I bet this has been proposed before but has anyone put together a calendar of “atheist holidays”? For example Darwin’s birthday Feb 12th, First Contact Day April 5th, and of course Festivus on December 23rd.
What would you add?
4
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Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.holiday literally means holy day. holiness has religious connotations! unless you want to use the word to indicate a vacation or day off, which isn't likely to happen no matter what you put on your calendar, i would eschew the creation of atheist holidays! however, i think we should all celebrate the birthdays of hypatia (if known, and if unknown we can make one up), carl sagan and richard feynman. thomas jefferson was a deist but he believed so strongly in the separation of church and state that i think his birthday, april 13, deserves a nod. how about the cranky, unattractive but extremely important madeline murray ohare? and ron reagan is really strong with the freedom from religion foundation.
g
genessa
Level 8
Nov 21, 2018
1
Good points!
@TampaHeathen day of observance would work better for me, since the origins of the word "holiday," while having mutated somewhat, still have not completely lost their overtones for everyone. certainly it's a secular word in britain. in america it's still rather mixed.
g
September 19 - Speak like a pirate day.
SageDave
Level 7
Nov 21, 2018
0
Good thinking. There might be a FSM calendar.
Here's a good calendar for secular celebrations by season: [secularseasons.org]
Julie808
Level 8
Nov 21, 2018
3
You left out Saturnalia, the Festival of Gift Giving ( Dec. 25th. on the Ancient Roman Calends) upon which Xtianity loosely bases Christmas btw.
@Triphid It's not my list - just one on a site that celebrates secularism. There are many dates once celebrated by previous mythologies, and pagan gods and I'm not sure this question is asking about worshiping gods of any kind, (The god Saturn, for example) since it is focusing on atheistic celebrations.
@Triphid A god is a god is a god. But yes, in a pagan calendar, Saturnalia would be right on it, and it's fascinating to learn about and see how it was usurped by Christianity, but still, not atheistic. I also say Happy Solstice, since I don't consider the sun to be a supernatural god but a physical object. I personally celebrate the 12 days between the solstice and the calendar new year, but there are no gods involved. Happy holidays to you.
@Julie808 In actual fact it was only named 'Saturnalia' simply because it fell on the dates during the lull in the Festival of the Lupicalia, it had nothing to do with the Pagan God Saturn, that name only came into existence AFTER the Xtianization flood took its toll.
Then the growing Messianic Cult ( later to become Xtianity btw) realized that by 'usurping' it, as they did with ever so-called Pagan Celebration, they could not only profit from it but also not alienate the original followers.
The so-called 12 days of Xmas are actually the 12 days of the Lupicalia including the Saturnalia Celebration of Gift Giving.
And YES, I agree, any God is just a god and a 100% meaningless invention of mankind.
So, let us instead schedule a Celebration of the Solstice for the Atheist/Agnostic Calendar.
Dec 24, the day the man that was going to change the world was born !!!!!... Isaac Newton (Under Julian dime)
IamNobody
Level 8
Nov 21, 2018
3
that may not be understood by a lot of people x
@magicwatch I know, I word it that way on purpose...that should get their attention.
I like it... that way I could learn the history.....
HankSherman
Level 8
Nov 21, 2018
0
I like to celebrate Pi day 
3/14
tinebean
Level 7
Nov 21, 2018
2
What would be the significance to atheism?
@HankSherman acknowledging science & math opposed to fairy tales
[secularseasons.org]
@tinebean thank you....cool. lets add pi day. I'm in
@HankSherman plus it's an excellent excuse to eat pie ?
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