You pick and choose what you will accept on faith. You belong to a church alright, the church of ME, which is why:

Monster, have you kissed Hank's ass? because...

har.. EVERYONE here gives "christmas" presents as far as I can tell. jews, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Atheists....

Atheists have the right to voluntarily celebrate Christmas as everyone else of any religion in the USA, the separation of Church and State notwithstanding, as a matter of national historical precedence which has been determined to NOT be a violation of that separation. That's why the US Supreme Court decided that the words "IN GOD WE TRUST" could remain on our currency. Sometimes heraldry trumps political correctness.

Christmas was stolen from my ancestors a couple of thousand years ago. It has absolutely nothing to do with Baby J.

I celebrate the Christian festivities because they are part of my culture.
I send Christmas cards without a religious message to people I care about. I send Easter cards without a Christian message to my family because it is expected and respectful.

I go to Bonfire Night celebrations too, that's not to say I celebrate the torture of Guy Fawkes or condone the suppression of the Catholic faith in England. 1606 is too long ago to worry about, I like fireworks!

But I didn't get married in a church.
If I had children I would not have had them baptised.
And if I have to attend a church ceremony (for family reasons) I do not take the Eucharist, or go up for a blessing.

I celebrate Christian festivals the same way I celebrate Diwali and Eid.
Good wishes to those who believe, now bring out the good food.

And finally... I think my opinion of people not knowing the Bible has been misinterpreted. In England, it is very rare to come across people who quote it chapter and verse. Even the Evangelicals don't tend to bring it into every day conversation. I was not saying that the better you know the Bible the better Christian you are. I was saying that not being able to recall a single Bible story (oh wait, the Nativity? No, that was a play wasn't it?) or teaching of Jesus, makes me suspect self-labelled Christians.

If I call myself a forklift truck driver, just because my Dad was, it doesn't make it so.

I've just realised I am a liar.
The cards I sent last year had a Christian theme, with the Star of Bethlemhem and a stable with a manger. I made them at school (which is a faith school) and bought mine because I couldn't resist the idea of my own printed Christmas card.

Mea maxima culpa.

So you really are a forklift driver or your dad wasn't really a forklift driver? I'm confused.

Hey I love Christmas. I love giving presents and eating Christmas dinner. I love the sound of Christmas carols. I love the sherry for sure.

I love the general Christmassy atmosphere. Wanna know why? Because like most people I know, I was raised in a broadly Christian country, attending broadly Christian schools and with a broad acceptance of the little baby Jebus. My initial love of history no doubt stems as much from watching biblical tales on TV at Easter as it did from any other source.

The trappings of Christmas are an instant connection to childhood magic.

Like Santa Claus and the fairy on the top of the Christmas tree.

I don't believe in ghosts either, but that doesn't mean I wasn't thrilled by The Grudge. Don't believe in witches and vampires but I fucking love True Blood.

What are you implying? That the baby Jesus is a vampire? Eat his body, drink his blood is a metaphor, I hope.

ps check your pm

I am the religious right. Just not the religion you were expecting.

ya'll are a bunch of heathens!!;)

I am a heathen. Elspode is a pagan. We are both iconoclasts.

Does that help to clarify?

How do you Brits find room for Graham Norton on the top of your tree? We 'Merkins have enough trouble making room for Kate Jackson, and she's rather small to begin with ...

You got my point though I hope.

Just as it's okay for assorted non-believers to follow religious traditions and rituals as they wish (I know I do) and still call themselves atheists, then it's just as fine for muslims, christians or whatever to ignore part of their religion and still call themselves muslims and christians.