GTKY

[hampire]

A couple of silly GTKY questions since this is a new board and all.

1. Are you out?

2. If so what's the weirdest thing someone had said when you told them? If not, why?

3. Do you do christmas, ramadan, hannukah or other "religious" winter holidays?

4. What about easter (or other spring religious holidays?

[hampire]

1. Mostly

2. "But you're so nice!"

3. Nope. We do some gifts on the solstice though.

4. Nope..but when LO is older we'll probably do day after easter cheap candy day.

[mommyatty]

1. I think beliefs are really private. I don't want or need to know what anyone else believes so I don't talk about it much. When people ask what church we go to, I just say "We don't" and leave it at that.

2. Really nothing. I'm sure they THINK all sorts of things (I live in the Bible Belt), but no one has said anything aloud.

3. Yes, we do Christmas. My uber-atheist Grandpa loved Christmas. He was German and really saw it as a traditional German holiday, not a religious one. We do the same. When anyone asks, I tell them that depression from the lack of sunlight is the reason for the season (we need a pick me up, so every culture has something that time of year), and I love having family traditions.

4. Yep. Same reason as above. We celebrate springtime coming and winter ending. Bunnies and chicks and eggs, oh my! I see nothing wrong with finding reasons to celebrate life and be thankful. And I love having things to look forward to.

[kat5040]

1. If someone asks, yes. It's not really something that's frowned upon up here like it seems to be in the states.
2. Haven't gotten a lot of comments really.
3. We do a secular Christmas with a tree, presents, turkey dinner, visiting with family, etc.
4. It has depended on the year and what extended family is doing. Some years, we've done a dinner with a ham; other years, we've ignored it. Now that DD is here, I want to do bunnies and baskets.

[singingsea]

1. Are you out? Yup. Not all in your face. If someone asks or it comes up then yes.

2. If so what's the weirdest thing someone had said when you told them? If not, why? My own mom told me I was going to hell. In the most loving way possible (if that's a thing). I love my mom though. It's an awkward relationship.

3. Do you do christmas, ramadan, hannukah or other "religious" winter holidays? We do Christmas cause it's a blasty blast

4. What about easter (or other spring religious holidays? To me Easter is about celebrating life and fertility. We do the Easter bunny, have an egg hunt, then have brunch with family.

[biokitty42]

1. My family and friends know, but if a random stranger or acquaintance asks, I usually just say that I'm not religious and hopefully leave it at that.

2. "Are you a devil worshiper?" Granted, this was in middle school, but it's always stuck with me.

3. We do a secular Christmas, focused on family and Santa. And food. I do enjoy some religious Christmas carols, though. And I have an angel tree-topper that has sentimental value to me.

4. We do an Easter bunny-themed Easter. Can't pass up a candy holiday.

[estrellas]

Will respond in full later, but... Ramadan is NOT a.winter holiday. It's been in August and July the past few years--it's lunar based so it changes. Just FYI.

[mrss87]

1. Yes.
2. Never had a weird reaction to telling someone but when I was pregnant with my DS a co-worker asked what we were naming him. I told him James Matthew (nickname Jamie and my DH is Matt) and he started laughing. Apparently, he thought it was hilarious that we were giving him biblical names. A cousin of mine also laughed when I told him. I guess it's funny for atheists to give their kid traditional/biblical names?
3. Yes to Christmas! It's family tradition; we just leave out Jesus
4. My grandma usually does Easter dinner but that's about it.

[apsalar]

1) Yes, I don't hide that I'm an atheist. However, when it comes to discussions with coworkers and such, I only talk about my beliefs if asked, and I try to not debate people in those types of settings.

2) Years ago, when I first turned away from religion and identified as atheist, someone asked me how I kept from killing other people. Because, you know, belief in god is the only reason people don't kill each other, and no one has EVER killed another person in the name of religion. **facepalm**

3) Kind of? I'm still trying to figure this Christmas thing out. I was raised a Jehovah's Witness, so I've never done this holiday stuff. Coming from the perspective of feeling deprived during my childhood, I definitely want to give my daughter SOME sort of winter celebration, I just haven't settled on what that exactly looks like yet.

4) Seeing as I'm having trouble figuring out how to celebrate Christmas, I don't plan on even attempting Easter. =P

[ryn]

Jan 23, 2015 10:18:27 GMT -5 hampire said:

A couple of silly GTKY questions since this is a new board and all.

1. Are you out?

2. If so what's the weirdest thing someone had said when you told them? If not, why?

3. Do you do christmas, ramadan, hannukah or other "religious" winter holidays?

4. What about easter (or other spring religious holidays?

We're out just about everywhere but work. Our company is owned by very religious, conspiracy-theory style conservatives. We do not feel it necessary to jeopardize our employment for the sake of being open atheists, so we do not discuss religion at work. We are completely open about it with friends and family. 

I don't know if I have a "weirdest". It's mostly all the same stuff... We'll pray for you... I'm putting your name in at temple... You can always come back... I'm sorry you wanted to sin so badly that you had to go atheist... It's impossible to believe in nothing... Just look at the beauty all around you = God... I guess the weirdest I could say is the joke from my brother (who is now self labeling agnostic and not sure if he believes anymore) "Don't worry sis. We'll just re-baptize you when you die, so you can still be with us for all eternity". (Mormon humor.....)

I shared my Christmas note in another thread. Summary: we do godless commercial Christmas. We do the same for Easter. We do talk about the solstices and equinoxes and history of religious celebrations, but we don't make the holidays about the science or the myths - the celebrations are about family and food and fun and festivities. 

[hampire]

Jan 23, 2015 13:14:56 GMT -5 estrellas said:

Will respond in full later, but... Ramadan is NOT a.winter holiday. It's been in August and July the past few years--it's lunar based so it changes. Just FYI.

Doh. Here I was trying not to be a dick/be inclusive and I still messed it up.

[lizjennings81]

1. To my parents, yes. To my ILs, no. My MIL has this habit of sending a dual Passover/Easter card to us every year since we've been married. Making big assumptions about the both of us, but my husband doesn't want to get into it with her. To anyone who may ask, I'm honest.

2. Not weird, but it stuck with me: "Yes, you are." My mom's response when she heard me tell someone I wasn't Catholic. She was still in denial back then.

3. We do commercial Christmas.

4. No Easter for us.

[MissMusic]

Jan 23, 2015 10:18:27 GMT -5 hampire said:

A couple of silly GTKY questions since this is a new board and all.

1. Are you out? Yes to everyone except people I've met in my new town.

2. If so what's the weirdest thing someone had said when you told them? If not, why? "...but do you REALLY understand the teachings?  Is this a phase?"

3. Do you do christmas, ramadan, hannukah or other "religious" winter holidays? Only the commercial kind--much like everyone else.

4. What about easter (or other spring religious holidays?) Not really.  We've done egg hunts with my kid but thats about it.  Thats about as pagan as it gets!

[snarkysparklefart]

1) mostly, yes. There are a few people I choose not to discuss religion with, but almost everyone knows.

2) on my wedding day (DH & I went JOP and only invited our witnesses, our two best friends along) MIL remarked on Facebook, well at least my son didn't hit it and quit it ( I was pregnant at the time.) and then sent Facebook messages to DHs ex stepfather about helping protect H from the godless heathen he'd married. Thanks, MIL.

3) / 4) We do lots of 'religious' holidays in the most hallmark ways possible. Santa, Easter Bunny, etc. As DD gets older, I'm sure we will have discussions on what their historical reasons for celebrating this holiday are- and we will let her decide what she thinks. 

[shbz]

Hi all,
I'm new here, so this is sort of my intro too...
1. Are you out? Yes, out and proud

2. If so what's the weirdest thing someone had said when you told them? If not, why? Nothing that stuck. I'm from Canada so I think people are more open to it here. I come from a secular family (parents) and married into a family with a different background

3. Do you do christmas, ramadan, hannukah or other "religious" winter holidays? I love Christmas and we celebrate it even thought it's not part of "my culture". Also Christmas was celebrated way before Christians came about.

4. What about easter (or other spring religious holidays? No, but we celebrate spring.

[xcrissx]

1. I live in the Bible Belt and don't advertise my lack of faith. "I don't go to church" is about as out as I get.

2. I can't think of any

3. I do a secular Christmas

4. Bunnies and candy for sure.

[gallumbits]

1. Yes. . But I've never been "in". I tend not to discuss it with the religious folks in my life though.
2. I've been told I'm going to hell. That's always fun. Also that they'll pray for me, yada yada.
3. Yes we celebrate Christmas and solstice.
4. Sweet Zombie Jesus! No. I celebrate half off Cadbury creme eggs the day after Easter.

[iloverunning]

Jan 23, 2015 10:18:27 GMT -5 hampire said:

A couple of silly GTKY questions since this is a new board and all.

1. Are you out?

2. If so what's the weirdest thing someone had said when you told them? If not, why?

3. Do you do christmas, ramadan, hannukah or other "religious" winter holidays?

4. What about easter (or other spring religious holidays?

1. I guess. It isn't a secret but no one really asks. My parents know, DHs don't really care (holiday Catholics), and I am a scientist in the Earth Sciences, so no one at work would question it.

2. DH recently told MIL that our DS (4 yrs) will not be baptized. She then asked if we were at least going to be baptizing our DD (4 million months). We are still a little confused by her thinking on this matter.

3. We do the Santa/Thinking of others version of Christmas.

4. Ditto Easter- Easter Bunny and renewal/spring.

[danisgossipgirl]

1. Are you out? Sort of. My family and in-laws know we're "not religious" but it's kind of don't ask don't tell with the a word. Other than that it doesn't really come up. My friends have been pretty much on the same page over the years (unintentionally).

2. If so what's the weirdest thing someone had said when you told them? If not, why? I don't have anything weird so I'll tell a random story about being "out." Last November we hosted a Thanksgiving with my ILs, FIL, MIL, grandma, aunts, SILs and their boyfriends. One of the boyfriends, who we've always like a lot, started to eat. He abruptly stopped and apologized to my H and I. We asked why the apology, he said he was sorry if he offended us if we were going to say grace before the meal, he's a heathen who forgets these things. My response was no problem, we're a heathen household. That's the closest I've been to acknowledging it to family.

3. Do you do christmas, ramadan, hannukah or other "religious" winter holidays? Christmas/Santa/winter fun

4. What about easter (or other spring religious holidays)? Easter bunny/spring

[snarkysparklefart]

Jan 23, 2015 21:31:39 GMT -5 . said:

Jan 23, 2015 20:11:16 GMT -5 gallumbits said:

1. Yes. . But I've never been "in". I tend not to discuss it with the religious folks in my life though.
2. I've been told I'm going to hell. That's always fun. Also that they'll pray for me, yada yada.
3. Yes we celebrate Christmas and solstice.
4. Sweet Zombie Jesus! No. I celebrate half off Cadbury creme eggs the day after Easter.

Now there's a reason to celebrate!!

Exactly. Those are my favorite candy.

i may or may not be on a first name basis with the guy who owns the candy store in the mall, because I can neither confirm nor deny if I've bought a case or more of these in the middle of summer. 

[jazzra369]

1. Are you out? Only to a few people. Definitely not at work, it would be a factor for discrimination.

2. If so what's the weirdest thing someone had said when you told them? If not, why? Doesn't really apply, cause I don't really talk about it.

3. Do you do christmas, ramadan, hannukah or other "religious" winter holidays? Christmas, yes, DH and I were both raised in Evangelical and Presbyterian churches, respectively, so it's a habit. We focus on Santa and helping others.

4. What about easter (or other spring religious holidays? We do an Easter Egg hunt from the Easter bunny.

[things]

1. Are you out? Completely. My family knows I'm an apostate. It took me months to tell my father because I feared hurting him (Baptist apologist and youth pastor).

2. If so what's the weirdest thing someone had said when you told them? If not, why? About 6 years ago, during my first marriage, my then husband's Gran asked if our girls could attend VBS, to which we said no. We explained we don't believe in gods/are no longer Christian. Her response? "You would say different if Tony (then DH) were shot." (he was military and deployed a lot) :sigh:

I received a lot of comments and questions when I "came out" about my deconversion. Many "friends" expressed being dismayed and saddened. They were all completely shocked. One former friend said "But you were so dedicated in your faith and strong in your beliefs." I was the last person she thought would "backslide." I had a few others, friends, I debated alongside/were close to, that avoided me for many months, waited a long time to inquire about the big change because they didn't want to "catch" it... doubt. Perhaps they thought it was contagious or that my answer would plant the seed of doubt.

I lost a lot of friends, one in particular I attended church with. People tend to take notice when going from one extreme to another, or at least a complete 180. And, naturally, it can be an uncomfortable feeling. I made quite a few enemies when I switched "teams." People I debated alongside as a conservative evangelical/fundamentalist, I was now debating against, which they did not fancy.

3. Do you do christmas, ramadan, hannukah or other "religious" winter holidays? Mithras/Krismas/Yule. I think it would be neat to incorporate Chanukah and Kwanzaa. My second son was born on Kwanzaa.

4. What about easter (or other spring religious holidays? In the secular sense, yes. I've thought about adding Nowruz to the mix. I like exposing my kids to different customs and traditions.

[snarkysparklefart]

@enchanted I can imagine! Mine is unfortunately just unstable in so many ways, and we can only do what we can to cope with that. So sorry yours is also awful.

eta fixed tag

[namastebiotches]

1. Are you out? I'm not really sure. Our families live in a different state so we really haven't discussed it.

2. If so what's the weirdest thing someone had said when you told them? If not, why? See above.

3. Do you do christmas, ramadan, hannukah or other "religious" winter holidays? Christmas.

4. What about easter (or other spring religious holidays?) Easter only by going to an egg hunt & doing baskets.

[estrellas]

1. Are you out? Yep.
2. If so what's the weirdest thing someone had said when you told them? If not, why? Well, there was the one that said I had to welcome Jesus into my heart and have babies for Jesus... she didn't handle it too well when I said I renounced Christianity with my family's backing. Otherwise, no one really seems to freak out when I say "I'm not religious."
3. Do you do christmas, ramadan, hannukah or other "religious" winter holidays? I don't. My husband has a hard-on for Christmas, and I'm considering a willingness to celebrate it, but... I really dislike holidays in general.
4. What about easter (or other spring religious holidays? Not really. I approve of celebrating half-off candy.

[wildblue]

Jan 23, 2015 10:18:27 GMT -5 hampire said:

A couple of silly GTKY questions since this is a new board and all.

1. Are you out?

2. If so what's the weirdest thing someone had said when you told them? If not, why?

3. Do you do christmas, ramadan, hannukah or other "religious" winter holidays?

4. What about easter (or other spring religious holidays?

[br

Hi!
*I'm about 75% out now. I'm not hiding that I'm an atheist but there are people who don't know because I don't announce it and they haven't asked.

*"If you don't accept Jesus I don't need you in life"

*I celebrate Christmas more as a celebration of Winter Soltice.

*I celebrate Easter too but more of a celebration of Spring time.

Most of the traditional holidays were stolen from the ancient Pagens and severely twisted to spread Christianity and control the people anyway.

[iloverunning]

Jan 23, 2015 20:21:08 GMT -5 iloverunning said:

Jan 23, 2015 10:18:27 GMT -5 hampire said:

A couple of silly GTKY questions since this is a new board and all.

1. Are you out?

2. If so what's the weirdest thing someone had said when you told them? If not, why?

3. Do you do christmas, ramadan, hannukah or other "religious" winter holidays?

4. What about easter (or other spring religious holidays?

1. I guess. It isn't a secret but no one really asks. My parents know, DHs don't really care (holiday Catholics), and I am a scientist in the Earth Sciences, so no one at work would question it.

2. DH recently told MIL that our DS (4 yrs) will not be baptized. She then asked if we were at least going to be baptizing our DD (4 million months). We are still a little confused by her thinking on this matter.

3. We do the Santa/Thinking of others version of Christmas.

4. Ditto Easter- Easter Bunny and renewal/spring.

I have no idea why I typed 4 million months.., she is 4 months

[apsalartoll]

1. Are you out?
To everyone but my immediate family.

2. If so what's the weirdest thing someone had said when you told them? If not, why?
Nothing really. I live in Northern California, it's really common here. I did go on a date with a guy in college who asked me when I went to Mass. I told him I wasn't Catholic, and he said "What do you mean?" That's pretty weird.

3. Do you do christmas, ramadan, hannukah or other "religious" winter holidays?
We do Christmas but it's all about the "fun" parts, like Santa, gift giving, decorations, candy, etc.

4. What about easter (or other spring religious holidays?
LO is just a baby, but when she's older if she wants to do Easter egg hunts, that would be fine.

[Deleted]

1. I have no reason at all to be 'in', so yeah, I am out. I can count the people in my life that attend church on a regular basis on one hand.
2. n/a
3./4. Both celebrated more Pagan style. We have a tree for Christmas and decorated branches at the beginning of Spring and visit family.

I saw the first chocolate eggs for Easter in the store earlier this week.

[TheEleventhHour]

Are you out? Yes? I am always honest about it if someone asks me if we are religious but I don't go around offering it up to people who don't ask.

If so what's the weirdest thing someone had said when you told them? Most people just look uncomfortable and change the subject. BIL is super born again Christian and "prays" for DH. MIL wrote me a letter disparaging me for turning her "baby son" into a "heathen". We don't talk anymore. Luckily we live 10 hours from the ILs and DH doesn't like to visit. They have been the weirdest about us not having religion. My mom was upset we didn't baptise DS for about two seconds and she leaves us be now.

Do you do christmas, ramadan, hanukkah or other "religious" winter holidays? We do Christmas in purely commercial way. No Jesus. A little Santa.

What about easter (or other spring religious holidays? I like Easter for the candy! We make DS a basket. I still have the basket my mom used for me and I use it for DS so it is just a bit of nostalgia. Again, no Jesus mentioned and a little Easter Bunny. Things like Santa and the Easter Bunny are fun but we don't want to put a ton of emphasis on them as far as "You better be good or they won't give you anything!" if that makes sense.