Stirring the pot

[Chirimoya]

Not a valid argument in my case: I don't have a day off work because my work at the moment is parenting.

When I did have a 9-5 job I would have welcomed the option of working on Christmas Day and Sundays so I could choose when to have time off. And that's the honest truth: imagine all those statutory holidays accumulated and added on to your 5 week annual leave to make a 2 month long break away from the cold... oh, I forgot, in the US you only get about 5 minutes annual leave if you're lucky!

I am in no way anti-Christmas or any other cultural celebration, I just ask that people of all faiths and none should be given equal treatment, and that nothing should be imposed on anyone.

What you are all dismissing as political correctness is actually making more sense to me the more I think about it, and it took living in a country like this, which admittedly is not as multicultural as the US or the countries I have lived in, for me to see what it feels like to be excluded.

It's interesting that here, like in the US, it's not so socially acceptable to admit to beliefs like these. In the UK for example, society is much more secular. When it emerged that Tony Blair was a committed Christian there was actually some debate amongst Labour Party supporters and in the media as to whether this would harm his credibility. Imagine that happening the the US!

To keep this more or less relevant to the Dominican themes of DR1: here Juan Bosch had to play down his atheism throughout his political career and was possibly one of the reasons he never quite managed to regain the presidency.

We're never going to agree on this so perhaps we should leave it here...

Happy Holidays to you all,

Chirimoya

 

[jbhermes]

what Holidays

What Holidays do you have Chiri? You're not Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, etc....what do you do during the holidays? You are a parent...do you celebrate the so-called Holiday season at all with your kids? If so, how...and on what premise? I'm serious...I'm curious. What IS the atheist holiday? If I say to you "Happy Holidays", what am I wishing you? I really am serious. I know nothing about being atheist other than they don't believe in anything higher than themselves. Or is that wrong too? Do you believe in a higher being than yourself? Too bad message boards can't convey expression because I'm not being a smart-a$$. Just want to know.

 

[Chirimoya]

The questions you ask me make me think you have led a sheltered life - have you never really met any people with my sort of beliefs?

I celebrate the holidays that are celebrated in the community I live in, with the people I share my life with. In the DR, as you know, this consists of Catholic and national holidays, which I respect and enjoy on a non-religious level, while at the same time yearning for more diverse cultural celebrations I have enjoyed in other, more multicultural communities I have lived in.

It is an issue for me how to convey this to my son as he grows up. I love this country but one of my main doubts about remaining here for the rest of his childhood is that he will be deprived of this variety.

I will not impose my beliefs on him but I would also not wish for any other beliefs to be imposed on him, I want him to be able to experience as many faiths and cultures so that he becomes a well-rounded, tolerant adult and then decides for himself which spiritual path - if any - to follow. The values I hope he absorbs from us are ethical, humanist, environmentalist - all good healthy values which are not necessarily dependent on being religious.

Although I mentioned the term 'atheist' when referring to Bosch, I don't actually apply it to myself, although I might use it when there is nothing better, and it usually provokes a reaction. What I believe is that there may well be a higher being, it would be as arrogant to say that there isn't as it is to say there is, that this is the one and only truth and we ...... (insert name of religious group here) have it. Everyone else is a sinner, an infidel or whatever.

Religion is a man-made concept, and is used at best to keep society in order and at worst to suit the interests of those in power. On a personal level religion for many people helps make sense of a bewildering world, gives comfort, security, etc. Not all bad things by any means.

I reached these conclusions at an early age, and actually find the whole thing fascinating. I have read extensively about many religions and belief systems and visited and lived in a large cross section of countries. What I have seen in Latin America and the Middle East especially, has confirmed my rejection of religion.

I hope this answers your questions. I hope also that it opens your mind to the fact that non-believers are also thinking people, good people, and if there are some who are not, well what about all the religious people who are not exactly saints (for want of a better word) themselves!

Chirimoya

 

[mobrouser]

i always thought that the Christmas holidays were the 12 days starting Dec. 25, not from Nov. 1 when the Halloween decorations were put away. it is this overwhelming onslaught of 2 months of pre-Christmas that ignores the celebrations of other faiths that has resulted in the so-called politically correct "holiday season and holiday trees".

i have wished people a Merry Christmas on Dec. 28 and drawn a blank look from them. apparently for many, Christmas ends as soon as all the wrapping paper gets hauled to the curb for the trashman.

as for getting Christmas Day off work, as long as it is a statutory holiday then that train of thought is invalid.

:classic: mob

 

[MommC]

Idecided not to do the "Christmas" decorating the whole house this year so just put up a small tree sitting on a table, in our family room, surrounded by presents. My 4 yr old grandson and his 20 month old brother stand 3 feet away from it to play "foozball" with Nono (grandpa) every time they come to our house. Neither of them has paid any attention to the tree or tried to open (let alone touch) any of the presents. Normal behaviour for small children ??? Not in my books! However when asked about Christmans the 4 yr old says he doesn't want Christmas to come. When asked what he wants from Santa he says "Nothing". When asked WHY??? he says it takes to long for Christmas to get here and Santa is NEVER going to come!!! Burn out??? You bet......and to me it is a shame that the joy of Christmas and the expectations of finding something under the tree on Christmas morn have been "stolen" from today's childrens' childhoods by over commercialization of the Season!!

 

[Tony C]

Ahhhh!!! Christmas! That is the one time of the year that you get together with all your family. It is also the Time of year where you realize how much you can't stand a lot of members of your family!

 

[Chirimoya]

stir stir

Does this mean we've had the last word on this?
Chiri

 

[Poetin]

floridabob wrote:
I was raised in the country where people minded there own business, yet helped their neighbors when they needed help.

Ach, you must be Russian then! :classic:

Anywayzz! Good luck in all and maybe I'll stop by on July next year (gosh, merely 2 weeks to go...) because then I'll be in the neighbourhood anyway.