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iwarburton
Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 2133
Location: Northumberland
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 Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 12:36 pm Post subject: Bye Bye Santa? |
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A Labour Party Think Tank has said that we should give up celebrating Christmas unless we give non-Christian festivals equal weight.
But anecdotal evidence suggests that those of other faiths aren't calling for us to do this.
I think the originators of this idea are trying to push water uphill!
Ian. |
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John W
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 3367
Location: Warwickshire, UK
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| Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 9:12 pm Post subject: |
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| For the majority of the UK, it seems to me, Christmas is no longer a Christian celebration but just a time to exchange gifts, have a few days off work, lots to eat and drink, a couple of games of football and a few films on TV. It is isn't it? |
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gfloyd
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 4861
Location: Here, There, Everywhere.
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| Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 9:14 pm Post subject: |
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Cancel Christmas?
It wouldn't have happened when Lord Sainsbury was in government. 
_________________
His name was ernie ........ and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west..... |
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firewirefred
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| Posted: Thu Nov 01, 2007 11:08 pm Post subject: |
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| John W wrote: | | For the majority of the UK, it seems to me, Christmas is no longer a Christian celebration but just a time to exchange gifts, have a few days off work, lots to eat and drink, a couple of games of football and a few films on TV. It is isn't it? |
I'd go one further - I think christmas compels a vast number of people to indulge in the pursuit of materialism in the extreme.
I'm a confirmed atheist, by the way, and no I don't celebrate christmas. |
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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 9955
Location: UK
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| Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 6:39 am Post subject: |
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It's like Easter we never celebrate it at the same time every year. I blame this on the government about Christmas introducing 24 hour, 7 day a week shopping. Shops should be shut down on Boxing day as well. There is enough sales through out the year..
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mark occomore
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 9955
Location: UK
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| Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 6:40 am Post subject: |
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[quote="firewirefred"] | John W wrote: | F
I'm a confirmed atheist, by the way, and no I don't celebrate christmas. |
Bar humbug   |
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firewirefred
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| Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:58 am Post subject: |
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| mark occomore wrote: | | firewirefred wrote: |
I'm a confirmed atheist, by the way, and no I don't celebrate christmas. |
Bar humbug |
Why? Over the road from me is a family of Jehovas Witnesses. They don't celebrate christmas either. Are they being "Bah humbug" as well?
Christmas has become a total nonsense. |
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John W
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 3367
Location: Warwickshire, UK
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| Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:43 am Post subject: |
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| mark occomore wrote: | It's like Easter we never celebrate it at the same time every year. I blame this on the government about Christmas introducing 24 hour, 7 day a week shopping. Shops should be shut down on Boxing day as well. There is enough sales through out the year..
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No, Mark, you can't blame the government for Easter dates 
Easter is a movable Christian holy day and is not fixed to the calendar. Each year Easter is set here some time between late March and late April following the cycle of the moon. |
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firewirefred
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| Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 10:05 am Post subject: |
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| mark occomore wrote: | | Shops should be shut down on Boxing day as well. There is enough sales through out the year.. |
Oh yeah? How come the whole retail sector is way down this year? And the reason why stores open on Boxing Day is because - believe it or not - it's one of the few days of the year when people flock to the stores and spend a huge amount of money.
If the demand wasn't there, they wouldn't open. Simple. |
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SantaFefan
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 11258
Location: top of the cliffs in Norfolk
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| Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 11:44 am Post subject: |
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| mark occomore wrote: | | Shops should be shut down on Boxing day as well. |
What?  that would mean we'd have to overbuy even more! it's bad enough having to buy everything twice in the store now just to struggle through Christmas day let alone Boxing day!
There'd be panic buying.... 
I'm sick of government think tanks, lets have a public think tank and referendums! that would shock 'em.
_________________
Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! 13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be. |
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firewirefred
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| Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 11:49 am Post subject: |
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| SantaFefan wrote: | | I'm sick of government think tanks, lets have a public think tank and referendums! that would shock 'em. |
We do - it's called Democratic Elections at national and local level in which anybody can participate. Most people, however, can't be bothered. We get the standard of government we deserve! |
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SantaFefan
Joined: 07 Dec 2006
Posts: 11258
Location: top of the cliffs in Norfolk
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| Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 12:05 pm Post subject: |
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Well, it don't work anymore for the average Joe ( him again?)
In my area, most people wouldn't know who stands for what in local elections! I certainly don't, plus I've never had a local candidate knocking on my door. he'd get an earful if they did!
I'll admit I'm not so knowledgeable about politics as either yourself or Ernie but none of the parties say anything to me, so I'm getting to take the "can't be bothered" approach myself.
But I'd like to see internet polls carried out on subjects like immigration, crime and asylum seekers because I think they've lost the plot.
_________________
Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! 13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be. |
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iwarburton
Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 2133
Location: Northumberland
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| Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 12:45 pm Post subject: |
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Easter is a movable Christian holy day and is not fixed to the calendar. Each year Easter is set here some time between late March and late April following the cycle of the moon.
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Point of interest--the late spring holiday always used to fall at Whitsuntide, another Christian festival which always comes 7 weeks after Easter so can be any time from mid-May to mid-June. But in the 1960s Harold Wilson's Labour government reordered this holiday to fall on the last weekend of May, regardless of when Whitsuntide was, so the two only occasionally coincide now and public awareness of Whitsuntide is almost non-existent outside the Church.
Also, next year, when Easter will be very early, our local schools are initially getting only the Easter weekend off and will take the rest of the spring holiday in April.
Ian. |
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firewirefred
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| Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 2:44 pm Post subject: |
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| SantaFefan wrote: | | In my area, most people wouldn't know who stands for what in local elections! I certainly don't, plus I've never had a local candidate knocking on my door. he'd get an earful if they did! |
That's a pity because if you don't know who's representing you on your parish or district council then there's no hope for any kind of democracy. We might as well be run by a single dictator. As I've often said, there's a lot that's not right about our society but we have a helliuva lot more freedom to choose than do many people in the world. It really, really, really annoys me when people say they can't be bothered. People got themselves killed in horrific circumstances in order that we could have a right to choose. To say we don't care is to say that they shouldn't have bothered.
I know my local councillor very well. He's a lovely bloke who has worked tirelessly for years to make sure that things get done in our locality. He doesn't get paid, either, and he holds down a full-time job. If I have a problem about something (street lights, bins, whatever) I drop him an email and he tries to get a result. I'll happily buy him a pint when I see him in my local pub just as a thank-you for the time and commitment he makes.
That's what democracy is all about. And that's what we should protect! |
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