(NOTE: This is my “well thought and reasoned reply” to Katy Hinman’s friendly theological challenge on one of my highly opinionated Facebook posts. Katy is one of my favorite people I met during my time with the Atlanta Roller Girls. She is not only a derby girl, she’s intelligent, articulate, and kinda damn good looking, too)
We’ll all open presents, and cook a big dinner, And share in traditions we learned long ago But Christmas is different for this humble sinner, No “birth of the saviour”, just people we know.
By Martin Bell from the book The Way Of The Wolf Once upon a time in a large forest there lived a very furry bunny. He had one lop ear, a tiny black nose, and unusually shiny eyes. His name was Barrington. Barrington was not really a very handsome bunny. He was brown and speckled and his ears didn’t stand…
(This is not something I wrote. It is something I grokked from the internet a few years ago. I think it is entirely appropriate and “right”.) My Dear children, It has come to my attention that many of you are upset that folks are taking My name out of the season. Maybe you’ve forgotten that I wasn’t actually born during…
Years ago, I delivered a sermon about the origins of Christmas at the Unitarian church my wife and I attended. It was, understandably, well received by most of the congregation. In that sermon, I disclosed that the holiday we know as Christmas is not new, was around and in full swing long before the celebrated birth of Jesus, and that…
One of my favorite all time TV shows was Northern Exposure, and on that show, in one episode, came the best Christmas story and the most inclusive tidings of comfort and joy I have ever heard. It deserves to be repeated – and repeated – and repeated. Chris, the local DJ, known for his love of Whitman, is on the…
I wish I could give a dollar to the Red Cross for every time I’ve been asked this question. “But you’re an atheist. How can an atheist celebrate Christmas?” I’ve tried to come up with some deep meaningful answer that encompasses the history of Christmas – that winter celebrations of new life existed long before there was a Jesus figure…
It is the first day of November 2013 and I have already had two posts show up in my Facebook stream about the “war” on Christmas. Seems my Facebook friends are sharing articles about a) people and businesses saying “happy holidays” instead of “merry Christmas” and b) public school choral concerts being required to eliminate the heavy Christian overtones of…