I'm Having an Atheist Christmas!

The Atheist Christmas Song (video)

Music & lyrics by Dan Margarita
Performance by Dan Margarita

Grand Pa, and Elf by Britt Boughner

Videographer & Editor: Claude von Roesgen





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Question: Do Agnostics and Atheists Celebrate Christmas?

Answer: Yes, Some Do, but Only If They Want to.

Question: But, Isn't That Rather Hypocritical?

Answer: No, Not at All and Here's Why...

 


for additional information on the secular and pagan roots of the Christmas holiday season.  You can check out this informative essay by Martin J. Willett

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Christmas Sucks! Hallelujah, Hallelujah!!

 A Holiday Parody of Handel's Messiah!!!

As I explained in the previous post.  Despite my agnostic atheism, I still have a fondness in my heart for traditional Christmas music...




If perhaps, that got some of you in the mood for the real thing.  Well then here it is,  Enjoy...





Happy Holidays Everyone!


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A Christmas Song that Even an Agnostic Atheist Can Love!

Which is not to say that I don't enjoy Christmas music.  There's actually several Secular Songs, and even some Christmas Carols and Hymns that I tend to embrace with sentimental affection.  Not for their spiritual value, of course, but rather because they tend to stimulate fond memories of my youth and innocence. 

Of course, having sung in the choir from fourth through eighth grade at the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church in the Bronx, didn't hurt. 

In fact my indoctrination was so thorough that I still remember both the Latin and English versions of most popular Christmas Carols.

As an Agnostic Adult however, I choose to ignore the lyrics and let the music and melodies take me back to a more carefree era.  Much like  Bette Davis  I tend to "Adore Cheap Sentiment" and since newer Christmas tunes have no such reminiscent or emotional attachment to me.  I do find their lyrics harder to digest. 

The following holiday tune by Tim Minchin is a notable exception.  It really is a song that even an Agnostic like me can relate to. It's a little low-key and perhaps even a little long, but I definitely identify with the sentiment.  Take a few minutes to watch and listen to the video.  I think you'll enjoy it too.  I also posted the lyrics below.





For those of you who are interested  or perhaps may even want to sing along, here's the lyrics...

White Wine in the Sun
Music and Lyrics by
Tim Minchin

 I really like Christmas
It's sentimental, I know, but I just really like it
I am hardly religious
I'd rather break bread with Dawkins than Desmond Tutu, to be honest


And yes, I have all of the usual objections
To consumerism, the commercialisation of an ancient religion
To the Westernisation of a dead Palestinian
Press-ganged into selling Playstations and beer


But I still really like it


I'm looking forward to Christmas
Though I'm not expecting a visit from Jesus


I'll be seeing my dad
My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum


They'll be drinking white wine in the sun


I'll be seeing my dad
My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum


They'll be drinking white wine in the sun


I don't go in for ancient wisdom
I don't believe just 'cos ideas are tenacious it means they are worthy


I get freaked out by churches
Some of the hymns that they sing have nice chords but the lyrics are spooky


And yes I have all of the usual objections
To the miseducation of children who, in tax-exempt institutions,
Are taught to externalise blame
And to feel ashamed and to judge things as plain right and wrong


But I quite like the songs


I'm not expecting big presents
The old combination of socks, jocks and chocolate is just fine by me


Cos I'll be seeing my dad
My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum


They'll be drinking white wine in the sun


I'll be seeing my dad
My brother and sisters, my gran and my mum


They'll be drinking white wine in the sun


And you, my baby girl
My jetlagged infant daughter


You'll be handed round the room
Like a puppy at a primary school


And you won't understand
But you will learn someday


That wherever you are and whatever you face
These are the people who'll make you feel safe in this world


My sweet blue-eyed girl


And if, my baby girl
When you're twenty-one or thirty-one
And Christmas comes around


And you find yourself nine thousand miles from home
You'll know what ever comes
Your brother and sisters and me and your Mum
Will be waiting for you in the sun
Whenever you come


Your brothers and sisters, your aunts and your uncles
Your grandparents, cousins and me and your mum
We'll be waiting for you in the sun
Drinking white wine in the sun


Darling, when Christmas comes
We'll be waiting for you in the sun
Drinking white wine in the sun


Waiting for you in the sun
Waiting for you...
Waiting...


I really like Christmas
It's sentimental, I know...


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"Don't Ask Don't Tell" Repeal and Controversy, Shows us More Examples of Christian Love!



Gordon Klingenschmidt

 U.S. Naval Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmidt, is so outraged by the repeal of "DADT" that he states the following...

"Homosexual Sin Will Always Be a Stench in the Nostrils of Almighty God, an Abomination Which God Condemns and Shall Punish with Everlasting Destruction and Damnation.  Even If the Senate Had Voted 100 to 0 to Legalize Sin, They Could Not Remove God from His Throne of Judgment, before Which Every Knee Shall Bow, and Every Tongue Confess That Jesus Christ Is Lord."


The U.S. Navy chaplain is apparently not alone, with such loving Christian thoughts.  Similar sentiments are evidently shared by all of the following Christian groups...

National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference,
Teen Mania Ministries,
American Association of Christian Counselors,
Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission,
American Family Association,
Family Research Council;
Liberty Counsel,
Liberty Alliance Action,
Vision America,
The Oak Initiative,
The Call to Action,
Concerned Women for America,
High Impact Leadership Coalition,
Campaign for Working Families,
Conservative Action Project,
Traditional Values Coalition,
Renewing American Leadership,
Conservative HQ, Constitution Party,
Bott Radio Network, Center for Military Readiness.

Who have all signed on to a letter from the Liberty Counsel's Matt Staver who states the following...



Matt Staver


"This action will be overturned in the next Congress!"


"This vote will prove as costly to its proponents as ObamaCare was to its advocates. We promise a full mobilization of Faith-Based Organizations, in the states of every Senator who voted for repeal of DADT against our advice. Those Senators - and the Pentagon leaders responsible for this breach of trust - should understand that they will be the object of concerted political action against them."



 


 So far, hundreds of different, so called, "Religious Groups" have expressed outrage at the repeal of the Military's   "Don't Ask Don't Tell" Policy. 
 



Including a chorus of Orthodox Rabbis who have expressed similar sentiments.

 

 
Can you imagine, All of This Hate and Intolerance in the Name of God?
 
Christians, regardless of denomination,  are by definition supposed to preach, and practice the teachings of Jesus Christ. 
 
You remember Christ, don't you? 
 
He was that Pacifist Jewish Rabbi from the New Testament that became known as the "Prince of Peace". 
 
The one who taught love thy neighbor as thyself. 
 
The humble man who believed in turning the other cheek, and taught us not to judge, lest we be judged.
 
Not to mention the time;  when that loving, tolerant and compassionate Christ came to the defense of a prostitute in the street by saying  "Let He Who Has Not Sinned Cast the First Stone".
 
Now I ask you, does the Hateful, Homophobic Rhetoric we've been hearing about "Don't Ask Don't Tell" represent anything remotely similar to the peaceful  teachings of Jesus Christ.

It Seems Rather Cliché at This Point, but Once Again, I Feel Compelled to Remind the Religious Right - 

Hate and Intolerance Are Not Family Values! 

AgnosticThinking...   

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John McCain Goes from Moderate to Maniac!

As some political pundits and People For the American Way PFAW  have recently pointed out,  Senator John McCain has been acting real peculiar lately...

The once Relatively Reasonable and Moderate Republican has been catering more and more to the Conservative Religious Right within his party.

Has the Aging Arizona Senator Finally Succumb to Senior Dementia or is this just Shrewd Political Strategy on His Part?

Even though the vast majority of Americans supported ending Don't Ask Don't Tell  ( DADT )  the far Religious Right of the Republican Party was intractably opposed to extending any rights at all to Lesbian and Gay Americans and John McCain obviously wants to stay in their good graces.  Hence all the shifting rationale and furious attacks.

Just take a look at some of the vitriol and angry responses that has been coming  from the Religious Right of the Republican Party.

Bryan Fischer of The American Family Association: "The new Marine motto: 'The Few, the Proud, the Sexually Twisted.' Good luck selling that to strong young males who would otherwise love to defend their country. What virile young man wants to serve in a military like that?"


Tony Perkins of The Family Research Council: "It is clear why this was done: not to enhance the military's ability to accomplish its mission or to enhance national security. Rather, it is a political payoff to a tiny, but loud and wealthy, part of the Democratic base."

Peter LaBarbara from The Americans For Truth About Homosexuality: "If the lame-duck Congress succeeds in ‘gaying down' our military this weekend, it will take a disastrous leap toward “mainstreaming” deviant, sinful homosexual conduct."

These aren't fringe figures in the Religious Right movement. They are important figures in the GOP, and John McCain is eager to  please and cater to their bigoted agenda. John McCain is a "Survivor"  after all, and right now he's definitely in survivor mode.

So If That Means Flip-Flopping on Veterans Benefits, Immigration,  Gays in the Military,  Health Care,  Survivor Benefits for Victims of 9/11  or Medical Benefits for the First Responders to 9/11.  The Republican Religious Right Can Count on John McCain.

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