'Xian' - what's all that about then?

[Grahame]

As you will know, people can take offence where none is given.

 

Given that Christians have been using the abbreviation themselves for many centuries without giving or taking offence, if you personally take offence at the word, you should examine your reasons for doing so.

 

In most cases, it will be because the word is being used in an argument against you personally, and the choice of whether to take offence is an individual one based on not what is said, but who is saying it.

 

Isn't the context more relevant?

[Halibut]

I defo get the feeling that it is used currently (on here) with a hurtful intent..

 

So perhaps there is a good argument to say that the meaning or intent of the word is being re-purposed, with use. As is the way with words.

 

Strangely, I don't feel Xmas has much hurtful intent associated with it, as Xian does. It sometimes feels like people specifically use 'Xian' to goad or belittle Christians. That's all just my subjective feeling though.

 

Indeed, hence my decision to air the subject.

[spindrift]

For every vociferous atheist you'll find an equally vociferous follower of a faith.

 

.

 

 

Not on this forum. I've seen muslims and christians calmly espousing their faith, whilst the militant atheists scream down their posts by claiming christians are ignorant and mohammed was a paedophile. The militant atheists on here are a very poor representation of atheism.

[JFKvsNixon]

So its all my fault now.

 

Perhaps you had better tell that to our ethnic friends.

 

Don't you think you should take offence at the content of the argument instead of an abbreviation used in the argument?

[Grahame]

Don't you think you should take offence at the content of the argument instead of an abbreviation used in the argument?

 

Yes I do, see post 41.

[sccsux]

The militant atheists on here are a very poor representation of atheism.

 

Same applies to the religious zealots on here (ie they are not truly representative of their various religions).

[sccsux]

Yes I do, see post 41.

 

Which mentions context, not content.

[spindrift]

I don't claim to be representative of anyone, but the ragged army of atheists here immediately pounce on any post about faith or the good the church does, using the most offensive terms imaginable.

[mj.scuba]

Which is patently wrong.

 

 

 

No.

Christmas is a hijacking of older festivals.

 

The older festivals were entirely different to the Christian celebration Christmas were they not? Besides, I'm living in 2010AD, not 2000BC.

[alchemist]

I'm not particularly interested in what seasonal festivals were going on over 4000 years ago. Christmas is a Christian celebration isn't it? About the birth of Jesus Christ (though I'm fully aware he wasn't born on 25th December)?

 

 

Sadly I think you will find that nowadays Christmas has very little to do with Christ and more to do with getting smashed and seeing how much commercialism can take it over.

 

Whether or not Christmas has taken over a previous festival is academic, that festival is no longer followed. I think in a few years that Christmas itself will have been fully superseded by Commercialtide Still, I shall continue to try and celebrate it in its true concept.