How an atheist celebrates Christmas

[rug]

ARTHUR COCKFIELD
Arthur Cockfield is a professor at Queen’s University Faculty of Law
Published Friday, Dec. 23, 2016 5:00AM EST
Special to The Globe and Mail

As an atheist, I have to admit that I have not always had a stellar relationship with Jesus. Still, as much of the world sets to celebrate his alleged birth on Dec. 25, I will also reflect on this icon and the lasting and positive impression he’s had on my heritage and value system.

I understand this is heresy. In the faith of New Atheists such as Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and the late Christopher Hitchens, the very thought of giving Jesus his due is a sacrilege deserving ridicule and rejection. It would be seen as a thought crime worthy of excommunication from the community of atheists (assuming there even is such a community).

But if nothing else, atheism is a belief predicated on rational thought. Rationally, as a “secular Christian,” I see much to celebrate about the birth of the Lord of Lords. Christ’s life stands as a template for acceptance, tolerance and generosity.

In particular, the many acts attributed to Christ during his lifetime continue to serve as a powerful guide to tolerance and decency. How he touched and healed lepers – individuals who were widely viewed at the time as being cursed by God. How he showed compassion for other outcasts and sinners such as prostitutes.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/an-atheistcelebrateschristmas/article33413032/

[edhopper]

1. He doesn't have

a firm understanding of the enlightenment movement. Hardly one that embraced Christianity and religion.
Perhaps he should read Rousseau and Voltaire.

Not that the things he wants to embrace are bad.

[rug]

3. Not necessarily.

This is how Rousseau opens Book I of Emile:

God makes all things good; man meddles with them and they become evil. He forces one soil to yield the products of another, one tree to bear another's fruit. He confuses and confounds time, place, and natural conditions. He mutilates his dog, his horse, and his slave. He destroys and defaces all things; he loves all that is deformed and monstrous; he will have nothing as nature made it, not even man himself, who must learn his paces like a saddle-horse, and be shaped to his master's taste like the trees in his garden.

http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/5427/pg5427-images.html

[edhopper]

5. Rousseu might have been a deist

but he was no Christian in thecsense the writer says.

I still think saying the Enlightenment was product of their Christianity is a misreading of its authors.

To say they were trying to fullfill Jesus' teachings is a strectch.

[rug]

8. He and Voltaire were both deists.

And their views did evolve from the dominant culture.

But, while they had the sharpest criticisms of religion and Christianity, at a time when those views carried immense personal risk, unlike Dawkins and Hitchens, they never were professional, reflexive antitheists.

I think that allowed them to appreciate that which they condemned.

[edhopper]

13. I wouldn't

disagree.

[jonno99]

10. Excellent - thank you (and Merry Christmas to you). nt

[rug]

11. Same to you and yours, jon.

[marybourg]

2. Every man is his own church.

Or non-church.

[guillaumeb]

4. Two things of note:

First,

I understand this is heresy. In the faith of New Atheists such as Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris and the late Christopher Hitchens, the very thought of giving Jesus his due is a sacrilege deserving ridicule and rejection.

Heresy and faith in a description of atheists? Absolutely. No matter how much some followers deny it, atheism is a belief system.

Second, Christ as a model for a good life is certainly a positive thing. Not that Christ is the only model, there are many, but his model is followed, in theory if not always in practice, by a billion or so people.

[edhopper]

6. atheism is nonbelief

Not a "belief system"

No faith is necessary.

[guillaumeb]

7. We disagree.

But that is part of debate.

[rug]

9. It is nonbelief based on reasons.

The nonbelief is systematic.

[Bretton Garcia]

14. Nonbelievers grounded on science in part; its system...

In my own preference.

Not a bad system, if you want one.

Hope everyone had a happy Winter Solstice by the way, Dec. 21. The true origin of Christmas. That's when the days are shortest. But from then on, the light begins to grow stronger.

[rug]

15. Happy Solstice to you, BG.

We must now keep the Southern Hemisphere in our thoughts.

[guillaumeb]

19. And the "light growing stronger" is one reason the solstice celebrations were

appropriated by the Christians. Apt imagery for how the faith grew.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

12. People who don't believe in Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny or WMD's in Iraq...

... are guilty of a belief system too, I guess?

[guillaumeb]

20. You DID use the word belief.

Which I feel answers the question.

[AtheistCrusader]

16. Notable christians disagree with you.

CS Lewis a notable standout.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lewis%27s_trilemma

That is not an uncommon understanding among many christians.


And no, atheism is not a belief system. Humanism is. One may lead to the other, but atheism by itself is just a single answer to a single question; do you believe in supernatural gods? (No.)

[Buckeye_Democrat]

17. I've been wishy-washy about it in the past.

I'd call myself an agnostic because I didn't want to seem closed minded to various possibilities.

Now? Screw it! I'm an atheist, and I'll stay that way until evidence tells me otherwise. It's not a permanent declaration. It's what I am NOW.

I'm sure that Richard Feynman would've believed in flying saucers from outer space IF he saw evidence of it!

[Buckeye_Democrat]

18. Here's how I usually celebrate Christmas...