You can

bet your
sweet
were not
closet
atheists!
T
he formal and The routine actions
customarily performed with
repeated act elaborate pomp and
of Christmas-New circumstances
Year is here with us cajole individuals to
another time. This enjoy that special
year is no different sensation of
from other years. warmth which is so
often recounted as established
Christmas-New institutions and the
Year cheer or realities of the
Christmas-New human condition,
Year spirit. Eggnog has already lead, in
and rum, the scent this century, to the
of pine trees, lavish deaths of countless
nourishment, gift- millions of people
giving and gift- and the
receiving, and disintegration of
merry music millions more
narcotise millions personalities.
of people into a Further. I know
state of euphoria. very few self-
It is, one is told, the defined Christians
season to be jolly; who solemnize
the time to forget Christmas with
troubles; the time reference to Christ
to celebrate for the even as an ideal
sake of celebrating. type of humanity. I
find it hopeless to
This December, as I rejoice during
peer beyond my Christmas, Christs
more or less Mass, because I
contentedinner believe that the
self (I am happy I existence of any
am not happy!), I supreme being or
find nothing in the ultimate reality is
unobstructed or unknown to me and
complete view of unknowable. If a
world events to find supreme being
reason to exists, it is a
demonstrate malignantly wicked
satisfaction by fiend provoking,
refraining from difficult, and trying
ordinary business. rather than perfect
Moreover, I do not in power, wisdom,
believe that and goodness
Christmas-New (Sidney Hook).
Year might be used (Listen, my dear
as an inducement reader, to these
to make me deck philosophical
the halls with arguments against
boughs of holly or the existence of a
find fun riding in a supreme being
one-horse open elaborated by
sleigh. I see the Norwood Russell
universeas it Hanson in his What
influences mein a I Do Not Believe
state of and Other Essays
inconsolable published by D.
agitation, and the Reidel Publishing
void which exists Company,
between the Dordrecht, Holland,
supposedly 1971:
Russell Hanson establishednot
begins by showing with anything like
that few the universal
universities help agreement which
young adults to supports claims like
distinguish there is fire, there
positions for which is pain, there is
there are good suffering. Any
grounds from other descriptions and
positions for which accounts of natural
the grounds are not phenomena which
so good. When the seem at first to
theist lets his require Gods
appeal collapse into existence for their
faith alone, he explanations, turn
concedes that his out to be
position rests on no scientifically
rational grounds at explicable via some
all. An agnostic alternative account
maintains requiring no
himself/herself in a supernatural
state of perfect reference
doubt concerning whatsoever. And
Gods existence, a that is just an
position Russell historical remark.
Hanson regards as Most things which
unsound. The once needed Gods
agnostic shifts intervention for
logical ground. But mans
what is it that comprehension of
Russell Hanson their existencefor
does not believe? examples,
First, can you prove lightning, thunder,
that God does not good fortune, life
exist when some and death,
cocktail party St. differences in
George says there species, the flight
is no good reason of birds, and the
to believe that God disappearance of
does not exist? dinosaursall
What are you going these are now more
to say to him/her? profitably discussed
What will you say in terms untainted
to an agnostic? with the
God exists is not supernatural. If it
a factual claim but has been proved
one synthetic. One that God exists, it
cannot specify in would be as
detail what it would irrational and
be like to confirm benighted of one to
it. Here, the deny the existence
agnostic remains in of God, as it would
equipoise. There be to deny the
is a God has never existence of fire
been credibly and of life and
death. But this is the Christmas-New
not so. An atheist Year season brings
may offend in many with it a
ways by concomitant rise in
questioning the deaths. During the
existence of God, months prior to
but he or she is not December when I
offending logic by wrote obituaries,
doing so. If looking the city of Miami
and not finding experiencedon
does not constitute the averagethirty
grounds for demises a day. But
denying the an appreciable
existence of God, surge was noticed
then looking and before the
not finding does not Christmas-New
constitute grounds Year festivities.
for denying the Seventy to eighty
existence of passings away were
goblins, witches, recorded at a point
flying saucers, in the course of the
Santa Claus, the weeks immediately
Easter Bunny, et preceding
cetera. One of the Christmas-New
genuine anomalies Year. I asked
of our time consists experienced obit
in the religious writers why this
enthusiasts was so, and they
contention that all speculated that the
onus of proof rests indulgence in food,
on the non-believer wines, spirits and a
to make his case! high degree of
This must be the loneliness caused
neatest trick of the more people to
millennium.) It is draw their last
impossible, breaths.
therefore, for me to
keep something I am not convinced
that most people, that Christmas-
including myself, New Year is the
do not believe in. only time when
people pamper
I am suspicious of themselves
Christmas-New excessively with
Year on a number food and drinks;
of other grounds. nor, is Christmas-
Several years ago I New Year the only
served as a writer time they feel
of obituaries for alone. But I think
The Miami Herald. the sadness that
Those who write comes from being
notices of a alone has more to
persons death with do with the
a brief biographical aggravation of
sketch know that Christmas-New
Year deceases than circumstances
over-indulgence which are left
does. soporifically in
abeyance from the
It is unfortunate time one signs the
that more people credit card slip to
are forlorn during payments due
Christmas-New date. Christmas
Year. But it is trees, airline
deplorable that tickets to visit
people are made to distant relatives or
be convinced of friends, gifts,
their isolation. bottles of whisky
Christmas-New and wine, food,
Year is a social clothes, tinsel,
event, an episode candy canes, cards,
which prompts party napkins and
formal pressures by glasses constitute
those members of an ever-increasing
human society who higher investment
believe in the in a progressively
Christmas-New worsening
Year liturgy. If one economic era. As
does not participate individuals are
in the rite, he or stripped more and
she is made to feel more of their
vaguely anti-social. economic dignity or
This stress is far benefice,
more evident in the Christmas-New
differences ones Year will take on
economic situation even less
has than in, say, the importance. An
religious disparities empty pocketbook
between is a considerably
Christianity and nasty source of
Jewishness. It is loneliness for most.
not the extent to It might even be
which one ascribes thought of as un-
to that religion Chritstian ( ! ) to
derived from Jesus suffer a dismal
Christ, based on Christmas-New
the Bible as sacred Year at the expense
scripture, and of others who
professed by unwrap red-
Eastern, Roman ribboned Cadillac
Catholic, and Sevilles or
Protestant bodies participate in other
which determines flaunts of
the success or luxuriance which
failure of the cannot be afforded
Christmas-New by the massive
Year regalements. adherents of
It is the limit one Christianity who by
eventually places others standards
on those economic are inferior in
quality or value. hung-over day than
But lets leave New Years Day.
economics out of But why
this commentary. depressing?
There is something Doubling of the
to be said about worlds population
someone who every thirty years
works hard and or so, millions of
saves money to buy starving children,
his wife a Cadillac billions of dollars
for Christmas. spent every year
Lets not discuss for the purchase of
economic arms, the threat of
loneliness; lets nuclear
discuss spiritual annihilation? I
lonelinessa trying believe so.
task in any society Christmas-New
which stresses the Year is an agitating
value of economic element that
goods over the brings to the
value of intellectual surface of ones
and spiritual ones! upper level of
mental life that
There are hundreds creepy stuff which
of millions of has lain dormant
people throughout for a long year.
the world who are This spiritual
not going to enjoy forsaken state
this Christmas-New holds a far more
Yearwith or tenacious grasp on
without money. souls in our
They are going to Western Civilization
sense unhappiness than the sadness of
even if they can being economically
afford the ecstasies cut off. It hints at
of drunken revelry, far greater
partying, and the consequences than
excessive the loss of the
licentiousness in Christians
Christmas-New connections with
Year activities Christ, Christmas
even if the view of and Christianity. It
the gloomy pile of is intimating that
credit card slips Western Civilization
which stares them is in the grips of
in the face at the losing itself.
end of January Christmas-New
poses no economic Year serves only to
burden. I have remind people that
heard it time and they cannot enjoy
time again: There themselves. The
is no more feelings of
depressing day bleakness or
than Christmas Day desolation
and no greater triggered by
Christmas-New company, and I
Year are barometric know something
readings of the about alcoholits
fluctuations within good and bad
individuals who effects. I observed
cannot relate to the these mannerisms
realities of the in the rural areas of
world condition. northcentral
The instrument Florida. The
readings are indeed United States has a
dismal. Each year serious drinking
more and more problem. But I
people are want to know why,
becoming in my territory, fifty
alienated. And percent of my
each year people annual liquor sales
are pulled farther were made during
and farther away the last six weeks
from the truths of of the sales year? I
the world which want to know if the
surround them. United States
They are pulled number-one-selling
farther and farther prescription drug,
away from Valium (1979), also
themselves. increases
Christmas-New dramatically in
Year does nothing sales during
to mould ones Christmas-New
destiny nor lead a Year. I want to
person know the same
compassionately about heroin,
down the steep cocaine and
slope of life marijuana. Is
through its gloomy Christmas-New
evil, much less Year such a joyous
maintain an occasion because
individual in everyone is soothed
psychological to unconsciousness
homeostasis. But it or unawareness?
is to Christmas- Why the need to be
New Year that propelled to enjoy?
millions of people There is something
swirl each year for definitely out of
spiritual oxygen! proper working
order in the
I have another present state of the
reason to believe drinking and drug-
something is taking Christmas-
delusory about New Year affairs.
Christmas-New
Year. I sold whisky I cannot resist
and wine for a mentioning one
Jacksonville, final facet that
Florida liquor makes my wariness
distributing about Christmas-
New Year I was apprised,
intelligible to me. created
Having been the testimonials on
eldest in a family of behalf of the
four children, I was commemoration of
in a better position the birth of Jesus
than other Christ and told me
members of my to hope for a
clan to contemplate prosperous and,
the totality of real believe it or not!
things and events holy New Year!
pertaining to my (Has there ever
Christmas-New been one world
Years. My fathers government which
frantic hope that soughtas part of
the local drunk, its diplomatic ploys
who played Santa a holy year for its
Claus for my family, citizens? Has
would show up on Henry Kissinger
time, the constant ever negotiated
vigil to keep my with manners
younger brothers characterized by
from discovering perfection and
my mothers transcendence
Christmas gift commanding
hiding place (the absolute adoration
trunk of our car), and reverence to
and the absolutely the Lord God
obnoxious hassle of Almighty?)
waiting on long
lines to pay for gifts I would like to
or to have presents stress two things:
wrapped, are only a one, the
few of the pains I preposterous
had to endure to influence of
help procure, Christianity; two,
maintain, and the growing loss of
transport the the individuals
Christmas-New contact with his/her
Year matriel. The psychological
view of my mother environment.
plopped out (Schizophrenia is,
exhausted on the actually, Western
living room sofa Civilizations
was the finishing number-one mental
touch which kept disease.) In some
me from ways both
summoning any conditions
pious strength to interrelate, but the
find ways to second syndrome is
participate in the far more
incorporeal pernicious, far
nuances of the more extensive.
Christmas-New Christianitys bluff
Year festival which, must be called
before people are helped has in itself
to arrive at their been attributed to
own beings. There the cause of cure or
are too many palliation in
inhibiting Christian matters which call
forces keeping for the relaxation of
Christians from tension and anxiety
themselves. At even when the
lifes Card Table a uneasiness has
deceiver who many resulted in actual
think to be the physical damage.
whole body of Psychiatrists call it
Christian believers, the placebo
cheats his effect. Pink sugar
opponents with a pills work because
bold bet on an the patient has the
inferior hand trying conviction that they
to make his fellow work. At Christmas
players withdraw time, the Christian
their winning is told to take a
cards. The spiritualistic sugar
dauntless wager is pill to assuage his
Christmas: The sacred diseases. If
only time most he believes he is ill,
Christians go to the attention he
church, the only places on his
time they feel trouble
obliged to do so. immediately sets
into action flights
Christmas is an of recourse to
innocuous sources for the
medication given to amelioration of the
satisfy Christian affliction. If
patientswhether Christianity
or not Christians promises
want to be soothed alleviation, it is to
or gratified. It is Christianity that
medicine that is not homage is paid as
going to cure any the individual waits
Christians ills; it is for the exorcism of
medicine one is his evil spirits, his
told he/she must hurt. At best, the
take. If priest and Christmas-New
worshipper Year placebo is
seriously opine that fleeting. In no way
practice of a does it remedy the
particular liturgy spiritual problems
will heal the of twentieth-
faithful ones century man and
ailments, comfort woman caught up
will follow in many in a rapidly
instances. This changing world. In
phenomena is fact, I argue that
ancient. The Christmas-New
certainty of being Year worsens mans
spiritual overture
quandaries. administered to
man by
In conclusion, I authoritative
believe that the church groups to
spiritual loneliness help him find his
of man is his place in a world he
greatest threat at feels lost in but a
this time and place world which has
in history; that the possibility of
spiritual loneliness enjoyment and
results from the abundant
inability to relate to opportunities; that
the self and Nature the celebration of
in a realistic Christmas-New
manner; that Year is proof that
spiritual loneliness man and womans
is further acerbated alienation is so
when faith is put in fierce they must
time-honored take a desperate
solemn practices binge each year to
which have no lie to themselves
basis in reality; that that they are happy.
if man was truly
happy with himself I call upon all
he would enjoy Christian men
other observances and women to
during the year, examine their lives
and Christmas-New in relation to their
Year would not be place in the world
accorded and Christianitys
grotesquely unreal place in that world.
powers of rebirth;
that spiritual
loneliness is a
human syndrome
that has reached * * *
epidemic
proportions and
gives evidence of
posing still greater
menace; that the Written in Caracas,
demise of spiritual Venezuela
loneliness can
come if man and 9 November 1979
woman seek a new
interpretation of Original Title:
their places in this
universe; that Christmas-New
spiritual loneliness Year and Spiritual
is intensified by Loneliness
Christmas-New
Year because Revised in
Christmas-New Calenzano, Italy
Year is a false
 15 August 2002

Authored by:

Anthony St. John

Casella Postale 38
50041
CALENZANO FI
ITALIA
055-887.32.28
335-604.73.81