Brand New Atheist

This is my first Thanksgiving as an atheist.

First I’m going to explain what Thanksgiving means to me now, then I’m going to look it up online.

Before Research: Thanksgiving is the one day a year where we over eat. And we do it because pilgrims landed in America and traded stuff with Indians. Why does Thanksgiving exist? Celebration of Europeans making it to America in some small ships. Is Thanksgiving related to some other event? None that I’m aware of. I look at Thanksgiving as nothing more than an excuse for companies to market stuff you wouldn’t normally eat. I get Thanksgiving and Columbus Day mixed up.

After Research: Thanksgiving turns out to be a Thanksgiving to God. Are you serious? It can’t just be about some people doing something. Thanksgiving is a day that means many different things to many people. Each country has it’s own Thanksgiving for one reason or another. Thanksgiving is extremely unimportant to me. If it wasn’t a national holiday, it would pass by without me even knowing. Kinda like Saint Patrick’s Day.

This is my first Veterans Day as an atheist.

First I’m going to explain what Veterans Day means to me now, then I’m going to look it up online.

Before Research: Veterans Day is the one day a year that we celebrate war veterans. Which war? I have no idea, I assume all wars.

After Research: Veterans Day is both a federal holiday and a state holiday in all states, it is celebrated on the same day as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world, falling on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. So I was mostly right, but I had no idea why it was on this day. Another holiday without religious meaning, woohoo.

This is my first Halloween as an atheist.

First I’m going to explain what Halloween means to me now, then I’m going to look it up online.

Before Research: Halloween is the one day a year that children dress up and visit the neighbors for treats. It seems to have no relevance to adults. Why does Halloween exist? I have no idea. Is Halloween related to some other event? None that I’m aware of. I look at Halloween and Easter as very similar. Kids gets candy. Halloween has never meant more than “kids and candy” to me.

After Research: Halloween turns out to be religious related. Shocker! I was actually surprised. I know two men who didn’t and don’t let there kids dress up and get candy on Halloween, because it’s evil. The reality is, even the religious people can’t agree on how to handle Halloween. Why? Because it has a dozen meanings. And not all of them are even religious.

So those of you keeping your kids from having fun on Halloween because of your preconceived notions of it’s evil origins, lighten up. Your kids only believe in God because you tell them to. So tell them Halloween is about dressing up and having fun. They will believe you. Because as far as the rest of the population is concerned, that’s all it means to them.

This is my first Columbus Day as an atheist.

First I’m going to explain what Columbus Day means to me now, then I’m going to look it up online.

Before Research: Columbus Day is the one day a year that we celebrate Columbus making it to America in some small ships. Other than that I don’t know why it’s a holiday. I get Columbus Day and Thanksgiving mixed up.

After Research: Columbus Day has nothing to do with religion, woohoo. I was right, it’s about Columbus arriving in America on October 21, 1492. Not much more to it than that.