Do The Goodly Ungodly Consider The Religious Imagery On Christmas Stamps Acceptable

[sandyRoe]

?

[Khandro]

chrisgel; Can you provide evidence for the non-existence of Santa?

[humbersloop]

ooo, you've stirred a hornets' nest now sandy ;)

[chrisgel]

Khandro - It was revealed to me by the Easter Bunny.

[sandyRoe]

I agree with Goodlife. We are all being herded towards the altars of Mammon and Santa is the chief celebrant.

[FredPuli43]

Let's celebrate Saturnalia, 17 -23rd December, in private orgies of feasting and drinking with a little bit of religion attached, and the Sigilaria on the 23rd, when we give each other cheap gifts.

Perhaps we already do; the Romans would have recognised our Christmas.

[mikey4444]

Tambo. I might be able to throw a little light (!) on the candle bit. I used to visit Sweden a lot a few years ago and they all had one of these in their window at Xmas. Now Sweden is largely a Luthuren country but these candles were very popular...not sure why though.

[mikey4444]

Khandro...I think santa exists ! How else does a carefully wrapped chewy bone get left for my dog under the Xmas tree every year...and I haven't even got a chimney !

[sandyRoe]

Are the candles in Swedish windows a vestigial reminder of the old dispensation?

[EDDIE51]

The Ungodly would surely celebrate Yuletide rather than Christ Mass or Christmas as it is now known. These are Christmas stamps not Yuletide stamps so they show Christmas imagery .

[pixie373]

Of course. Just what I'd expect on Christmas stamps.

[EDDIE51]

Can I just remind people that Christmas STARTS on 25th December and runs until 5th January 2014. Today is the 1st Sunday of Advent. The first day of Christmas is 17 days away yet.

[FredPuli43]

Tambo, when have you seen a hanukiah in a non-Jewish home? Can't say I have. There are people who put a wooden,usually stepped frame, often in the shape of a tree, in the window or the house, which has a lot of small candles on it. That's the kind of thing you see a lot of in Sweden and Germany.

A Hanukkiah is like a menorah, consisting of eight lights, all level,in a line. on a metal candelabrum, with a ninth light on a separate branch in the middle, raised higher or lower than the others. A light is lit on each day of the eight day festival of Hanukkah, which normally ends a few days before Christmas; dictated by the Jewish calendar, of course

[mikey4444]

Fred...after reading your comments, I think I was getting confused on my visits to Sweden. I'm not sure that they were Hanukkah candles after all.

Pretty though. Loads in Ikea.

[ludwig]

I really like them. Religious imagery is part of Christmas.

[chakka35]

AsI have said before they don't come more atheistic than me, but I love Christmas. There is lots of goodwill, messages from distant friends, beautiful music, literature and poetry. (I know Handel's Messiah off by heart.)
What does it matter that it's all based on fiction? Most characters in music and poetry are fictitious but that doesn't affect the beauty of the story.
Religionists must not assume that we atheists are as bigoted as so many of them are.

[sandyRoe]

The people who 'believe' in atheism probably mirror those of faith in the range of their un-belief. Some would have a live and let live attitude while others would bring a ferocity and vigour to their anti religious activities that would shame Torquemada.
It takes all sorts...

[naomi24]

I love Christmas pantos. Oh yes I do ..... :o)

[sandyRoe]

Then there's hope for you yet. :-)

[Zacs-Master]

And I thought I'd cornered the market on 'flippant but humorous' answers in R&S. You'll be hearing from my solicitiors!