Atheists Pushing For Recognition Of Own Holidays
Washington Times:
Now that Earth Day is over, let the planning begin for the summer solstice and World Humanist Day in June.
The Institute for Humanist Studies, an Albany, N.Y.-based nonprofit, is calling attention to its calendar of atheist holidays on its Web site, www.secular seasons.org. The group wants nonbelievers (or at least people who don’t celebrate religious holidays) to have a handy reference guide of the calendar of holidays honoring free-thinkers, banned books and nature, among other themes.
Matt Cherry, executive director of the Institute for Humanist Studies, said his group is trying to expand options and alternatives for secular holidays. He said he hopes even people affiliated with a particular religion will consider the options.
“Some religious holidays are about culture and tradition, not theology,” he says. “Even people who go to church only on Christmas or to synagogue on the High Holidays do so out of cultural heritage, not because they believe the religious doctrines associated with it.”
Some of the highlights of the Secular Seasons calendar include Thomas Paine Day (Jan. 29), April Fool’s Day (as always, April 1), and Ingersoll Day (Aug. 11) — which celebrates the birthday of 19th-century thinker Robert Green Ingersoll, who was known as “the Great Agnostic.” Secular Seasons recommends visiting his birthplace in Dresden, N.Y., for a holiday celebration. (Hey — you live only once.)
The site also breaks down the customs of Festivus, the holiday popularized by Jerry Stiller on “Seinfeld.” In that episode, a Festivus pole is plain aluminum, made to contrast with the ornate Christmas trees; the official greeting is “Happy Festivus”; and each person complains to family and friends how they have disappointed the complainer in the past year.
Mr. Cherry said Darwin Day (Feb. 12) is growing in popularity. Charles Darwin’s 200th birthday is in February 2009, and next year also will be the 150th anniversary of the publication of his book “The Origin of Species.”
Honoring the man who helped us understand science and humanity is a reason to celebrate, said Mr. Cherry. His recommendations: Throw caution to the wind and attend a biology lecture or even have folks bring fossils to a party.
“This year, there will be almost 1,000 events for Darwin Day around the world,” he said. “I hope Hallmark would come out with a card. There are lots of photos to celebrate evolution.”
William J. Murray, chairman of the Religious Freedom Coalition, a Washington nonprofit, said the United States already has plenty of made-up holidays.
“We’ve got Valentine’s Day, although that actually is a saint’s holiday,” he said. “We’ve got Mother’s Day, Father’s Day. If someone wants to make up a holiday, they can be my guest — as long as they are not going to impose that holiday on the vast majority of us who celebrate religious holidays.
“There is no smaller minority in this country than atheists,” said Mr. Murray, son of the late Madalyn Murray O’Hair, who was once the nation’s best-known atheist and from whom he became estranged when he embraced Christianity. “The proposition of [atheist holidays] is in itself ridiculous.”
The recently released Pew Forum U.S. Religious Landscape Survey found that 16 percent of Americans consider themselves unaffiliated. However, most of that number (12 percent) said they were “nothing in particular,” as opposed to the 1.6 percent who said they were atheist. Christians of various denominations make up the largest segment at 78 percent.
Meanwhile, Mr. Cherry and Secular Seasons are seeking suggestions from the public on holidays to add to the calendar.
“We’ve gotten more ideas for free-thinkers to be celebrated,” said Mr. Cherry.
Among them: Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister; Mexican revolutionary statesman Benito Juarez; and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, first president of modern Turkey.
Also suggested was an expanded observance of Cosmonautics Day, the Russian holiday on April 12 that celebrates Yuri Gagarin’s first manned space orbit.
Since you just missed it, put the vodka and caviar away and get fired up for National Day of Reason in May, organized a few years ago to counteract the National Day of Prayer. Common customs: a day of care to help the elderly or disabled, and a blood drive.
Just don’t expect a church service, or candy.
One more thing not to expect with atheist holidays: parades featuring pandering politicians trolling for votes.
Now that’s cause for celebration.
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READ THE ARTICLE…
IT TOOK ME 5 MINUTES OF STARING AT THE LCD SCREEN AND ALL I’VE GOT IS…
THIS MAY BE ONE MORE PRIME EXAMPLE OF THE FAILURE OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM.
April 27th, 2008 at 12:44 amFrom the article:
“Meanwhile, Mr. Cherry and Secular Seasons are seeking suggestions from the public on holidays to add to the calendar.”
How about we celebrate the day that all atheists became irrelevant.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:50 amIt would fall on every day of the calendar year.
Typical elitism exhibited by cherry with the comment:
“Even people who go to church only on Christmas or to synagogue on the High Holidays do so out of cultural heritage, not because they believe the religious doctrines associated with it.”
Bet his car has an obama sticker on it.
April 27th, 2008 at 7:08 amWhat… you don’t want another federally sanctioned and paid day off of work? I say bring on the holidays!
“There is no smaller minority in this country than atheists,” … absolutely right. And they are more vilified and hated by people than the gays are. Nothing better demonstrates God’s love and religious tolerance better than every mono-theistic religion wanting to destroy the atheists (the one thing that they seem to be able to agree on when not fighting each other).
The real issue is: whatever happened to the United States being a place where everyone (even 9/11 conspiracy theorists, Area 51 moonbats and Wiccans) have the right to live the way they want to free from interference from those who would rather oppress someone different from them… including the right to celebrate traditions (of which I don’t think atheists have any public traditions like religious people do - because atheists are MORE persecuted than gays and religious people - everyone can agree to hate someone who doesn’t believe in God right?).
Why *can’t* the atheists be afforded the exact same freedom as everyone else? If their perspective really is irrelevant than what is the concern?
Perfect example of hypocrisy in this article was William Murray stating “— as long as they are not going to impose that holiday on the vast majority of us who celebrate religious holidays.” Then don’t participate Bill…
I’m sure your boss will still let you go to work if you want to clock in.
With that logic, is it OK for those who celebrate majority religious holidays to impose their holiday because they are a majority? (Democracy is not majority rule and you guys know this)… What about Ramadan? (I’m not sayin…I’m just sayin… its probably coming) or how do the Native Americans feel about Columbus Day or Thanksgiving being imposed on them? I bet they aren’t very thankful that Columbus showed up or that the Pilgrims survived the winter…
You have the choice not to participate if you don’t agree but don’t lobby Congress because you don’t want the idea that there is no God publicly acknowledged in a holiday.
How about a little rational perspective and true equal time for all involved.
April 27th, 2008 at 7:14 amThis is more or less the same thing Auguste Comte argued for, though he was far more interesting than the current crop of atheists.
What do they celebrate on atheist holidays anyway? Their own moral and intellectual superiority over the hoi polloi? Do they need a special day for this?
Suppose we just declare a national narcissist day and be done with it…
April 27th, 2008 at 7:56 amOutside of the fact that holiday means Holy Day, yes we can assign then their day,
Its April first…
April 27th, 2008 at 8:30 amThey already got their Gaia day (Earth day), and they want more? I always though holi-day was short for Holy Day.
What’s so holy about atheism? or Humanism. Are they implying that theirs is actually a religion too? I do know that the Supreme Court has ruled that Humanism is a religion.
Makes sense to me that these people want to honor their religion.
April 1st is a good day to do that.
Holidays for Baal and Dagon will be next.
April 27th, 2008 at 9:09 amAtheism is not a religion, but a lot of stupid atheists are trying to turn it in to one.
April 27th, 2008 at 9:50 amThese days also have little to nothing to do with atheism.
April 27th, 2008 at 9:57 amDon’t buy into their propaganda guys, they control the education systems and scientific communities. They directly assault God because they know He exists and they hate Him.
There is such a thing as right and wrong, dark and light, there is a God who created us.
April 27th, 2008 at 10:06 amBanned all holidays! Problem fixed everyone happy
April 27th, 2008 at 10:23 amMy wife and I celebrated it last night by going to Ben Steins movie EXPELLED and loved it. We found the REASONING used to be quite educational and engaging and now look forward to the debate that by all rights is long over due.
April 27th, 2008 at 11:59 amThis nation has had to put up with the systematic overthrow of our education system by the Atheist minority agenda for too long it’s about time they were exposed for the REASON they profess and espouse and it’s consequences. So I’ll conclude with one of this sites favorite quips BRING IT - - - - -.
oops sorry chaps
April 27th, 2008 at 1:05 pmI don’t know what they’re bitching about. They’ve already got a few of their own holidays:
February 2nd - Ground Hog Dog
April 27th, 2008 at 1:23 pmMarch 9th - Daylight Savings Time
April 1st - April Fool’s Day (in the Highest)
April 22nd - Earth Day (I mowed my lawn)
April 25th - Arbor Day, U.S.
June 26th - ALCU Day of Action
September 1st - Labor Day
October 24th - United Nations Day (2nd Unholiest Day)
October 31st - Halloween (Mostest Unholiest Day)
November 2nd - Daylight Savings Time Ends
@Ken:
There is so much wrong in that post I don’t even know where to begin.
Democracy IS majority rule. Thankfully, we live in a Republic.
Give every tiny sect and subsect a holiday, and soon nobody will ever have to go to work.
And try telling kids suspended because they want to pray in school how they’re oppressing the one or two atheists in the district.
The utter lack of self-awareness militant atheists display never ceases to amaze me. I swear they’re reading the da’wa playbook.
April 27th, 2008 at 3:09 pmI hope the nondenominational aspect of Festivus isn’t despoiled by these efforts. Good luck at creating another holiday, but keep your paws off Festivus, you damn dirty ape!
April 28th, 2008 at 6:28 am