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Atheists should be actually brave enough to tell their kids not to celebrate Halloween since there is no such thing as Ghosts, spirits, demons etc, just as there is no Santa and no God so celebration of Christmas is a foolish act.
No one who celebrates Halloween is claiming they are real. The purpose isn't to worship such things but to have fun scaring each other. But then FUNdamentalists don't have much of an understanding of fun, particularly other people's fun, so they tend to want to be controlling about it as usual.
Alas, I lack the circuitry to think that it's either scary or fun so even as a child I simply was indifferent to it and let other people do their thing.
No one who celebrates Halloween is claiming they are real. The purpose isn't to worship such things but to have fun scaring each other. But then FUNdamentalists don't have much of an understanding of fun, particularly other people's fun, so they tend to want to be controlling about it as usual.
Alas, I lack the circuitry to think that it's either scary or fun so even as a child I simply was indifferent to it and let other people do their thing.
May be its also "fun" for some people to feel happy and content when they worship?
Will "fun" be defined by Atheist only?
By the way, why would an Athiest get scared by Halloween costumes, Ghosts, spirits and demons etc when he believes these things don't exist just as he wont worship because he thinks God doesn't exist?
By the way, why would an Athiest get scared by Halloween costumes, Ghosts, spirits and demons etc when he believes these things don't exist just as he wont worship because he thinks God doesn't exist?
"I don't believe in ghosts, but I've been afraid of them all my life.-" -Charles A. Dana (1819-1897), U.S. journalist
It's instinctive - like religious belief. It requires education and mental discipline to begin to get over it.
Atheists should be actually brave enough to tell their kids not to celebrate Halloween since there is no such thing as Ghosts, spirits, demons etc, just as there is no Santa and no God so celebration of Christmas is a foolish act.
Oh you've got to be kidding me...
Do you really think anyone is really out there because they want to draw off spirits??? They are there because it's a fun party. Kids love dressing up and happen to be fond of candy. Adults dress up for their own parties, not for any religious reasons.
May be its also "fun" for some people to feel happy and content when they worship?
Will "fun" be defined by Atheist only?
By the way, why would an Athiest get scared by Halloween costumes, Ghosts, spirits and demons etc when he believes these things don't exist just as he wont worship because he thinks God doesn't exist?
Come now, you're smarter than that.
I never said anything about it being wrong for people to enjoy worshiping their deity of choice. Or that atheists are the sole arbiters of fun. I even admitted that I am personally indifferent to Halloween, so I as an atheist certainly don't advance it as a "fun" or "scary" activity. But I do understand why many people engage in it.
Humans have had Halloween and similar things since time immemorial. Humans have watched horror movies and read horror novels, etc. for multiple reasons. People enjoy it. It doesn't necessarily mean they believe in or fear actual ghosts. Fright is a surprise response to something unexpected. It is reassuring to feel a sense of control over the unexpected, to have some understanding of our fear responses, and to deliberately mess around with it.
Stephen King once wrote that his job is to put his characters through the wringer so that the reader won't think his own fears and tribulations to be nearly so bad by comparison. That is another aspect of the psychology of fright.
Fundamentalism tends to overthink such things and makes the mistake of confusing people's role playing with fundamentalisms own belief in the demonic. It is therefore largely projection on the part of fundamentalists. The actual fear belongs TO the fundamentalists.
I have always found it ironic that fundamentalism is so afraid of Satan and gives so much glory and credit to this character ... often more than they give to their own deity. It is a modern version of genuflecting or spitting at the evil eye to ward off the influence of evil spirits. And just as superstitious.
yeah, giving a message of hope is bad. Sure its limited, but was was her intent. Being nice?
I do agree with "fundamentalist do have a lot of fear, focusing on the "mental" center of the word gives its nature away. The mentals. Fear of that non-existent Omni-dude or the imaginary boogey man religion (spaghetti-dude). Neither are real But like a zebra can only think like a zebra, these fundy's can only think literally. Like little kids they can't think any other way. they can change, but it's hard. The very first step is honesty, and of course, get off the booze or drugs for a year and think.
She was found incompetent, and admitted to a hospital where she remains today.
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