Is anyone else an atheist with BC besides me?

Melbo, religion is a choice. A person's gender/sexual orientation are not. Please don't give them equal consideration, especially in the workplace. For your health story, when she reacts with thoughtless (AKA mindless) religious phrases, you can counter with "I had (or have) a great medical team." Not argumentative, just say it as a fact every time she tells you Sky Wizard caught your cancer - actually the same little bastard who gave it to you, for those who believe in that all-powerful Oz-in-the-sky.

Those are great!

This thread gives me hope.

Just curious...what do you say when someone wishes you a merry xmas? I've started saying "happy solstice."

I sometimes wish them a happy Yuletide, as that was a pagan festival. Or Happy Festivus (for the rest of us). Or even just the old standby, Happy Holidays. I just never specify which holiday.

Happy "what-the-heck-ever" to my lovely pagan friends. Hope it's a peaceful, joyful day for all of us.

Trish

I associate christmas with santa claus so I am ok with "merry christmas". I haven't celebrated it since my son died (made my daughter too sad) but with granddaughter turning 3 next year and grandson will be one I will get into it again but again only form the santa angle.

I am flummoxed that anyone falls for christianity or any supernatural shit but am mellowing and leave them to it until they bless me then they get the eye roll

I love that on some threads BCO members are saying Happy Saturday....

I am an atheist but have always loved Christmas. Christmas means Santa, presents, family, food and happiness in an otherwise challenging world for me. I never even knew who Christ was as my mother was also an atheist. I will always celebrate Christmas.

This was my Dad's FB post for the season:

That is a keeper for sure

happy secular winter holiday!!!

Lol, naw, I usually say merry Christmas. Tim Minchin's (atheist) Christmas song really hits the nail on the head for me

"I really like Christmas
It's sentimental, I know, but I just really like it
I am hardly religious
I'd rather break bread with Dawkins than Desmond Tutu, to be honest

And yes, I have all of the usual objections
To consumerism, the commercialisation of an ancient religion
To the westernisation of a dead Palestinian
Press-ganged into selling Playstations and beer

But I still really like it"

I admit to a weakness for the music - anything from classical to old-fashioned churchy stuff. (The modern crap is the worst ! 🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮) But lucky me, I don't sing, just play a few instruments badly, so I can completely ignore the lyrics. This year I was playing more German Christmas music, and since I know very little of the language, I was safe from subliminal conversion!

Miriandra, those are so cringeworthy! They should just introduce them as "And now, here's the Tightass White Culture Vulture Chorale to completely butcher Black spirituals." Betcha they'd say the milder N word, though.