Here it comes, kiddos.

[Bill McBlueState]

I'm not going to link to anything specific, but lots of people are finding it fun to pretend that atheists are equal participants in O'Reilly and Falwell's Battle for Christmas™.

Because, as you all know, every time the religious do something stupid, there must be an equally rabid group of atheists to offset them. Never mind that we're too busy thinking about things that matter to get all pissed off about anyone's choice of holiday greeting.

[Warpy]

1. "My ratings are in the dumper, so I have to give my moron

listeners somebody to hate. I know, AHTEISTS!! They're safe! There are too few of them to fight back! Morons never question anything! My ratings will SOAR!!!"

[trotsky]

3. Check this out for a HUGH!!!1!1!!! laugh.

http://shop.ecompanystore.com/foxnews/FOX_productdetail.asp?TYPE=Holiday%20Ideas&PRODUCT=FOX21001200&MU=

The O'Reilly Factor Holiday Ornament - Product #:FOX21001200
Put your holiday tree in "The No Spin Zone" with this silver glass "O'Reilly Factor" ornament.

What's he gonna do now, boycott his own network? BWAH HA HA HA

[Kolesar]

7. Keith Olbermann busted "the big head" on the ornaments last night

I swear that panel or ornament said "Holiday Ornament" when I saw it last night on teevee. Now it says "Christmas Ornament". FNC must have changed the site or the product. (I swear it!!!)

[trotsky]

8. Yep, they changed it!

I cut & pasted that directly from the website. Ha ha, BUSTED!

[trotsky]

2. Yes, the overwhelming need to construct a "flip side" to religious loonies

I've experienced that form of bigotry more than a few times.

I like the Winter Solstice holiday, and it doesn't bug me one bit how anyone personally chooses to celebrate it. The religious gestapo needs to get over themselves, though, and realize that:

1) "Christmas" didn't begin as a Christian holiday, nor do any of the typical traditions, symbols, or themes have anything to do with Christianity. You bastards STOLE it from religions that predate your death cult by centuries.

2) In multicultural America, there are a whole hell of a lot of people who AREN'T Christian, and they're not going away. They might have their own holiday for this time of year, or they might not celebrate anything. They don't appreciate having "Merry Christmas" shoved in their faces any more than you would like being accosted by Muslims asking why you are not fasting for Ramadan.

All it is, is the fucked up martyr complex that seems to be ingrained into nearly every Christian. If they aren't being "persecuted" for something, they must not be doing it right.

[Bill McBlueState]

4. from the ole' bible gateway

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew something-something.

I guess their god is easily fooled into believing its followers are persecuted.

[NMMNG]

6. Indeed

Hanukkah begins December 24th at sundown, and Kwanzaa begins on December 25th, the same day on which Christmas falls. Therefore "Happy Holidays" is a perfectly acceptable greeting for this time period. Unfortunately the selfish bastards want to only let people acknowledge their holiday. :eyes:

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Has anyone ever known anyone who celebrates Kwanzaa, or Kwanza?

I see a claim that 18 million celebrate it in the world (anyone know how many outside the USA celebrate it?). It comes from a phrase meaning "first fruits of harvest" - is there an area of Africa which has an important harvest at the end of December? It strikes me more as "we have to do something at this time of year, because so many other people do, but we have to think of a different name, because ..." - I can't really complete the thought. Why is a different name so damn important? Can either anyone here explain, or do they know someone who can? The websites I find seem full of rubbish, frankly.

I have no problem at all with people wishing me "Merry Christmas". Neither do I have a problem with Chinese New Year celebrations, or Diwali. Inventing new traditions seems a waste of time to me, though.

[trotsky]

13. Did you come across this website?

http://www.dartreview.com/archives/2001/01/15/the_story_of_kwaanza.php

Rather interesting history behind it and the man who "invented" it.

[jonnyblitz]

14. ack, the dartmouth review! a very notorious RW college rag...

Laura Ingraham and Dinesh D'Souza used to write for it back in their college days. the article you linked to seems politically neutral but the paper itself is notorious, especially if you have read books dealing with the rise of conservatism during the 80's and 90's...

[WhollyHeretic]

5. My freeper networking professor was going off about it today

How horrible it was that people say happy holidays instead of merry christmas. He also said the worst Christmas song is "Happy Holidays." That's a classic song and I guarantee the brain dead chimp liked the song until O'Reily told him not too.

This genius professor was also saying that Iraq is one of the greatest military successes we've ever had.

[Ezlivin]

10. Atheists are EXTREMELY organized, don't you know?

They have emotionally-charged gatherings in jammed stadiums throughout the country.

They meet at least once a week and get their marching orders from a persuasive leader.

They pore over various tracts and books during the week.

They meditate for hours.

They go door-to-door trying to gain converts by convincing people that their way of thinking is defective.

They purchase radio and television stations and broadcast their point of view everywhere.

They purchase satellites so that they can broaden their reach around the world.

They bully political leaders to do their bidding. (That accounts for the huge number of atheist presidents.)

Oh, yeah. Those damned atheists are always up to something, aren't they?

[Goblinmonger]

15. Hey

Where's my invitation to those meetings? Why am I out of the loop?

[salvorhardin]

11. I have nothing to say

So I'll just post this.

[immoderate]

12. A very merry Christmas everybody!

My calendar says that it is a day. And I hope everybody has a real good time on that day.

Until then, let me wish everybody a very merry un-Christmas.

I don't think that you should leave out the "very" because otherwise that's being stingy with your good wishes.

--IMM