTE="coolbeans90"]

This thread should suffer a third-trimester abortion about now.

Planet_Pluto

[QUOTE="theone86"]

[QUOTE="surrealnumber5"] i converse just fine with many people who disagree with me, i dont dislike you because i disagree with you, i dislike you becauseyou area horrid human. i can converse just fine with ANYONE else on this forum, its not disagreement its just you.

surrealnumber5

Oh, I see, it's because you disagree with me AND because you can't refute my arguments, that's why you need to make outrageous and baseless slurs against me.

The reporting that you attribute to me, but that I have absolutely no clue what you are talking about. Besides, if you were actually moderated for something that someone reported you for, then what right do you have to be angry at them? By merit of it actually being a moderation you were doing something wrong according to the ToU, so instead of jumping to conclusions about who reported you for what maybe you should start being angry with yourself.

More vague statements that I know absolutely nothing about.

I never argued science wasn't up for debate, I said science was a constant debate and that dragging scientific debates out into a public forum full of people who know little to nothing about the evidence behind the deabtes was fallacious and pointless politicizing. I'm also not the only person who argued that. Again, though, shows how you're ignoring me simply because of disagreements. At any rate, your continued inability to answer any of my criticisms does more harm to your arguments than it does to mine. Keep it up, like a stubborn child you're not hurting anyone but yourself.

[QUOTE="Planet_Pluto"]

[QUOTE="Engrish_Major"] Threads are people too.Frame_Dragger

But I thought PP was of the opinion that life begins at conception? Doesn't that mean that threads become threads teh moment "create new thread" is clicked?

[QUOTE="Frame_Dragger"]

[QUOTE="Planet_Pluto"]Threads become threads the moment "submit" is clicked.

theone86

But I thought PP was of the opinion that life begins at conception? Doesn't that mean that threads become threads teh moment "create new thread" is clicked?

This thread should suffer a third-trimester abortion about now.

coolbeans90

[QUOTE="coolbeans90"]

This thread should suffer a third-trimester abortion about now.

wis3boi

[QUOTE="wis3boi"][QUOTE="coolbeans90"]

This thread should suffer a third-trimester abortion about now.

Engrish_Major

Why would Atheist/Agnostic people need to justify celebrating the Winter Solstice when it was the religious who have extrapolated the winter solstice into a miracle birth story of a holy figure ? If anything, the religious should give justification for choosing this time of year to celebrate the Sun as the birth of Jesus/Horus/Mithra/Attitas/Budha etc.

Well, Christianity hijacked the christmas holiday so it could add more people to the religion.

So there's that.

I don't consider christmas a religious holiday because it wasn't originally tied to Christianity.

Everyone is off work, families like to reunify exchange gifts and reminisce, mothers and daughters like to decorate the house, dads and sons like to go chop down a tree to bring into your living room (wut?), and great food and wine is enjoyed like every day. Why the eff wouldn't I want to take part in that? You don't need to believe in Santa or God in order to enjoy Christmas.

Because it's nice?

I laugh about my atheism. I'm glad I can still enjoy Christmas, I love the smells, the songs, and the overall atmosphere; I'll be spending it with my girl and her mom, who are both Christians, but I don't mind, I'll help make food and laugh and smile... I'll be happy, and I'll be damned if I let my atheism prevent me from feeling that.

No one in their right mind would pass up on a free gift and food.