Ed&#39;s journal

Happy February? There is no such thing.

There many reasons why the continued existance of February cannot be allowed. These include:

Almost one twelfth of violent crime occurs in February alone.
Some of the world's most evil people, including Hitler, Stalin and Barney the Dinosaur, were born in February.
As much as 1 in 1400 of all deaths occur on February 29th alone.
It is estimated that the confusion caused by leap years is responsible for 70% of children failing to complete the national calander competency curriculum.

On the basis of this overwhelming evidence, we call for the immediate elimination of February from the calander and the implementation of a 62 day January.

This has been an official statement on behalf of the Campaign to Ban January.

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This has been an official statement on behalf of the Campaign to Ban January.

Ban January & February? How will we start the year? :-)

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sobrique.livejournal.com

Hungover. Just like last year.

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The Pro-February orthodoxy tampered with the previous post. That should of course have read "Campaign to Ban February".

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ool272.livejournal.com

I think it was merely a subconscious realisation of the inherent moral bankruptcy of your belief system. You look at February, you see Valentine's Day, you see my birthday, you see all the great things that have come out of that great months, but yet you press on with your little crusade. Yet somewhere inside you, you know you are wrong.

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You'd be so much happier with your birthday on the 58th of January. I hope you come to realise that.

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ool272.livejournal.com

After a few months in a reeducation facility, no doubt.

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ool272.livejournal.com

All you people ever do is hate.

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xarrion.livejournal.com

(Except the 'happy monday bit, I'm pretty certain that doesn't exist')
Sure it does, except in most places you'll hear them referred to as Bank Holidays ;)

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purp1e-magic.livejournal.com

Voice of dissent, I'm afraid. Although these days we celebrate christmas as a religious festival, growing up we used to not. We still enjoyed christmas, we still had a tree and presents and cards. When I send a card that says "season's greetings" what I mean is "isn't it wonderful when everybody makes a real effort to be cheerful, isn't it a lovely time of year! I've been thinking of you/ wanted to you know that I remember you, so I'm sending a card. I hope you're feeling the christmas spirit too." It's not that I would have avoided the phrase Merry Christmas, just that it means something else, so I would save it for people I know to be religious. I would quite like it if someone wished me a Happy Eid at Eid, even if they're not Muslim. But I'm unlikely to tell you Happy Divali, because I know you're not a Hindu. I am, however, likely to say "weren't the fireworks pretty, did you get involved, did you enjoy the occassion?" And if Divali were as big a thing as christmas I may well send a Divali card.

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I plan on sending nothing but Seasons Greetings cards. It has bog all to do with being PC, and everything to do with the fact that I will be sending them to cover Solstice/Yule as well. And I'm not Christian, so whilst I enjoy the winter festival that Christians like to call Christmas (and in fact, most Muslim, Hindus and Jews I know also call Christmas and acknowledge to a greater or lesser extent, depending on whether they have young kids or not), I would feel a bit off claiming to be celebrating it in the true Christian sense (not that I honestly believe many Christians DO celebrate it in the proper sense). And in a rebellion against the rampant commercialism of the season, I shall also be making as many as possible of the cards and gifts I give out.

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sobrique.livejournal.com

So, you're sending 'seasons greetings' because you're celebrating the solstice?

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[quote]So, you're sending 'seasons greetings' because you're celebrating the solstice? [/quote]

No, I'm sending Seasons Greetings because I am celebrating a Winter Festival which for me encompasses the pagan Yule/Solstice idea, the Christian Christmas idea which I was brought up to celebrate (and which, as a concept of a time of year to be nice to each other, I wholeheartedly support), the official calendar New Year, and my own personal New Year, which begins for me on the day after the Longest Day. I rather think Hannukah is around the same time of year as well, so I am being as inclusive as possible!

Seriously, I have no problem at all with Christmas, I love the idea of it, I am just pig sick of the whole commercial fakeness of it, and frankly, I think Solstice is going much the same way within the pagan community. It just seems wrong to me to spout off about celebrating Xmas when I am not Christian. And I am right there with Absintheskiss's comment about people bitching about Christmas with their gobs full of mince pie. If people don't want to celebrate at this time of year, fine, they can man the checkouts while I do my shopping! I don't bitch about people celebrating Eid (and have previously been included to a small extent in the family celebrations 2 years running by Muslim neighbours), or any other religious festival you care to mention.

My original comment was a (poor, apparently) attempt to point out that not everyone who sends Seasons Greetings cards is doing it because they're scared of offending people.

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the-wood-gnome.livejournal.com

Surely you should be sending 'seasons greetings' cards all year round. afaik there are four seasons in the year....

Have a Wonderful Winter
A Super Spring
A Special Summer
and An Appy Autumn :)

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girl-working.livejournal.com

Please stop contributing to Ian's growing pile of 'h's. We're running out of room to store them all... ;)

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the-wood-gnome.livejournal.com

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mrph.livejournal.com

"Happy hijacked pagan festival"

Works for me.

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veremit.livejournal.com

mreow...

.. saucer of milk, anyone?

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xarrion.livejournal.com

Don't know if you've seen this, but it didn't work for her ;)

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/11/18/happy_holidays/

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I agree, one wonders whether this practice is encouraged by the secular movement in the country. An example of their touchiness would be Phillip Pullman who raged about the forthcoming Narnia films. He is an ardent atheist and worries that the films will lead people into Christianity.

It is a negation of life and a reduction of our common culture. What greetings do they offer? I am unaware of any thread of charity that exists in modern Atheism, I know of many religious charities from all the world's great religions. I do not know of one charity that is avowedly Atheist.

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mrph.livejournal.com

I am unaware of any thread of charity that exists in modern Atheism, I know of many religious charities from all the world's great religions. I do not know of one charity that is avowedly Atheist.

Oxfam isn't religious. The Red Cross makes a point of religious neutrality. The Disasters Emergency Committee isn't religious either.

None of them are exclusively or avowedly atheist, but then why would they be? The Pullman/Dawkins view is rather extreme and doesn't seem to be shared by the majority.

I wasn't aware of Pullman's views on Narnia, but the BBC news piece has an interesting spin on that - he attacks the books for being racist and misogynist and also says "It's not the presence of Christian doctrine I object to so much as the absence of Christian virtue". I'm not at all sure I agree with him, but it's an interesting point of view...

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I was thinking of an article that Pullman wrote in the Observer a number of weeks ago, it left me with the impression you describe, as being rather extreme.

I would be interested if there were any studies on atheists and their opinions of charity. Are there any atheist communities/nations that exhibit charitable behaviour? Unfortunately the prime model we have data on is Communism - of which the record is unfavourable.

As for the article, I read the comments section and it too is unfavourable to Pullman. The Narnia series was written in the afterglow of Imperial Britain and when deconstructed the text may well be politically uncorrect. If it appalls Pullman then I hope he will consult with Lambeth Council on racial awareness. Then the next hero/heroine of his next book could be a black jewish lesbian single mother ex coal miner with a cleft palate in a wheelchair.

It is not enough to hear the word of the Lord one must live it as well. As the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said 'The most excellent Jihad is the one against yourself'.

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While atheism is a belief, it isn't a community. You don't get unified atheist movements as such*. It's a belief that lends itself far more to individuals. Plus, without some sort of guiding text or clergy, it's even more open to interpretation than major religions. And look at how they get warped.. :-/

* Except various usegroups etc, where bitter teenage American atheists** go to bitch about Christians & deconstruct the bible. It's interesting to note that some of them have such in depth knowledge of that tome that one American priest allegedly started referring people with really obscure questions to them...

** A generalisation, but not too far off the mark...

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girl-working.livejournal.com

[quote]black jewish lesbian single mother ex coal miner with a cleft palate in a wheelchair.[/quote]

Sorry, I don't consider my speech problem, which is caused by a cleft palate, to be a PC issue.

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Hoisted by my own petard, thanks for your advice.

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He is an ardent atheist and worries that the films will lead people into Christianity.

Yeah Gods! Where do I start? How about the fact that being a default Christian country, we're constantly indoctrinated into it from a very young age. Doesn't mean most people end up acting according to the Christian principles, but hey... There are a lot better targets to go after than a series of children's books, which you have to choose to read (or watch).

Secondly, so what if they're strongly pro-Christian? OK, it grated a little, but it's still a great story. So's the bible. Why the hell should being an atheist stop me enjoying them? You could even argue that we should enjoy them more because we don't attach any real significance to them.

Next up, he should stop trying to convert people to atheism. Imposing your belief's on others Really Pisses Me Off. Doesn't matter that in this incident we happen to be of the same belief, everyone has the right to find their own path of belief, and not have people pressure them into something else, weather that's a religion, or atheism, or anything else.

Finally, why on earth do most atheists seem to think it's anti-Christian?? It's a non-belief in all religions, not just Christianity. OK, it's the one we're exposed to most, but to hear some of us, you'd start to think we're actively hostile to the Christan faith in particular, where there is no reason we should be. Heck, there's a good number of Christan values that make sense. I wish more self proclaimed Christians would follow them...

OK, I'll stop ranting now...

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[quote]Finally, why on earth do most atheists seem to think it's anti-Christian?? It's a non-belief in all religions, not just Christianity. OK, it's the one we're exposed to most, but to hear some of us, you'd start to think we're actively hostile to the Christan faith in particular, where there is no reason we should be. Heck, there's a good number of Christan values that make sense. I wish more self proclaimed Christians would follow them...[/quote]

Same reason so many so-called pagans are so anti-Christianity. They're not entirely convinced that they're right, so they do their former religion down as much as possible in an attempt to make themselves feel better. Its the old 'sour grapes' thing.

Personally, I have a problem with the propopents of almost all organised religions, except possibly Buddhism, (and I am not convinced it is either organised OR a religion!). I hate having dogma rammed down my throat, and people who rant on streetcorners and call down fire and brimstone on innocent shoppers should, in my opionion, be locked away for the good of everyone, including themselves, 'cos if any of them ever start on me the way I have seen them do on others, I will NOT be responsible for my actions.

If more religious people were as decent and open-minded as the two committed Christians, whom I am privileged to know, who have posted on this LJ entry, then the world would be a much better place for everybody. And you know who you are.

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Here here! *Applause*

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A very interesting question. Atheism is a statement on a particular issue, whereas, christianity is a fully formed belief system with a set of moral values and other beliefs to go alongside it. On this basis, I suspected that looking for humanist charities would be more successful.

And indeed I found some, for example:

http://www.americanhumanist.org/press/ActionAlerts/aaKatrina.php

I would say that most atheists are happy to donate through generic charities, of which there are many, rather than needing to donate through a religious organisation. Most atheists would avoid religious charities.

Happy Newtonmas to you all.

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I guess I'm thinking that Charity is a characteristic of the Meme of Religion whereas it doesn't appear to be a characteristic of the Meme of Atheism. But then that Meme is much younger than the Religion Meme and large splinters of it seem to be a struggle against the Religion Meme rather than a distinct idea in itself. Also it may be that part of the Atheist Meme is to act individually whereas the Religion Meme encourages group activity which would therefore make their charitable actions more visible.

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phyrbyrd.livejournal.com

Cats' Protection League?

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mcnazgul.livejournal.com

This year I'm sending Christmas cards to those who want it and other kinds to others. It might not be politically correct and if I know people will have issues with it, they'll get something appropriately seasonal/Yule-ish instead. The crafting idea... Hmmmm...

Gifts should be something the giver wants after all? I might take a crack at making cards - something we do at work is give money spent on cards to charity and we actually say to people 'Happy Christmas', 'Cool Yule' etc instead. Gifts may even be given to those we like or Secret Santa for.

And they're Christmas lights. The same way that the lights put up at Diwali are Diwali lights. If it's one thing that fecks me off it's attempts to gloss over culture like it's not there and this 'you-and-your-quaint-local-customs' attitude spouted by people desperately trying to be 'politically correct'. As though anything political is correct these days?

As for Pullman, don't get me started. Bad enough he turns what was possibly one of the better fantasy trilogies I've read into a thinly-veiled and (IMHO worse) poorly-executed diatribe against Christianity, he also commits a number of solecisms in terms of plot and character.

His views on Narnia are gurning to the gallery frankly - bad enough that he tries to apply politically correct values to a children's series written before such things even mattered, I shudder to think what he would make of Shakespeare (with it's poisonings, rapes, murders, adultery, cross-dressing, references to the supernatural and pro-Anglocentric views).

Or would that be too hard for him? Rant before breakfast. Cool.

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veremit.livejournal.com

I take it you haven't seen the BBC's 'modern' adaptations of Shakespeare's plays??

I haven't but the summary advert they were trailing on Macbeth, coupled with the reviews in the TV paper lead me to believe they had almost managed just that ....

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mcnazgul.livejournal.com

Saw Much Ado and Macbeth... thought they were both quite good in that while they took liberties with setting, they did stay faithful to the core themes and the performances were pretty good so far - probably going to miss Taming of the Shrew which is one of my favourites... bah!

Haven't seen many of the reviews so can't comment, from what I've seen online it seems to be a mix of 'why not just do traditional Bill?' which is fair enough - Macbeth is better suited to battles, though this version of Macbeth had all of the ambition, mental disintegration and self-loathing you could ask for... also the veiled references to Gordon Ramsay were a comic flourish.

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I wish people a merry christmas. For me it is a time for family, and a special time of the year. A time to celebrate those you love, and those close to you. While it doesn't have an religious significance for me, the title "Christmas" still describes a special time of year.

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queex.livejournal.com

After all, if Yule was stolen, it's only right that the term 'Christmas' should be stripped of its Christian trappings.

I call it Christmas. The UK is a predominantly Christian country (even if most are only Christian because they haven't the imagination to see if there's anything they like better) so Christian festivals tend to get the limelight.

On the other hand, Christmas is part of the country's cultural heritage, and is not the exclusive property of Christianity. After all, there is no religious significance in the Great Escape or Morecombe & Wise, despite them being part of the Christmas experience.

That said if someone doesn't like the relgious aspect/commercialisation/whatever of Christmas they can feel free to call it whatever they like. Apparently, 'Winterval' is gaining coin in the US, which I feel I should approve of on general principles because it's a pun.

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Winterval is a truly awful word and what's the betting that only 1 in 100 people get the pun.

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absintheskiss.livejournal.com

For me it is simple. Although people are generally not Christian anymore alot of them seem very happy to take the perks that history has given them through living in a largely Christian country (until the 20th Century).

If people object so strongly to the festival of 'Christmas' and feel that it is politically incorrect then I can only assume they will not want any cards, presents, drunken dancing at the office do, and will be driving into work at 9.00am Dec 25th just like any other working day.

I send Yule cards to my pagan friends, and Christmas cards to everyone else. We are in a multicultural society, and I do respect the right of others to have other faiths, but get really annoyed when people complain about religion (of whatever type) with their face full of mince pie...

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mister-jack.livejournal.com

The thing that bugs me most about such pseudo politically correct claptrap as "winter lights" is that it feeds exactly the opposite viewpoint to its intended one. I see lots of people getting irate about "them" coming to "our" country and "making us change". Yet, in every genuine case I've seen of things like this the local Muslim, Hindu, Sikh, etc. leaders have come out as saying they don't care, and didn't ask for it. I approve, in general, of political correctness. I do think we should show consideration and tolerance towards others, but far too often it has gone beyond that and into changing things, or not doing things, not because they cause offence but because someone from a wholly different group thinks they might cause offence.

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