Friday 23 December 2011

The Christmas curse



The above clip is how I suspect some people treat the word "Christmas", such as in this post from Space.com:
Three spaceflyers who launched on a Russian rocket Wednesday (Dec. 21) are preparing to dock at the International Space Station tomorrow (Dec. 23), just in time for the holidays.
Let's leave aside the idiocy of using a neologism like "spaceflyer" for "astronaut" (Yes, I know that one was a cosmonaut, but as far as I'm concerned, that's just the Russian word for astronaut and the article is written in English).   If they're getting there on December the 23rd, what "holidays" are they talking about?  It's not Ramadan or Hanukkah or Diwali–it's too late in the year for any of them.   Could they mean (pause) Christmas?  

It's a bit like an internet discussion I was reading yesterday about CE and BCE as a Newspeak substitute for AD and BC.  Don't get me started on these.  As a retired archaeologist and history lecturer, this really gets on my wick.  At any rate, one commentator claims that he doesn't use AD and BC because he isn't Christian.

Well and good, said another, but what does he do on a Wednesday, which is sacred to Woden?

I'd go a bit further in that the gentleman must be very uncomfortable on all the days of the week–not to mention every month of the year until October.  And if he's an Atheist, how can he stomach taking holidays?  Does he scream and stop his ears every time someone says "goodbye" to him because he can't bear to be wished that God be with him? Does he froth at the mouth when someone accuses him of pontificating or if he sees a ship being christened? The Solar System must fill him with rage. Looking at a poop deck must be as torture to him. And for heaven's sake (sorry) never mention computer icons in his hearing. This is one step away from G K Chesterton's character who loathed the cross so much that he screwed his eyes shut whenever he saw a fence or a window pane.

Why isn't this the case?  Because it isn't about not subscribing to Christianity; it's about objecting to its functional existence.

It's the hypocrisy of it all that grates.  If you want people to stop saying "Christmas" because you hate Christianity and want it banned from the culture, then come out and say so.  That at least is an honest position that can be defended.  Don't hide behind smarmy appeals to intolerance masquerading as tolerance.  

5 comments:

Sergej said...

Well, it is right on time for the middle of Chanukah, so maybe that's one of the holidays meant. You know, in case the Russian cosmonauts are planning on celebrating.

Anyway, wishes for a happy/merry Christmas from me to the Christian administrator and readers and commenters at Ephemeral Isle. I do not fear to say the forbidden words.

eon said...

This week, an atheist group was bragging about having rented every public space they could that was normally used for Nativity scenes, to prevent those scenes from being displayed.

They went on to say, that not only did they object to christian groups having a place in "the public square", their big dream was that atheist groups wouldn't be allowed to pontificate in public, either. Which of course was exactly what they were doing.

I'm still trying to decide if this is rank hypocrisy or simple brain-dead stupidity at work. Either way, it is rather refreshing to see the "enlightened ones" baring their totalitarian instincts for all to see.

Merry Christmas to you and yours, David, and the same to you, Sergei.

And may I say that being privileged to post here at EI is as much fun as LGF used to be. Thanks for having me.

;-)

cheers

eon

jabrwok said...

As an atheist myself I find it frustrating when my more militant co-un-believers emulate the worst behavior (or at least the most annoying) of their theistic counterparts. I suppose it's inevitable though. When "equality" means "role reversal" as in Affirmative Action and Feminism, then I suppose "freedom of religion" must be translated as "repression of religion". Unfortunately the collective guilt that has allowed women an racial minorities to get away with demanding special privileges in the name of "equality" is wearing thin, and has never really existed with regard to atheists, so I don't see this kind of obnoxious behavior producing any good results when the larger society decides that enough is enough:-(.

Anyway, Merry Christmas to Mr. Szondy and the rest of his readers:-)

Anonymous said...

A very merry CHRISTmas to you all at Chez Szondy, also to to all who contribute to this column. And can we hope for a peaceful New Year ?
Best Wishes Micen90

Ironmistress said...

Very happy Yule from the heathen Scandinavia.