Holiday Season for a Secular Humanist My belief system is very complex and I usually avoid labels. If forced to pick a name for what I am, I would choose Secular Humanist as a close match. Logic, experience, reason and philosophy are the largest influences in my belief system and how I treat others. I suppose I do believe in God in the sense that there is a supreme force that was the cause of everything else. I do not believe in the Westernized personification of a God figure that watches over each of us nor do I believe in a savior. I do always leave open the possibility that something may someday alter the way I see the universe. Based on this, logic dictates that I have no right to judge others or tell them how to worship, celebrate, speak or love. Life is a journey and hopefully all of us are growing and changing as we move closer to the inevitable. You might ask yourself why I am so deep in thought about such things at the cusp of the most joyous season of the year. Well, there seems to be a perceived war going on the past few holiday seasons. Those who perceive it call it “The War on Christmas”. It troubles me. At this time of year, people will start to wish me “Merry Christmas”. I do not worship Christ but my usual reply will be “thank you and the same to you”. When I wish some people “Happy Holidays”, I am often accused of attacking Christianity, being politically correct and reprimanded with an angry “MERRY CHRISTMAS”. If you know me at all, you know that I am seldom politically correct. I speak the closest thing to the truth as I perceive it and find “happy holidays” to be more inclusive and more sincere coming from me. Second, I do not practice Christianity. Why would I presume that everybody who crosses my path does and wish them “Merry Christmas”? What seems to be happening here is an unnecessary argument because people aren’t making the extra effort to be tolerant of their differences. My “happy holiday” greeting does not diminish Christmas in any way just as a kind “Merry Christmas” greeting in no way diminishes my secular humanistic beliefs either. No matter what words we use or how we worship or not, couldn’t we be a little more tolerant and empathetic toward each other? Enough said. Merry…..err…..happy….whatever.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Nov 2014 21:35:00 +0000
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