The Real Root of Atheists' Anti-Christmas Rage

reasoned debate. You cannot have a theological discussion if your knowledge base is limited to Monty Python videos.

There is no evidence for Jesus' existence, unlike Julius Caesar.

What's with the Spanish Inquisition? 200 years ago, in the America which had just ratified the Constitution, blasphemy was a Common-Law crime, punishable by death. So was sodomy, BTW. So was doing business on Sunday (not a capital crime though). So was trying to nail a married woman (criminal conversation). Many States restricted voting to those who would swear an oath affirming various dogmas of the Christian faith. Not to mention limiting the franchise to white male, property-owning, men who could pass a literacy test and pay a poll tax. One sometimes hears it asked: why don't we elect men like the Founders any more? GIGO! Lazy, stupid, envious criminals will vote for candidates just like themselves.

Wow, America in 1812 sounds like my kind of place.

As I've said before the celebration of 25 Dec. as the time of Jesus' birth is un-biblical. It was only once the RCC tried converting Pagan / Heathen folk en-mass that his birth was said to be during this time.
They thought that if they had Christian holidays that could supplant the Pagan ones it would be easier to convert those who still held to the old ways.

Same thing with Easter !!

If the shepherds were tending their flocks that night, but you can bet it wasn't in December. Even in Palestine winters are cold, and the flocks and shepherd would be down in the village for protection against predators and exposure. Early Christians asserted May 20 as his birth date, and every month in the year has been advanced since.
As the Church began its campaign to "convert" the pagans in Europe, they found their authority undermined. In an age where life was generally nasty, brutish and short, "eat, drink and be merry" was celebrated at certain times of the year for thousands of years. One of the biggest the ancient pagan festival of Saturnalia, celebrating the passing of the shortest day by decking houses with holly and mistletoe

burning Yule logs, etc (sound familiar.) Appalled at this indulgence in the pleasures of the flesh of all varieties, the Christian Church simply stole the festival (as they did others, e.g. Eand told their reluctant flocks "No, no! This was the day when the Redeemer was born," and the whole Bethlehem, Three Wise Men [note, the Bible just says "wise men" - it could have been two, or 37], manger, Star in the East, shepherds, etc. myth began here. Eat, drink and be merry, the Church said, (so as not to lose their entire new congregation) but lay off the screwing a bit, OK, and remember this is the date of Christ's birth, and it's now not called Saturnalia, but Christes Messe. You got a problem with that? We have ways to persuade you.

Yes, there are many pagan traditions included in the traditional Christmas. Everyone knows that. No one has a problem with it. What is your point? The article is about hostility to Christianity expressed through hostility to celebrating Christmas. That hostility would still be there, irrespective of the time of year Christmas fell.

Right on target; The Catholic Church and it's poops tried to takeover a pagan holiday and to spew its brand of nonsense and lies about Christ.

If you actually studied the Bible you might just find therein lie answer to some of the "claims" you make.