Weekly Poll: Atheists Participating in Religious Traditions
Religious traditions are very important to structuring a religion's beliefs, doctrines, and even membership. Some believers seem to focus far more on the traditions themselves rather than the beliefs which those traditions are supposed to reinforce. Unfortunately, when a person leaves a religion, they also leave behind much of what might have structured their life — and that isn't easy. If you are an atheist, do you still follow any religious traditions?
Some atheists who do continue with some religious traditions argue that all that really matters are the feelings of connectedness and reinforcement of community which those traditions provide. Other atheists, though, argue that continuing with religious traditions in this manner just helps create the perception that there is something inherently necessary or good about religion which even atheists need. This arguably works against efforts to build secular alternatives to ancient, religious systems which we should be able to move beyond.
There are, of course, far more religious traditions than I can possibly list in this poll. I've only chosen some of the broadest, most popular categories as starters for discussion. If there are specific traditions you keep (or which are kept by atheists you know), just describe them in comments below.
I chose “none” because, though I celebrate holidays like Hallowe’en, Easter, and Christmas, none of these has ever been religious to me or my family, and none of them is really religious in Canadian society. Easter is almost completely secular outside of actual church buildings. You never see anything religious about it at all, not even people writing to “keep the Christ in Easter”. It is a completely secular holiday, and is not terribly important to anyone outside of the “four day weekend” it creates.
Christmas in Canada is also completely secular for those who don’t enter a church building. Other than the usual “KCIC” letters from those losing the war, there is virtually nothing religious about it. I realise this differs from the US, but I assume the same is true for most of Europe, Australia and NZ.
I chose “none”. However, my wife and I have cake and refreshments available for any of our friends that care to drop by for a short visit on Halloween, my birthday.
Drew,
“Other atheists, though, argue that continuing with religious traditions in this manner just helps create the perception that there is something inherently necessary or good about religion which even atheists need. This arguably works against efforts to build secular alternatives to ancient, religious systems which we should be able to move beyond.”
I re posted this not because I am trying to throw it up in your “face”, but only to say I am one of these atheists, and would like to read what you think about this, and also ask if you can see, that this only prolongs the existence of religious privilege.
For example, people that can only get time off from work or school during the christmas break.
Perhaps if we all joined together to promote creating new secular holidays,and avoid the religious holy days, we could change this, and no longer have to give what the religious perceive as respect and deference, to their holy days.
My wife and I, in our 70s, are Atheists and members of Westside UU Church in Fort Worth, TX. Our newly ordained minister, Dr. Russell Elleven, is also an Atheist and a member of The Humanist Association of Ft. Worth (HoFW).
We, and our friends at Westside and HoFW, enjoy the fact that we can meet and socialize with others of similar, non-Christian, philosophy.
Don Ruhs, Co-Chair HoFW
1036 Hill Top Pass
Benbrook, TX 76126
I sometimes go to pagan holiday celebrations (i.e. Beltane, Midsummer, etc.). I enjoy them because they are interesting in that they a. celebrate nature and how the seasons change b. don’t feel like any traditional religious ceremony and c. remind me of what my ancestors may have done in their lives to celebrate life and nature.
I’m an atheist but am happy to celebrate christmas as a traditional time for the family to get together. While i don’t believe in God(s) or supernatural forces, I realise that christianity has been a major part of my culture and it doesnt really bother me that our modern idea of christmas is rooted in christianity. I think, in the UK at least, that while the “original” christian aspects are still there for those who want them, its easy to enjoy a whole festive season without the baby jesus being shoved in your face, or even popping into your head. It seems to have naturally developed into a secular holiday with fairly universal themes like family, giving etc. I also think it performs a function of giving something to look forward to and celebrate in the darkest, wettest time of year (as I said, I am in the UK!) a kind of cultural anti-depressent I suppose. Given that its easy to celebrate a wholly un-holy christmas, in spite of the holdiay’s roots, I’d be interested to hear if anyone has a well thought through argument for why we ought rip christmas up and start again. Do we really need a brand new holiday void of any christian overtones or can we just accept that christmas, a festival of massive cultural significance in so many countries, has christian roots? I don’t think even santa believes in God anymore….
Anything that gives people time off from work and encourages them to spend time with their families seems worthwhile. In the US, Christmas and Thanksgiving seem to provide such opportunities more than, say, Independence Day (Fourth of July). Exactly why that is so may be worth discussion, but in my experience it holds true for both religious and godless people.
I object to the efforts of religious people to institute laws that require everyone to live according to their views of sin and righteousness. The fact that modern people still believe such laws are necessary indicates a weakness in their faith, of course: an encouraging sign, perhaps. I’m often amused by the “true meaning of Christmas” sermonizing that comes around every year, but I’m not affected by it as long as it remains unofficial.
I didn’t answer…I attend UU, and my minister is also an atheist. I didn’t quite see a way to fit into the poll.
I do celebrate the regular holidays mainly because my family celebrates them and I enjoy my family time. I even attend church services from time to time with my family. What I don’t do is pray, sing, or dance at any of the services.
Sometimes I do get “freaked” out by some of the things that happen there and I just get up and leave. Mainly when the service is ending and people are “converting” or “feeling the spirit” is when it gets weird. I try not to be cynical and over crtitical but I am amazed/baffled at what they “preach” there.
My family knows that I am an atheist and we try not to discuss our viewpoints on religion mainly because we respect each other and I only see them on weekends. On ocassion that they “tried” to “convert” me we get into lenghty debates and it becomes clear that I have more knowlegde on the bible.
I read somewhere once that you know you’re an atheist when you know more about the bible than its followers. That to me is true and very funny, ironically I guess.
Whenever different religions celebrate their holidays like Eid or Divali, people from other religions also take part in events and go to their friends’ homes to eat. So we are used to that. I guess we didn’t see them as religious events but a chance to get free food and drinks.
When I was growing up, my joy was cleaning and preparing for Christmas. So now I still clean and redecorate and just enjoy the season when family and friends get together to drink beers, sorrel, punch-a-creme and eat cake and whatever else you want.(I didn’t drink any alcohol for two years because of my baby).
Christmas in my country (Trinidad) is a very dominant holiday. We also have Carnival which is usually in February or March. So a lot of soca artistes used the Christmas season to promote their songs on the radio, television or in parties. Because a lot of people in the country celebrate Christmas some people felt that they should complain to the newspapers, TV or to other people that we (the country) should leave soca music for Carnival and focus on Christmas music. I always felt that was a little selfish. I believe that anybody can listen to any music they want at any time of the year.
I just thought that I should mention that I christened my son in May. I did it because his father wanted his son to be “blessed”.
Before the whole incident I told him that he should make the arrangements because it was his idea, but he was very busy. So at the time I did not bother to do anything.
My sister asked me when was I going to do it, I told her that I really didn’t care if it happened. Then she told me that she suspected that I was an atheist but just do it for the sake of my son. I told her that I am not growing him up to be an atheist but to make his own choices. She said it’s a horror when a child has to grow up different from other kids (especially at school) so just do it as a symbol because everyone is used to it (everyone has a religion). Then she said he has to learn about these things anyway if he has to make a choice.
I don’t know if I wasn’t true to myself by agreeing to christen him but I didn’t hide my feelings either. I said if it was totally up to me I would not have done it.
And yes, I actually went to Church, but I didn’t say the prayers.