Happy Solstice everyone!
I know, I’m not a pagan, but I do sort of like the idea of celebrating astronomically-inspired holidays. They are so much more preferable to those holidays that copied off of the pagan ones. You now, like Christmas.
So, what do atheists do on December 25th? Well, that all depends. Many, probably most, celebrate Christmas with their families. Christmas has become, after all, a secular holiday here in the United States, so why shouldn’t they if that’s what they enjoy?
Some do the old Jewish tradition of eating Chinese food, catch a movie, or just relax with a day off. I have done this myself with some Jewish friends in the past.
Some atheists work on this day so that their Christian co-workers can have the day off. That’s nice of them. Plus they might get paid extra for working on a holiday. Bonus!
So, what do I do? Well, I have traditionally spent Christmas with my family, but I have never really liked the holiday that much. I am not a fan of the consumerism, awkward family gatherings, and I am certainly not Christian. I’m not even convinced that Jesus was a historical figure, let alone believing the mythology about his birth.
So Christmas is not a big deal for me, and I stopped celebrating some years back. I insisted that people don’t give me gifts either, because I felt hypocritical taking gifts on a holiday that I didn’t want to celebrate. My parents still do get me something, but to a lesser extent than they did when I was younger.
But this year, I will be participating in something new. My girlfriend and I will be be going to my friend Brian Sapient‘s house to celebrate the annual ChristMyAss festivities. Yes, that’s right folks, that’s Sapient of the Rational Response Squad.
Since I moved out of the Philadelphia area, I have not been able to see Brian or many others from my home town, but come the holidays I will be back in Philly. And while I am there, I’ll be live on webcam (no, not that kind of live on webcam, pervs…) for your viewing and listening pleasure.
The details of the webcast are as follows.
Place: http://www.rationalresponders.com/rrs_webcam_room (stickam.com)
Date: December 25th, 2009 (AKA Christmas)
Time:
Chat etc: 2:00 PM
Live on Webcam: 6:00-9:00
Stop by early for some chat, music, and introductions, and stay later for the same. Brian, Seana, and I will be on from 6-9, then we will commit ourselves to a few drinks and hanging out. I wonder if bars will be open in his area. It will be Friday night….
I hope to see you there. What else do you have to do on a Friday evening in late December?
Skepticism, Properly Applied 
Tomkinson,
I don’t mind you talking shit about me, but when you talk about other people on my site it crosses a line, especially when the vast majority of it was untrue.
Brian is a friend. You really have no idea what you are talking about. The reason he changed his name has to do with the safety of his family. Perhaps he has no reason to go by the alias anymore, but that is his business.
Thus, your comment goes away.
I don’t think I’ve “talked shit” about you or Brian here. If Brian is still “Brian Sapient” he is still the clown that is an embarrassment to right thinking people everywhere and I have EVERY right to call the idiot on it, for he would do the same, no?
But if I said something that was factually untrue I will gladly except your corrections for I was under the impression that his girlfriend during the Blasphemy Challenge period was Kelly O’Connor who was primarily employed as a stripper and that Brian was primarily in charge of running the blasphemy challenge i.e. unemployed. Please correct me if I am wrong.
And my comments do not “go away”. Unfortunately I still have to live with the disgusting and idiotic statements and exhibitions he has made as I was introduced to the “Blasphemy Challenge” not by you on BT but by a believer that engaged me in conversation. When he described the BC I declared he could not be correct about it and I said if he were right few atheists would take such a thing seriously. I was wrong.
In fact I would say while the unimpressive and naive works of Dawkins, Harris et al. made me rethink my somewhat aggressive atheism it was the actions of people like Brian that made me realize the “kids” are out of control.
Interesting how you get upset when I insult someone that is important to you even when I have written nothing that was untrue. Things that make you go HMMM….
While some of the raw facts were relatively close to true, your interpretation of the putting together of those facts was not. I didn’t get upset, I simply thought it was bad taste to say what you did, especially considering you knowledge comes from sources that don’t know what hey are talking about. There are lots of rumors out there. Try actually meeting someone and talking to them before you talk about them too much.
For example, Richard Dawkins has more intelligence, class, and maturity than I have ever seen from you at your best. The same goes for Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett, and Chris Hitchens (all of whom I have at least met). And while I have never met you in person (nor would I really want to), I have seen no indication taht you are superior in any way. So, take your opinions and write them elsewhere. Personally, I would prefer you didn’t read this blog at all. But if you must, please refrain from spreading your pathetic attempt for a point of view.
If you have an issue with Brian Sapient, then contact him about that. He’ll likely ignore you, as I probably should do as well.
“While some of the raw facts were relatively close to true, your interpretation of the putting together of those facts was not.”
So your saying my posts here, on this topic, are exegetical? WTF? Either my facts are incorrect or they are not, I would hope a militant atheist could appreciate that. I mentioned nothing about Hitchens, Dawkins, Dennet, Harris, here sow why bring them up? BTW I’ve met each of them at least twice (save Dennet, I met once) our assessments disagree. But that doesn’t matter on this specific post.
You are misinforming people Shaun that is why I am on you. And what motivates me is that you are misinforming people while pretending to be to the official public face of atheism. Cutler is even worse on that score and I will fight both of you.
I’ve saved your response to my last post i.e. not letting Cutler off the hook and might consider using it in the future.
Either I am right or am wrong (logic NO?) of I am wrong correct me. If I am right rethink (NO?)
misinforming them about what? Do you disagree with my ideas or how I go about talking about them? I have NEVER claimed to be any official voice of anything. I only speak for myself. Brian only does the same thing; he speaks for himself.
WTF is your problem?
I will not discuss aspects of other people’s private life on this blog, at least not without their knowing about it and not minding.