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Seasons Greetings

cj.23

Master Poster
cj.23
Joined
Dec 17, 2006
Messages
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I wrote this over on RD.net last year, but it seems a good Christmas card for the JREF - Happy Whatever everyone!

"Evening! I have been meaning to write a little Christmas post, so I will. It's in lieu of cards - I have not been organized enough to send any of those in over the last decade. I am one of those people who is today considering buying a few presents tomorrow and will doubtless hand them to friends and loved ones mid-January. My crapness is legendary! (As I give them random gifts through the year they tend to forgive me and not lynch me!)

So it's almost December 25th, though when I started writing this it was December 19th. It will take me a few days to come up with something worth saying if I can! :)

A long time ago, far from here, a child was born. A VERY special child, utterly unique - a child who would grow in to a wonderful, special person. A child whose life would touch many - who would laugh, love and suffer. Yep, you. Schmaltzy it may be, but we are all unique. It does not matter if we knew our parents, have big families or no one in the world - we are each absolutely unique, and absolutely worthy. We are all in a sense special, from the most disorganized old pseud like me, to the most brilliant scientists. We have one life (Buddhists and other reincarnationists please forgive this claim!) and one chance to be happy, and make other happy.

At the risk of being banned or warned i'll do a brief preachy bit: I believe in the radical equality of worth of every human being. The baby Jesus grew up to teach us that we should love one another, as God loves us all: crap will happen to us all, as he reminded us that the rain falls on the good and bad alike, but we are all worthy of love. Those who deny the value of others, the hypocrites who are without compassion, deserve to be spoken against - but our love should extend to even our enemies. It's hard to be enemies with someone you love.

Now this love thing is pretty hard, and lets face it we all get it wrong. You try not to hold grudges, you try to be understanding and rational, but as Schiller remarked with stupidity the gods themselves struggle in vain. :) My personal struggle is with people who say "love the sinner, hate the sin". I can see the logic, but so often it means condemn you for what you are, and feel good about it. :shock: That's pretty sick.

Now you don't need religion to decide we are all special and unique - genetically it's true, and physically it's true, and mentally it's true. Every death diminished us, as John Donne reminded us - priceless experiences lost. However, all too often, we forget that fact. :(

And right now, here is my Christmas thought, in true Jerry Springer style. You are special, and worthy of love, and deserve good things. We are always being told to love others, our enemies etc, but hell, this Christmas be good to yourselves. I joke about how rubbish I am, but I'm completely happy being Jerome, and you should all love yourselves. (well maybe not literally, in public!) It's hard to love others if you don't like yourself. You ar ein my experience a wonderful wild and wacky bunch, and I hope you all realize how special you really are!

Now I don't think Prof Dawkin's would disagree with me on this. This week I re-read The Selfish Gene, and it struck me I agree with the Prof here. You all know by know that I equate "original sin" with the selfish genes, our inherited mammalian traits, and you all know that I think we can rise above petty territorialism, self aggrandizement and aggression to build a better, more rational world. I'm no speceist - I love trees, lichen, moths, cats and the city streets - but humans have a unique ability, according to the Prof and to I, to rise above our genetic imperatives. Read that famous last chapter of The Selfish Gene again, the one detractors so often ignore, and you will see that humanity has a unique chance to shape their evolution, to forge their future, to have a society in no way "red in tooth and claw" - a special dignity. As far as we know so far, we are pretty unique in this as a species - so let's not blow it dudes!

It only remains to say to you all have a wonderful festive season, and a splendid annual rotation of the sun to follow!

Happy (insert whatever you want to celebrate!) :) "


A year on it remains true. Love yourselves chapesses and chaps, and have a wonderful 2009!
love
cj xxx
 
With the power vested in me by the Dark Side of the Force
I wish a very merry Christmas to you, cj.

Darth

*Somewhere on the other side of half a pint of Wiser Canadian Whiskey*

Christmas spirits I got. ;)
 
cj.23 said:
A long time ago, far from here, a child was born. A VERY special child, utterly unique - a child who would grow in to a wonderful, special person. A child whose life would touch many - who would laugh, love and suffer. Yep, you. Schmaltzy it may be, but we are all unique. It does not matter if we knew our parents, have big families or no one in the world - we are each absolutely unique, and absolutely worthy. We are all in a sense special, from the most disorganized old pseud like me, to the most brilliant scientists. We have one life (Buddhists and other reincarnationists please forgive this claim!) and one chance to be happy, and make other happy.
Click to expand...

I suppose it doesn't bother you that shepperds in Israel don't keep their flocks in the fields at night during winter, and that the early church deliberately made Christmas a winter solstice event to coopt existing pagan rebirth celebrations?

Neither does it bother you that Jesus's message was explicetely not that we are all special, but that some people are going to Hell, and he spoke in parables specifically to confuse those people into going to Hell?

Now I don't think Prof Dawkin's would disagree with me on this. This week I re-read The Selfish Gene, and it struck me I agree with the Prof here. You all know by know that I equate "original sin" with the selfish genes, our inherited mammalian traits, and you all know that I think we can rise above petty territorialism, self aggrandizement and aggression to build a better, more rational world. I'm no speceist - I love trees, lichen, moths, cats and the city streets - but humans have a unique ability, according to the Prof and to I, to rise above our genetic imperatives. Read that famous last chapter of The Selfish Gene again, the one detractors so often ignore, and you will see that humanity has a unique chance to shape their evolution, to forge their future, to have a society in no way "red in tooth and claw" - a special dignity. As far as we know so far, we are pretty unique in this as a species - so let's not blow it dudes!
Click to expand...

That's false on many levels. Alturism is a trait shared by animals from bees to baboons, and baboons are particularly nasty animals at times, too. Orginal sin is, according to Christian dogma, not a natural tendency toward nastiness, but the perpetual and hereditary punishment of humanity for when two people, unaware of the difference between good and evil, disobeyed an order.

You managed to be smaltzy and wrong. That's impressive.
 
ImaginalDisc said:
Neither does it bother you that Jesus's message was explicetely not that we are all special, but that some people are going to Hell, and he spoke in parables specifically to confuse those people into going to Hell?
Click to expand...
Glass half empty take you did there. The glass half full is that there is no reason for anyone to go to Hell, and the message is that there is a way to go elsewhere. Also, you rather miss the point on exclusive versus inclusive. In contrast to Hebraic group from which this religion arose, any and everyone was welcomed in. Blood or lack of it was no barrier to entry. That was sorta revolutionary, for its time. (Though it is granted that it took Paul and others a bit of wrangling to get there.) And last but not least, it started as an underground, non-mainstream, self-identified and self-chosen group. You might find that an interesting parallel to Atheists in the US and Turkey, for starters. ;)

Anyone surprised that you chose the glass half empty view? ;) Not me.

DR
 
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ImaginalDisc said:
You managed to be smaltzy and wrong. That's impressive.
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And you, sir, managed to take a giant dump all over an honest and sincere wishing of good will. That's a little like sneezing right into an offered handshake just because the person doesn't share your beliefs.
 
ImaginalDisc said:
I suppose it doesn't bother you that shepperds in Israel don't keep their flocks in the fields at night during winter, and that the early church deliberately made Christmas a winter solstice event to coopt existing pagan rebirth celebrations?
Click to expand...

No because ALL OF THOSE claims are completely incorrect. :) See my explanation of the lack of any winter solstice celebration in pagan antiquity - I'll outline it again - and check out microclimates in the region. Also check out the recent work on agricultural practices in 1st century Judea? D|o you not read books or journals??? You should, they contain all kinds of wonderful knowledge rather than these hoary myths :) You really should check your facts!

Anyway, have a wonderful festive season. :)
CJ X
 
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And a happy holidays to you as well, cj.23:)

As for me, wish me luck. I'll be trying to catch a plane to Hawaii and fly stand-by two days before Christmas. I'm not optimistic.:(
 
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