Happy Saturnalia!

I actually typically have no problem wishing people a Merry Christmas.

But since Trump decided to brag about bringing Christmas back, I simply had to defy that orange tinted, anus mouthed, POS.

Besides of course Saturnalia was the true holiday before those uptight Christians hijacked it in order to spread their capitalist religion around the world.

And it might never have taken off quite as well if Clement Clarke Moore had not written that poem in 1823, and Coca Cola had not altered the look of St. Nick from this rather grim looking fellow...

....into this jolly elf.

Oh well, stolen celebrations, reinvented historical figures, evil capitalist underpinnings, what does it really matter if we are celebrating with loved ones and taking this opportunity to share our bounty
with the less fortunate?

I love this holiday, and hope that you and yours have a wonderful day. 

Happy Saturnalia everybody!

You know I am really going to miss Christmas, it was one of my favorite holidays.

But now that he who must not be named has trademarked it, and spoiled it for everybody, I guess it's time to return to our roots and party like it's 3 AD all over again.

I mean sure I'll miss the tree, the presents, and the eggnog, but I am sure I will soon get used to the gambling, role playing, and of course heavy drinking that are Saturnalia traditions.

But just you watch, in no time at all this will just be another over commercialized holiday like all the rest.

Well she finally did it. Sarah Palin destroyed Christmas.

I am not even religious but I know sacrilege when I see it.

This picture of Willow was posted on Palin's Facebook page.

You remember Sarah Palin don't you? The lady who had a book ghostwritten for her about protecting Christmas from crass commercialism and from those who would detract from it's ties to Christianity.

Well clearly THAT was before Donald Trump came along and decided to take ownership of the phrase "Merry Christmas."

Works for me, Christians had just about ruined the holiday as it is.

So Happy Saturnalia everybody!

Not to rub it on this special day, however according to a new poll there are 5% fewer self identified Christians in American than at the beginning of President Obama's first term.

Courtesy of Politico:  

Three-quarters of Americans identify as Christians, according to a Gallup poll released Thursday — down from the beginning of President Barack Obama's first term. 

While a significant portion of Americans still follow Christianity, the percentage has steadily fallen since 2008, when 80 percent of Americans identified as Christians. Story Continued Below 

But as fewer associate themselves with Christianity, more are identifying themselves as people with no religious affiliation. The percentage of Americans who follow no religion has risen from 14.6 percent in 2008 to 19.6 percent this year. 

Meanwhile, the percentage of Americans who follow a non-Christian religion remains largely unchanged from 2008, still hovering around 5 percent. 

75% is still a huge number, so we still have quite a ways to go before we can call ourselves an enlightened nation, but baby steps are still steps on that journey.

The other day somebody accused me of hating Christians. That of course is ridiculous.

However it is true that I despise organized religion, and what it does to people.

Having said that all I really want is for religious people to keep their beliefs and superstitions out of our schools, our politics, and out of our faces.

While I don't agree with ANY religious faith, I do have a lot more respect for the Amish, the Quakers, and the Jains who keep their worship mostly private, than I do for those who come to my doorstep and suggest that I am doomed if I do not attend their particular church.

But putting all of that aside I DO love Christmas and all of its traditions, though I cannot help but wonder if it would not still be just as much fun, or perhaps even more fun,  if we called it by its original name, Saturnalia? 

Two men attempt to light "Keep Saturn in Saturnalia" sign on fire. Well so much for religious diversity in this country.

Courtesy of South Jersey Times:

Someone tried to torch the “Saturnalia” billboard on the edge of town Tuesday night. 

An off-duty police officer from another municipality was in Carolina Blue with a number of friends when they looked across the intersection of Lambs Road and Holly Avenue at about 11:45 p.m. and spotted two men underneath the billboard, which proclaims “Keep Saturn in Saturnalia.” 

The billboard was erected by the Freedom from Religion Foundation, the organization’s way of countering the “Keep Christ in Christmas” banner that hangs across Broadway, Pitman’s main thoroughfare. The Christmas banner is erected by the Knights of Columbus. 

The FFRF has been objecting to the Christmas banner since at least 2011, insisting it is illegally hung, without receipt of proper permits. 

Despite the fact that the billboard features a depiction of the ringed planet Saturn, Saturnalia was an ancient Roman holiday named after Saturn, a Roman deity. The holiday took place near the Winter Solstice — which occurs on Dec. 21 this year — and featured public feasting and gift-giving.

That was not the first attempt to destroy or deface the sign either by the way: Also on Sunday, a man accompanied by a woman and child put an extension ladder against the billboard and prepared to climb up and paste a poster with a picture of a manger on it over top of the Saturnalia sign. Police intervened and the protesters left.

Sure the religious people are always talking about freedom of speech and diversity, but put up one billboard celebrating the TRUE reason for the season and what them lose their shit.

I gotta tell you this stuff is cracking me up this year.

What is this "War on Christmas" you speak of?

Hey I just have to say that I am one atheist who LOVES Christmas. Always have.

It was always a very special holiday in my house growing up, and my mom went all out to celebrate it. Still does to this day in fact.

I just wish the Christians had not watered down the Saturnalia celebration quite so much. For instance we could bring this part of the early Christmas festivities back: 

The earliest Christmas holidays were celebrated by drinking, sexual indulgence, singing naked in the streets.

Though I have to say that living in Alaska would keep much of that naked singing to a minimum.