Let's get this straight. I am not a Christian, I'm not a Jew, a Hindu, a Muslim or even an Atheist. I am an Agnostic and as some of you may know I'm a pretty damned avid one to boot, some might even say a fundamentalist. Seems like a little bit of a contradiction I know, (strongly undecided?)… but I firmly and wholly believe that any other standpoint apart from Agnosticism is not only illogical but in some cases totally arrogant… and we all know how that gets my proverbial goat in a lather.
I'm actually quite interested in religion, I find religious discussions both stimulating and oftentimes enlightening, and they almost always actually reinforce my own faith as a committed agnostic.
I generally don't have a problem with anyone else's faith as long as they don't try and ram it down other people's throats or get all Holy War on anyone else's ass. I refrain from taking part in any religious activities (obviously), but am keen to discuss peoples experiences, faith and any other religious topics.
BUT and it's a big but… in fact it's a giant pile of hypocrisy that always seems to collapse on my personal sensibilities once a year… you see… I can't help but love Christmas.
I love everything about it with the exception of the religious aspects. I love the weather, I love the food, I love buying, giving and receiving (obviously) presents. I love the holly and mistletoe, I love Christmas carols and crackers, big old giant dinners made up from the sort of foods I never normally eat at any other time of the year. I love the chocolate, and the ginger wine and the snow and gloves and wrapping up warm. I love snowball fights with the kids (even though I always complain and pretend to get grumpy when they batter me (as they always do)). I love Father Christmas and Rudolph and all his buddies. I love old Christmas movies and old Christmas music. I love Dickens. I love the way people tend to be just a little more friendly. I love the early nights and the cold mornings. I love the sound of sleigh bells and the look of then English countryside covered in snow. I love my boots, I love that cars suddenly become unpredictable terror machines. I love Christmas day specials and I even love the TV adverts (although they are obviously completely evil and anyone who works in advertising should consider hanging themselves at least once every day).
So as I say, at this time of year I often find myself in a bit of a spot and I'm most certainly NOT going to start calling it "The Winter Celebration" or “The Snow Festival” or some other such lame politically correct bullpap.
It's Christmas and I love it, even though I'm not a Christian.
And so whatever your faith, or your beliefs, let me (a non Christian) leave you with this little and special Christmas message.
Lets us all just try and enjoy this time of year and do our best to get along with each other. If we can do it for a few weeks, who knows maybe one day we’ll be able to do it all year.
And as Mr Charles Dickens once said to us through the words of an innocent child…
"God* Bless Us, Every One"
*May be substituted for any of the following:
Gods, Non specific Mystical Entity or Entities, Random Chance, Alien Overlords, Wise (optionally chubby) person or persons, Spirit or Spirits of nature, Elemental, Celestial or Animal based forces, The Ghosts of our ancestors, The Force, Ceiling Cat, Spaghetti Monster, The Great Maarg, We Ourselves, Nothing or … Other.
