I would argue that if they have issues acknowledging facts around Christmas, it is because they don’t care about these facts like we probably think they should if they are basing their lives on these beliefs. But every Christian I talk to typically cherry-picks the things that make them feel good. They “use” the religion just like the religion uses them back. And what do they get from it? Truth? No. They get validation. They get community. These are things people pay for. So… a few days a year… let them have it. Let them have their validation and community. If you combat them during these times it’s not going to make them think you’re being reasonable and if they don’t perceive you that way then nothing you say will change their minds. Credibility is hugely important if you want the facts to matter. Feelings have to matter too. If we don’t take into consideration how they feel then they’re not going to take into consideration what we think or what we know. Christmas, for 99% of Christians isn’t about biblical truth. It’s not. It’s about family and gifts and lights and love. They don’t care about the pagan origins of the Christmas tree. That’s not what it’s about for them. So I promise you. It will be okay. There may be other opportunities to have conversations on the validity of their religious beliefs, but don’t let Christmas or Easter (pagan holy days) be one of them. And don’t hurt your relationships with your friends and family because you have theological differences. Isolation doesn’t help the atheist position. It hurts it. Christians need to see how you behave and that your lifestyle is good and not really different. They need to see that so that their ignorance about atheism doesn’t allow them to think the worst. Easy to do that when you don’t know or see the person.
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