Our Agnosticism/Atheism Expert
The Latest in Agnosticism/Atheism
Is There a War on Christmas? Conservatives and Republicans Think So
Every year sees a renewed debate over the so-called 'War on Christmas' and the primary divisions are political. Most conservatives believe that such a war exists and most liberals believe it doesn't. The biggest support for the existence of a War on Christmas is found among those who identify with the Tea Party.
Religious vs. Secular Christmas - Is Christmas a Religious or Secular Holiday?
Americans all over the country in all walks of life look forward to getting a day off on December 25, a day which has traditionally (and almost certainly erroneously) been celebrated as the birth day of Jesus Christ, savior for all Christians. What's wrong with that? Nothing, really - except possibly the fact that it is a holiday which is legally recognized/mandated by our government. Should Christmas be treated like a secular holiday?
We Wish You a Godless Xmas: What's Secular, Godless About Christmas Holidays?
Many Christians insist that Christmas is a Christian religious holiday which belongs exclusively to them. While there are many ways to celebrate Christmas in a Christian manner, the simple fact is that there are many important elements to popular Christmas celebrations which have nothing whatsoever to do with religion or Christianity. These secular elements of Christmas are at least as important as the religious ones. So if you want to celebrate Christmas, you can do so without religion.
Atheists Are Not Working to Undermine Christmas Holidays
Every year we hear more and more about the so-called Christmas Wars. According to its promoters and alleged 'defenders' of Christmas, the godless liberals and atheists are trying to undermine wholesome Christmas traditions as part of their agenda of undermining Christianity.
Christmas in America: Atheists, the Christian Right, and Christmas Traditions
Perhaps the mid-winter holiday season centered around Christmas should be a time of festivities, but in America many other things intrude as well. Atheists are faced with questions about whether they should participate and if they should reveal their atheism. Conservative Christians insist that Christmas is meaningless without their religion - and say that both are under assault from atheists. Should parents lie to encourage belief in Santa? How reliable are gospels stories about the Nativity?
Discrimination as the Christian Right's Goal
The Christian Right often likes to portray itself as standing up for religious liberty on the one hand and traditional religious values on the other. The means by which they expect to advance these goals, however, is through the elimination of full civil equality of those groups which are regarded as morally and spiritually inferior.
Constitutional Problems with Christmas Holidays
The latter part of the year in the United States is affectionately known as the "holiday season" and less affectionately known as the "silly season." This is the time of year when we experience a cluster of holidays - Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, New Year's, and Ramadan. This holiday season is heavily structured with tradition: trick-or-treating, family dinners, Christmas shopping, and of course lawsuits. What would American holidays be without church/state lawsuits?
Evaluating Theistic Claims: Defending & Supporting God as Explanation
Can atheists explain why the universe and life exist? The absence of a thoroughly convincing atheistic explanation for the existence of the universe and life does not entail that any theistic explanation is automatically superior.
Secular Ways to Celebrate the Christmas Holidays
Although Christmas has largely been a Christian religious holiday, that has changed dramatically. It already included many elements borrowed from other religions, which made it easy to transform in modern, secular culture.
Is There a War on Christmas? American Public is Divided
The so-called 'War on Christmas' makes an appearance every year when conservative evangelicals complain about being persecuted. But how successful has their propaganda been? The American public is fairly evenly divided, with about the same number of people believing that such a war exists as believing there is no such war.
How Should Atheists Deal with Holidays, Rituals?
Holidays can serve to form a connection to your own past by evoking memories of past celebration. Rituals and celebrations, as long as they are not empty of personal meaning, can be worth preserving.
What's so Christian about Santa Claus?
The most common, popular, and recognized symbol for Christmas today isn't an infant Jesus or even a manger scene, but Santa Claus. It's Santa who graces all the ads and decorations, not Jesus. Santa Claus is not, however, a religious figure or symbol.
Nativity vs Gospels: Are the Gospels Reliable About Jesus' Birth?
The nativity story occurs in just two of the four gospels, Matthew and Luke, and that they hardly agree on any of the details. It's almost as if they are describing two entirely different people being born.
America as God's Chosen Nation
John Winthrop was instrumental in shaping what came to be known as the 'puritan' attitude in American culture and politics. That attitude has remained with us in various forms and will probably continue to do so through the foreseeable future.
Religion and Religious Extremism: Inseparable
Religious extremists draw upon genuine, valid aspects of their religious traditions. They cannot be countered successfully by pretending otherwise.
Previous
1
2
3
4
© 2014 About.com — All rights reserved.