Tuesday, December 24, 2002
Merry Christmas
I've been asked how Atheists celebrate Chrismas like somehow I've suddenly changed and don't buy presents or make merry as it were. There are millions of people who celebrate Christmas in a more secular fashion where Jesus is not a part of it. Yes, I know the name Christmas is by name, a celebration of Christ but as I mentioned in this space awhile ago, Christmas stopped being about him the minute Coca-Cola came out with their Santa Ads in the early 20th century. It's an evolving holiday that is less religious we each passing year in my opinion.
I'm sure there isn't anyone who hasn't seen a Charlie Brown Christmas where he ponders the true meaning of Christmas and laments its commercial status. Now that was 35 years ago now and times haven't changed that much. I personally applaud the commerciality of Christmas and find nothing wrong with it. For those that lament it I don't see them visiting any less malls. I love the shopping and the gift giving and the cheeriness that is Christmas. And hey, without commercials there wouldn't have been any Charlie Brown Christmas special to begin with soooooo.
So Merry Christmas everyone. May your heart be glad and may you gain the strength of ten grinches plus two. And if Santa comes with a Coke in hand, drink it and be happy, but don't forget a shot of rye.
I've been asked how Atheists celebrate Chrismas like somehow I've suddenly changed and don't buy presents or make merry as it were. There are millions of people who celebrate Christmas in a more secular fashion where Jesus is not a part of it. Yes, I know the name Christmas is by name, a celebration of Christ but as I mentioned in this space awhile ago, Christmas stopped being about him the minute Coca-Cola came out with their Santa Ads in the early 20th century. It's an evolving holiday that is less religious we each passing year in my opinion.
I'm sure there isn't anyone who hasn't seen a Charlie Brown Christmas where he ponders the true meaning of Christmas and laments its commercial status. Now that was 35 years ago now and times haven't changed that much. I personally applaud the commerciality of Christmas and find nothing wrong with it. For those that lament it I don't see them visiting any less malls. I love the shopping and the gift giving and the cheeriness that is Christmas. And hey, without commercials there wouldn't have been any Charlie Brown Christmas special to begin with soooooo.
So Merry Christmas everyone. May your heart be glad and may you gain the strength of ten grinches plus two. And if Santa comes with a Coke in hand, drink it and be happy, but don't forget a shot of rye.
Friday, December 20, 2002
Send in the Clones, there has to be Clones
Clonaid, the self described first human cloning company, has announced that the first human clones will be born this December. The company states they started out with 10 of which 5 were aborted and 5 are healthy and doing fine. No word on the legitimacy of the claim yet. Clonaid was founded by Rael whom you may know is leader of the Raelian Movement, a quais religious cult. The Raelians believe that aliens from another world created life on earth using DNA samples from themselves not unlike cloning. The leader Rael was a french journalist minding his own business when on December 13th, 1973, he was contacted by a being from another world who told him the "truth" about our origins and to set up an embassy here on earth for when the aliens eventually come-a-calling. They now boast over 55,000 members worldwide.
Ah, a bunch of lunatics you may say. Well, perhaps it's better to believe that Joseph Smith meet an angel and he gave him gold plates with the word of god on them. Or that a man proclaiming to be the son of the one and only god was born over 2000 years ago. But of course these things are true while a man claiming to meet aliens is completely unbelievable. I hope the irony isn't lost.
Clonaid, the self described first human cloning company, has announced that the first human clones will be born this December. The company states they started out with 10 of which 5 were aborted and 5 are healthy and doing fine. No word on the legitimacy of the claim yet. Clonaid was founded by Rael whom you may know is leader of the Raelian Movement, a quais religious cult. The Raelians believe that aliens from another world created life on earth using DNA samples from themselves not unlike cloning. The leader Rael was a french journalist minding his own business when on December 13th, 1973, he was contacted by a being from another world who told him the "truth" about our origins and to set up an embassy here on earth for when the aliens eventually come-a-calling. They now boast over 55,000 members worldwide.
Ah, a bunch of lunatics you may say. Well, perhaps it's better to believe that Joseph Smith meet an angel and he gave him gold plates with the word of god on them. Or that a man proclaiming to be the son of the one and only god was born over 2000 years ago. But of course these things are true while a man claiming to meet aliens is completely unbelievable. I hope the irony isn't lost.
Friday, December 06, 2002
Who is this Guy?
I've tried to read more about the history and beliefs of Christianity. If I'm going to sit here and tell you, if you're a Christian, that you're wrong, I should certainly be aware of what it is I'm talking about. In the same fashion, I'm looking for you, the Christian, to tell my why I may be incorrect in my statements or assumptions. So anyway, I need to look into this myth a little more but this is the story I've read and it's timely for the season to talk about you know who.
This ummm, well, person let's say, was born of a virgin and without giving it away the celebration of his birth was December 25th. Any pictures of this fellow showed a nimbus or halo-like item above his head. Oh, forgot to mention that his birth was attended by sheperds too. He didn't really die but ascended to a heaven. His followers hence thought that he would return at the end of time for a final judgement sending the good to heaven, the heathens to hell, you know the rest. So did I give it away yet? Who am I talking about? Well, I'm actually describing the story of a very wide-spread religion (any Christian church now calls it a cult which is kind've amusing)that predates Christianity and Jesus and the mythical person I'm referring to was called Mithra.
I've tried to read more about the history and beliefs of Christianity. If I'm going to sit here and tell you, if you're a Christian, that you're wrong, I should certainly be aware of what it is I'm talking about. In the same fashion, I'm looking for you, the Christian, to tell my why I may be incorrect in my statements or assumptions. So anyway, I need to look into this myth a little more but this is the story I've read and it's timely for the season to talk about you know who.
This ummm, well, person let's say, was born of a virgin and without giving it away the celebration of his birth was December 25th. Any pictures of this fellow showed a nimbus or halo-like item above his head. Oh, forgot to mention that his birth was attended by sheperds too. He didn't really die but ascended to a heaven. His followers hence thought that he would return at the end of time for a final judgement sending the good to heaven, the heathens to hell, you know the rest. So did I give it away yet? Who am I talking about? Well, I'm actually describing the story of a very wide-spread religion (any Christian church now calls it a cult which is kind've amusing)that predates Christianity and Jesus and the mythical person I'm referring to was called Mithra.
Monday, December 02, 2002
It's December
Some folks seem to find it ironic that I celebrate Christmas and I do so with zeal. The irony isn't lost on me of course but I'm confused a little. I mean I've watched the Charlie Brown Chistmas Special (hell, I own the CD sountrack) and Charlie Brown finds the true meaning of Christmas yada yada but c'mon. The true meaning of Christmas in our time has very little to do with Christ. I would say you could almost trace it to the day that Coca Cola created the images of Santa Claus we all know today. Ignore the rest of this if you know that already. Coca Cola created the image of Santa Claus we all know for an ad campaign in the 30's. Oh sure, it's more complicated than that to be sure, but has anything ever taken hold of our imaginations and indeed our culture in such a huge way? Entire companies are built on this myth of Santa that Coke helped to create. It's cool in a way if you stop and think about it. Well, go ahead.
Some folks seem to find it ironic that I celebrate Christmas and I do so with zeal. The irony isn't lost on me of course but I'm confused a little. I mean I've watched the Charlie Brown Chistmas Special (hell, I own the CD sountrack) and Charlie Brown finds the true meaning of Christmas yada yada but c'mon. The true meaning of Christmas in our time has very little to do with Christ. I would say you could almost trace it to the day that Coca Cola created the images of Santa Claus we all know today. Ignore the rest of this if you know that already. Coca Cola created the image of Santa Claus we all know for an ad campaign in the 30's. Oh sure, it's more complicated than that to be sure, but has anything ever taken hold of our imaginations and indeed our culture in such a huge way? Entire companies are built on this myth of Santa that Coke helped to create. It's cool in a way if you stop and think about it. Well, go ahead.
