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#1
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A question
Does it make sense for an atheist to bid adieu? Say goodbye? Celebrate a holiday?
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#2
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While not officially an atheist, I don't exactly understand your question.
Say GoodBye, see you later ... why not. Celebrate a holiday, presidents day (OK teasing). Most religous holidays have become so commericialized they bare little resembalance to the days they are meant to be. Look at Xmas. I don't really celebrate Xmas (the Wife drags me kicking and screaming through the process) as Xmas, except as a family get together. Which is always something to celebrate, family and friends.
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KLK, MCSE 1990 500SL I was always taught to respect my elders. I don't have to respect too many people anymore. |
#3
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Adieu -- with God.
Adios (same). Good-bye -- God be with ye. Holiday -- Holy Day. |
#4
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Let's just consider it common courtesy.
I also do not or may not know your religious beliefs, and one of my religous beliefs is not to question your beliefs. They are yours and I have mine.
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KLK, MCSE 1990 500SL I was always taught to respect my elders. I don't have to respect too many people anymore. |
#5
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Do you think a gov official may invoke those terms in his official capacity?
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#6
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What's the problem if I celebrate Christmas or Easter, while denying the (supposed) history of the holiday?
Is it wrong for a Christian to have a holiday which is planned to occur during Saturnalia, then claim that the day represents something else? |
#7
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They are part of the common language at this point, and most holidays are very commercialized.
Christmas is about presents, Easter about rabbits and candy, and Halloween candy. 4th of July is about getting drunk and blowing stuff up, and Memorial day getting drunk and the official start of summer up here in New England.
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1999 SL500 1969 280SE 2023 Ram 1500 2007 Tiara 3200 |
#8
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Does it make sense for a Christian to use the common English-language names for the days of the week?
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#9
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That's an interesting question in it's own right, but is different in this sense: Friga, Woden, etc are all deities. Christians believe in a deity. On the other hand, an atheist referring to Woden or Friga is a different class of phenomenon.
Returning to the government official, if the President says, "Good-bye" is that different from the president saying, "Good be with you"? If the President were an atheist and said, "God be with you" then he is either being a complete hypocrite and ass, or he is just mouthing a common platitude to fill airspace. If the President is a devout theist of some sort and says, "God Be with you" then he is invoking his deity's power to influence your life. That would be a religious expression. Which one is the greater threat to the 'separation of church and state'? |
#10
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You misunderstand the concept of SEPARATION of church and state. It DOES NOT have to do with disavowment of religion by government or by people in the government.
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MB-less |
#11
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Quote:
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#12
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I would posit that in spite of their etymological origins, the meaning of these words has changed through centuries of use. They no longer carry the religious connotations that they once did.
If I referred to an atheist as a "cretin", would I be doubly insulting him since etymologically the word originally meant "Christian"? Sadly, I would not.
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You're a daisy if you do. __________________________________ 84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold 04 Honda Element AWD 1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler 1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4 1993 Toyota 4wd Pickup 226K and counting |
#13
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Cretin Hop
There's no stoppin' the Cretins from hoppin'!
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#14
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Okay. You guys all seem uncharacteristically in agreement. Weird, but ok.
Now let's say I'm a gov employee and I hang out with my buddies in a public building and we pray to our favorite deity. Perhaps Woden? YHWH? It may matter, I don't know. Then some smarty-pants political fanatic comes along and gets wildly offended. Public prayer by a public employee on public property. Oh, the humanity! Now my buddies and I laugh and laugh because ... we're atheists. Did i still violate the 1st Amendment prohibition even I didn't believe a word of the haranguing nonsense we were espousing? |
#15
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Quote:
say: au revoir! or a la prochaine fois! (until next time) or do zvidanie! celebrate festival days, or memorial days like Armistice Day and the Winter Solstice
__________________
Strelnik Invest in America: Buy a Congressman! 1950 170SD 1951 Citroen 11BN 1953 Citroen 11BNF limo 1953 220a project 1959 180D 1960 190D 1960 Borgward Isabella TS 2dr 1983 240D daily driver 1983 380SL 1990 350SDL daily driver alt 3 x Citroen DS21M, down from 5 3 x Citroen 2CV, down from 6 |
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