RE: Screenwriter needs Atheist insight
September 11, 2013 at 11:09 am
(This post was last modified: September 11, 2013 at 11:10 am by Bad Writer.)
Hello, Woj. I'll take a crack at these answers. Mind you, my birthday coincides with December 25, so my answers are either a little biased against Christmas, or they're exactly what you're looking for.
1) What is the general feeling towards the Holiday by you as an atheist?
I like that it gives me an opportunity to take time off from work and spend it with my family.
2) What are your feelings towards the display of Christmas lights on houses?
My wife is also an atheist, but she loves the decorating aspect of it, whereas I am indifferent towards it.
3) What are your feelings about Christmas displays in stores?
This is where things get ridiculous. The entire country is getting tag-teamed by two imaginary men: Jesus and Santa.
4) What are your feelings about the mad dash for gifts?
I stay as far away from that as I can. Praise Amazon.com!
5) What are your feelings about it being a federally recognized holiday?
I don't mind this; it simply means I get to take time off. How other people choose to perceive the holiday is their own deal.
6) What are your feelings about people telling their children that Santa is real?
It's lying much the same way that telling children god is real. People need to be more honest with their children. This doesn't mean that people need to remove Santa from Christmas, but the children should at least have an understanding that he's a fictional character, much the same way Harry Potter or Frodo are.
7) What are your feelings towards Carolers or Christmas music on the radio?
Christmas music will never invade my iTunes playlists.
8) What are your feelings about how non-atheists perceive atheists?
Non-atheists? You mean theists? (The non here is atheism, as our position is the one taken in response to the claims made by theists, thus, a non position.) That's one of many things I hate: misconceptions made by the theist community. They are the one's making positive claims that a deity exists; we simply choose to disbelieve the claims. Nothing else usually beyond that. No baby eating, no raping or pillaging; in fact, you could best describe the majority of us as secular humanitarians.
9) Do you as an atheist celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah?
I do give and receive presents on this day. That's about the extent of it though.
10) What are your feelings towards the Christmas people who start decorating their house before Halloween?
Insane.
11) If you could ask those that celebrate Christmas to change one thing (or several things) about it - what would it (they) be?
They can celebrate what they want; I don't think it needs any changing.
12) At what point in your life did you realize you were an atheist?
Last year.
13) Did you ever have a "coming out" moment as an atheist? How was it received?
Many years ago I left the Mormon Church, and the reaction to that was mixed, from my mother accepting that I was no longer a member to my father refusing to talk to me for some time. Since then, I've learned my lesson about "coming out", so when I finally acknowledged my atheism I kept it very toned down.
14) As an atheist, what is your goal or intention about informing others that disagree with you about your stance?
I've never met someone that exactly disagreed with my stance (maybe "disliked" would be a better term used here). In fact, it's always been the other way around, that is, I'm the one doing all the disagreeing. Proselytizing isn't exactly a priority in my life.
15) If you do not celebrate Christmas - do you do anything in particular on Christmas day to celebrate anything at all? Family? A nice dinner with a loved one?
All of the above.
You'd get some of your best material from cynics though.
1) What is the general feeling towards the Holiday by you as an atheist?
I like that it gives me an opportunity to take time off from work and spend it with my family.
2) What are your feelings towards the display of Christmas lights on houses?
My wife is also an atheist, but she loves the decorating aspect of it, whereas I am indifferent towards it.
3) What are your feelings about Christmas displays in stores?
This is where things get ridiculous. The entire country is getting tag-teamed by two imaginary men: Jesus and Santa.
4) What are your feelings about the mad dash for gifts?
I stay as far away from that as I can. Praise Amazon.com!
5) What are your feelings about it being a federally recognized holiday?
I don't mind this; it simply means I get to take time off. How other people choose to perceive the holiday is their own deal.
6) What are your feelings about people telling their children that Santa is real?
It's lying much the same way that telling children god is real. People need to be more honest with their children. This doesn't mean that people need to remove Santa from Christmas, but the children should at least have an understanding that he's a fictional character, much the same way Harry Potter or Frodo are.
7) What are your feelings towards Carolers or Christmas music on the radio?
Christmas music will never invade my iTunes playlists.
8) What are your feelings about how non-atheists perceive atheists?
Non-atheists? You mean theists? (The non here is atheism, as our position is the one taken in response to the claims made by theists, thus, a non position.) That's one of many things I hate: misconceptions made by the theist community. They are the one's making positive claims that a deity exists; we simply choose to disbelieve the claims. Nothing else usually beyond that. No baby eating, no raping or pillaging; in fact, you could best describe the majority of us as secular humanitarians.
9) Do you as an atheist celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah?
I do give and receive presents on this day. That's about the extent of it though.
10) What are your feelings towards the Christmas people who start decorating their house before Halloween?
Insane.
11) If you could ask those that celebrate Christmas to change one thing (or several things) about it - what would it (they) be?
They can celebrate what they want; I don't think it needs any changing.
12) At what point in your life did you realize you were an atheist?
Last year.
13) Did you ever have a "coming out" moment as an atheist? How was it received?
Many years ago I left the Mormon Church, and the reaction to that was mixed, from my mother accepting that I was no longer a member to my father refusing to talk to me for some time. Since then, I've learned my lesson about "coming out", so when I finally acknowledged my atheism I kept it very toned down.
14) As an atheist, what is your goal or intention about informing others that disagree with you about your stance?
I've never met someone that exactly disagreed with my stance (maybe "disliked" would be a better term used here). In fact, it's always been the other way around, that is, I'm the one doing all the disagreeing. Proselytizing isn't exactly a priority in my life.
15) If you do not celebrate Christmas - do you do anything in particular on Christmas day to celebrate anything at all? Family? A nice dinner with a loved one?
All of the above.
Quote:I'm looking for level headed atheists who wish to put out a positive view of their "people", so to speak.
You'd get some of your best material from cynics though.