sotto voce

So the Jews finally have a messiah!

Or it is that atheists already have one.

Toto

Farmers? The turkeys that died so we might gorge ourselves? Sports training programs?

There's lot to feel thankful for without a deity or a Messiah.

sotto voce

So do US farmers work for nothing?

That's semantic gobbledygook. The verb 'to thank' is transitive, iow, it must have an object. One cannot thank in the way that one can sleep. To thank, one must have a recipient of thanks, who must be able to appreciate thanks. So turkeys won't do, either.

Now it would be a red herring and plainly ungracious to discuss the deep embarrassment of atheists who thank deity, and so soon after 'Christmas'. So let us pass on to the people I referred to, the Jews of the USA. Now they have to admit that there is a recipient of thanks. At least, up to 48% of them have to, because 52% of US Jews are now atheist, apparently. So those Jews who observe Hannukah and Thanksgiving, who remain monotheist, presumably, have a degree of cognitive dissonance to either deal with or place at the back of their minds. Because they have to decide which deity is to be a recipient of thanks.

Of course, they could overcome the dissonance to some extent by joining the Jewish majority, becoming atheists, and having no more problems with Thanksgiving than other atheists have. Assuming that is less, of course.

semiopen

XMas is Christmas without the religious aspects. So its putting up decorations and buying presents.

When I was in Southern Italy last month, our guide made some jokes about Santa Claus and Christmas in America and said the correct way of celebrating Christmas was with nativity scenes. I wonder which one is more historically accurate.

I think my comment about Moshiach in the OP may have confused you. The current Messianic story is that the guy will come on or before 6000 where Shesh will be quick to point out that 6000/1000 is 6. 6 + 1 (Shabbat) = 7 which is the number of days in the week.

This calculation would be utterly convincing if there weren't all the previous miscalculations.

Since 6000 is less than 250 years away, why not wait to see what happens before adding the leap month. Leave the decision to poor Moshiach who supposedly isn't going to piss anybody off.

sotto voce

It isn't, and it is not intended to be. It's intended to be ambiguous.

And it's crazy, totally unjustified in this thread, used in that way, so it looks like the result of fear of the gospel.

:huh:

Toto

There's nothing crazy about it, if you understand the US context. "Christmas" in the US is a national holiday, invented to focus on gift giving for children. This stimulates the economy and gives the vast majority a good excuse for a party and more overeating.

No one is afraid of the gospel.

stephan huller

Don't forget the Canadians also have Thanksgiving but it is a month and a bit earlier.

sotto voce

What does this have to do with First Day of Hanukkah and Thanksgiving?

Toto

It is a response to your post, which has little to do with the first day of Hanukkah or Thanksgiving. I am attempting to correct your strange misimpressions.

sotto voce

Which has nothing to do with first day of Hanukkah or Thanksgiving. Because the post it addresses has nothing to do with the first day of Hanukkah or Thanksgiving.

So it cannot be said that no one is afraid of the gospel.