Reason’s greetings!
Just for the sake of being a little contentious, I thought I’d throw this in. You may already have realised that I’m not the religious type. The subject of atheism / agnosticism / humanism / other-isms isn’t something I usually raise in this little blog of mine.
At this time of year, people ask me why I bother with Christmas if I don’t believe in god. They forget, of course, that belief in a god does not require belief in Christmas (other religions get along quite well without Christmas, it seems). Then a while ago I came across this thought (I can’t remember where), which serves me quite well as a reply:
If you understand why you reject all those other gods, then you understand why I reject yours
The need for reassurance at this time of the year – when the days get shorter, and the weather gets colder – is age old. If it helps to believe that it needs a god to keep pushing our planet around the Sun until Spring arrives, that’s ok. Just don’t expect me to believe it too. (From a very young age, I could never get a good answer to this question: “Why does Australia have its Wnter celebration in their Summer ?”)
Anyway, I thought I’d also throw in a link to the Humanist Society, and Richard Dawkins ‘OUT’ campaign, for good measure.
It’s my little effort to stem the tide, belatedly, that overwhelms the world at this time of year, in one flavour or another.
Happy Solstice!